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THE

ORDER OF
CHIVALRY
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 of
Knighthood, 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 Ordre
of Chyualry or Knyghthode.
NTO the praysynge and dy-
uyne glorye of god, which is
lord 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, and
haue power and seygnorye in gouernynge
and ordeynynge the bodyes terrestre and
erthely, 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 oughten
to haue power and dominacion ouer the
moyen peple. And this booke conteyneth
viii chapitres.
2  The first chapytre sayth how a Knyght,
beyng an heremyte, deuysed to the Squyer
the Rule and Ordre of Chyualry.
2  The second is of the begynnynge of
Chyualry.
2  The thyrd is of tho∏yce of Chyualry.
2  The fourthe of thexamynacion that
ought to be made to the Esquyer whan he
wylle entre in to the Ordre of Chyualry.
2  The fyfthe is in what maner thesquyer
ought to receyue Chyualry.
2  The syxthe is of the sygnefyaunce of
the armes longynge to a Knyght al by or-
dre.
2  The seuenth, of the custommes that
apperteyne to a Knyght.
2  The eyght is of the honour that oughte
to be done to a Knyght.

2 Thus endeth the table of the Book of


Chyualry.
1  Here after foloweth the mater and
tenour of this said Booke. And the
fyrst chapyter saith hou the good He-
remyte deuysed to the Esquyer the
Rule & 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, & in
auenturyng his body had mayntened
warres, justes & tornoyes, & in many
batailles had had many noble vycto-
ryes and glorious, & by cause he sawe
& thought in his corage that he myght
not long lyue, as he which by long tyme
had ben by cours of nature nyghe vnto
his ende, chass to hym an heremytage.
For nature faylled in hym by age, and
hadde no power ne vertu to vse armes
as he was woned to do. Soo that thenne
his herytages, & alle his rychesses he lefte
to his children, and made his habytacion
or dwelling place in a greete wode, habon-
daunt of watres and of grete trees & hyhe,
berynge fruytes of dyuerse manyers ; and
fledde the world by cause that the feble-
nesse of his body in the whiche he was by
old age fallen, & that he dishonoured not
that whiche that in honourable thynges &
auenturous hadde ben longe tyme hon-
oured1  The same knyght thynkynge on
the dethe, remembryth the departynge fro
this world in to that other, & also thought
of the ryght redoubtable sentence of oure
lord in the whiche hym behoued to come to
the 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 of
fruyte in his tyme of whiche the knyght
lyued in the forest. And vnder the same
tree was a fontayne moche fayre and clere,
that arowsed and moysted all the medowe.
1  And in that same place was the knyght
acustomed to come euery daye fore to preye
& adoure god Almyghty ;  to whome he ren-
dryd thankynge of the honoure that he had
done to hym in thys world alle the dayes
of his lyf2  In that tyme it happed at the
2
entryng of a strong wynter, that a kynge
moche noble, wyse and ful of good cus-
tommes, sente for many nobles by cause
that he wold hold a grete courte1  And
by the grete renommee that was of thys
courte it happed that a Squyer moeued hym
for to goo thyder, in entencion that there
he shold be made Knyght1  Thus as he
wente all allone, rydynge vppon his pal-
froy, it happed that for the trauaylle that
he had susteyned of rydynge he slepte
vpon his horse2  In the meane whyle that
he rode soo slepynge, his palfroy yssued
oute of the ryght waye, and entryd in to
the forest where as was the Knyghte Here-
myte1  And soo longe he wente that he
came to the fontayne at the same tyme that
the Knyght whiche dwellyd in the wode to
doo his penaunce, was there comen for to
praye vnto god, & for to despyse the vany-
tees of this worlde, lyke as he was acustom-
ed euery day1  Whan he sawe the Squyer
come, he lefte his oroyson and satte in the
medowe in the shadow of a tree, and be-
ganne to rede in a lytyl book that he had
in his lappe. And whan the palfroy was
come to the fontayn he beganne to drynke,
and the Squyer that slept, anone felte that
3
his hors meued not & lyghtly awoke, and
thenne to hym came the Knyght whiche was
moche old, & had a grete berde, longe heer
and a feble gowne worne and broken for
ouer longe werynge, and by the penaunce
that he dayly made was moche discolourd
and lene ;  & by the teres that he had wepte
were his eyen moche wasted, & hadde a re-
gard or countenaunce of moche hooly lyf.
2  Eche of them merueylled of other ; for
the Knyght, whiche hadde ben moche longe
in his heremytage, had sene no man sythe
that he had lefte the world ;  & the Squyer
merueylled hym strongly how he was com-
en in to that place1  Thenne descended
the Squyer fro his palfroy and salewed the
Knyght, and the Knyght receyued hym
moche wysely, & after sette them vpon the
grasse that one by that other2  And er ony
of them spak, eche of them byheld eche
others chere1  The Knyght that knewe
that the Squyer wold not speke fyrst, by
cause that he wold doo to hym reuerence,
spak fyrst and said,

4
 AYR frend, what is your cor-
age or entent ? And wyther
goo ye ? Wherfor be ye com-
en hyther ? Syre, said he, the
renommee is sprad by ferre
conntreyes that a kynge, mo-
che wyse and noble, hath commaunded a
Courte general, and wylle be maade hym
self newe Knyght, and after adoube and
make other newe Knyghtes, estraunge ba-
rons and pryue, & therefore I goo to this
Courte for to be adoubed Knyght1  But
whanne I was a slepe, for the trauylle that
I haue had of the grete journeyes that I
haue made, my palfroy wente oute of the
ryght way, and hath brought me vnto this
place2  Whanne the Knyght herd speke
of the Knyghthode and Chyualrye, and re-
membryd hym of thordre of the same, and
of that whiche apperteyneth to a Knyght,
he caste oute a grete syghe, and entryd in a
grete thought, remembrynge of the ho-
noure in whiche Chyualrye hadde ben longe
mayntened1  In the meane whyle that the
Knyghte thus thought, the Esquyer de-
maunded of hym wherof he was so pensyf.
2  And the Knyght answerd to hym,

5
 AYRE sone my thoughte is
of the ordre of Knyghthode
or Chyualrye, & of the grete-
nesse in whiche a Knyght is
holden in mayntenynge the
gretenesse of the honour of
Chyualrye1  Thenne the Esquyer prayd
to the Knyght that he wold saye to hym
thordre & the manere wherfore men ought
the better honoure and kepe in hyhe wor-
shippe hit, as hit oughte to be after the or-
denauce of god2  How sone, sayde the
Knyght, knowest thow not what is the rule
& ordre of knyghthode ? And I meruaylle
how thou darest demaunde Chyualrye or
Knyghthode vnto the tyme that thow
knowe the ordre ;  for noo Knyght maye not
loue the ordre, ne that whiche apperteyn-
eth to his ordre, but yf he can knowe the
de∏aultes that he dothe ageynst the ordre
of Chyualrye ;  ne no Knyght ought to make
ony Knyghtes, but yf he hym self knowe
thordre. For a disordynate Knyghte is he
that maketh a Knyght, and can not shewe
the ordre to hym in the customme of Chy-
ualry.

6
 N the meane whyle that the
Knyght sayd these wordes
to the Esquyer that demaun-
ded Chyualrye, withoute that
he knewe what thynge was
Chyualrye, the Esquyer an-
swerd and sayd to the Knyght2  Syre, yf
hit be youre playsyre, I byseche yow that
ye wylle saye and telle to me the ordre of
Chyualrye, for wel me semeth & thynketh
that I shold lerne hit for the grete desyre
that I haue therto, and after my power I
shalle ensiewe hit, yf hit please yow to en-
seygne, shewe, and teche hit me2  Frend,
sayd the Knyght, the Rule and Ordre of
Chyualrye is wreton in this lytyl booke
that I hold here in myn handes, in whiche
I rede and am besy somtyme, to the ende
that hit make me remembre or thynke on
the grace and bounte that god hath gyuen
and done to me in this world by cause that
I honoured & mayntened with al my power
thordre of Chyualrye ;  for alle in lyke wyse
as Chyualrye gyueth to a Knyghte alle that
to hym apperteyneth, in lyke wyse a Knyght
ought to gyue alle his forces for to hon-
oure Chyualrye2  Thenne the Knyght de-
lyuerd to the Esquyer the lytyl booke.
7
 ND whanne he had redde
therin he vnderstode that the
Knyght 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 lytyl
booke the Rule and Ordre of Chyualry1
And thenne he remembryd hym a lytyl, and
after sayd, A syre, blessyd be ye that haue
brought me in place and in tyme that I haue
knowlege of Chyualrye, the whiche I haue
longe tyme desyred, withoute that I knewe
the noblesse of the ordre, ne the honoure
in whiche oure lord god hath sette alle them
that ben in thordre of Chyualrye.
 HE Knyght sayd, faire sone,
I am an old man and feble,
and may not forthon moche
longe lyue, and therfor this
lytyl booke, that is made for
the deuocion, loyalte and the
ordenaunce that a Knyght ought to haue
in holdynge his ordre, ye shall bere with
yow to the Courte where as ye go vnto, and
to shewe to alle them that will be made
Knyghtes2  And whan ye shalle be newe
doubed Knyght, and ye shall retorne in to
8
your countrey, come ageyne to this place,
and lete me haue knowlege who they be
that haue ben obeyssaunt to the doc-
tryne of Chyualrye.
 HENNE the Knyght gaf to
the Squyer his blessynge ;  &
he took leue of hym, & tooke
the booke moche deuoutely,
and after mounted vpon his
palfory & went forth hastely
to the courte. And whan he was comen he
presented the booke moche wysely & or-
dynatly to the noble kynge, & furthermore
he o∏ryd that euery noble man that wold
be in thordre of Chyualry myght haue a
copye of sayd book, to thende that he
myght see and lerne thordre of Knyght-
hode and Chyualrye.

9
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 and
loued, doubted, serued and honoured2
At the begynnyng whan to the world was
comen mesprysion, justyce retorned by
drede in to honour, in whiche she was wonte
to be, and therfore alle the peple was de-
uyded bythousandes, and of eche thou-
sand was chosen a man most loyal, moost
stronge & of most noble courage, & better
enseygned and manerd than al the other.
ND after was enquyred & ser-
ched what beest was moost
couenable, moost fayre, most
couragyous & moost stronge
to susteyne trauaylle, and
moost able to serue the man.
10
1  And thenne was founden that the hors
was the moost noble, & the moost coue-
nable for to serue man. And by cause that,
emong alle the beestes the man chaas the
hors, and gaf hym to this same man that
was soo chosen amonge a thowsand men,
for after the hors, whiche is called Chyual
in Frensshe, is that man named Chyualler,
whiche is a Knyght in Englyssh. Thus to
the moost noble man was gyuen the moost
noble beest2  It behoueth after this that
ther shold be chosen alle the armures suche
as ben most noble and moste couenable to
batayll & de∏ende the man fro dethe, and
these armures were gyuen and appropred
to the Knyght.
 HENNE who that wylle entre
in to the ordre of Chyualrye,
he must thynke on the noble
begynnynge of chyualrye.
And hym behoueth that the
noblesse of his courage in
good custommes accorde to the begyn-
nyng of chyualry1  For yf hit were not
soo he shold be contrary to his ordre and
to his begynnynges, & therfore hit is not
couenable thynge that thordre of chyualry
receyue his enemyes in honours, ne them
11
that ben contrarye to his begynnynges
loue and drede begynnen ageynst hate and
mesprysyon ;  & therfore hit behoueth that
the knyght by noblesse of courage and of
noble customme and bounte, and by the
honour soo grete and so hyhe that he is
maade be election, by his hors and by his
armes, be loued and doubted of the peple,
and that by loue he recouere charyte and
ensygnement, and by fere recoure veryte
and justyce.
 F as moche as a man hath
more of wytte and of vnder-
standyng, and is of more
stronger nature than a wo-
man, of soo moche may he be
better than a woman. For yf
he were not more puyssaunt and dy∏erent
to be better than the woman, it shold en-
siewe that bounte and strengthe of nature
were contrary to bounte of courage and to
good werkes. Thenne al thus as a man by
his nature is more apparaylled to haue
noble courage and to be better than the
woman, in lyke wyse moche more enclyned
to be vycious than a woman. For yf it were
not thus he shold not be worthy that he
had gretter meryte to be good more than
12
the woman1  Beware thow Squyer that
wol entre in to thordre of Chyualry what
thou shalt doo ;  for yf thou be a Knyght
thow receyuest honour and the seruytude
that must be hadde vnto the frendes of
Chyualrye, for of soo moche as thou hast
more noble begynnyngr & hast more ho-
nour, of soo moche arte thow more bonde
and bounden to be good & agreable to god
and also to the peple2  And yf thow be
wycked thow arte enemy of Chyualry and
arte contrary to his commaundements and
honours. So moche hyhe and soo moche
noble is thordre of Chyualrye that it su∏y-
seth not that there be made Knyghtes of
the moost noble persones, ne that ther
shold be gyuen to them the moost noble
beete and the beste, the most noble ar-
mures and the beste only.
  UT hym behoueth, & it must
be, that he be made lord of
many men, for in seygnorye
is moche noblesse, & in ser-
uytude as moche of subiec-
tions2  Thenne yf thow take
thordre of Knyghthode, & arte a vyle man
and wycked thou dost grete iniurye to all
thy subgettis and to thy felawes that ben
13
good, for by the vylette in whiche thow arte
yf thou be wycked, thou oughtest to be
put vnder a serf or bonde man, and by the
noblesse of Kyghtes that be good it is
indygne and not worthy that thow be called
a Knyght.
  LECTION, ne hors, ne arm-
ures, su∏yse not yet to the
hyghe honour whiche long-
eth to a Knyght, but it be-
houeth that there be gyuen
to hym a squyer & seruaunt
that may take hede to his hors1  And hit
behoueth also that the comyn peple la-
boure the londes for to brynge fruytes and
goodes wherof the knyght and his beestes
haue theyr lyuyng, and that the Knyght
reste hym and be at seiourne after his no-
blesse, and desporte hym vpon his hors
for to hunte or in other manere after that
it shal please hym, and that he ease hym
and delyte in thynges of whiche his men
haue payne & trauayl1  The clerkes stu-
dyen in doctryne & scyence how they may
conne knowe god and loue hym and his
werkes, to thende that they gyue doctryne
to the peple laye and bestiall by good en-
samples, to knowe, loue, serue, & do hon-
14
oure to god oure gloryous lord2  For to
thende that they may ordynatly do these
thynges, they folowe & ensyewe the scoles.
1  Thenne thus as the ckerkes by honest
lyf, by good ensample and scyence, haue
goten ordre and o∏yce tenclyne the peple
to deuocion and good lyf, alle in lyke wyse
the Knyghtes by noblesse of courage and
by force of armes mayntene the ordre of
Chyualrye, and haue the same ordre, to
thende, by the whiche the one doubte to doo
wronge to the other.
HE scyence and the scole of
the ordre of Chyualrye is that
the Knyght make his sone to
lerne 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 the
sone of a Knyght in the tyme that he is
Squyer can take kepynge of hors ;  and hym
behoueth that he serue, & that he be fyrste
subgette or he be lord, for otherwyse shold
he not knowe the noblesse of the sey-
gnory whan he shold be Knyght.

