of clemence, and nocht prydy, na presumptuouse, na orguillouse; ffor oft
tymes of pryde and orguille and presumpcione cummys injure and discensione;
ffor orguille is contrary to justice, and inymy to concord; and tharfore,
thare suld na Knycht be hautayn, na feir, na prydefull, na presumptuouse,
bot euer with mekenes, and clemence, and humilitee, be symple as a may
amang peple, and in his inymyes presence be as lyone rampand; ffor quhat
ever he be, that be full of pryde and presumptuousnes, amang vertuous men
is repute nocht, for thai ar contrarius to pes and concorde, and pes and
concorde ar contrarius to justice. And sa is pride aganis the poyntis of
the Ordre. And humilitee is the rute of the stedefastnes of Knychthede;
ffor schortly to say, Knychthede acordis till all vertu and justice, and
all thingis that ar contrariouse to virtu and justice ar contrariouse to
the Ordere and Office of Knychthede: ffor Knychthede suld defend all
injuris and wrangis, all pilleries, wrang, weris, and tribulaciouns, and
suld hald the peple in all justice, equitee, veritee, and lautee, pes and
debonairetee, and outsched the wikkit fra the gude peple pesable; quhilkis,
gif thai do nocht, bot dois the contrarye in thair governaunce, thai ar
contrarius to thair Ordere, and worthy to be punyst. Bot thare is nane that
all knawis, na all may punyse, bot the Emperoure, the quhilk ordanyt
Knychthede spirituale, to kepe justice, ordinare, be reugle vertuouse, in
pes and concorde, and justice rigorouse, that is, the Ordre of Knychthede,
quhilk suld on force compell euill men, and of wikkit lyf, to desist and
cesse fra thair wikkitnesse, and punyse thame tharfore: And thus is thare
Knychtis of pes and concorde amorouse, and be reugle of justice, to mak gud
reugle and gracious concorde and gouernaunce in the peple; and alssua
Knychtis of the justice rigorouse, ordanyt to compelle be fors of armes all
tyrannis, traytouris, and all othir mysdoaris, and cruell tormentouris of
the haly labouraris, kirk men, merchandis, and traualouris, to cesse and
desist fra thair wikkitnesse. The quhilkis Knychtis suld be full of
vertues, and gude lyf, to geue otheris ensample.
[Decoration]
QUARTUM CAPITULUM.
HERE SPEKIS THE DOCTOURE OF THE EXAMINACIOUN OF THE SQUYER, WHILK SULD
ENTER IN THE ORDER NEWLY OF KNYCHTHEDE.
Sayand, That he suld be first examynyt be ane alde Knycht that knewe and
lufit wele the said Order atoure all thing, next to God: ffor thare is mony
Princis that rekkis nocht quhat maner of condicioune na of lyf his Knichtis
be, sa that he haue grete nomber of Knychtis in his company. Bot it suld
nocht be sa: ffor Knychthede takis na hede to multitude bot to noblesse of
cheualrye, and of curage, and of gude thewis, that we haue before spokyn
of; and tharefore, gif he that is examynour lufys better multitude, na
noblesse of curage and of vertu, he is nocht worthy to be examynoure of
Squyeris, bot suld be reprovit and punyst be the Prince of Knychthede, of
his defoulyng of the Order of Knychthede: and first and foremast it suld be
sperit, Gif he trowis, lufis, and doubtis God? but quhilk poynt is na man
worthy till nane order of Noblesse. Item, Gif he dredis the defaultis to
do, that dishonouris the Order? and thus Squier, but lufe and but drede to
do mys, is unworthy to the Ordre. And gif he takis it agayne thir
propereteis and condiciouns, he wenis he takis honour till him, bot he
takis dishonour; ffor a Squyer but noblesse is nocht worthy to sa hye
honour, as to the worthy honour of Knychthede; na [gh]it in the weris of
his prince or otheris, but horse, armouris, and sik men, ar nocht habil to
wyn honour in armes, ffor men may nocht mare cruelly destroye the noble
Order of Knychthede, na till haue ane vnworthy examynoure of the Squier
that suld enter in the said Ordre; ffor gif he admytt to the Ordre a man of
vnworthy curage, that is destructione of the Ordre; and suld a Squier
examyne himself first, and think on the mony noble propereteis and
condiciouns of the Ordre, to think in him self gif he war worthy, or he put
him to the examnacioune. Rycht as Scholaris examynit to be Prestis or greid
in scholis, suld nocht sett thame thar fore, bot thai fand thame worthy
tharfore, ffor dout thai war repellit, or ellis defoulit thair greis; rycht
sa suld Bachelere Squieris in the examinacioune of the Order of Knychthede,
ffor he suld nocht alssua ask the Ordre that he wald eftir deffoule be his
euill thewis. And alssua Lordis that ar sa informyt, that thai will mak sik
men Knychtis, thai do aganis the poyntis of the Ordre, and chargis thair
consciences; ffor men knawis nocht noblesse of curage in fair wordis, bot
in worthy werkis: Na nocht in faire clething, ffor oft tymes vnder a faire
habyte may be a full false hert, full of barate, trechery, and traysoune;
na he takis him nocht be his faire harnais, na his faire horse, na othir
faire habilliamentis; ffor oft tymes vnder syk faire habilliament ar nocht
the best men of armes, and worthiast in vertues. Quharfore, gif thou will
wale worthyast and maist noble man of curage, thou seke him be thir
takenis, that is, for to say, justice, and temperance, force and prudence,
ffayth, esperaunce that is gude hope, and cheritee, and leautee; and be
thir takenis, thou sall knawe the nobless of curage; be the quhilkis
vertues, the noble hert defendis it fra the inymyes of Knychthede; quhilkis
ar falsehede, trechery, traysone, thift and murder, and syk lyke thingis.
