[Western] The Ordination of Knighthood [Part Four]

Charlie Cain / Larkin O'Kane larkinokane at cox.net
Wed Jun 11 19:38:42 PDT 2003


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THE ORDINATION OF KNIGHTHOOD (Cont'd)


TWO 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 ahd 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 you life days through.
For even thus doeth every Knight
That loveth God in heart aright,
To serve him with a heart full dear."
Fain then was Saladin to hear.

THEREWITH 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
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 hearkeneth well all words he said.

THEREAFTER 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,
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.

YEA 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.

YET will I show thee furthermore,
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 honor he would come unto.
And this is first of all I wot,
That with false doom he meddle not
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 lieth 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.

THIS 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 on fast,
But if it be for sickness sake,
Or fellowhip against it make;
Or if perchancefast one may not,
'The peace of God must then be got
By almsdeed or some otherwise.

THE next and lazst thing I devise,
Mass should one hear each day and all,
And offer if one have withal;
For right well offering lies ywis
That laid upon God's table is:
For there it beareth mickle might.
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