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ALBX. LAURIE AND CO. PRINTERS TO HER MAJESTY. 
 
TO THE 
 
 PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS 
 
 OP 
 
 THIS SPECIMEN 
 OF THB 
 
 EARLY LITERATURE OF SCOTLAND, 
 
 NOW FIRST PRINTED, 
 IS DEDICATED AND PRESENTED 
 
 BY THEIR OBEDIENT SERVANT, 
 
 BERIAH BOTFIELD. 
 
 NoBTOM Hall, Jahuabt 1, 1847. 
 

Iirje Qfbtjotsforli Cluti. 
 
 JANUARY, M.DCCC.XLVII. 
 
 EIGHT HON. JOHN HOPE, LOED JUSTICE-CLEEK. 
 
 EIGHT HON. THE EAEL OF ABEEDEEN. 
 
 ADAM ANDEESON, ESQ. 
 
 DAVID BALFOUE, ESQ. 
 5 OHAELES BAXTEE, ESQ. 
 
 EOBEET BELL, ESQ. 
 
 EOBEET BLACKWOOD, ESQ. 
 
 BINDON BLOOD, ESQ. 
 
 BEEIAH BOTFIELD, ESQ. 
 10 JAMES BUEN, ESQ. 
 
 HON. HENEY OOOKBUEN, LOED COCKBUEN. 
 
 JOHN PAYNE OOLLIEE, ESQ. 
 
 THOMAS CONSTABLE, ESQ. 
 
 JAMES CEOSSLEY, ESQ. 
 15 JAMES DENNISTOUN, ESQ. 
 
 JOHN DUNN, ESQ. 
 
 JOSEPH WALTEE KING EYTON, ESQ. 
 
 HON. JOHN HAY FOEBES, LOED MEDWYN. 
 
 JOHN BLACK GEACIE, ESQ. 
 20 HON. JAMES IVOEY, LOED IVOEY. 
 
VUl 
 
 HON. FRANCIS JEFFREY, LORD JEFFREY. 
 
 JAMES KINNEAR, ESQ. 
 
 GEORGE RITCHIE KINLOOH, ESQ. 
 
 DAVID LAING, ESQ. 
 25 HENRY LIDDELL, ESQ. 
 
 JAMES LUCAS, ESQ. 
 
 JOHN WHITEFOORD MACKENZIE, ESQ. 
 
 ALEXANDER MAOONOCHIE, ESQ. 
 
 JAMES MAOKNIGHT, ESQ., Treasurer. 
 30 JAMES MAIDMENT, ESQ. 
 
 WILLIAM HENRY MILLER, ESQ. 
 
 THEODORE MARTIN, ESQ. Secretary/. 
 
 REV. JAMES MORTON, B.D. 
 
 ROBERT NASMYTH, ESQ. 
 35 ROBERT PITCAIRN, ESQ. 
 
 RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF POWIS. 
 
 JOHN ROBERTSON, ESQ. 
 
 RIGHT HON. ANDREW RUTHERFURD, LORD ADVOCATE. 
 
 ERSKINE DOUGLAS SANDFORD, ESQ. 
 40 JOHN SMITH, ESQ. L.L.D. 
 
 WILLIAM B. D. D. TURNBULL, ESQ. 
 
 EDWARD VERNON UTTERSON, ESQ. 
 
 PATRICK WARNER, ESQ. 
 
 RIGHT HON. SIR GEORGE WARRENDER, BART. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 )HE Literature of Scotland, during the Fifteenth Century, 
 is entitled to a much greater share of attention than 
 it has hitherto received ; more especially, as it is a 
 period in which the contemporary Literature of England is 
 comparatively so devoid of interest. Among the persons who then 
 flourished, and to whom but a scanty share of justice has been awarded, 
 we may reckon Sir Gilbert Hay, Knight. Dunbar the Scotish Poet,^ 
 who adorned the reign of James the Fourth, in his " Lament for the Death 
 of the Makars " or Poets, includes the name of Hay ; so likewise does 
 Sir David Lyndesay, in the reign of James the Fifth ; but no other 
 writer seems to have been aware that such an author had ever existed, 
 until we reach the year 1722, when there appeared the Third Volume 
 of " The Lives and Characters of the most Eminent Writers of the 
 Scots Nation, &c. By George Mackenzie, M. D." ^ 
 
 1 Dunbar's Poems, by Laing, vol. i. pp. 42, 214, Edin. 1834, 2 vols, post 8vo. 
 
 2 This work extends to 3 volumes in folio. Vol. I. was published at Edin- 
 burgh in 1708 ; Vol. II. in 1711 ; Vol. III. in 1722. This volume contains a 
 List of nearly 600 Subscribers. On the title of a MS. which belonged to Eobert 
 Myln, the Grenealogist, he makes a reference to a Life of Dr Thomas Eeid, among 
 
 , " the schedules of Dr Mackenzie's 4th Volume of Lives." Whether such " sche- 
 dules " still exist, is uncertain. 
 
 A 
 
ii PEEPAOE. 
 
 This volume, the last which the author lived to publish,i commences 
 with " The Life of Sm Gilbert Hay, Chamberlain to Charles VI. King 
 of France." It extends to eight folio pages, and furnishes a suitable 
 specimen of Mackenzie's mode of constructing biography. It commences 
 with the following paragraphs : — 
 
 " The Hayes are faid to have their firfl rife from a very noble and heroick 
 a6lion, about the year of our Lord 980, in the reign of Kenneth HI., as 
 we have fhown in the Life of that Prince, in the fecond volume of this 
 Work, pag. 60. But whatever truth be in this, it is certain that this is 
 one of the moft noble and ancient Families in Scotland, and that ever 
 fince the reign of King Robert Bruce, they have been Lord High Con- 
 stables of Scotland : That Prince, for the faithful fervice and loyalty of 
 Robert Lord Hay, declar'd them heritable Constables of Scotland, about 
 the year 1310. 
 
 " From this noble and Ancient Family our author was defcended, of whom 
 I have no other account to give, but that he was born in the North of 
 Scotland, brought up at the Univerfity of Aberdeen, where, after he had 
 finifhed the courfe of his ftudies in Philofophy, he commenced Mafler of 
 Arts, went over to France, where he ftudied the Laws, and was Batchelor 
 of the Canon Law, and for his great merit, obtained the honour of 
 Knighthood, and was made Chamberlain to Charles VI. King of France ; 
 upon whofe death he returned to Scotland, and was in great favour and 
 efteem with William Earl of Orkney, and Lord High Chancellor of Scot- 
 land, at whofe defire he tranflated, from the French into Scots, Dr 
 Bonnet's Book of Battles in the Year of our Lord 1456. 
 
 " As for our Author, 'tis probable that he died towards the latter end of 
 the 14th century ; and from his performance it appears that he was well 
 feen in the Civil, Canon, and Military Laws ; and had he not been a 
 
 1 Dr George Mackenzie, was bom on the 10th December 1669. He was the son 
 of the Hon. CoUn Mackenzie, second son of George, second Earl of Seaforth, and of 
 Jean, daughter of Dr Eobert Laurie, Bishop of Brechin. He died at Fortrose, on 
 the 28th November 1725.— (Caledonian Mercury, Dec. 16, 1725.) 
 
PREFACE. iii 
 
 perfon of Angular merit and worth, he had not raifed himfelf to the 
 dignities that he attain'd to." 
 
