liteness the guests who visited the dwelling in which he had himself been received. To them he was bound to display every sort of reverence, to attend to their wants and wishes, to listen to their conversation with respect, and to obey their commands with gladness.

Such was in some degree the training of a youth till he arrived at fourteen years of age; but then came a period at which more laborious exercises succeeded, and the advance from page to squire was marked by a ceremony which has been very frequently confounded with the dubbing of a knight. I am rather inclined to believe, indeed, that in very many instances, especially in the case of princes, the two ceremonies were united. But nevertheless, it is indisputably proved by Ste. Palaye and others, that in ordinary cases, the binding on the military girdle, and receiving the sword from the altar, was a distinct ceremony from the dubbing.*

* The mistake made by the writers who have confounded these two ceremonies-a mistake into which Dr. Meyrick himself has fallen-has led to the greatest confusion. The only occasions on which we can be sure that knighthood was really conferred at a very early age, that is to say, previous to the age of sixteen or seventeen, is where the ancient historian who mentions it uses some term which means that the act of dubbing took place, or (in those cases where royal personages were concerned as the recipients,) when other records prove that an aid was levied by the sovereign at that time for the making his son a knight; otherwise the words, "to give or to receive the military belt" does not with any certainty imply the ceremony of making a knight.

Previous to this period of life, the page was only permitted to wear a short dagger; but at fourteen, in general, he was led by his parents to the altar, on which was laid a sword. This was taken off by a priest, and was girded on with prayers and exhortations in regard to its use; and in general, festivities and rejoicings succeeded. After this, gradually increasing in point of duration and severity, came the more robust exercises; bearing heavy weights, running immense distances, enduring every sort of fatigue, springing on a horse armed at all pieces, without putting a foot in the stirrup, and even leaping on the shoulders of a man on horseback, with no other aid than a grasp of one arm, were amongst the performances of the aspirants to chivalry. Besides these feats, we read of others in the historians of those days, requiring equal strength and exertion, such as mounting by means of the arms alone the lower side of a long ladder, casting complete summersets in heavy armour, and climbing up between two walls at a small distance apart, by the pressure of the hands and feet only. Casting lances to great distances, and striking heavy balls of wood with large rackets or malls, were amongst the amusements of the youths of Europe at that period, besides that regular practice in the use of all weapons which daily took place. Almost all of their sports and pastimes indeed were of a military character. That which was called the Chicane, and which was practised in several parts of France

within the last century, together with dancing, chess, and some few games of chance, were the only exceptions, I believe; and indeed the chicane, which consisted in following a heavy wooden ball, and beating it with malls beyond certain limits defended by another party, might well be considered a military sport, as well as hunting and hawking, from the dangers and accidents which continually occurred in such amusements.

Though the tournament, the joust, and the passage of arms did not admit of any but experienced and mature cavaliers, yet there were many other military pastimes of the day, in which the more youthful nobility could take part, and practise against each other a mimic warfare. Amongst these was the game of the Quintaine, which consisted in running with a lance, or sword, either on horseback or on foot, at a wooden figure, representing the upper part of a man's body. This was impaled upon a strong post, on which it turned with the slightest touch; and both arms of the figure being extended, a lance or long sword was found in the one hand, and sometimes a shield or another pole in the other. As in all tournaments and other chivalrous sports, it was held unfair to strike an adversary anywhere but on the chest or helmet, the great object in the game of the Quintaine was so to direct the lance or sword with which the player attacked his wooden adversary, as to touch the figure directly in the middle; but if

the luckless cavalier chanced to miss his mark, and strike too much to the right or left, the automaton instantly took vengeance of his awkwardness by whirling round in consequence of the very blow he gave it, and striking him violently with the weapons it carried in either hand.

The Behour was simply another military sport, and consisted in the attack of a small fortress, or redoubt, by one party, and its defence by others; and, as in all these amusements many accidents occurred, and some peril was encountered, strength and hardihood were acquired, and a knowledge of danger, and acquaintance with pain were gained, not unaccompanied by contempt of risk and habit of endurance.

The station which the young nobleman now filled, was that of squire, or ecuyer; and this rank, like that of page, had in itself various grades or classes in the courts of sovereigns and the houses of the great nobility. The military denomination of every young noble under the rank of knight was squire, and it was only in the houses of the lords to whom they were attached, that the distinction between one class and another began. Into a lengthened account of these distinctions it will not be necessary to enter; suffice it to say, that of course the squire of honour was the highest grade, which was probably conferred more in consequence of the rank of the person, than of any course of services. I do not believe that any but men of noble birth were reputed squires, although we find them per

forming many sorts of service, which in after days were considered menial; such as leading the horses of their lords, carrying their lances, shields, and casques, and other offices of a character even servile. The part which the squires took in general battles and occasional combats, is differently stated by different authors. Ste. Palaye seems to believe that in general engagements the squires were forbidden to take part in the actual combat, or at all events were commanded to hold themselves entirely on the defensive. But this is proved by so many accounts to be incorrect, that it cannot be sustained for a moment. There are many hundreds of instances on record in every old chronicler and historian, of squires, in the prime and flowery days of chivalry, not only taking part in the battle, but of fighting hand to hand with, overcoming and slaying the adverse knights. If any other proof were necessary, it would be afforded by the famous battle of the Thirty, where the greater part of those employed on both sides. had never attained the honour of knighthood. I am inclined to believe, however, that Ste. Palaye was only misled by a few occasional facts into laying down as a general rule what took place in particular cases. It seems to me probable that the squires of the body, or squires of honour of any particular lord or knight, were commanded, as Ste. Palaye says, to pay particular attention to all the movements of their lord, and to follow, assist, and defend him,