surface of the water are nicknamed by sailors "cats'-paws." In the same way also, a larger flurry on the water is a "cat's skin "; and in some parts of England a popular name for the stormy north-west wind is the "cat's nose." Amongst other items of weather-lore associated with the cat, there is a superstition in Germany that if it rains when women have a large washing on hand, it is an infallible sign that they have a spite against them, owing to their not having treated these animals well. We may also compare the Dutch idea that a rainy wedding-day results from the bride's neglecting to feed her cat; whereas in the valleys of the Tirol, girls who are fond of cats are said always to marry early, perhaps, as Mrs. Busk remarks,' "an evidence that household virtues are appreciated in them by the men." Once more, there is a German belief that any one who during his lifetime may have made cats his enemies, is certain to be accompanied to the grave amidst a storm of wind and rain.

Apart, however, from the weather-lore superstitions associated with the cat, there is an extensive class of other beliefs, as, for instance, those relating to folk-medicine. Thus, in Cornwall,2 the little gatherings which come on children's eyelids, locally termed "whilks," are cured by passing the tail of a black cat nine times over the part affected. As recently as the year 1867,3 in Pennsylvania, a woman was publicly accused of witchcraft for administering three drops of a black cat's blood to a child as a remedy for croup. She admitted the fact, but denied that witchcraft had anything to do with it, and twenty witnesses were called to prove its success. Again, "in many regions," we are told by Mr. Conway, a threecoloured cat protects against fire, and a black cat cures epilepsy and protects gardens." We may also quote a popular rhyme much

used in years past :—

Kiss the black cat,

An' 'twill make ye fat;

Kiss the white ane,

'Twill make ye lean.

Formerly in Scotland," when a family removed from one house to another, the cat was always taken; one reason being, that it served as a protection against disease. Indeed, before a member of the family entered the new abode, the cat was thrown into it. There

The Valleys of the Tirol, 1874, 110.

Hunt's Popular Romances of the West of England.

Henderson's Folk-lore of the Northern Counties, 1879, 207.

♦ Demonology and Devil-lore, ii. 312.

Gregor's Folk-lore of North-east of

was a superstitious notion that, if a curse or disease had been left on the house, the cat became the victim and died, to the saving of the family's lives. It is curious, however, to find the opposite practice kept up in Ireland, where it is considered highly unlucky for a family to take with them a cat when they are moving, more especially, too, when they have to cross a river. Mr. Gregor also tells us that, in the north-east of Scotland, if a cow or other domestic animal was seized with disease, one mode of cure was to twist a rope of straw the contrary way, join the two ends, and put the diseased animal through the loop along with a cat. By this means the disease was supposed to be transferred to the cat, and the animal's life was so saved by the cat dying. This, of course, was only one of the extensive charms of which the leading idea was that of substitution. A remedy for erysipelas, lately practised in the parish of Locharron, in the NorthWest Highlands, consisted in cutting off one-half of the ear of a cat, and letting the blood drop on the part affected. Alluding, moreover, to the numerous other items of folk-lore in connection with the cat, there is a popular notion that a May cat-a cat born in the month of May-is of no use for catching rats and mice, but exerts an injurious influence on the house through bringing into it disagreeable reptiles of various kinds. Mrs. Latham, in her "West Sussex Superstitions," says that a May cat is supposed "to be inclined to melancholy, and to be much addicted to catching snakes and bringing them into the house. I had heard that this West-country belief existed in our village; and, very lately, observing a most dejected-looking cat by the fire in a cottage, said, in jest, "I should think that cat was born in May." Oh, yes," said the owner of it, "that she was, and so was her mother; and she was just as sadlooking, and was always bringing snakes and vipers within doors." In Huntingdonshire there is a common saying that "a May kitten makes a dirty cat." This supposed ill-luck attaching to a cat born in the month of May is no doubt founded on the old notion that May was an unfortunate season for births of any kind, in allusion to which there is an old proverb, which says—

May chets

Bad luck begets.

According to a curious notion, still extensively credited by out north-country peasantry, black cats are supposed to bring not only

1 Croker's Fairy Legends of the South of Ireland, 1862, 31.

2 Folk-lore Record, 1878, i. 17.

good luck, but also lovers-in illustration of which we may quote a well-known rhyme on the subject

Whenever the cat o' the house is black,

The lasses o' lovers will have no lack.

Mr. Henderson,' speaking of this superstition, tells us that an old north-country woman on one occasion said to a lady, "It's na wonder Jock 's lasses marry off so fast, ye ken what a braw black cat they've got." It is considered unlucky to dream of a cat, a piece of folk-lore prevalent in Germany, where if one dreams of a black cat at Christmas, it is an omen of some alarming illness during the following year. Equally unfortunate, too, is it for a cat to sneeze, this act being supposed to indicate that the family will have colds. Thus, we are informed by Mrs. Latham that in Sussex, "even the most favoured cat, if heard to sneeze, is instantly shut out of doors; for should she stay to repeat the sneeze three times indoors, the whole family will have colds and coughs."

