THEORDER OFCHIVALRY

The Order Of Chivalry

Also entitled:The Book of the Ordre of Chyualry

or Knyghthode, by Ramon Lull,Translated by William Caxton

& edited by F. S. Ellis.

with:L’Ordene de Chevalerie

An anonymous French poem,Translated by William Morris as,The Ordination of Knighthood

& edited by F. S. Ellis.

Barrie, Ontario. 2009

The Book of the Ordre of Chyualry or Knyghthode,by Ramon Lull, translated by William Caxton, with ,L’Ordene de Chevalerie, an anonymous French poem,translated by William Morris as ; The Ordination ofKnighthood, with a frontispiece by Edward Burne-Jones & edited by F. S. Ellis.

Originally Published : Hammersmith : Kelmscott Press, 1893.

Digital Edition : Barrie : Sovereign Press Canada, 2009.

Re-Typeset in : P22 Morris Troy

© Sovereign Press Canada, 2009. New material & lay- out only. Original is in the Public Domain.

THE ORDER OF CHIVALRY.

1 Here begynneth the Table of this pre-sent booke Intytled the Book of the Ordreof Chyualry or Knyghthode.

NTO the praysynge and dy-uyne glorye of god, which islord and souerayne kynge a-boue & ouer alle thynges ce-lestyal and worldly, we be-gynne this book of the Ordre

of Chyualry ; for to shew that to the syg-nefyaunce of god, the prynce almyghty,which seygnoryeth aboue the seuen plan–ettes that make the cours celestyal, andhaue power and seygnorye in gouernyngeand ordeynynge the bodyes terrestre anderthely, that in lyke wyse owen the kynges,prynces and grete lordes to haue puyss-aunce and seygnorye vpon the Knyghts,and the Knyghts by symylytude oughtento haue power and dominacion ouer themoyen peple. And this booke conteynethviii chapitres.2 The first chapytre sayth how a Knyght,beyng an heremyte, deuysed to the Squyerthe Rule and Ordre of Chyualry.2 The second is of the begynnynge ofChyualry.2 The thyrd is of tho∏yce of Chyualry.

2 The fourthe of thexamynacion thatought to be made to the Esquyer whan hewylle entre in to the Ordre of Chyualry.2 The fyfthe is in what maner thesquyerought to receyue Chyualry.2 The syxthe is of the sygnefyaunce ofthe armes longynge to a Knyght al by or-dre.2 The seuenth, of the custommes thatapperteyne to a Knyght.2 The eyght is of the honour that oughteto be done to a Knyght.

2 Thus endeth the table of the Book ofChyualry.

1 Here after foloweth the mater andtenour of this said Booke. And thefyrst chapyter saith hou the good He-remyte deuysed to the Esquyer theRule & Ordre of Chyualrye 0 0

C ON T R E Y T H E R W A S in which it hap- ped that a wyse Knyght whiche longe had mayn- tened the ordre of chyualrye, & that by the force & noblesse of

his hyghe courage and wysedom, & inauenturyng his body had mayntenedwarres, justes & tornoyes, & in manybatailles had had many noble vycto-ryes and glorious, & by cause he sawe& thought in his corage that he myghtnot long lyue, as he which by long tymehad ben by cours of nature nyghe vntohis ende, chass to hym an heremytage.For nature faylled in hym by age, andhadde no power ne vertu to vse armesas he was woned to do. Soo that thenne

his herytages, & alle his rychesses he lefteto his children, and made his habytacionor dwelling place in a greete wode, habon-daunt of watres and of grete trees & hyhe,berynge fruytes of dyuerse manyers ; andfledde the world by cause that the feble-nesse of his body in the whiche he was byold age fallen, & that he dishonoured notthat whiche that in honourable thynges &auenturous hadde ben longe tyme hon-oured1 The same knyght thynkynge onthe dethe, remembryth the departynge frothis world in to that other, & also thoughtof the ryght redoubtable sentence of ourelord in the whiche hym behoued to come tothe day of Jugement2 In one of the par-tyes of the same wode was a fayr medowe,in whiche was a tree wel laden & charged offruyte in his tyme of whiche the knyghtlyued in the forest. And vnder the sametree was a fontayne moche fayre and clere,that arowsed and moysted all the medowe.1 And in that same place was the knyghtacustomed to come euery daye fore to preye& adoure god Almyghty ; to whome he ren-dryd thankynge of the honoure that he haddone to hym in thys world alle the dayesof his lyf2 In that tyme it happed at the

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entryng of a strong wynter, that a kyngemoche noble, wyse and ful of good cus-tommes, sente for many nobles by causethat he wold hold a grete courte1 Andby the grete renommee that was of thyscourte it happed that a Squyer moeued hymfor to goo thyder, in entencion that therehe shold be made Knyght1 Thus as hewente all allone, rydynge vppon his pal-froy, it happed that for the trauaylle thathe had susteyned of rydynge he sleptevpon his horse2 In the meane whyle thathe rode soo slepynge, his palfroy yssuedoute of the ryght waye, and entryd in tothe forest where as was the Knyghte Here-myte1 And soo longe he wente that hecame to the fontayne at the same tyme thatthe Knyght whiche dwellyd in the wode todoo his penaunce, was there comen for topraye vnto god, & for to despyse the vany-tees of this worlde, lyke as he was acustom-ed euery day1 Whan he sawe the Squyercome, he lefte his oroyson and satte in themedowe in the shadow of a tree, and be-ganne to rede in a lytyl book that he hadin his lappe. And whan the palfroy wascome to the fontayn he beganne to drynke,and the Squyer that slept, anone felte that

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his hors meued not & lyghtly awoke, andthenne to hym came the Knyght whiche wasmoche old, & had a grete berde, longe heerand a feble gowne worne and broken forouer longe werynge, and by the penauncethat he dayly made was moche discolourdand lene ; & by the teres that he had weptewere his eyen moche wasted, & hadde a re-gard or countenaunce of moche hooly lyf.2 Eche of them merueylled of other ; forthe Knyght, whiche hadde ben moche longein his heremytage, had sene no man sythethat he had lefte the world ; & the Squyermerueylled hym strongly how he was com-en in to that place1 Thenne descendedthe Squyer fro his palfroy and salewed theKnyght, and the Knyght receyued hymmoche wysely, & after sette them vpon thegrasse that one by that other2 And er onyof them spak, eche of them byheld echeothers chere1 The Knyght that knewethat the Squyer wold not speke fyrst, bycause that he wold doo to hym reuerence,spak fyrst and said,

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AYR frend, what is your cor-age or entent ? And wythergoo ye ? Wherfor be ye com-en hyther ? Syre, said he, therenommee is sprad by ferreconntreyes that a kynge, mo-

che wyse and noble, hath commaunded aCourte general, and wylle be maade hymself newe Knyght, and after adoube andmake other newe Knyghtes, estraunge ba-rons and pryue, & therefore I goo to thisCourte for to be adoubed Knyght1 Butwhanne I was a slepe, for the trauylle thatI haue had of the grete journeyes that Ihaue made, my palfroy wente oute of theryght way, and hath brought me vnto thisplace2 Whanne the Knyght herd spekeof the Knyghthode and Chyualrye, and re-membryd hym of thordre of the same, andof that whiche apperteyneth to a Knyght,he caste oute a grete syghe, and entryd in agrete thought, remembrynge of the ho-noure in whiche Chyualrye hadde ben longemayntened1 In the meane whyle that theKnyghte thus thought, the Esquyer de-maunded of hym wherof he was so pensyf.2 And the Knyght answerd to hym,

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AYRE sone my thoughte isof the ordre of Knyghthodeor Chyualrye, & of the grete-nesse in whiche a Knyght isholden in mayntenynge thegretenesse of the honour of

Chyualrye1 Thenne the Esquyer praydto the Knyght that he wold saye to hymthordre & the manere wherfore men oughtthe better honoure and kepe in hyhe wor-shippe hit, as hit oughte to be after the or-denauce of god2 How sone, sayde theKnyght, knowest thow not what is the rule& ordre of knyghthode ? And I meruayllehow thou darest demaunde Chyualrye orKnyghthode vnto the tyme that thowknowe the ordre ; for noo Knyght maye notloue the ordre, ne that whiche apperteyn-eth to his ordre, but yf he can knowe thede∏aultes that he dothe ageynst the ordreof Chyualrye ; ne no Knyght ought to makeony Knyghtes, but yf he hym self knowethordre. For a disordynate Knyghte is hethat maketh a Knyght, and can not shewethe ordre to hym in the customme of Chy-ualry.

N the meane whyle that theKnyght sayd these wordesto the Esquyer that demaun-ded Chyualrye, withoute thathe knewe what thynge wasChyualrye, the Esquyer an-

swerd and sayd to the Knyght2 Syre, yfhit be youre playsyre, I byseche yow thatye wylle saye and telle to me the ordre ofChyualrye, for wel me semeth & thynkeththat I shold lerne hit for the grete desyrethat I haue therto, and after my power Ishalle ensiewe hit, yf hit please yow to en-seygne, shewe, and teche hit me2 Frend,sayd the Knyght, the Rule and Ordre ofChyualrye is wreton in this lytyl bookethat I hold here in myn handes, in whicheI rede and am besy somtyme, to the endethat hit make me remembre or thynke onthe grace and bounte that god hath gyuenand done to me in this world by cause thatI honoured & mayntened with al my powerthordre of Chyualrye ; for alle in lyke wyseas Chyualrye gyueth to a Knyghte alle thatto hym apperteyneth, in lyke wyse a Knyghtought to gyue alle his forces for to hon-oure Chyualrye2 Thenne the Knyght de-lyuerd to the Esquyer the lytyl booke.

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ND whanne he had reddetherin he vnderstode that theKnyght only amonge a thou-sand persones is chosen wor-thy to haue more noble of-fyce than alle the thousand,

and he had also vnderstanden by that lytylbooke the Rule and Ordre of Chyualry1And thenne he remembryd hym a lytyl, andafter sayd, A syre, blessyd be ye that hauebrought me in place and in tyme that I haueknowlege of Chyualrye, the whiche I hauelonge tyme desyred, withoute that I knewethe noblesse of the ordre, ne the honourein whiche oure lord god hath sette alle themthat ben in thordre of Chyualrye.

HE Knyght sayd, faire sone,I am an old man and feble,and may not forthon mochelonge lyue, and therfor thislytyl booke, that is made forthe deuocion, loyalte and the

ordenaunce that a Knyght ought to hauein holdynge his ordre, ye shall bere withyow to the Courte where as ye go vnto, andto shewe to alle them that will be madeKnyghtes2 And whan ye shalle be newedoubed Knyght, and ye shall retorne in to

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your countrey, come ageyne to this place,and lete me haue knowlege who they bethat haue ben obeyssaunt to the doc-tryne of Chyualrye.

HENNE the Knyght gaf tothe Squyer his blessynge ; &he took leue of hym, & tookethe booke moche deuoutely,and after mounted vpon hispalfory & went forth hastely

to the courte. And whan he was comen hepresented the booke moche wysely & or-dynatly to the noble kynge, & furthermorehe o∏ryd that euery noble man that woldbe in thordre of Chyualry myght haue acopye of sayd book, to thende that hemyght see and lerne thordre of Knyght-hode and Chyualrye.

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1 The Second chapytre is of the begyn-nynge of Chyualrye or Knyghthode.

HAN charyte, loy- aulte, trouthe, jus- tyce & veryte fayl- len in the world, thenne begynneth cruelte, iniurye, des loyalte and false- nes, and therfore was erroure & trou- ble in the world, in

whiche god hath created man, in inten-cion that of the man he be knowen andloued, doubted, serued and honoured2At the begynnyng whan to the world wascomen mesprysion, justyce retorned bydrede in to honour, in whiche she was wonteto be, and therfore alle the peple was de-uyded bythousandes, and of eche thou-sand was chosen a man most loyal, mooststronge & of most noble courage, & betterenseygned and manerd than al the other.

ND after was enquyred & ser-ched what beest was moostcouenable, moost fayre, mostcouragyous & moost strongeto susteyne trauaylle, andmoost able to serue the man.

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1 And thenne was founden that the horswas the moost noble, & the moost coue-nable for to serue man. And by cause that,emong alle the beestes the man chaas thehors, and gaf hym to this same man thatwas soo chosen amonge a thowsand men,for after the hors, whiche is called Chyualin Frensshe, is that man named Chyualler,whiche is a Knyght in Englyssh. Thus tothe moost noble man was gyuen the moostnoble beest2 It behoueth after this thatther shold be chosen alle the armures sucheas ben most noble and moste couenable tobatayll & de∏ende the man fro dethe, andthese armures were gyuen and appropredto the Knyght.

HENNE who that wylle entrein to the ordre of Chyualrye,he must thynke on the noblebegynnynge of chyualrye.And hym behoueth that thenoblesse of his courage in

good custommes accorde to the begyn-nyng of chyualry1 For yf hit were notsoo he shold be contrary to his ordre andto his begynnynges, & therfore hit is notcouenable thynge that thordre of chyualryreceyue his enemyes in honours, ne them

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that ben contrarye to his begynnyngesloue and drede begynnen ageynst hate andmesprysyon ; & therfore hit behoueth thatthe knyght by noblesse of courage and ofnoble customme and bounte, and by thehonour soo grete and so hyhe that he ismaade be election, by his hors and by hisarmes, be loued and doubted of the peple,and that by loue he recouere charyte andensygnement, and by fere recoure veryteand justyce.

F as moche as a man hathmore of wytte and of vnder-standyng, and is of morestronger nature than a wo-man, of soo moche may he bebetter than a woman. For yf

he were not more puyssaunt and dy∏erentto be better than the woman, it shold en-siewe that bounte and strengthe of naturewere contrary to bounte of courage and togood werkes. Thenne al thus as a man byhis nature is more apparaylled to hauenoble courage and to be better than thewoman, in lyke wyse moche more enclynedto be vycious than a woman. For yf it werenot thus he shold not be worthy that hehad gretter meryte to be good more than

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the woman1 Beware thow Squyer thatwol entre in to thordre of Chyualry whatthou shalt doo ; for yf thou be a Knyghtthow receyuest honour and the seruytudethat must be hadde vnto the frendes ofChyualrye, for of soo moche as thou hastmore noble begynnyngr & hast more ho-nour, of soo moche arte thow more bondeand bounden to be good & agreable to godand also to the peple2 And yf thow bewycked thow arte enemy of Chyualry andarte contrary to his commaundements andhonours. So moche hyhe and soo mochenoble is thordre of Chyualrye that it su∏y-seth not that there be made Knyghtes ofthe moost noble persones, ne that thershold be gyuen to them the moost noblebeete and the beste, the most noble ar-mures and the beste only.

UT hym behoueth, & it mustbe, that he be made lord ofmany men, for in seygnoryeis moche noblesse, & in ser-uytude as moche of subiec-tions2 Thenne yf thow take

thordre of Knyghthode, & arte a vyle manand wycked thou dost grete iniurye to allthy subgettis and to thy felawes that ben

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good, for by the vylette in whiche thow arteyf thou be wycked, thou oughtest to beput vnder a serf or bonde man, and by thenoblesse of Kyghtes that be good it isindygne and not worthy that thow be calleda Knyght.

LECTION, ne hors, ne arm-ures, su∏yse not yet to thehyghe honour whiche long-eth to a Knyght, but it be-houeth that there be gyuento hym a squyer & seruaunt

that may take hede to his hors1 And hitbehoueth also that the comyn peple la-boure the londes for to brynge fruytes andgoodes wherof the knyght and his beesteshaue theyr lyuyng, and that the Knyghtreste hym and be at seiourne after his no-blesse, and desporte hym vpon his horsfor to hunte or in other manere after thatit shal please hym, and that he ease hymand delyte in thynges of whiche his menhaue payne & trauayl1 The clerkes stu-dyen in doctryne & scyence how they mayconne knowe god and loue hym and hiswerkes, to thende that they gyue doctryneto the peple laye and bestiall by good en-samples, to knowe, loue, serue, & do hon-

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oure to god oure gloryous lord2 For tothende that they may ordynatly do thesethynges, they folowe & ensyewe the scoles.1 Thenne thus as the ckerkes by honestlyf, by good ensample and scyence, hauegoten ordre and o∏yce tenclyne the pepleto deuocion and good lyf, alle in lyke wysethe Knyghtes by noblesse of courage andby force of armes mayntene the ordre ofChyualrye, and haue the same ordre, tothende, by the whiche the one doubte to doowronge to the other.

HE scyence and the scole ofthe ordre of Chyualrye is thatthe Knyght make his sone tolerne in his yongthe to ryde ;for yf he lerne not in his yong-the he shalle neuer lerne it in

his old age1 And it bhoueth that thesone of a Knyght in the tyme that he isSquyer can take kepynge of hors ; and hymbehoueth that he serue, & that he be fyrstesubgette or he be lord, for otherwyse sholdhe not knowe the noblesse of the sey-gnory whan he shold be Knyght.

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ND therfor euery man thatwylle come to Knyghthode,hym behoueth to lerne in hisyongeth to kerue at the table,to serue to arme and to a-doube a Knyght ; for in lyke

wyse as a man wyl lerne to sewe for to be ataillour, or a carpenter, hym behoueth thatha haue a mayster that can sewe of hewe2Al in lyke wyse it behoueth that a nobleman that loueth the ordre of Chyualrye,and wyl a Knyght, haue fyrst a maysterthat is a Knyght, for thus as a discouenablethyng it shold be that a man that woldlerne to sewe shold lerne to sewe of a car-penter, al in like wise shold it be a disco-uenable thyng that a Squyer shold lernethordre & noblesse of chyualry of onyother man than of a knyght.

