Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1874-03-28
lcommunlca,ed.l


rs the hniEhts OF Fythias, Is ihueoieu
for Its conception, its titles OF rank and
code OF bylaws, to the Knights Of old.
The origin Of chivalry or knight En-
rantry, Is involved In considerable OBJ
scurity. The learned author OF the
history OF the Crusades contends that
chlvalry had Its origin In the turbulent
times which followed the demise Of
Charlemagne. In speaking Of the con-
dition OF affairs at that time, he rays
"that lllustrlous monarch expired like
n meteor, that having broken suddenly
upon the night Of ages aud blaxed bril-.
liantly over a whole world for a brief
period, fell and LEFT all In darkness,
| even deeper than before. His domln-
Ions divided into petty kingdoms; his
successors waglng long and inveterate
wars against each other ; the nations
lie had sabdued, shaking OF the yoke /;
| the enemies he had conquered, aveng.
ing themselves upon his descendants /;
the laws he had established. forgotten
or annullsd ; the bright union, which
his great mind had csmented and ss-
tabiished throughout Europe, wal dis
solved aud scattered TO the wind In 4
lsmentable short space OF time"
Ia this tumult and anarchy every
mans house was Indeed his castle. and
he was fortunate above his neighbors,
who could command sufficient strength
TO defend Ii against the predatory dep
relations Of his foes. The powerful
and wicked had no restraint imposed
upon their actions, and the weak were
everywhere oppressed aud wronged ;
the yoke OF vassalage debased the spirit
Of the people, and the generous sentl.
mcnts. inspired by y sense Of equality,
were sxtingulshed bands Of plumber
ers ranged through France and Ger
many (; property was held by the sword;
cruelty aud Injustice reigned alone,
and the whole history OF that age 10
black with massacre, torture and mis-.
cry.
IL was then that some poor mobiles,
probably suffering from the oppression
Of more powerful lords, but nj tho
same time touched with sincere COM
passion tor the wretchedness they saw
around them, frat leagued together
with tho holy purpose OF redressinc
wrongs aud defending the weak. They
gave their hands TO one another In
pledge that they would not turn back
from the work. and called upon st.
| George to hlcss their righteous cause.
The church readily yielded its sanction
to an Institution 40 noble, aided IL with
prayers and sanctified II with n solemn
blessing. Religious enthusiasm became
added to noble Indignation aud chart
table zeal. and the spirit OF chivalry,
like the flame struck from the hard
steel aud dull Hint, was kindled Into
sudden light by the savage cruelty oil
tho mobiles and the heavy barbarity OF
the people.
The earliest record Of any laws OF
chivalry, which distinguish IL from
every other order. Is n rudimentary
code for the maintenance OF order,
drawn up by several prelates. and par
ticulary the Archbishop OF Bourgcs,
which was afterwards submitted to
aud passed by the famous Council OF
Clermont. about the year l0so. To
these laws every person OF noble birth
when he had attained the age OF twelve
years, was required to submit, by
swearing TO their observance before
the Bishop OF his diocese. BY this
oath no bound himself to defend and
protect the opprcssed-tho widows aud
orphans : to take under hi, especial
care married and unmarried ome oil
noble descent. aud TO use his endeavors
TO help to render travelling safe ana
destroy tyranny. Or Ia the language
OF the vow. IA administered, 10
speak the truth TO s,iccor the helpless
aud oppressed (; and never turn back
on AN enemy" Hence arose the Order
and Laws OF Chivalry, aud tho honor
attached to the name Of knight.
At this time the moral aud political
condition Of Europe was Ia every re-
spcct deplorable. a degraded super
stitiOn threatened the reason ~ ulH.
nlty Of man /; the political rights oil
the weak were sacrificed to the inter-
e,ts OF the great. In war nc clemency
was shown 10 the vanqulsled. Ihe
female sex sunk far below their nat
ural level. aud wore doomed to labor
aud desplsed by those on whose pro-
lection they ut all times have n claim
A double darkness covered the earth
the plalns tcemed with murder. ami
the rivers flowed with blood. Then
chiyalry came forth In its youth u
strength ; It gave the first great I'm.
| pulse 10 the light OF truth {; It changed
ihe manner and sentiments OF tue
times. and softened the ferocity OF war;
Inculcatsd the practice Of morals, and
first taught devotion and reverence 10
those fair beings who, but In th,ir
beauty have no defence. IL first rails
ed love above the passions OF the brute
and by dignifying woman made her
worthy Of love. IL gave purity 10 ell.
thu,issm; crushed seltishness ana
taught the heart to expand like = low
err In tho sunshine; beautifled glory
with generosity and drew from the
wrecks of ages and the ruins OF en-
plrcs n thousand jewels to glitter In
the star that shous upon tho breast oil
K%niyhthood. As IL ross In a peculiar
state Of society to remove certain oviIs,
so IL declined when those evils hsd
given way to the general diffusion OF
knowledge aud truth. The same era
which witnessed the discovery OF gun
powder and the invention OF printing
also saw the decline OF chivalry ; but
the spirit Of the institution still lives.
Stepping eyor the shadows OF eight
hundred yeais. We find the knights
OF Pythlas adhering to the same grand
principles and intoxicating the same
lessons OF the rsfinements OF gallantry.
tho point Of honor. aud the value OF
truth. The charm that binds the menu
bers OF the Order together Is one i1dis.
soluble bond Of affection. and does not
spring from the ceremonial o0'erv-
ances or the Order. however Import
ant, interesting and solemn. IL Is
something Of \ higher aud noe'er char-
acter that can DO felt. but not described.
The chivalric knight Of olden time.
mi OH full aud glltterlng arnor u
went forth to mortal combat. Such
exploits were In keeping with the Gus
tom. Of the nge in which they lived.
ours 4, more enlightened, moro nd.
yanced In civilization, aud Instead OF
the sword aud helmet h sweet sen,
timent and feelings OF friendship anu
fraternity ara called Into exercise.