A tourney sword from the 14th or 15th century. There are several contemporary illustrations that depict knights fighting on horseback with such "wands," although in one of the primary references, King René d'Anjou's Livre de Tournoi, the author uses the word
"masse" . There is also contemporary evidence for these bâtons being made from
ash or
whalebone . There are a couple of references alluding to the use of bâtons in the vespers challenges, competitions for squires and young knights bachelier held the night before a larger tournament. These are referred to sometimes a
behourds , and seem to have been fought in a friendly manner, to show prowess in front of the assembled knights. See also
Chronique: The Journal of Chivalry #10 .
