110 AN HISTORICAL SKETCH OF FRENCH LITERATURE. 
‘¢ Ces chevaliers alor otez venir, 
Ces blancs haubers endoper et vétir 
Les écuyers ces bon chevaux tenir.”* 
He now became accustomed to toils and dangers, and acquired by 
degrees the whole science of war. At the age of twenty-one arrived 
the long-wished-for period of his promotion to knighthood, and great 
pomp and solemnity testified his advancement to this dignity. The 
young aspirant was led by his relations and friends to a church, where 
he confessed his sins aloud, and openly declared his repentance and 
remorse. Absolution was then given him, and he was then left alone 
in the church, where he passed the night with patient vigils and pious 
meditations. In the morning, mass was performed with great solemnity 
by the priest, who afterwards took the sword and breastplate, which 
had previously been deposited upon the altar, and returned them with 
benedictions. The eucharist was next administered to him; and, 
having previously been bathed, to denote the purity of the state into 
which he was about to enter, he was dressed in most superb gar- 
ments, and his sword and golden spurs (the distinguishing badges of 
knighthood) were put on. He then approached his chief, and, re- 
ceiving a blow with a sword on his neck, he was dubbed a knight — 
This ceremony was concluded with great merriment and feasting, and 
the festum tyrocinii (which was the term used by the old historians to 
denote the rejoicings attending the investiture of knighthood) fre- 
quently lasted several days. 
When the warrior was promoted to knighthood, the tables of the 
sovereign and the nobles were open to him; and in those times no 
distinction could be more really honourable or more intrinsically im- 
portant. If, by the chances of war, the knight was taken prisoner, 
his rank preserved him from all base or ignominious treatment, fetters 
and chains being deemed fit only for the ignoble. He was allowed to 
indulge in the richness of his dress and armour, and no one below his 
rank was allowed to wear gold, silks, or fur. In the field of battle 
the knight appeared on horseback, attended by his esquire. The 
principal strength of the then existing armies lay in their cavalry ; 
the adroit and skilful management of a horse, therefore, was of the 
greatest importance to the warrior knight. The gates of every castle 
were welcomely thrown open to receive him; and the society and 
praise of his mistress inflamed in his bosom the fire of love, which more 
* Thus sings Guyard,a Troubadour. Alor otez may be rendered in mo- 
dern French @ leurs hotels. —Daniel, Hist. Milice Franc. tome i. p. 94. 