Item, Our [gh]ong men suld nocht be maid Knychtis, bot gif thai had gude
tutouris and curatouris, for dout of misgouernaunce of the Ordre for fault
of knaulage; ffor quhen a childe is made Knycht, he thinkis nocht on the
poyntis of the Ordre that he sueris to kepe. And gif the Squiere that is
ressauit be the examynouris to be Knycht and admyttit, be a rekles man and
a wikkit, and of vile condiciouns, he dois grete wrang to the Ordre that he
beris, and till himself too; ffor and he be vencust in barrier, or he be
cowart or full of wikkit vicis, as fleand fra battaillis, revand or
steland, he sall neuer haue honour na prouffit of his Ordre: ffor rycht as
it honouris the honourable, it dishonouris the dishonourable. Bot of all
thing, a Knycht suld kepe him in all vertu to hald the mydwart, for ay the
mydwart is vertu, sa is the extremitee vice; and thus a Knycht suld be of
resonable gude age, that he knaw the propereteis and poyntis that he aw
till haue, that he nouthir excede, na be our lache in his dede.
Item, It suld be sperit at him, Quhat is the cause that he takis the Ordre
for? quhethir for fairnes of corssage; or for hardinesse of curage; or for
richesse, that he may be proudly cled; or for pryde, that he may take mare
state na his falowis that now is; or for that he is wele horsit and
enarmyt; or for to be a myrour in his lignie, that nane is sa worthy as he
to be Knycht.
Item, Men may mak Knychtis of pure mennis sonis, and thai haue gude, evin
in frendschip of lordschip; and with that, that thai haue the vertues
foresaid. Bot and a Knycht or a Lord mak ane vnworthy creature Knycht, he
puttis his honour in dangere, that disprisis and dishonouris the Noble
Ordre of Knychthede, and makis his awin honour mare law na it was; for the
fylth and the wrechit vnhonestee, that he has lychtlyit the said Ordre. For
be rycht resone of worthynesse and noblesse of the Ordre, thare may nocht,
na suld nocht na villaine curage cum be gude, evin to the said Ordre; ffor
that war be gude resone vndoyng of the said Noble Ordre, that is ordanyt
bot for noblesse and gentillesse of curage and gude vertues, as foresaid
is, and gude thewis: For hye parage and ancien honour ar the first poyntis
of the rute of Knychthede, that is cummyn fra alde ancestry, and syne
worthy persouns with worschipfull condiciouns and propereteis, personale of
the Knycht him self, makis mariage betuix worschipfull vertues in hye
parage and Knychthede, quhilk aw nocht to lycht bot in noblesse; and
tharfore, and a Lord marry nocht hye parage and Knychthede togeder, he is
contrarius to Noblesse and to Knychthede, and to Knychthede bathe. Bot a
Lord may put of his powere forssably agayn the noble lordis and Knychtis
willis, a man in the Ordre that is nocht worthy: Bot he may nocht vndo that
he has done, ffor suppose that he haue power to mak a Knycht, he has na
power to vnmak him, sa mekle is the vertue of Knychthede; ffor na man but
grete cause, and Juge with princis powar, may tak honour away quhare it is
anys gevin. Than be resone, it aucht nocht to be that Prince nor Knycht mak
na Knycht of ane unworthy persone, na of villaine lignage. ffor wald men
understand that alsmekle is nature honourit, as for corporale nature, in
tree and beste as in man; bot as for nature spirituale, man is mare
honourde. Bot be the noblesse of the spiritualitee of the saule resounable,
that accordis with angelis of hevin, thare is grete difference; and sen
noblesse of curage suld be in all Knycht, it may stand that a man of a new
sprongyn lygnye, that be honourable and worthy in all gentrise, mycht be
convenable and worthy to the Ordre, sa that the vertues condiciouns and
propereteis of noblesse of curage acord ther till. Bot this opynione is
vntrewe and vnworthy, ffor and that mycht be, it war mare lyke that the
Ordour of Knychthede suld better or alswele accorde to the propereteis
corporalis, and personalis, as spiritualis: the quhilk is false, ffor
Knycht gaynis nocht bot for hye parage and noblesse, with the seven vertues
before namyt be the Doctour, as Force, Prudence, Justice, and Temperance,
with Faith, Gude Hope, and Charitee, with leautee that efferis to
Knychthede.
