National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-02-05
COUR D,AMOUR,

This was curious tribunal existing IN
France from the tenth to the fourteenth century and
| after that time became altogether extinct Itwas
composed of ladies distinguished for their birth and
their talents, and had Jurisdiction over all ques
uons of gallantry. The decisions were made ac-
cording to a code of thirtyone articles, entitled
Code of Love" A president and council composed
| the court; the arguments were sometimes made
orally and sometimes in writing. The court was
not confined to any particular room, building, OF
| locality. Sometimes it was held in the open alr
| beneath the spreading branches of tree; some
| times beside the cheerful fire in the castle Inc
questions submitted to the court may in that day
have seemed of great Importance. but in the light
| and advancement of the nineteenth century ap-
pear perfectly ludicrous. Here are some specimens
"Isit better tolove an inexperienced young beauty
or one who has reached her prime and gained the
| fullest experience ?"
| "Is it better 10 be loved and die Immediately
afterward, or to enjoy long life without passing
beyond hope?"
There are two married men. One has wife
who is handsome but disagreeable, and the other
a wife that is amable but ugly. Both are jealous.
Which of the two is the greater fool?
(which would you prefer, an enchanted mantle
which would enable you to win the love OF every
| lady, or an enchanted lance which would enable
you to vanquish every cavalier"
n lduy nsIeQSQ 10 one sQuCCACU NV
hand of another, and touched with her toe the
foot of the third. Which of the three was the
| favored suitor?"
As the president of the court was woman, and
her council was composed of women, it is presumed
female lawyers were not unknown in that age, but
whether they were as well versed in law and learn
ing their sisters OF the nineteenth century Is an
open question.
The Troubadours hourished in the middle ages
and it was from them the principal eases for the
decision of the court arose. These Troubadours
seem to have been the successors of the Jongeurs,
who made sort of trade of rhyming and singing
and dancing. A number of poets would meet to-
gcther and subject wepld be given out for each
| to deal with III turn; the metre would be fixed
and one person would write a stanza and pass ii
| to the next person, who would compose the next
verse and so on. When all had had their say, the
composition would be submitted to the Court OF
Love.
The earliest Troubadour of whom any mention
| is made, and whose writings are preserved, was
William k, of Poitiers. Generally these poets
were trifing, vagabond set of men, going about
from house to house and from village to village
| singing their songs But there were some distin,
guished persons among them, such as Richard
Cosur de Lion, of England AlphOnso H., of Ara
gon, and Robert l., of Auyergne.
King Rene, of Anjou, attempted in vain to re-
vive the Court of Love- and the last imitation of
held at Rueil at the instance of Cardinal Rich
elieu to judge question of gallantry.
Nothing can more forcibly illustrate the differ
ence between the French and the American char
acter than the proof of the existence of such a
court. The one light, gay and gallant the other
plain. matter-offact, plodding-one making q pa
rade of the most tender sentiments the other con-
cealing the wounds made by Cupid's arrows from
even his dearest friend. Some of these TrOu-
badours were the leading men of the times. And
can any one for one moment imagine such
customs existing in this country? Just fancy
the venerable Justices of the Supreme
Court, President Hayes, Secretary Sher-
man, and Senators Blaine, Thurman, and Ed
munds meeting once week or once a fortnight
to compose love ditties and, when composed, sub
mitting them to a court consisting of Mrs. Hayes,
Mrs Sherman, Mrs. Blaine, Mrs. Edmunds, and
others for decision. And fancy that digniied
bachelor, the Attorney General strolling forth
some bright moonlight night, with his guitar under
his arm, and pausing beneath the window of some
fair beauty of the West End gently sweety trillng
"Il0ve-a stranger to mine eyes,
One to mine ears unknown;
Who cannot listen to my sighs,
Nor breathe to me her own;
Yetdo feel, and would swear
That she is lovely past compare"