Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-05-26
G&tterat#re.
THE TRIAL BY BATTLE.
A TALE OF CHI A ALR Y r
CHAPTER |.
The CORONATION.

1HE CORONATION3
EAsrEREvEN, in the year Of our Lord
1899, was held as high festival in the
fine city of Barcelona: it was the corona
tion-day of the Young Count RAYMOND |
Berenger the Third, whose twevemonth's
mourning for his lamented father and sov-
ereign was to close with his own solemn
inauguration. The count had accordingly, |
by his letters patent, convoked to his good
city of Barcelona the bishops, baroDs,
knights, and also the ambassadors from
foreign courts, to witness him take his
knighthood, and receive from the altar,
and place upon his head, the garland of
golden roses which formed the coronet of
the Counts Of Arragon.
At the appointed day, not only the pre-
lates barons, and chivary of Spain re-
paired to the festival, but great many
foreign lords and princes the Judge and
the Archbishop of Abrea, from Sardinia;
the King of Arragon, from Saragrossa
the King of CASTLE, from Madrid. The
Moorish sovereigns Of Tlemecen and Gra-
NADIA, not being able to come in person,
had sent rich presents to the count, with
congratuIatory epistles by the hands of
their ambassadors. Indeed, SO great was
the concourse to Barcelona on this day,
that thirty thousand stirrups belonging to
gentlemen of condition were counted in
the city and its envrons.
This concoursc was too great for the
count to receive at his own palace of AL
jateria, which stood short distance from
Barcelona: he was therefore compelled to
limit the number of his guests to kings,
prelates, princes, ambassadors, and their
suites and there were present IN BARGE
Iona at that time four thousand persons
who claimed his hospitality their right
Throughout the day an immense crowd
traversed the streets, visited the churches,
or amused themselves with the tricks of
the. juggers and mountebanks, passing
from devotion to mirth, and from mirth
to devotion but toward evening every
one took his way to the palace, for the
count was to watch his arms that evening
in the church of St. Saviour. The whole
road to the palace, two miles from the
city, was illuminated by torches, which
were kindled before the close of the day
the moment the vesper-beIl was rung.-
This broad avenue of light defined tn
route to the church of St. Saviour, and a
soon as this was effected, the heralds ap-
peared with the banners of the Count o
Barcelona, and marshaled the people o,
each side, that the cortege might hav
room to pass, unobstructed by the pressur
of the crowd. At the last stroke of tn
vesper-bell, the gates of the palace opened
amidst the joyful shouts of the multitude
who had been awaiting that event sine
the hour of noon.
The first who appeared in the process
,sion were the noble knights of Cataloni;
.on horseback, wea ring the swords of the
forefathers; valiant blades, capped by har
service in battle or tournament, bearin
names like those of Charlemagne, RolanC
and Rene.
Behind them came their squires, bearin
the arms and naked words Of their mas
tiers, which, unlike he ancestral brant
the knights had displa Yed, were bright ar
unstained but they knew that in ii
hands OF their owners they would SOC
} ose their virgin bright ness and lustre
the turmoil of battle.
Next appeared the word OF the lol
count, made in the form of cross, to re
call continually to his mi. nd that he WI
the soldier of God before he became
earthly prince Neither emperor, KID
nor count had ever before worn swo
better tempered, or more ri chilly eabosst
with jewels on the handle. 1t was IN Il
hands of Don Juan Ximenes de Ea Roc
one of the bravest knights III the worI
who held it till the time shonstE arr
when it would pass toto those Of ITS ma
ter. lie Was supported on each SIDE
the Baron Gulielno iii Cervallo. and
Otto dc Moneada-
After the sword of the lord cou Mt car
his equeries, In two chariots, bearil e hgt
ed torches, and charged with ten tluint
of wax, to be Offered as gift to the ,ehnF
of St. Savionr, because the count haG' vo
ed taper to the altar, to expiate'
fault his 6lial duty had obliged hil n
*This tale OF chivAlry is free translation fro
.:.Iod I1uA nv Alexandre Dumaa and Dre