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

slstent with nature and directly opposed
10 The trne taste OF their former produc-
tions. Under this system, which tbeir
influence enabled them 10 intro
duce and maintain, love-making was
considered business to be con-
duc,ed under certain rules and con
ditions
Each knight and troubadour VINO
shaped his conduct according 70 the
teachings Of this peculiar school was re-
ouired TO choose a mistress, to whom bis
sword and Tyre were dedicated, and wno
| was TO be the object to whom ms ne
| words, and actions we're TO be deYoteu,
II matters not whether she he married |
or single-in fact married woman WAS
generally preferred.
DUTIES OF THE CAVALIER.
The duties OF this cavalier servente,
as he was called. were numerous. lie
was expected to escort his mistress
abroad and wait upon her at home 10
show her particular attention IN socleIy |
10 see that in church no LADY OF inferior
rank was censed before her, and from
time TO time undertake romantic ana
perilous adventures to prove the genuine
ness of his passion. The lady thus dis
tine1lshed was bound to accept the SER
vices of such gallant, 10 consider him as
her lover, and on all proper occasions 10
grace him as such with marks OF per
sonal favor. 1t was also required that
the intercourse between the cavalier and
his mistress should be strictly platonlc
| in its character, and the lady was not 10
Grant any favor which she might not
modestly bestow. =.
The rules under which this peculiar
courtship was conducted were fixed, ana
as any infringement OF them was consid-
cred disgraceful, if not actually criminal,
it became necessary, SO the troubadoufs
seriously thought, to establish courts oil
love. before which tribunals all questions
pertaining to the tender passion might
be brought for adjudication. These
courts were not legalized and had no
chartered rights, but were strongly sup
supported by public opinion, and their
decisions were always respected ana
their penalties enforced. Each court
consisted OF a president and council, the
council being composed OF variable
number of ladies and gentlemen, the |
former being usually in the majority.
Often the council was composed entirely |
of ladies.
The pleadings and examinations were |
conducted as IN q court OF law, being |
sometimes oral and sometimes written.
and an appeal could be taken from a
court OF inferior rank to one wherein
the members belonged 10 the greatest
families. All decisions were based upon
the Code OF Love, which was both
manual for the courts and textbook for
lovers. This code consisted OF thirty
one brief articles, and was thought to be
of supernatural origin.
THE HISTORY OF THE CODE.
In the days when good King Arthur
reigned so the story goes, breton
knight besought the love Of maiden OF
his own race. AS the price OF her hand
she required him TO visit the court OF
! King Arthur and prove her the queen OF
women by knocking out to use a
modern phrase-all the celebrated
Knights OF the Round Table and to carry
off the Kings falcon without conde-
scending to ask permission from any one.
In other words unless he committed
manslaughter and theft to her satisiac-
ton he could look for some less exactlng
damsel. But this being in strict accord
ance with the established rules of
chlvalry, the good knight took 1t as mat
ter OF course, and rode away.
After the usual series ofremarkable adj
ventures, in which he received several
sound thrashings, ne reached the court
and there, with the assistance OF an ac-
commodating fairy, he easily laid
Launcelot, Geraint, and the other we'll
known pugilists OF the Round Table IN
the dust. He carried off the falcon and
found attached to its neck scroll which,
after some trouble, he succeeded in finding
some one TO read. This scroll contained
the thlrty-one articles of the Code OF
Love. The good knight, having ar
ranged matters satisfactorily with the
maiden, called together the beauty and
chivalry of Brittany, who, after discuss.
ing the remarkable document, decided
that thenceforth the articles should be
considered laws among all high-born
lovers.
1t can be well imagined that the dock
cts of the courts OF love were seldom
cleared. There were always unfaithful
knights and flirting mistresses to be
brought before Cupid's bar for trial, af-
fording the judicial danes, as one dis
gruntled troubadour says, "endess OPP
portunities for gratifying their natural
inclination for prying into and gossiplng
about the affairs Of their neighbors. "
Treachery in love was one OF the most
serious offences, and was punished with
out mercy. In one instance lover
abandoned his mistress to sue to another.
In a few days be quarrelled with, the lat
ter and attempted to renew his engage
ment with the first. Both ladies COM
bined to prosecute him, and the decision
of the court was "Let the wretch lose
both sweethearts, and thenceforth let no
honorable woman listen to him, for he Is
possessed OF an ungovernable will, which
is the mortal enemy OF true love" 1t was
while smarting under a similar penalty
that an ancient troubsdour sang the we'll
known lines, more than 700 years old,
and which few people, suspect came from
that syurce
1t is good to be merry and wise;
IL is good to be honest and true;
1t is good to be of with the old love
Before we be on with the new.
J THE PENALTIES INFLICTED.
1t was contrary TO the rules for lover
to betray the secrets OF his armour or to
boast OF his success as "cayalier ser
vente." The former offence, in one re-
corded case, caused the following edict
from the Court Of Love: "Let the Gull
prit who reveals the secrets with which
he has been intrusted by lady be
henceforth and forever deprived Of all
hope OF love. Let him be condemned
by both sexes, and should any lady