Part 3 (1/2)

If you would know how men fought in those days, read for yourselves in old Froissart's chronicle, and see how he exults in the charge of the cavalry bearing down the foe on their ponderous Flemish horses--in the solid ranks of the foot soldiers--in the flights of arrows that fall like hail from the tough bows of the archers. And when the fight is over how he glories in the tourneys and jousts--the song of troubadour and minstrel--the chase with hawk and hound.

In spite of abuses, in spite of all the miseries that these protracted wars, this l.u.s.t of conquest and fighting entailed, there still is something inexpressibly attractive in the n.o.bler aspects of chivalry. To rescue the captive, to free the oppressed, to journey away

into Walachy To Prussia and to Tartary, To Alexandria or Turkey,

doing deeds of valor for the mere reward of a silken scarf from his lady, or, n.o.blest of all, for the love of right and truth--is there not something admirable in this? Is not the idea of true knight and lady--”a race of n.o.blest men and women, trying to make all below them as n.o.ble as themselves”--[23] is not that a fair ideal, worthy of imitation by all of us?

The earlier phases of Chivalry with its elaborate rules, its laws written and unwritten, were past long before Cressy. The great mediaeval companies of knights, which made it one of the greatest powers for good or evil in Europe, were broken up. The Crusades were over, and knights could no longer gain fame and honor by fighting against the Paynim under the banner of the Cross. But still it was in Edward the Third's reign that Chivalry entered upon a period of unequalled glory and magnificence. The Garter--the most ill.u.s.trious order of English knighthood, was inst.i.tuted by the king at Windsor; and he and his son were foremost to set examples of unsurpa.s.sed valor in many a deed of desperate daring. Although Chivalry was far from perfect, let us remember that Bayard ”_sans pure et sans reproche_” was its ideal knight.--That many a gentle knight and squire was trying to do his best, to live worthy of his G.o.d, his King, and his Lady.--That

all dignity, courtesy, purity, self-restraint, devotion--such as they were understood in those rough days--centred themselves round the idea of _the rider_ as the attributes of the man whose supposed duty, as well as his supposed right, was to govern his fellow men, by example as well as by law and force;--attributes which gathered themselves up into that one word--Chivalry: an idea, which, perfect or imperfect, G.o.d forbid that mankind should ever forget, till it has become the possession--as it is the G.o.d-given right--of the poorest slave that ever trudged on foot.[24]

And when we look on young John of Eltham's n.o.ble face, let us believe that had he grown to man's estate, ”Mary, daughter of Ferdinand, King of Spain,” might have said to him:

For trust ye well that your estate royal, Nor vain delight, nor only worthiness Of you in war or tourney martial, Nor pomp, array, n.o.bility, riches, Of these none made me rue on your distress; _But moral virtue, grounded upon truth, That was the cause I first had on you ruth._[25]

FOOTNOTES:

[20] Shakespeare _King Henry the Fifth_.

[21] ”Memorials of Westminster,” p. 599. ”That the body of our very dear brother John late Count of Cornwall should be removed and translated from the spot where it lies to another and more suitable place among the Royals. Always reserving and keeping the most honorable places for the rest and sepulture of us and our heirs, according to that which reason will justly demand.”

[22] _Memorials_, p. 352.

[23] ”Ancien Regime.” C. Kingsley.

[24] ”Ancien Regime.” C. Kingsley.

[25] ”Chaucer's Troilus and Cressid.”

CHAPTER IV.

EDWARD THE FIFTH AND RICHARD.

Across the wide roadway that runs past Westminster Abbey from the Houses of Parliament, stands a low group of buildings, facing the north door.

Part of these are the Westminster Police Courts; and about one o'clock, black-gowned and white-wigged lawyers may be seen rus.h.i.+ng out of them to get their luncheon. The part which fronts the road is the National Society's Depot, from whence maps and books, slates and pencils go to furnish all the village schools in England. Hundreds of people go in and out of the door every day. Thousands pa.s.s it by. But very few, I imagine, reflect on the meaning of the blue plate on the corner, upon which is written in white letters: ”Broad Sanctuary.”

From its earliest foundation, Westminster Abbey shared with some thirty other English monasteries the right of ”Sanctuary.” Any man in danger of life or liberty, let the cause be what it might, was safe could he but once set foot within the precincts of the Sanctuary. No one could touch him. The monks would not violate this sacred privilege by giving him up.

His foes dared not violate it by pursuing him and taking him by force.

This right of Sanctuary, established in days when ”law” meant the will of the strongest, was often useful in saving an innocent life that otherwise would have been sacrificed to some unjust tyrant. But as civilization developed, as the const.i.tution of England encouraged the framing of wise and just laws for the protection of the good and punishment of the evil-doer, ”Sanctuary” became a frightful abuse.

”The grim old Norman fortress”--the actual sanctuary--stood on the present site of the National Society's Depot. But the whole precinct of the Abbey shared the privilege; and the s.p.a.ce now covered by St.

Margaret's Church and churchyard was often occupied by a vast crowd of distressed or discontented citizens who desired, as they called it, to ”take Westminster.”

Sometimes, if they were of higher rank, they established their quarters in the great Northern Porch of the Abbey, with tents pitched, and guards watching round, for days and nights together.[26]

Thieves or malefactors would often break away from their captors, as they were being led by the winding ”Thieven Lane” outside to their prison in the gatehouse, and darting into the consecrated ground would defy all attempts to lure them forth.

Rich men run thither with poor men's goods. There they build, there they spend and bid their creditors go whistle for them. Men's wives run thither with their husband's plate, and say they dare not abide with their husbands for beating. Thieves bring thither their stolen goods, and there live thereon. There devise they new robberies: nightly they steal out, they rob and reave, and kill, and come in again as though these places gave not only a safeguard for the harm they have done, but a license also to do more.[27]