Age of Chivalry

Thomas Bulfinch

Description

American writer Thomas Bulfinch was one of the most important scholars of world mythology. His nineteenth-century collections of folk literature from Europe and ancient Greece remain some of the most influential works in this field. The collection The Age of Chivalry focuses on romantic, action-packed tales from the King Arthur era.

Sujets

• Sociologie, société et politique
• Folclore
• Folklore

Informations

• Publié par: The Floating Press
• Date de parution: 01 juin 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781775458395
• Langue: English

Extrait

THE AGE OF CHIVALRY
OR LEGENDS OF KING ARTHUR
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THOMAS BULFINCH
 
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The Age of Chivalry Or Legends of King Arthur First published in 1858 ISBN 978-1-77545-839-5 © 2012 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS Chapter I - Introduction Chapter II - The Mythical History of England Chapter III - Merlin Chapter IV - Arthur Chapter V - Arthur (Continued) Chapter VI - Sir Gawain Chapter VII - Caradoc Briefbras; Or, Caradoc with the Shrunken Arm Chapter VIII - Launcelot of the Lake Chapter IX - The Adventure of the Cart Chapter X - The Lady of Shalott Chapter XI - Queen Guenever's Peril Chapter XII - Tristram and Isoude Chapter XIII - Tristram and Isoude (Continued) Chapter XIV - Sir Tristram's Battle with Sir Launcelot Chapter XV - The Round Table Chapter XVI - Sir Palamedes Chapter XVII - Sir Tristram Chapter XVIII - Perceval Chapter XIX - The Sangreal, or Holy Graal Chapter XX - The Sangreal (Continued) Chapter XXI - The Sangreal (Continued) Chapter XXII - Sir Agrivain's Treason Chapter XXIII - Morte D'Arthur THE MABINOGEON Chapter I - The Britons Chapter II - The Lady of the Fountain Chapter III - The Lady of the Fountain (Continued) Chapter IV - The Lady of the Fountain (Continued) Chapter V - Geraint, the Son of Erbin Chapter VI - Geraint, the Son of Erbin (Continued) Chapter VII - Geraint, the Son of Erbin (Continued) Chapter VIII - Pwyll, Prince of Dyved Chapter IX - Branwen, the Daughter of Llyr Chapter X - Manawyddan Chapter XI - Kilwich and Olwen Chapter XII - Kilwich and Olwen (Continued) Chapter XIII - Taliesin HERO MYTHS OF THE BRITISH RACE Beowulf Cuchulain, Champion of Ireland Hereward the Wake Robin Hood Glossary Endnotes
KING ARTHUR AND HIS KNIGHTS
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Chapter I - Introduction
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On the decline of the Roman power, about five centuries afterChrist, the countries of Northern Europe were left almostdestitute of a national government. Numerous chiefs, more or lesspowerful, held local sway, as far as each could enforce hisdominion, and occasionally those chiefs would unite for a commonobject; but, in ordinary times, they were much more likely to befound in hostility to one another. In such a state of things therights of the humbler classes of society were at the mercy ofevery assailant; and it is plain that, without some check upon thelawless power of the chiefs, society must have relapsed intobarbarism. Such checks were found, first, in the rivalry of thechiefs themselves, whose mutual jealousy made them restraints uponone another; secondly, in the influence of the Church, which, byevery motive, pure or selfish, was pledged to interpose for theprotection of the weak; and lastly, in the generosity and sense ofright which, however crushed under the weight of passion andselfishness, dwell naturally in the heart of man. From this lastsource sprang Chivalry, which framed an ideal of the heroiccharacter, combining invincible strength and valor, justice,modesty, loyalty to superiors, courtesy to equals, compassion toweakness, and devotedness to the Church; an ideal which, if nevermet with in real life, was acknowledged by all as the highestmodel for emulation.
The word "Chivalry" is derived from the French "cheval," a horse.The word "knight," which originally meant boy or servant, wasparticularly applied to a young man after he was admitted to theprivilege of bearing arms. This privilege was conferred on youthsof family and fortune only, for the mass of the people were notfurnished with arms. The knight then was a mounted warrior, a manof rank, or in the service and maintenance of some man of rank,generally possessing some independent means of support, but oftenrelying mainly on the gratitude of those whom he served for thesupply of his wants, and often, no doubt, resorting to the meanswhich power confers on its possessor.
In time of war the knight was, with his followers, in the camp ofhis sovereign, or commanding in the field, or holding some castlefor him. In time of peace he was often in attendance at hissovereign's court, gracing with his presence the banquets andtournaments with which princes cheered their leisure. Or he wastraversing the country in quest of adventure, professedly bent onredressing wrongs and enforcing rights, sometimes in fulfilment ofsome vow of religion or of love. These wandering knights werecalled knights-errant; they were welcome guests in the castles ofthe nobility, for their presence enlivened the dulness of thosesecluded abodes, and they were received with honor at the abbeys,which often owed the best part of their revenues to the patronageof the knights; but if no castle or abbey or hermitage were athand their hardy habits made it not intolerable to them to liedown, supperless, at the foot of some wayside cross, and pass thenight.
