1^93* hints on chivalry. 321 



Independently of the protection of religion, the 

 young man, by the laws of chivalry was required, 

 under the penalty of infamy, to protect widows, or- 

 phans, and all those who groaned under opprefsion. 

 They were obliged not only to give them the af- 

 sistance of their arm, but even to sacrifice their life 

 in their cause. The ladies, without arms to main- 

 tain pofsefsion of their fortunes, denied the means 

 of proving their innocence when attacked, would 

 have often seen their fortune and their lands become 

 the prey of an unjust and powerful neighbour, or 

 their reputation yield to the rude attacks of calum- 

 ny, had not some generous knight been always 

 ready to take arms in their defence*. Chivalry, as 

 was formerly mentioned, naturally arose from the 

 state of society in the middle ages, when the earth 

 was overwhelmed with rapine and murder. Gene- 

 rous persons, therefore, enttred into an afsociation 

 together, to protect the v/eak from the hand of the 

 opprefsor. Such was the origin of chivalry, which 

 like some mighty river, at first small and insignifi- 

 cant, rising among rude rocks and barren deserts, 

 by the rapidity of its course, the depth of its current, 

 the extent of the country it adorns, and the cities 

 and palaces it waters, is rendered more remarkable 

 and worthy of attention. 



There being little or no security to be had, 

 so many re^tlels spirits, and the claiming views 

 and interests of a neighbouring, numerous, and 

 independent nobility, the military discipline of 



* Memoirs sur I'anciene chevalerie ; par M. de la Curne de St Palaye 



VOL. xvi, s s f 



