you can only be those of courtesy, for I should lose my labour were I to solicit your love, and I would rather die than accomplish your dishonour." He then prayed her to give him one of her sleeves, for he said that he should have need of it in the approaching tournament. The lady accordingly took it from her dress, and he attached it to his.*

judges of the tournament he immediately went to her and related the matter. She was delighted at Bayard's gallantry, and declared that as he had done her the honour to avow that her sleeve had made him gain the prize, she would preserve it all her life for the sake of his love. The ruby she gave to the cavalier, who had next distinguished himself to Bayard.

And thus lived the knight without fear The martial pastime was held, and and without reproach, till the retreat of after the supper which succeeded, it was the French out of Italy in 1524, when he inquired to whom should the prizes (the was fatally wounded by a stone dissleeve and a ruby) be given. The knights, charged from a harquebouze. He fell the ladies, and even those who had tour- from his horse, crying, "Jesus, my Saneyed with him, accorded it to Bayard. viour, I am dead." He kissed the crossBut he declared that the honour was not handle of his sword; and there being no his but that if he had done anything chaplain present, he confessed himself well, Madame de Fleuxas was the cause, to his esquire, who then, by the knight's for she had given him her sleeve. He, command, placed him against a tree, with therefore, prayed that she might be per- his face turned towards the enemy; mitted to act according to her judgment "because," said Bayard, "as I have and prudence. The Seigneur de Fleuxas never yet turned my back to the foe, I knew too well the noble character of will not begin to do so in my last moBayard to feel any jealousy at this comments." pliment to his wife, but with the other

The old French, in which this dialogue was held, is exceedingly interesting and expressive. "Monseigneur de Bayard, mon amy, voicy la premiere maison ou avez esté nourry, ce vous seroit grand honte si ne vous y faisiez congnoistre, aussi bien qu'avez fait ailleurs. Le bon che valier respondit, Madame, vous savez, bien que des ma jeunesse vous ay aymée, prisée et honorée, et si vous tiens à si saige et bien enseigné, que ne voulez mal à personne, et encores a moy moings, que à un autre. Dites moy, s'il vous plaist que voulez vous que je face pour donner plaiser à Madame ma bonne maistresse, à vous sur toutes, et au reste do la bonne et belle compaignée qui est ceans. La dame de Fleuras lui dit alors. Il me semble, Monseigneur de Bayard, mais que je ne vous ennuye point, que ferez foit bien de faire quelque tournoy en ceste ville, pour l'honneur de Madame qui vous en scaura tres bon gré. Vous avez ici alentour

force

de vos compaignons gentils-hommes François et autres gentils-hommes de ces pays, lesquels s'y trouveront de bon cœur, et j'en suis asseurée. Vrayment, dit le bon chevalier, puis que le voulez il sera faist. Vous estes la dame en ce monde qui a premierement acquis mon cœur à son service, par le moyen de vostre bonne grace. Je suis asseuré que je n'en auray jamais que la bouche et les mains, car de vous requirir d'autre chose je perdrois ma peine, aussi sur mon ame j'ay merois mieulx mourir que vous presser de deshonneur. Bien vous prie que me veuillez donner un de vos manchons. Car j'en ay à besongner. La dame qui ne savoit qu'il en vouloit faire le lui bailla, et il le meit en la manche de son pourpoint, sans faire autre bruit." Memoires, vol. xiv., p. 397.

He charged his esquire to tell the King, that the only regret he felt at quitting life was the being deprived of the power of serving him any further. The Constable of Bourbon, as he was pursuing the French, found him in this state, and assured him that he pitied his lot. But Bayard replied, "It is not I who stand in need of pity, but you who are carrying arms against your King, your country, and your oath." The news that he was mortally wounded quickly spread, and excited the deepest grief in the minds of both armies, for he was a valiant soldier and a generous foe. After a while he was removed to a tent and placed on a bed. He was shriven by a priest, and soon afterwards died, as, with true Christian piety, he was imploring his God and his Saviour to pardon his sins, and to show him mercy rather than justice.* He was buried at a convent of Minims, half a league from Grenoble, the principal town of his native country.