 These paragraphs contain the whole biographical portion of the " Life," 
 contained in his eight folio pages, — the Author's practice being that of 
 introducing some extraneous matter suggested by, but not connected 
 with the subject of the biography. But in the passages quoted 
 the Author's usual carelessness or ignorance is very apparent. His 
 statements of matters of fact, indeed, are never to be relied upon, being 
 seldom confirmed, and often contradicted by better authorities, and 
 instead of a work of National importance, deserving the liberal 
 patronage it received, it is altogether worthless. Thus Mackenzie might 
 have known, that if Hay was " brought up," and " commenced Master of 
 Arts," at a University in Scotland, it could not have been at Aberdeen, 
 which was not founded until the year 1494 ; and that if Hay was Cham- 
 berlain to a King of France, it could not have been Charles the Sixth, 
 whose reign extended from the year 1380 to 1422. The concluding 
 notice of the supposed time of Hay's death, " towards the latter end of 
 the 14th century," is obviously a clerical error for the 15th century. 
 Instead, however, of favouring the reader with an abridged history of the 
 Kings of France, or some other discursive topic, Dr Mackenzie has in this 
 instance deviated from his ordinary practice, and given a careful and de- 
 tailed analysis of a Manuscript volume in his own possession, containing 
 three works translated from the French by Sir Gilbert Hay ; and this 
 may be instanced as one of the few actual contributions to the Literary 
 History of Scotland, contained in his three folio volumes. It may 
 here be quoted, omitting a somewhat confused and inaccurate account 
 of the original author Honor^ Bonnor or Bonnet, Prior of Sallon. 
 
 " The firft Book (he faysi) contains 10 Chapters, wherein the Author gives 
 the definition of War, according to the Doftors of Civil aaid Canon Law, and 
 Ihows that it had its firft rife in Heaven betwixt God and his rebellious Angels ; 
 then he treats of the bypaft perfecutions of the Church by way of commentary 
 upon S. John's Vifion of the five Angels in the Revelation, and fpeaking of the 
 fourth Angel, he acknowledges, That there was a woman that was chofen Pope and 
 
iv PEEFAOE. 
 
 that fhe was an Engliih woman : And after Leon, fays our tranflator, " was chofen a 
 woman Pape, not wittand that fhe was a woman, the quhilk was of England born." 
 
 " The fecond Book contains 18 Chapters, wherein he treats of the deftruftion of the 
 Four great Empires of the World : The Babylonian begun in the eaft, in the time of 
 Abraham ; the Carthaginian begun in the time of the Judges ; the Macedonian 
 begun in the time of the Maccabees ; and that of the Roman begun in the time of 
 Achan King of Judea : But he more particularly infifts upon the Roman Empire, 
 and ihews when the city of Rome was firft founded, when they begun their Govern- 
 ment by Kings, Senators, Confuls, and Emperors, and of their moft memorable or 
 remarkable adlions, of the adlions of Alexander the Great, and the deftrudlion of the 
 Carthaginian Empire ; and concludes with an account of the firft rife of government 
 or jurifdiftion amongft men, and who were the firft Governors or Judges. 
 
 " The third Book contains 10 Chapters, wherein he treats of the lawfulnefs of 
 making of War, and if it be poffible for mankind to live without it ; how men know 
 when they are juftly compell'd to make war ; what the marks of true valour and 
 cowardice are ; what puniftiment is due to thofe that leave the army, without afking 
 permiffion of their commanders, or fight the enemy, without the orders of their 
 commanders. 
 
 " The fourth Book contains 155 Chapters, wherein he treats of the lawful Grounds 
 of War, efpecially amongft Chriftians againft the Turks, and all Infidels ; whether 
 the Emperor can lawfully declare War againft the Pope and the Church, and whether 
 the Pope may make War againft him ; concerning the Duties of Knights, and for 
 what reafons they ought to be puniflied ; concerning the Duties of Generals, and if, 
 when they are taken in battle, they ought to lofe their lives or not ; whether ftrength 
 or force be a moral, cardinal, or natural virtue ; whether Prifoners that are taken in 
 War belong to thofe that take them, or to the Princes to whom the armies in which 
 they are taken belongs ; whether Vaffals fhould ferve in tlie army upon their own or 
 their Prince's expences ; if a Baron be obliged to ferve his King but only in his own 
 wars ; whether two Barons having war againft one another, their men are obliged to 
 aflift either of them till they receive orders from their King and refpective Lords ; 
 whether we are bound to defend our neighbours with arms and men when invaded 
 by others, and what the perfons are that are obliged to defend one another, and par- 
 ticularly how the vaffal is obliged to defend his I^ord, the fon his father, by the law of 
 Juftice ; whether he is more bound to defend his father or natural Prince ; whether 
 a Clergyman is bound moft to aflift his father or his Bifhop, when a war is declared 
 betwixt them ; whether men may make a defenfive war for their temporal goods 
 lawfully conquifli'd ; whether Priefts and Clerks may defend their goods by force of 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 arms ; whether arras lent and loft in the field of battle ought to be reftored ; whether 
 arms and horfes hired and loft in battle ought to be reftored ; whether a Knight being 
 robbed in his King's fervice, he or his King ought to purfue the robbers ; whether a 
 man that goes to the wars uncharg'd ought to take wages ; whether a Knight ferving 
 a King uncharged, may lawfully alk wages of him ; whether, when the King of Spain 
 fends afliftance to the King of France, he ought to alk wages of him ; whether a 
 man that goes to the wars out of vain glory, ought to afli wages by the law of Arms ; 
 whether a Captain that is robbed obeying his Lord's commands, his Lord ought to 
 reftore him his goods or not ; whether a man going to the wars for covetoufnefs and 
 robbery, ought to demand wages ; whether a Prieft or Clergyman may lawfully go 
 to the war or not, concerning the time that men ought to be paid their wages that 
 go to the wars ; whether a Warriour that obtains leave to divert and recreat himfelf 
 for fome time, fliould receive wages for that time ; whether a Knight that has taken 
 wages of a King for a year's fervice, and after three months goes to the fervice of 
 another Prince, ought to receive wages for the time that he has ferved ; whether a 
 Soldier that has been paid by a Prince for a year's fervice, may fubftitute another in 
 his place ; whether a Captain may fend any of his men away, after he has muftered 
 them in the fields before his Prince ; whether a Soldier falling fick in the wars may 
 lawfully afk his wages for all the time that he had been fick ; how the goods or fpoil 
 that is gained by the army ought to be parted amongft the Soldiers ; whether a man 
 may lawfully keep what he takes from a robber that was defigned to rob him on the 
 highway ; of the lawfulnefs of the war that is made betwixt two cities that hold of 
 no Sovereign ; whether a man may kill a prifoner that delivei's himfelf voluntarly ; 
 whether by the Law of Arms, a man may take a ranfom of gold or money from his 
 prifoner ; whether in a war betwixt England and France, the French may lawfully 
 feize upon the goods of the Englifh hufbandmen, and detain their perfons prifoners ; 
 whether one King may overcome another King lawfully by craft and fubtilty; 
 whether it be lawful to fight upon a holyday ; whether, when one man wrongs 
 another, he may lawfully recover his own by war or force, before he purfues him 
 legally; whether a Knight that dies in battle, in his Prince's fervice, is fure of 
 his falvation ; whether the righteous or finnei's are the moft powerful in battle ; why 
 there are fo many wars in the world ; whether one that is taken prifoner, and fworn 
 to keep prifon, may lawfully break it, and make his efcape, if he finds occafion ; 
 whether one that is taken prifoner, and put in a clofe dark room, and makes his 
 efcape, may be faid to break prifon ? Whether a man thaf s promifed fafe conduct 
 from one place to another, but has neglected to capitulate for his fafe return, may be 
 lawfully detained prifoner ? Whether a man that has fafe condu6b promifed to him 
 
vi PEEFAOE. 
 
