CHIVALRY. 



Chivalry, which he then took, he bound himself to defend and pro- 

 "*>"* tr.t the oppressed, the widow*, and orphans ; to take 

 under hit eipecial are married and unmarried women of 

 noble b rth ; and to UM hii utmost endeavour* to render 

 travelling safe, and to destroy tyranny. Hence arose, 

 as Boullainvillier* obterves, in hit 7/w/ory of tht Ancient 

 Goffrnitrnt of France, the order and the Uws of chival- 

 d the honour attached to the name of knight. 

 That the Uwt established by the Council of Clermont 

 farmed the rudiments of those laws, to which every per- 

 ton ubmitted himself when he became a knight, is suffi- 

 r cTident from the summary of the latter, which is 

 giren in t!ie work entitled, Ordrcde Chcvaleric, as quo- 

 ted by Monsieur de Sainte Palaye, Office de chevalier est 

 it maintenir frmmct, leaves, et orphelint, et homtncs mi- 

 imiiei ei no* fiuiunnt. 



Spain and France appear to have been the countries 

 in which chivalry was first regularly formed into a sys- 

 tem, and where it flourished in its greatest splendour, 

 magnificence, and purity. The natural character of the 

 Spanish nation ; the necessity in which they were placed 

 of exercising constant activity and enterpnze, to secure 

 themselves from their infidel invaders ; and the frequent 

 opportunities and occasions for protecting and avenging 

 the weak and defenceless, to wnich the state of their 

 country for many centuries gave birth ; all conspired to 

 the early establishment of chivalry among them. In 

 France, the magnificence in which the barons lived, the 

 pervading influence of the feudal system, which then 

 was on a most sumptuous, extensive, and lading foot- 

 ing { and the regular institution of schools in the castles 

 of the nobility, for initiating their youth into the rules 

 and practices of chivalry, contributed to the same ef- 

 fect. 



Germany, also, was an early seat of chivalry, and 

 produced many knights, who practised it with the great- 

 est zeal, and in its utmost strictness and purity. In 

 England, it wjs rather of later birth and slower growth ; 

 nor till the intercourse between this country and France 



Institution* became familiar and frequent, were the English knights 



tfchivalrv. of great ceJebntj.. 



We shall now proceed to give an account of the in- 

 stitutions of chivalry ; of the education by which the 

 young nobility were trained up to the duties and the ho- 

 nours of knighthood ; of the degrees through which 

 each candidate for these honours was obliged to pass ; 

 of the ceremonies that were employed in making a knight ; 

 of the armour which he was allowed or expected to 

 wear ; of the rights and privileges with which he was 

 invested ; of the duties and virtues which he was called 

 upou to practise ; of the feats of arms in which he em- 

 ployed his leisure, and indulged bis passion for actual 

 warfare ; of his amusements when not thus engaged ; of 

 the causes and ceremonies of kis degradation from knight- 

 hood ; of the manner in which his old age, when he 

 was no longer fit for activity and enterprise, was spent ; 

 and of the ceremonies and honours attendant on his fu- 

 neral. 



Those extravagancies of chivalry, knight-errantry, and 

 the fraternities or brotherhoods, which proceeded from 

 the pasiion for adventure and enterprise, and from ro- 

 mantic and fanatical ideas of love and gallantry, will also 

 be noticed and described. 



At the character and influence of the female sex were 

 to very prominent and predominating; in the age of chi- 

 vairy, the education which they received, the part which 

 they performed in calling forth and rewardm;.: the vir- 

 tue of knighthood, and their general manners, habits, 

 and ctnplojmcnts, will be cursorily touched upon. 



Lastly, the period and causes of the decline and ex- <* ' 

 tinction of chivalry, gnd the impression which it has T""* ' 

 left on the character of modern times, and on our mode 

 ami principle* of intercourse with one another, will na- 

 turally form the subject of the concluding part of thit 

 article. 



Till the age of seven years, children of a royal or Erf,, r , ti6B 

 noble birth, by a custom which apjxMis to have been O f .j )e 

 followed in the time of the Emperor Julian, and whii !. 

 continued in France till the Revolution, were entirely &< 

 committed to the management and charge of the wo- 

 men. When they had attained that age, such as weie 

 destined for chivalry entered on that courfe of education, 

 which was to prepare them for the enjoy mci.t of its ho- 

 nours, and the performance of its duties. The scene cf 

 this education was either the castle of their father, of 

 some of their relations, or of a neighbouring noble : in 

 most cases the last was preferred, especially it' in it were 

 to be found youths of the same age, and preparing for 

 the same object. It was not considered degrading for 

 the moft noble youths to receive their education and their 

 maintenance from those who were not related to them : 

 on the contrary, a* they necessarily discharged certain 

 offices of the household, in order to prepare themselves 

 for the ranks of knighthood, the obligation was deemed 

 mutual. 



The appellation that was given to these youths from 

 the age of seven to that of fourteen, was that of Pages, 

 J'tnl Is, or Dnmoiseaujc: in our old English ballads and 

 romances, Child was a common name for them. These 

 appellations, however, were sometimes applied to those 

 who had reached the higher rank of Etquirc. 



The pages were kept in constant and active employ- 

 ment : they waited on the master and mistress of the 

 castle, both at home and abroad ; during their jour- 

 neys, their visits, their walks, and even at the cnace, 

 it was the duty of the pages to be in attendance. 

 They even waited at table, and acted in the capacity of 

 cup-bearers. The renowned chevalier Bayard, in hit 

 early youth, was placed in the house of his uncle, the 

 Bishop of Grenoble ; and, we are told, that when the 

 latter paid a visit to the Duke of Savoy, he was ac- 

 companied by Bayard, who attended upon him at din- 

 ner. 



The first impression that was made on the minds and 

 feelings of the pages, were those of love, gallantry, 

 honour, and bravery. Surrounded by noble ladies and 

 valiant knights, the instructions they received, and the 

 examples that were displayed before them, all had this. 

 tendency. Chivalry they were taught to reverence, as 

 containing every thing that was alluring, grand, and de- 

 sirable : and the only means by which they could gain 

 this object, they easily and early perceived were those 

 of devotion to the female sex, and skill and courage in 

 warfare. 



They were taught, at the same time, by the ladies o 

 the castle, the rudiments of religion and of love. The 

 love of God and of the Ladies was constantly impressed 

 on their minds : it was the first lesson they received. 

 In order that they might have opportunities to practise, 

 in some degree, the instructions they received, it wa* 

 customary for each youth to select some young, accom- 

 plished, and virtuous lady ; at her fret he displayed all 

 hie gallantry ; to her he disclosed all his thoughts ; her 

 he made the judge of all his actions. She was autho- 

 rised and called upon by him to polish his manners, and 

 to render him fit for the softer and more elegant duties 

 of chivalry. 



The emulation natural to youth ; the martial sport*. 