15
 ND therfor euery man that
wylle come to Knyghthode,
hym behoueth to lerne in his
yongeth 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 a
taillour, or a carpenter, hym behoueth that
ha haue a mayster that can sewe of hewe2
Al in lyke wyse it behoueth that a noble
man that loueth the ordre of Chyualrye,
and wyl a Knyght, haue fyrst a mayster
that is a Knyght, for thus as a discouenable
thyng it shold be that a man that wold
lerne 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 lerne
thordre & noblesse of chyualry of ony
other man than of a knyght.
 O moche is hyhe & honoured
the ordre of chyualrye, that to
a Squyer ne su∏yseth not on-
ly to kepe hors and lerne to
serue a knyght and that he
goo with hym to tornoyes &
bataylles, but hit is nedeful that ther be
holden to hym a scole of the ordre of Kny-
ghthode, and that the scyence were wreton
16
in bookes, and that the arte were shewed
& redde, and that the sones of Knyghtes
lerne fyrst the scyence that apperteyneth
to thordre of Chyualry1  And after that
they were Squyers they shold ryde thrugh
dyuerse countrees with the Knyghtes, and
yf ther were none errour in the Clerkes and
in the Knyghtes, vnneth shold ther be ony
in other peple ; for by the Clerkes they
shold haue deuocion and loue to god, and
by the Knyghtes they shold doubte to doo
wronge, trayson and barate, the one to an-
other2  Thenne sythe the Clerkes haue
maysters and doctryne & go to the scoles
for to lerne, & ther ben soo many scyences
that they ben wreton and ordeyned in doc-
tryne, grete wrong is done to the ordre of
Knyghthode, of this, that it is not a scy-
ence wreton and redde in scoles lyke as the
other scyences, and therfore he that maade
this booke bysecheth to the noble kynge,
and to alle the noble companye of noble
Knyghtes that ben in this courte assem-
bled in the honoure of Chyualrye, that of
the wrong that is done to hit may be am-
endyd and satisfaction done.
17
1  Of tho∏yce that apperteyneth to a
Knyght.
 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 hit
that he bere the name2  For such a Knyght
is more vyle than the smythe or the carpen-
ter that done their o∏yce after that they
owe to doo and haue lerned2  The o∏yce of
a Knyght is to mayntene and de∏ende the
holy feyth catholyque, by the whiche god
the fader sente his sone in to the world to
take flesshe humayne in the gloryous vyr-
gyn oure lady saynt Mary, and for to hon-
oure and multyplye the feythe, su∏ryd in
this world many trauaylles, despytes and
anguysshous deth.

18
 HENNE in lyke wyse as our
lord god hath chosen the
clerkes for to mayntene the
holy feith catholike with
Scripture and resons ayenst
the 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 holy
chirche1  And suche Knyghtes god hold-
eth them for his frendes, honoured in this
world and in that other, when they kepe and
mayntene the feith by the whiche we en-
tende to be saued2  The Knyght that hath
no feythe and vseth no feyth, and is con-
trarye to them that mayntene it, is as then-
tendement of a man to whome god hath
gyuen reason & useth the contrary. Then-
ne he that hath feithe & is contrary to fey-
the, & will be saued, he doth ageynst hym
self, for his wylle accordeth to mescre-
aunce, whiche is contrary to feith and to the
sauacion ;  by the whiche mescreaunce a man
is juged to torments infynytes and per-
durable1  Many there ben that haue of-
fyces whiche god hath gyuen to them in
this world, to thende that of hym he shold
19
be serued & honoured, but the most noble
and the most honourable o∏yces that ben,
ben tho∏yces of Clerkes and of Knyghtes,
and therfor the grettest amytye that shold
be in this world, ought to be bitwene the
Knyghtes and Clerkes.
 HENNE thus as Clerkes be
not ordeyned of their clergy
that they be ayenst thordre
of Chyualry, also Knyghtes
maintene not by thordre of
Chyualry them that be con-
trary to the clerkes which ben bounden to
loue and mayntene thordre of Chyualry.
1  Thordre is not gyuen to a man for that
he shold loue his ordre only, but he ought
to loue the other ordres ; for to loue one
ordre and to hate another is nothynge to
loue ordre, for God hath gyuen none ordre
that is contrarye to other ordre2  Thenne
thus as the relygyous that loueth not soo
moche his own ordre that he is enemy of
an other ordre, he foloweth not ne ensiew-
eth the rule of thordre1  Thus a Knyght
loueth not tho∏yce of a Knyght that so
moche loueth and preyseth his own ordre
that he myspryseth & hateth other ordre.

20
 OR yf a Knyght loued the
ordre of Chyualry and de-
stroyed somme other ordre,
hit shold seme that the or-
dre shold be contrary to
God, the whiche thyng may
not be, syth he hath establysshed ordre.
1  So moche noble is cheualrye that euery
Knyght ought to be gouenour of a grete
countre or lond. But ther ben soo many
Knyghtes that the lond maye not su∏yse
to sygnefye that one ought to be lord of
al thynged2  Themperour ought to be a
Knyght and lord of al Knyghtes, but by
cause themperour may not by him self
gouerne al Knyghtes, hym behoueth that
he haue vnder hym Kynges that ben Kny-
ghtes to thende that they ayde and helpe
to mayntene thordre of Chyualry, and the
Kynges ought to haue vnder them dukes,
erles, vycountes and other lordes, & vnder
the barons ought to be Knyghtes, whiche
ought to gouernr hem after the ordynaunce
of the barons whiche ben in the hyhe degree
of Chyualry to fore named for to shewe th-
excellence, seygnorye, power & wysedome
of oure lord god gloryous, whiche is one
only god in Trynyte, & can & may gouerne
21
alle thynges ; wherfore hit is not thyng co-
uenable that a Knyght allone shold by hym
self gouerne alle the people of thys world
1  For yf one knight allone myght so do,
the seygnorye, the power and wysedom of
god 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 make
prouostes and baillyes of other persones
than of Knyghtes, done ayenst tho∏yce of
Chyualry, for the Knyght is more worthy
to haue the seygnorye ouer the peple than
ony other man, & by thonour of his o∏yce
ought to be done to hym more gretter hon-
our than ony other man that hath not so an
honourable o∏yce, and by thonour that he
receyueth of his ordre he hath noblesse of
herte, and by noblesse of courage he is the
lasse enclyned to doo a vylaynous fait or
dede than another man.

