It was the constant policy of sover^'gns to encourage „
this mstitutiOB, which furnished them wUh faithrul or princes. Toor-
supports, and counteracted the independent spirit of ""°*°**-
feudal tenure. Hence they displayed a lavish magnificence in fes-
tivals and tournaments, which may be reckoned a second means of
keeping up the tone of chivalrous feeling. The kings of France and
England held solemn or {denary courts at the great festivals^ or at
other times, where the name of knight was always a title to admit-
tance ; and the masque of chivalry, if I may use the expression, was
acted in pageants and ceremoni^, fantastical enough in our appre-
hension, but well calculated for those heated understandings. Here
the peacock and the pheasant, birds of high fame in romance, re-
ceived the homage of all true knights (3). The most singular festival of
this kind was^that celebrated by Philip duke of Burgundy, in 1455

(i) Joinvllle in Collection des IMmolres, 1. 1. p. 43. (3) Du Cange, clnqnltoie Dissertation sar JoinTllle
(2) St. Palaye, part 1. . St. Pataye, 1. 1. p. 87. ifg. Le Grand^ 1 . p 44.
»6 STATE OF EUROPE [Chip. IX.
