KNIGHT-HOOD. ORDERS OF. In the article Cut liALRI, an account has been given of the origin of knight hood among the northern nations ; of the ceremonies with which that dignity was in general conferred ; of the obliga tions which it imposed; and of the powerful influence which the spirit of chivalry long exerted, and in all probability still continues to exert, over the people of Europe. One very important topic connected with the subject of that arti cle remains to be discussed in the present, viz. the origin, history, or influence of those separate orders of knighthood, as they were called, which had their rise, as is generally supposed, about the time of the crusades, and proceeded indeed from an union of the two principles of valour and devotion, which we should seek for in vain among the re cords of any other period.
The wars of the cross, which had originally been excited by the eloquence-of a priest, and recommended to all be lievers by the promises of a pope, presented to the eastern world the strange spectacle of churchmen contending, sword in hand, for the truth of the tenets which they pro fessed, and the destruction of infidels. The more hardy tribes of the west had, iideed, been long familiarized with such spectacles. Although ecclesiastics, both regular and secular, were absolved, by their tenure, from rendering military service in person, they were far from being always disposed to make use of their legal exemption from duties, to which they were so much inclined. They feared, or pretended to fear, the degradation of their fiefs, should the obligations of their tenures be fulfilled by mercenary hands. The chapter of St. Germain l'Auxerrois, accordingly, con tinued to furnish the Bishop of Paris with horse and straw for the army of the kin, till the middle of the 11th century. Even the church had, long before the period of the cru sades, sanctioned this military rage by their example. Leo IX. marched against the Normans at the head of an army, refused them peace, although they professed their willing ness to comply with all his demands, and continued, in spite of all their entreaties, to ravage their country in the most cruel manner, with a force chiefly composed of banditti, and outcasts of every kind, who were glad to make their booty under so sanctified a standard. Benedict VIII. one of his predecessors, had violated, in a manner even more shame ful, the precepts of that religion, of which he pretended to be the first minister. Not only did he arm all his bishops
to fight with him against the Saracens, but, after having overcome these infidels, and slaughtered a prodigious num ber of them in the field, he did not scruple to stain himself with the blood of their queen. He commanded her head be cut off; and re-served for his own share in the booty her ornaments of gold and jewellery. In Spain, nothing was more common than to see bishops following the king in his wars. When, about the end of the ninth century, the Normans made a descent on the coast of Galicia, they carried every where fire and desolation, and met with no check till they reached the territory of Rosinus, bishop of Compostello. That prelate, having called together the counts of the neighbourhood, advanced himself at their head, covered (as Ferrera expresses it) with the harness of charity—rushed upon the barbarians—slew their chief with his own hand—and forced them to seek for safety in their vessels. Not even the authority of the council of Coyenca could overcome the public applause of this valorous action ; and, in spite of their fourth canon, which so expressly dis approves of all sacerdotal combatants, St. Rosinus still oc cupies his place in the calendar, among the most eminent of the holy.
The consideration of these facts, and of the state of man ners of which they are the evident marks, will prepare us to inquire, with advantage, into the true origin of the orders of knighthood.
The ambitious desire of an ancient origin is not less con spicuous among bodies of men associated for particular purposes, than it is among families. There is no church which is not apostolic, if we are willing to believe its bishop; even those of Troyes and Clermont, the most insignificant in France, have long since added that epithet to their titles. Monks, who make profession of humility, and renounce the world, are in this particular the vainest of men. The Car melites think they have made out a clear title and prece dency, by taking Elijah or Mount Carmel for the patron of their order. They were desirous to increase the antiquity of their order, even at the expense of making it Jewish rather than Christian. But the hospitallers made light of this Jewish antiquity, and made bold to reckon among their founders Abraham, Lot, and Laban ; for this last, although his character is none of the best, was, notwithstanding, ac cording to them, a good knight hospitaller.