The History of Chivalry; Or, Knighthood and Its Times, Volume 2 (of 2)
John Stuart Mill · en
sans faire autre bruit." Memoires, vol. xiv. p. 397.
[167] The Memoires of Bayard, by one of his secretaries, have furnished me
with the chief facts in this account of Bayard. A very excellent English
translation of them has been lately published in two vols. post 8vo. The
Memoires Du Bellay (Paris, 1573,) have supplied some deficiencies in the
narration of the loyal serviteur.
[168] Memoires de Bayard, in the great collection of French Memoires, vol.
xv. p. 458. "Et puis après par maniere de jeu, cria haultement l'espée en
la main dextre: tu es bien heureuse d'avoir aujourdhui à un si vertueux et
puissant roy donné l'ordre de chevalerie. Certes ma bonne espée, vous
serez moult bien reliques gardée et sur toutes autres honorée. Et ne vous
porteray jamais, si ce n'est contre Turcs, Sarrasins, ou Maures, et puis
feit deux faults, et après remeit au fourreau son espée." This sword has
been lost.
[169] This mode of receiving knighthood had, however, been stealing into a
custom for some time. The earliest instance I have ever met with was in
the case of an infant son of Charles VI. (A. D. 1371,) who was knighted by
Du Guesclin, a cavalier who, one would think, was sufficiently jealous of
the honour of chivalry. After the ceremonies of baptism, Du Guesclin drew
his sword, and putting it naked into the hand of the naked child, (nudo
tradidit ensem nudum,) said to him, "Sire, I give you this sword, and put
it into your hand; and pray God that he will give you such a noble heart
that you may prove as true a knight as any of your illustrious ancestors."
So, too, Monstrelet, in his account of the events in the year 1433, says,
that the Duchess of Burgundy was delivered of a son at Dijon, who was
knighted at the font. Vol. vii. p. 147.