Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-30


9.,Snon convicted OF breaking this
statnte. was thrust with ignominy from
the town. being first stripped OF all her
clotb;ng and paraded through the
s,rsats on the back OF donkey. Under
s;m;lsr circumstances culprits were pub
liclv whipped aud others kicked out OF
tba ,own nv the public executioner.
One Of the strangest OF the maAlms OF
the tribunals Of love was that between
bnshand and wife there could be no love.
Tho Countess OF Champagne, in de-
o;d;no case involving this principle,
said "Iove cannot extend its laws over
bpahond and wife. since the gifts OF love
are voluntary, and husbands and wives
are servants of duty. Also, between the
married there can be no jealousy
einca between them there can DE nc
love For jealousy is the companion OF
love os is set forth IN the code OF love,
which declared that love cannot subsls'
without ,ealousy.' Queen Eleanor rem
dered similar decision subsequently,
when presiding over the Court OF Love.
In his case q cavalier had been paying
court 10 a Young lady who Was already
enoooed TO another, and induced heI
70 9romise TO receive her lover
ebouId she ever find herself mt liberty.
tn dame was welded to her at
fianced. and then the cavalier re-
snmed his suit. holding, according
70 the manners OF the times, thai
che was now at full liberty. But the
lodv was so stepped in ignorance as tc
believe that her husband was still mel
lover. and the suitor accordingly hld
the matter before the Queen, who de-
creed that "the dame abandon society
and keep faith with her cavalier, which
meant to abandon society entirely, a'
snch a declaration would cause her to be
summed by eli the ladies and gentlemen
of the fashionable Borld-a severe alter
native.
LOvE-MAD CITY.
As an Illustration OF the absurd lengths
10 which the tender passion was carried,
the following case is given There was
voupp lady of Toulouse. known as LIN
BELLE Pauie. " whose beauty was so re-
markable that the men followed her IN
crowds, and whenever che appeared III
public all business was suspended while
the populace gazed intoxicated on hel
beauty. 10 avoid this oppressive HON
age she shut herself up IN her apart
ments and refused TO be seen. As re
sult the trouhadour chronicler relates,
the male citizens grew meagre, wan and
wofnl as so many ghosts, and some even
took il so much to heart as to die. IN
der such conditions prompt action was
demanded.
A meeting OF the Sanitary Committee
was held. and it was decided to appeal
IN the Court OF Love. That tribunal
was equal TO the emergency, and decreed
that "A Belle Paule" should exhibit
herself at her window at least once
week. and for not less than hall an hour
each time. so that her admirers might
"refresh themselves by contemplating
her prodigious beauty" 1t is supposed
that this measure resulted in the festo
ration Of the health of the citizens of the
GOOD city of Toulouse At any rate this
wondrous maiden appears no more IL
history.
But in spite OF the absurdities snc
immoralities OF the tenets OF the trouba
donrs and their admirers, they were no
without their uses in the advancement o
civilization, and the women OF to-da!
owe. to some extent, their position in 80
ciety to these same fantastic courts o
love. The woman, instead of being th'
servant and slave Of the man, was made
his equal. The mistress and the cava
lier servente disappeared with the cru
sades, but the prerogatives of the former
were handed down to the wife, no lon6e
drudge and the latter, instead of en-
deavoring to gain renown by iiercenes
and brutality. sought to be distinguished
rs q gentleman.