any appearance of feudal subordina- infidels, first roused Europe, and intion remained. Nobles who had ac- troduced a change in her government quired such enormous power scorned and manners. Venerating the spot to consider themselves as subjects. where the Son of God accomplished They aspired openly at being inde- the redemption of mankind, and impendent: the bonds which connected pressed with the current idea, that the principal members of the consti- the end of the world was near at tution with the crown were dissolved. hand, multitudes hastened to the A kingdom, considerable in name and holy land, there to meet with Christ in extent, was broken into as many in judgment. When the minds of separate principalities as it contained men were thus prepared, the zeal of powerful barons. A thousand causes a fanatical monk, who conceived the of jealousy and discord subsisted idea of leading all the forces of Chrisamong them, and gave rise to as tendom against the infidels, and of many wars. Every country in Eu- driving them out of the holy land by rope, wasted or kept in alarm, during violence, was sufficient to give a bethese endless contests, was filled with ginning to that wild enterprise. castles or places of strength, erected Peter the Hermit, for that was the for the security of the inhabitants, name of that martial apostle, ran from not against foreign force, but against province to province with a crucifix internal hostilities. A universal an- in his hand, exciting princes and archy, destructive in a great measure people to the holy war; and wherof all the advantages which men ex-ever he came, kindled the same enpect to derive from society, prevailed. thusiastic ardour for it with which The people, the most numerous, as he himself was animated. The well as the most useful part of the Council of Placentia, where upwards community, were either reduced to a of thirty thousand persons were asstate of actual servitude, or treated sembled, pronounced the scheme to with the same insolence and rigour, have been suggested by the immedias if they had been degraded into ate inspiration of Heaven. In the that wretched state. The king, Council of Clermont, still more nustripped of almost every prerogative, merous, as soon as the measure was and without authority to enact or to proposed, all cried out with one voice, execute salutary laws, could neither' It is the will of God.' Persons of protect the innocent nor punish the all ranks catched the contagion; not guilty. The nobles, superior to all only the gallant nobles of that age, restraint, harassed each other with with their martial followers, whom perpetual wars, oppressed their fel- we may suppose to have been allured low-subjects, and humbled or insult- by the boldness of a romantic entered their sovereign. To crown all, prise; but men in the more humble time gradually fixed and rendered and pacific stations of life; ecclesivenerable this pernicious system, astics of every order, and even wowhich violence had established. Such men and children, engaged with emuwas the state of Europe with respect lation in an undertaking, which was to the interior administration of go- deemed sacred and meritorious. Acvernment, from the seventh to the cording to the testimony of contemeleventh century. Robertson. porary historians, six millions of persons assumed the cross, which was the badge that distinguished such as devoted themselves to this holy

$ 10.

The Crusades.

The Crusades, in order to rescue warfare. All Europe, torn up from the holy land from the hands of the the foundation, seemed ready to pre

cipitate itself in one united body upon could not bear arms in their own deAsia. Nor did the fumes of this en- fence; to redress wrongs and to rethusiastic zeal evaporate at once; move grievances; were deemed acts the frenzy was as lasting as it was ex- of the highest prowess and merit. travagant. During two centuries, Valour, humanity, courtesy, justice, Europe seems to have had no object and honour, were the characteristic but to recover or to keep possession qualities of chivalry. To these were of the holy land; and through that added religion, which mingled itself period, vast armies continued to with every passion and institution march thither. during the middle ages, and by infus

11. Chivalry.

Robertson. ing a large proportion of enthusiastic zeal, gave them such force as carried them to romantic excess. Men were trained to knighthood by a long The spirit of chivalry inspired the previous discipline; they were adnobles of Europe with more liberal mitted into the order by solemnities and generous sentiments than had no less devout than pompous; every formerly prevailed. This institution, person of noble birth courted that though considered of a wild nature, honour; it was deemed a distinction the effect of caprice, and the source superior to royalty, and monarchs of extravagance, arose naturally from were proud to receive it from the the state of society, at that period, hands of private gentlemen. and had a very serious influence in This singular institution, in which refining the European manners. valour, gallantry, and religion, were The feudal was a state of almost so strangely blended, was wonderfully perpetual war, rapine, and anarchy, adapted to the taste and genius of during which the weak and unarmed martial nobles, and its effects were were exposed to insults or injuries. soon visible in their manners. War The power of the sovereign was too was carried on with less ferocity, limited to prevent these wrongs, and when humanity came to be deemed the administration of justice too fee- the ornament of knighthood no less ble to redress them. The most ef- than courage. More gentle and pofectual protection against violence lished manners were introduced, and oppression was often found to be when courtesy was recommended as that which the valour and generosity the most amiable of knightly virtues. of private persons afforded. The Violence and oppression decreased, same spirit of enterprise which had when it was reckoned meritorious to prompted so many gentlemen to take check and to punish them. A scruarms in defence of the oppressed pil- pulous adherence to truth, with the grims in Palestine, incited others to most religious attention to fulfil every declare themselves the patrons and engagement, became the distinguishavengers of injured innocence at ing characteristic of a gentleman, home. When the final reduction of because chivalry was regarded as the the holy land under the dominion school of honour, and inculcated the of infidels put an end to those foreign most delicate sensibility with respect expeditions, the latter was the only to those points. The admiration of employment left for the activity and these qualities, together with the high courage of adventurers. To check distinctions and prerogatives conferthe insolence of overgrown oppres- red on knighthood in every part of sors; to rescue the helpless from cap- Europe, inspired persons of noble tivity; to protect, or to avenge wo-birth on some occasions with a spemen, orphans, and ecclesiastics, who cies of military fanaticism, and led

