SPANISH CHIVALRY.

Don Quijote's readers are aware of the enormous popularity of the
romances of chivalry, but they are apt to imagine that these represent a
purely ideal state of things. This is undoubtedly the case as far as
knight-errantry is concerned, but certain distinctive habits and customs
of chivalry prevailed in Spain and elsewhere long after the feudal
system and the earlier and original form of chivalry had passed away.
One of the most curious instances of this survival of chivalry occurred
in Spain in the first half of the fifteenth century, and after
commanding the admiration of Europe furnished Don Quijote with an
admirable argument for the existence of Amadis of Gaul and his long line
of successors. The worthy knight had been temporarily released from his
confinement in the Enchanted Cage, and had begun his celebrated reply to
the canon's statement that there had never been such persons as Amadis
and the other knights-errant, nor the absurd adventures with which the
romances of chivalry abound. Don Quijote's answer is a marvellous
mixture of sense and nonsense: the creations of the romancer's brain are
placed side by side with the Cid, Juan de Merlo and Gutierre Ouijada,
whose names were household words in Spain: "Let them deny also that Don
Fernando de Guerara went to seek adventures in Germany, where he did
combat with Messer George, knight of the household of the duke of
Austria. Let them say that the jousts of Sucro de Quinones, him of the
Pass, were a jest."

It is to these jousts, as one of the most characteristic episodes of the
reign of John II. and of the times, that we wish to call attention.[4]

On the evening of Friday, the 1st of January, 1434, while the king and
his court were at Medina del Campo and engaged in the rejoicings
customary on the first day of the New Year, Suero de Quinones and nine
knights clad in white entered the saloon, and, coming before the throne,
kissed the hands and feet of the king, and presented him through their
herald with a petition of which the following is the substance:

"It is just and reasonable for those who are in confinement or deprived
of their freedom to desire liberty; and since I, your vassal and
subject, have long been in durance to a certain lady--in witness whereof
I bear this chain about my neck every Thursday--now, therefore, mighty
sovereign, I have agreed upon my ransom, which is three hundred lances
broken by myself and these knights, as