22
 HOFFYCE of a Kngyht is to
mayntene and de∏ende his
lord worldly or terryen, for a
kyng ne no hyhe baron hath
no power to mayntene ryght-
wysnes in his men without
ayde and helpe1  Thenne yf ony man do
ageynst the commandement of his kyng
or prynce, it behoueth that the Knyghtes
ayde their lord, whiche is but a man only as
another is, and therfor the euyl Knyght
whiche sooner helpeth another man that
wold put doun his lord fro the seignory
that he ought to haue vpon him, he folow-
eth not tho∏yce by which he is called a
Knyght2  By the Knyghtes ought to be
mayntened and kept justyce, for in lyke
wyse as the juges haue the tho∏yce to juge, in
lyke wyse haue the Knyghtes tho∑ce for
to kepe them fro vyolence in exercysyng
the fayt of iustyce. Yf it myght be that
Chyualry and Clergy assembled them to
gyder in such maner that Knyghtes shold
be lerned so that by scyence they were suf-
fysaunt to be juges, none o∑ce sholde be
so couenable to be a juge as Chyualry ;  for
he that by justyce may best be holden is
more couenable to be a juge than ony other.
23
  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 to
mayntene thordre of Knyghthode. Thenne
to mesprise and to leue the custom of the
which the Knyght is most apparailled to
vse his o∑ce is but despising of thordre.
And thus as al these thynges afore said
apperteyne to a Knyght as touching his
body, in lyke wise justice, wysedom, chari-
te, loyalte, verite, humylite, strength, hope,
swiftnes and al other vertues semblable,
apperteyne to a Knyght as touchyng his
soule, and therfor the Knyght that vseth
the thynges that apperteyne to thordre of
Chyualry as touchyng his body, and hath
none of these vertues that apperteyne to
Chyualry touchyng his soule, is not the
frende of thordre of Knyghthode2  For
yf hit were thus that he maade separacion
of the vertues aboue sayd, sayenge that
they apperteyne not to the soule, and to
thordre of Chyualrye to gyder, it shold
signefye that the body & Chyualrye were
24
bothe two to gyder contrarye to the soule
and to these vertues, and that is fals.
 HOFFYCE of a Knyght is to
mayntene the londe, for by
cause that the drede of the
comyn people haue of the
Knyghtes, they laboure and
cultyue the erthe for fere
ledte they shold be destroyed, and by the
drede of the Knyghtes they redoubte the
kynges, prynces and lordes, by whome
they haue theyr power1  But the wycked
Knyght that aydeth not his erthely lord &
naturel countrey ageynst another prynce
is a Knyght withoute o∏yce, & is lyke vnto
faith withoute werkes and lyke vnto mys-
byleue, which is ayenst the feyth. Thenne
yf suche a Knyght folowe tho∏yce of Chy-
ualrye in destournyng hym self and not to
ayde his lorde, suche a Knyght & his ordre
shold doo wronge to that Knyght whiche
fyghtrth vnto the deth for justyce and for
to mayntene & de∏ende his lorde2  Ther
is no o∏yce that is ofte made but that it
may be de∏eated, for yf that whiche is
mage myght not be de∏eated, that shold
be a thyng semblable to God, which is not
ne may not be de∏eated ne destroyed1
25
Thenne as tho∑ce is made & ordeyned of
God, and is mayntened by them that loue
thordre of Chyualry, by cause the wycked
Knyght that loueth not the ordre of Chy-
ualrye de∏eate a Knyght in hym self ; but
the euyl kyng or prynce that diffeateth in
hym self thordre of Chyualry, he di∏eat-
eth it not only in hym self, but he di∏eateth
it in the Knyghtes that ben put vnder hym,
the whiche done that whiche apperteyneth
not to a Knyght by the wycked ensample
of their lord, soo that by desloyal flaterye
they be loued of hym.
 ND by this reason the wyck-
ed prynces ben not al only
contrarye to the ordre & of-
fyce of Chyualrye to theire
persones, but they ben also
to them that ben submysed
to them, in whome they de∏eate the ordre
of Chyualrye. Thenne yf to caste a Knyght
oute of Chyualrye is grete cruelte & grete
wyckednesse, moche more grete de∏aulte
is for to cast many oute of Chyualrye.
Whan ony noble prynce or hyhe baron hath
in his courte or in his companye, wycked
Knyghtes, fals and traytours, that neuer
fynysshe to admoneste hym that he do
26
wyckednesse, barate, traysons and extor-
cions to his trewe subgettis, and the good
prynce by the strengthe of his noble cour-
age, and by the grete loue and loyalte that
he 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 & plucke
aweye the wele and honoure of Chyualrye
and corrupte his noble courage2  Yf Chy-
ualrye were not more stronge of body than
in strengthe of courage, ordre of Chyual-
rye shold more accorde to the body than
to the soule. And yf it were so, the body
shold be more noble than the soule, but
that is openly fals1  Thenne noblesse of
courage may not be vaynquysshed of man,
ne surmounted, ne of alle the men that ben,
whan she is in her ryght strengthe2  And
whanne a body is lyghtly taken, and vayn-
quysshed of another, hit appiereth wel
27
that the courage of man is more stronge
and noble than the body
 ND by suche manere, a Kny-
ght that is in bataylle with
his lord & for lacke of cour-
age fleeth fro the bataylle
whan nede shole be that he
shold ayde. Therfor he that
more redoubteth or fereth the torment or
peryll of his body than of his courage, and
vseth not tho∏yce of Chyualrye, ne is not
seruaunt 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 shold
accorde better to the ordre of Chyualrye
than 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 and
cowardyse shold be tho∏yce of a Knyght,
and hardynesse and strengthe of courage
shold dysordeyne the ordre of Chyual-
ry. Thenne how be it alle the contrarye1
Therfore a noble Knyghte that loueth
Chyualrye, how moche lasse he hath ayde
of his felawes, and lasse of armes & lasse
to de∏ende, so moche more hym behoueth
28
tenforce hym self to haue tho∏yce of a
Knyght by hardynesse of a stronge cour-
age and of noble apparence ageynste them
that ben contrarye to Chyualry.
 ND yf he deye for to mayn-
tene Chyualry, thenne he ac-
quyreth Chyualrye in that in
whiche he maye the better
loue & serue hit ; for Chyual-
ry abydeth not soo agreably
in no place as in noblesse of courage, and
no man may more honoure and loue Chy-
ualrye, ne more for hym maye not be do
than that deyeth for loue and for to hon-
oure the ordre of Chyualrye.
 HYUALRYE & hardynes-
se may not accorde without
wytte and discrescion. And
yf hit were thus that foyle &
ygnoraunce accorded therto,
wytte and discrescion shold
be contrary to the ordre of Chyualrye, and
that is thynge impossible ; by whiche is
openly sygnefyed to the Knyght that thow
hast grete loue to the ordre of Chyualrye,
that al in lyke wyse as Chyualrye by no-
blesse of courage hath made the to haue
hardynesse, so that thow doubtest no peril
29
ne deth, by cause thow myghtest honoure
Chyualry, in lyke wyse hit behoueth that
thordre of Chyualry make the to loue
wysedom, by whiche thow mayest loue and
honoure the ordre of Chyualrye, ageynst
the disordynaince and de∏aulte that is in
them that wene to ensiewe and folowe the
ordre of Chyualry by foyle and ygnor-
aunce & withoute entendement.
 HOFFYCE of a Kyght is to
mayntene & de∏ende wym-
men, wydowes & orphanes,
and men dyseased and not
puyssaunt ne stronge ; for
lyke as customme and reason
is that the grettest and moost myghty
helpe the feble and lasse, & that they haue
recours to the grete, ryght soo is thordre
of Chyualry, by cause she is grete, ho-
nourable and myghty, be in socoure and
in ayde to them that ben vnder hym, and
lasse myghty and lasse honoured than he
is1  Thenne as it is soo, that for to doo
wrong & force to wymmen, wydowes that
haue nede of ayde, & orphelyns that haue
nede of gouernaunce, and to robbe & des-
troye the feble that haue nede of strengthe,
& to take awey from them that is gyuen to
them, these thynges may not accorde to
30
thordre of Chyualry, for this is wycked-
nesse, cruelte and tyranny, & the Knyght
that in stede of these vyces is full of ver-
tues, he is dygne & worthy to haue thordre
of Chyualrye2  And al in lyke wyse as god
hath gyuen eyen to the werk man for to see
to werke, ryght so he hath gyuen eyen to
a synnar to thende that he bewepe his syn-
nes ; and lyke as god hath gyuen to hym
an herte to thende that he be hardy by his
noblesse, so ought he to haue in his herte
mercy, and that his courage be enclyned to
the werkes of myserycorde & of pyte ; that
is to wete, to helpe and ayde them that al
wepynge requyre of the Knyghtes ayde &
mercy, and that in them haue their hope.
 HENNE Knyghtes that haue
none eyen by whiche they may
see the feble & not strong, ne
haue not the herte ne myght
by whiche they maye recorde
the nedes of the myschaunt
& nedy peple ben not worthy to be in thor-
dre of Chyualry1  Yf Chyualrye, whiche
is so moche an honourable o∏yce, were to
robbe and to destroye the poure peple and
not myghty, and tengyne and doo wronge
to good wymmen, wydowes that haue no-
31
thynge to de∏ende them, that o∏yce thenne
were not vertuous, but it shold be vycious.
 HOFFYCE of a Knyght is to
haue a castel and horse for to
kepe the wayes & for to def-
fende them that labouren the
londes and the erthe, and they
ought to haue townes & cy-
tees for to holde ryght to the peple, & for
to assemble in a place men of many dyuerse
craftes whiche ben moche necessarye to the
ordenaunce of this world to kepe & mayn-
tene the lyf of man & of woman1  Thenne
as the Knyghtes for to mayntene theyre
o∏yces ben soo moche preysed & allowed,
that they be lordes of townes, castellys &
cytees, and of moche peple ; yf thenne they
entende to destroye castellys, cytees and
townes, brenne howses, hewe doune trees,
slee beestes, and robbe in the hyhe wayes
were the o∏yce of Chyualrye, hit shold be
disordynaunce to Chyualrye.
 OR yf hit were soo, Chyual-
rye were not well ordeyned,
for thenne good ordenaunce
and his contrary shold be
one thynge, & that may not
be. Tho∏yce of a Knyght is
32
also to enserche for theues, robbours and
other wyckked folke, for to make them to
be punysshed. For in lyke wyse as the axe
is made for to hewe and destroye the euylle
trees, in lyke wyse is tho∏yce of a Knyght
establysshyd for to punysshe the tres-
pacers & delynquaunts. And by cause that
god and Chyualry concorde to gydre, hit
behoueth that fals swerynge and vntrewe
othe be not in them that mayntene thordre
of Chyualrye. And yf lecherye and justyce
accorded to gyder, Chyualry whiche accor-
deth to Justyce shold accorde to lecherye.
And yf Chyualrye and lecherye accorded,
chastyte whiche is contrary to lechery shold
be ageynst the honour of Chyualry. And
yf hit were so, that for to mayntene leche-
rye Knyghtes were honoured in maynten-
ynge Chyualrye, seen that lecherye and
justyce ben contrarye, and that Chyualry
is ordeygned for to mayntene justyce, the
Knyght oughte and shold be just, & there-
fore a Knyght gyuen ouer to lecherye is
contrary to the Ordre of Chyualrye. Since
this is so, we ought not to punysshe this
vyce of lecherye in no ordre so much as in
the ordre of Chyualrye, since it makes a
Knyght to be so di∏erent from his ordre &
33
o∑ce and totally contrary to thende wher-
for the ordre of Knyghthode was fyrst es-
tablysshed. And yf justyce and humylyte
weren contrary, Chyualry whiche accordeth
hym not to justyce shold be contrary to
humylyte. And yf he accordeth hym to
pryde he shold be contrarye to humylyte.
And thenne yf a Knyght in as moche as he
is 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 ben
in that ordre in whiche they were fyrste
Knyghtes.
  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 wherof
serue they ? And yf justyce and pees were
contrary, Chyualry whiche accordeth hym
to justyce shold be contrary to peas, and
by that, that they loue warres, theftes, and
robberte shold be Knyghtes. And to the
contrarye they that pacyfye and accorde
34
the good people, and that flee the trybula-
cions and wyckednes of the world, shold
be 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 were
the fyrst Knyghtes that accorded them
to justyce and pees and pacyfyed by jus-
tyce and by force and strengthe of armes ?
For al in lyke wyse, in the tyme in whiche
Chyualry beganne, was tho∏yce of Chy-
ualrye to pacyfye and accorde the peple by
force of armes2  The Knyghtes iniuryous
and warryours that now ben, mayntene and
dysordeyne the ordre of chyualry. In many
maners owe & may a Knyght vse tho∏yce
of Knyghthode. But by cause we haue to
speke of many thynges we pass ouer as
lyghtly as we maye ; & also at the request
of the ryght curtoys Esquyer, loyal, very-
table, and wel enseygned in al curtoyse and
honoure, whiche moche longe hath desyred
the rule and ordre of Chyualrye, we haue
begonne this book ; for the loue of hym,
35
for his desyre and wyll taccomplysshe we
purpose bryfly to speke in this booke by
cause that shortly he shal be adoubbed and
made newe Knyght.
1  Of thexamynynge of the Squyer that
wyl entre in to the ordre of Chyualrye or
Knyghthode.
  O examyne a Squyer
that wylle entre in
to the ordre of Chy-
ualrye apperteyn-
eth wel, & hym be-
houeth an examyn-
atour whiche ought
to be a Knyght, and
next after god that
he loue aboue all
thynges Chyualrye or Knyghthode. For
some Knyghtes ther ben whiche loue better
grete nombre of Knyghtes, al be they euyl
and wycked, than a lytyll nombre of good.
1  And notwithstandyng Chyualrye hath
no regard to the multytude of nombre, but
loueth only them that ben ful of noblesse
of courage and of good enseygnement as
tofore is sayd. Therfore yf the examyn-
oure loueth more multytude of Knyghtes
than noblesse of Chyualrye he is not co-
36
uenable ne worthy to be an examynour, but
it shold be nede that he shold be examyned
and repreuyd of the wronge that he hath
done 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 whiche
Chyualrye taketh dishonour2  Thenne
whan it happeth that the Squyer that no-
thyng dredeth god is made Knyght, he
taketh thonour in receyuynge Chyualrye,
and receyueth dishonour, in as moche that
he receyueth it withoute to honoure and
drede god of whome Chyualrye is honour-
ed2  Therfor a Squyer withoute loue and
drede of god is not dygne ne worthy to be a
Knyght for to destroye and punysshe the
wycked men2  Thenne yf a Knyght is a
robbour, wycked and traitour, and that it
be trewe that theues and robbours ought
to be taken and delyuerd to deth by the
Knyghtes, thenne late the Knyght so en-
tatched with wycked condycions take jus-
37
tyce and ryght of hym self and vse his of-
fyce as he ought to do of other. And yf he
wil not vse in hym self his o∏yce lyke as
he shold vse hit in other, hit shold folowe
that he shold loue better the ordre of Chy-
ualrye in other than in hym self. But a
thynge couenable ne lawfull is it not that
a man slee hym self, and therfore a Kny-
ght that is a robbour and a theef ought to
be taken and delyuerd to dethe by other
Knyghtes.
 ND euery Knyght that sus-
teyneth & su∏reth a Knyght
to be a robbour and theef, in
that doyng he vseth not his
o∏yce, for yf he vsed in that
maner, he shold do thenne
ageynst his o∏yce. Therfore the fals men
& traitours ought to be destroyed whiche
be not very trewe Knyghtes.
 F thou Knyght haue ony euyl
or sore in one of thy handes,
that sore or payn is more ner
to thyn other hand than to me
or to another man1  Thenne
euery Knyght, a traitour and
robbour, is more ner to the that art a Kny-
ght than to me that am no Knyght ne of
38
thyn o∏yce, as he whom thou sustenest,
and is suche by thy de∏aulte. And yf that
same 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 ben
not Knyghtes thou repreuest or ought-
est to reprehende of theyr de∏aultes. A
Knyght beyng a theef doyh gretter thefte
to the honour of Chyualrye, in as
moche as he taketh awey the name of a
Knyght withoute cause, than he doth that
taketh awey or steleth money or other
thynges.
 OR to stele or take awey tho-
nour, is to gyue euyll fame &
renommee, and to blame that
thyng whiche is worthy to
haue praysyng & honour. For
honour is more worth than
gold or syluer, withoute ony comparyson.
Fyrst by cause it is said that it is more grete
de∏aulte for to stele or take awey Chyualry
than for to stele money or other thynges
that ben not Chyualrye. For yf hit were the
contrary, it shold folowe that money & oth-
er thynges shold be of more valewe than
honour.
39
 ECONDLY yf ony traytour
that slewe his lord, or laye
with his wyf, or bitrayed his
castel were named a Knyght
what name shold haue that
man that for to honoure & def
fende his lord dyeth in the fait of armes ?
2  Thirdly, yf a Knyght beynge a traytre be
borne oute of his de∏aulte, what de∏aulte
may he thenne make of whiche he be repre-
uyd & punysshed, syth that his lord pun-
yssheth hym not of trayson ? And yf his
lord maynteneth not thordre of Chyual-
ry in punysshyng his Knyght traytre, in
whome shalle he mayntene it ? And yf he de-
stroye not his traitre, what thyng shal he
destroye ? And eury lord that taketh not
vegeaunce of his traitour, wherfore is he
a lord or a man of only puyssaunce ?
  HOFFYCE of a trewe Knyght
is to accuse a traytour and to
fyght ageynst hym, & thof-
fyce of a Knyght traitre is to
gaynsay hym of that he is ap-
pelled of, & to fyght ayenst a
trewe Knyght. And these two o∏yces ben
wel contrary that one ayenst that other, for
soo moche euyl is the courage of a Kngyht
40
traytre that he may not vaynquysshe and
surmounte the noble courage of a good Kn-
yght, how wel that by surquedrye he weneth
somtyme to ouer come in fyghtyng ; for the
trewe Knyght that fyghteth for the ryght
may not be surmounted. For yf a Knyght,
a frende of Chyualry, were vaynquysshed
that shold be pyte and ayenst the honour
of Chyualrye. Yf to robbe and to take
awey were tho∏yce of a Knyght, to gyue
shold contrarye to the ordre of Chyu-
alrye. And yf to gyue apperteyned to ony
other o∏yce, how wel that a man shold
haue, that he shold mayntene tho∏yce for
to gyue. And yf to gyue the thynged sto-
len apperteyned to Chyualrye, to whome
shold apperteyne to rendre and to reesta-
blysshe ?
ND yf a Knyght toke awey fro
the good people that whiche
god hath gyuen to them, and
wold reteyne it as his posses-
sion, what thyng shold de∏-
ende to good men their ryght ?
Lytil knoweth he and euyl kepeth he that
commaundeth his sheep to the kepyng of
the wulf, & that putteth his faire wyf in the
kepynge of a yonge Knyght traytre, & that
41
his strong castel delyuere to a Knyght cou-
eytous2  And yf suche a man that thus fo-
lysshly delyuerth to kepe his thynges, how
sholde he wel kepe other mennes ? Is ther
no Knyght that gladly wold kepe his wyf
from a Knyght traytour ? Certes I trowe
yes ; also is ther no Knyght couetous and
robbour 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 and
good, & to knowe hym self to
take hede of his hors is thof-
fyce of a Knyght ; that is to
saye that a Knyghte ought wel
to conne doo as a good mays-
tre, to thende that them whome he hath com
mysed to doo or make ony thynge, he coude
repreue of theyr dy∏aultes. And yf to haue
harnoys and none hors wer tho∏yce of a
Knyght, it shold seme that that whiche that is
& that whiche is not were thoffyce of
a Knyght1  But to be & not to be shold br
out harnoys may not be, ne ought to bena-
med a Knyght.

