Everich of you shal brynge an hundred knyghtes
Armed for lystes up at alle rightes,
Al redy to darreyne hire by bataille.
And this bihote I yow withouten faille,
Upon my trouthe, and as I am a knyght,
That wheither of yow bothe that hath myght –
This is to seyn, that wheither he or thow
May with his hundred, as I spak of now,
Sleen his contrarie, or out of lystes dryve,
Thanne shal I yeve Emelya to wyve.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Knight’s Tale. Theseus proposes an alternative to Arcite’s and Palamon’s lawless duelling. A public tournament will take place in oine year’s time with each of the two knights amassing an army of one hundred knights. The winner will be the one who slays the other or takes him prisoner and will receive Emily’s hand in marriage.