translated out of Frensshe into Englysshe at a requeste of a gentyl and
noble esquire by me/ William Caxton dwellynge in Westmynstre besyde
london in the most best wyse that god hath suffred me/ and accordynge
to the copye that the sayd squyer delyuerd to me/ whiche book is not
requisyte to euery comyn man to haue/ but to noble gentylmen that by
their virtu entende to come & entre in to the noble ordre of chyualry/
the whiche in these late dayes hath ben vsed accordyng to this booke
here to fore wreton but forgeten/ and thexcersitees of chyualry/ not
used/ honoured/ ne exercysed/ as hit hath ben in auncyent tyme/ at
whiche tyme the noble actes of the knyghtes of Englond that vsed
Chyualry were renomed thurgh the vnyuersal world/ As for to speke to
fore thyncarnacion of Jesu Chryste/ where were there euer ony lyke to
brenius and belynus that from the grete Brytagne now called Englond
vnto Rome & ferre beyonde conquered many Royaumes and londes/ whos
noble actes remayn in thold hystoryes of the Romayns/ And syth the
Incarnacion of oure lord/ byhold that noble king of Brytayne king
Arthur/ with all the noble kny[gh]tes of the ro[=u]d table/ whos noble
actes and noble chyualry of his knyghtes occupye soo many large
volumes/ that is a world/ or as thing incredyble to byleue/ 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 &
playe atte dyse/ And some not wel aduysed/ vse not honest and good rule
ageyn alle ordre of knyghthode/ leue this/ leue it and redde the noble
volumes of saynt graal of lancelot/ of galaad/ of Trystram/ of perse
forest/ of percyual/ of gawayn/ & many mo/ Ther shalle ye see manhode/
curtosy/ & gentylnesse/ And loke in latter dayes of the noble actes
syth the c[=o]quest/ as in kyng Rychard dayes cuer du Lyon/ Edward the
fyrste/ and the thyrd/ and his noble sones/ Syre Robert Knolles/ Syr
Johan Cha[=u]dos/ and Syre gualtier Manuy/ rede froissart/ And also
behold that vyctoryous and noble kynge harry the fyfthe/ and the
captayns vnder hym his noble bretheren/ Therle of Salysbury Montagu/
and many other whoos names shyne gloryously by their vertuous noblesse
& actes that they did in thonour of thordre of chyualry/ Allas what do
ye/ but sleep & take ease/ and are al dysordred fro chyualry/ I wold
demaunde a question yf I shold not displease/ how many knyghtes ben
there now in Englond/ that haue thuse and thexcercyse of a knyght/ that
is to wete/ that he knoweth his hors/ & his hors hym/ that is to saye/
he beyng eredy at a poynt to haue al thyng that longeth to a knight/ an
hors that is accordyng and broken after his hand/ his armures and
harnoys mete and syttyng/ & so forth/ _et cetera_/ I suppose and a due
serche shold be made/ there shold he many founden that lacke/ the more
pyte is/ I wold it pleasyd our souerayn Lord that twyes or threys in a
year/ or at the least ones he wold do crye Justes of pees/ to thend
that euery knyght shold haue hors and harneys/ and also the vse and
craft of a knyght/ and also to tornoye one ageynst one/ or ij against
ij/ And the best to haue a prys/ a dyamond or jewel/ suche as shold
please the prynce/ This shold cause gentylmen to resorte to thauncyent
customes of chyualry to grete fame and ren[=o]mee/ And also to be alwey
redy to serue theyr prynce whan he shalle calle them/ or haue nede/
Thenne late euery man that is come of noble blood/ and entendeth to
come to the noble ordre of chyualry/ read this lytyl book/ and doo
therafter/ in kepyng the lore and commaundements therin comprysed/ And
thenne I doubte not he shall atteyne to thordre of chyualry/ _et
cetera_.
And thus this lytyl book I presente to my redoubted naturel and most
dradde souerayne lord kyng Rychard kyng of Englond and of Fraunce/ to
thend/ that he commaunde this book to be had and redde vnto other yong
lordes knyghtes and gentylmen within this royame/ that the noble ordre
of chyualry be herafter better vsed & honoured than hit hath ben in
late dayes passed/ And herin he shalle do a noble & vertuous dede/ and
I shalle pray almy[gh]ty god for his long lyf & prosperous welfare/ &
that he may haue vyctory of all his enemyes/ & after this short &
transitory lyf to haue euerlastyng lyf in heuen/ where as is Joye and
blysse/ world without ende/ Amen/
III. THE BUKE OF THE GOUERNANCE OF PRINCES.
This very popular work is a translation of the "Secretum Secretorum,"
falsely attributed to Aristotle. Its popularity was so great that not less
than nine English translations and six French translations are known. It is
probable that Sir Gilbert Hay made his version from one of the French
translations current in the Fifteenth Century.
