Sir Philip Sydney

‘…The reign of James I, of England possessed this advantage in a peculiar degree. Some beams of chivalry, although its planet had been for some time set, continued to animate and gild the horizon, and although probably no one acted precisely on its Quixotic dictates, men and women still talked the chivalrous language of Sir Philip Sydney's Arcadia; and the ceremonial of the tilt-yard was yet exhibited, though it now only flourished as a Place de Carousel…’

The author of “The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia”, Sir Philip Sydney, died this day, October 17, 1586.  The text above is from the introduction to Sir Walter Scott’s “Fortunes of Nigel”.