During some of the last years of his

The Memoires of Bayard, by one of his secretaries, have furnished me with the chief facts in this account of Bayard. A very ex cellent English translation of them has been published in two vols. post 8vo. The Memoires Du Bellay (Paris, 1572,) have supplied some deficiencies in the narration of the loyal ser viteur.

Soon after the days of Francis I. the title of knighthood became an empty name: it was preserved as the decoration of nobility.and lawyers; and from respect to the ancient glories of their nation, kings received it at their baptism.† Montluc, that man of blood, was the last French soldier who received it in the field of battle. The accolade was given to him by the Duke d'Anguien, after the engagement of Cérisolles, in 1544.

The amusements of chivalry were soon abolished. The accidental death of Henry II. in a tournament, in the

Memoires de Bayard, in the great collection of French Memoires, vol. xv., 1. 458. “Et puis après par maniere de jeu, cria haultement l'espée en la main dextre: tu es bien heureuse d'avoir aujourdhui à un si verteux et puissant espée vous serez moult bien reliques gardée et sur toutes autres honorée. Et ne vous pourteray jamais, si ce n'est contre Turcs, Sarrasins, ou Maures, et puis feit deux faults, et après remeit au fourreau son espée." This sword has been

donné l'ordre de chevalerie Certes ma bonne

roy

life, his fine and chivalrous spirit found | plunged his trusty weapon into his a kindred soul in Francis I., who, it is sheath.* remarkable, was the only French sovereign graced with any share of the character of chivalry. For, while the Plantagenets of England had shone as brilliantly by chivalric as by regal splendour, the Capetian princes of France could not present a king that displayed any powers beyond the ordinary qualities of royalty. The valiancy, the liberality, the fine, open, and manly countenance, and the lofty form of the King, were altogether those of one of Charlemagne's paladins. His imagination was coloured with the gay and lively tints of romance, and so fondly did he dwell upon the fabulous glories of old, that in many a sportive moment he arrayed himself in the guise of the antique cavalier. But here our panegyric must cease; for no preux knight would, like Francis, have pledged his solemn word to observe a treaty, and immediately afterwards have violated it. However unkingly and unknightly Charles V. might have deported himself in treating Francis in prison with severity, and although the terms of the treaty of Madrid were such as no noble victor would have imposed, still the obligation of the pledge of Francis's word should have been felt as sa cred. A noble cavalier, a Chandos or Du Guesclin, would have disdained to obtain his liberty by signing a treaty which he intended to break as soon as he should leave his prison. "All is lost, Madam, except our honour," as the French King wrote to his mother after the battle of Pavia; a generous, chivalric expression; and scarcely could it have been expected that he was the man who would have thrown away that honour.

The last faint gleam, however, of the sun of military chivalry in France fell upon Bayard and his sovereign, Francis; for after the battle of Marignan, in 1515, when they fought together against the Swiss, the King was, at his own request, knighted by the cavalier without fear and without reproach. After giving the accolade, Bayard addressed his sword, Certainly, my good sword, you shall hereafter be honoured as a most precious relic, and never shall be drawn except against Turks, Moors, and Saracens." He then twice leaped up for joy, and

66

lost.

This mode of receiving knighthood had, however, been stealing into a custom for some time. The earliest instances I have ever met with was in the case of an infant son of Charles VI. (A.D. 1371), who was knighted by Du Guesclin, a cavalier who, one would think, was sufficiently jealous of the honour of chivalry. After the ceremonies of Baptism, Du Guesclin drew his sword, and putting it naked into the hand of the naked child (nudo tradidit ensem nudum), said to him, "Sire, I give you this sword, and put it into your hand; and pray God that he will give you such a noble heart that you may prove as true a knight as any of your illustrious ancestors." So, too, Monstrelet, in his account of the events in the year 1433, says that the Duchess of Burgundy was delivered of a son at Dijon, who was knighted at the font. Vol. vii., p. 147.

Part of Segar's account of this tournament is too interesting to be omitted, "At the fourth course, by marvellous misadventure, the King became hurt with a splinter of the adversary's lance, which pierced his eye so deep as thereby his brain was much bruised.