O moche is hyhe & honouredthe ordre of chyualrye, that toa Squyer ne su∏yseth not on-ly to kepe hors and lerne toserue a knyght and that hegoo with hym to tornoyes &

bataylles, but hit is nedeful that ther beholden to hym a scole of the ordre of Kny-ghthode, and that the scyence were wreton

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in bookes, and that the arte were shewed& redde, and that the sones of Knyghteslerne fyrst the scyence that apperteynethto thordre of Chyualry1 And after thatthey were Squyers they shold ryde thrughdyuerse countrees with the Knyghtes, andyf ther were none errour in the Clerkes andin the Knyghtes, vnneth shold ther be onyin other peple ; for by the Clerkes theyshold haue deuocion and loue to god, andby the Knyghtes they shold doubte to doowronge, trayson and barate, the one to an-other2 Thenne sythe the Clerkes hauemaysters and doctryne & go to the scolesfor to lerne, & ther ben soo many scyencesthat they ben wreton and ordeyned in doc-tryne, grete wrong is done to the ordre ofKnyghthode, of this, that it is not a scy-ence wreton and redde in scoles lyke as theother scyences, and therfore he that maadethis booke bysecheth to the noble kynge,and to alle the noble companye of nobleKnyghtes that ben in this courte assem-bled in the honoure of Chyualrye, that ofthe wrong that is done to hit may be am-endyd and satisfaction done.

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1 Of tho∏yce that apperteyneth to aKnyght.

FFYCE of a Knyght is thende and the begynnynge wher- fore began the or- dre of Chyualrye1 Thenne yf a Knyght vse not his offyce he is contrarye to his ordre, and to the be- gynnynge of Chyu-

alrye to fore sayd : by the whiche contra-ryete he is not a very Knyght, how be hitthat he bere the name2 For such a Knyghtis more vyle than the smythe or the carpen-ter that done their o∏yce after that theyowe to doo and haue lerned2 The o∏yce ofa Knyght is to mayntene and de∏ende theholy feyth catholyque, by the whiche godthe fader sente his sone in to the world totake flesshe humayne in the gloryous vyr-gyn oure lady saynt Mary, and for to hon-oure and multyplye the feythe, su∏ryd inthis world many trauaylles, despytes andanguysshous deth.

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HENNE in lyke wyse as ourlord god hath chosen theclerkes for to mayntene theholy feith catholike withScripture and resons ayenstthe mescreaunts and not bi-

leuyng, in lyke wise god of glory hath cho-sen Knyghtes by cause that by force of ar-mes they vaynquysshe the mescreauntes,whiche daily laboure for to destroye holychirche1 And suche Knyghtes god hold-eth them for his frendes, honoured in thisworld and in that other, when they kepe andmayntene the feith by the whiche we en-tende to be saued2 The Knyght that hathno feythe and vseth no feyth, and is con-trarye to them that mayntene it, is as then-tendement of a man to whome god hathgyuen reason & useth the contrary. Then-ne he that hath feithe & is contrary to fey-the, & will be saued, he doth ageynst hymself, for his wylle accordeth to mescre-aunce, whiche is contrary to feith and to thesauacion ; by the whiche mescreaunce a manis juged to torments infynytes and per-durable1 Many there ben that haue of-fyces whiche god hath gyuen to them inthis world, to thende that of hym he shold

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be serued & honoured, but the most nobleand the most honourable o∏yces that ben,ben tho∏yces of Clerkes and of Knyghtes,and therfor the grettest amytye that sholdbe in this world, ought to be bitwene theKnyghtes and Clerkes.

HENNE thus as Clerkes benot ordeyned of their clergythat they be ayenst thordreof Chyualry, also Knyghtesmaintene not by thordre ofChyualry them that be con-

trary to the clerkes which ben bounden toloue and mayntene thordre of Chyualry.1 Thordre is not gyuen to a man for thathe shold loue his ordre only, but he oughtto loue the other ordres ; for to loue oneordre and to hate another is nothynge toloue ordre, for God hath gyuen none ordrethat is contrarye to other ordre2 Thennethus as the relygyous that loueth not soomoche his own ordre that he is enemy ofan other ordre, he foloweth not ne ensiew-eth the rule of thordre1 Thus a Knyghtloueth not tho∏yce of a Knyght that somoche loueth and preyseth his own ordrethat he myspryseth & hateth other ordre.

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OR yf a Knyght loued theordre of Chyualry and de-stroyed somme other ordre,hit shold seme that the or-dre shold be contrary toGod, the whiche thyng may

not be, syth he hath establysshed ordre.1 So moche noble is cheualrye that eueryKnyght ought to be gouenour of a gretecountre or lond. But ther ben soo manyKnyghtes that the lond maye not su∏yseto sygnefye that one ought to be lord ofal thynged2 Themperour ought to be aKnyght and lord of al Knyghtes, but bycause themperour may not by him selfgouerne al Knyghtes, hym behoueth thathe haue vnder hym Kynges that ben Kny-ghtes to thende that they ayde and helpeto mayntene thordre of Chyualry, and theKynges ought to haue vnder them dukes,erles, vycountes and other lordes, & vnderthe barons ought to be Knyghtes, whicheought to gouernr hem after the ordynaunceof the barons whiche ben in the hyhe degreeof Chyualry to fore named for to shewe th-excellence, seygnorye, power & wysedomeof oure lord god gloryous, whiche is oneonly god in Trynyte, & can & may gouerne

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alle thynges ; wherfore hit is not thyng co-uenable that a Knyght allone shold by hymself gouerne alle the people of thys world1 For yf one knight allone myght so do,the seygnorye, the power and wysedom ofgod shold not be so wel sygnefyed.

ND therfore for to gouerne alle the peples that ben in the world, god wyl that ther be many Knyghtes, of whome he is gouernour only, lyke as it is sayd atte begynnyng1

And thenne kynges & prynces which makeprouostes and baillyes of other personesthan of Knyghtes, done ayenst tho∏yce ofChyualry, for the Knyght is more worthyto haue the seygnorye ouer the peple thanony other man, & by thonour of his o∏yceought to be done to hym more gretter hon-our than ony other man that hath not so anhonourable o∏yce, and by thonour that hereceyueth of his ordre he hath noblesse ofherte, and by noblesse of courage he is thelasse enclyned to doo a vylaynous fait ordede than another man.

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HOFFYCE of a Kngyht is tomayntene and de∏ende hislord worldly or terryen, for akyng ne no hyhe baron hathno power to mayntene ryght-wysnes in his men without

ayde and helpe1 Thenne yf ony man doageynst the commandement of his kyngor prynce, it behoueth that the Knyghtesayde their lord, whiche is but a man only asanother is, and therfor the euyl Knyghtwhiche sooner helpeth another man thatwold put doun his lord fro the seignorythat he ought to haue vpon him, he folow-eth not tho∏yce by which he is called aKnyght2 By the Knyghtes ought to bemayntened and kept justyce, for in lykewyse as the juges haue the tho∏yce to juge, inlyke wyse haue the Knyghtes tho∑ce forto kepe them fro vyolence in exercysyngthe fayt of iustyce. Yf it myght be thatChyualry and Clergy assembled them togyder in such maner that Knyghtes sholdbe lerned so that by scyence they were suf-fysaunt to be juges, none o∑ce sholde beso couenable to be a juge as Chyualry ; forhe that by justyce may best be holden ismore couenable to be a juge than ony other.

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NYGHTES ought to take coursers to juste and to go to tornoyes, to holde open table, to hunt at hertes, at bores, and other wyld bestes1 For in doynge these thynges the

Knyghtes exercyse them to armes for tomayntene thordre of Knyghthode. Thenneto mesprise and to leue the custom of thewhich the Knyght is most apparailled tovse his o∑ce is but despising of thordre.And thus as al these thynges afore saidapperteyne to a Knyght as touching hisbody, in lyke wise justice, wysedom, chari-te, loyalte, verite, humylite, strength, hope,swiftnes and al other vertues semblable,apperteyne to a Knyght as touchyng hissoule, and therfor the Knyght that vseththe thynges that apperteyne to thordre ofChyualry as touchyng his body, and hathnone of these vertues that apperteyne toChyualry touchyng his soule, is not thefrende of thordre of Knyghthode2 Foryf hit were thus that he maade separacionof the vertues aboue sayd, sayenge thatthey apperteyne not to the soule, and tothordre of Chyualrye to gyder, it sholdsignefye that the body & Chyualrye were

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bothe two to gyder contrarye to the souleand to these vertues, and that is fals.

HOFFYCE of a Knyght is tomayntene the londe, for bycause that the drede of thecomyn people haue of theKnyghtes, they laboure andcultyue the erthe for fere

ledte they shold be destroyed, and by thedrede of the Knyghtes they redoubte thekynges, prynces and lordes, by whomethey haue theyr power1 But the wyckedKnyght that aydeth not his erthely lord &naturel countrey ageynst another prynceis a Knyght withoute o∏yce, & is lyke vntofaith withoute werkes and lyke vnto mys-byleue, which is ayenst the feyth. Thenneyf suche a Knyght folowe tho∏yce of Chy-ualrye in destournyng hym self and not toayde his lorde, suche a Knyght & his ordreshold doo wronge to that Knyght whichefyghtrth vnto the deth for justyce and forto mayntene & de∏ende his lorde2 Theris no o∏yce that is ofte made but that itmay be de∏eated, for yf that whiche ismage myght not be de∏eated, that sholdbe a thyng semblable to God, which is notne may not be de∏eated ne destroyed1

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Thenne as tho∑ce is made & ordeyned ofGod, and is mayntened by them that louethordre of Chyualry, by cause the wyckedKnyght that loueth not the ordre of Chy-ualrye de∏eate a Knyght in hym self ; butthe euyl kyng or prynce that diffeateth inhym self thordre of Chyualry, he di∏eat-eth it not only in hym self, but he di∏eatethit in the Knyghtes that ben put vnder hym,the whiche done that whiche apperteynethnot to a Knyght by the wycked ensampleof their lord, soo that by desloyal flateryethey be loued of hym.

ND by this reason the wyck-ed prynces ben not al onlycontrarye to the ordre & of-fyce of Chyualrye to theirepersones, but they ben alsoto them that ben submysed

to them, in whome they de∏eate the ordreof Chyualrye. Thenne yf to caste a Knyghtoute of Chyualrye is grete cruelte & gretewyckednesse, moche more grete de∏aulteis for to cast many oute of Chyualrye.Whan ony noble prynce or hyhe baron hathin his courte or in his companye, wyckedKnyghtes, fals and traytours, that neuerfynysshe to admoneste hym that he do

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wyckednesse, barate, traysons and extor-cions to his trewe subgettis, and the goodprynce by the strengthe of his noble cour-age, and by the grete loue and loyalte thathe hath to Chyualrye surmounteth them,vanyquyssheth and destroyeth, by cause that in hymself he destroyeth not Chyual-rye.

OCHE grete strengthe of courage and grete noblesse hath suche a lord in hym self and gretely is he the frende of Chyualrye whan he tak- eth vengeaunce of suche en-

emyes that wold take from hym & pluckeaweye the wele and honoure of Chyualryeand corrupte his noble courage2 Yf Chy-ualrye were not more stronge of body thanin strengthe of courage, ordre of Chyual-rye shold more accorde to the body thanto the soule. And yf it were so, the bodyshold be more noble than the soule, butthat is openly fals1 Thenne noblesse ofcourage may not be vaynquysshed of man,ne surmounted, ne of alle the men that ben,whan she is in her ryght strengthe2 Andwhanne a body is lyghtly taken, and vayn-quysshed of another, hit appiereth wel

that the courage of man is more strongeand noble than the body

ND by suche manere, a Kny-ght that is in bataylle withhis lord & for lacke of cour-age fleeth fro the batayllewhan nede shole be that heshold ayde. Therfor he that

more redoubteth or fereth the torment orperyll of his body than of his courage, andvseth not tho∏yce of Chyualrye, ne is notseruaunt ne obeyssaunt to other honour-es, but is ageynste the ordre of Chyualrye,whiche was bygonne by noblesse of cour-age, yf the lasse noblesse of courage sholdaccorde better to the ordre of Chyualryethan the gretter, vnto Chyualry shold ac-corde slouthe of herte and cowardyse a-geynste hardynesse & strengthe of cour-age2 And yf hit were thus, slouthe andcowardyse shold be tho∏yce of a Knyght,and hardynesse and strengthe of courageshold dysordeyne the ordre of Chyual-ry. Thenne how be it alle the contrarye1Therfore a noble Knyghte that louethChyualrye, how moche lasse he hath aydeof his felawes, and lasse of armes & lasseto de∏ende, so moche more hym behoueth

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tenforce hym self to haue tho∏yce of aKnyght by hardynesse of a stronge cour-age and of noble apparence ageynste themthat ben contrarye to Chyualry.

ND yf he deye for to mayn-tene Chyualry, thenne he ac-quyreth Chyualrye in that inwhiche he maye the betterloue & serue hit ; for Chyual-ry abydeth not soo agreably

in no place as in noblesse of courage, andno man may more honoure and loue Chy-ualrye, ne more for hym maye not be dothan that deyeth for loue and for to hon-oure the ordre of Chyualrye.

HYUALRYE & hardynes-se may not accorde withoutwytte and discrescion. Andyf hit were thus that foyle &ygnoraunce accorded therto,wytte and discrescion shold

be contrary to the ordre of Chyualrye, andthat is thynge impossible ; by whiche isopenly sygnefyed to the Knyght that thowhast grete loue to the ordre of Chyualrye,that al in lyke wyse as Chyualrye by no-blesse of courage hath made the to hauehardynesse, so that thow doubtest no peril

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ne deth, by cause thow myghtest honoureChyualry, in lyke wyse hit behoueth thatthordre of Chyualry make the to louewysedom, by whiche thow mayest loue andhonoure the ordre of Chyualrye, ageynstthe disordynaince and de∏aulte that is inthem that wene to ensiewe and folowe theordre of Chyualry by foyle and ygnor-aunce & withoute entendement.

HOFFYCE of a Kyght is tomayntene & de∏ende wym-men, wydowes & orphanes,and men dyseased and notpuyssaunt ne stronge ; forlyke as customme and reason

is that the grettest and moost myghtyhelpe the feble and lasse, & that they hauerecours to the grete, ryght soo is thordreof Chyualry, by cause she is grete, ho-nourable and myghty, be in socoure andin ayde to them that ben vnder hym, andlasse myghty and lasse honoured than heis1 Thenne as it is soo, that for to doowrong & force to wymmen, wydowes thathaue nede of ayde, & orphelyns that hauenede of gouernaunce, and to robbe & des-troye the feble that haue nede of strengthe,& to take awey from them that is gyuen tothem, these thynges may not accorde to

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thordre of Chyualry, for this is wycked-nesse, cruelte and tyranny, & the Knyghtthat in stede of these vyces is full of ver-tues, he is dygne & worthy to haue thordreof Chyualrye2 And al in lyke wyse as godhath gyuen eyen to the werk man for to seeto werke, ryght so he hath gyuen eyen toa synnar to thende that he bewepe his syn-nes ; and lyke as god hath gyuen to hyman herte to thende that he be hardy by hisnoblesse, so ought he to haue in his hertemercy, and that his courage be enclyned tothe werkes of myserycorde & of pyte ; thatis to wete, to helpe and ayde them that alwepynge requyre of the Knyghtes ayde &mercy, and that in them haue their hope.

HENNE Knyghtes that hauenone eyen by whiche they maysee the feble & not strong, nehaue not the herte ne myghtby whiche they maye recordethe nedes of the myschaunt

& nedy peple ben not worthy to be in thor-dre of Chyualry1 Yf Chyualrye, whicheis so moche an honourable o∏yce, were torobbe and to destroye the poure peple andnot myghty, and tengyne and doo wrongeto good wymmen, wydowes that haue no-

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thynge to de∏ende them, that o∏yce thennewere not vertuous, but it shold be vycious.

HOFFYCE of a Knyght is tohaue a castel and horse for tokepe the wayes & for to def-fende them that labouren thelondes and the erthe, and theyought to haue townes & cy-

tees for to holde ryght to the peple, & forto assemble in a place men of many dyuersecraftes whiche ben moche necessarye to theordenaunce of this world to kepe & mayn-tene the lyf of man & of woman1 Thenneas the Knyghtes for to mayntene theyreo∏yces ben soo moche preysed & allowed,that they be lordes of townes, castellys &cytees, and of moche peple ; yf thenne theyentende to destroye castellys, cytees andtownes, brenne howses, hewe doune trees,slee beestes, and robbe in the hyhe wayeswere the o∏yce of Chyualrye, hit shold bedisordynaunce to Chyualrye.

OR yf hit were soo, Chyual-rye were not well ordeyned,for thenne good ordenaunceand his contrary shold beone thynge, & that may notbe. Tho∏yce of a Knyght is

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also to enserche for theues, robbours andother wyckked folke, for to make them tobe punysshed. For in lyke wyse as the axeis made for to hewe and destroye the euylletrees, in lyke wyse is tho∏yce of a Knyghtestablysshyd for to punysshe the tres-pacers & delynquaunts. And by cause thatgod and Chyualry concorde to gydre, hitbehoueth that fals swerynge and vntreweothe be not in them that mayntene thordreof Chyualrye. And yf lecherye and justyceaccorded to gyder, Chyualry whiche accor-deth to Justyce shold accorde to lecherye.And yf Chyualrye and lecherye accorded,chastyte whiche is contrary to lechery sholdbe ageynst the honour of Chyualry. Andyf hit were so, that for to mayntene leche-rye Knyghtes were honoured in maynten-ynge Chyualrye, seen that lecherye andjustyce ben contrarye, and that Chyualryis ordeygned for to mayntene justyce, theKnyght oughte and shold be just, & there-fore a Knyght gyuen ouer to lecherye iscontrary to the Ordre of Chyualrye. Sincethis is so, we ought not to punysshe thisvyce of lecherye in no ordre so much as inthe ordre of Chyualrye, since it makes aKnyght to be so di∏erent from his ordre &

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o∑ce and totally contrary to thende wher-for the ordre of Knyghthode was fyrst es-tablysshed. And yf justyce and humylyteweren contrary, Chyualry whiche accordethhym not to justyce shold be contrary tohumylyte. And yf he accordeth hym topryde he shold be contrarye to humylyte.And thenne yf a Knyght in as moche as heis prowd mayntened Chyualry, he corrupt-eth his ordre whiche was begonne by jus-tyce & humylyte for to susteyne the hum-ble ayenst the prowde. For yf hit were so,the Knyghtes that now ben, shold not benin that ordre in whiche they were fyrsteKnyghtes.