Item, The examynour suld spere of the Squieris condiciounis, and maneris,
and gude vertues, and thewis, amang the peple; and quhat documentis and
techingis thai ar of; ffor the fault of gude documentis and techingis
gerris vnworthy men be reboytit and repellit fra the examinacione of the
inquisitouris, that thai cum nocht to that Noble Ordre: ffor worthy
examynouris will admytt nane, bot worthy: ffor grete foly war to put in the
Ordre thame that efterwart suld be repellit for their misgouernaunce; And
forthy suld the Knycht, that is the inquissitour, seke wele the poyntis of
noblesse and of valour, and of the vertuouse propereteis and gude thewis of
the Squyer that suld be Knycht; and quhy, and for quhat cause, he will tak
the Ordre; and quhethir it be for meritable cause till implye him for the
Haly Kirk, the Cristyn faith, and for the commone prouffit, for the peace,
and for all peceable persouns; or he takis the Ordre for pryde or couatise,
or for to be honourit, or for vane glore, or to wyn richesse thareby,
quhilk, gif he may persaue that his entencione cummys of ane vnworthy
cause, admytt him neuer: ffor rycht as Homycide, Symony, Usure, and
Scismatyke condicioune, repellis Clerkis fra benefice and honoure, and all
dignitee; in lyke cas suld thir faultis before namyt repelle a Squyere fra
the noble Ordre of Knychthede, that suld haue nane affinitee bot till
noblesse of corage, as said is; ffor and men wald wele knaw and consider
the grete chargis and dewiteis that folowis the said Ordre, with saule
perile, and worschip oft in were, thay sald stand grete aw to tak that
noble Ordre, mare na to be outhir monk, or frere, or othir religiouse of
the hardest Ordre that is; ffor traistis wele, that grete honour beris ay
grete charge, and gretter disese it is, to fall fra grete honoure agayne
that anys a man has bene at, na euir it was joy, to be thareat: _Quia non
est tanti gaudii excelsa tenere, quanti est meroris de excelso cadere_. And
tharfore Knycht suld mare dout honour na dede, and schamefulnes suld mare
chastise a worthy Knycht, and geve him a hardar passione; and it suld
happin him, na suld outhir hunger or thrist, or hete or calde, or ony
disese that he mycht haue; and namely, grete princis and lordis sonis suld
think grete schame to wyn ane euill name for lak of thair condiciouns in
thair [gh]outhede, gif thai thocht euer to cum to the worthy and
worschipful Ordre of noblesse that Knychthede is callit; ffor thai may wele
traist that the name that thai wyn in thair [gh]ong age remaynis with thame
for euermare: And than is it grete auenture, and euer thai be worthy to
ressaue that Ordre, quhen the examynouris knawis thair condiciounis; and
tharfore, all syk perilis suld be schawin to the Squier or he sett him to
cum to the examynyng. Cheualry may nocht be vp haldyn but grete costis, and
als expensis on horse, harnais, mete, and men, and othir necessair thingis
that till it appertenis; and tharfore, thare suld na man, supposs he war
worthy, desyre to tak the Ordre bot he war a lorde, or that he had lord to
mynister him all his necessiteis, and hald his honour abufe in tyme of
weris; ffor ellis, in default of horse, harnais, and othir necessiteis,
euill sett Knychtis, quhen thai wantt, assemblis syk euill men as thame
selff, and gerris mony ruggaris and revaris, and othir wikkit men, destroy
the commouns, and distrouble the realme, and makis mekle wrang to be done
in thaire default.