 and his attendants, can bring alongft with him a greater man than he himfelf is ? If 
 a man be taken prifoner upon another's fafe conduft, whether he that had the fafe 
 condudt be obliged to relieve him upon his own charges ? If a man having liberty to 
 go out of prifon, on condition that he ftiould return upon fuch a day, re-enters again 
 into the prifon, fails in the day, how he fliould be punilhed ? Whether it be lawful 
 for one Prince to refufe another, with whom he is at peace, paflage thorow his coun- 
 try ! Whether Churchmen ftiould pay taxes, tributes, and impofitions to Secular 
 Kings and Princes ? If the Church fliould make war againft the Jews ? If a man 
 may defend his wife by force of arms ? If a brother may defend his brother by force 
 of arms ? When a Baron is a vaffal to two Lords of different countries, that have 
 both of them war, whom of them he ought to ferve ? When a Baron is a vaffal to 
 two Lords that make war upon one another, whom of them he ought to obey ? 
 When a man is a burgefs in two cities that make war againft one another, which of 
 them he ought to obey ? Whether a man that is in bondage or in flavery be obliged to 
 go to the wars with his lord and mafter ? Whether a man may be compelled to go 
 to the wars ? If one man fairly wounds another, and he wounds him again, whether 
 he ought to be puniflied for the fame ? If a bondman or flave kills another by his 
 mafter's command, whether he ought to be puniflied for the fame ? Whether a bond- 
 man or flave may defend himfelf againft his lord and mafter that defigns to kill him ? 
 Whether a Monk may defend himfelf againft his Abbot who defigns to kill him ? 
 Whether the fon may lawfully defend himfelf againft the father who defigns to kill him? 
 Whether a man may lawfully defend himfelf againft his judge ? Whether a man, 
 being baniftied the realm, and returning again without permiflion, when people fet 
 upon him to take him, if he ought to defend himfelf? Whether a Prieft that is 
 aflaulted carrying the Lord's Body (or the Sacrament) alongft with him, ought to lay 
 it down and defend himfelf? If a man that is innocent ought to be puniflied by way 
 of reprifal for the guilty 2 And how Princes ought to behave themfelves in the cases 
 of reprifals ? How reprifals fliould be made againft a city that owes allegiance to no 
 Sovereign ? If all lords or mafters may make reprifals ? How and for what reafon it 
 may be faid that the King of France is no ways fubjefl: to the Emperor ? Whether 
 the King of England be in any manner of way fubjeCt to the Empire ? Whether 
 reprifals can be granted to a Burgefs that's living at Paris, and robbed in his return 
 to Paris, for recovering the money or goods that he has been deprived of in another 
 Prince's dominions ? Whether an Englifli ftudent at the Univerfity of Paris may 
 be detained prifoner when a war is declared betwixt the two Nations ? Whether a 
 fervant fhould enjoy the privileges that his mafter has ? Whether an Englifliman 
 coming to Paris to vifit his fon, ftudent at that Univerfity, in time of war, may be 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 VI 1 
 
 detain'd prifoner ? Whether an Englifhman coming to vifit his brother at the Uni- 
 verfity may be detained prifoner ? Whether a ftudent may be imprifoned by way of 
 reprifal 2 Whether a mad man may be detained and ranfomed in the wars ? Whether 
 a mad man returning to his fenfes may be detained prifoner ? Whether by the law 
 of arms an old man may be detained prifoner ? .Whether by the law of arms a child 
 may be taken and detained prifoner ? Whether by the law of arms a blind man may 
 be detained prifoner ? Whether an Ambaffador coming to vifit a King may lead any 
 of his enemies thorow his country ? Whether a Bifliop may be taken and detained 
 prifoner? Whether any Churchman may be taken by way of reprifal! Whether 
 pilgrims may be made prifoners by the law of arms I What things in time of war 
 have fafe conduct, without liberty alked at the Prince ? Whether, in time of war, the 
 afs and the ox is free ? Whether the hufbandman's fervant enjoys, by the law of 
 arms, the fame privilege with himfelf ? Whether, in time of war, it be lawful to 
 build caftles and walled towns ? How they ought to be puniflied that breaks the fafe 
 conduiEt or aflurance of a Prince ? Whether a great Lord, or any in a meaner 
 dignity, ought to truft in a fafe condu£k ? Whether a Chriftian King may lawfully 
 give a fafe conducSi: to a Saracen King or any other Infidel Prince ? Whether, if two 
 Lords make peace, and the one breaks it, the other ought to break it likewife S 
 Whether it be better to fight fafting, or before meat or after meat ? Whether battle 
 ought to be fet before ladies ? And if Queen Jonat of Naples had right in he^ war 
 againft Lewis King of Sicily ? 
 
 " Then he proves that duelling is againft all manner of laws ; yet he gives feventeen 
 different cafes, wherein by the laws of Lombardy 'tis lawful. Then he treats of thofe 
 who fight for their principles in duels, and how far that is lawful : Then of the form 
 and oath that is taken by thofe that fight in lifts or combats ; Whether a man that 
 is fuperannuate may fiibftitute another to fight for him in battle ? If any of the 
 company breaks his fword, if another Ihould be given unto him ? If the Lord or 
 Judge cannot difcern on the firft day who has the advantage in the field ; if he be 
 obliged to return on the fecond day, and enter the lifts as before, which of the parties 
 ought to begin the fight? If he that is overcome ought to pay the other the 
 damages, tho' the King fhould pardon them ? If a man is overcome in duelling, if 
 he may be afterwards accufed in law ? Whether, if the company pleafes, they may 
 fight in plain field, without barriers i How they ihould be punifhed that owns their 
 crime, and is openly overcome S Whether, when one Knight chalenges another, he 
 may be allowed to repent and recall his chalenge ? 
 
 " Then our Author treats of arms and banners in general and particularly, and pro- 
 ceeds to the anfwering of the following Queftions : If a man at his own pleafure may 
 
viii PREFACE. 
 
 make choice of another man's coat of arms ? If a German finds a Frenchman in the 
 field bearing the fame coat of arms with him, if he ought to appeal him to a combat ? 
 How they ought to be punifhed that affume the arms of others 1 
 
 " Then he treats of all the different colours uCd in Herauldry, and of all the different 
 rules and conditions that are to be obferved in fighting of duels : And concludes with 
 the duties incumbent upon Emperors, Kings, and Princes ; which he ends with thefe 
 words : 
 
 "EXPLICIT LIBER BELLORUM, SED POTIUS DOLORUM, 
 UT REOITAT DOCTOR IN PLURIBUS. 
 
 " Next to this follows our Author s tranflation of Dr Bonet's Book of Chevalry or 
 Knighthood, which contains eight Chapters : In the firft Chapter he tells us, how that 
 a Batchelor, Squire of Honour, travelling to the Coronation of a great Prince, with an 
 intention to take upon him the Order of Knighthood, he went aftray in a wildernefs, 
 where he happened to light upon a hermitage, in which lived an old and venerable 
 Knight, that had forfaken the world for the love of God ; and how this old Knight 
 taught the Squire all the points of honour, and all that belonged to the duty of a 
 Knight, which is the fubjeft matter of all the following Chapters ; where in the fecond 
 Chapter, he, the old Knight fliows, how he ought to receive that high Order, and 
 how he ought firft to be inftrufted in every thing that belongs to it. The third con- 
 tains all the duties of a Knight. The fourth contains their form of examination, and 
 how he ought to be examined before he receives the Order. The fifth contains 
 diredtions for him at the receiving of the Order, and the form of giving it. In the 
 fixth is explained the fignification of the Arms of Knighthood. In the feventh he 
 fliows the many advantages that Knights have above others by this honourable 
 Order ; and the laft fliows the great refpeft that ought to be fliown to all that Order, 
 — ending with thefe words, 
 
 " EXPLICIT L'ORDRE DE CHEVALRIE. 
 
 " After this follows our Author's tranflation of Dr Bonet's Book of Government of 
 Princes, which is a tranflation of Ariftotle's Politics, and contains 40 Chapters, with 
 a Prologue, fliewing into how many languages it had been tranflated, and how it was 
 firft found in the Temple of the Sun, built by Efculapius. Then follows a tranflation 
 of King Alexander the Great's letter to Ariftotle, after his conqueft of Perfia, with 
 Ariftotle's anfwer, and two other letters of King Alexander's and Ariftotle's." 
 
