h goodwill at heart, has met together in the magnificent dwelling
of Louis, Duke of Orleans, the King's brother, Christine being one of
the number. Suddenly there comes into their midst one personifying the
Goddess Venus, surrounded by maidens garlanded with roses and carrying
golden bowls filled with them. The bowls placed on the table, the
Goddess proceeds to announce the rules of the Order, above all
enjoining those present to avoid envy, and in no way to perjure
themselves, since this would be a most heinous and hateful sin. The
badge chosen is a fresh rose, but if any member of the Order should
happen to be in a country where such is not attainable, or when the
season is unpropitious, then a rose fashioned in gold or silver, or
one embroidered in silk, will suffice. With pledges of loyalty,

A bonne amour je fais veu et promesse
Et a la fleur qui est rose clamee,
A la vaillant de Loyaute deesse,
Par qui nous est ceste chose informee,
Qu'a tous jours mais la bonne renommee
Je garderay de dame en toute chose
Ne par moy ja femme n'yert diffamee:
Et pour ce prens je L'Ordre de la Rose,[34]

[34] "Le Dit de la Rose," 197-204, _OEuvres poetiques de
Christine de Pisan_, t. ii., pub. par Maurice Roy, 1891.

all the company deck themselves with roses. The charter is given by
the Goddess into the safe-keeping of Christine, who describes it as
written on fine parchment in letters of azure, and fastened with a
silken cord of the same colour. From this cord hangs a rare gem, on
one side of which their patroness, the Goddess of Love, and on the
other Cupid, with his feet on a leopard, are depicted. This moral and
literary contest is perhaps the most brilliant of the many discussions
that took place in the Middle Ages in honour of women. The highest and
the wisest in the land joined in it, but all the honour must be given
to Christine for having, by her brave and reasonable attitude, caused
the problem, which henceforth was to evolve like truth itself, to be
treated on a rational basis. "Toute la foy remaint en une femme," says
Christine. Were not her words, nearly 500 years later, echoed by Renan
when he says, "Apres Jesus, c'est Marie de Magdale qui a le plus fait
pour la fondation du Christianisme"?

_L'Epistre au Dieu d'Amours_ is an extraordinary product of worldly
wisdom and common sense, seasoned with satire. One of the complaints
against disloyal suitors, and one which strikes