UT alle the Knyghtes now injuryous and prowd, ful of wyckednesse, be not worthy to Chyualrye, but oughten to be reputed for nought. Where thenne ben humylyte

and justyce, what done they ? Or wherofserue they ? And yf justyce and pees werecontrary, Chyualry whiche accordeth hymto justyce shold be contrary to peas, andby that, that they loue warres, theftes, androbberte shold be Knyghtes. And to thecontrarye they that pacyfye and accorde

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the good people, and that flee the trybula-cions and wyckednes of the world, sholdbe euylle and wycked Knyghtes.

UT the hyhe emperour god, whiche al seeth and knoweth, wote wel that is contrarye and otherwyse1 For the fe- lons & iniuryous ben al con- trary to Chyualrye and to al

honour. I demaunde the thenne, who werethe fyrst Knyghtes that accorded themto justyce and pees and pacyfyed by jus-tyce and by force and strengthe of armes ?For al in lyke wyse, in the tyme in whicheChyualry beganne, was tho∏yce of Chy-ualrye to pacyfye and accorde the peple byforce of armes2 The Knyghtes iniuryousand warryours that now ben, mayntene anddysordeyne the ordre of chyualry. In manymaners owe & may a Knyght vse tho∏yceof Knyghthode. But by cause we haue tospeke of many thynges we pass ouer aslyghtly as we maye ; & also at the requestof the ryght curtoys Esquyer, loyal, very-table, and wel enseygned in al curtoyse andhonoure, whiche moche longe hath desyredthe rule and ordre of Chyualrye, we hauebegonne this book ; for the loue of hym,

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for his desyre and wyll taccomplysshe wepurpose bryfly to speke in this booke bycause that shortly he shal be adoubbed andmade newe Knyght.1 Of thexamynynge of the Squyer thatwyl entre in to the ordre of Chyualrye orKnyghthode.

O examyne a Squyerthat wylle entre into the ordre of Chy-ualrye apperteyn-eth wel, & hym be-houeth an examyn-atour whiche oughtto be a Knyght, andnext after god thathe loue aboue all

thynges Chyualrye or Knyghthode. Forsome Knyghtes ther ben whiche loue bettergrete nombre of Knyghtes, al be they euyland wycked, than a lytyll nombre of good.1 And notwithstandyng Chyualrye hathno regard to the multytude of nombre, butloueth only them that ben ful of noblesseof courage and of good enseygnement astofore is sayd. Therfore yf the examyn-oure loueth more multytude of Knyghtesthan noblesse of Chyualrye he is not co-

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uenable ne worthy to be an examynour, butit shold be nede that he shold be examynedand repreuyd of the wronge that he hathdone to the hyhe honour of Chyualrye.

YRSTE hym behoueth to demaunde of the Squyer that wyl be a Knyght, yf he loue and drede god1 For withoute to loue and to drede god noman is worthy to entre

in to the ordre of Chyualrye, & drede mak-eth hym to fere the de∏aultes by whicheChyualrye taketh dishonour2 Thennewhan it happeth that the Squyer that no-thyng dredeth god is made Knyght, hetaketh thonour in receyuynge Chyualrye,and receyueth dishonour, in as moche thathe receyueth it withoute to honoure anddrede god of whome Chyualrye is honour-ed2 Therfor a Squyer withoute loue anddrede of god is not dygne ne worthy to be aKnyght for to destroye and punysshe thewycked men2 Thenne yf a Knyght is arobbour, wycked and traitour, and that itbe trewe that theues and robbours oughtto be taken and delyuerd to deth by theKnyghtes, thenne late the Knyght so en-tatched with wycked condycions take jus-

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tyce and ryght of hym self and vse his of-fyce as he ought to do of other. And yf hewil not vse in hym self his o∏yce lyke ashe shold vse hit in other, hit shold folowethat he shold loue better the ordre of Chy-ualrye in other than in hym self. But athynge couenable ne lawfull is it not thata man slee hym self, and therfore a Kny-ght that is a robbour and a theef ought tobe taken and delyuerd to dethe by otherKnyghtes.

ND euery Knyght that sus-teyneth & su∏reth a Knyghtto be a robbour and theef, inthat doyng he vseth not hiso∏yce, for yf he vsed in thatmaner, he shold do thenne

ageynst his o∏yce. Therfore the fals men& traitours ought to be destroyed whichebe not very trewe Knyghtes.

F thou Knyght haue ony euylor sore in one of thy handes,that sore or payn is more nerto thyn other hand than to meor to another man1 Thenneeuery Knyght, a traitour and

robbour, is more ner to the that art a Kny-ght than to me that am no Knyght ne of

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thyn o∏yce, as he whom thou sustenest,and is suche by thy de∏aulte. And yf thatsame euyl grieue the more than me, wher-fore thenne excusest the of the punyssh-yng of suche a man whiche is contrarye& enemy of Chyualry ? And they that bennot Knyghtes thou repreuest or ought-est to reprehende of theyr de∏aultes. AKnyght beyng a theef doyh gretter thefteto the honour of Chyualrye, in asmoche as he taketh awey the name of aKnyght withoute cause, than he doth thattaketh awey or steleth money or otherthynges.

OR to stele or take awey tho-nour, is to gyue euyll fame &renommee, and to blame thatthyng whiche is worthy tohaue praysyng & honour. Forhonour is more worth than

gold or syluer, withoute ony comparyson.Fyrst by cause it is said that it is more gretede∏aulte for to stele or take awey Chyualrythan for to stele money or other thyngesthat ben not Chyualrye. For yf hit were thecontrary, it shold folowe that money & oth-er thynges shold be of more valewe thanhonour.

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ECONDLY yf ony traytourthat slewe his lord, or layewith his wyf, or bitrayed hiscastel were named a Knyghtwhat name shold haue thatman that for to honoure & def

fende his lord dyeth in the fait of armes ?2 Thirdly, yf a Knyght beynge a traytre beborne oute of his de∏aulte, what de∏aultemay he thenne make of whiche he be repre-uyd & punysshed, syth that his lord pun-yssheth hym not of trayson ? And yf hislord maynteneth not thordre of Chyual-ry in punysshyng his Knyght traytre, inwhome shalle he mayntene it ? And yf he de-stroye not his traitre, what thyng shal hedestroye ? And eury lord that taketh notvegeaunce of his traitour, wherfore is hea lord or a man of only puyssaunce ?

HOFFYCE of a trewe Knyghtis to accuse a traytour and tofyght ageynst hym, & thof-fyce of a Knyght traitre is togaynsay hym of that he is ap-pelled of, & to fyght ayenst a

trewe Knyght. And these two o∏yces benwel contrary that one ayenst that other, forsoo moche euyl is the courage of a Kngyht

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traytre that he may not vaynquysshe andsurmounte the noble courage of a good Kn-yght, how wel that by surquedrye he wenethsomtyme to ouer come in fyghtyng ; for thetrewe Knyght that fyghteth for the ryghtmay not be surmounted. For yf a Knyght,a frende of Chyualry, were vaynquysshedthat shold be pyte and ayenst the honourof Chyualrye. Yf to robbe and to takeawey were tho∏yce of a Knyght, to gyueshold contrarye to the ordre of Chyu-alrye. And yf to gyue apperteyned to onyother o∏yce, how wel that a man sholdhaue, that he shold mayntene tho∏yce forto gyue. And yf to gyue the thynged sto-len apperteyned to Chyualrye, to whomeshold apperteyne to rendre and to reesta-blysshe ?

ND yf a Knyght toke awey frothe good people that whichegod hath gyuen to them, andwold reteyne it as his posses-sion, what thyng shold de∏-ende to good men their ryght ?

Lytil knoweth he and euyl kepeth he thatcommaundeth his sheep to the kepyng ofthe wulf, & that putteth his faire wyf in thekepynge of a yonge Knyght traytre, & that

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his strong castel delyuere to a Knyght cou-eytous2 And yf suche a man that thus fo-lysshly delyuerth to kepe his thynges, howsholde he wel kepe other mennes ? Is therno Knyght that gladly wold kepe his wyffrom a Knyght traytour ? Certes I troweyes ; also is ther no Knyght couetous androbbour that neuer fayneth hym to stele.Certainly no suche Knyghtes that ben eu-ylle & wycked maye not be brought ageyne,ne redressid to thordre of Chyualry.

OR to haue harnoys fayr andgood, & to knowe hym self totake hede of his hors is thof-fyce of a Knyght ; that is tosaye that a Knyghte ought welto conne doo as a good mays-

tre, to thende that them whome he hath commysed to doo or make ony thynge, he couderepreue of theyr dy∏aultes. And yf to haueharnoys and none hors wer tho∏yce of aKnyght, it shold seme that that whiche that is& that whiche is not were thoffyce ofa Knyght1 But to be & not to be shold brout harnoys may not be, ne ought to bena-med a Knyght.

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HERE is a commaundement in oure lawe, that no crysten man shold be pariured. Also a fals oth ought to be repre- uyd in thordre of Chyualry, and he is not, that periureth

hym, worthy to be in thordre of Chyualry.Theene yf a Squyer haue a vyle courage andwould be a Knyght, he wylle destroye the or-dre that he demaundeth. Wherfor thennedemaundeth he thordre he loueth not,the whiche he entendeth to destyoye by hisevyl nature ? And he that maketh a Knyghtof vyle courage by fauour or otherwyse,forseen that he knowe that he be suche,doth ageynst his ordre and chargeth hisconscyence.

ECHE not noblesse of cour-age in the mouth, for euerychemouth sayth not trouthe. Neseche it not in honourable clo–thynge, for vnder many a fayrhabyte hath ben ofte vyle cou-

rage, ful of barate and of wyckednesse.

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E seke hit not in the hors, forhe may not answere, ne sechehit not in the fayr garnemen-tes, ne in the fayr harnoys, forwithin fayr garnementes isoftyme a wycked herte & cow-

ard2 Thenne yf thou wylt fynde noblesseof courage, demaunde it of faythe, hope,charyte, justyce, strengthe, attemperaunceloyaulte, and of other noble vertues, for inthem is noblesse of courage, by them isdiffeated the hert of a noble Knyght frowickednesse, fro trecherye, & fro the ene-myes of Chyualrye1 Age couenable ap-perteyneth to a newe Knyght, for yf thes-quyer that be a Knyght be ouer yong, he isnot worthy to be it, by cause he may not beso wyse that he hath lerned the thyngesthat apperteyne a Squyer for to knowe to-fore that he be a Knyght, and yf he be a Kny-ght in his enfancy he may neuer so mocheremembre that whiche he promyseth tothordre of Chyualrye whan nede shal bethat he remembre it. And yf the Squyerthat wyl be a Knyght be vyle to fore thathe be it, he doth vylony and iniury to Chy-ualrye, that is mayntened by strong men

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and fyghtars and is defouled by cowardmen and faynt of herte, vnmyghty, feble,ouercomen and flears.

L in lyke wyse as vertue andmesure abyde in the myddelof two extremytees and theyrcontrarye, that is to wete,pryde and vyce, ryght so aKnyght ought to be made

Knyght, and to be nourysshed in age com-petent and alwey vertuous vnto thende byryght mesure, For yf it were not thus, hitshold folowe that contraryousnes were bi-twene Chyualry and mesure2 And yf hitwere soo, vertue and Chyualrye shold becontrarye. And yf they shold be contraryein the, a Squyer, whyche arte latchous andslowe to be a Knyght, wherfore wylt thouthenne be in the ordre of Knyghthode orChyualrye ? Yf by beaute of facion, or by abody fayr, grete, & wel aourned, or by fayrhere, by regard, or for to holde the myrrourin the hand, & by the other jolytees shold aSquyer be adoubed Knyght of vylayns andof peple of lytl lygnage, lowe & vyle mayestthou make Knyghtes1 And yf thou ma-dest them, thy lygnage thou sholdest dis-honoure & mespryse, & the noblesse that

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god hath gyuen gretter to man than to wo-man, thow sholdest make it lasse & bryngehit to vylete. For by the thynges toforesayd thou myghtest chese wymmen to beKnyghtes, whiche oft haue the myrrour inthe hande, by whiche thou sholdest myn-uysshe and make lowe the Ordre of Chyu-alry : in soo moche that ony vyle woman orony vylayne of herte myght come to be putin the ryght hyhe honoure of thordre ofChyualrye,

ARAGE and Chyualrye ac- corden to gyder ; for parage is none thynge but honour auncyently acustomed, and Chyualrye is an ordre that hath endured syth the tyme

in whiche hit was begonne vnto this pre-sent tyme. And by cause that parage andChyualry accorde them, yf thou make aKnyght that is not of parage thou makestChyualrye to be contrary to parage1  And by this same reason, he whome thoumakest Knyght is contrary to parage andto Chyualry ; thenne thou mayest not hauesoo moche power that thou make a Knyghta man of vyle courage, forseen that to theOrdre of Chyualrye thou wylt do ryght.

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ATURE is moche honouredintrees and in beestes astouchyng to nature corporal ;but by the noblesse of thesoule resonable, whiche somoche only parteth with the

herte of a man bycause that nature hathgretter vertue in the body humayne than inthe body bestyal1 Thus in the same wysethordre of Chyualry is more couenable andmoche more fyttynge to a gentyl herte re-plenysshed wyth al vertues than in a manvyle & of euyl lyf2 And yf hit were other-wyse hit shold ensiewe that Chyualry sholdbetter agree to the nature of the body thanto the vertue of the soule ; and that is fals ;for it better agreeth to the soule than tothe body : noblesse of courage apperteyn-eth to Chyualry1 To examyne a Squyerthat wyll be a Knyght behoueth to de-maunde & enquyre of his custommes andmaners, for euylle enseygnements benoccasion by whiche the wycked Knyghtesben put oute of the ordre of Chyualrye1 A dyscouenable thynge hit is that a Squyerbeyng wycked be made a Knyght, and thathe entre in to thordre, oute of whiche hemust yssue by wycked fayttes and dys-

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agreable custommes ; for Chyualrye cast-eth out of his ordre alle the enemyes tohonoure, and receyueth them that haue va-leur and maynteyne honeste.

ND yf hit were not soo, hitshold folowe that Chyualryemyght be destroyed in vyleteand myght not be repayredne restored in to noblesse, &that is fals1 And therfore

thou Knyght that examynest the Squyerarte bounden more strongly to enserchenoblesse & valoyre in a Squyer than in onyother persone2 Thou Knyght that hasttho∏yce to examyne a Squyer that wil entreinto thordre of chyualrye, thou oughtestto knowe for what entencion the squyerhath wil for to soiourne or for to be hon-oured, without that he do honour to Chy-ualrye & to them that honoure hit1 Andyf hit appiere to the that for that cause hepretendeth to be a Knyght, knowe that heis not worthy to be maade Knyght, ne forto haue thordre.

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L thus as thentencion failleth& endeth in clerkes bt sym-onye, by whiche they ben en-haunced to be prelates, ryghtso an evyll Squyer falseth &setteth his wille and enten-

cion whan he wylle be Knyght ayenst theOrdre of Chyualrye1 And yf a clerk hauesymonye, in that hit is ageynst his pre-lacye, ryght so a Squyer that hath fals en-tencion to tho∏yce of Chyualry is ayenstthordre of Chyualry what someuer he doth.A Squyer that desyreth Chyualrye, hymbehoueth to knowe the grete charge andthe peryls that ben apparaylled to themthat wylle haue Chyualrye and maynteneit1 A Knyght ought more to doubte theblame of the people & his dishonoure thanhe shold the perylle of dethe, and ought togyue gretter passion to his corage thanhongre ne thurste, hete ne colde, maye gyueto his body2 And by cause alle the perylsoughte to be shewed & told to the Squyerto fore er he be adoubed or made a Knyght.

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HYUALRY may not be ma-yntened withoute harnoyswhiche apperteyneth to aKnyght, nor without thon-ourable costes & dispenceswhiche apperteyne to Chy-

ualrye1 By cause a Squyer beyng with-oute harnoys, and that hath no rychessefor to make his dispences, yf he be madeKnyght, hym shold perauenture happe fornede to be a robbour, a theef, traitre, lyaror begylour, or haue some other vyceswhiche brn contrary to Chyualry2 A manlame, or ouer grete, or ouer fatte, or thathath ony other evyl disposycion in hisbody, for whiche he may not vse tho∏yceof Chyualrye, is not su∏ysaunt to be aKnyght1 For hit shold not be honest tothordre of Chyualrye yf she receyued aman for to bere armes whiche were en-tatched, corrupt, and not myghty. For somoche noble and hyhe is Chyualry in hyrhonour, that a Squyer lame of ony mem-bre, how wel that he be noble & ryche andborne of noble lygnage, is not dygne neworthy to be receiued in to thordre of Chy-ualrye. And after also ought to be enquy-red and demaunded of thesquyer that de-

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maundeth Chyualry, yf he euer dyd onyfalsenesse or trechery whiche is ayenstthordre of Chyualry. For such a fait mayhe haue done, and yet but lytyl sette by hit,that he is not worthy that Chyualry sholdreceyue hym in to his ordre, ne that he bemade felawe of them that mayntene thor-dre of Chyualrye.

