ES - FW: ST - list of knightly articles

Ladyarabella ladyarabella at home.com
Wed Feb 28 12:04:17 PST 2001


A very nice addition to this thread by Master Edwin FitzLloyd forwarded from
the Steppes list - Arabella

This whole list seems very un-period and is probably a creation of some
mid-Victorian mind. It was very common in the mid to late 19th century to
make up and quote often unnamed authorities and 'ancient sources'. The
actual
body of these 'knightly articles' reflect the moral precepts of the
Victorian
era and the upper class English Protestants of that time more than anything
that would have actually existed in pre-17th century Europe.

The tendency of our Victorian forbearers to create a highly romantic and
often more egalitarian image of the Medieval past can easily be seen in this
text, much like it is evident in the sentimental artwork of the
pre-Raphaelite movement. I feel it doubtful that in the socially and
economically stratified cultures of western Europe during the Middle Ages
that rules like these would have existed or been taken with much
seriousness.
Within most periods covered by the Society's mission rules of good behavior
would have been seen to only apply to one's social equals or betters. While
religious piety was a sign of good character, concern of the welfare of
'lesser peoples' ( the weak, poor, oppressed, or downtrodden) would have
been
viewed as an oddity and probably looked upon with a great deal of
consterantion, amusement, or suspicion.

Edwin FitzLloyd

<< From: willow taylor <jonwillowpel at juno.com>

<< I  found  this list in "Romance  of the Feudal Chateaux " by  Elizabeth
 W. Champney,1899.  She states  it came from a "leading authority". Have
 any of you seen this  list before or heard a mention of it in any reading
 you  have done?  I would really  like to document this  list. If you know
 someone who be able to tell me where it came from  please send it  on.
 The only  hint I have is that the  new knights where asked to swear by"in
 the name of God and of St. Michael and St. George."

 Yours Willow de Wisp
 The knights had to swear to twenty-six articles:
 (1) To fear and reverence and serve God religiously, and to die rather
 than to renounce Christianity;
 (2) to serve and fight for their King and country;
 (3) to uphold the rights of the weaker, such as widows, orphans, and
 damsels;
 (4) that they should not injure anyone maliciously, or take what was
 another's, but rather do battle with those that did so;
 (5) that greed, pay, or profit should never constrain them to any deed,
 but only glory and virtue;
 (6) that they would fight for the common weal;
 (7) that they would obey their generals;
 (8) that they would guard the honour of their country;
 (9) that they would never fight in companies against one, and that they
 would eschew all tricks and artifices;
 (10) that they would wear but one sword unless they had to fight against
 two or more;
 (11) that in tourney they would never use the point of their swords;
 (12) that being taken prisoner in a tourney they would be bound on their
 faith and honour to perform in every point the condition of capture,
 besides being bound to give up to the victors their arms and horses and
 being disabled from fighting in war without their leave;
 (13) that they would keep faith inviolably with all the world;
 (14) that they would love and succour one another;
 (15) that having made a vow to go any quest they would never put off
 their arms save for the night's rest;
 (16) that in its pursuit they would not shun bad roads or perils;
 (17) that they would never take wages from a foreign prince;
 (18) that in command of troops they would never suffer violence to be
 done;
 (19) that in the escort of dame or damsel they would save her from all
 danger or insult or die in the attempt;
 (20) that they would never offer violence to dame or damsel though they
 had won her by deed of arms;
 (21) that being challenged to equal combat, they would never refuse,
 without wound or sickness or other reasonable hindrance;
 (22) that having undertaken any enterprise they would devote to it night
 and day unless called away by King or country;
 (23) that having made a vow to acquire any honour they would not draw
 back without having attained either it or its equivalent;
 ( 24) that having become prisoners in fair warfare they would pay to the
 uttermost the promised ransom or return to prison at the day and hour
 agreed upon, on pain of being proclaimed infamous and perjured;
 (25) that on returning to the court of their sovereign they would render
 a true account of their adventures, even though they had been worsted, to
 the King and the registrar of their order, on pain of being deprived of
 the order of knighthood;
 (26) that above all things they would be faithful, courteous, humble, and
 never wanting to their word for any harm or loss that might accrue to
 them. >>
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