It is evident that the justice administered by such aninstrumentality must have been of the rudest description. Theforce whose legitimate purpose was to redress wrongs might easilybe perverted to inflict them Accordingly, we find in the romances,which, however fabulous in facts, are true as pictures of manners,that a knightly castle was often a terror to the surroundingcountry; that is, dungeons were full of oppressed knights andladies, waiting for some champion to appear to set them free, orto be ransomed with money; that hosts of idle retainers were everat hand to enforce their lord's behests, regardless of law andjustice; and that the rights of the unarmed multitude were of noaccount. This contrariety of fact and theory in regard to chivalrywill account for the opposite impressions which exist in men'sminds respecting it. While it has been the theme of the mostfervid eulogium on the one part, it has been as eagerly denouncedon the other. On a cool estimate, we cannot but see reason tocongratulate ourselves that it has given way in modern times tothe reign of law, and that the civil magistrate, if lesspicturesque, has taken the place of the mailed champion.
THE TRAINING OF A KNIGHT
The preparatory education of candidates for knighthood was longand arduous. At seven years of age the noble children were usuallyremoved from their father's house to the court or castle of theirfuture patron, and placed under the care of a governor, who taughtthem the first articles of religion, and respect and reverence fortheir lords and superiors, and initiated them in the ceremonies ofa court. They were called pages, valets, or varlets, and theiroffice was to carve, to wait at table, and to perform other menialservices, which were not then considered humiliating. In theirleisure hours they learned to dance and play on the harp, wereinstructed in the mysteries of woods and rivers, that is, inhunting, falconry, and fishing, and in wrestling, tilting withspears, and performing other military exercises on horseback. Atfourteen the page became an esquire, and began a course of severerand more laborious exercises. To vault on a horse in heavy armor;to run, to scale walls, and spring over ditches, under the sameencumbrance; to wrestle, to wield the battle-axe for a length oftime, without raising the visor or taking breath; to perform withgrace all the evolutions of horsemanship,—were necessarypreliminaries to the reception of knighthood, which was usuallyconferred at twenty-one years of age, when the young man'seducation was supposed to be completed. In the meantime, theesquires were no less assiduously engaged in acquiring all thoserefinements of civility which formed what was in that age calledcourtesy. The same castle in which they received their educationwas usually thronged with young persons of the other sex, and thepage was encouraged, at a very early age, to select some lady ofthe court as the mistress of his heart, to whom he was taught torefer all his sentiments, words, and actions. The service of hismistress was the glory and occupation of a knight, and her smiles,bestowed at once by affection and gratitude, were held out as therecompense of his well-directed valor. Religion united itsinfluence with those of loyalty and love, and the order ofknighthood, endowed with all the sanctity and religious awe thatattended the priesthood, became an object of ambition to thegreatest sovereigns.
The ceremonies of initiation were peculiarly solemn. Afterundergoing a severe fast, and spending whole nights in prayer, thecandidate confessed, and received the sacrament. He then clothedhimself in snow-white garments, and repaired to the church, or thehall, where the ceremony was to take place, bearing a knightlysword suspended from his neck, which the officiating priest tookand blessed, and then returned to him. The candidate then, withfolded arms, knelt before the presiding knight, who, after somequestions about his motives and purposes in requesting admission,administered to him the oaths, and granted his request. Some ofthe knights present, sometimes even ladies and damsels, handed tohim in succession the spurs, the coat of mail, the hauberk, thearmlet and gauntlet, and lastly he girded on the sword. He thenknelt again before the president, who, rising from his seat, gavehim the "accolade," which consisted of three strokes, with theflat of a sword, on the shoulder or neck of the candidate,accompanied by the words: "In the name of God, of St. Michael, andSt. George, I make thee a knight; be valiant, courteous, andloyal!" Then he received his helmet, his shield, and spear; andthus the