Item, Men countrefait in thair persone, na oure grete growin men, na men
oure fat, or that has euill disposicione, or euill sekenes in thair body;
ffor it war lak to the makare to mak men Knychtis that war nocht hable till
armes, and to do vailliaunce in tyme of weris; ffor the nobilnesse of the
Ordre is sa worschipfull, that it sufferis na man that has mahaigne, na
demembrit, na othir wayis manket in corssage, visage, na membris--be he
neuer sa riche--to be admyttit to the said maist noble Ordre, the quhilk
excludis vttraly all ignobilitee and vilitee.
Item, The inquisitoure examynour suld mak inquest at the Squyar gif euer he
did ony grete excessiue syn, as tresoune, or scisme, sorcery, or
wichecraft, or grete murderis, or syk lyke thingis; the quhilk, suppose he
prise thame lytill, may lett him to ressaue the noble Ordre, in company to
be falowe to the worthy Cheualrye: na [gh]it na vane glorius Squyare suld
be na Knycht, ffor vane glore tynis the meritis of all gude vertues. Na he
suld nocht be a gabusoure, na a flaitour Squyare, that suld enter in the
said Ordre; na [gh]it hautane, na fiere in pride, na orguillouse Squyere
suld nocht enter in Knychthede; and namely outrageus in word, and
sclanderouse bakbytare, suld nocht enter in the Ordre; na commone leare, na
commone viciouse hurdomare hasartour, commoune tauernouris full of sleuthe,
barganouris, commouns glotouns, kid and knawin for syk, dronkynsum,
manesuorne, and all outrageus commoun vicius men, ar nocht to be ressauit
to the Ordre of Knychthede, bot suld be repellit be the examynouris of the
Ordre: And thus sald nane be ressauit to the Ordre bot nobles of parage,
vertuouse, honest, and of worthy curage; and in all this suld Squyer be
inquerit, or he be Knycht.
[Decoration]
QUINTUM CAPITULUM.
HERE DECLARIS THE DOCTOUR IN QUHAT FASSONE AND MANER SULD A SQUYER THAT
WALD BE KNYCHT, RESSAUE THE ORDRE OF KNYCHTHEDE.
And as to that, the Squyer quhen he is examynyt and admyttit, he suld
schriue him clene of all synnys and defautis that he may think on, that
euer he maid aganis God, and his Magestee; and tak his Sacrament, sayand
"In the name of thee, and in entencione to serue thee, and honour thee, My
Souerane Lord God, and thy dere moder Mary, and all thy haly Sanctis of
Paradise, I tak this day this worthy Ordre." And this suld be done be
prince or lord in a grete feste, as Zule, Pasche, or Witsonday, or All
Halowmesse, ffor the mare honourable assemble is maid thay dayes na in
otheris: And than suld the Squyere fast the Fest evin, and wake all that
nycht in prayeris of grace asking, and otheris als suld pray for him, to
geve him grace, worthily to ressaue and kepe, and worthily gouerne the said
Ordre, at the plesaunce of God, and the haly Court of Hevin: And on the day
before, he suld pas to the Kirk, in his best array as efferis and custum of
the countree is, thair to be in prayeris, and to here a preching, or a
proposicione langand the said mater; na he suld nouthir here na speke
viciouse speche, na trompouris, na janglouris, for that is lak to the
Ordre: And on the morne eftir, quhen he is arayed in habyte of Knychtis
wede, thare mon be grathit a solempne Messe with note, and in the tyme of
the Offeratore, he sal cum before the altare and offer: And syne sall he
mak ane athe to the Ordre till honoure it eftir his powere, in the honour
of Almychtj God, Prince of all Chevalrye; and thare in present place, suld
thare be maid a faire sermone, declarand the poyntis of the Christyn faith,
acordand thame togeder with the poyntis of the Ordre of Knychthede. To the
quhilkis poyntis of acordans the Squyre suld take gude tent, and knaw thame
all, and hald thame prentit in his hert percure, with all the Vij.
