The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-12-19
LOVES LAW COURTS.
Gases Tried n. capids Hsr-severe PEN
naltIes Inflicted on Ungallant
Knights and Unfaitlful
Ladies'.
SOME QUEER TRIBUNALS.
ST. Louis Globe-prnocrni.l

St. Louis -DhlnCtHtl
The festival held in Provence few
weeks ago in honor of the poets, past
and present, of that ancient county has
awakened an interest in PrOvcncal litera-
turc. its exponents, the troubadours, ana
all that pertains to that remarkable and
fantastic combination of sentiment, CHI
yalrv, and rhyme known as the Joyous
Science Among all the strange tea
lures of the sentimental fabric woven
by The troubadours and their admirers
there were none stranger than the Courts
of Love which hourishcd during the
crusadcs, when the gay science was in It's
glory, and only became obsolent when
the poets of the Langue de DC lost their
power anc influence.
The trolhadours ut first confined them
selves to deeds of chivalry and tales OF
love. especially the latter, subjects which
were dictated by the spirit OF the times
in which their order originated. But
gradual: these simple themes were dis
cardcd ami a species of poetry formed de-
scriLing and intoxicating a system OF
metaphysical affection inconsistent with
nature and directly opposed to the true
taste Of their former productions. Under
this system. with their influence enabled
them to Introduce and maintain. love-
making WAS considered a business to he
conducted under certain rules and con-
ditons.
Each hnight and troubadour who shaped
his conduct according to the teachings
of this peculiar school was required to
choose Il mistress, to whom his sword and
Tyre were dedicated, and who was to be
the object to whom his life. word, and
actions were to be devoted. 1t matters
not whether she be married or snglc-in
fact married woman was generally pre-
terred
DUTIES OF THE CAVALIER.
The duties of this Cavalier scvcnte,"
as he was called, were numerous. He
was expected to escort his mistress
abroad and wait upon her ut home; to
show her particular attention in society;
to see that in church no lady of inferior
rank was censed before her, and from
time to time undertake romantic and
pcrlous adventures to prove the genuine
ness OF his passion. The lady thus dis
tinguishcd was bound to accept the SER
vices Of such gallant to consider him as
her lover, and on all proper occasions TO
grace him as such with all marks of per-
sonal favor. 1t was also required that
the intercourse between the cavalier and
his mistress should lie strictly platonic
in its character, and the lady was not to
grant any favor which she might not
modcstly 1est0w.
The rules under which this peculiar
courisliip was conducted were fixed, and
us any infringement OF them was consid
cred disgracctul, if not actually criminal.
it became necessary. 50 the tr0uladours
seriously thought. to establish courts Of
love, before which tribunals all questions
pertaining 10 the tender passion might
be brought for adjudication. These
courts were not lcgalizcd and had no
chartered rights. but were strongly sup
ported by public opinion, and their de-
cisuns were always respected and their
penalties enforced Each court conss-
ted of president and council being COM
posed of variable number of ladies and
gentlemen, the former being usually in
the majority. Often the council was
COMPOSED entirely of ladies.
The pl,adings and examinations were
conducted Us in II court Of law, being
sometime, oral and sometimes written.
and IN appeal could be taken from Il
court Of inferior rank to one wherein the
members belonged to the greatest families.
All decisions were based upon the Code
of Love. which was both a manual for
the courts and Il textbook for lovers.
This code consisted Of thirty-onc brief
articles, and was thought to be of super
natural origin.
TIE HISTORY or THE CODE.
In the days when good King Arthur
reignel. so the story goes. Breton
knis ht bosought the love of Il maiden of
his own race. AS the price of her hand
she required him TO visit the court of
King .:riinr and prove her the queen Of
women ~ 'knocEing Quito use II
modern praSc-all the celebrated knights
of the Round Table and to carry of the
Kings falcon without condesccnding TO
ask permission from any one. In other
words unless he committed manslaughtcr
and theft tn her satisfaction he could
look for some less cxactinG damscl. But
this being in strict accordance with the
established rules of chvalry, the good
knight took ii a. matter of course, and
rode away.
After the usual series Of remarkable
adventures, in which he received several
sound thrashings, he reached the court
and there, with the assistance Of an ac
commoda'ing fairy, he easily laid Launcc-
lot, Geraint, and the other wcll-known
pugiirts If the Round Table in the dust.
He carried off the falcon and found at
tachcd 10 its neck 4 scroll which. after
some trouble, he succeeded in finding
some one to read. This scroll contained
thrtv-on" articles OF the Code OF Love.
The good knight, having arranged things
satisfactorily with the maiden, called
together the beauty and chivalry Of
Brittany, who, after discussing the remark
able document, decided that thcnceforth
The artic cs should be considered laws
among al the high-born lovers.
1t can he well imagined that the dockets
of the courts Of love were seldom cleared.
There were always unfaithtul knights
and flirting mistresscs to he brought
before Cupid's bar for trial, aifording the
judicial lmes, as one disgruntlcd truoba
dour SAYS, "cndless opportunities for
gratifying. their natural inclination for
prying into and gossiping about the at
fairs Of their neighbors."
Treachcry in love was one of the most
serious offences, and was punished without
mercy. In one instance lover aban-
doncd his mistress to sue 10 another. In
few da, sshe quarrclcd with the latter.
and attempted to renew his engagement
with the first. Both ladies combined to
prosecute him, and the decision of the
court was: Let the wretch lose both
sweethearts and thenceforth, let no hon
orablc woman listen to him, for he is
possessed of an ungovernable will, which