ANST - Chivalrous behavior

[C Scot Henry]

Recently someone posted that defending a lady's honor was a chivalrous
thing to do.  I agree with this in principal; however, I have also believed
that one can only defend another's honor if they themselves are honorable
and act in an honorable manner whilst defending the other.  Otherwise, even
if they win the combat, both people are looked upon with dishonor.

For example, let's take the Lady Guinevere/Sir Lancelot story.  When
accused on many occasions of less than appropriate behavior, Lady
Guinevere's shampion was always Sir Lancelot.  NOw even though he was
actually the object of these discrepancies of behavior, he was considered
by one and all (in the story) to be a man of utmost integrity and honor. 
Thus when he won, she was proclaimed innocent of all accusations.  ( Even
though we the reader know that she often was guilty.)  Again  this was only
because he was thought to be an honorable man and fought with honor whilst
defending her.  If he had won but had done so in a less-than-honorable way,
would she not have been proclaimed guilty or at least the verdict tainted? 

My point is that even if one is doing what is considered a chivalrous act,
one should still do that act in a chivalrous (honorable) manner.

Forever and always, 
Lady Capricia d'Aulnay
Baronay of Namron, Ansteorra (someone had asked when I posted my hospitaler
question)

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