Ossian Collection > Reliques of Irish poetry

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infhituted, for the Jirjl thne, after the expulfion of the Romans from
Gaul ; wliereas thefc, as well as chivalry, flouriflied among the
Celtas in thofe days of politenefs and erudition, which long pre-
ceded the conquells in Gaul, and were always in force in
Ireland.
With us chivalry flouriflied from the remoteft antiquity;
there were five orders of it ; foiu" for the provinces, and one con-
fined to the blood-royal ; and- i^o highly wa&- this profeflion
refpe61:ed among-us, that a Prince could' not become a candidate
for the monarchy, who had not the Gradh-GaoisgE, or order
of Knighthood, conferred upon him. At a very tender age, the
intended cavalier had a golden chain hung round his neck, and
a fword and fpear put into his hands. At feven years old he was
taken from the care of the women, and deeply inflrudled in
Philofophy, Hiftory, Poetry and Genealogy. The ufing his
Weapons with judgment, elegance and addrefs, was alfo carefully
attended to ; principles of I\Iorality were feduloufly incvilcated^
and a reverence and tender .fefpe(fl: for the Fair, completed the
education of tlie young hero. By his vows he was obliged to
protedl and redrefs the injured and the opprefled. He was not
to reveal his name or his country to any uncourteous Knight,
who feemed to demand it as a right. He was not to go out of
his road for any menace. He could not decline the combat with
any knight, how intrepid foever. And fl:ill further to fliew to
what a pitch of elevation they carried their ideas of military
glory ; even in death, they were to face this deftroyer of man-
kind,