[Northkeep] Your medieval moment for March 27 - "Drink thy blood, Beaumanoir, and thy thirst will pass!"

[Diana Hartzmann]

Interesting.

On Fri, Mar 25, 2022 at 2:54 PM Niewoehner, Hugh <
Hugh.Niewoehner at flightsafety.com> wrote:

> So says Geoffroy of Bouays in the midst of a 14th century challenge that
> later became known as the Combat of the Thirty.
>
>
>
> On the 27th day of March, 1351, during the midst of the turmoil of the
> Hundred Years War a noble Breton by the name of Robert de Beaumanoir, was
> near the town of Ploeremel, under the control of a German mercenary named
> Blandebourch, who had with him a number English, German, and Breton
> mercenaries.
>
>
>
> When it became apparent to Beaumanoir that the garrison was not going to
> leave the safety of the town, he approached the gate and challenged
> Blandebourch to a combat with lances for the love of their ladies.
>
>
>
> But Blandebourch said that the ladies would not approve of such a fight -
> for it would be over too quickly.  An old Breton lay gives his continued
> response as:
>
>
>
>       T'were best, methinks, adjust our difference in this way
>
>       By mortal combat in the field on some appointed day.
>
>       Thirty 'gainst Thirty, an you list, together we will fight,
>
>       Armed on all points, and on our steeds, - and Heaven defend the
> right!"
>
>
>
> It was all very formal - they agreed upon a time and place, heard mass,
> exchanged polite greetings, then lay into each other with sword, axe and
> spear.  After a period of fierce combat and several on each side were
> slain, a pause was agreed to.
>
>
>
> Wounded and weary, Beaumanoir asks for a drink.  But Geoffroy of Bouays
> gives the famous response: "Drink thy blood, Beaumanoir, and thy thirst
> will pass!"
>
>
>
> Before long the combat began once more and blow after blow was struck.
> Finally, after some time, Beaumanoir's "French" force had killed almost a
> third "English" side including Blandebourch himself, and wounded and
> captured every other man on that side.
>
>
>
> The tale of this combat has been memorialized in story and song.  Its been
> carved in stone, sewn on tapestries, and painted on canvas.
>
>
>
>       Siegneurs, knights, barons, bannerets, and bachelors I pray,
>
>       Bishops and abbots, holy clerks, heralds and minstrels gay,
>
>       Ye valiant men of all degrees, give ear unto my lay.
>
>       Attend, I say and ye shall hear how Thirty Englishmen,
>
>       As lions brave, did battle give to Bretons three times ten.
>
>       And sith the story of this fight I shall tell faithfully,
>
>       A hundred years hereafter it shall remembered be,
>
>       And warriors hoar recount it then to children on the knee.
>
>
>
> Let us Fight.  Let us Remember.  And let us Take Joy!
>
>
>
> Thanks Ferd.
>
>
>
> For a good source see Finnvar's site:
>
> Combat of the Thirty according to the Amiens ms. version of Jean
> Froissart's Chronicles:
>
> https://uts.nipissingu.ca/muhlberger/CHRONIQU/texts/thirty.htm
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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