Chess. Writers immediately after the Conquest speak of the Saxons as playing at chess, which, they say, they learned from the Danes. The game of chess is very prominent in the romances of the Middle Ages. The Scandinavian navigators introduced some remarkable elaborately carved chessmen, of walrus ivory, from Iceland, in the 12th century. The castles are replaced by warriors on foot, called hrokr, from the Saracen roc, Persian rokh, our rook. In the Saracen game the vizier represented our queen, and the elephant our bishop, the roc, or hero, as aforesaid, our rook. Beautifully carved chessmen in the costumes of the 13th and 14th century exist in England. They were all very large, a king being four inches in height and seven in circumference. The chess-boards were of corresponding size, and made of all materials, including the precious metals, crystal, sapphires, and topazes. The pieces varied in form: the mediæval rook had a head like a fleur-de-lis, the knight was represented by a small upright column with the upper part bent on one side. The aufin or bishop was of the same shape, but the bent end was cleft to indicate a mitre. The figures of the 16th century much more nearly resemble those now in vogue.
Chesse, O. E. (Fr. chasse). A border, a circlet.
Chest of Viols, O. E. A set of instruments complete for a “consort” of viols, i. e. two trebles, two tenors, and two basses.
Chester, O. E. A person who places corpses in their coffins.
Chests and Coffers, in Norman times, were adorned with elaborate carving and richly inlaid. They were still the general depositories for clothes and treasures. Cupboards (armoires) were introduced by the Normans, and filled with household utensils.
Chevalet, Fr. The bridge of a violin or other stringed instrument.
Cheval-traps. (See Caltraps.)
Chevaucheurs. Anglo-Norman horsemen, or running messengers.
Chevaux-de-frize. An arrangement of iron spikes for the defence of a battlement against assault.
Cheveril, O. E. Kid leather, proverbially elastic; hence, a cheveril conscience (that will stretch).