42
  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 and
would be a Knyght, he wylle destroye the or-
dre that he demaundeth. Wherfor thenne
demaundeth he thordre he loueth not,
the whiche he entendeth to destyoye by his
evyl nature ? And he that maketh a Knyght
of vyle courage by fauour or otherwyse,
forseen that he knowe that he be suche,
doth ageynst his ordre and chargeth his
conscyence.
 ECHE not noblesse of cour-
age in the mouth, for eueryche
mouth sayth not trouthe. Ne
seche it not in honourable clo–
thynge, for vnder many a fayr
habyte hath ben ofte vyle cou-
rage, ful of barate and of wyckednesse.

43
 E seke hit not in the hors, for
he may not answere, ne seche
hit not in the fayr garnemen-
tes, ne in the fayr harnoys, for
within fayr garnementes is
oftyme a wycked herte & cow-
ard2  Thenne yf thou wylt fynde noblesse
of courage, demaunde it of faythe, hope,
charyte, justyce, strengthe, attemperaunce
loyaulte, and of other noble vertues, for in
them is noblesse of courage, by them is
diffeated the hert of a noble Knyght fro
wickednesse, 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 is
not worthy to be it, by cause he may not be
so wyse that he hath lerned the thynges
that 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 moche
remembre that whiche he promyseth to
thordre of Chyualrye whan nede shal be
that he remembre it. And yf the Squyer
that wyl be a Knyght be vyle to fore that
he be it, he doth vylony and iniury to Chy-
ualrye, that is mayntened by strong men

44
and fyghtars and is defouled by coward
men and faynt of herte, vnmyghty, feble,
ouercomen and flears.
 L in lyke wyse as vertue and
mesure abyde in the myddel
of two extremytees and theyr
contrarye, that is to wete,
pryde and vyce, ryght so a
Knyght ought to be made
Knyght, and to be nourysshed in age com-
petent and alwey vertuous vnto thende by
ryght mesure, For yf it were not thus, hit
shold folowe that contraryousnes were bi-
twene Chyualry and mesure2  And yf hit
were soo, vertue and Chyualrye shold be
contrarye. And yf they shold be contrarye
in the, a Squyer, whyche arte latchous and
slowe to be a Knyght, wherfore wylt thou
thenne be in the ordre of Knyghthode or
Chyualrye ? Yf by beaute of facion, or by a
body fayr, grete, & wel aourned, or by fayr
here, by regard, or for to holde the myrrour
in the hand, & by the other jolytees shold a
Squyer be adoubed Knyght of vylayns and
of peple of lytl lygnage, lowe & vyle mayest
thou make Knyghtes1  And yf thou ma-
dest them, thy lygnage thou sholdest dis-
honoure & mespryse, & the noblesse that
45
god hath gyuen gretter to man than to wo-
man, thow sholdest make it lasse & brynge
hit to vylete. For by the thynges tofore
sayd thou myghtest chese wymmen to be
Knyghtes, whiche oft haue the myrrour in
the hande, by whiche thou sholdest myn-
uysshe and make lowe the Ordre of Chyu-
alry : in soo moche that ony vyle woman or
ony vylayne of herte myght come to be put
in the ryght hyhe honoure of thordre of
Chyualrye,
  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 and
Chyualry accorde them, yf thou make a
Knyght that is not of parage thou makest
Chyualrye to be contrary to parage1 
And by this same reason, he whome thou
makest Knyght is contrary to parage and
to Chyualry ; thenne thou mayest not haue
soo moche power that thou make a Knyght
a man of vyle courage, forseen that to the
Ordre of Chyualrye thou wylt do ryght.
46
 ATURE is moche honoured
intrees and in beestes as
touchyng to nature corporal ;
but by the noblesse of the
soule resonable, whiche so
moche only parteth with the
herte of a man bycause that nature hath
gretter vertue in the body humayne than in
the body bestyal1  Thus in the same wyse
thordre of Chyualry is more couenable and
moche more fyttynge to a gentyl herte re-
plenysshed wyth al vertues than in a man
vyle & of euyl lyf2  And yf hit were other-
wyse hit shold ensiewe that Chyualry shold
better agree to the nature of the body than
to the vertue of the soule ;  and that is fals ;
for it better agreeth to the soule than to
the body : noblesse of courage apperteyn-
eth to Chyualry1  To examyne a Squyer
that wyll be a Knyght behoueth to de-
maunde & enquyre of his custommes and
maners, for euylle enseygnements ben
occasion by whiche the wycked Knyghtes
ben put oute of the ordre of Chyualrye1 
A dyscouenable thynge hit is that a Squyer
beyng wycked be made a Knyght, and that
he entre in to thordre, oute of whiche he
must yssue by wycked fayttes and dys-
47
agreable custommes ; for Chyualrye cast-
eth out of his ordre alle the enemyes to
honoure, and receyueth them that haue va-
leur and maynteyne honeste.
ND yf hit were not soo, hit
shold folowe that Chyualrye
myght be destroyed in vylete
and myght not be repayred
ne restored in to noblesse, &
that is fals1  And therfore
thou Knyght that examynest the Squyer
arte bounden more strongly to enserche
noblesse & valoyre in a Squyer than in ony
other persone2  Thou Knyght that hast
tho∏yce to examyne a Squyer that wil entre
into thordre of chyualrye, thou oughtest
to knowe for what entencion the squyer
hath wil for to soiourne or for to be hon-
oured, without that he do honour to Chy-
ualrye & to them that honoure hit1  And
yf hit appiere to the that for that cause he
pretendeth to be a Knyght, knowe that he
is not worthy to be maade Knyght, ne for
to haue thordre.

48
L thus as thentencion failleth
& endeth in clerkes bt sym-
onye, by whiche they ben en-
haunced to be prelates, ryght
so an evyll Squyer falseth &
setteth his wille and enten-
cion whan he wylle be Knyght ayenst the
Ordre of Chyualrye1  And yf a clerk haue
symonye, in that hit is ageynst his pre-
lacye, ryght so a Squyer that hath fals en-
tencion to tho∏yce of Chyualry is ayenst
thordre of Chyualry what someuer he doth.
A Squyer that desyreth Chyualrye, hym
behoueth to knowe the grete charge and
the peryls that ben apparaylled to them
that wylle haue Chyualrye and mayntene
it1  A Knyght ought more to doubte the
blame of the people & his dishonoure than
he shold the perylle of dethe, and ought to
gyue gretter passion to his corage than
hongre ne thurste, hete ne colde, maye gyue
to his body2  And by cause alle the peryls
oughte to be shewed & told to the Squyer
to fore er he be adoubed or made a Knyght.

49
 HYUALRY may not be ma-
yntened withoute harnoys
whiche apperteyneth to a
Knyght, nor without thon-
ourable costes & dispences
whiche apperteyne to Chy-
ualrye1  By cause a Squyer beyng with-
oute harnoys, and that hath no rychesse
for to make his dispences, yf he be made
Knyght, hym shold perauenture happe for
nede to be a robbour, a theef, traitre, lyar
or begylour, or haue some other vyces
whiche brn contrary to Chyualry2  A man
lame, or ouer grete, or ouer fatte, or that
hath ony other evyl disposycion in his
body, for whiche he may not vse tho∏yce
of Chyualrye, is not su∏ysaunt to be a
Knyght1  For hit shold not be honest to
thordre of Chyualrye yf she receyued a
man for to bere armes whiche were en-
tatched, corrupt, and not myghty. For so
moche noble and hyhe is Chyualry in hyr
honour, that a Squyer lame of ony mem-
bre, how wel that he be noble & ryche and
borne of noble lygnage, is not dygne ne
worthy to be receiued in to thordre of Chy-
ualrye. And after also ought to be enquy-
red and demaunded of thesquyer that de-
50
maundeth Chyualry, yf he euer dyd ony
falsenesse or trechery whiche is ayenst
thordre of Chyualry. For such a fait may
he haue done, and yet but lytyl sette by hit,
that he is not worthy that Chyualry shold
receyue hym in to his ordre, ne that he be
made felawe of them that mayntene thor-
dre of Chyualrye.
  F a Squyer haue vayne glorye
of that he doth, he is not
worthy to be a Knyght ; for
vayne glory is a vyce whiche
destroyeth and bryngeth to
nought the merytes & guer-
dons of the benefyce of Chyualry1  A
Squyer, a flaterer, discordeth to thordre of
Chyualrye, 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 courage
of a Knyght2  A Squyer prowde, euylle
taught, ful of vylaynous wordes and of
vylayne courage, auarycious, a lyar, vn-
trewe, slouthful, a glouton, periued, or
that hath ony other vyces semblable, ac-
cordeth not to Chyualry. Thenne of Chy-
ualry myght receyue them that ben ayenst
thordre, hit shold folowe that in Chyualry
51
ordynaunce and disordynaunce were one
propre thyng. And whan sith Chyualrye is
knowen for the ordre of valoir, therfor
euery Squyer ought to be examyned to fore
er 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 ought
to entre in to thor-
dre of Chyualry,
hym behoueth that
he confesse hym of
his de∏aultes that
he hath done agey-
nst god, and ought
to receyve Chyual-
ry in entencion that in the same he serue
our lord god whiche is gloryous ; and yf he
be clene out of synne he ought to receyue
his sauyour2  For to make and adoube a
Knyght it apperteyneth the day of some
grete feste, as Crystemas, Ester, Whit-
sontyd, or on suche dayes solempne ; by
cause that by the honour of the feste as-
semble moche peple in that place where
thesquyer ought to be adoubed Knyght,
and god ought to be adoured & praid that
52
he gyue to hym grace for to lyue wel after
thordre of Chyualry2  Thesquyer ought
to faste the vygylle of the same feste in
thonour of the saint of whom the fest is
made that day, and he ought to go to the
chirche for to pray god ; and ought to wake
the nyght and be in his prayers ;  and ought
to here the word of god, and touchyng the
fait of Chyualry ; for yf he otherwyse here
janglours & rybauldes that speke of put-
ery & of synne, he shold begynne thenne
to dishonoure Chyualrye.
  N the morn after the feste, in
the which he hath be adoub-
ed, hym behoueth that he do
a masse to be songen sol-
emply, & thesquyer ought
to come to fore thaulter and
o∏re to the preest, which holdeth the place
of our lord, to thonour of whom he must
oblige & submyse hym self to kepe thon-
our of Chyualry with al his power. In that
same day ought to be made a sermon, in
which shold be recounted and declared the
xii artycles in which is founded tholy faith
catholik, the x commandements & the vii
sacraments of holy chirch, and thother
thynges that apperteinen to the faith1 
53
And the Squyer ought moch dylygently
to take hede and reteyne al these thynges,
to thende he kepe in his mynde tho∏yce of
Chyualry touchynge the thynges that ap-
perteynen to the faith2  The xii artycles
ben suche ; to bileue one god only, that is
the fyrst ; & it behoueth to byleue that the
Fader, the Sone, & the Holy Ghost ben one
god only in thre persones, without ende
and without begynnyng, whiche make vn-
to the fourth artycle ; to byleue that god is
creatoure and maker of al thynges is the
fyfth1  The syxthe is to byleue that god
is redemer, that is to say that he hath rede-
med or bought ageyne the humayne lyg-
nage fro the paynes of helle, to whiche hit
was juged by the synne of Adam and Eue,
our fyrst fader and moder2  The vii is to
byleue that god gaf glory to them that ben
in heuen. These vii artycles apperteyne to
the deyte, & thother folowyng apperteyn-
en to thumanyte that the sone of god took
in our lady seynt Mary.
 HE first of the vii artycles fo-
lowyng to thumanyte, is to
byleue that Jhesu cryst was
conceyued of the holy ghost
whan saynt gabriel tharchau–
ngel salewed our lady1  The
54
second and thyrd is to bileue that he hath
be crucyfyed & dede for to saue vs2  The
fourth is to byleue that his soule deualed
in to helle for to delyuere his frendes, that
is to wete Adam, Abraham and other pro-
phetes whiche byleued his holy comyng2 
The v is to byleue that he reysed fro deth
to lyf1  The vi is to byleue that he styed
vp in to heuen the day of ascencion2  The
vii is to byleue that Jhesu cryst shal come
at the day of jugement whan al shal aryse
and shal juge the good and euyl, and shal
gyue to eueryche payne & glory, after that
he hath deseruyd in this transytory world
1  It behoueth to al good crysten men to
byleue 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 god
whiche he gaf to Moyses vp-
on the mount of Synay ben
x1  The fyrst is that thou
shalt adoure, loue, and shalt
serue alonly one god ; ne thou
shalt not be pariured ; halowe & sanctyfye
the sonday ; honoure thy fader and moder ;
ne be thou none homycyde ne murderer ; do
ne thefte ne fornicacion, ne bere thou no
55
false wytnesse ; ne coueyte the wyf of thy
neyghbour, ne haue thou none enuye of the
goodes of thy neyghbour1  To alle Kny-
ghtes it behoueth to knowe the x comm-
aundements that god hath gyuen2  The
sacraments of holy chich ben vii, that is
to 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 the
thynges to whiche he is bounden syth that
he hath receyued thordre of Knyghthode.
1  And alle these thynges to fore said & of
other that apperteyne to Chyualry, the pre–
chour ought to make mencion that prech-
eth in the presence of the Squyer ; whiche
ought to pray moche deuoutely that god
gyue to hym his grace and his blessyng
by whiche he may be a good Knyght al the
dayes of his lyf fro thenne forthon.

