In feudal times, in the last part of the fourteenth century, it became
the practice for the vassals, or feudatories, to send their sons to be
educated in the family of the suzerain, while the daughters were
similarly placed with the lady of the castle. These formed a very
important part of the household, and were of gentle blood, claiming the
honorary title of _chambriéres_ or chamber-maidens. The demoiselles of
this period were very susceptible to the passion of love, which was the
ruling spirit of the inmates of the castle. Feudal society was, in
comparison to the previous times, polished and even brilliant, but it
was not, under the surface, pure. Many good maxims were taught, but they
were not all practiced. "There was an extreme intimacy between the two
sexes, who commonly visited each other in their chambers or bedrooms.
Thus in the poem of Guatier d'Aupias, the hero is represented as
visiting in her chamber the demoiselle of whom he is enamored. Numerous
similar examples might be quoted. At times, one of the parties is
described as being actually in bed, as is the case in the romance of
_Blonde of Oxford_, where Blonde visits Jehan in his chamber when he is
in bed, and stays all night with him, in perfect innocence as we are
told in the romance. We must remember that it was the custom in those
times for both sexes to go to bed perfectly naked."[17]