New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-30

mratiou for Rufus or any palliatlon OF MS cI"cs'
He saws plainly that the case Is merely tnis -
that the other parts of his character are 30 bad ta
the chivalrous side of him stands ont IN reel' aS
comparative light amid SURROUNDING darkness.
aThe essence of chivalry is that the fantastic and
capricious law of honor dispaces all the forms OF
the law Of right. The standard of the good knight,
the ruIe of good faith respect and courtesy as due
from one knight TO another, dsplaces the higher
standard of the man. the citizen and the Christian
The npressiyeness of this severe condemnation oil
thc law of chvalry and of honor is the greater be-
cause of the cool and steady Judgment which nj the
same time admits that there are whole ages Dor
haps surely certain men, in which the lower s'ahu-
ard has its use. Any check and any law Is uctIcr
than no check and no law II is better 10 DC OILY
knight and gentleman than "a mere knaVe anu
ruilian Ii was better that William kulus shoun
show mercy and keep his word in some particular
kind of cases than that lac should never show mercy
or keen his word at ALL Mr.. Freeman discusses
this interesting question. which we believe he Is
the first historian to take np. with equai oo'uhcSS
and penetration ard with what in expressive sianS
ia called level head. lie does not hesitate 10
illustrate his views not only by the eNahlpio VI
Francis T. but even by such infinitely superior IN
dividuas as the Chevaller Bayard ana Ed"'ru VIC
Black Prince.
readers only careful condensation is not without
,aIpo here and now: for even in our day and IN
ono mart of this country we have seen this law OF
cbivalrv and Of honor which displaces the higher
1ocv of the man. the citizen and the Christian not
ONLY adoptcd and acted upon, but Wanted as the
highest of all laws until the souls of men of simple
common sense and simple honesty sckened at the
sound of the words chvalry aud honor. And even
vet among ourselves there are men who are gentle
men like William Rufus, and who may boast Ike
Francis |. that they have never broken their word
except to women" Wherefore we have chosen
ont these passages for special remark and for
special thanks to Mr. Freeman for the subject IS
of more general and enduring interest than the
little battles and the big squabblcs and the sleges
of castles and the building of castles. of which he
tells the story with such picturesque pen and Ill
such nervous English.
The building of castles and other great structures
was Il very marked feature in the Red Kings reign;
and it gave occasion to small part OF tho oppreS
sion and extorion which made him a loatheu
burden to England. The great Hall at Westminster
is among the architectural boasts Of England and
chief among its historical monuments; but the
building of it was grievance TO the people of
England. 1t was in season of woe and OF want
and here Is literal translation of the wall over it
lish writer in the simple d" AnglO-SaXon' OF the
time - Exc many shres that with work to Lon
don belong were sorely harassed through the wall
that thew wrought around the Tower, and through
the bridge that we'll nieh all flooded away was aud
through the Kings halt work that man in West
minister wrought, and many men Herewith ha-
rassed" The truth is that such great works at that
time and long afterward were built by pressing
men against Il cir will into the work. and by eXac-
lions; the aborers beng paid only what would
keep them alive while the building was going on.
II is sad TO think that some of the nobes archiec-
tural works that exist, some OF them erected lor the
glory and service Of God, are monuments OF oppreS-
sion. extorlion and tyranny. This, however, wa
the custom and the rule If thc.tme.
Sooi. after the completion of Westminster Hall
the epl of all things came for the Ped King. 1t
was in IL very next year after lie first assembly,
or Pariia emit in the new hall. that Walter Tireis
bolt flew in tie New crest where the King was
hunting N the land which had been seized for his
royal sport, tls sport of those TO whom. rs Mr..
Freeman well says, the 81 iienngs OF the wearcd,
wounded, weering beast arc a source of joy,'-and
,he successor OF the Congueror fell. his bloated
BODY n poor cod like the earth il fell upon. This
Waller iir,l who rl, or who is believed TO have
rid England of her tyrant, was a Norman and
constant cGmpanion OF Rufus. lie was the son OF
Falle Dean of Evcreux, and his name Iirel was one
Oh those tonames" gwen to men III those days
wien surnames or family names did not exist and
is supposed to have been won by him by his skill IN
shooting o. drawing the bow French dreO. 1t
wac recorded by writer in the next generation
that on the day before the King killed. Tifel in
gab' with Rufus took offence at boast Of the
latter as TO what lie would do with his army in
France: and it Is ntimaed that the Kings death
was the consequence OF this quarrel. Nothing,
however is known with certainty about the matter,
except that the King shot. 1t may have been an
accident: there may have been chance medley
there may have been plot 1t Is no.even certain
that rrols cross-bow sent the bolt. lie alterward,
when he had nothing to hope or to fear denied all
knowledge of the matter Nevertheless upon seeing
the King fall he fled but so did all the other at
tendants each to his own home TO prepare for the
worst The impons King cried ont three times
for the Lords BODY; that is for the communion.
There was none to give ii to him; hut hunter took
herbs and flowers and made the king eat deemIng
this il would SEEM to be sort OF communion.
Shortly aftcrward. the deserted body of Rufus was
taken up by few English churls, laid upon IA
rustic vain. covered with some coarse cloths, and
taken, dripping blood as il went, TO Winchester.
crowd assembled and with these looking on, the
body of highlands anOnted king was laid with all
speed IN a grave beneath the central tower OF the
Old Minister. NO bell rung no mass was said it
was assumed that for him such rites were VAIN, and
that his foul life and his awful death were a sign
that he was smitten by higher Judgment than
that of Popes or of councils, ecclesiastical or
secular lie received, as Mr.. Freeman strongly
puts il, popular communication" And that
was the end of the Red King. His memory lived
with silent curses little while in the hearts OF his
subjects. 10 was in person strong, but short and
unuainly. and he had his name. which belongs to
him almost like a surname, not from his hair rs ia
generally supposed although that was light, but
from the exceeding redness of his face.
Ills brother Henry also hunting in the New
Forest when William was slain; and lie, when lie