them to extravagant enterprises. But lead most directly to success, applied they deeply imprinted on their minds to him. His recommendations were the principles of generosity and ho- observed to have great influence over nour. These were strengthened by the queen, and he grew to be conevery thing that can affect the senses sidered not only as a favourite but as or touch the heart. The wild ex-a minister. Nor was Rizio careful ploits of those romantic knights who to abate that envy which always atsallied forth in quest of adventures, tends such an extraordinary and raare well known, and have been treat-pid change of fortune. He studied, ed with proper ridicule. The hu- on the contrary, to display the whole manity which accompanies all the extent of his favour. He affected to operations of war, the refinements of talk often and familiarly with the gallantry, and the point of honour, queen in public. He equalled the are sentiments inspired by chivalry, greatest and most opulent subjects and have had a wonderful influence in richness of dress and in the numon manners and conduct, during the ber of his attendants. He discovered twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and in all his behaviour that unassuming fifteenth centuries. They were so insolence, with which unmerited deeply rooted, that they continued to prosperity inspires an ignoble mind. operate after the vigour and reputa- It was with the utmost indignation tion of the institution itself began to that the nobles beheld the power, it decline.

Rizio.

was with the utmost difficulty that Robertson. they tolerated the arrogance, of this unworthy minion. Even in the queen's

§ 12. Assassination of David presence they could not forbear treating him with marks of contempt. Nor was it his exorbitant power alone The low birth and indigent con- which exasperated the Scots. They dition of this man placed him in a considered him, and not without reastation in which he ought naturally to son, as a dangerous enemy to the have remained unknown to posterity. protestant religion, and suspected But what fortune called him to act that he held, for this purpose, a seand to suffer in Scotland, obliges his-cret correspondence with the court tory to descend from its dignity, and of Rome.

to record his adventures. He was In consequence of such a conduct, the son of a musician in Turin; and the king and nobles mutually conhaving accompanied the Piedmontese spired to take away his life. Noambassador into Scotland, gained ad- thing now remained but to concert mission into the queen's family by his the plan of operation, to choose the skill in music. As his servile con- actors, and to assign them their parts dition had taught him suppleness of in perpetrating this detestable crime. spirit and insinuating manners, he Every circumstance here paints and quickly crept into the queen's favour; characterizes the manners and men and her French secretary happening of that age, and fills us with horror to return at that time into his own at both. The place chosen for comcountry, was preferred by her to that mitting such a deed was the queen's office. He now began to make a bed-chamber. Though Mary was figure in court, and to appear as a now in the sixth month of her pregman of weight and consequence. nancy, and though Rizio might have The whole train of suitors and ex-been seized elsewhere without any pectants, who have an extreme saga- difficulty, the king pitched upon this city in discovering the paths which place, that he might enjoy the mali

Robertson.

13. Death of Queen Mary of

Scotland.