56
 HAN the prechour hath sayd al
thys that apperteyneth to his
office, thenne must the prynce
or baron that wyl make the
Squyer & 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 hath
not ? Suche a Knyght is of werse condycion
than be the plantes, for the plantes haue
power to gyue their natures the one to the
other, and of beestes and of fowles is also
a thyng semblable and lyke. But this may
not the Knyght do : suche a Knyght is euyl
and false that disordynatly wyl multyplye
his ordre, for he doth wrong and vylonye
to Chyualry, for he wil do that the whiche
is not couenable thyng to do, and that by
whiche he ought to honoure Chyualry he
dy∏eateth and blameth2  Thenne yf by
de∏aulte of suche a Knyght it happe som-
tyme that the Squyer that receyueth of
hym Chyualry is not so moche ayded ne
mayntened of grace of our lord, ne of
vertue, ne of Chyualry, as he shold be yf
he were made of a good and loyal Knyght :
and therfor suche a Squyer is a foole and
57
al other semblably that of suche a Knyght
receyueth thordre of Chyualry.
 HE Squyer ought to knele to
fore thaulter and lyfte vp to
god his eyen corporal & spy-
ritual, & his hondes to heu-
en. And the Knyght ought to
gyrde hym, in sygne of Cha-
stite, Justyce & of Charyte, with his swerd
2  The Knyght ought to kysse the Squyer
and to gyue hym a palme, by cause that
ne remembryng of that whiche he receyueth
and promytteth, and of the grete charge in
whiche he is obliged and bounden, & of the
grete honoure that he recyueth by thor-
dre of Chyualry1  And after, whan the
Knyght espyrytuel, that is the preest, and
the Knyght tereyen haue done that apper-
teyneth to theyr o∏yce, as touchyng to the
makyng of a newe Knyght, the newe Kny-
ght ought to ryde thurgh the toune and to
shewe hym to the peple, to thende that al
men knowe and see that he is newely made
Knyght, and that he is bounden to mayn-
tene & de∏ende the hyhe honour of Chy-
ualry.

58
  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 ayenst
thordre of Chyualry1  At that same day
hym behoueth to make a grete fests, and to
gyue fair yefts & grete dyners ; to jouste
and sporte and doo other thynges that
apperteyne to thordre of Chyualry, and
to gyue to kynges of armes and to her-
owdes as it is acustomed of auncyente.
 ND the lord that maketh a
newe Knyght ought to yeue
to the newe Knyght also a
present or yefte2  And also
the newe Knyght ought to
yeue to hym and to other that
same day, for who so receyueth sa grete a
yefte as is thordre of Chyualry honoureth
not his ordre yf he gyue not after the pow-
er that he may gyue1  All these thynges
and many other, the whiche I wylle not now
recounte by cause of shortnesse of tyme,
apperteyne to Chyualry,

59
1  Of the sygnefyaunce of the armes of a
Knyght.
HENNE that whi-
che the preest re-
vesteth hym whan
he syngeth the mas–
se hath somme syg–
nefyaunce whiche
concordeth to his
o∏yce. And the of-
fyce of preesthode
& of Chyualry haue
grete concordaunce. Therfor thordre of
Chyualry requyreth that al that whiche is
nedeful to a Knyght as touchnge the vse
of his o∏yce haue somme sygnefyaunce,
by the whiche is sygnefyed the noblesse
of Chyualrye and of his ordre.
 NTO a Knyght is gyuen a
swerd whiche is made in sem–
blaunce of the crosse for to
sygnefye hou our lord god
vanquysshed in the crosse
the dethe of humayne lygnage,
to the whiche he was juged for the synne
of our fyrste fader Adam. Al in lyke wyse a
Knyght oweth to vanquysshe & destroye
the enemyes of the crosse by the swerd.
60
  OR Chyualrye is to mayn-
tene justyce, and therfore is
the swerd made cuttynge on
bothe sydes, to sygnefye
that the Knyght ought with
the swerd mayntene Chyu-
alrye and Justyce2  To a Knyght is gyu-
en a spere for to sygnefye trouthe, for
trouthe is a thynge ryght and rurn, & that
trouthe oughte to go to fore falsenesse,
and the yron or hede of the spere sygne-
fyeth strengthe ehiche trouthe ought to
haue aboue falsenesse1  And the penone
sygnefyeth that trouble sheweth to alle
feythe, 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 the
Knyght. 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 thordre
of Chyualrye1  And al thus as shame-
fastnes maketh a man to be ashamed and
causeth to caste doune his eyen ayenst the
erthe, in lyke wyse the hatte of yron def-
fendeth a man to loke vpward on hyhe, and
maketh hym to loke toward the ground,
61
and is the moyen bytwene thynges hyhe
and lowe, for it coueryth the hede of a man
which is the most hye & pryncipal membre
that 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 the
noblesse of his courage abandoune hym,
ne gyue hym to barate, wickednesse, ne to
ony euyll enseygnement2  The hauberke
sygnefyeth a castel and fortresse ageynst
vyces and de∏aultes, for al in lyke wyse
as a castel and fortresse ben closed al a-
boute, in lyke wyse an hauberke is ferme
and cloos on al partes, to thende that hit
gyue sygnefyaunce to a noble Knyght that
he in his courage ought not to entre in to
treason ne none other vyce.
  HAUCES of yron or legge
harnoys ben gyuen to a Kn-
yght for to kepe and holde
surely his legges and feet
from perylle, to sygnefye
that a Knyght with yron
62
ought to holde hym vpon the wayes, that
is to vnderstonde with the swerd, spere &
mace, and other garnementes of yron for
to take the malefactours, & to punysshe
them2  The spores ben gyuen to a Knyght
to sygnefye dylygence & swyftnesse, by-
cause that with these two thynges every
Knyght may mayntene his ordre in the
hyhe honour that bylongeth to it.
 OR in lyke wyse as with the
spores he prycketh his hors
by cause to haste hym to
renne, ryght so doth dyly-
gence haste hym to doo his
thynges, & maketh hym to
procure the harnoys & the dyspences that
ben nedeful to a Knyght, to the ende that
a man be not surprysed ne taken soden-
ly1  The gorget is gyuen to a Knyght to
sygnefye obedyence, for every Knyght
that is not obeyssaunt to his lord ne to
the ordre of Chyualrye dishonoured his
lord, and yssueth oute of his ordre.
  ND ryght soo as the gor-
gette enuyronneth or goth
aboute the neck of a Knyght
by cause it shold be de∏end-
ed fro strokes and woundes,
in lyke wyse maketh obedy-
63
ence a Knyght to be withynne the com-
maundements of his souerayne & within
thordre of Chyualry, to thende that trea-
son, pryde, ne none other vyce corrupte
not the othe that the Knyght hath made
to his lord and to Chyualrye.
  HE mace is gyuen to the Kny-
ght to sygnefye strength of
courage ; for lyke as a mace or
pollax is strong ageynst al
armes & 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 mayntene
thordre of Chyualrye in the hyhe honour
which 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 not
greue ne smyte hym with his spere or with
his swerde, that thenne he joyne to hym &
surmounte hym, yf he maye, by the force or
strength of his myserycorde or knyf. And
64
bicause this armure whiche is named myse-
rycorde sheweth to a Knyght that he ought
not to trust al in his armes ne in his stren-
gth, but he ought so moche a∏ye and trust
in god and to joyne to hym by ryght good
werkes and by very hope that he ought to
haue in hym, that by the helpe and ayde of
god he vaynquysshe his enemyes & them
whiche ben contrary to thordre of Chyu-
alry.
 HE shelde is gyuen to the
Knyght to sygnefye the of-
fyce of a Knyght, for in lyke
wyse as the Knyght putteth
his sheld bytwene hym and
his enemy, ryght soo the Kn–
yght is the moyen bytwene the prynce and
the peple. And lyke as the stroke falleth vp–
on the shelde and saueth the Knyght, ryght
so the Knyght ought to apparaylle hym &
presente his body to fore his lord whan he
is in peryl, hurte or taken.
 AUNTELOTS ben gyuen to
a Knyght to thende that he
putte his hondes therin for
to be sure and to receyue the
strokes yf it were so that his
other armures manyable fayl–
65
led to hym. And thus as the Knyght with
his gauntelots handleth more surely the
spere or his swerd, and that to the sygne-
fyaunce of the guantelots he lyfye vp on
hyhe his hond, ryght soo ought he to
lyfte them vp in thankyng god of the vyc-
tory that he hath had.
 Y the guantelots is also syg-
nefyed that he ought not to
lyfte vp his hond in makyng
a false othe, ne handle none
euylle ne foule touchynges
ne dishonest with his hondes
2  The sadyl in whiche the Knyght sytteth
whan he rydeth, sygnefyeth surete of cou-
rage, the charge and the grete burthen of
Chyualry1  For lyke as by the sadyl a
Knyght is sure vpon his hors, ryght so
surete of courage maketh a Knyght to be
in the fronte of the batayll, by the whiche
surete, aduenture, frende of Chivalry, ay-
deth hym 1  And by surete ben mesprysed
many cowardes, vauntours, & many vayne
semblaunces, whiche make men cowardys
for to seme hardy and strong of courage.
And by that ben many men refreyned in
suche manere that they dare not passe to
for in that place where noble courage and
66
stronge oughte to be, and passe aboue the
cours of a valyaunt Knyght and hardy. And
by the sadel is sygnefyed the charge of a
Knyght, for the sadel, lyke as we haue said,
hodeth the Knyght ferme and sure vpon
his hors, so that he may not falle ne moeue
lyghtly but yf he wyll1  And therfore the
sadel, whiche is so grete, sygnefyeth the
charge of Chyualry, that the Knyghte
ought not in no wyse to moeue for lyghte
thynges. And yf it behoueth hym to moeue
he ought to haue grete courage, noble and
hardy ageynst his enemye for tenhaunce
thordre of Chyualrye.
  O a Knyght is gyuen an horse,
and also a coursour for to
sygnefye noblesse of cour-
age1  And by cause that he
be wel horsed and hyhe, is by
cause he may be sene fro ferre,
& that is the sygnefyaunce he oughte
to be made redy to doo al that whiche be-
houeth to thordre of chyualrye more than
another man2  To an horse is gyuen a bry-
del, and the raynes of the brydel ben gyuen
in the hondes of the Knyght, by cause that
the Knyght may at his wylle holde his hors
and refrayne him1  And thys sygnefyeth
67
that a Knyghte oughte to refrayne his
tongue and holde that he speke no fowle
wordes ne false ; and also hit sygnefyeth
that he ought to refrayne his hondes, that
he 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 so
hardy but that in his hardynesse he haue
reason and attemperaunce.
 ND by the reynes is sygnefy-
ed to the Knyght that he ou-
ghte to be ladde oueral where
thordre of Chyualry wylle
lede hym or sende hym1 
And whan it shal be tyme of
necessite to make largesse, his hondes
must gyue and dispende after that it ap-
perteyneth to his honour. And that he be
hardy and doubte nothyng his enemyes,
for doubtaunce a∏eblysshyth strengthe of
courage1  And yf a Knyght doo contrary
to doo alle these thynges, hid horse kepeth
better 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 to
do none armes without reason, for lyke
as the hede of an hors goth to fore the
Knyght, ryght soo ought reason goo to
68
fore all that a Knyght doth, for al werkes
without reason ben vyces in hym. And al
in lyke wyse as the testier kepeth and def-
fendeth the hede of the hors, ryght so rea-
son kepeth and de∏endeth a Knyght fro
blame and fro shame.
ARNEMENTS of the hors
ben for to kepe & de∏ende the
hors, and they sygnefye that
a Knyght ought to kepe his
goodes and his rychesses by
cause that they myght suf-
tyse to hym for thoffice of Chyualry to
mayntene1  For lyke as the hors is def-
fended of the strokes or hurtes by hys
garnements, and withoute them he is in
peryl of deth, in lyke wyse a Knyght with
oute goodes temporel may not mayntene
thonour 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.