Thus was the

nuptial feast disturbed, and joy converted to sorrow. Such is the state of worldly things: gladness is ever followed by sadness, and pleasure accompanied by pain. The rest of the troops who were ready to run were with that accident marvellously amazed, and not knowing what to do, every man let fall his lance, and cursed such triumphs. Some pressed to carry his person home, and others (as touched to the heart) shut their eyes from seeing a spectacle so miserable. The ladies likewise and gentlewomen of the

year 1559, did much to indispose the minds of the people from chivalric sports; and when in the following year Prince Henry de Bourbon Montpensier was killed, in consequence of his horse falling under him, while careering round the lists, tournaments ceased for ever; and with their abolition, as Voltaire says, the ancient spirit of chivalry expired in France; for that country after the death of Henry II. was plunged in fanaticism, and desolated by the wars of religion. The spirit did not survive the forms of chivalry; for the intercourse with Italy introduced into France new opinions and feelings. Machiavelian politics banished the open, manly demeanour of chivalry; and the most disgusting profligacy equally distinguished the ladies. It is amusing to observe that, long after the extinction of chivalry in France, the apparent homage and devotion of chivalric love still continued, although it was no longer sustained by virtue. Love, sublimed into idolatry, breathes in every page of the heroic romances which succeeded the romances of chivalry, and reflect the feelings of the nation; and so late as the reign of Louis XIV. a ruffled and wellcourt turned their faces from beholding, and closed their eyes with tears. To conclude, the whole number of courtiers were stricken with sorrow not explicable. The citizens, also, and, generally, all the subjects of that kingdom, were perplexed to see the tragical event of that disastrious triumph, which was intended to congratulate a new peace and honourable alliance. The form and face of the city was thus converted from exceeding joy to unspeakable sorrow: some held up their hands to heaven, others made haste to the churches, and every one, with abundance of sighs and sobs, cried out beseeching God to grant the King's recovery; as if every man's well. doing had thereon depended. Then the physicians and surgeons, not only of France but of the Low Countries, came thither to show their skill, using all art and endeavour that might be; but the splinters of the lance had pierced the King's eye so deeply, as the tenderness of the place could not suffer it to be taken out nor seen (the brain also being pierced), no means there were to cure the wound. The King, therefore, tormented with extreme pain, fell into a burning fever, whereof at the end of eleven days he died. In all which time he did never weep, nor speak any words that might be imputed to pusillanimity; but most magnanimously took leave of life. Only this he said, that seeing he was destined to die in arms, he would have been much better contented to have lost his life in the

powdered French general whose soul was not illumined by a single gleam of the character of a preux chevalier, would fancy himself the very pink of sentiment, and sigh at the feet of his mistress,

"Pour meriter ton cœur, pour plaire a vos beaux yeux.

J'ai fait la guerre aux rois, je l'aurois fait aux dieux."

CHAPTER XIII.

PROGRESS OF CHIVALRY IN SPAIN.

General Nature of Spanish Chivalry.-Religion and Heroism.-Gallantry. - Blending of Spanish and Oriental Manners.-Its beneficial Tendencies.-Peculiarities of Spanish Chivalry. Forms of Knighthood. — Various Ranks of Knights.-Spanish Poetry.-Heroes of Chivalry.-Pelayo.-Bernardo del Carpio -And incidentally of Charlemagne's Expedition into Spain. The Life of the Cid.His early ferocious Heroism.-His singular Marriage. Enters the Service of King Ferdinand. The Cid's Chivalric Gallantry.-— He is knighted.-Death of King Ferdinand. -The Cid becomes the Knight of Sancho, King of Castile. --- Mixture of Evil and Good in the Cid's Character.-Supports the King in his Injustice.-The Cid's Romantic Heroism.-Sancho's further Injustice opposed by him.-Death of Sancho.-Instance of the Cid's virtuous boldness.--Character of Alfonso, Successor of Sancho.-Story of his Chivalric Bearing.--The Cid's second Marriage. -Is banished from Alfonso's Court-Becomes the Ally of the Moors--But recalled.Is banished again.-Singular Story of the Cid's unknightly Meanness.--Fortunes of the Cid during his Exile.--The Cid's chivalric Nobleness and Generosity.--Is recalled by Alfonso. The Cid captures Toledo - And Valentia.--Story of Spanish Manners.-The Cid's unjust Conduct to the Moors.-The unchivalric Character of the Cid's Wife and Daughters.-The Cid recalled by Alfonso.-The Marriages of his Daughters.---Basely treated by their Husbands.-Cortez at Toledo to decide the Cause.-Picture of Ancient Manners.-Death of the Cid.-His Character -Fate of his good horse.-Spanish Chivalry after his Death.-Gallantry of a Knight.-The Merits of Missals decided by Battle.-Passage of Arms at Orbigo.-Knights travel and joust for Ladies' Love.-Extinction of Spanish chivalry.

