CHAP. I.]

ST. JOHN OF JERUSALEM.

65

Italy. But from feudalism, easy was the stride todespotism, which, within a few years, was to reignover the whole European continent.

Rude were the manners then ; man and wife ateoff the same trencher; a few wooden-handledknives, with blades of rugged iron, were a luxuryfor the great; candles unknown. A servant girlheld a torch at supper; one, or at most, two mugsof coarse brown earthenware formed all thedrinking apparatus in a house. Rich gentlemenwore clothes of unlined leather. Ordinary personsscarcely ever touched flesh meat. Noble mansionsdrank little or no wine in summer; a little cornseemed wealth. Women had trivial marriage por-tions; even ladies dressed extremely plain. Thechief part of a family’s expense was what the malesspent in arms and horses, none of which howeverwere either very good or very showy; and grandeeshad to lay out money on their lofty towers. InDante’s comparatively polished times, ladiesbegan to paint their cheeks by way of finery, goingto the theatre, and to use less assiduity in spin-ning and plying their distaff. What is only asymptom of prosperity in large, is the sure signof ruin in small states. So in Florence he mightvery well deplore, what in London or Paris would beto praise, or cause a smile. Wretchedly indeed

VOL. i.

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