ABSTRACT
Orders of knighthood began by the association of a few men together for the pursuit of some aim held to be high and holy, and worthy of the best endeavours of their lives-aims sanctified by the approbation of their Church and their sovereign: mingling religion and warin a way perfectly natural in days when the sole professions of well-born men were arms and religion. The very word chivalry indicates its origin amongst accompaniments of war; and although some orders, as that of St. John of Jerusalem, had religious sisterhoods affiliated with them, the warlike element necessarily set a limit to. the active Farticipation of women in the deeds and the honours 0 chivalry. Theirs was usually the passive part to speed the parting knight. to receive the victor with crown and festival. Still, when occasion arose for chivalric deeds by women, they were acknowledged and honoured as such. Thus when in 1149 the town of Tortosa. was besieged by the Moors and reduced to extremity, the women mounted the walls and defended the town so courageously with battle-a)(es that the besiegers were compelled to r~treat. Count Raymond, of Barcelona, hearing of the valiant deeds of these ladies founded a new order of knighthood to do them honour, generally known as the Order of the Axe (Hache), from the red axe worn on the dress of its members, and gave them great privileges besides. They were to precede the men in public assemblies; they were to be exempted from all kinds of imposts and subsidies; they were to inherit all their husbands' jewels, precious stones, gold and silver, and the same respect was to be paid to them as to the knights of other military orders. A similar instance occurred in 1338, when the English, helping the King of Portugal against the King of Castille, laid siege to the town of' Palencia. Many of the men were absent
62 Order8/01' Women. [ EJlIlUSl1womsJI" Rewlew, February 15tb, 1878. with the King of Castille, and the women took arms in defence of their country; after a vigorous defence of several days they made so determined a sortie that they compelled the English to raise the siege and retreat in disorder. King John 1. of Portugal, in reward for such valour, bestowed on them the Order of the Scarf, an order given for good service rendered, and taking its name from the broad red silk scarf worn across the left shoulder, by which its members were distinguished; at the same time he granted them all the privileges and honours enjoyed by the knights of the order.