* * * * *
In now adverting to SIR GILBERT HAY, the Translator of the "ORDERE OF
KNIGHTHOOD," and of other Works, from the French, it is matter of regret
that we possess no very certain information respecting him. Some of the
uncertainty which prevails in regard to his lineage arises from the
circumstance that the name of Gilbert, in the family of Errol, with whom we
may presume he was nearly related, was of very common occurrence. The Hays
of Errol, the chief of the name in Scotland, appear in the public Records
as Hereditary Constables of Scotland before the end of the Twelfth Century.
Without further entering upon their Genealogy, as exhibited in Douglas and
Wood's Peerage of Scotland, vol. i. page 544, &c., and in similar works, it
may briefly be noticed that, in the course of the Fifteenth Century--
I. Sir Thomas Hay of Errol, Constable of Scotland, died in the year 1406.
He married in 1372, Elizabeth third daughter of King Robert II., by his
first wife Elizabeth Mure; and had two sons, Sir William, who succeeded,
and Gilbert Hay, who is designed of Dronlaw; also three daughters, the
youngest of whom, Alicia, married Sir William Hay of Locharret.[9]
II. Sir William Hay of Errol, who succeeded in 1406, died in 1436. By his
wife Margaret, daughter of Sir Patrick Gray of Broxmouth, he had two sons,
Gilbert, and William Hay of Urry, in the county of Kincardine.
III. Gilbert Hay, eldest son of Sir William, was one of the hostages sent
to England in 1412, and again in 1424, for the ransom of King James the
First, who had been held in captivity for eighteen years. On the last
occasion he is styled "Gilbertus Primogenitus et Hæres Willielmi
Constabularii Scotiæ," his annual revenue being estimated equal to 800
marks; and at that time "Gilbert of the Haye, askyth conduct for 3
servants." (Rymer's Foedera, vol. x. p. 327). In 1426 he had a safe
conduct. He died in England soon after 1426, leaving, by his wife Alicia,
daughter of Sir William Hay of Yester, two sons, William and Gilbert.
IV. Sir William Hay succeeded his grandfather in 1436, and was created Earl
of Errol in the year 1452-3. He married Beatrix Douglas, daughter of James
third Lord Dalkeith. His brother Gilbert, who succeeded his uncle William
Hay of Urry, had a charter of the lands of Urry, in the county of
Kincardine, 12th August 1467; and died before September 1487. The Earl of
Errol, who died about 1460, was succeeded by his eldest son,
V. Nicholas, second Earl of Errol. He died without issue in 1470, and was
succeeded by his brother,
VI. William, third Earl of Errol, who survived till 1506.
This brief view of the Hays of Errol, during the Fifteenth Century, may
serve to guide our conjectures in regard to Sir Gilbert Hay. That he was
born about the commencement of that century, we are warranted to assume.
There is no evidence of any of the younger sons in the Errol family, at
this period, having had the honour of Knighthood; and therefore it may be
conjectured that he was the son of Sir William Hay of Locharret, one of
whose daughters, Jane, was married to Sir Alexander Home of Dunglas, who
accompanied the Scotish forces under the Earl of Douglas to France, and who
lost his life with the Earl at the Battle of Verneuil, 17th August 1424. It
is certain, at least, that Gilbert Hay received a liberal education, and he
appears to have prosecuted his studies at the University of St Andrews,
which was founded in the year 1411. This we ascertain from the "Acta
Facult. Art. Univers. S. Andreæ," where the name "Gylbertus Hay," occurs
among the _Determinants_, or Bachelors of Arts, in the year 1418. In the
following year, "Gilbertus de Haya, Magister," is included in the higher
degree among the _Licentiates_, or Masters of Arts. One of his fellow
students was William Turnbull, who afterwards became successively Doctor of
Laws, Archdean of St Andrews, Keeper of the Privy Seal, and Bishop of
Glasgow; and who, about three years before his death, so honourably
distinguished himself by founding the College of Glasgow, in the year
1452-3.
