OF HORSEMANSHIP. 107 



Poles were well acquainted with them, and the Gothic 

 -nations were diftinguiflied for performing them in the 

 midft of winter upon the Ice, as well as for their love 

 of arms and riding ; and in the rudeft times, the 

 horfe, his furniture, and ornaments became the efTen- 

 tial objedl of their care. England kept pace with the reft 

 of Europe, and faw many of her kings fond of dif- 

 playing thefe magnificent diverfions ; and the fpot of 

 ground near St. James's Park, called the Tilt Tard, is a 

 voucher of the repute in which they were held. Smith- 

 field was likewife famous for the frequent and fplendid 

 Tournaments held in it : adjoining to it, is a ftreet 

 called Knight-Rider and Gihfpur-Street ; fo named, it is 

 prefumed, from the Knights riding through it to the 

 tournament in Smithfield, and from the magnificent 

 ^It Spurs, worn in thofe times, being fold there. Cbeap- 

 Jide was another place in which thefe folemnities were 

 fometimes held, as well as Barbican and Bridewell. 



Mars and Fenus prefided over them ; they were the 

 image of IFar, without its guilt, and frequently the 

 femblance of PaJ^on, under the mafk of Gallantry, the 

 combatants afluming the title of Servans d' Amour *. The 



• No knight could exift without having a declared miftrefs, 

 L* Amour de Dieu, et des dames, religion and gallantry being the two great 

 articles in the creed of Knight-errantry. An elegant and judicious 

 French writer marks this devotion to their miftrefies in a very peculiar 

 and pointed terms. 11 etoit, fays he, de rejfence de Vancienne chevalerie 

 d' avoir fa Dame, a qui, comme un etrefupreme, on rapor toil tons fesfenti- 

 tnens, toutes fes penfees, toutes fes aSiions. EfTais Hift. fur Paris par 

 Saintfoix. 



P 2 pro- 