sacramentis, the X. Commandmentis, the Xij. articles of the treuth, and to
kepe him fra the Vij. dedely [synnis]. To all the quhilkis poyntis of the
faith, to kepe and honoure and fulfill at his powere, incontynent that he
haue tane the said Ordre at the honoure and reuerence of God, and thareto
suld mak his speciale prayeris for all, the tyme of the Messe: And fra
thyne furth for all his lyf dais. And quhen the preching is done, than sall
cum furth the Prince or Lord that suld mak him Knycht; the quhilk aw of
dett to be Knycht or he mak ony Knychtis: rycht as nane may mak Preste bot
he be Preste, sa may nane mak Knycht bot first he be maid Knycht, saiffand
the Pape: ffor how may he geve that he has nocht? ffor herbes and bestis
may geve thair nature ilkane till othir, to mak thair nature perpetuall;
bot sa may nocht Knychtis be maid, bot first the makare be possessit of his
gift, and of his Ordre: ffor gif ony lord wald geve the Ordre and nocht
haue it, or vnworthily geve it othir wayis na the Ordre requeiris, he dois
grete dishonour to the Ordre. And thai that takis the said Ordre of thame
that has na powere vnworthily, thai haue na grace in the Ordre to do wele,
na prouffit to thame na otheris; and thus is the Squyere begylit, and
dissauit of his Ordre, and all Cheualrye sclanderit. And than suld the
Squier hald vp his handis to the hevyn, and his eyne to the hicht, and his
hert to God, syttand on his kneis, and thare suld the Prince haue the Suerd
redy of Honour, gylt with gold, and belt it about his sydis, in takenyng of
Chastitee, Justice, and Cheritee, and thare the Knycht suld outhir geve him
a strake with his hand, or with a drawin suerd, in the nek, to think on the
poyntis and defend his dewiteis. And syne suld he outhir kys him in the
mouth, or ellis kys the croce of the suerd, and geve it him, and ger him
kis it agayne, and sa put it in the scalbourd, and bid him think on his
athe, ande charge that he has vndertane, and the honour that he suld
manetene. And efter that all the seruice of God be done, the new maid
Knycht suld ryde on ane coursere out throw the citee, or toune, and schaw
him to the peple, sa that thai may knaw him for a Knycht, defendour of Haly
Kirk and commone prouffit, and halder of lawe and justice, and mayntenour
of the peple, that quhasa has ado thai suld draw till him for help; and
that he suld haue mare raddour and drede to do mys, or oucht that suld be
agayne the lawe euer mare in tyme to cum, and to saif the honour and the
worschip of his noble Ordre; ffor raddour, drede, and schamefulnes is hye
grace till all persouns that has honour to kepe. And in that day suld thare
be grete festyng, justyng, and tournaymentis, with other actis, as lissis
and behurdis, geue grete giftis, and mak grete solempnitee in the honoure
of God and the grete feste, and that Herauldis and Kingis of Armes and
Menstralis war rewardit. And than suld the Prince rewarde the new Knycht
with landis, lordschippis, or othir worthy giftis and gouernementis, till
eke his estate and help to manetene the honoure of the Ordre. And thus suld
giftis be gevin bathe till him, and be him till otheris; ffor the Ordre
requeris giftis to be gevin in daly placis; for honoure and worschip of
lordis of estate may nocht be kepit, bot quhare giftis ar gevin, and noble
actis of honour excersit: ffor quhare honoure is nocht kepit, ordere gais
bakwart.
[Decoration]
SEXTUM CAPITULUM.
HERE SPEKIS THE DOCTOURE OF THE SIGNIFICATIOUNE OF THE ARMES OF THE ORDER
OF KNYCHTHEDE.
Now declaris the Doctour, that as the Preste quhilk in the Mess sayand has
syndry habitis and habilliamentis, quhilkis ilkane has a syndry
significacione, as is acordand to thair office and order, and that office
of Preste and office of Knycht has sa grete affinitee and alliaunce
togeder; ffor quhy? that rycht as office of Preste has certane thingis that
pertenis to the Ordre; and ilkane has a certane significacione, sa has the
Ordre of Knychthede: ffor ilk thing pertenand till his Order has a certane
significacioune, be the quhilkis is signifyit the noblesse of the Order of
Knychthede.
And first and formast, Thare is to the Knycht gevin a Suerd with a crossit
hilt, that signifyis that rycht as our Lord Jhesu Crist vencust in the
Croce the inymy of mannis lygnage, to the quhilk he was dempt throu the syn
of Adam, oure first fader, that rycht sa suld a Knycht vencuse the fais of
the Croce throu the suerd; ffor the suerd is ordanyt to do justice with;
and tharefore is it maid with twa egeis, in takenyng that he suld manetene
and defend bathe Temporalitee and Spiritualitee with the double scherand
suerd.