PEEFAOE. ix 
 
 The Manuscript, of which the preceding was an analysis, is not men- 
 tioned in any more recent work, and as it could not be traced in any 
 public repository, it was considered to be irrecoverably lost. But in the 
 " Catalogue of the Library at Abbotsford," printed in 1838, at page 
 232, there occurs the following title : — 
 
 " Here begynnys the huke callH the Buke of the Law ofArmys, the 
 quhilk was compilit be a notable man, Docfour in Decrees, callit Bennet, 
 prioure of Sallan, Sfc. MS.foV 
 
 This title attracted the notice of Mr Laing, Secretary of the Banna- 
 tyne Club, who conjectured it might prove to be a copy of the work 
 described by Mackenzie. To ascertain this point, he made an application 
 for the use of the volume, through Isaac Bayley, Esq. ; which being 
 courteously granted, it was no difficult matter to perceive that this was 
 the identical Manuscript which Dr George Mackenzie had possessed. As 
 the volume itself furnishes no indication on this head, we can only conjec- 
 ture that it may have fallen into Sir Walter Scott's hands, either by 
 purchase at a sale, or as a present from some of his friends. But we 
 may conclude, that had Sir Walter been aware of the peculiar interest . 
 and curiosity of the volume, he would have pointed it out, and some use 
 of it have been made during the latter period of his life. 
 
 The Manuscript in question is a large folio of 132 leaves, i on lombard 
 paper, written in a very distinct hand, about the end of the 15th century. 
 It is in the original wooden boards, in perfect preservation, and contains, 
 repeated in different parts of the volume, autograph signatures of 
 " W. Sanclair of Roislin," " Oliver Sinclar of Rosling, knycht," and 
 " W. Sanclair of Roislin, knecht." 
 
 1 The last three leaves contain a transcript of two articles unconnected with the 
 rest of the volume, viz. — " The Ordour of the processioun and bering of the Sacrar 
 ment in Antuarpe the first day of Junij the geir of God I™ V Ixij." And a Letter 
 or Testimonial from Thomas Bishop. of Orkney .in J446, addressed to the King of 
 Norwege, respecting the Genealogy of William of Sanctclare, Erie of Orchadie, &c. 
 (the ancestor of the St Clairs of Eoslin,) " Translatit out of Latin into Scottis, 
 be me, Deine Thomas Gwld, Monk of Newbothill," in the year 1554. 
 
 B 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 It consists of three distinct works : — 
 
 I. The Buke of Batailles. 
 II. The Buke of the Order of Knyghthede, 
 III. The Buke of the Governance of Princes. 
 
 To have published the entire volume was considered to be altogether 
 inexpedient, on account of its great extent. Yet not wishing it to 
 remain in comparative obscurity, I readily acceded to Mr Laing's 
 suggestion, in selecting the second of these Works, which forms a 
 distinct treatise by itself, as my contribution to the objects of the 
 Abbotsford Club ; at the same time subjoining in the Appendix 
 such Specimens of the two other Works as should satisfy all reasonable 
 curiosity. In this way, I hope that whatever is really valuable or in- 
 teresting in the MS. has been put into an accessible shape, in order 
 to exhibit and preserve from casual destruction one of the earliest 
 EXISTING SPECIMENS of Scotish proso composition. 
 
 A brief account of the Originals may here be given, before endeavouring 
 to throw some light on the life and charac|;er of the Translator. 
 
 I. THE BUKE OF BATAILLES. 
 
 This well known and popular work forms the first and largest portion 
 of the Abbotsford Manuscript. No English version of it is known. 
 In the Appendix will be found the Prologue, the Table of the Chapters in 
 the dififerent Books, and some other Extracts, which may be compared with 
 the corresponding passages, here copied from one of the later editions of 
 the original Work, which bears the following title : — 
 
 " 3Lnxhxt tit jsutmm. 
 
 " Sensuyt larbre des batailles qui traicte de plusieurs choses comme de 
 leglise. Et aussi des faictz de la guerre. Et aussi comment on si doyt 
 
PEEFACE. xi 
 
 gouuerner. Imprime nouuellement a Lyon. (Design cut in wood.) 
 ^ On les vend a Lyon au pres de nostre dame de confort cheulz Oliuier 
 Arnoullet," 4to. black letter, Sign. A. to M. six, in eights. 
 
 T CT COMMENCE LE PROIOaUE DXJ LIUKE INTITrLE lABBEE DBS BATAIILES FAIOT ET 
 COMPOSE PAR VNG VENERABLE ET RELIGIErSE PBKSONNE MAISTEE HONNOBE BONHOK, 
 PRIEUB DE SALON, ET DOOTEUR EN DECEBT. 
 
 A LA faindle couronne de France en laquelle auiourdhuy par lordonnance de Dieu 
 regne Charles cinquefme de ce nom tres bien ayme et par tout le raonde redoubte 
 soit donne loz, gloire, et viftoire fur toutes feigneuries terriennes. Tres hault Prince, 
 ie fuis nomme par men droifl: nom Honnohe Bonhor Prieur de Salon, indigne dofteur 
 en decret,fouuenteiFoys ay eu en voulente de faire et compiller, felon mon debile entende- 
 ment, ce petit liure a Ihonneur de Dieu premierement de fa benoifte Mere, et de voftre 
 haulte feigneurie Sire. £t les raifons qui mont efmeu et incite a ce faire font aflez 
 bonnes, felon mon aduis. 
 
 Premierement, leftat de Sainfte Eglife eft en telle tribulation et perplexite que fi 
 Dieu ny meft remede et voftre Seigneurie, laquelle eft acoufturaee de acheuer et 
 miettre afEn les chieres aduantures de la foy Creftienne, ie ny voy voye ne chemin 
 comme y puifle eilre mife bonne ne briefue accordance. 
 
 La Deuziefme raifon fi eft, que voyez toute Chrefilente fi greuee de guerres, haynes, 
 larrecins et difcentions, que a grant peine pent on nommer vng petit pays foit une 
 conte ou duche qui bien foyt en paix. 
 
 La Tierce raifon fi eft, que la terre de Prouuence dont ie fuis ne et nourry eft 
 de prefent tellement atournee par le changement de noble feigneurie et pour les 
 diverfitez doppinions qui font entre les nobles et le communes que a grant paine 
 pourroit homme tant fuft faige racompter les maulx que les gens du pays pour ce 
 debat feuffrent. 
 
 La Quarte raifon eft, que ie confidere plufieurs chofes dictes de grans clercz moder- 
 nees que bien penfent entendre les Prophecies anciennes parlans des maulx prefens et 
 dient que vng de la haulte lignee de France doit eftre celluy par qui les remdes 
 feront donnez au fiecle trauailant, et mis en grande peftitance pour lefquelles raifons 
 me fuis efforce de faire aulcune chofe nouuelle affin que voftre ieunefle foit informee 
 de plufieurs entendemens de la fainfte efcripture et aufli affin que voftre perfonne foit 
 plus adonnee de faire fecours a la lainfte foy de lefu Crifl; et faire que les Prophecies 
 qui fentendent de voftre digne perfonne et efcriptures foyent verifiez par voz bonne 
 oeuures fi vous fupplie mon tres hault Seigneur que rien que ie die en ce liure ne 
 
.xii PREFACE-. 
 
 vueillez mefprifer car ce que iay mis en luy prent fon fondement fus le droit canon et 
 civil et fus naturelle philofophie, qui neft aultre chofe que raifon de nature et aura 
 nom ceftuy liure Laebre des Batailles pour fouruir lequel liure me fault trouuer 
 matiere condecente a ce faire, fi meft venu en yraaginacion faire vng Ai-bre de Dueill, 
 au delTus duquel pourrez veoir les regnes de Saindle Eglife en grandes et merueilleufes 
 tribulations. Apres pourrez veoir la grande difcention qui eft auiourdhuy entre les 
 Roys et Princes Creftiens. Pareilleraent pourrez veoir le grande difcencion et mur- 
 mure qui eft entre les Nobles et les Communes. Et deuiferay mon Liure en quatre 
 parties principalles ainfi comme a plain eft cy apres declaire dont en la premiere partie 
 fera faifte mention des tribulations de Teglife jadis paffees devant I'advenement de 
 Jefu Chrift noftre Sauveur. En la feconde partie fera traifte de la deftruftion des 
 quatre grans royaulraes jadis. En la tierce partie fera trai£te des batailles en general. 
 En la quarte partie fera dit du battailles en ipecial. 
 
 f QTJELLES CHOSES APPAETIENNENT ESTEE FAICTES A TOrS BONS ROTS ET PRINCES. 
 
