Front Matter

Preface

William Caxton, the first English printer, who published his books with a view to edification as well as to recreation, thought it well to include in his library three books of chivalry, "wherein his readers should find many joyous and pleasant histories," and should learn of "the noble acts of chivalry, the gentle and the virtuous deeds that some knights did." He had no question that "for to pass the time" his books would be found "pleasant to read in," and he was equally confident that the noble lords and ladies who read these histories would make good use of the same and would "take the good and honest acts in remembrance and do after them." We of a later day find the stories of chivalry likewise pleasant, refreshing, and entertaining, and we echo his thought as to their moral value. How better can gentleness and courtesy, bravery and hardiness, humanity and friendliness, be instilled than by a perusal of stories of chivalry such as have been gathered in this volume of our library of literature?

Page, Esquire, and Knight  presents the best stories of all periods of chivalry, from the days of the founding of the Round Table to the death of Chevalier Bayard. It sets forth in simple story form the development and progress of knighthood from the time of St. George, who won his spurs by killing the dragon, to the founding, a thousand years later, of the order which bore his name and embodied in its ritual the highest ceremonial of chivalry. With its explanation of the meaning of the degrees of knighthood, its description of quests and tourneys, and its outline of the great events of chivalry, this volume will serve as a good introduction to the later reading of the child in Arthurian and other romance, and in the history of Charlemagne's wars and the crusades.

Our best heritage from the Middle Ages is the ideal side of that system which

Chivalry ceased to be of practical value only when the conditions of civilization called for men of peace rather than of war, and the perfect knight was replaced by the perfect gentleman.

M.F.L.

Cambridge, Massachusetts