At the age of fourteen the young valet — the term is often extended to the second stage — received a sword, consecrated by religious benedictions, in exchange for his dagger, and entered on the degree of squire (esciiyer, scutifei; armir/er). His exercises were now mainly di- rected to the pursuits of war. He was trained to vault on horseback without touching the stirrup. He was taught the inaner/e, and the whole art of '• noble horse- manship." He carried the knight's lance, or shield, or helmet, or groomed his horse, or led his destrier. He attended him in the tourney and in the battle. He was not a regular combatant in the fight, but he rescued, or defended, or remounted his principal. He cultivated courtsisie, prosecuted his pleasant studies in the art of love, began to wear ladies' favors, sought to become deliDmuiir — that is, neither shy, nor haughty, nor awk- ward ; and diligently imitated the procedure and im- biljcd the spirit of his senior.
At full age — though the honor was often postponed, and sometimes accelerated— the squire was advanced to the complete knightly dignity, which was bestowed with mitch solemnity, ceremonial, and religious inter- vention. These accompaniments were, of course, dis- pensed with when the jiromotion Avas conferred on the battle-field. Usually, however, the reception of knight- hood was ordered at some high festival, and was sur- nnnuled with imposing and onerous rites.
I\ . Institution of a Knii/ht. — Various procedures were adopted in different countries, in different orders, and at different times. They were all symbolic, in accordance with that love of symbol and allegory which charac-
terizes unlettered times. There was, however, such a general resemblance in the form and spirit of the cere- monial that a general description of the procedure may be readily given. It is onh^ necessary to understand that some of the incidents were at times omitted, and that others were frequently modified.
The most elaborate of all investitures appears to have been the old procedure of the Order of the Bath, as de- scribed in a manuscript in Frend, first published by Ed- uardus Bissajus, and cited textually by Du Cange (s. v. Miles). The novice was intrusted to the charge of select squires. His beard was shaven and his hair was shorn. In the evening, prudent and distinguished knights were sent to instruct him in his obligations, ilinstrels and squires came singing and dancing to con- duct him to the bath that had been prepared. He was stripped naked and put into the bath. He then re- ceived further instructions. When he issued from the bath, he was put to bed to dry off. When dr)^, he was taken up and clad warmlj^, with a red garment over the rest, having sleeves and a cowl like a hermit's. The knights led him to the chapel, the attendant squires singing and dancing again. He remained at his vigils and prayers all night. At break of day he confessed and received mass, after which he was put to bed. After he had rested, the knights and squires reappeared, and clothed him. He was then conducted on horseback, with song and dance, to the great hall. His spurs were fastened on by the two noblest knights present, who crossed and kissed him whan they had discharged their office. His sword, suspended from a baldric {cingulum^, was buckled on by another knight. The king, or of- ficiating knight, then struck him thrice on the cheek (alopa, a slap), or on the neck or helmet, with the flat of his sword {accollare, adobare, adojitaro : see these titles in Du Cange, and that author's Dissertation xxii snr Joinville), and kissed him. The spurred and belted knight was now led back to the chapel, when he knelt, and, laying his hand on the altar, swore to uphold Holy Church through life. Guizot enumerates twenty-six engagements in a knightly oath. The postulant, \vith his attendant knights, next proceeded to hold high fes- tival, but the young knight was not allowed to eat, to drink, or to move, or to look about him, while the rest were feasting. After further ceremonial, he mounted his horse, assumed his arms, and exhiliitcd feats of war- like dexterity for the entertainment and admiration of the assembled ladies.
This is an abridged, if not a brief account of knight- ly investiture. These minute and tedious formalities, which are travestied by Don (Juixote, belong only to times of peace, and subsequent to the establishment of the regular orders.
Y. The Regidar Orders grew out of the necessities of the Holy War in Spain and in Palestine. The knights, like priests, were vowed to celibacy, and were designed to be ecclesiastical soldiers. They were to protect pil- grims, to feed the hungry, to entertain the poor, to shield the weak, to nurse the sick and the wounded, to assert the faith, to defend the Christian land, and to do zealously all duties of charity, devotion, and war. The most noted of these Orders were —
(I.) The Knyjhts of the Iloly Sejndchre, instituted by Godfrey de Bouillon in 1099 to guard the sepulchre of Christ. They were distinguished by a golden cross, cantoned with four crosses of the same, pendent from a black ribbon. They languished and expired after the fall of the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem.
(II.) Knif/hts of St. John ofJervsalem, or Knights Hos- pitallers, afterwards successively Knights of Rhodes (q. V.) and Knights of Malta (q. v.). TJiey were founded about 1048 by some Neapolitan merchants, and organ- ized in 1104. In peace they wore the black robe of the Augustiuian fraternity, with a cross of white cloth ; in war they exchanged the black robe for a white go\ni. On the expulsionof the Christians from Palestine they passed over to Cyprus, where they remained tdl their