Matilda and her fair damsels, anxious to record, by their handywork, the deeds of the victorious Sovereign, William, and his Norman Followers. From an attentive review of the accurate plates published by the Antiquarian Society from the drawings of Stothard, which are now before me, and from the fullest consideration of the conflicting arguments, I cannot but admit, that, in my own opinion, this most ancient, and laborious, work is rightly ascribed-to Matilda, the Queen of William, the First.

NOTE 6-(p. 36.)

"Crusades." In the early ages the influence of piety was so strong, that it was deemed highly meritorious to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and to visit those places, which were rendered sacred by the presence of the Redeemer of Man during his abode on earth. This religious fervour was much enhanced about the close of the tenth, or the beginning of the eleventh, century, by a notion, which spread amongst all nations, that the thousand years, mentioned by St. John, (Revelations xx. 2, 3, 4) were accomplished, and that our Saviour would shortly make his second appearance on Mount Calvary. The utmost excitement prevailed throughout the world, and the number of religious pilgrims augmented as the opinion gained ground, that the end of the world was at hand. Multitudes relinquished their possessions, and their families, and rushed to the Holy Land for the purpose of dying there, or awaiting the coming of their Lord. Whilst Syria was under the rulance of the Caliphs these religious devotees were well received. The possessors of that country were then content to receive their money in exchange for holy reliques; but, when it passed into the hands of the Turks, the Christian Pilgrims were cruelly, and insultingly, treated. This raised the sympathetic feelings of all Europe, which were highly inflamed by a fanatical monk of Amiens, subsequently known by the appellative of Peter, the Hermit, who, under the sanction of Pope Urban, the Second, ran from state to state with a crucifix in his hand, and incited all classes,

During the peace of Amiens, that excellent artist, Stothard, was sent to France by the Antiq. Soc. for the purpose of taking, with the permission of the then French Government, drawings of this, I may say, national record. It may be doubted, whether the vanity of the French Nation, or the love of the Arts, contributed most to the ready assent.

from the prince to the peasant, to unite in a sacred league for the expulsion of the Infidels from the Holy Land. Nothing is more infectious than religious enthusiasm the flame spread o'er the land-Councils were held-and all Christendom simultaneously arose against the Infidels. Thus did the first Crusade originate, and this was succeeded by six others, altogether occupying the space of nearly two centuries, and devastating the world by the slaughter of man. These religious wars were denominated crusades-they were bella crucis-entered into under the invigorating influence of the cross, which reigned paramount on all sides, and was alike displayed on the banner and the garment. The vast, and invading, hosts, formed of many nations and tribes, and being thus distinguished by different coloured insignia, could not but have presented a motley assemblage. The tide of human existence flowed towards the East, and of the multitudes drawn forth by this well-intentioned, but mad, fervour, a great part perished on the way from want, and disease. It has been calculated, (and with probable truth,) that, within the two centuries occupied by these, eventually, fruitless crusades, the Christian States of Europe lost not less than two millions of men.

These holy wars were not, however, without their advantages. During the crusades the seat of the Empire of the East was at Constantinople, then in the possession of the Greeks. This was, at that time, the most glorious city in the world—there civilisation reigned, and the arts flourished. This was the rendezvous of the Christian Armies, preparatory to their invasion of the Holy Land, and from hence the Arts and Sciences received a stimulus in Europe, as advantageous as it was unexpected. Saladin, the powerful Saracenic Chief, and the personal antagonist of our own Sovereign, Richard, the First, was an ensample worthy to be followed for his bravery, and chivalric honour, and thus assisted to give the tone in Europe to those estimable virtues. It has been asserted, that Heraldry owes its origin to the crusades; this I do not believe, but, doubtlessly, it received from thence a great advancement. Many bearings in the arms of honourable families are thus derived from the personal achievements of their ancestors-from hence the numerous, and various, crosses-scallop shells-palmers' scrips, and staves-saracens' heads, &c. The grim heads of the latter not only appear on the armorial coat, but are the well-known signs (as in the Cities

of London and Salisbury) of the house of public entertainment. The adoption of this sign, probably, originated in the reign of our brave King, Richard Cœur de Lion, and was, as probably, used in compliment to him as a memento of his warlike exploits in the Holy Land, rather than as the remembrance of a fanatical war, which, in its ultimate issue, ended in defeat and disappointment. To the Saracens of the East, Sir Christopher Wren, Warburton, and others, attribute the invention of the Gothic, or pointed, Arch; but there is strong reason to believe, that this hypothesis is incorrect. "The Historie of the Holy Warre," by old Tom Fuller, is, although quaint, a very delightful book -full of pith and marrow.

NOTE 7-(p. 40.)

"Jousts and Tournaments." Knight Errantry seems, first, to have arisen in the reign of William, the Second, and prevailed during the middle-ages; but it was the valiant Richard, the First, who, more especially, fostered the spirit of military enterprise through the influence of the joust and tournament. A more politic measure could not be devised by a prince, whose food was war. Strength and agility were gained, and increased, by the exercise of the individual in his tilt at the quintain. Arrived at greater proficiency, he was led to encounter another warrior in the warlike joust, but none but the most adroit engaged in the spirited, and perilous, contest of the tournament, when numbers were opposed to each other.