SPANISH chivalry awakens the most

field than in those domestic pastimes." Segar, splendid and romantic associations of the

of Honour, lib. iii., c. 40.

mind. Europe, with her active courage,

-her jealousy of honour, her superior religion; Asia, with her proud and lofty deportment, her fervid and sublimated imagination, and the magnificent ceremonial of her pomp, formed the knight of Spain, and, in consequence of this influence of Orientalism on his character, he represents the stateliness of chivalry as perfectly as the English cavalier its adventurousness, and the French its gaiety.

and the sports of hawking and hunting, were the new circumstances in Spanish character and manners: but in the times of those wretched barbarians, the Visigoths, it is in vain to search for the perfect development of the chivalric character. Chivalry appears only in few and fitful gleams in those dark times; and her golden light did not shine in full and bright display till the days of the Arabians; and, throughout their long reign of seven centuries, it had a very remark

ters. As its glory was personal, chivalry abated much of the fierceness of a religious or a national war; for the cavalier could admire, even in an enemy, qualities which it was his own pride and ambition to possess.

There was an interesting blending of religious enthusiasm and romatic hero-able effect on circumstances and characism in the Spaniard. His warm and creative imagination transformed the patron-saint of his country into a knight. He always saw St. James at his side, mounted on a stately white horse, and fighting the battles of Christianity and Spain; and, as if these chivalric exploits were not sufficient, he represented him as the professed and powerful champion of distressed damsels; for he supposed that this celestial ally had freed the nation from paying the annual tribute of a hundred Christian virgins to their infidel enemies.*

Spain, too, appears to our fancy as the very land of chivalric love of love which was bred amidst difficulties and dangers, where the undistinguishable throng of hopes and fears that kindle hope" gave a more imaginative cast to the feelings than can be known in the more settled frame of modern society. There was not only the feudal baron violating the laws of courtesy, as in other countries, but bands of Moors were careering over the plains, who did not think that woman was an object utterly unworthy of a perilous quest. Here, then, all the beautiful romance of knighterrantry might be realised; and in the breast of the rescued damsel love would spring from gratitude.

The germs of chivalry existed in the minds of the Visigoths, who overthrew the dominion of the Romans in Spain. Military investiture, respect for women,

Warton justly observes, that the apotheosis of chivalry, in the person of their own apostle, must have ever afterwards contributed to exaggerate the characteristical romantic heroism of the Spaniards, by which it was occasioned, and to propagate through succeeding ages a stronger veneration for that species of military enthusiasm to which they were naturally devoted. Warton, Diss. on the Gesta Romanorum.

The nations met in the graceful encounter of the tournament, as well as in more perilous battle-field; and the interchange of chivalric courtesies, when the image of war was exhibited, could not but mitigate the ferocity of real hostilities. At the Moorish or Christian festivals, a gallant soldier of the opposite. religion would appear, and challenge the bravest of his adversaries to maintain the superiority of his nation and faith; and in maintaining that cause the cavaleresque deportment of the combatants was admired, when the avowed object of their encounter was forgotten; for the object of the assembly was amusement; and the eye and fancy were addressed in these gentle exercises and proofs of arms.*

The people of the two religions insensibly mingled, and each adopted something of the thoughts and manners of the other. If the Christian taught the Moors to use the lance of courtesy, the Christian learned from the Moors to throw the cane, which was afterwards such a favourite Spanish amusement. From them, too, the knights of Spain adopted the javelin, and used it instead of the lance. They were wont to hurl it as forcibly as any Asiatic or Grecian heroes could have done; for a greater

* Painters are as good witnesses for manners as romance writers; and in Murphy's Arabian Antiquities of Spain there is an engraving from a picture in the Alhamra, representing a martial game wherein both Moors and Christians contended.