Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-09-16

OF them had patches over their left
5 eyes; two had not spoken In a year
/ another's right arm was bound to his
side. Each wore in his helmet a glove,
a veH OF jeweied sleeve.
Now. none OF these men were In
jured in the eye or arm. and none
were dumb. They were simply aun-
der vow knights all, they were
products Of the Age Of ChivaIry-an
age that began in common sense and
deceney, eliminated TO a form OF
eccentric insanity. and left worldwide
Influences for good.
Chiyalry had its earliest rise before
the days Of Charlemagne and was at
Its height a century or so after his
death. It took its name from ''cheval"
"a borse), and meant originally ''cav-
alry"-the Idea being that horsemen
belonged to the higher and noble
classes-in other words, to the knight
hood class.
The times were laWleSs, govern
ments were unsettled, might over
ruled right and the weak were driven
to the wall To correct these abuses,
kntghth0od,Z oEc tiyairy,. iustf-
tuted. Its basic principles were pro-
lection Of the helpless. courtesy, rev.
erence OF women. the redressing OF
wrongs and personal uprightness.
AS the men who took such pledges
belonged to the Weather and armed
classes, they were In a position to
make good their vows. In times and
countries where laws were often I'M
enforced and where abuses f1ourished
uncOTected on every side, the assist
ance rendered to women and to the
poor by powerful noblemen #as the
chief thing that kept the world from
,relapsing into utter barbarIsm.
But as time went on chiyalry was
carried to idiOtic extremes, especially
regarding women. Knights would
marry for financial or other motives
OF expediency. Their wives we're
usually regarded as mere housekeep-
ers and nurses. But each knight. by
the customs Of chfvalry, was supposed
to have some feminine object of ado
ration, in whose name and for whose
honor he was expected to perform
prodigies of valor. This woman to
whom he dedicated his deeds was sell
dom, II ever, his wife In fact, she
was nearly always some one with
whom he had never spoken and who.
perhaps, did not know OF his very ex-
istence. 1t might be a damsel whose
face he had seen at a lattice; whose
picture he had CHANGED TO behold or
perhaps. some woman of whom he had
merely heard or read.
But henceforth she became his guild
ng star, the object of his reverentiai
homage; the loved one whose glove.
veil or sleeve he aspired to wear In
his helmet; for whose glory he slew
)ther knights. redressed wrongs, sue
,ored the needy. If he won glory he
vas supposed to lay It all at her feet.
And usually that was as far as his
with her went. Mean
ime his neglected wife at home took
are of his castle. reared his children
md submitted tamely to second place
n his affections.
The folly of the custom went still
urther. Men took to wearing patches
yer their eyes. to maintaining end
ess silenees and to other petty dis
Omforts in the name of the adored
ady of their dreams. These patches.
is Of dumbness, etc, were to endure
ntil the victim had performed some
eed he considered worthy his lady's
raise.
At the age of twelve boy of good
amiiy would be sent to the castle OF
ONE famous knight or other noble.
here he became page. Besides
earning Craftsmanship and the use Of
rms he was supposed to fetch and
AIRY for the women OF his masters
lmily. learn hair-dressing, lute-play-
x, reading. singing and other sup
osedly gentlemanly arts. including
eraidry, the rules of etiquette and
le fiowery. high-fiown speech Of the
AZ. When a little older he was pro-
oted to the rank Of squire and was
to carry his lords shield
I'D spare weapons and to accompany
Inn everywhere as a sort Of upper
srvant. Later, through some deed OF
-owess or by courage in the field, he
laIifed for the golden spurs Of
1ighthood. taking the solemn vows
I'd preparing for the accoIade Tor
.remony Of inyestiture) by fasting
I'd prayer.
In time. Of course, knighthood. like
her good things. became corrupt
any knights forgot their vows
rung money from the poor and mai
Gated the helpless But the true
,irit of chivalry never wholly died
, It we owe the best Of medieval
lture and progress. the upholding OF
der, religion and the small, sweet
urtesies oflffe. without 1t progress
ould have been set back for cen
rfes and women relegated to the
nk Of mere slaves.
Romance, fair play. etiquette, mod
q regard for women and the public
pulse OF charify-all these had theii
se In chivalry.
esy1. n. .t.er,al~~ wra0 rsa~farar an nra