After taking his Master's degree at St Andrews, Gilbert Hay proceeded to
France, but whether it may have been to complete his education, or that he
was sent on any special mission, must be left to conjecture.[10] It might
have been, that like so many of the younger sons in Scotish families of
rank, at an early as well as in more recent times, he had gone abroad to
push his fortunes; and thus, like Quentin Durward, when first addressing
Louis XI., he might have said,--"I am ignorant whom I may have the honour
to address, but I am indifferent who knows that I am a cadet of Scotland;
and that I come to seek my fortune in France, or elsewhere, after the
custom of my countrymen." It will be seen that he styles himself "Gilbert
of the Haye, Knycht, Master in Arts, and Bachelor in Decreis,"--titles
expressive of academical distinctions; and also "Chamberlain umquhile to
the maist worthy King Charles of France." Dr Mackenzie, overlooking the
obvious meaning of these words in the position of _umquhile_, instead of
"late Chamberlain to the King," made him "Chamberlain to Charles VI., King
of France." But that Monarch began his reign in 1380, and died in 1422,
probably before Hay had set his foot in France. His son, Charles VII.,
ascended the throne in 1422, and survived till 1461. Sir Walter Scott, in
"Quentin Durward," chapter v., has given a very graphic account of the
Scotish Archer Guard, which was instituted by Charles VI., and consisted of
a select number of the Scotish Nation, supplied from the superabundant
population of their native country. It is no improbable conjecture,
therefore, that Gilbert Hay may have been one of their number, and like the
imaginary character in the work of fiction referred to, have thus been
brought under the special notice of the French King, and in this manner
obtained the patronage of Charles VII. Another event that may have
contributed to his holding an official appointment in the Royal Household,
was the alliance between Margaret, eldest daughter of James I. of Scotland,
and the Dauphin of France. This took place in July 1436, when she was only
twelve years of age; and she was attended by a number of persons of rank,
some of whom remained in her service. Be this as it may, and without
attempting to conjecture on what occasion Hay received the honour of
Knighthood, we know, from a passage to be afterwards mentioned, that he
resided in France during a period of twenty-four years; and he may have
returned to his native country soon after the death of the youthful
Princess. She died of a broken heart in August 1445, or sixteen years
before her husband, whose character is so ably depicted by Scott, had
succeeded to the throne under the title of Louis XI.
After Sir Gilbert Hay's return to Scotland, we find him residing at Roslin
Castle with Sir William Saintclair, third Earl of Orkney, (a title which he
resigned, in 1456, for the Earldom of Caithness)--a nobleman of great
influence and wealth, who had accompanied the Princess Margaret to France
in 1436. He was twice married, his first wife being Lady Margaret Douglas,
daughter of Archibald fourth Earl of Douglas; and he lived in such a kingly
state, that we are told, his Lady "had serving her 75 gentlewomen, whereof
53 were daughters to noblemen, all cloathed in velvets and silks, with
their chains of gold, and other pertinents; together with 200 rideing
gentlemen, who accompanied her in all her journeys. She had carried before
her when she went to Edinburgh, if it was darke, 80 lighted torches. Her
lodging was att the foot of the Blackfryer Wynde: so that, in a word, none
matched her in all the country, save the Queen's Majesty."[11] We are
further told of this "Prince," William Earl of Orkney, that--"In his house
he was royally served in gold and silver vessels, in most princely manner;
for the Lord Dirletone was his Master Household, the Lord Borthwick was his
Cup-bearer, and the Lord Fleming his Carver, under whom, in time of their
absence, was the Laird of Drumlanrig, surnamed Stewart, the Laird of
Drumelzier, surnamed Tweedie, and the Laird of Calder, surnamed Sandilands.
He had his halls and chambers richly hung with embroidered hangings," &c.
In 1446, he founded the Collegiate Church of Roslin, that beautiful
specimen of architecture, the ruins of which still excite so much
admiration under the popular designation of Roslin Chapel. It was at the
request of this nobleman that he undertook the translations which are
contained in the present volume, and which bear the date of 1456. Sir
Gilbert Hay, like some of the persons here named, was probably connected
with this nobleman, as in the genealogy of that family, the fifth of the
nine daughters of Henry second Earl of Orkney, is said to have married a
Hay Earl of Errol.