F a Squyer haue vayne gloryeof that he doth, he is notworthy to be a Knyght ; forvayne glory is a vyce whichedestroyeth and bryngeth tonought the merytes & guer-

dons of the benefyce of Chyualry1 ASquyer, a flaterer, discordeth to thordre ofChyualrye, for a man beyng a flaterer cor-rupteth good entencion, by the whiche cor-rupcion is destroyed and corrupt the no-blesse that apperteyneth to the courageof a Knyght2 A Squyer prowde, euylletaught, ful of vylaynous wordes and ofvylayne courage, auarycious, a lyar, vn-trewe, slouthful, a glouton, periued, orthat hath ony other vyces semblable, ac-cordeth not to Chyualry. Thenne of Chy-ualry myght receyue them that ben ayenstthordre, hit shold folowe that in Chyualry

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ordynaunce and disordynaunce were onepropre thyng. And whan sith Chyualrye isknowen for the ordre of valoir, therforeuery Squyer ought to be examyned to foreer he be made a Knyght.1 In what maner a Squyer ought to be re-eyued in to thordre of Chyualrye.

T the begynnynge,that a Squyer oughtto entre in to thor-dre of Chyualry,hym behoueth thathe confesse hym ofhis de∏aultes thathe hath done agey-nst god, and oughtto receyve Chyual-

ry in entencion that in the same he serueour lord god whiche is gloryous ; and yf hebe clene out of synne he ought to receyuehis sauyour2 For to make and adoube aKnyght it apperteyneth the day of somegrete feste, as Crystemas, Ester, Whit-sontyd, or on suche dayes solempne ; bycause that by the honour of the feste as-semble moche peple in that place wherethesquyer ought to be adoubed Knyght,and god ought to be adoured & praid that

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he gyue to hym grace for to lyue wel afterthordre of Chyualry2 Thesquyer oughtto faste the vygylle of the same feste inthonour of the saint of whom the fest ismade that day, and he ought to go to thechirche for to pray god ; and ought to wakethe nyght and be in his prayers ; and oughtto here the word of god, and touchyng thefait of Chyualry ; for yf he otherwyse herejanglours & rybauldes that speke of put-ery & of synne, he shold begynne thenneto dishonoure Chyualrye.

N the morn after the feste, inthe which he hath be adoub-ed, hym behoueth that he doa masse to be songen sol-emply, & thesquyer oughtto come to fore thaulter and

o∏re to the preest, which holdeth the placeof our lord, to thonour of whom he mustoblige & submyse hym self to kepe thon-our of Chyualry with al his power. In thatsame day ought to be made a sermon, inwhich shold be recounted and declared thexii artycles in which is founded tholy faithcatholik, the x commandements & the viisacraments of holy chirch, and thotherthynges that apperteinen to the faith1 

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And the Squyer ought moch dylygentlyto take hede and reteyne al these thynges,to thende he kepe in his mynde tho∏yce ofChyualry touchynge the thynges that ap-perteynen to the faith2 The xii artyclesben suche ; to bileue one god only, that isthe fyrst ; & it behoueth to byleue that theFader, the Sone, & the Holy Ghost ben onegod only in thre persones, without endeand without begynnyng, whiche make vn-to the fourth artycle ; to byleue that god iscreatoure and maker of al thynges is thefyfth1 The syxthe is to byleue that godis redemer, that is to say that he hath rede-med or bought ageyne the humayne lyg-nage fro the paynes of helle, to whiche hitwas juged by the synne of Adam and Eue,our fyrst fader and moder2 The vii is tobyleue that god gaf glory to them that benin heuen. These vii artycles apperteyne tothe deyte, & thother folowyng apperteyn-en to thumanyte that the sone of god tookin our lady seynt Mary.

HE first of the vii artycles fo-lowyng to thumanyte, is tobyleue that Jhesu cryst wasconceyued of the holy ghostwhan saynt gabriel tharchau–ngel salewed our lady1 The

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second and thyrd is to bileue that he hathbe crucyfyed & dede for to saue vs2 Thefourth is to byleue that his soule deualedin to helle for to delyuere his frendes, thatis to wete Adam, Abraham and other pro-phetes whiche byleued his holy comyng2 The v is to byleue that he reysed fro dethto lyf1 The vi is to byleue that he styedvp in to heuen the day of ascencion2 Thevii is to byleue that Jhesu cryst shal comeat the day of jugement whan al shal aryseand shal juge the good and euyl, and shalgyue to eueryche payne & glory, after thathe hath deseruyd in this transytory world1 It behoueth to al good crysten men tobyleue these artycles whiche ben very wyt-nesse of god and of his werkes, for with-out these artycles no man may be saued,

HE comaundements of godwhiche he gaf to Moyses vp-on the mount of Synay benx1 The fyrst is that thoushalt adoure, loue, and shaltserue alonly one god ; ne thou

shalt not be pariured ; halowe & sanctyfyethe sonday ; honoure thy fader and moder ;ne be thou none homycyde ne murderer ; done thefte ne fornicacion, ne bere thou no

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false wytnesse ; ne coueyte the wyf of thyneyghbour, ne haue thou none enuye of thegoodes of thy neyghbour1 To alle Kny-ghtes it behoueth to knowe the x comm-aundements that god hath gyuen2 Thesacraments of holy chich ben vii, that isto wete, baptysme, confyrmacion, the sa-crament of thaulter, ordre, maryage, pen-aunce, and vnction.

Y these vii sacraments we hope al to be saued. And a Knyght is bounden by his othe to hon– oure and accomplysshe these seuen sacraments ; & therfor it apperteyneth to euery Kny-

ght that he knowe wel his o∏yce, and thethynges to whiche he is bounden syth thathe hath receyued thordre of Knyghthode.1 And alle these thynges to fore said & ofother that apperteyne to Chyualry, the pre–chour ought to make mencion that prech-eth in the presence of the Squyer ; whicheought to pray moche deuoutely that godgyue to hym his grace and his blessyngby whiche he may be a good Knyght al thedayes of his lyf fro thenne forthon.

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HAN the prechour hath sayd althys that apperteyneth to hisoffice, thenne must the prynceor baron that wyl make theSquyer & adoube hym a Kny-ght haue in hym self the ver-

tue & ordre of Chyualry ; for yf the Kny-ght that maketh Knyghtes is not vertu-ous, how maye he gyue that whiche he hathnot ? Suche a Knyght is of werse condycionthan be the plantes, for the plantes hauepower to gyue their natures the one to theother, and of beestes and of fowles is alsoa thyng semblable and lyke. But this maynot the Knyght do : suche a Knyght is euyland false that disordynatly wyl multyplyehis ordre, for he doth wrong and vylonyeto Chyualry, for he wil do that the whicheis not couenable thyng to do, and that bywhiche he ought to honoure Chyualry hedy∏eateth and blameth2 Thenne yf byde∏aulte of suche a Knyght it happe som-tyme that the Squyer that receyueth ofhym Chyualry is not so moche ayded nemayntened of grace of our lord, ne ofvertue, ne of Chyualry, as he shold be yfhe were made of a good and loyal Knyght :and therfor suche a Squyer is a foole and

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al other semblably that of suche a Knyghtreceyueth thordre of Chyualry.

HE Squyer ought to knele tofore thaulter and lyfte vp togod his eyen corporal & spy-ritual, & his hondes to heu-en. And the Knyght ought togyrde hym, in sygne of Cha-

stite, Justyce & of Charyte, with his swerd2 The Knyght ought to kysse the Squyerand to gyue hym a palme, by cause thatne remembryng of that whiche he receyuethand promytteth, and of the grete charge inwhiche he is obliged and bounden, & of thegrete honoure that he recyueth by thor-dre of Chyualry1 And after, whan theKnyght espyrytuel, that is the preest, andthe Knyght tereyen haue done that apper-teyneth to theyr o∏yce, as touchyng to themakyng of a newe Knyght, the newe Kny-ght ought to ryde thurgh the toune and toshewe hym to the peple, to thende that almen knowe and see that he is newely madeKnyght, and that he is bounden to mayn-tene & de∏ende the hyhe honour of Chy-ualry.

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OR so moche shal he haue more gretter refraynynge to do euyl ; for by his shame that he shall haue of the pe- ple that shal knowe his chy- ualry, he shal withdrawe hym

so moche the more for to mespryse ayenstthordre of Chyualry1 At that same dayhym behoueth to make a grete fests, and togyue fair yefts & grete dyners ; to jousteand sporte and doo other thynges thatapperteyne to thordre of Chyualry, andto gyue to kynges of armes and to her-owdes as it is acustomed of auncyente.

ND the lord that maketh anewe Knyght ought to yeueto the newe Knyght also apresent or yefte2 And alsothe newe Knyght ought toyeue to hym and to other that

same day, for who so receyueth sa grete ayefte as is thordre of Chyualry honourethnot his ordre yf he gyue not after the pow-er that he may gyue1 All these thyngesand many other, the whiche I wylle not nowrecounte by cause of shortnesse of tyme,apperteyne to Chyualry,

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1 Of the sygnefyaunce of the armes of aKnyght.

HENNE that whi- che the preest re-vesteth hym whanhe syngeth the mas–se hath somme syg–nefyaunce whicheconcordeth to hiso∏yce. And the of-fyce of preesthode& of Chyualry haue

grete concordaunce. Therfor thordre ofChyualry requyreth that al that whiche isnedeful to a Knyght as touchnge the vseof his o∏yce haue somme sygnefyaunce,by the whiche is sygnefyed the noblesseof Chyualrye and of his ordre.

NTO a Knyght is gyuen aswerd whiche is made in sem–blaunce of the crosse for tosygnefye hou our lord godvanquysshed in the crossethe dethe of humayne lygnage,

to the whiche he was juged for the synneof our fyrste fader Adam. Al in lyke wyse aKnyght oweth to vanquysshe & destroyethe enemyes of the crosse by the swerd.

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OR Chyualrye is to mayn-tene justyce, and therfore isthe swerd made cuttynge onbothe sydes, to sygnefyethat the Knyght ought withthe swerd mayntene Chyu-

alrye and Justyce2 To a Knyght is gyu-en a spere for to sygnefye trouthe, fortrouthe is a thynge ryght and rurn, & thattrouthe oughte to go to fore falsenesse,and the yron or hede of the spere sygne-fyeth strengthe ehiche trouthe ought tohaue aboue falsenesse1 And the penonesygnefyeth that trouble sheweth to allefeythe, and hath no frede ne fere of false-nesse ne of trecherye. And verytr is sus-teynynge of hope & also of other thynges,whiche ben sygnefyed by the spere of theKnyght. The hatte of steel or yron is gyu-en to the Knyght to sygnefye shamefast-nes, for a Knyght withoute shamefast-nesse maye not be obeyssaunt to thordreof Chyualrye1 And al thus as shame-fastnes maketh a man to be ashamed andcauseth to caste doune his eyen ayenst theerthe, in lyke wyse the hatte of yron def-fendeth a man to loke vpward on hyhe, andmaketh hym to loke toward the ground,

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and is the moyen bytwene thynges hyheand lowe, for it coueryth the hede of a manwhich is the most hye & pryncipal membrethat is in the body of a man.

LSO shamefastnes de∏en- deth the Knyght, whiche hath the most noble o∏yce and most hyhe that is next th- o∏yce of a clerk, that he en- clyne ne bowe hym not to vy-

laynous faytes and horryble, and that thenoblesse of his courage abandoune hym,ne gyue hym to barate, wickednesse, ne toony euyll enseygnement2 The hauberkesygnefyeth a castel and fortresse ageynstvyces and de∏aultes, for al in lyke wyseas a castel and fortresse ben closed al a-boute, in lyke wyse an hauberke is fermeand cloos on al partes, to thende that hitgyue sygnefyaunce to a noble Knyght thathe in his courage ought not to entre in totreason ne none other vyce.

HAUCES of yron or leggeharnoys ben gyuen to a Kn-yght for to kepe and holdesurely his legges and feetfrom perylle, to sygnefyethat a Knyght with yron

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ought to holde hym vpon the wayes, thatis to vnderstonde with the swerd, spere &mace, and other garnementes of yron forto take the malefactours, & to punysshethem2 The spores ben gyuen to a Knyghtto sygnefye dylygence & swyftnesse, by-cause that with these two thynges everyKnyght may mayntene his ordre in thehyhe honour that bylongeth to it.

OR in lyke wyse as with thespores he prycketh his horsby cause to haste hym torenne, ryght so doth dyly-gence haste hym to doo histhynges, & maketh hym to

procure the harnoys & the dyspences thatben nedeful to a Knyght, to the ende thata man be not surprysed ne taken soden-ly1 The gorget is gyuen to a Knyght tosygnefye obedyence, for every Knyghtthat is not obeyssaunt to his lord ne tothe ordre of Chyualrye dishonoured hislord, and yssueth oute of his ordre.

ND ryght soo as the gor-gette enuyronneth or gothaboute the neck of a Knyghtby cause it shold be de∏end-ed fro strokes and woundes,in lyke wyse maketh obedy-

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ence a Knyght to be withynne the com-maundements of his souerayne & withinthordre of Chyualry, to thende that trea-son, pryde, ne none other vyce corruptenot the othe that the Knyght hath madeto his lord and to Chyualrye.

HE mace is gyuen to the Kny-ght to sygnefye strength ofcourage ; for lyke as a mace orpollax is strong ageynst alarmes & smyteth on al partes,ryght so, force or strengthe

of courage de∏endeth a Knyght fro al vy-ces and enforceth vertues and good cus-tommes, by the which Knyghtes mayntenethordre of Chyualrye in the hyhe honourwhich is due and apperteyneth to it.

YSERICORDE, or knyf with a crosse, is gyuen to a Knyght to thende that yf his other armures faylle hym that he haue recours to the myserycorde or daggar. Or

yf he be so nyhe his enemy that he may notgreue ne smyte hym with his spere or withhis swerde, that thenne he joyne to hym &surmounte hym, yf he maye, by the force orstrength of his myserycorde or knyf. And

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bicause this armure whiche is named myse-rycorde sheweth to a Knyght that he oughtnot to trust al in his armes ne in his stren-gth, but he ought so moche a∏ye and trustin god and to joyne to hym by ryght goodwerkes and by very hope that he ought tohaue in hym, that by the helpe and ayde ofgod he vaynquysshe his enemyes & themwhiche ben contrary to thordre of Chyu-alry.

HE shelde is gyuen to theKnyght to sygnefye the of-fyce of a Knyght, for in lykewyse as the Knyght puttethhis sheld bytwene hym andhis enemy, ryght soo the Kn–

yght is the moyen bytwene the prynce andthe peple. And lyke as the stroke falleth vp–on the shelde and saueth the Knyght, ryghtso the Knyght ought to apparaylle hym &presente his body to fore his lord whan heis in peryl, hurte or taken.

AUNTELOTS ben gyuen toa Knyght to thende that heputte his hondes therin forto be sure and to receyue thestrokes yf it were so that hisother armures manyable fayl–

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led to hym. And thus as the Knyght withhis gauntelots handleth more surely thespere or his swerd, and that to the sygne-fyaunce of the guantelots he lyfye vp onhyhe his hond, ryght soo ought he tolyfte them vp in thankyng god of the vyc-tory that he hath had.

Y the guantelots is also syg-nefyed that he ought not tolyfte vp his hond in makynga false othe, ne handle noneeuylle ne foule touchyngesne dishonest with his hondes

2 The sadyl in whiche the Knyght syttethwhan he rydeth, sygnefyeth surete of cou-rage, the charge and the grete burthen ofChyualry1 For lyke as by the sadyl aKnyght is sure vpon his hors, ryght sosurete of courage maketh a Knyght to bein the fronte of the batayll, by the whichesurete, aduenture, frende of Chivalry, ay-deth hym 1 And by surete ben mesprysedmany cowardes, vauntours, & many vaynesemblaunces, whiche make men cowardysfor to seme hardy and strong of courage.And by that ben many men refreyned insuche manere that they dare not passe tofor in that place where noble courage and

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stronge oughte to be, and passe aboue thecours of a valyaunt Knyght and hardy. Andby the sadel is sygnefyed the charge of aKnyght, for the sadel, lyke as we haue said,hodeth the Knyght ferme and sure vponhis hors, so that he may not falle ne moeuelyghtly but yf he wyll1 And therfore thesadel, whiche is so grete, sygnefyeth thecharge of Chyualry, that the Knyghteought not in no wyse to moeue for lyghtethynges. And yf it behoueth hym to moeuehe ought to haue grete courage, noble andhardy ageynst his enemye for tenhauncethordre of Chyualrye.

O a Knyght is gyuen an horse,and also a coursour for tosygnefye noblesse of cour-age1 And by cause that hebe wel horsed and hyhe, is bycause he may be sene fro ferre,

& that is the sygnefyaunce he oughteto be made redy to doo al that whiche be-houeth to thordre of chyualrye more thananother man2 To an horse is gyuen a bry-del, and the raynes of the brydel ben gyuenin the hondes of the Knyght, by cause thatthe Knyght may at his wylle holde his horsand refrayne him1 And thys sygnefyeth

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that a Knyghte oughte to refrayne histongue and holde that he speke no fowlewordes ne false ; and also hit sygnefyeththat he ought to refrayne his hondes, thathe gyue not soo moche that he be su∏ra-tous and nedy, ans that he begge ne de-maunde nought, ne he ought not be sohardy but that in his hardynesse he hauereason and attemperaunce.

