FIELD OF THE CLOTH OF GOLD

This article appears in Volume V10, Page 327 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: FAT-FLA

FIELD OF THE CLOTH OF GOLD , the French Camp du drag d'or, the name given to the place between

Guines

GUINES

and Ardres where

Henry

VIII. of England met Francis I. of France in June 1520. The most elaborate arrangements were made for the

accommodation

ACCOMMODATION (Lat. accommodare, to make fit, from ad, to, cum, with, and modus, measure)

of the two monarchs and their large retinues; and on

Henry

's part especially no efforts were spared to make a

great

GREAT

impression in Europe by this meeting. Before the castle of

Guines

GUINES

a temporary palace, covering an area of nearly 12,000 sq. yds., was erected for the reception of the English king. It was decorated in the most sumptuous fashion, and like the chapel, served by thirty-five priests, was furnished with a profusion of golden ornaments. Some idea of the size of Henry's following may be gathered from the fact that in one month 2200 sheep and other viands in a similar proportion were consumed. In the fields beyond the castle, tents to the number of 2800 were erected for less distinguished visitors, and the whole scene was one of the greatest animation. Ladies gorgeously clad, and knights, showing by their dress and bearing their anxiety to revive the glories and the follies of the age of

chivalry

CHIVALRY (O. Fr. chevalerie, from
Late
- LATE
Lat. caballerius)

, jostled mountebanks, mendicants and vendors of all kinds.
Journeying from Calais Henry reached his headquarters at Guines on the 4th of June 1520, and Francis took up his residence at Ardres. After Cardinal Wolsey, with a splendid

train

TRAIN (M. Eng. trayn or trayne, derived through Fr. from Late Lat. trahinare, to drag, draw, Lat. trahere, cf. trail, trace, ultimately from the same source)

had visited the French king, the two monarchs met at the Val Dore, a spot midway between the two places, on the 7th. The following days were take up with tournaments, in which both kings took part, banquets and other entertainments, and after Wolsey had said mass the two sovereigns separated on the 24th. This meeting made a

great

GREAT

impression on contemporaries, but its political results were very small.
The Ordonnance for the Field is printed by J. S. Brewer in the Calendar of State Papers, Henry VIII. vol. iii. (1867). See also J. S. Brewer, Reign of Henry VIII. (1884).

End of Article: FIELD OF THE CLOTH OF GOLD

If you wish, you can link directly to this article.

<a href="http://jcsm.org/StudyCenter/Encyclopedia/FAT_FLA/FIELD_OF_THE_CLOTH_OF_GOLD.html">
FIELD OF THE CLOTH OF GOLD
</a>

(Previous)
FIELD (a word common to many West German langua...

(Next)
FIELD, CYRUS WEST (1819-1892)

JCSM was founded in 1997 and exists to help the community and bring people into a life-changing and productive relationship with Jesus Christ. JCSM offers over 200,000 free web pages, including its weekly inspirational emails that were sent continuously for over a decade.

Jesus Christ Saves Ministries
P.O. Box 9297
San Diego, CA 92169
1-888-887-0417 or Email