There is still preserved a curious document entitled "The Inventar of the
Goods of Alexander de Sutherland of Dumbethe," whose daughter Marjory was
the Countess of Caithness and Orkney.[12] It includes his Testament, and
bears to have been made at Roslin, the castle of his son-in-law, on the
15th November 1456, "in the presence of ane hie and mighti Lord William
Earl of Caithnes and Orkney, Lord Saintclair, &c., SIR GILBERT THE HAYE,
Sir Henry Atkinson, Mr Thomas Thurberndson (or Thornebrande), Public Notar,
&c., with dyvers uthirs." At the end of his numerous legacies and bequests,
there is added, "Item, I gif and leive my sylar [silver] colar to _Sir
Gilbert the Haye_, and he to say for my soul ten Psalters."[13]
The long residence of Sir Gilbert Hay in France rendered him familiar not
only with the language, but with the current literature of the country.
This may have suggested to him, upon his return to Scotland, the propriety
of employing himself in translating some of the more remarkable productions
of French literature, for the benefit or amusement of his friends. A
fortunate discovery of an old Manuscript volume at Taymouth Castle, and the
liberality of the Noble Proprietor in communicating it, brought to light
another and a more important undertaking which Sir Gilbert Hay had
accomplished, by rendering the Metrical Romance of ALEXANDER THE GREAT into
Scotish Verse, at the request of Thomas first Lord Erskine, (properly
second Earl of Mar, of the name of Erskine,) who succeeded his father in
1453, and died in 1494. The Work extends to upwards of 20,000 lines; but
the imperfect state of the Manuscript, which exhibits an evidently
inaccurate copy of the translation, added to its great extent, may possibly
keep it from ever being printed entire. But some obscure lines, introduced
by one of the transcribers, at the close of the volume, contains the
information already alluded to, of its having been translated at the
request "of the Lord Erskine, by SIR GILBERT THE HAY," and of his having
spent twenty-four years in the service of the King of France.[14]
How long Sir Gilbert Hay may have survived can only be conjectured. The
Taymouth MS. is transcribed from another copy which had apparently been
written in the year 1493; and the mode in which the Translator is alluded
to, indicates that he had been dead for several years. This serves to
corroborate the mention of his name among the deceased Scotish Poets who
are celebrated by Dunbar in his "Lament for the Death of the Makaris."[15]
NORTON HALL, _January 1847_.
* * * * *
The Buke
of
The Order of Knyghthood,
Translated
by Gilbert of the Haye knycht.
[Decoration]
PROLOGUS.
At the honour and the reuerence of God Almichty his glore and louyng of his
prouidence, the quhilk is souerane lord and syre de toutes choses, of all
thingis in heuyn and in erde, we begyn here THE BUKE OF THE ORDRE OF
KNYCHTHEDE: ffor to schaw, how be the semblaunce of the hye almychty prince
of hevin, quhilk has dominacioun and seignoury apon the vij planetis of the
hevyn,--the quhilkis seuin planetis makis all the courss of the hevyn, and
gouernis the influences celestiales, and has powere apon the ordinancis of
all erdely corporale thingis; and to schaw, that as kingis and princis has
dominacioun and seignoury here apon all knychtis, sa suld knychtis haue
dominacioun and seignourye subordinate of the princis and lordis behalue,
be semblaunce of syk like figure, apon the small peple, to gouerne, reugle,
and defend thame in all thair necessiteis: The quhilk Buke is deuidit in
sere parties, as sall efterwart appere be the declaracioun of the chapitres
efter folowand.
HERE FOLOWIS THE DECLARACIOUN OF THE RUBRIKIS EFTIR THE PARTIES OF THE
BUKE.
The Fyrst chapitre is, How a bachelere Squyere of honoure passit till a
grete semblee of Lordis, at a Kingis crounyng, in entencioun to tak the
Ordere of Knychthede, and how he forvayit, and willit in a wilderness
quhare thare was ane alde Knycht duelland in ane hermytage, that had tane
him fra the warld, to lyue in contemplacioun of Almychty God, to mend his
lyf, and mak gude end, etc.; And how the worthy anciene Knycht techit the
Squyere the poyntis of honour and propereteis pertenand to the said Ordre,
etc.
Quhat the secund chapitre contenis, sequitur.--
The Secound chapitre is, How the Bachelere quhilk suld ressaue that hye
Ordre, how he suld first lere the pointis and the propereteis of the Ordre,
before that he tak it, in the begynnyng.
