In thefe old Romances there was much religious fuperftition mixed with their other extravagancies; as appears even from their very names and titles. The "efttre raccordé fi non par trois chapelle. Le roy vint devant "eux tout nud en pleurant, & "tenant fon plein point de me"nues verges, fi les jetta de"vant eux, & leur dit en foupirant, qu'ils priffent de luy vengeance, car je fuis le plus "vil pecheur, &c.-Apres prinft firft Romance of Lancelot of the es moult et eloigné de l'amour "de noftre Seigneur, tu ne peus difcipline & d'eux & moult "doucement la receut." Hence we find the divinity-lectures of Don Quixote and the penance of his Squire, are both of them in the ritual of Chivalry. Laftly, we find the Knight- errant, after much turmoil to himself and difturbance to the world, frequently ended his course, like Charles V of Spain, in a Monattery; or turn'd Hermit, and became a Saint in good earnett. And this again will let us into the fpirit of thofe Dialogues between Sancho and his mafter, where it is gravely debated whether he fhould not turn Saint or Archbishop. There were feveral caufes cf this ftrange jumble of noniente and religion. As firft, the na ture of the fubject, which was a religious War or Crufade: zdly, The quality of the fir Writers, Writers, who were religious Men: And 3dly, The end in writing many of them, which was to carry on a religious purpose. We learn, that Clement V interdicted Jufts and Tournaments, because he understood they had much hindered the Crufade decreed in the Council of Vienna. "Tor"neamenta ipfa & Haftiludia "five Juxtas in regnis Franciæ, Angliæ, & Almanniæ, & aliis "nonnullis provinciis, in quibus "ea confuevere frequentiùs exerceri, fpecialiter interdixit." Extrav. de Torneamentis C. unic. tem. Ed. I. Religious men, I conceive, therefore, might think to forward the defign of the Crufades by turning the fondness for Tilts and Torneaments into that channel. Hence we see the books of Knight-errantry fo full of folemn Jufts and Torneaments held at Trebizonde, Bizance, Tripoly, &c. Which wife project, I apprehend, it was Cervantes's intention to ridicule, where he makes his Knight propose it as the best means of fubduing the Turk, to affemble all the Knightserrant together by Proclamation *. WARBURTON. * See Part II. lib. v. c. 1. THE Q3 Another Sicilian Lord. Archidamus, a Bohemian Lord. Rogero, a Sicilian Gentleman. An Attendant on the young Prince Mamillius. Old Shepherd, reputed Father of Perdita. A Mariner. Goaler. Servant to the old Shepherd. Autolicus, a Rogue. Time, as Chorus.. Hermione, Queen to Leontes. Perdita, Daughter to Leontes and Hermione. Paulina, Wife to Antigonus. Emilia, a Lady. Two other Ladies. Satyrs for a Dance, Shepherds, Shepherdeffes, Guards and Attendants. SCENE, fometimes in Sicilia; fometimes in Bohemia. |