ND by the reynes is sygnefy-ed to the Knyght that he ou-ghte to be ladde oueral wherethordre of Chyualry wyllelede hym or sende hym1 And whan it shal be tyme of

necessite to make largesse, his hondesmust gyue and dispende after that it ap-perteyneth to his honour. And that he behardy and doubte nothyng his enemyes,for doubtaunce a∏eblysshyth strengthe ofcourage1 And yf a Knyght doo contraryto doo alle these thynges, hid horse kepethbetter the rule of Chyualry than he doth.2 To his hors is gyuen in his hede a tes-tiere to sygnefye that a Knyght ought todo none armes without reason, for lykeas the hede of an hors goth to fore theKnyght, ryght soo ought reason goo to

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fore all that a Knyght doth, for al werkeswithout reason ben vyces in hym. And alin lyke wyse as the testier kepeth and def-fendeth the hede of the hors, ryght so rea-son kepeth and de∏endeth a Knyght froblame and fro shame.

ARNEMENTS of the horsben for to kepe & de∏ende thehors, and they sygnefye thata Knyght ought to kepe hisgoodes and his rychesses bycause that they myght suf-

tyse to hym for thoffice of Chyualry tomayntene1 For lyke as the hors is def-fended of the strokes or hurtes by hysgarnements, and withoute them he is inperyl of deth, in lyke wyse a Knyght withoute goodes temporel may not mayntenethonour of Chyualrye, ne may not be def-fended fro euylle peryls : for pouerte cau-seth a man to thynke barates, falsetees &traysons, & to this purpos saith the scrip–ture. Propter inopiam multi delinquerunt,for pouerte many haue maade falshede.

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COTE is gyuen to a Knyghtin sygnefyaunce of the gre-te trauaylles that a Knyghtmust su∏re for to honoureChyualrye ; for lyke as thecote is aboue the other gar-

nementes of yron, and is in the rayne, andreceyueth the strokes to fore the hawberkeand the other armures, ryght so is a Kny–ght chosen to susteyne gretter trauaillesthan another man2 And alle the men thatben vnder the noblesse of hym, and is hisgarde, ought whan they haue nede to hauerecours to hym. And the Knyght ought tode∏ende them after his power, & the Kny-ghtes ought rather to be taken, hurte ordede, than the men that ben in their garde.

HENNE as it is so ryght gre-te & large, Chyualrye, therforeben the prynces and barons inso grete trauaylles for to kepetheyr londes and their peple.A token or esseygnal of arm-

es is gyuen to a knyghte in his shelde andin hys cote, by cause that he be knowen inthe bataylle, and that he be allowed yf hebe hardy, and yf he do grete and fayr featesof armes. And yf he be coward, faulty, or

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recreaunt, the enseygnal is gyuen to hymby cause that he be blamed, vytupered andrepreuyd. Thesseygnal is also gyuen to aKnyght to thende that he be knowen yf hebe a frende or enemy of Chyualrye.

HERFOR euery Knyght ou-ght to honoure his esseygn-al, that he be kepte fro blame,the whiche blame caseth theKnyght & putteth hym outeof Chyualry2 The baner is

gyuen to a kyng, a prynce, baron, and to aKnyght banerete, whiche hath vnder hymmany Knyghtes, to sygnefye that a Knyghtought to mayntene thonour of his lord &of his londe. For a Knyght is loued, prey-sed and honoured of the folke of worshipof the Royamme of his lord, & yf they doodishonour of the londe wherin they be andof their lord, suche Knyghtes ben moreblamed & shamed than other men ; for lykeas for honoure they ought to be more prey-sed by cause that in them ought to be thehonoure of a prynce, & of the Knyght, andof the lord, in lyke wyse, in their dishon-our they ought to be more blamed, and bycause that for their latchesse, falshede, ortreason, ben kynges & prynces more dis-heryted than by ony other men.

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1 Of the custommes that apperteynento a Knyght.

HE noblesse of cou–rage hath chosen aKnyght to be aboueal other men thatben vnder hym inseruytude. Thennenoblesse of custo-mmes & good nou-rysshements apperteynen to a Knyght ;

for noblesse of courage may not mountein the hyhe honour of chyualry withoutelection of vertues and good custommes.2 Thenne as it is so, it behoueth of forceto a Knyghte that he be replenysshed ofgood custommes and of good enseygne-ments. Euery Knyght ought to knowe theseuen vertues whiche ben begynnynge androte of al good custommes, & ben the wayand path of the celestyal glory perdurable.

F whiche seuen vertues thethre ben theologale or de-uyne, and the other four bencardynal1 The theologalben fayth, hope, & charyte.2 The cardynal ben justyce,

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prudence, strengthe and attemperaunce.A Knyght withoute fayth may not haue inhym good custommes, for by fayth a manseeth spyrytuelly god and his werkes, andbyleueth thynges inuysyble, and by feythhath a man hope, charyte & loyaulte, and isseruaunt of veryte & trouthe. And by def-faulte of feyth a man byleueth not god tobe a man, his werkes & the thynges whicheben inuysyble, the whiche a man withoutfaith may not vnderstand ne knowe. Kny-ghtes ben acustommed by the feyth thatthey haue gone in to the londe ouer the seein pylgremage, & there proue theyr stren-gth and Chyualry ageynst the enemyes ofthe crosse, and ben martird yf they deye,for they fyghte for tenhaunce the holyfeyth catholyk2 And also by feyth benthe clerkes de∏ended by the Knyghtes frowycked men whiche by de∏aulte mespr-yse, robbe, & disheryte them as moche asthey may.

OPE is a vertue whiche mochestrongly apperteyneth to thof–fyce of a Knyght. For by hopethat he hath in god, he entend–rth to haue vyctory of the bat-ayll by reason of tha∏yaunce

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whiche he hath gretter in god than in hisbody ne in his armes, cometh to the aboueof his enemyes. By hope is enforced thecourage of the Knyght & vaynquysshyththe latchednesse and cowardyse1 Hopemaketh knyghtes to susteyne and suffretauailles, & for to be auenturous in perylsin whiche they putte them self ofte2 Al-so hope maketh them to su∏re hongre andthurst, in castels, cytees and fortresses, tothe garde of whom they ben assygned, andde∏ende them and the castel valyauntly asmoche as they may.

OR yf ther were none hope aKnyght myght not vse hiso∏yce1 And also hope ispryncipal instrument to vsetho∏yce of a Knyght, lyke asthe honde of a carpenter is

pryncipal instrument of carpentrye. A Kn-yght withoute charyte maye not be withoutcruelte and euylle wylle, and cruelte and eu-yll wylle accorde not to the o∏yce of Chy-ualrye, by cause that charyte behoueth to bein a Knyght ; for yf a Knyght haue not cha-ryte in god and in his neyghbour, how orin what wyse shold he loue god ? And yf hehad not pyte on poure men, not myghty, &

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dyseased, how shold he haue mercy on themen taken and vaynquysshed, that dem-aunde mercy as not of power to escape, andmaye not fynde the fynaunce that is ofthem demaunded for theyr delyueraunce ?And yf in a Knyght were not charyte, howmyght he be in thordre of Chyualry ?

HARITE is a vertue aboueother vertues for she depart–eth euery vyce2 Charite is aloue of the which euery Kny-ght ought to haue as mocheas nede is to mayntene his of–

fyce, & charite also maketh a man to bere ly–ghtly the peisant burthens of Chyualry ;for al in lyke wyse as an hors withoutefeete may not bere the Knyght, ryght sooa Knyght maye not withoute charyte sus-teyne the grete charge and burthen of hisordre. And by charyte maye Chyualrye benhonoured and enhaunced.

F a man withoute body werea man, thenne were a man athyng inuysyble, and yf hewere inuysyble he were not aman, ne that whiche he is, &al in lyke wyse, yf a man with–

out justyce were a Knyght, hym behoueth75

by force that justyce were not in that inwhich she is, or that Chyualry were a thyngdyuerse fro the same Chyualrye whichenow is1 And how be it that a Knyght hauethe begynnyng of justyce & be iniuryous, &weneth to be in thordre of Chyualrye, thatapperteyneth not, for Chyualrye and jus-tyce accorden so strongly, that withoutejustyce Chyualrye may not be2 For an in-iuryous Knyght is enemy of justyce anddy∏eateth & casteth hym self out of Chy–ualrye and of his noble ordre, and renyethhit & despyseth2 The vertu of prudenceis she by the whiche a man hath knowlegeof good and euyl, and by the whiche a manhath grace to be frend of the good, & ene-my to the euyl. For prudence is a scyenceby the whiche a man hath knowleche of thethynges that ben to come by the thyngespresente ; & prudence is whan by ony cau-tels and maystryes a man can eschewe thedommages bodyly and ghostly2 And asthe Knyghtes ben ordeyned for to put a-wey & destroye the euyll, for no men puttheyr bodyes in so many peryls as donethe Knyghts.

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HAT thyng is thenne to aKnyght more necessary thanthe verue of prudence ? Tothe custommaunce of a Kny-ght is apperteynaunt to armehym and to fyghte. But that

accordeth not so moche to the o∏yce of aKnyght as doth vsaunce of reason and ofentendement & ordeyned wylle ; for manybataylles ben many tymes vaynquysshedmore by maystrye, by wytte and industryethan by multytude of people, of hors, neof good armours. And to thys purpos saydthe valyaunt Knyght Judas machabeusto his people whan he sawe his enemyes,whiche were in nombre syxe tymes morethan were the hys, and cam for to fyghte.1 O my bretheren, sayd he, be ye nothyngin doubte but that god wyl helpe vs at thistyme, for I saye yow wel that vyctorye lyethnot in grete multitude, for therin is greteconfusyon.

ND by the wytte and goodprudence of the sayd Judasmachabeus was the batayl ofhis enemyes vaynquysshed,& he obteyned gloryous vyc-torye. Thenne as it is soo, yf

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thou Knyght wilt acustomme thy sone totho∏yce of a Knyght for to maynteneChyualrye and his noble Ordre, make hymfyrst to acustomme and vse reason andentendement, and make hym that with allhis power he be frend to good and enemyeto euyl. For by suche vsages prudence andChyualry assemble them to honoure th-ordre of Chyualrye. Strength is a vertuwhiche remayneth and dwelleth in noblecourage ageynst the seuen dedly synnesby whiche men goo to helle to su∏re andsusteyne greuous torments without ende ;the whiche synnes ben gloutonnye, lech-erye, auaryce, pryde, slouthe, enuye & yre.1 Thenne a Knyght that foloweth sucheway, goth not in to the hows of noblesse ofherte, ne maketh not there his abydyng nehis habitacion 2 Gloutonye engendrethfeblesse of body, by ouer oultragyousdrynkyng gloutonye chargeth alle the bodywith metes, and engendreth slouthe andlachenes of body which greueth the soule.

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HENNE all the vyces ben con– trary to Chyualry, therfor the strong courage of a noble Kn– yght fyghteth with the ayde of abstynence, prudence, and attemperaunce that he hath,

ageynst gloutonye ; lecherye and chastytefyghten that one ageynste that other1 And the armes with whiche lecherye war-reth chastyte ben yongthe, beaulte, mochedrynke & moche mete, queynt vestures &galaunt, falshede, treason, iniurye & des-pysyng of god & of his glorye2 And forto doubte the paynes of helle whiche ben in–fynyte, & the other thynges semblable tothat, chastyte & strengthe warren & fygh-ten ageynst lecherye, & surmounte hit byremembraunce of his commaundementys.1 And for to remembre and wel to vnder-stonde the goodes and glory that god gyu–eth to them that loue, serue and honourehym, & the euyll & the payne whiche is ap-paraylled to them that despyse and byleuenot in hym. And by wel to loue god he isworthy to be loued, serued & honoured, &by that chastyte warreth & vaynquyssh-eth lecherye with noblesse of courage, whothat wylle not submytte to euylle ne to fo-

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ule thoughtes, ne wylle not be aualed ne de-fouled from his hyhe honour, and as a Kny-ght is named Chyualer by cause that he ow-eth to fyghte and warre ageynst vyces, andought to vanquysshe and surmounte byforce of noble & good courage yf he be notsuche one that he be without strength, nehath not the herte of a Knyght, nor hath notthe armes with whiche he ought to fyghte,thenne is he none.

UARYCE is a vyce whichemaketh noble courage to des-cende & auale & to be submy-sed to vyle & fowle thynges.2 Thenne by the de∏aulte ofstrengthe & of good courage

whiche de∏ende them not ageynst auaryce,ben many submysed & vaynquysshed, &the courage of a Knyght also that wyll bestrong & noble is vaynquysshed, & by thatben the Knyghtes couetous & auarycious ;& by theyr couetyses done mant wrongesand wyckednesse, & ben serf and bonde tothe goodes that god hath gyuen, to whomethay ben abandonned and submytted.

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TRENGTH hath suche a cu–stomme, that no tyme he ayd–eth his enemy, ne neuer shallhelpe a man yf he demaundehym not secours & ayde. Forso moche is noble and hyhe a

thynge, strengthe of courage in hym self,& soo moche grete honour is due to it, thatat nede of trauyles and peryls it ought tobe called, and ayde ought to be demaundedof it1 Thenne whan the Knyght is by ava-ryce tempted to enclyne his courage therto,whiche is moder & rote of all euyls and oftreson, thenne ought he to haue his recoursand renne to strength, in the which he shalneuer fynde cowardyse ne latchednesse, nefeblenesse, ne de∏aulte of socours, ne ofayde2 For with strength a noble hert mayvaynquysshe al vyces. Thenne thou Knyghtcouetous, wherfor hast thou not strongcourage & noble, lyke as was the noble cou–rage of the puyssaunt kynge Alysander,whiche in desprysyng auarice and couetysehad alwey the handes stratched forthe forto gyue vnto his Knyghts so moche, thatby the renomme of his largesse they thatwere souldyours with the Kyng auaryci-ous, whiche made warre ageynst hym, tour–

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ned & came toward the seyd Alexander, andconfused his enemy coueytous whiche tofore was theyr mayster ?

ND therfore thou oughtestfor to thynke to the ende thatthou be not submytted to vy-laynous werkes and to foulethoughtes by auaryce, thewhiche accordeth not ne ap-

perteyneth not to Chyualry. For yf she ap-perteyned to hit, who shold denye thennethat lechery were not apperteynynge to aKnyght.

LOUTHE is a vyce by the whi-che a man is louer of wycked-nesse and of euylle and to hategoodnesse2  And by this vycemay be knowen and sene in mensygnes of dampnacion better

than by ony other vyce, & by the contrarye,of strengthe may be better knowen in a manthe signe of sauacion than by ony other ver–tue1 And therfore who that wyl ouer-come & surmounte accydye, him behoueththat in his herte he haue strengthe, by thewhiche he vaynquysshe the nature of thebody, whiche by the synne of Adam is en-clyned & apparaylled to doo euyll2 A man

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that hath accydye or slouthe hath sorowe& angre the whyle that he knoweth that another man doth wel. And whan a man do theharme to hym self, he that hath accydye orslouthe is heuy and sorowful that, thathe hath not more and gretter1 And ther-fore suche a man hath sorow both of goodand of euylle of other men. For yre & dys-playsyre gyuen passion and payn to thebody & to the sowle ; therfor thou Knyghtwhich wylt vaynquysshe and surmountethat same vyce oughtest to praye streng-the that she wylle enforce thy courage ag-eynst accydye, in remembryng that yf goddo good to ony man, therfor foloweth it notthat he ought also wel to do to the ; for hegyueth not to hym al that he hath ne that hemay gyue, ne in that so gyuyng he taketh a-wey nothyng fro the. And therfor oure godhath gyuen to vs an ensample in the gos-pel of them that laboured in the vyneyerd,whan he repryued them that hadde wrou-ght fro the mornyng vnto the euen, of thatthey murmured by cause that the lord ofthe vyneyerd gaf as moche sallary & wagesto them that were come at euensong tymeas to them that had laboured alle the daye,and sayd to them that he dyd them no wro-

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nge, and that of his owne good he myghtdoo his wylle.

RYDE is a vyce of inequalyte, or to be inegal to other and not lyke ; for a proud man wylle haue no pere ne egall to hym, but loueth better to be allone, not lyke ony other. And

therfore humylyte and strengthe ben twovertues that loue egalte1 And in that theybe ageynst pryde, yf thou prowde Knyghtwylt vaynquysshe thy pryde, assemblewithin thy courage humylyte and streng-the, for humylyte without strengthe is nothyng, ne it maye not holde ageynst pryde,and pryde maye not be vaynquysshed butby that.

HAN thou shalt be armedand mounted vpon thy gretehors, thou shalt be parauenterproud, but yf strengthe ofhumylyte make the to remem-bre the reson and thentencion

wherfor thou arte Knyght, thou shalt neuerbe proud, & yf thou be proud thou shalt ne-uer have strendthe in thy courage by whichethou mayst cast out proud thoughtes.

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UT yf thou be beten douneof thy horse in batayll, tak-en and vaynquysshed, thoushalt not be thenne so mocheproud as thou were to fore,for strengthe of body hath

vaynquysshyd and surmounted the prydeof thy courage. Thenne yf strengthe ofbody maye vaynquysshe and surmountethe pryde of thy courage, how be hit thatnoblesse is not a thynge corporal, streng-the & humylyte whiche ben thynges spy-rytual, ought moche better to caste outepryde of noble courage.