cions pleasure of reproaching Rizio he was torn from her by violence, with his crimes before the queen's and before he could be dragged face. The earl of Morton, the lord through the next apartment, the rage high chancellor of the kingdom, un- of his enemies put an end to his life, dertook to direct an enterprise, car-piercing his body with fifty-six ried on in defiance of all the laws, of wounds. which he was bound to be the guardian. The lord Ruthven, who had been confined to his bed for three months by a very dangerous distemper, and who was still so feeble that he could scarcely walk, or bear the weight of On Tuesday, the 7th of February, his own armour, was intrusted with the earls of Shrewsbury and Kent arthe executive part; and while he rived at Fotheringay, and, demandhimself needed to be supported by ing access to the queen, read in her two men, he came abroad to commit presence the warrant of execution, a murder, in the presence of his so- and required her to prepare to die vereign. next morning. Mary heard them to On the 9th of March, Morton en- the end without emotion, and crosstered the court of the palace with a ing herself in the name of the Father, hundred and sixty men; and without and of the Son, and of the Holy noise, or meeting with any resistance, Ghost, "That soul," said she, "is seized all the gates. While the queen not worthy of the joys of Heaven, was at supper with the countess of which repines because the body must Argyle, Rizio, and a few domestics, endure the stroke of the executioner; the king suddenly entered the apart- and though I did not expect that the ment by a private passage. At his queen of England would set the first back was Ruthven, clad in complete example of violating the sacred perarmour, and with that ghastly and son of a sovereign prince, I willingly horrid look which long sickness had submit to that which Providence has given him. Three or four of his decreed to be my lot;" and laying most trusty accomplices followed him. her hand on a Bible, which happened Such an unusual appearance alarmed to be near her, she solemnly protested those who were present. Rizio in- that she was innocent of that conspistantly apprehended that he was the racy which Babington had carried on victim at whom the blow was aimed; against Elizabeth's life. She then and in the utmost consternation re- mentioned the request contained in tired behind the queen, of whom he her letter to Elizabeth, but obtained laid hold, hoping that the reverence no satisfactory answer. She entreatdue to her person might prove some ed, with particular earnestness, that protection to him. The conspirators now, in her last moments, her almohad proceeded too far to be restrain- ner might be suffered to attend her, ed by any consideration of that kind. and that she might enjoy the consoNumbers of armed men rushed into lation of those pious institutions prethe chamber. Ruthven drew his scribed by her religion. Even this dagger, and with a furious mien and favour, which is usually granted to voice commanded Rizio to leave a the vilest criminal, was absolutely place of which he was unworthy, and denied.

which he had occupied too long. Her attendants, during this converMary employed tears, and entreaties, sation, were bathed in tears, and and threatenings, to save her favour- though overawed by the presence of ite. But, notwithstanding all these, the two earls, with difficulty sup

pressed their anguish; but no sooner mander chain at her neck; her beads did Kent and Shrewsbury withdraw, at her girdle; and in her hand she than they ran to their mistress, and carried a crucifix of ivory. At the burst out into the most passionate foot of the stairs, the two earls, atexpressions of tenderness and sorrow. tended by several gentlemen from the Mary, however, not only retained neighbouring counties, received her: perfect composure of mind, but en- and there Sir Andrew Melvil, the deavoured to moderate their exces- master of her household, who had sive grief; and falling on her knees, been secluded for some weeks from with all her domestics around her, her presence, was permitted to take she thanked Heaven that her suffer- his last farewell. At the sight of a ings were now so near an end, and mistress whom he tenderly loved, in prayed that she might be enabled to such a situation, he melted into tears; endure what still remained with de- and as he was bewailing her condicency and with fortitude. The tion, and complaining of his own hard greater part of the evening she em- fate, in being appointed to carry the ployed in settling her worldly affairs. account of such a mournful event She wrote her testament with her into Scotland, Mary replied, "Weep own hand. Her money, her jewels, not, good Melvil, there is at present and her clothes, she distributed great cause for rejoicing. Thou shalt among her servants, according to this day see Mary Stuart delivered their rank or merit. She wrote a from all her cares, and such an end short letter to the king of France, put to her tedious sufferings, as she and another to the duke of Guise, has long expected. Bear witness full of tender but magnanimous sen- that I die constant in my religion; timents, and recommended her soul firm in my fidelity towards Scotland; to their prayers, and her afflicted ser- and unchanged in my affection to vants to their protection. At supper France. Commend me to my son. she ate temperately, as usual, and Tell him I have done nothing injuriconversed not only with ease, but ous to his kingdom, to his honour, or with cheerfulness; she drank to to his rights; and God forgive all every one of her servants, and asked those who have thirsted, without their forgiveness, if ever she had failed cause, for my blood." in any part of her duty towards them. With much difficulty, and after At her wonted time she went to bed, many entreaties, she prevailed on the and slept calmly a few hours. Early two earls to allow Melvil, together in the morning she retired into her with three of her men servants and closet, and employed a considerable two of her maids, to attend her to the time in devotion. At eight o'clock scaffold. It was erected in the same the high sheriff and his officers en- hall where she had been tried, tered her chamber, and found her raised a little above the floor, and still kneeling at the altar. She im- covered, as well as the chair, the mediately started up, and with a ma- cushion, and block, with black cloth. jestic mien, and a countenance un- Mary mounted the steps with alacrity, dismayed, and even cheerful, ad- beheld all this apparatus of death vanced towards the place of execu- with an unaltered countenance, and tion, leaning on two of Paulet's at- signing herself with the cross, she sat tendants. She was dressed in a down in the chair. Beale read the mourning habit, but with an elegance warrant for execution with a loud and splendour which she had long voice, to which she listened with a laid aside, except on a few festival careless air, and like one occupied days. An Agnus Dei hung by a po- in other thoughts. Then the dean