69
 COTE is gyuen to a Knyght
in sygnefyaunce of the gre-
te trauaylles that a Knyght
must su∏re for to honoure
Chyualrye ; for lyke as the
cote is aboue the other gar-
nementes of yron, and is in the rayne, and
receyueth the strokes to fore the hawberke
and the other armures, ryght so is a Kny–
ght chosen to susteyne gretter trauailles
than another man2  And alle the men that
ben vnder the noblesse of hym, and is his
garde, ought whan they haue nede to haue
recours to hym. And the Knyght ought to
de∏ende them after his power, & the Kny-
ghtes ought rather to be taken, hurte or
dede, than the men that ben in their garde.
 HENNE as it is so ryght gre-
te & large, Chyualrye, therfore
ben the prynces and barons in
so grete trauaylles for to kepe
theyr londes and their peple.
A token or esseygnal of arm-
es is gyuen to a knyghte in his shelde and
in hys cote, by cause that he be knowen in
the bataylle, and that he be allowed yf he
be hardy, and yf he do grete and fayr feates
of armes. And yf he be coward, faulty, or
70
recreaunt, the enseygnal is gyuen to hym
by cause that he be blamed, vytupered and
repreuyd. Thesseygnal is also gyuen to a
Knyght to thende that he be knowen yf he
be 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 the
Knyght & putteth hym oute
of Chyualry2  The baner is
gyuen to a kyng, a prynce, baron, and to a
Knyght banerete, whiche hath vnder hym
many Knyghtes, to sygnefye that a Knyght
ought to mayntene thonour of his lord &
of his londe. For a Knyght is loued, prey-
sed and honoured of the folke of worship
of the Royamme of his lord, & yf they doo
dishonour of the londe wherin they be and
of their lord, suche Knyghtes ben more
blamed & shamed than other men ; for lyke
as for honoure they ought to be more prey-
sed by cause that in them ought to be the
honoure of a prynce, & of the Knyght, and
of the lord, in lyke wyse, in their dishon-
our they ought to be more blamed, and by
cause that for their latchesse, falshede, or
treason, ben kynges & prynces more dis-
heryted than by ony other men.
71
1  Of the custommes that apperteynen
to a Knyght.
  HE noblesse of cou–
rage hath chosen a
Knyght to be aboue
al other men that
ben vnder hym in
seruytude. Thenne
noblesse of custo-
mmes & good nou-
rysshements apper
teynen to a Knyght ;
for noblesse of courage may not mounte
in the hyhe honour of chyualry without
election of vertues and good custommes.
2  Thenne as it is so, it behoueth of force
to a Knyghte that he be replenysshed of
good custommes and of good enseygne-
ments. Euery Knyght ought to knowe the
seuen vertues whiche ben begynnynge and
rote of al good custommes, & ben the way
and path of the celestyal glory perdurable.
 F whiche seuen vertues the
thre ben theologale or de-
uyne, and the other four ben
cardynal1   T he  theologal
ben fayth, hope, & charyte.
2  The cardynal ben justyce,
72
prudence, strengthe and attemperaunce.
A Knyght withoute fayth may not haue in
hym good custommes, for by fayth a man
seeth spyrytuelly god and his werkes, and
byleueth thynges inuysyble, and by feyth
hath a man hope, charyte & loyaulte, and is
seruaunt of veryte & trouthe. And by def-
faulte of feyth a man byleueth not god to
be a man, his werkes & the thynges whiche
ben inuysyble, the whiche a man without
faith may not vnderstand ne knowe. Kny-
ghtes ben acustommed by the feyth that
they haue gone in to the londe ouer the see
in pylgremage, & there proue theyr stren-
gth and Chyualry ageynst the enemyes of
the crosse, and ben martird yf they deye,
for they fyghte for tenhaunce the holy
feyth catholyk2  And also by feyth ben
the clerkes de∏ended by the Knyghtes fro
wycked men whiche by de∏aulte mespr-
yse, robbe, & disheryte them as moche as
they may.
  OPE is a vertue whiche moche
strongly apperteyneth to thof–
fyce of a Knyght. For by hope
that he hath in god, he entend–
rth to haue vyctory of the bat-
ayll by reason of tha∏yaunce
73
whiche he hath gretter in god than in his
body ne in his armes, cometh to the aboue
of his enemyes. By hope is enforced the
courage of the Knyght & vaynquysshyth
the latchednesse and cowardyse1  Hope
maketh knyghtes to susteyne and suffre
tauailles, & for to be auenturous in peryls
in whiche they putte them self ofte2  Al-
so hope maketh them to su∏re hongre and
thurst, in castels, cytees and fortresses, to
the garde of whom they ben assygned, and
de∏ende them and the castel valyauntly as
moche as they may.
 OR yf ther were none hope a
Knyght myght not vse his
o∏yce1  And also hope is
pryncipal instrument to vse
tho∏yce of a Knyght, lyke as
the honde of a carpenter is
pryncipal instrument of carpentrye. A Kn-
yght withoute charyte maye not be without
cruelte and euylle wylle, and cruelte and eu-
yll wylle accorde not to the o∏yce of Chy-
ualrye, by cause that charyte behoueth to be
in a Knyght ; for yf a Knyght haue not cha-
ryte in god and in his neyghbour, how or
in what wyse shold he loue god ? And yf he
had not pyte on poure men, not myghty, &
74
dyseased, how shold he haue mercy on the
men taken and vaynquysshed, that dem-
aunde mercy as not of power to escape, and
maye not fynde the fynaunce that is of
them demaunded for theyr delyueraunce ?
And yf in a Knyght were not charyte, how
myght he be in thordre of Chyualry ?
 HARITE is a vertue aboue
other vertues for she depart–
eth euery vyce2  Charite is a
loue of the which euery Kny-
ght ought to haue as moche
as 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 withoute
feete may not bere the Knyght, ryght soo
a Knyght maye not withoute charyte sus-
teyne the grete charge and burthen of his
ordre. And by charyte maye Chyualrye ben
honoured and enhaunced.
 F a man withoute body were
a man, thenne were a man a
thyng inuysyble, and yf he
were inuysyble he were not a
man, ne that whiche he is, &
al in lyke wyse, yf a man with–
out justyce were a Knyght, hym behoueth
75
by force that justyce were not in that in
which she is, or that Chyualry were a thyng
dyuerse fro the same Chyualrye whiche
now is1  And how be it that a Knyght haue
the begynnyng of justyce & be iniuryous, &
weneth to be in thordre of Chyualrye, that
apperteyneth not, for Chyualrye and jus-
tyce accorden so strongly, that withoute
justyce Chyualrye may not be2  For an in-
iuryous Knyght is enemy of justyce and
dy∏eateth & casteth hym self out of Chy–
ualrye and of his noble ordre, and renyeth
hit & despyseth2  The vertu of prudence
is she by the whiche a man hath knowlege
of good and euyl, and by the whiche a man
hath grace to be frend of the good, & ene-
my to the euyl. For prudence is a scyence
by the whiche a man hath knowleche of the
thynges that ben to come by the thynges
presente ; & prudence is whan by ony cau-
tels and maystryes a man can eschewe the
dommages bodyly and ghostly2  And as
the Knyghtes ben ordeyned for to put a-
wey & destroye the euyll, for no men put
theyr bodyes in so many peryls as done
the Knyghts.

76
 HAT thyng is thenne to a
Knyght more necessary than
the verue of prudence ? To
the custommaunce of a Kny-
ght is apperteynaunt to arme
hym and to fyghte. But that
accordeth not so moche to the o∏yce of a
Knyght as doth vsaunce of reason and of
entendement & ordeyned wylle ; for many
bataylles ben many tymes vaynquysshed
more by maystrye, by wytte and industrye
than by multytude of people, of hors, ne
of good armours. And to thys purpos sayd
the valyaunt Knyght Judas machabeus
to his people whan he sawe his enemyes,
whiche were in nombre syxe tymes more
than were the hys, and cam for to fyghte.
1  O my bretheren, sayd he, be ye nothyng
in doubte but that god wyl helpe vs at this
tyme, for I saye yow wel that vyctorye lyeth
not in grete multitude, for therin is grete
confusyon.
 ND by the wytte and good
prudence of the sayd Judas
machabeus was the batayl of
his enemyes vaynquysshed,
& he obteyned gloryous vyc-
torye. Thenne as it is soo, yf
77
thou Knyght wilt acustomme thy sone to
tho∏yce of a Knyght for to mayntene
Chyualrye and his noble Ordre, make hym
fyrst to acustomme and vse reason and
entendement, and make hym that with all
his power he be frend to good and enemye
to euyl. For by suche vsages prudence and
Chyualry assemble them to honoure th-
ordre of Chyualrye. Strength is a vertu
whiche remayneth and dwelleth in noble
courage ageynst the seuen dedly synnes
by whiche men goo to helle to su∏re and
susteyne greuous torments without ende ;
the whiche synnes ben gloutonnye, lech-
erye, auaryce, pryde, slouthe, enuye & yre.
1  Thenne a Knyght that foloweth suche
way, goth not in to the hows of noblesse of
herte, ne maketh not there his abydyng ne
his  habitacion 2  G loutonye  engendreth
feblesse of body, by ouer oultragyous
drynkyng gloutonye chargeth alle the body
with metes, and engendreth slouthe and
lachenes of body which greueth the soule.

78
   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 chastyte
fyghten that one ageynste that other1 
And the armes with whiche lecherye war-
reth chastyte ben yongthe, beaulte, moche
drynke & moche mete, queynt vestures &
galaunt, falshede, treason, iniurye & des-
pysyng of god & of his glorye2  And for
to doubte the paynes of helle whiche ben in–
fynyte, & the other thynges semblable to
that, chastyte & strengthe warren & fygh-
ten ageynst lecherye, & surmounte hit by
remembraunce 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 honoure
hym, & the euyll & the payne whiche is ap-
paraylled to them that despyse and byleue
not in hym. And by wel to loue god he is
worthy to be loued, serued & honoured, &
by that chastyte warreth & vaynquyssh-
eth lecherye with noblesse of courage, who
that wylle not submytte to euylle ne to fo-
79
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, and
ought to vanquysshe and surmounte by
force of noble & good courage yf he be not
suche one that he be without strength, ne
hath not the herte of a Knyght, nor hath not
the armes with whiche he ought to fyghte,
thenne is he none.
 UARYCE is a vyce whiche
maketh noble courage to des-
cende & auale & to be submy-
sed to vyle & fowle thynges.
2  Thenne by the de∏aulte of
strengthe & of good courage
whiche de∏ende them not ageynst auaryce,
ben many submysed & vaynquysshed, &
the courage of a Knyght also that wyll be
strong & noble is vaynquysshed, & by that
ben the Knyghtes couetous & auarycious ;
& by theyr couetyses done mant wronges
and wyckednesse, & ben serf and bonde to
the goodes that god hath gyuen, to whome
thay ben abandonned and submytted.

80
 TRENGTH hath suche a cu–
stomme, that no tyme he ayd–
eth his enemy, ne neuer shall
helpe a man yf he demaunde
hym not secours & ayde. For
so moche is noble and hyhe a
thynge, strengthe of courage in hym self,
& soo moche grete honour is due to it, that
at nede of trauyles and peryls it ought to
be called, and ayde ought to be demaunded
of it1  Thenne whan the Knyght is by ava-
ryce tempted to enclyne his courage therto,
whiche is moder & rote of all euyls and of
treson, thenne ought he to haue his recours
and renne to strength, in the which he shal
neuer fynde cowardyse ne latchednesse, ne
feblenesse, ne de∏aulte of socours, ne of
ayde2  For with strength a noble hert may
vaynquysshe al vyces. Thenne thou Knyght
couetous, wherfor hast thou not strong
courage & noble, lyke as was the noble cou–
rage of the puyssaunt kynge Alysander,
whiche in desprysyng auarice and couetyse
had alwey the handes stratched forthe for
to gyue vnto his Knyghts so moche, that
by the renomme of his largesse they that
were souldyours with the Kyng auaryci-
ous, whiche made warre ageynst hym, tour–
81
ned & came toward the seyd Alexander, and
confused his enemy coueytous whiche to
fore was theyr mayster ?
 ND therfore thou oughtest
for to thynke to the ende that
thou be not submytted to vy-
laynous werkes and to foule
thoughtes by auaryce, the
whiche accordeth not ne ap-
perteyneth not to Chyualry. For yf she ap-
perteyned to hit, who shold denye thenne
that lechery were not apperteynynge to a
Knyght.
 LOUTHE is a vyce by the whi-
che a man is louer of wycked-
nesse and of euylle and to hate
goodnesse2  And by this vyce

may be knowen and sene in men
sygnes of dampnacion better
than by ony other vyce, & by the contrarye,
of strengthe may be better knowen in a man
the signe of sauacion than by ony other ver–
tue1  And therfore who that wyl ouer-
come & surmounte accydye, him behoueth
that in his herte he haue strengthe, by the
whiche he vaynquysshe the nature of the
body, whiche by the synne of Adam is en-
clyned & apparaylled to doo euyll2  A man
82
that hath accydye or slouthe hath sorowe
& angre the whyle that he knoweth that an
other man doth wel. And whan a man do the
harme to hym self, he that hath accydye or
slouthe is heuy and sorowful that, that
he hath not more and gretter1  And ther-
fore suche a man hath sorow both of good
and of euylle of other men. For yre & dys-
playsyre gyuen passion and payn to the
body & to the sowle ; therfor thou Knyght
which wylt vaynquysshe and surmounte
that same vyce oughtest to praye streng-
the that she wylle enforce thy courage ag-
eynst accydye, in remembryng that yf god
do good to ony man, therfor foloweth it not
that he ought also wel to do to the ; for he
gyueth not to hym al that he hath ne that he
may gyue, ne in that so gyuyng he taketh a-
wey nothyng fro the. And therfor oure god
hath 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 that
they murmured by cause that the lord of
the vyneyerd gaf as moche sallary & wages
to them that were come at euensong tyme
as to them that had laboured alle the daye,
and sayd to them that he dyd them no wro-
83
nge, and that of his owne good he myght
doo 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 two
vertues that loue egalte1  And in that they
be ageynst pryde, yf thou prowde Knyght
wylt vaynquysshe thy pryde, assemble
within thy courage humylyte and streng-
the, for humylyte without strengthe is no
thyng, ne it maye not holde ageynst pryde,
and pryde maye not be vaynquysshed but
by that.
 HAN thou shalt be armed
and mounted vpon thy grete
hors, thou shalt be parauenter
proud, but yf strengthe of
humylyte make the to remem-
bre the reson and thentencion
wherfor thou arte Knyght, thou shalt neuer
be proud, & yf thou be proud thou shalt ne-
uer have strendthe in thy courage by whiche
thou mayst cast out proud thoughtes.

84
  UT yf thou be beten doune
of thy horse in batayll, tak-
en and vaynquysshed, thou
shalt not be thenne so moche
proud as thou were to fore,
for strengthe of body hath
vaynquysshyd and surmounted the pryde
of thy courage. Thenne yf strengthe of
body maye vaynquysshe and surmounte
the pryde of thy courage, how be hit that
noblesse is not a thynge corporal, streng-
the & humylyte whiche ben thynges spy-
rytual, ought moche better to caste oute
pryde 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 ensiewe
thordre of Chyualrye for de∏aulte of str-
ength, whiche is not in his courage, ne hath
not 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 of
others wele, & is slowe to gete the goodes
85
aboue seyd by strengthe of armes, & is ful
of euylle courage, enclyned and redy to take
awey other mens thynges that be not his,
and of whiche he was neuer in possession ;
and by that hym behoueth to thynke how
he myght make barates and falshede for to
gete rychesses, of whiche somtyme the or-
dre of Chyualrye is dishonoured.
RE is in courage troublement
& remembraunce of wycked
wil, & by this trouble and re-
membraunce it torneth hym in
to forgetynge or oublyaunce,
thendendemente in to ygnor-
aunce, & wylle in to not retchynge. And as
to remembre, to understonde, & to wylle,
ben ofte enlumynyng, by whiche a Kn-
yght may folowe the way and the rule of
Chyualry, who wylle thenne caste oute of
his courage that whiche is trouble of vn-
derstondyng1  And of his spyryte hym
behoueth 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 that
yre gyueth.