Item, To the Knycht is gevin a Spere quhilk is evin, and betakenis
rychtwisenesse and veritee; ffor as the spere is evin, and rycht sa suld he
be bathe evynlyk and rychtwise, and manetene and defend lautee and equitee,
in contrary of falshede and trecherye; and the scharp hard stelin poynt of
the spere hede betakenis, that suppose falsehede be neuer sa wele armyt,
[gh]it will lautee pas throu him, and vencuse him. And be the pennone on
the spere end, it schawis that veritee hydis him nocht, bot schawis him to
falsehede, sayand ay, quhen it movis, Lo me here Veritee, that has na drede
of falsehede, na trecherye; and Veritee is the foundement of esperaunce
that is gude hope, and of all othir thingis that ar signifyit be the spere.
Item, Chapellat of stele alssua is gevin to the Knycht, in takenyng of
drede of schame and repruf; ffor a Knycht suld be schamefull as a maydin
dredand repruf: ffor Knycht or woman, but drede of schame, may nocht kepe
honour langsumly, na be obedient to thair ordre: ffor rycht, as drede and
schamefulnes, gerris a persone cast doune the hede, and luke to the erde,
sa dois the stelin hat the Knycht cast doune his eyne; and rycht as the
stelyn hat kepis the knychtis hede, quhilk is the hyast membre, and maist
principale of his persone, sa kepis drede of schame the Knychtis honour,
that is the hyast poynt of his ordre, and maist principale poynt of all.
The quhilk drede of schame suld haue in it fyve wittis to kepe, that throu
nane of thai suld dishonour cum, and that the noblesse of his curage suld
defend thai fyve wittis, that neuer throu thame euill na wikkitnesse cum.
Item, Haubergeone is gevin to the Knycht, in takenyng of castell, to kepe
him fra his inymyes, that is, euill vicis; ffor rycht as a castell is
wallit all about with stanis togedir junyt, to kepe Knycht fra his fais,
rycht sa is the haubert to kepe him rycht sa fra his fais that ar vicis and
defaultis, till his maist noble Ordre of Knychthede, the quhilk is maid of
mony syndry pecis as of maillis.
Item, Leg-harnais is gevin the Knycht, that his leggis and fete were seker
to passe in the wayes and stretis, and kepe thame, that na robbouris, na
thevis, na murderaris, vmbesett the wayes to reve na strouble lele
merchandis, na labouraris, men of kirk, na pilgrimys, that passis in the
contree for the commone prouffit of the Realme: And in sik keping he suld
be garnyst in his armouris and his wapnis, that he mycht do scathe and tak
nane.
Item, Thare is gevin him Maisse, that is to say Pollax, in takenyng that he
is officere ryale; and that gif ony man disobeyis till his wand, that he
lay that maisse on thame to hald the Kingis rychtis on fut.
Alssua, Spuris ar gevin him, in signifiaunce that rycht as spuris spedis
the horse to ryn fast, and besy in tyme of nede, quhen his inymyes cummys
nere, rycht sa suld Knycht in tyme of nede be besy quhen the King or his
Contree is ouresett with lourdanis and revaris or traytouris or other
wikkit misdoaris, sa that he slepe nocht his time, bot be besy and diligent
in the commone prouffit. Of the suerd we haue spoken of before, in quhat
takenyng and significacioune it is gevin.
Item, The quhip is gevyn to the Knycht in his hand, quhen he is on horse,
to that significacione, that he suld stand aw and be obedient till his
Lord; ffor disobeisaunce vndois the Knycht and brekis his Ordre, that all
his ofspring will forthink: as for the inobedience of Adam, all his
ofspring was punyst.
Item, Gorgelin is gevin him, in takenyng that thare suld nouthir enter na
isse throu his gorge thing that suld be villanie, na lak thing to the
honour of the Ordre; as to be at bidding of his lord, but disobeysaunce,
and but murmur do his lordis commandementis; and nouther do, na consent, to
tresone or guille, barate, na trechery, vnleautee, na othir vice, that may
cum throu word na thocht be the gorge outwart; na excesse of glutony,
drunkynnesse, na othir mystemperaunce throu the gorge inwart. And thus the
gorgelyn suld kepe the Knychtis gorge.
Item, Masse is gevin him, that betakenis strenth and force of curage, the
quhilk masse is lyknyt till a false sterap, quhilk strykis on all sydis,
apon all kynde of harnais; sa dois force of curage, it strykis on all
sydis, and defendis the honour of Knichthede agayne all vicis, and enforcis
vertues.