NUYE is a vyce disagreable to justyce, to charyte & to lar- gesse, whiche apperteynen to thordre of Chyualry. Thenne whan ony Knyght hath a slo- uthful herte and fayllynge of

courage, and may not susteyne ne ensiewethordre of Chyualrye for de∏aulte of str-ength, whiche is not in his courage, ne hathnot in hym self the vertues of justyce, cha-ryte ne of largesse, suche fayte is force, vy-olence, dishonour, & iniurye to Chyualrye.And by that is many a Knyght enuyous ofothers wele, & is slowe to gete the goodes

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aboue seyd by strengthe of armes, & is fulof euylle courage, enclyned and redy to takeawey other mens thynges that be not his,and of whiche he was neuer in possession ;and by that hym behoueth to thynke howhe myght make barates and falshede for togete rychesses, of whiche somtyme the or-dre of Chyualrye is dishonoured.

RE is in courage troublement& remembraunce of wyckedwil, & by this trouble and re-membraunce it torneth hym into forgetynge or oublyaunce,thendendemente in to ygnor-

aunce, & wylle in to not retchynge. And asto remembre, to understonde, & to wylle,ben ofte enlumynyng, by whiche a Kn-yght may folowe the way and the rule ofChyualry, who wylle thenne caste oute ofhis courage that whiche is trouble of vn-derstondyng1 And of his spyryte hymbehoueth to recouere strength of cour-age, charite, attemperaunce, and pacyence,whiche haue domynacion vpon the refray-nyng of yre, and they be reste and allege-aunce of the trauaylles and passions thatyre gyueth.

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F so moche that yre is grete,of so moche hit behoueththat he haue strengthe ofcourage that wylle surmou-nte and joyne with hym be-nyuolence, abstynence, cha-

ryte, pacyence & humylyte, & thus shallebe yre surmounted & eulle wylle, yre andinpacyence and other vyces appetyc-ed and lassed2 And whan the vyces benmynuysshed, & the vertues gretter as benjustyce and wysedom : and by the grete-nesse of justyce & of wysedom is thordreof Chyualrye the gretter. We haue saydhere to fore the manere after the whichestrengthe ought to be in the courage of aKnyght ageynst the seuen dedely synnes,and we shalle say herafter of the vertu ofattemperaunce.

TTEMPERAUNCE is avertu the whiche dwelleth inthe myddle of two vyces ; ofwhome the one is synne byouer grete quantite, and thatother is synne by ouer lytyl

quantyte2 And therfore bytwene ouermoche and ouer lytyl muste be attemper-aunce in so resonable quantite that it be

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vertue. For yf there were noo vertu bytwenethe ouer grete and ouer lytyl, there sholdbe no moyen, & that may not be1 A Kn-yght acustommed of good custommesand wel enseygned, ought to be attemprydin hardynesse in etynge, in drynkynge, insemblable to the same.

ITHOUT attemperaunce aKnyght maye not mayntenethordre of Chyualrye, ne hemay not be in place where ver–tue dwelleth. The custome &vsage of a Knyght ought to

be to here masse and sermon, to adoure &pray to god, and the same to loue & drede.For by that acustommaunce a Knyght mayremembre the deth & fylthe of this worldand demaunde of god the celestyal glory,and drede and doubte the paynes of helle ;and by that he maye acustomme hym tovse vertues and other thynges that apper-teyne to mayntene thorder of Chyualrye.

UT a Knyght that to this doth the contrarye and byleueth in deuynaylles, and in fleyng of byrdes, doth ageynst god, & hath gretter fayth and hope in the wynde of his hede, and in

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the werkes that the byrdes done and thedeuynours, than in god and in his werkes ;and therfore suche a Knyght is not agre-able to ne maynteneth not thordre of chy-ualrye.

HE carpenter, ne the tayllour,ne the other crafty men hauenot power to vse theyr offycewithoute the art & the manerethat apperteynen to theyr of-fyces, and as god hath gyuen

discrescion and reason to a Knyght bywhiche he can vse his o∏yce ; and yf he canlyue in mayntenynge the rule of Chyualrye,yf he thenne soo do not, he doth wrong &iniurye to discrescion and to reason. For aKnyght that leueth his discrescion, & thatwhiche reason and entendement sygnyfyeand shewe, and he folowe and byleue thedeuynaylles of them that bythe flyght ofbyrdes deuynen, and sayen that the byrdthat fleeth on the ryght syde sygnefyethcontrary to the lyfte syde, & to suche thyn-ges thynketh and gyueth a∏yaunce : suchea Knyght casteth awey the noblesse of hiscourage, and is all lyke to a foole that vsethno wytte ne reason, but doth at al auentureal that he doth. And therfore suche a Kny-

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ght is ageynst god, and after ryght andreason he ought to be vaynquysshed andsurmounted of his enemye whiche vsethreason and discrescion ageynst hym, andhath hope in god.

ND yf hit were not thus, it sh–old folowe that the deuyno- urs by the flyghte of byrdes and other thynges withoute reason and Ordre of Chyual- ry, hath among them gretter

concordaunce than god, reason, discresc-ion, hope, feythe & noble courage, and thatis openly fals.

NYGHTES that adiouste fe– yth to deuynours, that say that it is euylle happe to see a woman discouerd in the mor- nyng, and that he maye not make ne doo a good faytte of

armes that daye that he seeth the hede ofhis wyf or any other bare and discouerd bythe false byleue that he hath2 Also lyke asa juge vseth his offyce whan he jugeth aftercustome, ryght soo a Knyght vseth his of-fyce whan he vseth reason & discrescion,whiche ben the customme of Chyualrye.And also lyke as the juge that shold gyue

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sentence after witnesse, & thenne gyuethfalse jugement by the flyght of byrdes, orby barkyng of dogges, or by suche otherthynges lyke to the same, ryght so a Kny-ghte doth ageynst his o∏yce yf he doo notthat whiche reason & discrescion shewe tohym & wytnessen, but byleueth that whi-che that the byrdes done by theyr necessy-tees, and by cause they go fleyng by the ay-er at auenture. Thenne as it is soo, by thatought to ensiewe reason & discrescion, &doo after the sygnefyaunce that hys arm-ures representen, lyke to that whiche wehaue said to fore. And of the thynges thathappen by aduenture he ought not to makenecessite ne customme.

O a Knyght apperteyneth thathe be louer of the comyn wele,for by the comynalte of thepeople was the Chyualryefounden and establyssshed.And the comyn wele is gret-

ter and more necessary than propre goodand specyall. To a Knyght apperteynethto speke nobly and curtoisly and to hauefayr harnoys and to be wel cladde, and toholde a good houshold, and an honesthows, for alle these thynges ben, to hon-

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oure Chyualrye, necessarye. Curtosye andChyualry concorden to gyder, for vylayn-ous and foule wordes ben ageynst thordreof Chyualrye.

RYUALTE and acqueynt-aunce of good folke, loyalte& trouthe, hardynesse, larg-esse, honeste, humylyte, pyte,and the other thynges sem-blable to these, apperteyne to

Chyualry, and in lyke wyse as he ought togod to compare all his noblesse, ryght so aknyght ought to compare to alle that wher–of Chyualry may receyue honour for themthat ben in his ordre. The custome and thegood enseygnement that a Knyght dotheto his hors is not so moche to mayntenethordre of Chyualrye as is the good cus-tomme & good enseygnement that he dothto hym self and to his children2 For Chy-ualry is not only in the hors ne in the armes,but hit is in the Knyght that wel enducethand enseyggneth his hors and acustommedhym self and his sone to good enseygne-ments and vertuouse werkes2 And soo awycked Knyghte whiche enduceth and en-seygneth hym self and his sone to euylleenseygnements and doctrynes, he en-

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forceth to make of hym self and of hissone, beestes, and of his hors, a Knyghte.1 Of the honour that ought to be done toa Knyght.

OD hath honoured aKnyghte & all the pe–ple honoueth hymlyke as in this bookeis recounted. AndChyualrye is an hon-ourable offyce abouealle offyces, ordres,and estates of theworld, reserued th-

ordre of presthode, whiche apperteyneth tothe holy sacrefyce of thaulter. And thordreof Chyualry is moche necessary as touch-yng the gouernement of the world, lyke aswe haue tofore touchyd ; and therfor Chy-ualry by alle these reasons, and by manyother ought to be honoured of the peple.2 Yf to a kyng ne to a prynce were not no-blesse of Chyualry incorporate, by de∏-aulte of that whiche they shold not be suf-fysaunt, and that they hadde not in themthe vertues ne thonour that apperteynethto thordre of Chyualry, they shold not beworthy to be kynges, ne prynces, ne lordes

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of countree, for in them Chyualry oughtto be honoured1 The Knyghtes oughtthenne to be honoured by the kynges andgrete barons. For lyke as by the Knyghtesthe hyhe barons ben honoured aboue themoyen peple, ryght soo the kynges & thehyhe barons oughten aboue the other peo-ple to holde the Knyghtes1 Chyualrye &fraunchyse accorden to gyder and to thefranchyse, & seygnorye of the kyng or ofthe prynce accorden to the Knyghtes, forthe Knyght must be free & franke by causethat the kyng is his lord. And therfore itbehoueth that thonour of a kyng or of aprynce, or of euery baron and lord of a lond,be accordyng in thonour of a Knyght, insuche manere that the kynge or prynce belord & the Knyght be honoured.

O thonour of a Knyght apper-teyneth that he be loued forhis bounte & goodnesse, andthat he be doubted & dreddeby his strengthe, and that hebe prayd for his debonayrte

and pryualte, and by cause that he is coun-ceyllour of the kynge or of the prynce, or ofanother hyhe baron2 Thenne to desprysea baron by cause he is of the same nature of

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whiche euery man is, is to despyse alle the thynges afore sayd for whiche a Knyghtoughte to be honoured. Euery noble baronand hyhe lord that honoureth a Knyght &holdeth hym in hys courte, in his counce-ylle, & at his table, he honoureth hym self,and semblably he that honoureth hym inbataylle, honoureth hym self.

ND the lord that of a wyse Kn-yght maketh his messager orembassatour delyuereth hishonour to noblesse of cour-age, & the lord that multyply–eth honour in a Knyght that is

in his seruyce, multiplyeth honour in hymself2 And the lord that aydeth & maynt-eneth a Knyght, he doth his offyce and en-forceth his seygnorye ; and the lord that isptyue with a Knyght hath amytye to Chy-ualry1 To requyer foly of the wyf of aKnyght, ne tenclyne her to wyckednesse, isnot the honour of a Knyght2 And the wyfof a Knyght whiche hath chidren of vyl-ayns, honoureth not the Knyght, but de-stroyeth and bryngeth to nought the aun-cyente of the noble confraternyte & of thenoble lygnage of a Knyght2 A Knyghtalso that hath children of a vylayne woman

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honoureth not gentylnesse ne Chyualrye.And as it is so, thenne gentylnesse and thehonour of Chyualry accorden to gyder in aKnyght and in a lady by the vertue of ma-ryage, and the contrary is destruction ofChyualry.

F the men that ben not Kny-ghtes ben oblyged & holdento honoure a Knyght, mochemore is oblyged and bound-en a Knyght to honoure hisbody in beyng wel cladde and

nobly, and in beyng wel horsed, and to hauefayr harnoys, good and noble, and to beseruyd and honoured of good persones,moche more without comparyson than ofother. Thenne, to honoure the noblesse ofhis courage, by the whiche he is in thordreof Chyualry, the whiche courage is disor-dynate & dishonoured whan a Knyght put-teth foule thoughtes, wyckednesse & tray-sons in hym self, and casteth oute of hiscourage noble thoughtes & good cogytaci-ons whiche apperteyne to thordre of Chy-ualry1 The Knyght that dishonourethhym self & his pere, that is to wete anotherKnyght, he is not dygne ne worthy to hauehonoure. For yf he were worthy, wronge

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shold be done to the Knyght that holdethand doth to Chyualry as touchyng to hymself and to that other Knyght. Thenne asChyualry hath his dwellyng in the noblecourage of a Knyght, no man may not somoche honoure or dishonoure Chyualry asa Knyght.

ANY ben thonours and thereuerences that ought to bedone to a Knyght2 And ofas moche as the Knyght isgretter, of soo moche is hemore charged and bounden

to honoure Chyualry1In this book herehaue we spoken shortly ynough of thordreof Chyualry, therfor we make now here anende to thonour and the lawde of god ourglorious lord, and of our lady saynt Mary,whiche be blessyd in secula seculorum2 Amen

ERE endeth the book of th-ordre of Chyualry, whichebook is translated oute ofFrensshe in to Englyssheat a requeste of a gentyl& noble esquyer by me Wil-

lian Caxton, dwellynge in Westmynstrebesyde London, in the most best wyse

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that god hath su∏red me, & accordynge tothe copye that the sayd Squyer delyuerdto me ; whiche book is not requysyte toeuery comyn man to haue, but to noblegentylmen that by their vertu entende tocome & entre in to the noble ordre of Chy-ualry, the whiche in these late dayes hathben vsed accordyng to this booke here tofore wreton, but forgeten, and thexcersy-tees of Chyualry not vsed, honoured neexcersysed as hit hath ben in auncyenttyme1At whiche tyme the noble actes ofthe Knyghtes of Englond that vsed Chy-ualry were renomed thurgh the vnyuersalworld. As for to speke to fore thyncar-nacion of Jhesu Cryste, where were thereeuer ony lyke to Brenius & Belynus, thatfrom the grete Brytayne now called Eng-lond vnto Rome & frerre beyonde conquer-ed many Royammes & londes ? Whos no-blactes remayne in thold hystoryes of theeRomayns2 And syth the Incarnacion ofoure lord byhold that noble kyng of Bry-tayne Kyng Arthur with al the noble Kny-ghtes of the Round Table ; whos nobleactes and noble Chyualry of his Knyghtesoccupye soo many large volumes, that isa world, or as thyng incredyble to byleue.

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O ye Knyghtes of Englond, where is thecustome and vsage of noble chyualry thatwas vsed in tho dayes ? What do ye nowbut go to the baynes and playe atte dyse ?And some not wel aduysed vse not honestand good rule, ageyn alle ordre of Knyght-hode. Leue this, leue it, and rede the noblevolumes of Saynt Graal, of Lancelot, ofGalaad, of Trystram, of Perseforest, ofPercyual, of Gawayn and many mo. Thershalle ye see manhode, curtosye and gen-tylnesse1And loke in latter dayes of thenoble actes syth the conquest in KyngRychard dayes, cuer du lyon, Edward thefyrste and the thyrd and his noble sones ;Syre Robert Knolles, Syr Johan Hawk-wode, Syr Johan Chaundos & Syre Gaul-tier Manny ; rede Froissart, & also beholdthat vyctoryous and noble kynge Harrythe Fyfth, and the capytayns vnder hym,his noble bretheren, Therle of Salysbury,Montagu, and many other whoos namesshyne gloryously by their vertuous nobl-esse and actes that they did in thonour ofthordre of Chyualry. Allas, what doo ye butslepe & take ease ? And ar al disordred froChyualry. I wold demaunde a question yfI shold not displease, How many Knygh-

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tes ben ther now in Englond that haue thu-se & thexcercyse of a Knyghte ? That is towete, that he knoweth his hors & his horshym, that is to saye, he beynge redy at a po–ynt to haue al thyng that longeth to a Kny–ght ; an hors that is accordyng and brokenafter his hand, his armures and harnoysmete and fyttyng & so forth, et cetera1I suppose, and a due serche shold be made,ther shold many founden that lacke, themore pyte is2 I wold it pleasyd oure sou–erayne lord that twyes or thryes in a yere, orat the lest ones he wold do crye Justes ofpees, to thende that euery Knyght sholdhaue hors and harneys, & also the vse andcraft of a Knyght, and also to tornoye oneageynst one, or ii ageynst ii, & the best tohaue a prys, a dyamond or jewel, suche asshold please the prynce1This shold cau–se gentylmen to resorte to thauncyent cus–tommes of chyualry to grete fame and re-nommee, and also to be alwey redy to seruetheyr prynce whan he shalle calle them orhaue nede1Thenne late euery man that iscome of noble blood & entendeth to cometo the noble Ordre of Chyualry, rede thislytyl book and doo therafter in kepyng thelore & commaundements therin compry-

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sed. And thenne I doubte not he shall atte-yne to thordre of Chyualry, et cetera0Andthus thys lytyl book I presente to my re-doubted, naturel & most dradde soueraynelord Kyng Rychard, Kyng of Englond andof Fraunce, to thende that he commaundethis book to be had & redde vnto other yo-ng lordes, Knyghtes & gentylmen withinthis royame, that the noble Ordre of Chy-ualrye be herafter better vsed & honouredthan hit hath ben in late dayes passed. Andherin he shalle do a noble & vertuouse dede,& I shalle pray almyghty god for his longlyf & prosperous welfare, and thet he mayhaue victory of al his enemyes, & after thisshort & transitory lyf to haue euerlastynglyf in heuen, where as is joye and blysseworld without ende1Amen.

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The Order of Chivalry, translated fromthe French by William Caxton, edited byF.S. Ellis, & printed by me William Morrisat the Kelmscott Press, Upper Mall, Ham-mersmith, in the County of Middlesex, &finished on the 10th day of November, 1892Sold by Reeves & Turner, 196, Strand,London.

L’ORDENE DE CHEVALERIE, WITHTRANSLATION BY WILLIAM MORRIS.

00000000000000L’ORDENE DE CHEVALERIE.

ON fet a preudome parlerCar on i puet mout con-questerDe sens, de bien, de cor-toisie :Bon fet anter lor compaignie.