 CHAPITKE CLXXVI. 
 
 Or difons aulcune chofe des Roys pource que apres Lempereux ilz font les plus 
 honnorez fur tons les aultres Princes. Et encores ce nom cy de Roy felon la 
 Saindte Efcripture fembleroit eftre de plus grande excellence que le nom de Lerapereur, 
 car noftre Seigneur fe nomrae et appelle en plufieurs lieux et endroitz de la fainfte 
 Efcripture Roy des Roys et Seigneur de Seigneurs. 
 
 Item, le benoift filz de Dieu en aulcuns lieux de la Sainfte Efcripture eft appele 
 filz du Roy Dauid par humanite. Et ainfi par excellence de ce nom de Roy appellons 
 nous de lignage royal. Et en oultre felon la doftrine et enfeignement de Monfeigneur, 
 SaindT: Paul Apoftre qui prefchoit au peuple en leur admoneftant que pour Ihonneur 
 et reuerence de Dieu ilz fuffent foubmys a toute creature humaine et en efpecial au Roy 
 comme au plus noble et excellent de tous les aultres raefmement en approuuant la 
 dignite de ce nom de Roy. 
 
 Et pour dire aulcun bon notable auquel ieunes Roys puiffent prendre plaifir. Roy 
 qui veult eftre bon guerroyer fur faige fier et couraigeux, et de fe gens il foit feigneur, 
 comme de quaille efpreuier, et foit mifericors et rigoureux quant eft befoing, et que 
 au befoing foit le premier fe darmes veult eftre eureux. Pour retourner a noftre 
 propos, &c. 
 
PEEFACE, xiii 
 
 Moult daultres belles et notables chofes appartenans a tous bons Roys et Princes 
 pourroye encores dire et aflez trouuer. Mais pour le prefent ie ne penfe plus riens a 
 efcripre en ce liure, car ien fuis tout lafle. Touteffoys Ie temps viendra fe Dieu me 
 donne efpace de viure que ie efcripray aulcunes chofes fur les contenances de toutes per- 
 fonnes foyent ecclefiafticques ou feculiers, hommes ou ferames ce qui leur eft neceffaire 
 dauoir au plus pres que ie pourray de la Sainfte Efcripture et du droift efcript felon 
 les dignites de leur oiEces. Et ie pjfie humblement et denotement a noftre Seigneur, 
 que par fa fainfte grace vous doint en telle maniere gouuerner voftre Royaulme et la 
 Sainfte Couronne quil vous a commife que apres la fin il vous maine et conduyfe a 
 la fain£i:e gloire de Paradis qui iamais ne fauldra. Amen. 
 
 IT Cy fine le liuee intitule Larbke des Batailles. 
 
 In the Preface to the edition printed by Anthony Verard, at Paris, on 
 the 8th of June 1 493, there are several variations ; and the sentence in 
 which the name of the Author occurs runs thus — " Mon tres hault et 
 redoubte Seigneur souvent j'ay eu voulente de faire ce present livre," 
 omitting the name altogether. The last Chapter of the work is numbered 
 cxxxxii in Verard's edition, and ends in the same manner as the other. 
 
 Of the original Work there are numerous Manuscript copies, and also 
 several early printed editions ; but these, as an eminent French Antiquary 
 remarks, are " toutes rares, toutes fautives et defecteuses." In Verard's 
 edition, for instance, the name of Charles VI., to whom the Author dedi- 
 cated the work, is changed to Charles VIII., in order to pay a compli- 
 ment to the reigning Sovereign ; and in these editions the Author's name 
 is given as Honore Bonner, instead of Bonnet. The terms of the Author's 
 dedication, (says M. Paulin Paris,) carry us naturally to the first years 
 of the arrival of Louis II. of Anjou to the Sovereignty of Provence, that 
 is to say, from 1384 to 1390. Cbaries VI., the conqueror of Rosbec, 
 was still young, and the schism of the Church had reached its point of the 
 greatest violence. 
 
 M. Paris's analysis of the work is very concise, and may be quoted in his 
 own words : — "L' Arbre d' Honore Bonnet presente quatre branches prin- 
 cipales, 1°. L'Eglise en schisme. 2". Les Rois en guerre. 3°. Les 
 
xiv PREFACE. 
 
 Grandes en dissension. 4". Les Peuples en revolts. Mais I'auteur paroit 
 fort peu soucieux de suivre un ordre quelconque dans son travail. Apres 
 avoir dans les premiers chapitres applique la prophetie des cinq Anges 
 de r Apocalypse a I'Histoire Eeclesiastique du XIV siecle, il resume les 
 fastes de I'antiquite, puis enfin expose la theorie du comportement des 
 Armes, des droits et des devoirs de tons les vassaux, chevaliers et gens 
 de guerre." 1 
 
 The author Honoke' Bonnet, was a Monk in the Abbey of Ile-Barbe 
 of Lyons, and Prior of Salon in Provence. His name, which is often 
 given as Bonnor, or Bonhor, or Bonnoz, has been ascertained, from an 
 examination of nearly twenty ancient Manuscripts in the Royal Library at 
 Paris, to have been Bonnet. A Proven9al translation, made in the year 
 1429 by order of Mossen Ramon de Guides, is preserved in the same collec- 
 tion, No. 7450 ; and also a translation in the Catalan dialect, MS. No. 780?. 
 There is some indication of Caxton having translated in part the work in 
 the year 1490, but no copy is known to exist.^ The original work was 
 first printed at Lyons, by Barthelemy Buyer, 1477, folio ; and another 
 edition at Lyons in 1481 . It was again printed at Paris, by Anthoine 
 Verard, 1493, folio, of which there is, in the Royal Library at Paris, a 
 magnificent copy printed upon Vellum, with illustrations, — the first repre- 
 senting Charles VIII. receiving the work from Verard the printer, who, 
 as already noticed, had substituted the name of the reigning Monarch 
 instead of Charles VI. of France, at whose request the work was originally 
 written. Van Praet^ describes this copy, and mentions two other copies 
 on Vellum, but neither of them perfect. The discrepancies existing be- 
 tween the early manuscript and printed copies will readily explain the varia- 
 tions, which will be obvious upon comparing Sir Gilbert Hay's translation 
 with the preceding extracts. It must also be confessed, that to a modern 
 
 1 Les Manuscrits Francois de la Bibliotheque du Roi : par A. Paulin Paris, 
 vol. V. p. 103, 
 
 2 See Lewis's Life of Caxton, p. 81. 
 
 3 Catalogue des Livres imprimes sur V6lin, de la Bibliotheque du Roi, tome iii. 
 p. 81. 
 
PREFACE. XV 
 
 reader Bonnet's Book of Battles is sufficiently tedious and uninteresting ; 
 and it need excite no surprize that the Author, as he admits in his con- 
 cluding chapter, having wearied himself with his task, broke off abruptly 
 — " Mais pour le present je ne pense plus riens a escripre en ce Livre, 
 car fen suis tout lasse ;" or, as Sir Gilbert Hay in his translation ex- 
 presses it — " But in gude faith the Doctour sais, that he was sa irkit of 
 wryting, that he mycht nocht as now, na mare tak on hand as to put in 
 this buke of Bataillis," &c. 
 
