Chapter V: Cliff Castles. the Routiers

The seigneural castle--Protection sought against the foes without and against the peasant in revolt--Instance of the Château Les Eyzies-- Independence of the petty nobles--Condition of the country in France-- In Germany--Weakness of the Emperor--The Raubritter--Italy--The nobles brought into the towns--Their towers--Division of the subject-- Difference between the English manor-house and the foreign feudal castle--The English in France--The Hundred Years' War--Hopeless condition of the people--The Free Companies--How recruited--Crusade against the Albigenses--Barons no better than Routiers--Death of chivalry--Routiers were rarely Englishmen--Had no scruples as to whom they served--Disregarded treaties--The captains were Gascons or French --The nobles of the south on the English side--Nests in the rock-- Depopulation and devastation--Insolence of the Companies--Bigaroque-- Roc de Tayac--Corn--Roquefort--Brengues--The Bishop of Cahors dies there--Château du Diable at Cabrerets--Défilé des Anglais--Peyrousse-- Les Roches du Tailleur--Trosky--The scolding women--The English not forgotten in Guyenne . . . . . 117-141

CHAPTER VI

CLIFF CASTLES--_Continued_

The difference between feudal castles and those of the Routiers-- Illustration of the character of the nobles--Two Counts of Perigord-- The nobles in Auvergne--"Les grands Jours"--La Roche Saint Christophe-- Surprised and destroyed--Reoccupied by the Huguenots--Final destruction--La Roche Gageac--Its history--Jean Tarde--Ravages of the Huguenots--Gluges--La Roche Lambert--Habichstein--Bürgstein--The spy-- Kronmetz--Covolo--Puxerloch--The shadowless man--Nottingham Castle-- Arrest of Mortimer--Outmost castles--La Grotte de Jioux--Clovis crosses the Vienne--Le Gué du Loir--Antoine de Bourbon--Calvin at Saint Saturnin--His cave--La Roche Corail--Cave in which the "Institute of the Christian Religion" was written--Effects produced by this work --Preparation of men's minds for reform--Havoc wrought to art by the Calvinists--La Rochebrune--A cave-colander--Necessity for outlook stations--Frontier fortifications

CHAPTER VII

SUBTERRANEAN CHURCHES

Basilicas and catacumbal churches--Preference of the people for the latter--The cult of martyrs encouraged this--Crypts--Elevation of relics--Church of SS. John and Paul on the Coelian Hill--Temples were originally sepulchres--Basilican churches converted into mausoleums-- Dedications--Altars of wood changed for altars of stone--At first the bodies of martyrs were not dismembered--But dismemberment was made necessary by the transformation--The Martyrium of Poitiers--S. Emilion --Carvings--Crypt--Aubeterre--A Huguenot stronghold--Orders issued by Jeanne d'Albret--Her extended powers--The monolithic church--Menaced by ruin--Rocamadour--Lirac--Mimet--Caudon--Natural caves used as churches--Gurat--Lanmeur--Story of S. Melor--Dolmen Chapel of the Seven Sleepers--Another at Cangas-de-Ones--Confolens--Subterranean churches in Egypt--In Crete--The sacred caves in Palestine--Revival of cave sanctuaries by the Crusaders--Springs of water in crypts

CHAPTER VIII

ROCK HERMITAGES

Tibetian recluses--Christian hermits in Syria and Egypt--The Essenes and Therapeutæ--Description by Philo of the latter--Buddhist and Manichæean influence--Difference in motive--Likeness superficial-- Possible necessity for the adoption of asceticism--Instance of extravagant asceticism in Syria--Extravagances in Ireland--In England --Early European solitaries--The Beatus Höhle--Grotto of S. Cybard-- Decadence--Hermits in Languedoc--In Germany--A grocer hermit-- Hermitage at S. Maurice--The Wild Kirchlein--The cave of S. Verena at Soleure--That of Magdalen at Freiburg--Oberstein--Hermitage at Brive-- La Sainte Beaume--Sougé--Villiers--Montserrat--Subiaco--La Vernia-- Warkworth--Knaresborough--Robin Hood's stable--Roche--Anchor Church-- Royston cave--Its carvings--Kindly remembrance of the hermit--The hermit a loss

CHAPTER IX

ROCK MONASTERIES

The hermits self-excommunicate--Liability to create a schism--S. Paul-- S. Mary of Egypt--S. Anthony--Enormous number of solitaries compels organisation into monasteries--Causes inducing flight to the desert--S. Athanasius at Trèves--Writes the "Life of S. Anthony"--Impulse given to flight from the world in the West--S. Martin--Desires to imitate the Lives of the Fathers of the Desert--At Poitiers--Founds Ligugé--Rock cells--Later history and ruin--Martin becomes Bishop of Tours--Founds Marmoutier--History and ruin--Martin and the masqueraders--Present state--Baptistry--The Seven Sleepers--Brice elected bishop--Obliged to fly the see--Return and penance--Cave of S. Leobard--Abbey of Brantôme --Underground church--Other caves--"Papists' Holes" at Nottingham--Rock monastery of Meteora--Der el Adra--Inkermann

CHAPTER X

CAVE ORACLES

Polignac--Greek oracles--Charonion--Cave of the Nymphs--Exhalations-- Delos--Care of Trophonios--Experiences of Pausanius--Cave at Acharaca --Sibylline oracles--Destruction--Forged oracles--Oracles among the Jews--Story of Hallbjörn--Sounds issuing from caves--Echo--Æolian cave of Terni--Purgatory of S. Patrick--The Knight Owain--Visit by Sir William Lisle--By a monk of Eymstadt--Prohibited by Alexander VI.-- Prohibition rescinded by Pius III.--Destroyed in 1622--Revival of pilgrimages--Description by Gough--Friar Conrad--Lazarus Aigner-- Roderic, King of the Goths--Sortes Sacræ--Condemned by the Church-- Nevertheless practised--Instances from Gregory of Tours--Incubation in pagan shrines--The cave of Cybele--Temples of Isis and Esculapius-- Churches founded by Constantino dedicated to S. Michael--Incubation practiced in them--Instances--Churches of S. Cosmas and Damian-- Practice at Caerleon--Superstition hard to kill--Grotto of Lourdes

CHAPTER XI

ROBBERS' DENS

Humphrey Kynaston--His adventurous life--Cave at Ness Cliff--Chinamen-- David at Adullam--Bandit caves in Palestine--Lombrive--Surtshellir-- Feruiden's cave--Gargas--La Crouzafce--The haunts of Grettir-- Dunterton--Precautions against burglary--Story of K. F. Masch--His capture--The Leichtweishohle--Adersbach retreats--Babinsky--His capture