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and mystery of horsemanship hereditary among themselves； and become
a Ritterschaft or chivalrous caste。 And they would be able to do
so： because the conquered race would not care or dare to learn the
new and dangerous art。 There are persons； even in England； who can
never learn to ride。 There are whole populations in Europe； even
now； when races have become almost indistinguishably mixed； who seem
unable to learn。 And this must have been still more the case when
the races were more strongly separated in blood and habits。 So the
Teutonic chief； with his gesitha； comites； or select band of
knights； who had received from him； as Tacitus has it； the war…horse
and the lance； established himself as the natural rulerand
oppressorof the non…riding populations； first over the aborigines
of Germany proper； tribes who seem to have been enslaved； and their
names lost； before the time of Tacitus； and then over the non…riding
Romans and Gauls to the South and West； and the Wendish and
Sclavonic tribes to the East。 Very few in numbers； but mighty in
their unequalled capacity of body and mind； and in their terrible
horsemanship； the Teutonic Ritterschaft literally rode roughshod
over the old world； never checked； but when they came in contact
with the free…riding hordes of the Eastern steppes； and so
established an equestrian caste； of which the ＇Greek text＇ of Athens
and the Equites of Rome had been only hints ending in failure and
absorption。
Of that equestrian caste the symbol was the horse。 The favourite；
and therefore the chosen sacrifice of Odin； their ancestor and God；
the horse's flesh was eaten at the sacrificial meal； the horse's
head； hung on the ash in Odin's wood； gave forth oracular responses。
As Christianity came in； and the eating of horse…flesh was forbidden
as impiety by the Church； while his oracles dwindled down to such as
that which Falada's dead head gives to the goose…girl in the German
tale； the magic power of the horse figured only in ballads and
legends： but his real power remained。
The art of riding became an hereditary and exclusive scienceat
last a pedantry； hampered by absurd etiquettes； and worse than
useless traditions； but the power and right to ride remained on the
whole the mark of the dominant caste。 Terribly did they often abuse
that special power。 The faculty of making a horse carry him no more
makes a man a good man； than the faculties of making money； making
speeches； making books； or making a noise about public abuses。 And
of all ruffians； the worst； if history is to be trusted； is the
ruffian on a horse； to whose brutality of mind is superadded the
brute power of his beast。 A ruffian on a horsewhat is there that
he will not ride over； and ride on； careless and proud of his own
shame？ When the ancient chivalry of France descended to that level；
or rather delegated their functions to mercenaries of that level
when the knightly hosts who fought before Jerusalem allowed
themselves to be superseded by the dragoons and dragonnades of Louis
XIV。then the end of the French chivalry was at hand； and came。
But centuries before that shameful fall there had come in with
Christianity the new thought； that domination meant responsibility；
that responsibility demanded virtue。 The words which denoted rank；
came to denote likewise high moral excellencies。 The nobilis； or
man who was known； and therefore subject to public opinion； was
bound to behave nobly。 The gentlemangentile…manwho respected
his own gens； or family and pedigree； was bound to be gentle。 The
courtier； who had picked up at court some touch of Roman
civilisation from Roman ecclesiastics； was bound to be courteous。
He who held an 〃honour〃 or 〃edel〃 of land was bound to be
honourable； and he who held a 〃weorthig；〃 or worthy； thereof； was
bound himself to be worthy。 In like wise； he who had the right to
ride a horse； was expected to be chivalrous in all matters befitting
the hereditary ruler； who owed a sacred debt to a long line of
forefathers； as well as to the state in which he dwelt； all dignity；
courtesy； purity； self…restraint； devotionsuch as they were
understood in those rough dayscentred themselves round the idea of
the rider as the attributes of the man whose supposed duty； as well
as his supposed right； was to govern his fellow…men； by example； as
well as by law and force；attributes which gathered themselves up
into that one wordChivalry： an idea； which； perfect or imperfect；
God forbid that mankind should ever forget； till it has become the
possessionas it is the God…given rightof the poorest slave that
ever trudged on foot； and every collier…lad shall have becomeas
some of those Barnsley men proved but the other day they had become
already：
A very gentle perfect knight；
Very unfaithful was chivalry to its idealas all men are to all
ideals。 But bear in mind； that if the horse was the symbol of the
ruling caste； it was not at first its only strength。 Unless that
caste had had at first spiritual； as well as physical force on its
side； it would have been soon destroyednay； it would have
destroyed itselfby internecine civil war。 And we must believe
that those Franks； Goths； Lombards； and Burgunds； who in the early
Middle Age leaped on the backs （to use Mr。 Carlyle's expression） of
the Roman nations； were actually； in all senses of the word； better
men than those whom they conquered。 We must believe it from reason；
for if not； how could they； numerically few； have held for a year；
much more for centuries； against millions； their dangerous
elevation？ We must believe it； unless we take Tacitus's 〃Germania；〃
which I absolutely refuse to do； for a romance。 We must believe
that they were better than the Romanised nations whom they
conquered； because the writers of those nations； Augustine； Salvian；
and Sidonius Apollinaris； for example； say that they were such； and
give proof thereof。 Not good men according to our higher standard
far from it； though Sidonius's picture of Theodoric； the East Goth；
in his palace of Narbonne； is the picture of an eminently good and
wise ruler。 But not good； I say； as a rulethe Franks； alas！ often
very bad men： but still better； wiser； abler； than those whom they
ruled。 We must believe too； that they were better； in every sense
of the word； than those tribes on their eastern frontier； whom they
conquered in after centuries； unless we discredit （which we have no
reason to do） the accounts which the Roman and Greek writers give of
the horrible savagery of those tribes。
So it was in later centuries。 One cannot read fairly the history of
the Middle Ages without seeing that the robber knight of Germany or
of France； who figures so much in modern novels； must have been the
exception； and not the rule： that an aristocracy which lived by the
saddle would have as little chance of perpetuating itself； as a
priesthood composed of hypocrites and profligates； that th