 II. THE BUKE OF THE ORDEE OF KNYGHTHOOD. 
 
 Although subjoined to " The Buke of Batailles," there is no evidence 
 to show that it was written by the same Author. The original Work, 
 entitled " Le Livre de l' Ordre de Chevalerie," is anonymous. A 
 copy of it is contained in a magnificent volume, written upon vellum, and 
 illuminated for Henry VII. of England, which forms part of the Royal 
 collection of Manuscripts in the British Museum (MSS. Bibl. Reg. 14 E. 
 II. Art. 5). The Work also exists in a printed form, although now of great 
 rarity. " L' Ordre de Chevalerie, auquel est contenue la maniere com- 
 ment en doit, faire les Chevaliers, et de 1' honneur qui a eux appartient, 
 et de la dignite d'iceulx ; compose par ung Chevalier, lequel en sa veillesse 
 fut Hermite." Lyon, Vincent de Portunaris de Trine, 1510, in folio, black 
 letter. It is, however, a proof of the great popularity of the Work, 
 that a copy of it having fallen into the hands of our venerable Typo- 
 grapher, William Caxton, (who probably never heard of Sir Gilbert 
 Hay's previous version,) he added this to his other translations from 
 the French, and having printed his own translation, he addressed the 
 volume to King Richard the Third. It has no date, but must have 
 been printed about the year 1484; and his edition is acknowledged 
 to be one of the rarest specimens of his press. Lewis in his Life, 
 of Caxton, 1737 ; Oldys in his British Librarian, 1738 ; Ames and 
 Herbert in their Typographical Antiquities, 1749 and 1785 ; and 
 Dibdin, in his enlarged edition of that work, 1810, and also in his 
 
xvi PEEFACE., 
 
 Bibliotheca Spenceriana, 1815, have each given a more or less detailed 
 account of Caxton's translation. 
 
 In the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh, among the collection of MSS. 
 which belonged to Sir James Balfour of Denmyln, Lord Lyon in the 
 reign of Charles the First, there is a volume, to which he has prefixed 
 this title, "Collectanea Domini Davidis Lyndesay de Monthe Militis Leonis 
 Armorum Regis." This volume is described by Dr Leyden^ in the Pre- 
 face to his republication of " The Complaynt of Scotland," but he has 
 confounded two persons of the same name, and who held the same office, 
 at an interval of half a century. The volume, which contains nothing 
 to identify it with Sir David "Lyndesay the Poet, is here noticed, from 
 containing a copy of " The Order of Knighthood," without the name of 
 the translator. This is evidently a transcript from Caxton's printed volume, 
 omitting the concluding Address to Richard the Third, in which Caxton 
 introduces his own name as the translator ; while the transcriber has used 
 his own discretion in adapting the language to the Scotish orthography and 
 dialect. 
 
 Dr Leyden passes over this portion of the MS. in a very summary 
 manner, and strangely says, that it, along with " The Buke of Cote- 
 Armouris," which immediately follows, in Lyndesay's MS., was trans- 
 cribed from Dame Juliana Berners's Treatise on Hunting, Hawking, &c., 
 which is usually known as the " Booke of St Albans." 
 
 The following extracts from the copy of Caxton's volume, in. the British 
 Museum, will be sufficient to convey to the reader some idea of the work 
 itself; and to form a comparison of the English and Scotish versions. The 
 first leaf is here given in black letter, line for line, in imitation of the 
 original : — 
 
 1 Edinburgh, 1801, p. 65. 
 
[17] 
 
 If l^ttt li^flennctti tilt Zntit ot 
 tW pn^tnt hooiit 3ntgtleti tf)t 
 Bxioft Dt tf^t ov^xt ot tftgttalre 
 ox Itngflibttotie* 
 
 Qlov^t of flotr/ Jui^iclie ts lortf anlr 
 Bouftagne itgwfle a^otte ants outv 
 allc tlisnflJS (tlestgal/ antr toorHlg/ toe 
 fieggnne ti^ts fiooifc of ti^e orlrre of tff^ualv^ 
 ffox to si^ttoe ti&at to f^t sggnefgaunce of 
 golr/ tift 3ptgnte almgg^tg bj|)(ci&t seggno= 
 v^tV^ aliom t^e setten plantttts/ t|at tna^ 
 Ite ^e tours celestial/ antr i^atte $otoet ^ 
 seggnorge (n flotmrngnge ^ orJrcgngnge 
 t^s iotfges tmrestrt anlr crti^rtg/ ti^at in 
 Iglte togse otoen t^t itgngrs j?tgn«s awir 
 grtte lovtits to i^atte pugssaunce anlr segg= 
 notg tJ^pow t]&e itngfii^tes/ ^nH t^t ltng= 
 tes 3&g sgmglgttUre ottg]&tm to i^aut 50= 
 iDtv antr trontinacioti otter ti^e ntogen ^tplt 
 ^ntr ti^tB ^oolte eontegneti^ fiiij ci^a^ttres 
 
 a ij 
 
[18] 
 
 tfgng an ^txtm^tt tim^utt to t|e s^ugo: 
 
 t^e rule antf orttre of t^^unlx^t 
 
 c ®t)5 sttontr is ottift ^^cggnngngeof CEi^gualrs 
 
 c ^e t^yxti is of ti^offgw of clftgualtg 
 
 c ^fjt fourtlie of ti^cxamgnacfon/ ti^at owgi^t 
 
 to "bt matre to ti&e esfiugjt; tjl^an 5^ Wl^ ^vttvt 
 
 in to t^J ortrre of cl^gwalrg 
 
 c ©]&f fgfti^e (s in tojat wano: tje sqn^tv 
 
 on^t to w«gttj ti^gualrn 
 
 •E €i&c sgxti^e is of tfit sggnefgattnce of t^e 
 
 armes longgnge to a Ungfli^t al f>^ ovttvt 
 
 c ^i^fstucnt^of t^ecttstomwjstl^at ap^ertjgnf 
 
 to a Rngfli^t 
 
 c ^i^e t^^t is of ti&0 honour t|at on^U 
 
 to lie trone to a itnggi^t 
 
 «: ^5tts mtiti^ t^t UW of t|)c fiooR of 
 OEIigttalrg 
 
PEEFAOE. xlx 
 
 ^ Here after foloweth the mater and tenour of this faid Booke. 
 And the Fyrft chapyter faith hou the good Heremyte deuyfed to the Efquyer the 
 Rule and ordre of Chyualrye. 
 
 A Contrey ther was in which it happed that a wyfe knyght whiche longe had 
 mayntened the Ordre of Chyualrye/ And that by the force & nobleffe of his hyghe 
 courage and wyfedom and in auenturyng his body had mayntened warres juftes & 
 tornayes & in many batailles had had many noble viftoryes & gloryous & by caufe 
 he sawe & thought in his corage y* he mygt not long lyue as he which by long tyme 
 had ben by cours of nature nyghe unto his ende/ chaas to hym an heremytage/ For 
 nature faylled in hym by age/ And hadde no power ne vertu to vfe armes as he was 
 woned to do/ Soo that thenne his herytages/ & all his rycheffes he lefte to his 
 children/ and made his habytacion or dwellynge place in a greete wode habondaunt 
 of watres and of grete trees/ and hygh berying fruytes of dyuerfe manyers/ And 
 fledde the world/ by caufe that the febleneffe of his body in the whiche he was by old 
 age fallen/ 
 
 And that he dilhonoured not that/ whiche that in honourable thynges and aven- 
 turous hadde ben longe tyme honoured/ 
 