86
 F so moche that yre is grete,
of so moche hit behoueth
that he haue strengthe of
courage that wylle surmou-
nte and joyne with hym be-
nyuolence, abstynence, cha-
ryte, pacyence & humylyte, & thus shalle
be yre surmounted & eulle wylle, yre and
inpacyence and other vyces appetyc-
ed and lassed2  And whan the vyces ben
mynuysshed, & the vertues gretter as ben
justyce and wysedom : and by the grete-
nesse of justyce & of wysedom is thordre
of Chyualrye the gretter. We haue sayd
here to fore the manere after the whiche
strengthe ought to be in the courage of a
Knyght ageynst the seuen dedely synnes,
and we shalle say herafter of the vertu of
attemperaunce.
 TTEMPERAUNCE is a
vertu the whiche dwelleth in
the myddle of two vyces ; of
whome the one is synne by
ouer grete quantite, and that
other is synne by ouer lytyl
quantyte2  And therfore bytwene ouer
moche and ouer lytyl muste be attemper-
aunce in so resonable quantite that it be
87
vertue. For yf there were noo vertu bytwene
the ouer grete and ouer lytyl, there shold
be no moyen, & that may not be1  A Kn-
yght acustommed of good custommes
and wel enseygned, ought to be attempryd
in hardynesse in etynge, in drynkynge, in
semblable to the same.
   ITHOUT attemperaunce a
Knyght maye not mayntene
thordre of Chyualrye, ne he
may 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 may
remembre the deth & fylthe of this world
and demaunde of god the celestyal glory,
and drede and doubte the paynes of helle ;
and by that he maye acustomme hym to
vse 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
88
the werkes that the byrdes done and the
deuynours, 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 haue
not power to vse theyr offyce
withoute the art & the manere
that apperteynen to theyr of-
fyces, and as god hath gyuen
discrescion and reason to a Knyght by
whiche he can vse his o∏yce ; and yf he can
lyue in mayntenynge the rule of Chyualrye,
yf he thenne soo do not, he doth wrong &
iniurye to discrescion and to reason. For a
Knyght that leueth his discrescion, & that
whiche reason and entendement sygnyfye
and shewe, and he folowe and byleue the
deuynaylles of them that bythe flyght of
byrdes deuynen, and sayen that the byrd
that fleeth on the ryght syde sygnefyeth
contrary to the lyfte syde, & to suche thyn-
ges thynketh and gyueth a∏yaunce : suche
a Knyght casteth awey the noblesse of his
courage, and is all lyke to a foole that vseth
no wytte ne reason, but doth at al auenture
al that he doth. And therfore suche a Kny-
89
ght is ageynst god, and after ryght and
reason he ought to be vaynquysshed and
surmounted of his enemye whiche vseth
reason and discrescion ageynst hym, and
hath 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 that
is 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 of
his wyf or any other bare and discouerd by
the false byleue that he hath2  Also lyke as
a juge vseth his offyce whan he jugeth after
custome, 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
90
sentence after witnesse, & thenne gyueth
false jugement by the flyght of byrdes, or
by barkyng of dogges, or by suche other
thynges lyke to the same, ryght so a Kny-
ghte doth ageynst his o∏yce yf he doo not
that whiche reason & discrescion shewe to
hym & 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 that
ought to ensiewe reason & discrescion, &
doo after the sygnefyaunce that hys arm-
ures representen, lyke to that whiche we
haue said to fore. And of the thynges that
happen by aduenture he ought not to make
necessite ne customme.
 O a Knyght apperteyneth that
he be louer of the comyn wele,
for by the comynalte of the
people was the Chyualrye
founden and establyssshed.
And the comyn wele is gret-
ter and more necessary than propre good
and specyall. To a Knyght apperteyneth
to speke nobly and curtoisly and to haue
fayr harnoys and to be wel cladde, and to
holde a good houshold, and an honest
hows, for alle these thynges ben, to hon-
91
oure Chyualrye, necessarye. Curtosye and
Chyualry concorden to gyder, for vylayn-
ous and foule wordes ben ageynst thordre
of 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 to
god to compare all his noblesse, ryght so a
knyght ought to compare to alle that wher–
of Chyualry may receyue honour for them
that ben in his ordre. The custome and the
good enseygnement that a Knyght dothe
to his hors is not so moche to mayntene
thordre of Chyualrye as is the good cus-
tomme & good enseygnement that he doth
to 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 enduceth
and enseyggneth his hors and acustommed
hym self and his sone to good enseygne-
ments and vertuouse werkes2  And soo a
wycked Knyghte whiche enduceth and en-
seygneth hym self and his sone to euylle
enseygnements and doctrynes, he en-
92
forceth to make of hym self and of his
sone, beestes, and of his hors, a Knyghte.
1  Of the honour that ought to be done to
a Knyght.
  OD hath honoured a
Knyghte & all the pe–
ple honoueth hym
lyke as in this booke
is recounted. And
Chyualrye is an hon-
ourable offyce aboue
alle offyces, ordres,
and estates of the
world, reserued th-
ordre of presthode, whiche apperteyneth to
the holy sacrefyce of thaulter. And thordre
of Chyualry is moche necessary as touch-
yng the gouernement of the world, lyke as
we haue tofore touchyd ; and therfor Chy-
ualry by alle these reasons, and by many
other 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 them
the vertues ne thonour that apperteyneth
to thordre of Chyualry, they shold not be
worthy to be kynges, ne prynces, ne lordes
93
of countree, for in them Chyualry ought
to be honoured1  The Knyghtes ought
thenne to be honoured by the kynges and
grete barons. For lyke as by the Knyghtes
the hyhe barons ben honoured aboue the
moyen peple, ryght soo the kynges & the
hyhe barons oughten aboue the other peo-
ple to holde the Knyghtes1  Chyualrye &
fraunchyse accorden to gyder and to the
franchyse, & seygnorye of the kyng or of
the prynce accorden to the Knyghtes, for
the Knyght must be free & franke by cause
that the kyng is his lord. And therfore it
behoueth that thonour of a kyng or of a
prynce, or of euery baron and lord of a lond,
be accordyng in thonour of a Knyght, in
suche manere that the kynge or prynce be
lord & the Knyght be honoured.
O thonour of a Knyght apper-
teyneth that he be loued for
his bounte & goodnesse, and
that he be doubted & dredde
by his strengthe, and that he
be prayd for his debonayrte
and pryualte, and by cause that he is coun-
ceyllour of the kynge or of the prynce, or of
another hyhe baron2  Thenne to despryse
a baron by cause he is of the same nature of
94
whiche euery man is, is to despyse alle the
thynges afore sayd for whiche a Knyght
oughte to be honoured. Euery noble baron
and 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 in
bataylle, honoureth hym self.
ND the lord that of a wyse Kn-
yght maketh his messager or
embassatour delyuereth his
honour to noblesse of cour-
age, & the lord that multyply–
eth honour in a Knyght that is
in his seruyce, multiplyeth honour in hym
self2  And the lord that aydeth & maynt-
eneth a Knyght, he doth his offyce and en-
forceth his seygnorye ; and the lord that is
ptyue with a Knyght hath amytye to Chy-
ualry1  To requyer foly of the wyf of a
Knyght, ne tenclyne her to wyckednesse, is
not the honour of a Knyght2  And the wyf
of 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 the
noble lygnage of a Knyght2  A Knyght
also that hath children of a vylayne woman
95
honoureth not gentylnesse ne Chyualrye.
And as it is so, thenne gentylnesse and the
honour of Chyualry accorden to gyder in a
Knyght and in a lady by the vertue of ma-
ryage, and the contrary is destruction of
Chyualry.
  F the men that ben not Kny-
ghtes ben oblyged & holden
to honoure a Knyght, moche
more is oblyged and bound-
en a Knyght to honoure his
body in beyng wel cladde and
nobly, and in beyng wel horsed, and to haue
fayr harnoys, good and noble, and to be
seruyd and honoured of good persones,
moche more without comparyson than of
other. Thenne, to honoure the noblesse of
his courage, by the whiche he is in thordre
of 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 his
courage noble thoughtes & good cogytaci-
ons whiche apperteyne to thordre of Chy-
ualry1  The Knyght that dishonoureth
hym self & his pere, that is to wete another
Knyght, he is not dygne ne worthy to haue
honoure. For yf he were worthy, wronge
96
shold be done to the Knyght that holdeth
and doth to Chyualry as touchyng to hym
self and to that other Knyght. Thenne as
Chyualry hath his dwellyng in the noble
courage of a Knyght, no man may not so
moche honoure or dishonoure Chyualry as
a Knyght.
ANY ben thonours and the
reuerences that ought to be
done to a Knyght2  And of
as moche as the Knyght is
gretter, of soo moche is he
more charged and bounden
to honoure Chyualry1In this book here
haue we spoken shortly ynough of thordre
of Chyualry, therfor we make now here an
ende to thonour and the lawde of god our
glorious lord, and of our lady saynt Mary,
whiche be blessyd in secula seculorum2 
Amen
ERE endeth the book of th-
ordre of Chyualry, whiche
book is translated oute of
Frensshe in to Englysshe
at a requeste of a gentyl
& noble esquyer by me Wil-
lian Caxton, dwellynge in Westmynstre
besyde London, in the most best wyse
97
that god hath su∏red me, & accordynge to
the copye that the sayd Squyer delyuerd
to me ; whiche book is not requysyte to
euery comyn man to haue, but to noble
gentylmen that by their vertu entende to
come & entre in to the noble ordre of Chy-
ualry, the whiche in these late dayes hath
ben vsed accordyng to this booke here to
fore wreton, but forgeten, and thexcersy-
tees of Chyualry not vsed, honoured ne
excersysed as hit hath ben in auncyent
tyme1At whiche tyme the noble actes of
the Knyghtes of Englond that vsed Chy-
ualry were renomed thurgh the vnyuersal
world. As for to speke to fore thyncar-
nacion of Jhesu Cryste, where were there
euer ony lyke to Brenius & Belynus, that
from the grete Brytayne now called Eng-
lond vnto Rome & frerre beyonde conquer-
ed many Royammes & londes ? Whos no-
blactes remayne in thold hystoryes of thee
Romayns2  And syth the Incarnacion of
oure lord byhold that noble kyng of Bry-
tayne Kyng Arthur with al the noble Kny-
ghtes of the Round Table ; whos noble
actes and noble Chyualry of his Knyghtes
occupye soo many large volumes, that is
a world, or as thyng incredyble to byleue.
98
O ye Knyghtes of Englond, where is the
custome and vsage of noble chyualry that
was vsed in tho dayes ? What do ye now
but go to the baynes and playe atte dyse ?
And some not wel aduysed vse not honest
and good rule, ageyn alle ordre of Knyght-
hode. Leue this, leue it, and rede the noble
volumes of Saynt Graal, of Lancelot, of
Galaad, of Trystram, of Perseforest, of
Percyual, of Gawayn and many mo. Ther
shalle ye see manhode, curtosye and gen-
tylnesse1And loke in latter dayes of the
noble actes syth the conquest in Kyng
Rychard dayes, cuer du lyon, Edward the
fyrste and the thyrd and his noble sones ;
Syre Robert Knolles, Syr Johan Hawk-
wode, Syr Johan Chaundos & Syre Gaul-
tier Manny ; rede Froissart, & also behold
that vyctoryous and noble kynge Harry
the Fyfth, and the capytayns vnder hym,
his noble bretheren, Therle of Salysbury,
Montagu, and many other whoos names
shyne gloryously by their vertuous nobl-
esse and actes that they did in thonour of
thordre of Chyualry. Allas, what doo ye but
slepe & take ease ? And ar al disordred fro
Chyualry. I wold demaunde a question yf
I shold not displease, How many Knygh-
99
tes ben ther now in Englond that haue thu-
se & thexcercyse of a Knyghte ? That is to
wete, that he knoweth his hors & his hors
hym, 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 broken
after his hand, his armures and harnoys
mete and fyttyng & so forth, et cetera1
I suppose, and a due serche shold be made,
ther shold many founden that lacke, the
more pyte is2  I wold it pleasyd oure sou–
erayne lord that twyes or thryes in a yere, or
at the lest ones he wold do crye Justes of
pees, to thende that euery Knyght shold
haue hors and harneys, & also the vse and
craft of a Knyght, and also to tornoye one
ageynst one, or ii ageynst ii, & the best to
haue a prys, a dyamond or jewel, suche as
shold 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 serue
theyr prynce whan he shalle calle them or
haue nede1Thenne late euery man that is
come of noble blood & entendeth to come
to the noble Ordre of Chyualry, rede this
lytyl book and doo therafter in kepyng the
lore & commaundements therin compry-
100
sed. And thenne I doubte not he shall atte-
yne to thordre of Chyualry, et cetera0And
thus thys lytyl book I presente to my re-
doubted, naturel & most dradde souerayne
lord Kyng Rychard, Kyng of Englond and
of Fraunce, to thende that he commaunde
this book to be had & redde vnto other yo-
ng lordes, Knyghtes & gentylmen within
this royame, that the noble Ordre of Chy-
ualrye be herafter better vsed & honoured
than hit hath ben in late dayes passed. And
herin he shalle do a noble & vertuouse dede,
& I shalle pray almyghty god for his long
lyf & prosperous welfare, and thet he may
haue victory of al his enemyes, & after this
short & transitory lyf to haue euerlastyng
lyf in heuen, where as is joye and blysse
world without ende1Amen.

