Coming up in a hard school, 1247

An entry in Matthew Paris's English History shows that even king's brothers might have to earn respect from other knights the hard way:

Of a tournament held at Newbury.

On Ash-Wednesday, a grand tournament was held at Newbury amongst the knights of England, to try their knightly prowess and strength; and as the king was favourable to it, it began and ended well. At this tournament, William de Valence, the king's uterine brother, a novice, conducted himself with great daring, in order to acquire a famous name in chivalry; but being of tender age, and not able to sustain the force of the hardy and marshalled knights, he was thrown to the ground, whereby he suffered considerable losses, and was well batoned, in order that he might receive his apprentisage in knighthood.

Image: A Matthew Paris illustration.

Update: A reader asks, in comments, what "well batoned" meant. To me it means that the tourneyers were using batons instead of sharp weapons. In other words, they beat the snot out of him, but not in a way that would leave permanent damage.

Update 2: Will McLean on "well batoned."

Update 3: After looking at available Latin dictionaries, classical and medieval, I think baculatus, the word Matthew Paris uses, is best translated by the phrase Will cites, "thoroughly beaten." I can't find any citations of a word in bac- that means a sword or sharp weapon.

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