 The fame knyght thynkynge on the dethe/ remembryth the departynge fro this 
 world in to that other/ and alfo thought of the ryght redoubtable fentence of oure 
 lord in the whiche hym behoued to come to the day of Jugement/ In one of the 
 partyes of the fame wode was a fayr medowe/ in whiche was a tree wel laden and 
 charged of fruyte in his tyme/ of which the knyght lyued in the foreft/ And vnder 
 the fame tree was a fontayne moche fayre and clere/ that arowfed and moyfted all the 
 medowe/ And in the fame place was the knyght acuftomed to come euery daye for to 
 preye and adoure God Almyghty/ To whome he rendryd thankynge of the honoure 
 that he had done to him in this world alia the dayes of his lyf/ In that time it happed 
 at the entryng of a ftrong wynter/ that a kynge moche noble/ wyfe and ful of good 
 cuftommes/ fente for many nobles/ by caufe that he wold hold a grete courte/ And 
 by the grete renommee that was of thys courte/ It happed that a fquyer moeued 
 hym for to goo thyder/ in entencion that there he fhold be made knyght/ 
 
 ^ Thus as he wente all allone rydynge vppon his palfroy/ It happed/ that for 
 the trauaylle that he had fufteyned of rydynge/ he flepte vpon his horfe/ 
 
 ^ In the meane whyle that he rode foo flepynge/ his palfroy e yffued oute of 
 the ryght waye/ and entryd in to the foreft/ where as was the knygte Heremyte/ 
 And foo longe he wente/ that he came to the fontayne at the fame tyme that the 
 knyght whiche dwellyd in the wode to doo his penaunce was there comen for to 
 
XX PEEFAOE. 
 
 praye vnto God/ and for to defpyfe the vanytees of this worlde/ lyke as he was 
 acuftomed euery day/ whan he fawe the fquyer come/ he lefte his oroyfon/ and 
 fatte in the medowe in the fhadow of a tree/ And beganne to rede in a lytyl book 
 that he had in his lappe/ And whan the palfroy was come to the fontayne/ he 
 beganne to drynke/ And the fquyer that flept anone felte that his hors meued 
 not/ and lyghtly awoke/ And thenne to hym came the knyght whiche was 
 moche old/ and had a grete berde/ longe heer/ and a feble gowne worne and 
 broken for ouer longe werynge/ And by the penaunce that he dayly made was 
 moche difcolourd and lene/ And by the teres that he had wepte/ were his eyen 
 moche wafted/ and hadde a regard or countenaunce of moche hooly lyf/ Eche of 
 them merueylled of other/ For the knyghte whiche hadde ben moche longe in his 
 heremytege/ had fene no man fythe that he had lefte the worlde/ And the fqyuer 
 merueylled hym ftrongly/ how he was comen in to that place/ Thenne defcended the 
 fquyer fro his palfroy/ and falewed the knyght/ And the knyght receyued hym moft 
 wyfely/ And after fette them vpon the graffe that one by that other/ And er ony of 
 them fpak/ eche of them byheld eche others chere/ The knyght that knewe that the 
 fquyer wold not fpeke fyrft/ by caufe that he wold doo to hym reuerence fpak fyrft 
 and faid/ Fayr frend what is your corage or entent/ and whyther goo ye/ wherfor 
 be ye comen hyther/ Syre fayde he/ the renommee is fprad by ferre contreyes/ that a 
 kynge moche wyfe and noble/ hath commaunded a courte general/ And wylle be 
 maade hym felfe newe knyght/ And after adoube and make other newe knyghtes/ 
 eftraunge barons and pryue/ And therfore I goo to this courte for to be adoubed 
 knyght/ But whanne I was a flepe for the ti-auaylle that I haue had of the grete 
 journeyes that I haue made/ my palfroy wente oute of the ryghte way/ and hath 
 brought me vnto this place/ Whanne the knyght herd fpeke of the knyghthode & 
 chyualrye/ And remembryd hym of thordre of the fame/ And of that whiche apper- 
 teyneth to a knyght/ he cafte out a grete fyghe/ and entryd in a grete thougt remem- 
 brynge of the honoure/ in which chyualrye hadde ben fo longe mayntened/ 
 
 ^ In the meane whyle that the knyghte thus thought/ the Efquyer demaunded of 
 hym/ wherof he was fo penfyf/ 
 
 ^ And the knyght anfwerd to hym/ 
 
 ^ Fayre fone my thoughte is of the ordre of Knyghthode or Chyualrye/ And of 
 the greteneffe in which a knyght is holden/ in raayntenynge the greteneffe of the 
 honour of chyualry/ Thenne the efquyer prayed to the knyght/ that he wold faye 
 to hym thordre and the manere/ wherfore me ought the better to honoure and kepe 
 in highe worfhippe hit/ as it ought to be after the ordenaunce of god/ 
 
 5[ How fone fayd the knyght knoweft thou not what is the rule and ordre of 
 
PREFACE. xxi 
 
 knyghthode/ and I meruaylle how thow dareft demaunde chyualrye or knyghthode/ 
 vnto the tyme that thou knowe the ordre/ 
 
 ^ For noo knyght can loue the ordre/ ne that whiche apperteyneth to his ordre/ 
 but yf he can knowe the defaultes that he dothe ageynft the ordre of chyualry/ 
 
 Ne no knyght ought to make ony knyghtes/ but yf he hym felf knowe thordre. 
 
 For a difordynate knyghte is he/ that maketh a knyghte/ and can not Ihewe the 
 ordre to hym/ ne the cuftomme of chyualry. 
 
 ^ In the meane whyle that the knyght fayd thefe wordes to the efquyer/ that 
 demaunded chyualrye/ withoute that he knewe/ what thynge was chyualiye/ The 
 efquyer anfwered and fayde to the knyght/ Syre yf hit be your playfyre/ I byfeche 
 yow/ that ye wylle faye and telle to me the ordre of chyualrye/ 
 
 For wel me femeth and thynketh that I fliould lerne hit for the grete defyre/ that 
 I haue therto/ And after my power T Ihalle enfiewe hit/ yf hit pleafe yow to enfeynge 
 fliewe and teche hit me/ 
 
 ^ Frend fayde the knyght/ the Rule and ordre of chyualrye is wreton in this 
 lytyl booke that I hold here in myn handes in which I rede and am befy fomtyme/ to 
 the ende/ that hit make me remembre or thynke on the grace and bounte/ that god 
 hath gyven and done to me in this world/ by caufe that I honoured and mayntened 
 with al my power thordre of chiualrye/ For alle in lyke wyfe as chyualrye gyueth 
 to a knyghte all that to hym apperteyneth/ In lyke wyfe a knygt ought to gyve alle 
 his forces to honoure chyualrye/ 
 
 ^ Thenne the knyght delyuered to the efquyer the lytyl booke. 
 
 ^ And whanne he hadde redde therin/ he vnderfiode that the knyght only amonge 
 a thoufand perfones is chofen worthy to haue more noble offyce than alle the thou- 
 fand/ And he had alfo vnderftanden by that lytyl booke/ the Rule and ordre of 
 chyualry/ And thenne he remembryd hym a lytyl/ And after fayd/ A fyre bleffyd be 
 ye/ that haue brought me in place and in time/ that I haue knowlege of Chyualrye/ 
 the whiche I haue longe tyme defyred/ withoute that I knewe the nobleffe of the 
 ordre/ ne the honoiire in whiche oure lord god hath fette alle them that ben in thordre 
 of Chyualrye/ 
 
 ^ The knight fayd/ Fayre fone I am an old man & feble/ and may not forthou 
 moche longe lyue/ And therfor this lytyl booke that is made for the deuocion/ 
 loyalte/ and the ordinance that a knyght ought to haue in holdynge his ordre/ ye fliall 
 here with yow to the courte where as ye go vnto/ and to fliewe to alle them that will 
 be made knyghts/ And whan ye flialle be newe doubed knyght/ and ye fliall retorne 
 in to your countrey/ Come ageyne to this place/ And lette me haue knowlege who 
 they be that haue ben maade newe knyghtes/ and ihalle haue ben obeyfTant to the 
 
xxii PREFACE. 
 
