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ing romances, and in conversation, which turned almost wholly on love and war. Entertainments, also, at each other's castles, were frequent; in these, the utmost merriment prevailed.

§ The minstrel's lay, the poetry of the troubadour, the romance of the learned clerk-all spoke of arms and amours-of the duties and sports of chivalry. Every baronial knight had his gay troop of minstrels, that accompanied him to the field, and afterwards chanted in his hall the martial deeds which had renowned his family.

At their entertainments, the knights were wont to repose on couches, or sit on benches. The guests were placed two by two, and only one plate was allotted to each pair; for to eat on the same trencher or plate with any one, was considered the strongest mark of friendship or love. Peacocks and pheasants were the peculiar food of knights, on great and festival occasions.

8. The Chivalric lady-love. The females of chivalry, possessed a distinct and peculiar character. The lady, like the knight, was regularly trained up to become, at length, the mistress of his affections. the castle of some knight or baron, her father's friend. One She was commonly educated in of the first duties or accomplishments which she learned, was that of courtesy, and condescension to her inferiors. In those days, her mental education was not of a high polish. Some knowledge of medicine was deemed desirable, as chivalry required her to take care of her wounded knight. Her dress was required to be plain, except on festive occasions.

§ The only tasks on her intellect, were to repeat the prayers of the church, to sing a brief piece of poetry, or the longer romaunt. She could also play on the harp. introduced into female education. There were solitary instances, in Sometimes the graver sciences were which might be applied what was sung of Felice, the daughter of the earl of Warwick.

"Busy they (her masters) were that maiden to leer,

And they lered her of astronomy

Of armsmetrick, and of geometry;
Of sophistry she was also witty,
Of rhetorick and of other clergy;
Learned she was in musick,

Of clergy was her none like."

In that singular system of manners which we call chivalric, love, rext to religion, was the most influential principle. In many instan ces, it was doubtless the most influential. The true knight was a more perfect personification of love, than poets and romancers ever dreamed. The fair object of his passion, reigned in his heart, with absolute dominion.

Every gallant spirit of "gentle" Gower's days, the reign of Edward III., said of his mistress.

"What thing she bid me do, I do,
And where she bid me go, I go."

Chivalric love, had both its absurdities and impieties. Knights were not satisfied to fight in defence of the ladies, and to joust ir their honour, but from the extravagance of their love, each knight maintained at the point of his lance, that his mistress surpassed all other ladies in beauty.

Chivalric love, became a foe to the distictions of wealth and rank, and many a knight, whose whole fortune lay in his prowess, gained the hand of high born beauty.

In chivalry there was always a generous consideration for woman. Hence proceeded the honorable maxim, that it was not just or courteous to take ladies in war.

§ In the wars of the Guelphs and the Ghibellines, the emperor Conrad, as an offended sovereign, had refused all terms of capitula tion to the garrison of Winnisberg; but as a courteous knight, he permitted the women to depart with such of their precious effects as they themselves could transport. The gates of the town were thrown open, and a long procession of matrons, each bearing a husband or a father, or brother, on her shoulders, passed in safety through the applauding camp.

9. Tournaments and Jousts. Tournaments and jousts, were both the offspring and the cherisher of chivalry. No amusement or exercise was so delighted in by gallant knights and beauteous ladies, by kings, the nobility, and the gentry, as these images of war. They were often splendid beyond description, especially at coronations, the marriage of princes, and important victories.

Tournaments were military exercises, performed by two parties of cavaliers, with hurtless weapons.

§ If the occasion was high and solemn, it was announced at the courts of different sovereigns, by heralds, sent by the king who proposed to hold the martial exercise; and all those who valued their knighthood, together with respected dames and maidens, were invited to repair to the appointed city, and prove their chivalry. Not knights alone, but kings and princes, pricked over the plain in gallant and graceful array; for though they were not expected to stoop to many knightly observances, they were eager to prove their chivalric character, by deeds of valour. For this they overlooked the pride of station

Not every knight might tourney. He must have been guilty of no unchivalric deportment. He must never have blasphemed God, or offended the ladies; must never have been false, ungrateful, or deserted a brother-in-arms in battle. The rules of tourneying, however, were sometimes evaded. Young knights, particularly, often concealed their names, and came in disguise.

The place of combat was, the lists, a large space, surround

Washington taking the oath of office. SCENE-Front of the old Federal Hall, New-York. P. 334.

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Sometimes

ed by ropes or railing, in single or double rows.
there was a wooden division in the lists or area, to prevent
the horses of the adverse knights from careering against one
another.

The ladies were the supreme judges of tournaments; but they generally deputed their power to a knight, who was cal led on this account, the Knight of Honour. They sometimes proposed the rewards, such as a diamond, ruby, &c. But the meed of renown was oftener military.

§ When the knights reached the lists, their arms were examined by the constable, in order that only hurtless ones might be used. But, notwithstanding this regulation, there existed a strong disposition, in many instances, to convert tournaments into real battles. Victory at a tournament was scarcely less glorious than victory in the field. The ladies, the minstrels, and the whole assembled multitude, acclaimed the conqueror. elegant tournament into a deadly fray, occasioned an oath to be imThe practice of converting the posed on all knights. that they would frequent tournaments, solely, to learn military exercises.

The chivalric bands were so well poised, that one encounter seldom terminated the sport. overthrown, and the tide of victory flowed to either end of the lists. The lances were broken, horses and knights The air was rent with names of ladies. his mistress to assist him, thinking that there was a magic in beauty, Each knight called upon to sustain his strength and courage. Death sometimes, though.not often, ensued. It was on the whole a hazardous and dissolute amusement. The revelry which followed, lasted often two or three days. The court of Rome was justly hostile to tournaments, and thundered its denial of christian sepulture to those who fell in a tilting ground; but still the practice went on.

Of jousts, there were two sorts; the joust to the utterance, and the joust of peace. bat between two knights, who were generally of different The former expressed a single comnations. In strictness of speech, the judicial combat was a joust to the utterance; and so was every duel, whether lawful or unlawful; but with such jousts, chivalry has no direct concern, though the absurd and iniquitous practice of modern duelling, grew out of its principles.

§ The joust was not so favourite an amusement as the tournament, for baronial pomp was not necessary to its display; often was it held without a store of bright ladies distributing the prize.

The joust of peace often took place at the conclusion of a tournament. A knight who had acquired honour, would ride about the lists, and call on the surrounding cavaliers, by their valiancy, and for the love of the ladies, to encounter him 32