imitation
by all of us?

The earlier phases of Chivalry with its elaborate rules, its laws
written and unwritten, were past long before Cressy. The great mediaeval
companies of knights, which made it one of the greatest powers for good
or evil in Europe, were broken up. The Crusades were over, and knights
could no longer gain fame and honor by fighting against the Paynim under
the banner of the Cross. But still it was in Edward the Third's reign
that Chivalry entered upon a period of unequalled glory and
magnificence. The Garter--the most illustrious order of English
knighthood, was instituted by the king at Windsor; and he and his son
were foremost to set examples of unsurpassed valor in many a deed of
desperate daring. Although Chivalry was far from perfect, let us
remember that Bayard "_sans pure et sans reproche_" was its ideal
knight.--That many a gentle knight and squire was trying to do his best,
to live worthy of his God, his King, and his Lady.--That

all dignity, courtesy, purity, self-restraint,
devotion--such as they were understood in those rough
days--centred themselves round the idea of _the rider_ as
the attributes of the man whose supposed duty, as well as
his supposed right, was to govern his fellow men, by example
as well as by law and force;--attributes which gathered
themselves up into that one word--Chivalry: an idea, which,
perfect or imperfect, God forbid that mankind should ever
forget, till it has become the possession--as it is the
God-given right--of the poorest slave that ever trudged on
foot.[24]

And when we look on young John of Eltham's noble face, let us believe
that had he grown to man's estate, "Mary, daughter of Ferdinand, King of
Spain," might have said to him:

For trust ye well that your estate royal,
Nor vain delight, nor only worthiness
Of you in war or tourney martial,
Nor pomp, array, nobility, riches,
Of these none made me rue on your distress;
_But moral virtue, grounded upon truth,
That was the cause I first had on you ruth._[25]

FOOTNOTES:

[20] Shakespeare _King Henry the Fifth_.

[21] "Memorials of Westminster," p. 599. "That the body of our very dear
brother John late Count of Cornwall should be removed and translated
from the spot where it lies to another and more suitable place among the
Royals. Always reserving and keeping the most honorable places for the
rest and sepulture of us a