Quhat the thrid chapitre contenis.--
The Thrid chapitre contenis, All the said properteis of the noble Ordre and
office of Knychthede, as the Knycht deuisis.
Quhat the ferde chapitre contenis.--
The Ferde chapitre contenis, The forme of the examinacioun how the
Bachelere Squyere suld be examynit, be the faderis of the Ordre, before or
he ressauit the said Ordre.
Quhat the fyft chapitre contenis.--
The Fyft chapitre contenis, How the Bacheler Squyer suld ressaue the noble
Ordre, and the forme and manere tharof, and of the process of the making of
Knychtis be ordre.
Quhat the sext chapitre contenis.--
The Sext chapitre contenis, The poyntis of the takenyngis of the blasoun of
the signis and seremons custumable to be maid in geving of the said Ordre,
and all be ordre.
Quhat the sevynt chapitre contenis.--
The Sevynt chapitre contenis, The gude thewis, vertues, and custumes that
pertenis to the Knychtis that honourably wald manetene the foresaid Ordre
of Knychthede.
Quhat the auchtand chapitre contenis.--
The Auchtand chapitre contenis, How the said Ordre suld be haldyn at
honour, and quhat honoure suld be done to thame that beris the said Ordre,
and has optenyt it with honoure.
[Decoration]
HERE BEGYNNYS THE FIRST CHAPITRE OF THE BUKE.
The Autoure of this Buke rehersis, How it befell in a contree quhare a
worthy, wyse, anciene Knycht, that lang tyme had bene in the exercisioun of
honourable weris, the quhilk, be the noblesse and the force of his noble
and hie curage, throu grete wisedome and hye gouernaunce, had auenturit his
persone to pursue and manetene justis, tournaymentis, and weris, and throu
his gude fortune and prowess, had optenyt grete honour and glore, and
victorius loving: And efter all this, as course of nature gevis till all
mankynde, and othir creaturis that in this erde lyf beris, he, considerand
that this lyf mycht nocht langsumly endure, bot it behovit nedely tak ane
end; for to make gude end, and conclusioun to godwart, and to lyve out of
the sicht of tribulacioun and vexacioun of the warld, and to be at his
deuocioun in contemplacioun of his Creatour: For he sawe that God had gevin
him largely of his grace, sufficiandly of warldly honoure and glore; and
that nature in him was sa faillid throu febilness, that he had nouthir
force, na vertu, na powere to welde armes as he was wount; and had deuisit
and departit his landis, gudis, and heritagis till his barnis, and ordanyt
for all his thingis fynablye, and chesit to mak his habitacioun in a thik
wod of a wilderness, in a faire haulch, inclosit within wateris, and grete
treis bath of fruytis and of diuers naturis, and of herbes, sa that he was
content to flee the sycht and the repaire of the warld: Sa that nane that
had sene him sa worthily, honestly, and honourably, had euir hidertillis
manetenyt sa worthy and hye Ordere in all worschip, but lak or dishonestee
of his cors, suld se him in his failit elde, for fault of powere of
naturall strenth, in syk febilness that he mycht nocht oure him self to
gouerne his persone in syk worschip of honestee as he was wount, that filth
of elde schamyt him nocht, quhill he had [gh]eldit to God and nature his
naturale dewiteis: And als, that the vexacioun of the warld gert him nocht
abstrak his inclinacioun of contemplacioun and deuocioun fra the contynuale
remembraunce that he was determynit in his hert to have of the glorious
passioun of Crist, the quhilk he traistit, suld be a targe betuix him and
the inymy of mankynde, in the day of the dredefull jugement, to sauf him
fra the terrible paynis of hell. And as he was walkand a day in ane herbare
allane, in his deuocioun, in a thik busk of the wod, quhare there was a
grete tree in the myddis, chargit full of fair fruytis in the sesoun, the
quhilkis he gaderit and held to refresch him with be tymes: And in that
herbare, vnder the saide fruyte tree, thare was a faire well of water of
noble nature, quhilk in diuers stryndis past throu the herber till othir
gardynnis and preaux, till watere thame in somere for more gudely growth;
in the quhilk herbare the noble Knycht was custumyt to mak his dayly
repaire; and thare in his contemplacioun, he maid his secrete orisoun,
zeldand gracis and lovingis to Almychty God, the makare of the mekle honour
and worschip that he had grantit him in this warld, euermare day of his
lyf, to contynew in sik deuocioun and contemplacioun perpetualy.