CIIAr. I.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

7

unhappy infancy is supposed to comprehend theentire space from Charlemagne’s death to that ofPhilip Augustus—or a still immenser stretch.

But the worst of that whole shocking period isprecisely what we have now reached, the eleventhcentury. The list of the woes and grievances ofthe French is much too long to recite. Theoppression of the people by the barons, that ofthese by the unworthy portion of the clergy, andof all three by the kings when they had an oppor-tunity—all classes were deeply dissatisfied, and ripefor any extravagance. Gothic or feudal, bothsystems were unjust and odious. Miles justitiae(miles meaning then, not so much soldier asknight), Knight of Justice was more illustriousthan any rank or birth. But none but noblescould be knighted.

By an ancient law in France, no one could beimprisoned for debt, and it was lawful to rescuethe debtor from any officer who had arrested him.So, how was it possible for a common person toget paid by a nobleman ? Only the nobles couldfish or fowl. Hunting and hawking were Normanpursuits during peace; in fact, through all Francethey were the chief occupations of gentlemen, anda knight rarely left his house, either on horsebackor afoot without a falcon on his fist, and a grey-