Page:A History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages.djvu/290

 270 Hijiory of Do?ne/iic Manners fervice with a view to their advancement in the world. Thel'e two claffes were the young fquires, who ferv'cd at table, and performed a great number of what we fliould now call menial offices to the lord and ladies of the houfehold, in all the amuferaents and recreations of which they took part, and at the fame time were inflrufted in gentlemanly manners and exercifes — it was a fort of apprenticelTiip introdu6tory to knighthood. In the fame manner the knightly families fent their daughters to ferve under the ladies of the greater or lefTer feudal chieftains, and they formed that clafs who, in the French romances and fabliaux, are called the chamhrieres, or chamber attendants, and in the Englilh texts, fimply the viaidens, of the eftablilhment. The ladies of rank prided themfelves upon having a very great number of thefe chamhrieres, or maidens, for they were not only a means of oftentation, but they were profitable, inafmuch as befides attending on the perfonal wants of their miftrefles, they were conftantly employed in fpinning, weaving, and the various procelTes of producing cloth, in millinery and drelT-making, in embroidery, and in a great number of fimilar labours, which were not only required for furnifliing the large number of perfons who depended upon their lord for their liveries, &c., but which were fometimes fold to obtain money, which was always a fcarce thing in the country. The beauty of the pucelles, as they are often termed in the French text, or maidens, is alfo fpoken of as a fubje6t of pride. In a metrical ftory printed by Meon (ii. 38), a great lady receiving a female ftranger into her houfehold, became fo much attached to her, " that flie made more of her than of all her maidens, of whom," it is added, " there were hand- fome ones in her chambers" — De a la dame fet grant fejic. Plus que de totes Jes puceles, Dont en Jes chambres a de beles. And fo, in the romance of "Blonde of Oxford" (p. jo), v/hen the countefs went with her maidens to vilit John, the remark is made that among them there were plenty of beauties : — Et la ccntejji et Jes pucehs. Dent ele avoit ajjlfs de beles. The