mentary on the text of the poet; but if Hogarth, living when he did, had been set to illustrate Chaucer, he would probably have vulgarised him, even in such pictures as those of the Miller and the Reeve, inevitably as they call up in our minds figures such as we find only in the paintings and designs of the artist of the March to Finchley' and the Mariage-à-laMode.'

THE KNIGHT. The romantic figure, whose large white plume we descry in the dim distance, as it crosses the field of mediæval story, is much more than a soldier- he is a warrior; not only a man who fights, but a man who makes war. And he is still more than a warrior, for he is a warrior with a purpose; a man who makes war for an idea. Nor is this all, he is more even than a warrior with a conscience; for he has knelt at the altar and sworn to a faith, so that he carries a consecrated sword. Once

again, as our eye falls upon the scarf which he wears upon his arm, we note that this warrior, besides his will, his purpose, and his faith, has a sentiment, if not a passion too, and pricks over the plain before us, a soldier, a warrior, a believer, and a lover. The energy

which comes with a purpose has given him dignity; the Church has taught him gentleness, and added her chrism; but woman has taken his troth and given him her badge, and immediately he is beautiful.

In mediæval romance, when the clerk and the knight contend for the priority in love, the romancist makes the clerk victorious. This was a sop to the Church. But, the Church notwithstanding, the knight is the first figure in medieval life; and in the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer, speaking through Harry Baily, the host and guide of the Pilgrims, has given him the precedence, in order of time, and has put into his mouth the noblest story. This was, indeed, a courtesy due to the chivalric order in general, especially when fresh lustre had been thrown upon it by the splendours with which the new order, that of the Garter, had been just surrounded by Edward III. in the recent festival at Windsor.

The Knight painted by Chaucer is a thoroughly characteristic figure. He had ridden far, a chivalric adventurer, defending truth and the ladies, and fighting in his lord's wars- no man further-both in Christendom and in the Holy Land. He had often been served first at the board, because of his nobleness, and his ran

som, when he fell into captivity, was high. He was wise (or humble and discreet), and, though brave as a

lion, as gentle as a woman.

Nor did he make any dis

He rode a good horse, but

play in his person or dress. was himself not 'gay' to look at. His cassock of fustian was marked by his hauberk, but he had not changed his clothes on returning late from his travels: such was his devotion that he had gone straight on pilgrimage:

'A Knight ther was, and that a worthy man,
That from the tympe that he first bigan
To ryden out, he lovede chyvalrye,
Trouthe and honour, fredom and curtesie.
Ful worthi was he in his lordes werre,
And thereto hadde he riden, noman ferre,
As wel in Cristendom as in hethenesse,
And evere honoured for his worthinesse.
At Alisandre he was whan it was wonne,
Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bygonne.
Aboven alle naciouns in Pruce.

In Lettowe hadde reyced and in Ruce,
No Cristen man so ofte of his degré.

In Gernade atte siege hadde he be
Of Algesir, and riden in Belmarie.

At Lieys was he, and at Satalie,

Whan they were wonne; and in the Greete see
At many a noble arive hadde he be.

At mortal batailles hadde he ben fiftene,
And foughten for our feith at Tramassene
In lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo.
This ilke worthi knight hadde ben also
Somtyme with the lord of Palatye,

Ageyn another hethene in Turkye;

And evermore he hadde a sovereyn prys.

And though that he was worthy he was wys,
And of his port as meke as is a mayde.

He never yit no vilonye ne sayde
In all his lif, unto no maner wight,

He was a verray perfight gentil knight.

of his aray,

His hors was good, but he ne was nought gay,

Of fustyan he wered a gepoun

Al bysmoterud with his haburgeoun.

For he was late comen from his viage,

And wente for to doon his pilgrimage.'

II. Accompanying the Knight, and standing next to him in order of courtesy, stood the Squire, his son.* He has been a good while in chivachie;' that is, out of his apprenticeship as a knightly man, expecting sometime to be himself invested. Being strong and brave, he will soon win his spurs; but at present his prize is 'his lady's grace.'. He is courteous, and, according to the chivalric code, full of ready serviceableness. That he carves the meat for his father is a matter of course; it was the duty of an esquire. He curls his hair egregiously. He is exquisitely got up,- as fresh as the month of May' to look at; and has so many flowers about him, that he is positively embroidered with white and red roses,—the flowers of love and knighthood. He is strictly in the fashion of the day, with

By the laws of heraldry the eldest sons of knights, and their eldest sons in perpetual succession, are esquires.

VOL. I.

I