[121] Nicholls's Progresses of Queen Elizabeth, vol. iii. p. 41, &c. [122] Puttenham, Arte of English Poesie, book ii. c. 9. & 19. [123] Burton, Anatomy of Melancholy, p. 271. This passage brings to mind a corresponding one in Wilson's Arte of Rhetoricke, printed in 1553. "If there be any old tale or strange history, well and wittily applied to some man living, all men love to hear it. As if one were called Arthur, some good fellow that were well acquainted with King Arthur's book, and the knights of his Round Table, would want no matter to make good sport, and for a need would dub him knight of the Round Table, or else prove him to be one of his kin, or else (which were much) prove him to be Arthur himself." [124] "The Two angry Women of Abingdon." The sword and buckler fighting was the degeneracy of the ancient chivalry; and Smithfield, which had shone as the chief tilting ground of London, was in the sixteenth century, according to Stow, "called Ruffians' Hall," by reason it was the usual place of frays and common fighting, during the time that sword and bucklers were in use. "When every _serving-man_, from the base to the best, carried a _buckler_ at his back, which hung by the hilt or pommel of his sword." Alas, for the honor of chivalry! [125] Wilson's Life of James, p. 52. [126] Ben Jonson, Masque of Prince Henry's Barriers. [127] G. Wither. Prince Henry's Obsequies. El. 31. [128] Life of Edward Lord Herbert, written by himself, p. 16. [129] Life, p. 46. [130] Life, &c. p. 63. Sir Edward was very much annoyed at Paris by a Monsieur Balagny, who enjoyed more attention of the ladies than he did. They used one after another to invite him to sit near them, and when one lady had his company awhile, another would say, "You have enjoyed him long enough, I must have him now." The reason of all this favour was, that he had killed eight or nine men in single fight, p. 70. This was the degeneracy of chivalry with a vengeance. [131] Life, p. 60. [132] Act i. scene 1. of the play whose title I shall transcribe: "The New Inn: or, the Light Heart; a Comedy. As it was never acted, but most negligently played by some, the KING'S SERVANTS; and more squeamishly beheld and censured by others, the KING'S SUBJECTS, 1629. Now at last set at liberty to the Readers, His MAJESTY'S Servants and Subjects, to be judg'd of, 1631." [133] Dugdale, Origines Juridiciales. c. 39. Serjeants at law were not knighted till the reign of Henry VIII. c. 51. [134] Ferne's Blazon of Gentry, p. 100. See too Camden's Britannia "on the degrees in England," p. 234. [135] Thus Lord Bacon says, "There be now for martial encouragement some degrees and orders of chivalry, which nevertheless are conferred promiscuously on soldiers, and no soldiers," &c. Essays on the true Greatness of Kingdoms. [136] Fletcher, Fair Maid of the Inn, act i. scene 1. [137] Rymer's Foedera, vol. xv. p. 497.