The Age of Chivalry.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 424, 30 November 1889, Page 6

The Age of Chivalry.

J.T i& sad to think of the ' Rouge Dragon in the Bankruptcy Oburt. Doubtless we &hall be leininded, by way of comment, that the age of chivalry is dead, which is true enough, and a facb not altogether- with* oiit its compensations. But when did thespiiit of chivalry exoend to money dealings ? Hardly in the time of the Cid, who left a box full of bricks, the same being declared to be plate, as security with a Jew who had lent him cash. Or if any nice sense of honour appears in the business, it was shown by the Hebrew, who took the knight's word as to the contents of the box. True, the Cid was enabled to repay tho loan, but the fiaud is nob on that account to be justified. Then one reads how tho King of Cyprus, the guest of the Black Prince, lost a few golden ciowns at dice to the Lord Mayor of London, and was not ashamed to take back his losings when the Mayor ofteied them. Even that 'awful j eMimple ' of fiction, Will Esmond, shrinks from such meannc s. Perhaps the generj osity of chivalry was never so neatly illustrated as by Henry, Count of Chainpagno, surnamed the Liberal, of whom a poor knight one day begged as much money as would serve for the marriage portions of his two daughter?. A rich burgher, who stood by, thought to rid the Count of his petitioner by saying, 1 My Lord has already given away so much that ho has nothing left.' But Henry turned round on the citizen, and '.Sir Villain,' lie cried, 'you do nob speak truth in saying that I have nothing left to give, when I have yourself. Here, Sir Knight, I give you this man, and warrant your possession of him.' Then, pays Joinville, who tells tiie story, ' the poor knight was not at all confounded, bub seized hold of the burgher fast by the collar, and told him he should nob go bill he had ransomed himself.' And the burgher came 'down with his dust, : to the tune of live hundred pounds.