Hunters and sportsmen in those days formed brotherhoods, which had their rank defined at public ceremonials, and especially in processions.  In 1455, Gerard, Duke of Cleves and Burgrave of Ravensberg, created the order of the Knights of St. Hubert, into which those of noble blood only were admitted.  The insignia consisted of a gold or silver chain formed of hunting horns, to which was hung a small likeness of the patron-saint in the act of doing homage to our Saviour’s image as it shone on the head of a stag.  It was popularly believed that the Knights of St. Hubert had the power of curing madness, which, for some unknown reason, never showed itself in a pack of hounds.  This, however, was not the only superstitious belief attached to the noble and adventurous occupations of the followers of St. Hubert.  Amongst a number of old legends, which mostly belong to Germany (Fig. 137), mention is made of hunters who sold their souls to the devil in exchange for some enchanted arrow which never missed its aim, and which reached game at extraordinary distances.  Mention is also made in these legends of various animals which, on being pursued by the hunters, were miraculously saved by throwing themselves into the arms of some saint, or by running into some holy sanctuary.  There were besides knights who, having hunted all their lives, believed that they were to continue the same occupation in another world.  An account is given in history of the apparition of a fiery phantom to Charles IX. in the forest of Lyons, and also the ominous meeting of Henry IV. with the terrible grand-veneur in the forest of Fontainebleau.  We may account for these strange tales from the fact that hunting formerly constituted a sort of freemasonry, with its mysterious rites and its secret language.  The initiated used particular signs of recognition amongst themselves, and they also had lucky and unlucky numbers, emblematical colours, &c.

The more dangerous the sport the more it was indulged in by military men.  The Chronicles of the Monk of Saint-Gall describe an adventure which befell Charlemagne on the occasion of his setting out with his huntsmen and hounds in order to chase an enormous bear which was the terror of the Vosges.  The bear, after having disabled numerous dogs and hunters, found himself face to face with the Emperor, who alone dared to stand up before him.  A fierce combat ensued on the summit of a rock, in which both were locked together in a fatal embrace.  The contest ended by the death of the bear, Charles striking him with his dagger and hurling him down the precipice.  On this the hills resounded with the cry of “Vive Charles le Grand!” from the numerous huntsmen and others who had assembled; and it is said that this was the first occasion on which the companions of the intrepid monarch gave him the title of Grand (Magnus), so from that time King Charles became King Charlemagne.