101
The Order of Chivalry, translated from
the French by William Caxton, edited by
F.S. Ellis, & printed by me William Morris
at the Kelmscott Press, Upper Mall, Ham-
mersmith, in the County of Middlesex, &
finished on the 10th day of November, 1892
Sold by Reeves & Turner, 196, Strand,
London.
L’ORDENE DE CHEVALERIE, WITH
TRANSLATION BY WILLIAM MORRIS.
00000000000000
L’ORDENE DE CHEVALERIE.
ON fet a preudome parler
Car on i puet mout con-
quester
De 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 hom
Toutes 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 desroi
Fist maintes fois a nostre loi,
Et a no gent fist maint damage
Par son orguel et son outrage ;
107
Et tant que une foiz avint,
Qu’a la bataille un Prinches vint ;
Hues ot non de Tabarie,
O lui s’avoit grant compagnie
Des 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 rues
Droit 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.
108
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 demander
Coument jou partirai de chi ?
Salehadins li respondi,
Hues, vous le m’afierez
Sour 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 pris
Et 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 talent
De savoir trestout l’errement ;
109
Et jel’ saroie volentiers
Coument l’en fet les Chevaliers.
Biaus Sire, dist–il, non ferai ;
Porqoi, Sire, jel’ vous dirai.
Sainte Ordre de Chevalerie
Seroit 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 soie
Voloie vestir et couvrir,
Qu’il ne peust jamais puir,
A nul fuer fere ne poroie,
Et tout ensemnet mesprendroie
Se 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 ensignier
Tout chou que il li covient faire,
Caviaus et barbe, et le viaire
110
Li fist apparillier mout bel ;
Ch’est droiz a Chevalier nouvel,
Puis le fist en un baing entrer.
Lors li coumenche a demander
Li soudans, que che senefie,
Hues respont de Tabarie :
Sire, cil bains ou vous baingniez,
Si est a chou senefiez,
Tout ensement com l’enfechons
Nes de pechie ist hors des fons
Quant de baptesme est aportez,
Sire, tout ensement devez
Issir 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 lit
Qui estoit fez par grant delit.
Hues, dites–moi sans faillance
De ce lit la senefiance :
Sire, cis lis vous senefie
C’on doit par sa Chevalerie
Conquerre lit en paradis,
Ke Diex otroie a ses amis ;
111
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 vestu
De blans dras qui erent de lin ;
Lors dist Hues en son latin,
Sire, nel’ tenez a escar,
Chis dras qui sont pres de vo car
Tout blanc, vous dounent a entendre,
Que Chevaliers doit ades tendre
A 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 entresait
Cheste reube que senefie ?
Hues respont de Tabarie,
Sire, cheste reube vous done
A entendre, chen est la somme,
Que ja ne soiez sans douner
Pour 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.
112
Apres li a cauches cauchies
De saie brune et delijes.
Et li dist, Sire, sans faillanche,
Tout chou vous doune ramembranche
Par cheste cauchemente noire,
C’aijez tout ades en memoire
La 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 regner
En 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 chainture
Blanche, et petite de feture ;
Sire, par cheste chainturete,
Est entendu que vo car nete,
Vos rains, vos cors entirement
Devez tenir tout fermement
Ausi com en virginite,
Vo cors tenir en netee,
Luxure despire et blasmer ;
Car Chevaliers doit moult amer
Son cors a netement tenir,
Qu’il ne se puist en chou hounir ;
113
Car Diex het mout itel ordure.
Li Rois repont, bien est droiture.
Apres deus esperons li mist
En ses deus pies, et si li dist :
Sire, tout autressi isniaus
Que vos volez que vos chevaux
Soit 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 courage
De 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 demandee
la senefiance del branc.
Sire, fet–il, chou et garant
Contre l’assaut del’ anemi,
Tout ensement com vees ci :
Doi trenchant ki vous font savoir,
C’ades doit Chevaliers avoir
Droiture et leaute ensanle,
Chou est a dire ; che me sanle
114
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 mis
Une coife qui tout iert blanche,
Puis li dist la senefianche.
Sire, fait il, or esgardez,
Tout ensement com vous savez
Que cheste coife est sanz ordure,
Et blanche et bele, nete et pure
Et 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 basties
A Dieu, pour avoir le merite
De paradis qui nous delite ;
Car lange ne porroit conter,
Oreil oir, ne cuer pensser
Ch’ est li biautes de paradis,
Que Diex otroie a ses amis.
Li Rois trestout chou escouta,
Et en apres li demanda,
115
S’il i faloit plus nule cose,
Sire, oil mes fere nel’ ose
Que chou est donc ? Chest li colee.
Poroi ne le m’ avez dounee,
Et dite la senefianche ?
Sire, chou est li ramembranche
De chelui qui l’a adoube
A chevalier, et ordene ;
Mes mie ne le vous donron,
Car je sui chi en vo prison,
Si ne doi fere vilounie
Por cose c’on me fache et die,
Si ne vous voel pour chou ferir ;
Bien vous devez a tant tenir.
Mais encor vous voel monstrer
Et ensignier, et deviser
Quatre coses especiauns,
C’avoir doit Chevaliers noviaus
Et 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
116
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 Venredi
Pour chele sainte ramembranche
Que Jhesu Cris fu de la lanche
Ferus pour no redempcion,
Et que a Longis fist pardon.
Toute se vie en chelui jor
Doit juner pour nostre signor
Se 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 parclose
Que cascun jor doit Messe oir,
S’il a de qoi, si doit o∏rir ;
Car mout est bien l’o∏rande assise
Qui a la table Diu est mise,

117
Car ele porte grant vertu.
I Rois a mout bien entendu
Chou que Hues li va contant,
S’en a eu joie mout grant.
Apres chou li Rois est levez
Ensi 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 gent
En poigneis, ne en bataille,
Por vostre amor quites s’en aille,
Se le volez venir requerre ;
Mais cevalchies parmi me terre
Tout belement et sanz desroi.
Sor le col de vo palefroi
Metez vos hiaume en contenanche,
C’on ne vous fache destorbanche,
Et de vo gent qui sont or pris,
Vous renderai–jou jusc’a dis,
118
Se les volez oster de chi.
Sire, dist–il, vostre merchi,
Car che fait mout a merchier ;
Mes jou ne voel pas oublier
Que me desistes que rouvaisses
Quant jou les preudomes trouvaisses
Pour aidier a ma raenchon,
Mais je n’i voi or si preudon
Com 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 ghile
De 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 nous
A chest grant Prinches racater.
Adont coumenchent a douner
Li Amiraus tuit environ,
Tant que il ot sa raenchon
Largement, que li remanans
Valut treize mille besans,
119
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 tant
Que vous aiiez le remanant
Du sorplus c’on nous a promis,
Car en mon tresor seront pris
Li treze mil besans d’ormir.
Lors a dist a son tresorier
Que il les besans li rendist,
Et apres si les represist
A 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 racater
Ses genz qui erent en prison
Et en grande caitivaison
Entre les mains as Sarrazins.
Quant chou oi Salehadins,
Si en a Mahoumet hure
Que jamais n’erent racate.
Et quant Hues li oi dire,
Si en ot a son cuer grant ire ;
Mais li Rois plus prijer n’osa
Por chou que Mahoumet jura,
120
Car il nel’ osa courechier.
Lors comande a apparillier
Ses dis compagnons qu’il ot quis
Pour remener en son pais ;
Mais il i a puis demore
Huit 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 livree
Grant compaignie de se gent,
Chuinquante sont qui bonement
Les conduient par paiennie
Sans orguel et sans vilounie
C’onques n’i orent destorbier.
Chil se sont mis au repairer,
Si se mueuvent en lor contree,
Et li Prinches de Galilee
Si s’en revint tout ensement ;
Mais mout li poise de sa gent
Que il covint la demorer ;
Mes il ne le pot amender,
Si en est plus courchiez que nus.
Dont est en son pais venus
Lui onzime, sans plus avoir
Lors departi le grant avoir
K’il avoit o lui aporte,
Si en a maint houme doune
121
Qui en est riches devenus.
Signour, bien doit estre venus
Chis Contes entre bone gent,
Car as autres ne vaut noient
K’il n’entendent plus que berbis,
Foi que doi Diu de paradis.
Chil perderoit bien ses joiaus
Qui les jetroit entre porciaus,
Sachiez qu’il les defouleroient,
Ne ja ne s’en deporteroient,
Car il ne saroient pas tant,
Si seroient mesentendant
Qui 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 trouver
Deux coses qui font a loer.
L’une si est au comenchier
Coument on fet le chevalier
Que 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 justise
De chiaus qui nous voelent malfere.
D’aus loer ne me voel retrere.
122
Qui nes aime, mout par est niches,
Que on embleroit nos calices
Devant nous a la taule De,
Que ja ne seroit destorne :
Mes lor justiche bien en pense
Qui de par aus nou fet de∏ense ;
Si les mauves ne congioient,
Ja li bon durer ne porroient
Se 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 lever
De 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 pooir
De toutes ses armes avoir,
Et en sainte Glise aporter
Quant il vieut le Messe escouter,
Que nus mauves ne contredie
Le serviche le Fill Marie,
Ne le saint digne Sacrement
Porqoi nous avons sauvement ;
123
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 estordre
De 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 Sacrement
Du cors Diu, je vous di pour voir
Que 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 pener
De fere bien a son pooir,
Car on i puet grant preu avoir.
Et si truis, lisant en latin,
De bones œvres, bone fin.
124
Or prions au definement
Chelui qui est sans finement,
Quant nous venrons au definer,
Que nous puissoumes si finer
Que nous aions la joie fine
Ki as bons mie ne define,
Et por celui qui chou escrist,
Que il soit avoec Jhesu–Crist,
Et en l’onnour Sainte Marie
Amen, amen chascuns en die.
Explicit l’Ordene de Chevalerie.

125
THE ORDINATION OF KNIGHTHOOD.
THE ORDINATION OF KNIGHTHOOD.
HAT the wise speak
is goodly gain,
For thereby do we
win amain
Of sense, of good
and courtesy :
’Tis good to haunt
the company
Of him who of his
ways 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 draw
me hence
To rhyming, and to tell in
word
A tale that erewhile I have
heard,
About a King of Paynemry
A great lord of the days gone by ;
128
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
129
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.”

130
HEN craveth he a leave–to–
go
That he may come to his
own land.
But the King takes him
by 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,
131
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 the
King to learn
In all wise what behoved
to do
With face and hair and beard
thereto,
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 ;
132
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 bath
outgoing
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.”
133
ITH scarlet gown he clad
him 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 then
did do
Of loose–wrought say all
brown of hue,
And spake he : “ Sir, withouten
fail
For thy remembrance doth avail
This foot–gear that is shapen black,
That ne’er shalt thou the memory lack
134
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 feet
stands he,
And girds him with a belt
withal
That white is and of fashion
small.
“ 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.”

135
WO spurs thereafter did he on
His feet, and word therewith he
won
“ Sir, e’en as swift and speedily
As ye would wish thine horse
should 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 the
word
What thing betokeneth the
brand.
“ 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
136
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 his
head
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
137
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’er
and o’er
Three matters weightiest to tell,
Whereof should new Knight wot
full 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
138
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.
139
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 all
aright
Of all that Hugh hath told
him 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 : “ Know
verily
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.
140
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
141
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,
142
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
143
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 he
come
With but those ten and
hath no more.
Then shareth he the wealth
good store
That thence awayward he had brought,
And unto no man giveth nought,
That wealthy wax they, each, and hail.
AIR sirs, well wended is
the tale
Amidst good people of
good will ;
For nought it shall be to
the 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.
144
UT he who willeth learn of it,
Two things in this same
tale shall find
well worthy worship in his
mind.
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
145
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 yet
to say :
Do ye the right, come what
come may.
The Knight is bidden hold
this 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.
146
O have I learned you this
devise
To do the thing ye should
of 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.
147
MEMORANDA CONCERNING THE
TWO PIECES HERE REPRINTED.
HE “ Order of Chiv-
alry ” was translated
by Caxton from the
French original, of
which there are many
early manuscripts in
existence. That in
the British Museum,
Fr. Roy. 14 E.16, is
beautifully written,
and has at the head of the first column a
well painted miniature representing the
Hermit and the Squire in conference. It
forms part of a large folio volume which is
said to have been made for Edward IVth.
A strange confusion has been made by
various writers & bibliographers between
this treatise and a charming little French
poem of the 13th century, entitled “ L’Or-
dene de Chevalerie.” This was first printed
at Paris in 1759, by M. Barbazan, and again
in the “ Fabliaux et Contes,” Paris, 1808,
from the text found in the MS. volume
25462, fo.149–157, in the National Library at
Paris, which is said by M. Ernest Langlois
(La Chevalerie, par L. Gautier, p. 293) to be
148
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 ¶ To
enable 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 the
other, the poem is here reprinted from the
text given in the “ Fabliaux et Contes,”
1808. It will be seen that while it consists
of only 510 lines, or about 2750 words, of
which 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 the
duties of a Knight, the manner of his insti–
tution, & the symbolism of the ceremonies
used on the occasion. As the poem is as–
cribed to the 13th century, and the learned
Director 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 with
the earlier work & might have been in some
measure inspired by it. But there can be
little doubt that the symbolizing of the
149
ceremonies of Knighthood was a matter
of common knowledge in the 13th and 14th
centuries, or probably at a much earlier date,
& is as little likely to have been originated
by the author of the earlier work as by the
compiler of the later one. The French ver-
sion of the “ Ordre de Chevalerie ” was
not printed till 1504 and even then it did
not appear as a treatise on Chivalry, but as
a part of “ Le Jeu des Eschez moralise,”
printed at Paris for A. Verard. In 1510 it
was printed at Lyons, but was then put
forth as the work of Symphorien Cham-
pier, though it had been written a hundred
years or more before he was born. This tar-
dy & obscure mode of publication is good
evidence how entirely dead, by the end of
the 15th century, was the spirit of Chival-
ry as understood by the writers of these
books. Caxton appears, from his eloquent
appeal at the end of the treatise, to have
been a belated lover of Chivalry, but his
hope that the publication of this little book
would give new life to it was evidently
doomed to disappointment, for that no
second edition of it was ever produced by
him is of itself good proof that his appeal
fell on deaf ears. How little interest the
150
subject aroused is also shown by the fact
that no other English typographer either
of the 15th or 16th centuries was at the pains
to reprint the book1The interest that it
has now as an historical document is con-
siderable, and the wonder is that it has not
been reprinted before this time in our own
days.
F. S. E.
THIS Ordination of Knighthood was
printed by William Morris at the Kelms-
cott Press, Upper Mall, Hammersmith,
in the Country of Middlesex; finished on
the 24th day of February, 1893.

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