CHIVALRY

intimated or enjoined in the relations which subsisted between them, and his devotion to lier was considered as entitling hira to every recompence love could bestow The 14th century was the brilliant period of chivalry; when its usages, originally formed in the manners of the people, had become fixed and embellished by the fictions of the writers of romances; and when princes and chieftains, forming their idea of tlie institution rather from the descriptions contained in them than from real life,.sought to bring back their courts and camps to the likene of those ideal models of perfection. It may be more truly said that the romances of chivalry were the prototypes of that state of courtly society which existed in the reigns of our Edward III. and Richard II., and of which Froi art has left us such accurate and lively representations, than that existing manners and sentiments furnished the subject-matter of those romances. These fictions, of which the heroes were taken from among a long list of fanciful personages, in whose history a little tradition of past events was blended with a much larger proportion of fable, represented the knight not only as devoted to the service of his religion, his lord, and his mistre , but also as consecrated to the general service of the oppre ed and maintenance of right all over the world. There can be little doubt that the peculiar ceremonies which, in the 14th and 15th centuries, accompanied the creation of a knight, — the vow of chivalry, the watching, prayer, and fasting, — were borrowed by romantic imaginations from such fabulous recitals, which were read and related in every courtly company. In the reign of Edward III., the romantic part of cliivalry, as we have said, was more closely transfused into real manners than at any period either preceding or subsequent. Before that period, the manners of the knights and dames had exhibited but little of that polish and refinement, their sentiments but little of that generosity, which were the subjects of so much imaginary description; and, in later times, chivalry gradually decayed. Its usages were maintained with even more of magnificence than before; its various rites, titles, and distinctions subsisted for a long period in most European countries, and partly remain to this day; but the spirit of feudal devotedne was quenched by the multiplication of mercenary troops; adherence to a feudal lord was superseded by the more general feelings of national patriotism (which, singularly enough, was almost wholly omitted in the chivalric code), and the extravagances into which che imaginary point of honour had led its votaries fell into discredit and ridicule. It is, therefore, to the I4th century, and especially to that part of its chronicles preserved by the true annalist of chivalry, Froi art, that we must look for the period when the line between real society and that represented in romances was most nearly broken down. "When the usages of chivalry were most flourishing, all men of noble birth (except the highest) were supposed to pa through three orders or gradations. They first lived as pages in the train of nobles and chiefs of high rank; next, as esquires, they attached themselves to the person of some individual knight, to whom they were bound by a strict law of obedience, and for whom they were bound to incur every danger, and, if nece ary, sacrifice their lives; and, thirdly, they were promoted to the rank of knighthood. (For the different orders of knighthood see Knight.) It is suflBcient to observe here, that however great the distinction might be between knights in point of rank and wealth, custom established a species of equality among all of the same order, which may be said to subsist among gentlemen of ihe present day. They formed, all over Europe, a common corporation, as it were, po e ing certain rights, and owing each other certain mutual duties and forbearances. They were united, not by the ties of country, but by those of feudal obedience, which attached every knight to the banner of his liege lord, from whom he held his fee; but little or rather no dishonour attached to knights who were under no such feudal tie, if they chose their own chieftain wherever they thought fit: they were free adventurers, whose order was a pa port in every service; and, in the actual conflict, the hostility of knights was moderated by usage. Thus, it was dishonourable in any knight to take a knight's life if disarmed, and not to set him free when a prisoner on receiving a fitting ransom. Manny and Chandos, the two most celebrated of Edward III.'s knights, were attached wholly to the banner of their sovereign, and not to that of their country; and although the French constable Duguesclin, the third among these mirrors of chivalry, appears to have been devoted to the cause of France as well as that of his master, this double loyalty found few imitators. In peace, also, knights of all countries were welcome visitors at the courts of chivalric sovereigns; and all enjoyed the privilege of presenting themselves at the tournament, and contending there for the prize. With regard to the point of honour, which forms the most important feature in the usages of chivalry, see some details under the article Duel. The principal objects to which it