1793* hints on chivalry. 287 



HINTS RELATING TO CHIVALRY. 



For the Bee. 



Continued from p. 240. 



T'he education of a knight. 



XjL.^ving said thus much on the on'gin and charac- 

 teristics of ciiivalrj, it may be proper now to take 

 a view of the education which fitted the competi- 

 tors for chivalry, and to mark the gradual steps by 

 which they arrvied at that high dignity. 



As soon as the person destined for knighthood 

 was seven years of age, he was taken from the ^are 

 of women, and put under the tuition of men. A 

 masculine and robust education prepared him ear- 

 ly for the toils of war, a profeLion the same as that 

 of chivalry. The courts of princes, and the castles 

 of the Barons, were always open schools, where the 

 young nobiiicy learned the first rudi.nents of that 

 profefsion which they meant to follow. 



The first place which these youpg people enjoyed 

 was that of page; net in the sense this word has now 

 adays, for these were of a very inferior rank. The 

 office of the page was the ordinary service of domes, 

 tics near the person of thtir master and mistrefs ; 

 they accompanied them to the chase, and likewise 

 on their journies, in their visits and walks, went 

 their raefsages, and even served t!»em at table, and 

 filled their cups for them to drink. The firit lef- 

 son they were taught regarded chiefly the love of 

 Qod^and nf the ladies; that is to say, of nligicn and 



