Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-08-05
CHIVALRY.
srs INSTITUTION, DEVELOPMENT, AND
PURPOSES FOR wsIcH o2GAslzBp.
Orders In England, franes ana spain
The Garter, the Thistle. St. PATRICK
The Legion ofHsnor.
fcloboDemoratl


thora was no law but that OF the sword !;
there were no courts but those OF the
barons. and these were instituted merely
Tor the purpose OF carrying out desponc
edicts. There was no justice worthy the
name : there wore few restraints, even
az religion; and the deplorAble condition
into which Western Europe had sunk is
hardly TO be appreciated, even by those
who have made a careful study OF the
history OF the age, ~ told by OioDon,
Hallam. and other authorities.
Society could not long thus exist.
There Is natural demand IN the human
heart for justice speedy justice at
thst-and it IS too long to ask
humanity 10 wait until final
settlement is obtained IN the neat
world. AS early, therefore, rs the
fifth century men alarms began 70
band together for yanous ends,
knowing that in union WAS TO DO
obtained that strength which alone In
those DAYS ooud command respect.
VArious ogtenable reasons caused tho
associations afterwards known as orders
of chiyalrv. In some cases the OhJect
vas mutual security and assistance
again, the purpose was TO gam some
nolitical end, while at other times the
olnect was tho promotion OF such rude
ipdice as then seemed adequate. a
sort OF rough lynch law was All the
irstice that men knew. and his
vas relentiessly dealt out 70 ohond-
ers by the knights who banded them
selves together IN chivslrous association.
Then again the benevolent orders. OF
which there were many, were established
for the purpose Of extending charity,
bos1iiAlity. and the rights OF humanity
10 their fsllow-mon. Thus, one associ~-
ton devoted itself 10 the establishment
Of bosptals and b nursing the nck and
wounded; another to the dispensing OF
charity the solo business OF another
vas TO bury the dead and thus eacn
with some tolerably Nell-dellned oDlect
in view, the orders OF chiyairy were DO
gun.
No long time elapsed bsiOre soverelgns
saw in these looeoly-cOnnoctod aSsocla-
lions means for promoting thcir own
ends, for rewsrdiDg merit Tor DONG
honor 20 faithful servants and so iCr-
ther orders were instituted. 10 receive
m order Of cLivslry, therefore, WIS o.
tensiblv "A recognition Of merit. OF more
than usual talent, or rccOmpense Tor
services OF more than common value.
Soon the badge 81 al order oil chlysry
became the star OF nobility, anu tHen
the ohivalrous orders were established
on permanent and honorable footing.
The Crussdes were prolific Of chlyd--
rous orders and in tho three hundred
wears during which Europeans by the
millions wero marching hast to leave
their bones on the deserts OF Asa Minor,
scores of associations were founded by
noblemen, priests, and kings Oi every
KIND they were, ami With every purpose
in view. Some were military, some be-
nevolent, some religious, and some
partook Of each and all three OF these
cbaracters The good done hy them,
both in tho Fast and IN Europe, was IN
calculable, for. rs IN the case OF the Ma
sonic and OddFellows fratormtcs OF to-
day, wherever the badge OF M order was
tesn II called for brotherly kindness and
charity. Nor WAS this oil, for IN time the
,,reat power attained by not few OF
these societies caused them TO be re-
straint on the despotic power OF nobility
and roy atty, and instances are not lack
ing in authentic history where the head
OF a military society went before the
King witt a request, which, however po-
litelv couched, was really command,
which the sovereign dare not disobey.
Chiyalry on the Continent duunS the
Middle Ages was sll-IOwertul, tbs Tact
being demonstrated both by history,
poetry, and fiction, all three Astounding
in instances Of tho mighty influence
welded by the military orders The
romanoos OF chivalry which are still 10
be found on the back shelves of libraries
in huge tones, wom-eaten aud covered
With dust. all show how much was
thought OF tho knight, even when alone
for behind hun was tue mighty
ERIN OF his society, which would ne
raised in moment to ayerge The
wrong done the individual, how
ever humble his position in the orgsni-
cation In England clnyalry was an
exotic, but for 800 years after the Nor
mau Conquest England was practically q
French province, and deemed by the
French sovereigns to BIO merely reser-
yoir whence men and money could be
drawn for their continental projects.
Ric hard l. reigned ten years, aud duTln3
that time spent but three months ON
bis insular possessions, never WAS III
England but twice, knew nothing OF
his English subjects, 20 far as We know
never spoke English, and his only inter
est in the country concerned the num-
Der of troops 1t could furnish. Nor was
his case materially different from that
OF the other French kings. Thus
the orders Of chivalry which were found
in ENGLAND in medieval times were for
the most part those Of the Continent,
and their sole members in England for
a long time we're the French noblemen
and their retainerS
An order OF chivalry was generally
divided into three classes, commonly
known as Knights of the Grand Gross,
knights Commanders, and Knights
Companions. installation TO an order
depended upon It's constitution. u an
order had been established by king,
the king alone could make the presents-
tion to the order if by a nobleman,
the founder or his representative had
the right of instalment. The member
ship Of au order was commonly limited
toa certain numberin each clals, though,
AS orders became more Numerous aud
the honor cheaper, such restrictions were
thrown of, aud in some Of the
orders OF Europe to-day the membership
is practically unlimited. The aecora
tions Of chiyalry were commonly stars,
badges, and collars, single notable ex-
ception being found in the garter, ii the
order OF the same name IN England.
sometimes the costumes were fixed 10y
the charter Of the order, but more ire
quontly no particular costume was de
signated, the insignia Of the order being
the sole indication OF membership.
The leading order OF the nobility II
England is tho Most Noble Order OF the
Garter. Wide credonce has been given
TO the fanciful story told by Polydore
Virgil concerning the origin OF this
order, the incident be nsrrates being
we'll known but the fact seems to be