The crusade nourished this general, and martial, spirit. At coronations, and other great occasions, the tournament was held with much pageantry. The ladies were permitted to be present at these manly sports, and were accustomed to reward the successful knight, and the barbarism of the age thus yielded to the refinement of gallantry. The hardy warriors bowed to the charms of the "ladyes faire," and each of them, singling out his Dulcinea, was ever ready to fight, and to die, in the defence of her interests, and her fair fame. This state of society induced the inimitable Cervantes to pen his satirical, and most delightful, Spanish Romance of "The History, and Adventures, of the renowned Don Quixote."

Not content with the foregoing brief observations of my

own, I cannot refrain, gentle reader, from giving you the following more clear-and full-and interesting details extracted from "The History and Antiquities of Old Sarum," by Dr. Ledwych: "Of the ancient Manner of Tournaments.-The feudal system being a military policy, and requiring always a number of men ready for war, it was thought proper to excite emulation, and the thirst of military glory by mock representations of war, which were exhibited in Tournaments and Justs. Exercises of this kind may be found amongst most warlike people; the Romans accustomed their youth from an early age to handle their Arms and engage in sham-fights the better to prepare them for victory in real engagements. If we are to look for the origin of these sports in the name, they are derived from the French, but there is no occasion for this; our Mensæ Rotundæ, or round Tables, unless our Accounts are totally fabulous, are of this Kind. The ancient Celts, as Athenæus (Lib. 4, c. 13) informs us, sat like our British Hero, and his companions in a ring, with each his Squire behind standing and holding his shield. Lord Lyttleton thinks that tilts and tournaments were first introduced into Germany by the Emperor Henry, surnamed the Fowler, who died in 936; among other ordinances relating to these Sports, he forbad any to enter the lists, who could not prove a Nobility of four descents: They were soon after brought into England by King Edgar, and in the next Century established all over France. The Chronicle of Tours+ for the year 1066, makes Geoffry de Preuilly a Baron of Anjou the inventor of them; but Father Daniel rather thinks, that he only drew up a code of laws, by which they were regulated. Pope Innocent the second, and Eugenius the third, made canons against them, and the Lateran Council decreed, that he, who was slain in them, should not receive Christian burial; this was done to put a stop to the many fatal accidents that frequently happened: notwithstanding these prohibitions, a few were held under Stephen; but Henry the second, says Lord Lyttleton, from the humanity of his Nature, or perhaps to show his respect for the authority of the Church, where the interest of the State did not absolutely oppose it, most strictly forbad them. His sons revived them, especially his successor Richard, whose "Lord Lyttleton's Life of Henry II."

+"Gaufridus de Pruliaco, qui Torneamenta invenit, &c." Chron. Turon. 1066.

"Nullus esset publicæ vigor disciplinæ." Will. Neubrig. Lib. 5, c. 4.

ardour for them was violent, because no person excelled in them more than himself. Besides this reason suggested by the Noble Writer, Mr. Madox" (in his "Baronia Anglica") "gives another of rather more weight, why Tourneys should be the fashion at this time, namely, after Richard I.'s return from the Holy Land. After the feudal institutes were settled and brought into form, says he, a new scene of valour and glory was opened. The trumpet sounded for the Holy War. All Christendom began to move. Kings, Princes, Earls, Barons, Knights put on armour. Every body strove to excel each other in prowess. There was likewise no small emulation to excel in splendour and Gallantry of Equipage. There they shon with Oriflambs and rich banners, armorial cognisances, gold, silver, velvet, purple, fine cloths, costly tents and pavilions, and many other precious things. The Holy War produced new Orders or societies of Knighthood; the Templars, the Hospitalers of St. John of Jerusalem, the Hospitalers of St. Mary, commonly called the Teutonic Order. In these and other Orders, Religion and Knighthood, ceremonies of Piety and Romance were strangely mixed together. When the War was ended, and the Lords and Knights returned to their own Countries; they retained in their breasts the love of Glory and Gallantry, so that it became long afterwards very difficult to check or restrain them.'

"Richard, who was either very avaricious or prodigal, knowing the passion of the people for these sports, and how strictly they had been prohibited by his Predecessors, resolved to gratify his own passion in this way, and at the same time replenish his coffers, issued the following Proclamation, dated August the 22nd, 1194, at Ville Levesche,* or Bishopston. Richard, by the grace of God, King of England, Duke of Normandy, and Aquitain, and Earl of Anjou, to the Reverend Father in Christ, Hubert, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Primate of all England, sendeth greeting. Know ye, that we have granted that Tournaments may be kept in England in five steads, to wit, betwixt Salisbury and Wilton, betwixt Warwick and

The folly of aping the French existed in former ages as well as in the present day. In the early times it was a common proverb, that “Jacke wold be a gentilman, if he coude speke Frenche." Thus Richard dated his proclamation from Ville Levesche, i. e. the Vill of the Bishop. Richard, the First, was then, probably, resident at Bishopstone, by permission of the Bishop of Winchester, to whom the Manor and Rectory formerly belonged.-E. D.