Lastly, there are many quaint traditions in which the cat holds a prominent place; and an amusing one, current in the north of England, we may quote in conclusion: A gentleman was one evening sitting cosily in his parlour, reading or meditating, when he was interrupted by the appearance of a cat, which came down the chimney and cried out, "Tell Dildrum Doldrum's dead!" not unnaturally startled by this strange occurrence; and when shortly after his wife entered, and he related to her what had happened, her own cat, which accompanied her, exclaimed, "Is Doldrum dead?" and immediately rushed up the chimney, and was heard of no more. Of the numberless conjectures stated to account for this extraordinary event, the most reasonable one appears to be that Doldrum had been king of Catland, and that Dildrum was the next heir.

T. F. THISELTON DYER.

Folk-lore of the Northern Counties, 207.

2 Folk-lore Record, 10,

I

615

ΤΗ

WARFARE IN CHIVALROUS

TIMES.

HE fourteenth century, the century of Edward the Black Prince of England, and of Bertrand du Guesclin, constable of France, may be fairly taken as the period in which chivalry reached its highest perfection, and in which the military type of life and character attained its noblest development. Froissart, whose picture of that period reflects its manners and thoughts with a vividness that has never been surpassed, has scarcely aught else to tell of than wars and battles and noble feats of arms; thinking that, as they alone were of interest to himself or his contemporaries, they alone would be of interest to posterity. It is to that century we naturally turn our thoughts when we would fain imagine a time when the rivalry of brave deeds gave birth to heroism of character, and the rivalry of military generosity invested even the cruelties of the battle-field with the halo of romance. Yet it is needless to go beyond Froissart himself to see how little foundation such imaginings have in fact, and how, before the calm tribunal of history, there never was a period like that handed down to us as the period of chivalry, when the motives for wars as well as the incentives of personal courage were more mercenary; when war itself was more brutally conducted; when the laws in restraint of it imposed by the voice of morality or religion were less felt; or when the consequent demoralisation was more widely spread.

Such a conclusion, inasmuch as it runs counter to so much that we have been wont to receive on trust and tradition, may fairly be put upon its trial and challenged for facts for its defence. But for such defence there is no need to travel further than Froissart himself, a witness whose evidence is beyond impeachment, and alone suffices for an estimate of warfare in days when chivalry prevailed in Europe. The following details are from that source alone.

When the Black Prince, whom afterwards Germans, Flemish, and English agreed in denominating "the mirror of knighthood," reconquered Limoges from France and sacked it, he spared neither

rank nor age nor sex, though his victims, to the number of 3,000, sought mercy from him on their knees, "veritable martyrs," as Froissart calls them, of the Prince's passion and revenge. But this cruelty was not so exceptional after all. When the English sacked Niort in Poitou, they promiscuously massacred both men and women, and so they did when, under the Earl of Derby, they sacked Poitiers; nor were the French one whit more gallant or merciful when they came with their fleet in 1377 and burned the good town of Rye. When the flower of Christian chivalry, under the king of Hungary, took the Turkish city Comecte by storm, one might have expected that the women and children should have been spared from the general massacre which ensued.

One instance of promiscuous slaughter is remarkable for the high esteem to which it sometimes raised its chief perpetrator. In the famous war between the citizens of Ghent and the Earl of Flanders there was no worse episode than when the Lord D'Anghien took the town of Grammont by storm one fine Sunday in June, and showed no mercy to man, woman, or child. Numbers of old people and women were burnt in their beds, and the town, being set on fire in more than 200 places, was reduced to ashes, even the churches included. "Fair son," said the Earl of Flanders, greeting his returning relative, "you are a valiant warrior, and, if it please God, will be a gallant one; for you have made a handsome beginning.” History cannot but rejoice that the young duke's first feat of arms was also his last, and that, not many days later, he lost his life in a skirmish.

Of course, all persons found within a town taken by assault were by the rule of war liable, and all the male adults likely, to be killed. Only by a timely surrender could the besieged cherish any hope for their lives or fortunes; and even the offer of a surrender might be refused, and an unconditional submission be insisted on instead. There is no darker blot on the character of Edward III. than the savage disposition he displayed when, with respect to the brave defenders of Calais, he was only restrained from exercising his strict war-right of putting them to death by the representations made to him of the danger he might incur of an equally sanguinary retaliation. in the future.

There was in general a strong feeling against making ladies prisoners of war; nor could the French ever forgive our countrymen for allowing the soldiers of the Black Prince to take prisoner the Duchess of Bourbon, mother to their king, and to obtain a ransom for her release. To the French appears to have been due whatever