related were, religious belief; fealty 22.5 CHLORIDES. to the feudal superior; devotion to some one selected lady; and, finally, the general character for honour and courtesy which it was incumbent on a knight to maintain; for although his imaginary duties, as a knight errant, to avenge wrong and succour the oppre ed on every occasion, were not of course very strictly put in practice, yet his vow to perform those duties attached to his character a certain degree of sacredne which it was nece ary to maintain. Chivalrous honour was chiefly supported in two ways: first, by the single combat or duel, whether on account of serious provocation or by way of trial of strength; secondly, by the performance of vows, often of the most frivolous and extravagant nature. These latter were generally undertaken for I the honour of the ladies. Many historical instances of i these absurd yet daring follies are preserved by Frois; sart. They, with other usages of knighthood, were I long preserved among those who aimed at the reputation of chivalry, after these usages had ceased to form a part of the ordinary customs of society. Thus, the instances which Froi art relates of knights riding alone up to the barriers of fenced cities, ., were imitated in after times, and at no le personal hazard, by such romantic personages as Lord Herbert of Cherbury, whose feats performed in rivalry with the French champion Balagny are mentioned in his Memoirs. But the vows did not only relate to martial achievements, but to others of a more extravagant and grotesque character. "We need only refer to Monstrelet's narrative of the company called " Galois" of knights and ladies, who bound themselves, for love of each other, to follow a particular code of usages; of which a part consisted in wearing thick clothes in summer and thin in winter, to show that the power of their love rendered them insensible to the difference of seasons; a vow which was maintained with such perseverance, that the greater part of the devoted company actually died of cold. (See also the History of the Vow of the Heron Sainte Falaye, vol. iii.) The commencement of such extravagances, however, was rather a sign of the decline of the true spirit of chivalry. It decayed with the progre of mercenary armies and the decline of feudal institutions through the 15th century; in the iCth, it was little more than a lively recollection of past ages, which knights such as Bayard and sovereigns such as Francis I. and Henry VIII. strove to revive; and, finally, it became extinguished amid religious discords, leaving as its only relic the code of honour, which is still considered as governing the conduct of the gentleman. CHLA'MYPHORE, Chlamyphorus. (Gr. x>^«-f^''i' a cloak, and (p^m, I carry.) A name given to a small species of Armadillo, which is covered by its coat of mail as by a cloak. The animal is not above 6 inches long, and, like the rest of its genus, inhabits exclusively the continent of South America. It is interesting from the analogy of its skeleton and coat of mail to those of the gigantic extinct megatherium. CHLENA'CEiE. {Gr.x>-»tvet,acloak. All the names belonging to this order are compounded of this word, used in a figurative sense for an involucrum.) A natural order of shrubby or arborescent Exogens, allied to AlalvacecB, on account of their monadelphous stamens and involucra ted flowers, but referred by Ju ieu to the vicinity of Ebenacece; it, however, appears, from their imbricated calyx, regular flowers, and albumen, that they have the greatest affinity with Cistacece. They are all natives of Madagascar; beautiful in their flowers, but of no known use; and are, in fact, but little known even to botanists. CHLO'RAL. (From the first syllables of chlorine and alcohol.) A liquid composed of chlorine, carbon, and oxygen, obtained by the action of chlorine upon alcohol. CHLORANTHA'CEiE. (Chloranthus, one of the genera.) A small natural order of apetalous Exogens, nearly allied to Saururacece and Piper acece; from both of which it differs in wanting a sac to the embryo, and in having a pendulous ovule and opposite leaves with intermediate stipules. Blume places these plants near to Opercular iiiecB. They are natives of the hotter parts of the world, and appear to po e stimulating properties of great importance. Chloranthus officinal is and brachystachys, although not officinal in Europe, are believed to be among the most powerful of stimulating agents. CHLO'RATES. Combinations of chloric acid with salifiable bases. Of these salts the chlorate of potash is best known; it was formerly called oxy muriate of potash. "When mixed with combustibles, such as sulphur or charcoal, and some of the metals, it forms highly explosive compounds, which ignite by a blow or by friction, or upon the contact of sulphuric acid- A mixture of this salt with sugar, or with sulphuret of antimony, is used for tipping the matches which inflame when dipped into sulphuric acid, or when briskly drawn through a piece of emery paper. Chlorate of potash consists of 76 chlorine acid -I- 48 pota a = 124 of the chlorate. CHLO'RIDES. Combinations of chlorine, corresponding with the oxides. Common salt is a chloride of sodium; that is, a binary compound of chlorine and sodium. Where there are two chlorides of the same Q Page 239