military duties. Originally he may have claimed them in order to give them to the next tenant, for, according to the strict theory, or original notion of heriots, the horse and arms had been the gift, or rather the loan, of the chief, and were to be returned at the death of the vassal, in order that they might furnish some other adventurer with the instruments of service.96 After a time, heriots ceased to mean war equipments only, and were held to give a right, on the part of the lord, to the best live beast, or best piece of moveable property.

Good Effects of the Feudal System.

bravery.

Feudalism had its bright side. It arose, as I have Fidelity said, in barbarous times, when it was good that and men should unite together for mutual help in any way. It encouraged feelings of fidelity and respect on one side, and on the other, the duty of protecting and guarding those who had sworn to be true and faithful. Bravery was held in great esteem, and what is called Chivalry sprang out of the Feudal System.

Chivalry sprang from Feudalism.

There is so much that is interesting in Chivalry, and it had so great an influence on the manners of the times, that, although it did not flourish in its greatest glory until a century after the reign of Henry the Third, yet a few words on the subject will not be out of place here.

Chivalry never was a distinct institution, like the Chivalry. Feudal System, but was rather an exalted idea of the perfection which ought to be arrived at by a military

H

Symbolic forms.

knight. It was a perfection that never was and never could be attained; but it was set before a young man, when he became a knight, or when he was first allowed to bear arms, as the perfection at which he should aim. The introduction of a young man to the military service was an essential element of feudalism and was the first germ of Chivalry.81

The sons of vassals were allowed to bear arms equally with the sons of their lords, and the barons' castles became schools of military discipline and chivalry, to which the young men considered it a privilege to be admitted. The vassals were glad to avail themselves of such a privilege, and the lords were equally glad to train up a body of brave and chivalrous supporters. Until the young man became of a proper age to bear arms, he served in the castle as cupbearer, page, or esquire; but, from the day that he was allowed to bear arms, he ceased to serve in mere household duties, had the privilege of fighting for and protecting his lord, his lord's family, and his lord's estate, and, in a word, became what is called a knight.81

Investiture of a Knight.

The ceremony of Investiture, or of presenting a knight with arms, was one of great solemnity, and was intended to impress him with feelings of religion and of honour. He first took off his clothes, and entered a bath, as a symbol of purification. He then put on a white garment as a symbol of purity; next, a red one, as a symbol of the blood he was ready to shed in defence of his lord, and lastly, a black one, as a symbol of the death he was ready to undergo in discharge of his duty. He then went through various

religious ceremonies, and finally he was girt with his sword. The oath he took bound him to fear God, to serve his King, to protect the weak, to do good for the sake of glory and virtue alone, never to fight a man at unfair odds, and to observe faithfully his plighted word.82

Above all, he bound himself more especially to the defence of women, whom he was supposed to love and obey with the utmost devotion.

Tournaments.

The knight also was constantly engaged in martial amusements, and it was his pride to show his valour

Tournament. (From Froissart, Harleian MS. 4379.)

and skill in the use of his weapons against all comers, on great and solemn occasions, not only in his own

ments.

Tourna- country, but at foreign courts. Hence arose those displays of martial skill, called Tournaments, in which men, armed to the teeth, engaged in combat in the presence of Kings and Queens, Lords and Ladies. It would take too much space to describe to

Power of the Barons.

Liberty sprang from the

struggles of

each rank

with that

above it.

Knights Jousting. (Roman du Saint Graal. Royal MSS., 14 E. III.)

you the various kinds of tournament, but I may mention, that although intended as a sport, and usually fought with blunt weapons, yet this was not always the case. Sometimes deadly weapons were made use of, and life was often sacrificed.

Results of Feudalism.

The barons surrounded thus by armed retainers, all sworn to live for them and to die for them, and faithfully to obey all their commands, became a powerful body, and were, as you will find, a great check on the power and encroachments of the kings. It is true they fought for their own rights; but, without intending it, they thereby secured the rights of those beneath them. Liberty did not spring from below, was not lost by the usurpations of those above; but each class, from the nobles downwards, had to fight for its liberty and to extort it from those above it.

Further Abuses of Feudalism.

service.

Before leaving the subject of Feudalism, I must Payment notice the way in which its ruling principle became instead of abused and degraded. This principle was, as you will remember, the personal discharge of military duties. In course of time many men found this to be an irksome duty, and a custom grew up of paying money to the king instead thereof; this was called scutage, escuage, or shield-money from the Latin word Scutage. scutum, a shield. This gave the King great power of oppression, for, if he wanted to go to war, he levied a scutage, and after a time, whenever he wanted money he levied a scutage, under the pretence of going to war. At last, however, it was provided by Magna InterCharta, that these scutages should not be levied ference of without consent of Parliament.

Magna

Charta to

prevent

In like manner, the aids and reliefs which were due abuses. when an heir entered on possession of his estate, when he married, when he became a knight, and on other occasions, were all made by the King means of extorting money.

Still, on the whole, the Feudal System suited the times, and although we may rejoice that, in its main elements, it has passed away, yet there can be no doubt that in its time it was the source of much good.

Feudal System established in England by the

Normans.

The Feudal System was not confined to England, nor did it begin here. There were traces of it in Anglo-Saxon times, as you have seen in the oath of