other cavaliers are at liberty to leave or join their ranks. The
principal characteristic of the knightly service, and one which
separates it most decidedly from the Roman _militia_, was its freedom of
action.

One very specious objection is made as regards feudalism, which some
clear-minded people obstinately confound with chivalry. This was the
favorite theory of Montalembert. Now there are two kinds of feudalism,
which the old feudalists put down very clearly in two words now out of
date--"fiefs of dignity" and "fiefs simple." About the middle of the
ninth century, the dukes and counts made themselves independent of the
central power, and declared that people owed the same allegiance to them
as they did to the emperor or the king. Such were the acts of the "fiefs
of dignity," and we may at once allow that they had nothing in common
with chivalry. The "fiefs simple," then, remained.

In the Merovingian period we find a certain number of small proprietors,
called _vassi_, commending themselves to other men more powerful and
more rich, who were called _seniores_. To his senior who made him a
present of land the _vassus_ owed assistance and fidelity. It is true
that as early as the reign of Charlemagne he followed him to war, but it
must be noted that it was to the emperor, to the central power, that he
actually rendered military service. There was nothing very particular in
this, but the time was approaching when things would be altered. Toward
the middle of the ninth century we find a large number of men falling
"on their knees" before other men! What are they about? They are
"recommending" themselves, but, in plainer terms, "Protect us and we
will be your men." And they added: "It is to you and to you only that we
intend in future to render military service; but in exchange you must
protect the land we possess--defend what you will in time concede to us;
and defend _us_ ourselves." These people on their knees were "vassals"
at the feet of their "lords"; and the fief was generally only a grant of
land conceded in exchange for military service.

Feudalism of this nature has nothing in common with chivalry.

If we consider chivalry in fact as a kind of privileged body into which
men were received on certain conditions and with a certain ritual, it is
important to observe that every vassal is not necessarily a cavalier.
There were vassals who, with the object of averting the cost of
initiation or for other reasons, rem