Qui a lor fais prenderoit garde,Ja de folie n’aroit garde ;Car on le trueve en Salemon ;Que tout ades fet sages homToutes ses œvres bonement,Et s’il aucune foiz mesprent,Coument que soit par non savoir,De legier doit perdon avoir,Tant com il s’en voelle retraire.Mes des–ore me convient retraire :A rimoier, et a conter,

N conte c’ai oi conter,D’un Rois qu’en terre paienie,Fu jadis de grand Signourie

Et mout fu loiaus Sarrazin ;Il ot a non Salehadins :Crueus fu, et mout de desroiFist maintes fois a nostre loi,Et a no gent fist maint damagePar son orguel et son outrage ;

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Et tant que une foiz avint,Qu’a la bataille un Prinches vint ;Hues ot non de Tabarie,O lui s’avoit grant compagnieDes Chevaliers de Galilee,Car sire estoit de la contree.Assez fisent d’armes chel jour,Mes il ne plot au Creatour,C’on appele le Roy de gloire,Que li nostre eussent victorie,Car la fu pris li Prinches Hues ;S’en fu mene a val les ruesDroit pardevant Salehadin,Si le salue en son latin ;Car il le conoissoit mout bien.Hues, mout sui lie quant vous tien,Che dist li Rois, par Mahoumet.Et une cose vous promet,Que il vous convennra morir,Ou a grant raenchon venir.Li Prinches Hues respondi,Puisque m’avez le giu parti,Je prenderai dont le raiembre,Se j’ai de quoi jel’ puisse rendre.Oil, che li a dist li Rois,Cent mil Besans me conterois.Ha, Sire, ataindre n’i porroie,Se tout ma terre Vendoie.

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Si ferez bien. Sire, comment ?Vous estes de grant hardement,Et plains de grant Chevalerie,Et preudons n’escondira mie,Se rouvez a vo raenchon,Que il ne vous doinst un bel don,Ensi vous porrez aquiter.Or vous voel jou demanderCoument jou partirai de chi ?Salehadins li respondi,Hues, vous le m’afierezSour vostre foi que revenrez,Et de sour le vostre creanche,Que d’ui en deux ans sanz faillanche,Arez rendu vo raenchon,U vous revenrez em prison :Ensi porrez partir de chi.Sire, fet–il, vostre merchi,Et tout ensi le creant–gie.A tant a demande congie,C’aler s’en velt en son pais.Mais li Rois l’a par le main prisEt en sa cambre l’en mena,Et mout douchement li proia :Hues, fet–il, par chele foi,Que ti doiz au Dieu de ta Loi,Fai moi sage, quar j’ai talentDe savoir trestout l’errement ;

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Et jel’ saroie volentiersCoument l’en fet les Chevaliers.Biaus Sire, dist–il, non ferai ;Porqoi, Sire, jel’ vous dirai.Sainte Ordre de ChevalerieSeroit en vous mal emploiie,Car vous estes de mal loi,Si n’avez baptesme ne foi,Et grant folie entreprendroie,Se un fumier de dras de soieVoloie vestir et couvrir,Qu’il ne peust jamais puir,A nul fuer fere ne poroie,Et tout ensemnet mesprendroieSe sour vous metoie tel ordre,Jou ne m’i oseroie amordre,Car moult en seroie blasmez.Sa, Hues, fet–il, non ferez.Il n’i a point de mesprison,Car vous estes en ma prison,Si vous covient mon voloir fere,Mais que bien vous doie desplere,Sire, puisque faire l’estuet,Ne Contredis valoir n’i puet,Si le ferai tout sans dangier.

ORS li commenche a ensignierTout chou que il li covient faire,Caviaus et barbe, et le viaire

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Li fist apparillier mout bel ;Ch’est droiz a Chevalier nouvel,Puis le fist en un baing entrer.Lors li coumenche a demanderLi soudans, que che senefie,Hues respont de Tabarie :Sire, cil bains ou vous baingniez,Si est a chou senefiez,Tout ensement com l’enfechonsNes de pechie ist hors des fonsQuant de baptesme est aportez,Sire, tout ensement devezIssir sanz nule vilounie,Et estre plains de courtoisie,Baignier devez en honeste,En courtoisie et en bonte.Et fere amer a toutes genz.Mout est biaus chist coumenchemenz,Che dist li Rois par le grant De.Apres si l’a du baing oste,Si le choucha an un bel litQui estoit fez par grant delit.Hues, dites–moi sans faillanceDe ce lit la senefiance :Sire, cis lis vous senefieC’on doit par sa ChevalerieConquerre lit en paradis,Ke Diex otroie a ses amis ;

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Car chou est li lis de repos :Qui la ne sera, mout iert sos.Quant el lit ot un poi geu,Sus le dresche, si l’a vestuDe blans dras qui erent de lin ;Lors dist Hues en son latin,Sire, nel’ tenez a escar,Chis dras qui sont pres de vo carTout blanc, vous dounent a entendre,Que Chevaliers doit ades tendreA se car netement tenir,Se il a Diu velt parvenir.Apres li vest robe vermeille :Salehadins mout se merveille,Porqoi li Prinches chou li fait.Hues, fait–il, tout entresaitCheste reube que senefie ?Hues respont de Tabarie,Sire, cheste reube vous doneA entendre, chen est la somme,Que ja ne soiez sans dounerPour Diu servir et hounourer,Et pour sainte Glise de∏endre,Que nus ne puist vers li mesprendre,Car tout chou doit Chevaliers faire,S’il veut a Dui de noient plaire :Chest entendu par le vermeil.Hues, fait–il, mout me merveil.

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Apres li a cauches cauchiesDe saie brune et delijes.Et li dist, Sire, sans faillanche,Tout chou vous doune ramembranchePar cheste cauchemente noire,C’aijez tout ades en memoireLa mort, et la terre ou girrez,Dont venistes, et ou irez :A chou doivent garder votre oel,Si n’enkerrez pas en orguel ;Car orgueus ne doit pas regnerEn Chevalier, ne demorer,A simpleche doit ades tendre.Tout chou est mout bon a entendre,Che dist li Rois, pas ne me grieve.Apres en son estant se lieve,Puis si l’a chaint d’une chaintureBlanche, et petite de feture ;Sire, par cheste chainturete,Est entendu que vo car nete,Vos rains, vos cors entirementDevez tenir tout fermementAusi com en virginite,Vo cors tenir en netee,Luxure despire et blasmer ;Car Chevaliers doit moult amerSon cors a netement tenir,Qu’il ne se puist en chou hounir ;

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Car Diex het mout itel ordure.Li Rois repont, bien est droiture.Apres deus esperons li mistEn ses deus pies, et si li dist :Sire, tout autressi isniausQue vos volez que vos chevauxSoit de bien corre entalentez,Quant vous des esperons ferez,K’il voist par tout isnelement,Et cha et la a vo talent,Senefient chist esperon,Qui dore sont tout environ,Que vous aijez bien en courageDe Diu servir tout vostre eage ;Car tuit li Chevalier le font,Qui Diu aiment de cuer parfont,Ades le servent de cuer fin.Moult plaisoit bien Salehadin.Apres li a chainte l’espee.Salehadin a demandeela senefiance del branc.Sire, fet–il, chou et garantContre l’assaut del’ anemi,Tout ensement com vees ci :Doi trenchant ki vous font savoir,C’ades doit Chevaliers avoirDroiture et leaute ensanle,Chou est a dire ; che me sanle

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K’il doit ja povre gent garder,Ke li riches nel’ puist foler,Et le feble doit soustenir,Qui li fors ne le puist honir.Ch’ est oevre de misericorde.Salehadins bien s’i accorde,Qui bien a escoute ses dis.Apres li a en son cief misUne coife qui tout iert blanche,Puis li dist la senefianche.Sire, fait il, or esgardez,Tout ensement com vous savezQue cheste coife est sanz ordure,Et blanche et bele, nete et pureEt est deseur vo cief assise,Ensement au jor dou juise,Des grans pechiez que fais avons,Devons l’ame rendre a estrous,Et pure et nete des folies,Que li cors a tozjors bastiesA Dieu, pour avoir le meriteDe paradis qui nous delite ;Car lange ne porroit conter,Oreil oir, ne cuer pensserCh’ est li biautes de paradis,Que Diex otroie a ses amis.Li Rois trestout chou escouta,Et en apres li demanda,

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S’il i faloit plus nule cose,Sire, oil mes fere nel’ oseQue chou est donc ? Chest li colee.Poroi ne le m’ avez dounee,Et dite la senefianche ?Sire, chou est li ramembrancheDe chelui qui l’a adoubeA chevalier, et ordene ;Mes mie ne le vous donron,Car je sui chi en vo prison,Si ne doi fere vilouniePor cose c’on me fache et die,Si ne vous voel pour chou ferir ;Bien vous devez a tant tenir.Mais encor vous voel monstrerEt ensignier, et deviserQuatre coses especiauns,C’avoir doit Chevaliers noviausEt toute sa vie tenir,Se il veut a honneur venir.Chou est tout au coumenchement,Qu’il ne soit a faus jugement,N’en liu ou il ait traison,Mais tost s’en parte a habandon,Se le mal ne puet destorner,Tantost se doit d’iluec torner.L’autre cose si est mout bele,Dame ne doit ne Damoisele

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Por nule rien fourconsillier ;Mais s’eles ont de lui mestier,Aidier leur doit a son pooir,Se il veut los et pris avoir ;Car femes doit l’en honourer,Et por lor droit grans fez porter.L’austre cose si est por voir,Que abstinence doit avoir,Et por verite le vous di,Qu’il doit juner au VenrediPour chele sainte ramembrancheQue Jhesu Cris fu de la lancheFerus pour no redempcion,Et que a Longis fist pardon.Toute se vie en chelui jorDoit juner pour nostre signorSe il nel’laist por maladie,Ou por aucune compaignie ;Et s’il ne puet por chou juner,Si se doit vers, Diu acorder,D’aumosne fere, ou d’autre cose.L’autre si est a la parcloseQue cascun jor doit Messe oir,S’il a de qoi, si doit o∏rir ;Car mout est bien l’o∏rande assiseQui a la table Diu est mise,

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Car ele porte grant vertu.I Rois a mout bien entenduChou que Hues li va contant,S’en a eu joie mout grant.

Apres chou li Rois est levezEnsi com il fu atornez,Droit en sa chambre s’en entra,Cinquante Amiraus i trova,Qui tuit erent de son pais ;Puis est en sa caiere assis,Ey Hues se sist a ses pies ;Mais tost en fu a mont drechies,Li Rois l’a fait en haut seoir,Et dist li Rois, sachiez por voir,Pour chou que vous estes preudon,Vous voel–jou faire un moult bel don ;Car je vous otroi bonement,Se nus est pris de vostre gentEn poigneis, ne en bataille,Por vostre amor quites s’en aille,Se le volez venir requerre ;Mais cevalchies parmi me terreTout belement et sanz desroi.Sor le col de vo palefroiMetez vos hiaume en contenanche,C’on ne vous fache destorbanche,Et de vo gent qui sont or pris,Vous renderai–jou jusc’a dis,

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Se les volez oster de chi.Sire, dist–il, vostre merchi,Car che fait mout a merchier ;Mes jou ne voel pas oublierQue me desistes que rouvaissesQuant jou les preudomes trouvaissesPour aidier a ma raenchon,Mais je n’i voi or si preudonCom vous estes, biaus Sire Rois,Si me dounez, car chou est drois,Quant le rouver m’avez apris.A donc Salehadins a ris,Et dist a semblant d’oume lie,Vous avez mout bien comenchie,Si vous donrai trestout sanz ghileDe bons besans chinquante mile,Car ne voel pas c’a moi faillies.Apres chou s’est levez en piez,Si a dit au Prinche Huon :Vous irez a chascun Baron,Et jou irai avoecques vous.Signor, dist li Rois, dounez nousA chest grant Prinches racater.Adont coumenchent a dounerLi Amiraus tuit environ,Tant que il ot sa raenchonLargement, que li remanansValut treize mille besans,

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Tant li ont doune et promis.Dont a Hues le congie pris,C’aler s’en velt de paienie ?Ensi n’en partirez vous mie,Che dist li Rois dusques a tantQue vous aiiez le remanantDu sorplus c’on nous a promis,Car en mon tresor seront prisLi treze mil besans d’ormir.Lors a dist a son tresorierQue il les besans li rendist,Et apres si les represistA chiaus qui les orent dounez.Chil a les besans bien pesez,Si les doune a Conte Huon,Si les a pris, ou voel ou non,Car il n’en voloit nus porter.Plus chier eust a racaterSes genz qui erent en prisonEt en grande caitivaisonEntre les mains as Sarrazins.Quant chou oi Salehadins,Si en a Mahoumet hureQue jamais n’erent racate.Et quant Hues li oi dire,Si en ot a son cuer grant ire ;Mais li Rois plus prijer n’osaPor chou que Mahoumet jura,

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Car il nel’ osa courechier.Lors comande a apparillierSes dis compagnons qu’il ot quisPour remener en son pais ;Mais il i a puis demoreHuit jors toz plains et sejorne,A grant feste, et a grant deduit,Puis a demande le conduit.Parmi la terre de∏aee ;Salehadin li a livreeGrant compaignie de se gent,Chuinquante sont qui bonementLes conduient par paiennieSans orguel et sans vilounieC’onques n’i orent destorbier.Chil se sont mis au repairer,Si se mueuvent en lor contree,Et li Prinches de GalileeSi s’en revint tout ensement ;Mais mout li poise de sa gentQue il covint la demorer ;Mes il ne le pot amender,Si en est plus courchiez que nus.Dont est en son pais venusLui onzime, sans plus avoirLors departi le grant avoirK’il avoit o lui aporte,Si en a maint houme doune

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Qui en est riches devenus.Signour, bien doit estre venusChis Contes entre bone gent,Car as autres ne vaut noientK’il n’entendent plus que berbis,Foi que doi Diu de paradis.Chil perderoit bien ses joiausQui les jetroit entre porciaus,Sachiez qu’il les defouleroient,Ne ja ne s’en deporteroient,Car il ne saroient pas tant,Si seroient mesentendantQui chest conte leur conteroit,Tout aussi defoules seroit,Et vieus tenus par leur entendre,Mais s’il i voloient aprendre ;En Chest conte puet–on trouverDeux coses qui font a loer.L’une si est au comenchierCoument on fet le chevalierQue toz li mons doit hounerer,Car il nous ont toz a garder ;Car se n’estoit Chevalerie,Petit vauroit no Signourie ;Car il de∏endent sainte Glise,Et si nous tienent bien justiseDe chiaus qui nous voelent malfere.D’aus loer ne me voel retrere.

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Qui nes aime, mout par est niches,Que on embleroit nos calicesDevant nous a la taule De,Que ja ne seroit destorne :Mes lor justiche bien en penseQui de par aus nou fet de∏ense ;Si les mauves ne congioient,Ja li bon durer ne porroientSe che n’ert, fors des Sarrazins.D’Aubejois, et de Barbarins,Et de genz de mauvese loi,Qui nous metroient a besloi ;Mes it criement les Chevaliers ;Si les doit–on avoir plus chiers,Et essauchier et hounourer,Et se doit–on contre aus leverDe si loing c’on les voit venir.Chertes, bien devroit–on hounir,Chiaus qui les tienent en viute ;Car je vous di par verite,Que il Chevaliers a pooirDe toutes ses armes avoir,Et en sainte Glise aporterQuant il vieut le Messe escouter,Que nus mauves ne contredieLe serviche le Fill Marie,Ne le saint digne SacrementPorqoi nous avons sauvement ;

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Et se nus le voloit desdire,Il a pooir de li ochire.Encor un peu dire m’estuet.Fai que dois, aviegne que puet.Ch’est commande au Chevalier,Si l’en doit–on avoir plus chier,S’il bien cheste parole entent.Que je vous di hardiement,Se il fesoit selonc son ordre,A nul fuer ne porroit estordreDe droit aler an Paradis ;Por chou vous ai jou chi apris,De fere chou que vous deves,Qui les Chevaliers houneres,Sour toz houmes outreement,Fors Prestre qui fait SacrementDu cors Diu, je vous di pour voirQue par chest dit puet–on savoir,K’il avint au Prinche Huon,Ki mout fu sages et preudon,Salehadins molt l’onora,Por chou que preudom le trova,Et si le fist mout hounourer,Pour chou se fait–il bon penerDe fere bien a son pooir,Car on i puet grant preu avoir.Et si truis, lisant en latin,De bones œvres, bone fin.

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Or prions au definementChelui qui est sans finement,Quant nous venrons au definer,Que nous puissoumes si finerQue nous aions la joie fineKi as bons mie ne define,Et por celui qui chou escrist,Que il soit avoec Jhesu–Crist,Et en l’onnour Sainte MarieAmen, amen chascuns en die.

Explicit l’Ordene de Chevalerie.

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THE ORDINATION OF KNIGHTHOOD.

THE ORDINATION OF KNIGHTHOOD.HAT the wise speakis goodly gain,For thereby do wewin amain Of sense, of goodand courtesy : ’Tis good to hauntthe company Of him who of hisways hath heed,

And hath no keep of folly’s deed. For as in Solomon we find, The man that is of wisdom’s kind Doth well in every deed there is ; And if at whiles he doth amiss In whatso wise, unwittingly, Swift pardon shall he have thereby. Whereas he willeth penitence.

