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the Chess Pawn and nothing else. The older Latin terms we meet with are Pedes and Pedester; but in this case we can found no argument on the mere similarity of names, as the Sanskrit word denoting foot happens to be derived from the very same root that furnishes the word both to the Latin and the Greek. This will best appear on comparing the genitive case of the word denoting foot in each of the three languages. Thus, Sanskrit, pad-asya, Greek, wod-os, and Latin ped-is, are evidently of one and the same origin.

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Most modern writers are so greatly fascinated with the idea that "Chess was brought to Europe by the Crusaders”—that they entirely overlook the more obvious route through Spain. Twiss, I do believe, for once stumbles upon the truth, when he says in the first paragraph of his book, that-"The Persians taught it [Chess] to the Arabians, who introduced it into Spain." We further find in the second volume of the "Chess Players' Chronicle a communication to the same effect by Mr. F. W. Cronhelm, of Halifax; but this gentleman does not, like Twiss, content himself by barely stating the fact-he very laudably endeavours to prove it; but so very inaccurate are his proofs, that they sadly damage his cause. He says that, "when adopted by the Arabs, they naturally named the King Sheik," &c. Arabs never did call the King Sheik, as we from their written works, &c., on the game. to this day retained the original Persian word Shāh, as I have already shown. Mr. Cronhelm then proceeds to the word mate, which he asserts to be, "not merely Arabic, but also Persic and Shanskrita!" This statement, if true, would be an interesting discovery in philology, The word māt is purely Arabic, and neither "Persic nor Shanskrita." It is true the Persians now use the term mat, which they

Now, the well know They have

have adopted from the Arabic. In Sanskrit there is no such word as mat to denote "dead" or "killed."

I have already pointed out the absurdity of deriving the Spanish matar and matador from the Arabic, when the Latin origin of the terms is so palpable. Finally, there is one assertion by Mr. Cronhelm which I hold to be particularly "worthy of confirmation," viz.,-"The ancient Arabian and Spanish chronicles bear testimony to the prevalence of Chess in these courts" [of Cordoba, &c.] Now, I have myself no doubt respecting the fact, that Spain was the first country in Western Europe into which Chess entered; far less do I doubt the prevalence of the Game at the various Moorish courts named by Mr. Cronhelm-but anent "the ancient Arabian and Spanish chronicles," bearing testimony thereunto, &c., I hae doots. Nevertheless, Mr. Cronhelm's cause is so very good in itself, that it will bear a great number of bad proofs.

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Let us now examine our second alternative, viz., what probability is there that Chess came to Central Europe from Constantinople? We do not know what names the Byzantines gave to the pieces, on receiving the game from the Persians. It is probable that, like their neighbours the Scythians and Sclavonic tribes, they translated most of the terms into their own language; but of this we are uncertain. Suffice it to say, that not knowing the Greek names for the various pieces, we are debarred from coming to any conclusion on the subject by arguments founded on etymological and philological deductions. All we can say is, that it is quite possible, and not altogether improbable, that Chess may have been communicated to some parts of Central Europe from Constantinople, as well as from Spain, in the eighth century of the Christian æra.

In our last chapter we have shewn-I may almost say, demonstrated that the Byzantines must have received the game of Chess from the Persians about the beginning of the seventh century. Now, we know from history, that in the eighth and succeeding centuries numerous adventurers, both Frank and Scandinavian, resorted to Constantinople, where their military services were duly appreciated and amply rewarded. These afterwards became celebrated as the Varangian Band, or Cohort; and held a position at the Byzantine court, similar to that of the Scottish and Swiss guards employed by the kings of France in more recent times. In consequence of this arrangement, there arose a constant intercourse between the east and west of Europe, and it is quite possible that the game of Chess may have found its way to the north-west at the same time.

We are further told that, "in A.D. 757, Constantine Capronymus, emperor of the east, sent to king Pepin, as a rare present, the first organ ever seen in France. This was so highly appreciated by the latter, that he placed it in his own chapel at Compiègne." Now we may, not unreasonably, conclude that the organ formed only a portion of the rare presents sent on that occasion to the western monarch. There is no small probability that the rich Chess board afterwards presented by Pepin to the monastery of Maussac, was included in the list. I am led to this consideration, simply because I do not think the state of the arts in France at that time, was so flourishing as to warrant us in concluding that the rich Chessmen above alluded to were of Gallic manufacture. Sir Frederick Madden quotes from a monkish scribe a passage relative to "the translation of the body of St.

1 Lavoisne's Historical, Geographical, and Genealogical Atlas, elephant folio, best edition, 1829, fol. 43.

Stremon, Bishop of Arverne, in the fourteenth year of King Pepin, A.D. 764, to the monastery of Maussac, 'where,' says the anonymous writer, 'in token of his reverence for the blessed Martyr, the King bestowed many precious gifts, such as a set of chrystalline chessmen, various gems, and a large sum of gold.'"2 Now, I consider these "chrystalline chessmen " to have been originally received as a present by Pepin, either from the Saracens or from the Byzantines. Allowing, however, the latter supposition to be the fact, it does not thence follow that the game was previously unknown at Pepin's court.

We see, then, that the game of Chess may have reached France about, or near, the middle of the eighth century, either from Spain by means of the Saracens, which I hold to be by far the more natural inference; or from the Lower Empire, in consequence of the intercourse then held between the sovereigns and nations of the east and the west. In either case, however, we may safely rely on the authenticity of the anecdote quoted by Gustavus Selenus, respecting the son of Pepin, and the prince of Bavaria. This is the main point which I have been endeavouring to establish; and if I have succeeded, of course all anecdotes of a more recent date referring to the game, whether in France or Germany, Scandinavia, Britain, or Italy, may be accepted as historical facts.

1 It should have been the twelfth, not the fourteenth year of King Pepin. 2 "Ubi pro reverentiâ beati Martyris, plurima reliquit [Pippinus Rex] insignia, scilicet saccho (1 schachos) crystillinos, et lapides pretiosos, et auri plurimum." Acta Benedict. Sac. 3, pt. 2, p. 192.

CHAPTER XV.

Early references to the Game of Chess in Europe-Chess in France and Germany-Chess in Scandinavia-Chess in England-Chess in Italy-Chess in Russia.

It is not my intention to follow up the history and progress of Chess in Europe, during the medieval period, i.e., from A.D. 750, to A.D. 1500; I shall therefore content myself by laying before the reader, in chronological order, a few extracts from our old chronicles and romances, which will in some degree tend to shew us the various localities in which the game made its early appearance among us.

Chess in France and Germany.

The two following anecdotes refer to the time of Charlemagne, Pepin's son and successor. Sir Frederic Madden, in p. 209, says :-" Admitting the above hypothesis' to be correct, we shall cease to wonder at the perpetual references in the ancient French romances to the game of Chess in the time of Charlemagne. This is remarkably the case in the romance of Guerin de Montglave, which turns wholly upon a game of Chess, at which Charlemagne had lost his kingdom to Guerin. The short dialogue which preceded this game, on which so great a stake depended, as narrated by the hero of the

1 Sir Frederic here alludes to the magnificent Chess board and men presented to Charlemagne by the Empress Irene, of which more at the close of this chapter.

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