UT now I needs must drawme hence To rhyming, and to tell inword A tale that erewhile I haveheard,

About a King of Paynemry A great lord of the days gone by ;

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He was full loyal Saracen And of his name hight Saladin. Cruel he was, and did great scathe Full many a time unto our faith, And to our folk did mickle ill Through pride of heart and evil will. So on a time it fell out so That ’gainst him to the fight did go A Prince hight Hugh of Tabary, Therewith was mickle company, The Knights of Galilee, to hand ; For lord was he of that same land. That day were great deeds done amain, But nought was our Creator fain, He that the lord of glory hight, That we should vanquish in the fight ; For there was taken the Prince Hugh And led along the streets and through, And right before lord Saladin, Who greeted him in his Latin, For well he knew it certainly : “ Hugh, of thy taking fain am I By Mahomet,” so spake the King ; “ And here I promise thee one thing, That it behoveth thee to die Or with great ransom thee to buy.” Then answered him the lord Sir Hugh, “ Since choice thou givest me hereto

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Unto the ransom do I fall If so be I have wherewithal.” “ Yea,” said the King, “ then payest thou An hundred thousand besants now.” “ Ah Sir, this thing I may not do if all my lands I sell thereto.” “ Yet dost thou well.” “ Yea Sire & how ? ” “ Thou art full of hardihood enow And full of mighty Chivalry, Thy lords shall nought gainsay it thee, But with thy ransom deal they should And give to thee a gift full good, And in this wise quit should’st thou be.” “ Yet one thing would I ask of thee, How may I get me hence away ? ” Then thereto Saladin did say : “ Hugh, unto me shalt thou make oath By that thy faith and by thy troth To come again unto this place Without fail in a two year’s space, And then to pay thy ransom clear, Or come back to the prison here. Thus wise from henceforth art thou quit.” “ Sir,” quoth he, have thou thank for it And all my faith I pledge thereto.”

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HEN craveth he a leave–to–go That he may come to hisown land. But the King takes himby the hand

And leads him to his chamber fair And prayeth him full sweetly there : “ Hugh,” saith he, “ by the faith ye owe Unto the God whose law ye know Now make me wise : for sore I crave The right road straight–away to have, And I have will to learn aright In what wise one is made a Knight.” “ Fair sir,” he said, “ this may not be And wherefore I will tell to thee : The holy order of Knighthood In thee will nowise turn to good ; For evil law thou holdest now, Nor faith nor Baptism hast thou. Great fool is he that undertakes To clothe and cover o’er a jakes With silken web, and then to think That never more the same shall stink ; In nowise one may do the feat, E’en so to me it were unmeet To lay such order upon thee, O’er hardy were such deed to me,

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For sure blame thereby should I win.” “ Ha Hugh, quoth he, nought lies herein, This is no evil deed to do, For in my prison dost thou go And needs must do the thing I will Howso to thee it seemeth ill.” “ Sir, since ye drive me to the thing And nought avails my nay–saying Then riskless I the work shall earn.”

HEREWITH he fell theKing to learn In all wise what behovedto do With face and hair and beardthereto,

And did him clothe himself right well As to a new–made Knight befel, And in that bath wash lithe and limb. Then ’gan the Soudan ask of him What these same things might signify, And answered Hugh of Tabarie : “ This bath wherein thy body is Forsooth it signifyeth this. For e’en as infants born in sin, Stainless from out the font do win, When they to baptism are brought, E’en so Sir Soudan, now ye ought To come forth free from felony, And be fulfilled of courtesy ;

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In honesty and in good will And kindness should’st thou bathe thee still And grow beloved of all on earth.” “ Beginneth this fight well of worth, By God the great,” spake forth the King.

HEN from that fair bathoutgoing He laid him in a full fair bed That dearly was apparelled. “ Tell me without fail, Hugh,”he saith,

“ What this same bed betokeneth.” “ Sire, betokeneth now the bed That one by Knighthood should be led The bed of Paradise to win Which God gives to his friends therein. For there a bed of rest there is Made for no evil man ywis.” So on the bed a while he lay And did on there full fair array, Which was of linen white of hue. Then in his Latin said Sir Hugh : “ Sir, deem not that my word is vain, The web that next your skin hath lain All white, would do you this to wit, That Knights should ever look to it To hold them clean, if they will well To come their ways with God to dwell.”

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ITH scarlet gown he cladhim then And marvelled Saladin again Wherefor the Prince be-dight him so. “ Hugh,” said he, “ now I fain

would know What this same gown betokeneth.” Then Hugh of Tabarie answereth : “ This gown in gift is given withal That ye may know the sum of all, And fail not more your blood to give In serving God the while ye live, And Holy Church to fortify That by no man it fare awry. For all these deeds to Knights are meet If they to God would make them sweet. The scarlet gown betokeneth this.” “ Hugh,” said he, “ much my marvel is.”

HOES on his feet he thendid do Of loose–wrought say allbrown of hue, And spake he : “ Sir, withoutenfail

For thy remembrance doth avail This foot–gear that is shapen black, That ne’er shalt thou the memory lack

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Of death, and earth to lie in low, Whence cam’st thou, whither thou dost go. So ward ye then your eye, withal, Lest into pride at last ye fall, For never o’er a Knight should pride Bear sway, or in his heart abide ; Of simpleness should he have heed.” “ All this is good to hear indeed,” Spake then the King, “ nor grieveth me.”

HEN upright on his feetstands he, And girds him with a beltwithal That white is and of fashionsmall.

“ Lo Sire, this little belt doth mean That thou thy flesh shalt hold all clean, Thy reins and all the body of thee And hold it ever steadfastly ; Yea even as in virginhood Thy body to hold clean and good, And lechery to blame and ban. For ever loveth knightly man To hold his body free from stain, Lest he be shamed and honour wane. For unclean things God hateth sore.” The King said : “ Goodly is thy lore.”

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WO spurs thereafter did he on His feet, and word therewith hewon “ Sir, e’en as swift and speedily As ye would wish thine horseshould be,

And of good will to run aright When ye with spurs his sides do smite, That swiftly he may wend all wise, And here and there as ye devise, These spurs betoken without doubt (Gilt as they be all round about) That ever heart should be in you To serve your God your life days through. For even thus doth every Knight That loveth God in heart aright To serve him with a heart full dear.” Fain then was Saladin to hear.

HEREWITH he girt to him a sword And Saladin hath asked theword What thing betokeneth thebrand.

“ Sir,” said he, “ ’tis a guard to hand ’Gainst onslaught of the Fiend to bear, Even as now thou seest here; The two–edged blade doth learn thee lore How a good Knight should ever more

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Have blended right and loyalty. Which is to say it seemeth me, To guard the poor folk of the land Against the rich man’s heavy hand, And feeble people to uphold ’Gainst shaming of the strong and bold ; This then is Mercy’s work to win.” All this yeasayeth Saladin, Who hearkened well all words he said.

HEREAFTER set he on hishead A coif which was all shining white And told its tokening all aright. “ Now look hereon Sir King,”said he,

“ E’en as this coif, as thou dost see, Is wholly without stain or sear, And fair and white, and clean and clear, And sitteth now upon thine head ; So on the day of doom the dread, Free from the great guilt we have wrought, And clear and clean from deeds of nought Which ever hath the body done, We then must render everyone To God that we may win the prize Of all delights of Paradise. Because no tongue may tell the tale, Ear hearken, nor a heart avail

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To think of Paradise the fair, And what his friends God giveth there.” To all this hearkened well the King, And afterward he asked a thing, If aught he lacked whereof was need.

EA Sir, but dare I not the deed.” What is it then ? “ The stroke,”said he. “ Why hast thou given it not to me And told me its betokening ? ” “ Sir, ’tis the memory–stirring

thing Of him who hath ordained the Knight And duly with his gear him dight. Now I will lay it not on thee, For in thy prison here I be, Nor ugly deed here may I do, Lest men lay wite on me thereto ; Nor by me shall the stroke be laid With things so done, be thou apaid.

ET will I show thee further–more, And learn and tell thee o’erand o’er Three matters weightiest to tell, Whereof should new Knight wotfull well,

And hold them all his life–days through, If honour he would come unto. And this is first of all I wot, That with false doom he meddle not

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Nor in the place of treason bide, But lightly wend him thence and wide ; But if the ill he may not turn, Thence forth away must he full yerne. The other matter liketh well. Never may Dame nor Damosel Of him have any evil rede ; But if the rede of him they need Aid them should he with all his might, If he would win fair fame aright. For women should of worship be, And deeds for them done mightily.

HIS also must thou look unto That rightwise abstinence to do, And this I tell you verily On Fridays must there fasting be, The holy memory to bear How Christ was smitten with

the spear Even for our redemption, And gave to Longius pardon. On that same day till life be past, For the Lord’s sake, then, should one fast. But if it be for sickness sake, Or fellowship against it make ; Or if perchance fast one may not, The peace of God must then be got By almsdeed or some otherwise.

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HE next and last thing I devise, Mass should one hear each day and all, And o∏er if one have withal ; For right well o∏ering lies ywis That laid upon God’s table is :

For there it beareth mickle might.” O hath the King heard allaright Of all that Hugh hath toldhim there, And joy he maketh great and fair. Then stood the King upon his feet

Apparelled as it was meet : He entered straight his feast–hall fair, And fifty admirals found there, Who were all men of his country ; Then on his high–seat down sat he, And Hugh before his feet sat down, But soon had place of more renown, For the King made him sit on high.

HEN spake the King : “ Knowverily Because thou art a valiant man A right fair gift for thee I can ; For this I grant thee frank & free ; When so thy folk shall taken be

In battle pitched, or in the fray For thy love they shall go their way.

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If this to crave, thou come to hand. But if thou ride amidst my land, Without impeace fair shalt thou go And on thy palfrey’s neck thereto Shalt lay thine helm before men’s eyes, That nought of fray ’gainst thee arise. Moreover of thy taken men Now will I give thee up to ten If thou wilt have them hence with thee.” “ Sir,” said he, “ of thy much mercy Much thank and good can I : but yet One thing I would not all forget. Thou leadest me to seek and crave Of good men, if I might them have, To help me to my ransoming : But never shall I find, O King, A valianter than thou ywis ; Therefore give me, as right it is, E’en that ye learned me crave of you.” King Saladin, he laughed thereto, And spake as one well pleased would say: “ Right well hast thou begun the way And fifty thousand besants bright Now will I give to thee outright ; By me thou shalt not fail herein.” Unto his feet then did he win And to the lord Hugh spake he so : “ To every baron shalt thou go

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And I will wend along with thee.” “ Sir,” said the King, “ give him and me Wherewith this mighty lord to buy.” To giving fell they presently, The Admirals all round about, Till all the ransom was told out And remnant was, if all were paid, Of thirteen thousand besants weighed ; So much they promised him, and gave. Then would lord Hugh the free leave have To get him gone from paynemry. “ Thus wise thou partest not from me,” Said then the King, “ until ye get The remnant that is over yet Of what behight they to be told. For all those besants of mere gold From out my treasure shall we take.” Then to his treasurer he spake To give the besants to Sir Hugh, And take them after, as was due, Of them who had the promise made. Then he the besants duly weighed And gave them to the Count Sir Hugh, Who took them, would he, would he no. But he to take them was unfain ; Liever were he to buy again His folk who in the prison were In thralldom and right heavy cheer,

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In hand of barons Sarrazin. But when thereof heard Saladin, Then by his Mawmet strong he swore They should be ransomed never more. And when Hugh heard it, for his part Great wrath he had within his heart, But further durst not pray the King, Since he by Mawmet swore the thing. Nor durst he wroth him more that day. Therewith he bade them to array, Those ten fellows, whom he did crave The road to their own land to have. Yet did he tarry from the road And there for eight days yet abode In feast full great and all delight. Then he the let–pass craved aright To pass therewith the foeman’s land. And Saladin gave ’neath his hand Of his own folk great company. A fifty fellows there had he, And they from Paynemrie him lead Without ill pride or evil deed, That never had they fight nor fray. So too they then the backward way, And to their land ride frank and free. Therewith the Prince of Galilee In likewise gat him home again, But for his folk hard was his pain

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That he behoved to leave behind, Whereof no mending might he find. More grieved is he than all and some.

O to his own land is hecome With but those ten andhath no more. Then shareth he the wealthgood store

That thence awayward he had brought, And unto no man giveth nought, That wealthy wax they, each, and hail.

AIR sirs, well wended isthe tale Amidst good people ofgood will ; For nought it shall be tothe ill,

Who no more than the sheep shall hear By God and Paradise the dear ! For well may he his jewels tyne Who casteth them before the swine : They shall but tread them under feet, And deem them neither good nor sweet. For nothing of it should they wot But ever understand it not, And whoso such a tale should tell, Down trod he should be e’en as well, And held of nought by their un–wit.

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UT he who willeth learn of it, Two things in this sametale shall find well worthy worship in hismind. And this the first, to wot aright

In what wise one is made a Knight Such as the whole world worship shall Whereas he wardeth one and all. For if there were not fair Knighthood Then Lordship were but little good : For Holy Church it wardeth still, And from ill doer’s evil will In right and justice keepeth all ; So this I praise what e’er befall. Who loves it not is such as they Who would the mass–cup steal away That doth upon God’s altar stand. Lo, how their rightwiseness hath care For all men good defence to bear, For drove they not ill men away, Good men might dure not ever a day. Then all were Sarracens in sooth, And Albigeois and men uncouth, Folk of the law of devilry, Who should us make our faith deny : But these the Knighthood have in fear. Therefore those should we hold full dear

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In honour and in worship meet, And ever rise upon our feet Against their coming from afar. Certes well worth the shame they are Who hold such men in grudge and hate. For now forsooth I tell you straight, That power full due still hath the Knight To have his weapons all aright, And them in holy church to bear When he hath will the mass to hear : That missay may no evil one The worship of the Mary–Son ; Or the all–hallowed sacrament, From whence is our salvation sent. And if missayeth any wight, There may he slay the same outright.

OME deal more needeth yetto say : Do ye the right, come whatcome may. The Knight is bidden holdthis same.

If he would win the word of fame This word he well must understand. Boldly I tell you out of hand If he after his Order doth None hinder may, or lief or loth, But he wend straight to Paradise.

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O have I learned you thisdevise To do the thing ye shouldof right In worship ever of a Knight Over all men ; saving the priest

Who doth the sacrament and feast Of God’s own body Thus I tell True tale that ye may know it well Of what betided to Prince Hugh, A valiant man and wise thereto. Of Saladin great praise had he Whereas he found his valiancy : Also he made him honoured fair Whereas he wrought with pain and care After his might good works to win. For good gain lieth still therein, And in the Latin read I this Of good deed ever good end is. So for our ending let us pray To him who endeth never a day, That coming to the end of all We to good ending may befall, And win unending joyance then Which hath no end for righteous men. Ahd pray for him who wrote as well With Jesus Christ for aye to dwell And in the love of Mary May. Now each and all, amen we say. THE end of the Ordination of Chivalry.

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MEMORANDA CONCERNING THE TWO PIECES HERE REPRINTED.

HE “ Order of Chiv-alry ” was translatedby Caxton from theFrench original, ofwhich there are manyearly manuscripts inexistence. That inthe British Museum,Fr. Roy. 14 E.16, isbeautifully written,

and has at the head of the first column awell painted miniature representing theHermit and the Squire in conference. Itforms part of a large folio volume which issaid to have been made for Edward IVth.A strange confusion has been made byvarious writers & bibliographers betweenthis treatise and a charming little Frenchpoem of the 13th century, entitled “ L’Or-dene de Chevalerie.” This was first printedat Paris in 1759, by M. Barbazan, and againin the “ Fabliaux et Contes,” Paris, 1808,from the text found in the MS. volume25462, fo.149–157, in the National Library atParis, which is said by M. Ernest Langlois(La Chevalerie, par L. Gautier, p. 293) to be

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an excellent one. M. Langlois speaks of“ L’Ordre de Chevalerie ” as a prose render–ing of the XIIIth century poem, and M.Gautier appears to have adopted this view,for while he gives a summary of the poem,he omits all mention of the prose work ¶ Toenable those who are interested in the mat–ter to judge how far there is reason to sup–pose that the one work is drawn from theother, the poem is here reprinted from thetext given in the “ Fabliaux et Contes,”1808. It will be seen that while it consistsof only 510 lines, or about 2750 words, ofwhich not more than half relate to the Or-dering of Knighthood, the prose work con–sists of about 18000 words and is from be–ginning to end devoted to describing theduties of a Knight, the manner of his insti–tution, & the symbolism of the ceremoniesused on the occasion. As the poem is as–cribed to the 13th century, and the learnedDirector of the French National Library at–tributes the prose work to the 14th century,it might very well be that the author of the“ Ordre de Chevalerie ” was acquainted withthe earlier work & might have been in somemeasure inspired by it. But there can belittle doubt that the symbolizing of the

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ceremonies of Knighthood was a matterof common knowledge in the 13th and 14thcenturies, or probably at a much earlier date,& is as little likely to have been originatedby the author of the earlier work as by thecompiler of the later one. The French ver-sion of the “ Ordre de Chevalerie ” wasnot printed till 1504 and even then it didnot appear as a treatise on Chivalry, but asa part of “ Le Jeu des Eschez moralise,”printed at Paris for A. Verard. In 1510 itwas printed at Lyons, but was then putforth as the work of Symphorien Cham-pier, though it had been written a hundredyears or more before he was born. This tar-dy & obscure mode of publication is goodevidence how entirely dead, by the end ofthe 15th century, was the spirit of Chival-ry as understood by the writers of thesebooks. Caxton appears, from his eloquentappeal at the end of the treatise, to havebeen a belated lover of Chivalry, but hishope that the publication of this little bookwould give new life to it was evidentlydoomed to disappointment, for that nosecond edition of it was ever produced byhim is of itself good proof that his appealfell on deaf ears. How little interest the

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subject aroused is also shown by the factthat no other English typographer eitherof the 15th or 16th centuries was at the painsto reprint the book1The interest that ithas now as an historical document is con-siderable, and the wonder is that it has notbeen reprinted before this time in our owndays.

F. S. E.

THIS Ordination of Knighthood wasprinted by William Morris at the Kelms-cott Press, Upper Mall, Hammersmith,in the Country of Middlesex; finished onthe 24th day of February, 1893.