 doctryne of chyualry/ Thenne the knyght gaf to thefquire his bleffynge/ and he took 
 leve of hym/ and tooke the booke moche deuoutely/ And after mounted vpon his 
 palfroy/ and went forth haftely to the courte/ And whan he was com en/ he prefented 
 the booke moche wyfely and ordynatly to the noble kyng/ & furthermore he offryd 
 that euery noble man that wold be in thordre of Chyualry myght haue a copye of the 
 fayd book/ to thend that he myght fee & lerne thordre of knyghthode and Chy.ualrye/ 
 
 ^ Here endeth the book of thordre of Chyualry/ whiche book is tranflated out of 
 Frenfflie into Englyfflie at a requefte of a gentyl and noble efquire by me/ William 
 Caxton dwellynge in Weftmynftre befyde london in the moft beft wyfe that god hath 
 fiiffred me/ and accordynge to the copye that the fayd fquyer delyuerd to me/ whiche 
 book is not requifyte to euery comyn man to haue/ but to noble gentylraen that by 
 their virtu entende to come & entre in to the noble ordre of chyualry/ the whiche 
 in thefe late dayes hath ben vfed accordyng to this booke here to fore wreton but for- 
 geten/ and thexcerfitees of chyualry/ not ufed/ honoured/ ne exercyfed/ as hit hath 
 ben in auncyent tyme/ at whiche tyme the noble actes of the knyghtes of Englond that 
 vfed Chyualry were renomed thurgh the vnyuerfal world/ As for to fpeke to fore 
 thyncarnacion of Jefu Chryfte/ where were there euer ony lyke to brenius and belynus 
 that from the grete Brytagne now called Englond vnto Rome & ferre beyonde con- 
 quered many Royaumes and londes/ whos noble actes remayn in thold hyftoryes of the 
 Romayns/ And fyth the Incarnacion of oure lord/ byhold that noble king of Brytayne 
 king Arthur/ with all the noble knygtes of the roud table/ whos noble actes and noble 
 chyualry of his knyghtes occupye foo many large volumes/ that is a world/ or as thing 
 incredyble to byleue/ O ye knyghtes of Englond where is the cuftome and vfage of 
 noble chyualry that was vfed in tho dayes/ what do ye now/ but go to the baynes & 
 playe atte dyfe/ And fome not wel aduyfed/ vfe not honefl; and good rule ageyn 
 alle ordre of knyghthode/ leue this/ leue it and redde the noble volumes of faynt graal 
 of lancelot/ of galaad/ of Tryftram/ of perfe foreft/ of percyual/ of gawayn/ & many 
 mo/ Ther flialle ye fee manhode/ curtofy/ & gentylnefle/ And loke in latter dayes of 
 the noble actes fyth the coqueft/ as in kyng Rychard dayes cuer du Lyon/ Edward 
 the fyrfte/ and the thyrd/ and his noble fones/ Syre Robert Knolles/ Syr Johan 
 Chaudos/ and Syre gualtier Manuy/ rede froiffart/ And alfo behold that vyctoryous and 
 noble kynge harry the fyfthe/ and the captayns vnder hym his noble bretheren/ 
 Therle of Salyfbury Montagu/ and many other whoos names fliyne gloryoufly by their 
 vertuous noblefle & aftes that they did in thonour of thordre of chyualry/ Alias 
 what do ye/ but fleep & take eafe/ and are al dyfordred fro chyualry/ I wold de- 
 maunde a queflion yf I ihold not difpleafe/ how many knyghtes ben there now in 
 
PEEFACE. xxiii 
 
 Englond/ that haue thufe and thexcercyfe of a knyght/ that is to wete/ that he 
 knoweth his hors/ & his hors hym/ that is to faye/ he beyng eredy at a poynt to 
 haue al thyng that longeth to a knight/ an hors that is accoi'dyng and broken 
 after his hand/ his armures and harnoys mete and fyttyng/ & fo forth/ et ceteraj I 
 fuppofe and a due ferche fliold be made/ there fliold be many founden that lacke/ the 
 more pyte is/ I wold it pleafyd our fouerayn Lord that twyes or threys in a year/ 
 or at the leaft ones he wold do crye Juftes of pees/ to thend that euery knyght fliold 
 haue hors and barneys/ and alfo the vfe and craft of a knyght/ and alfo to tornoye 
 one ageynft one/ or ij againft ij/ And the beft to haue a prys/ a dyamond or jewel/ 
 fuche as fliold pleafe the prynce/ This fliold caufe gentylmen to reforte to thauncyent 
 cuftomes of chyualry to grete fame and renSmee/ And alfo to bealwey redy to ferue 
 theyr prynce whan he flialle 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 com- 
 pryfed/ And thenne I doubte not he fliall atteyne to thordre of chyualry/ et cetera. 
 
 And thus this lytyl book I prefente to my redoubted naturel and most dradde 
 fouerayne 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 vfed 
 & honoured than hit hath ben in late dayes pafled/ And herin he fhalle do a noble 
 & vertuous dede/ and I flialle pray almygty god for his long lyf & profperous wel- 
 fare/ & that he may haue vyftory of all his enemyes/ & after this fliort & tranfitory 
 lyf to haue euerlaflyng lyf in heuen/ where as is Joye and blyfle/ world without 
 ende/ Amen/ 
 
 III. THE BUKE OF THE GOUERNANOE OF PEINCES. 
 
 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, 
 
xxiv PREFACE. 
 
 In now adverting to Sir Gilbert Hay, the Translator of the " Ordere 
 OP 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, Ehzabeth 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.i 
 
 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 
 
 1 In Maidment's Aualecta Scotica, vol. ii. p. 1, is a curious Indenture betwixt 
 Sir William the Hay, Knight, Lorde of the Nauchtane, and Alan of Kynnarde 
 Lord of that ilke, and Dame Mary of Murray his wife, for the marriage of their 
 children, dated 7th December 1420. 
 
PEEFAOE. XXV 
 
 James the First, who had been held in captivity for eighteen years. On 
 the last occasion he is styled " Gilbertus Primogenitus et Haeres Willielmi 
 Constabularii Scotiae," 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 suc- 
 ceeded 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 Septem- 
 ber 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 there- 
 fore it may be conjectured that he was the son of Sir William Hay of Loch- 
 arret, 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, 
 l7th 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 
 
xxvi PREFACE. 
 
 we ascertain from the " Acta Facult. Art. Univers. S. Andreas," 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 TurnbuU, 
 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 pro- 
 ceeded to France, but whether it may have been to complete his educa- 
 tion, or that he was sent on any special mission, must be left to con- 
 jecture.^ 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." 
 
 1 At a latter period, among the Determinants at St Andrews, in 1449, we find 
 " Grilbertus Hay, cujus bursa, viij°. vj^ ;" and again " M. Grilbertus Hay," as having 
 taken his degree as a Licentiate in 1451, But this obviously could not have been Sir 
 Gilbert Hay. In the " Oompot. Magist. Roberti Pantre receptoris facultatis arcium 
 anni [m.cccc.Jlii. datum iiii" die Decembris," at the end of a long list of contribu- 
 tions is this entry — " Item, per Magistrum Grilbertum Hay, xxv". Debitor Thomas 
 Hay lioentiatus, frater ejusdem Grilberti." The name of Thomas Hay stands first in 
 the list of Licentiates in 1452-3. 
 
PEEFAOE. xxvii 
 
 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 improba- 
 ble 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 
 
xxviii PREFACE. 
 
 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."^ 
 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 Borth- 
 wick 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 architetture, 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 pro- 
 bably 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.^ 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., 
 SiK Gilbert the Have, Sir Henry Atkinson, Mr Thomas Thurbernd- 
 son (or Thornebrande), Public Notar, &c., with dyvers uthu-s." At the 
 end of his numerous legacies and bequests, there is added, " Item, I 
 
 1 Genealogie of the Sainteclaires of Eosslyn, by Father Richard Augustin Hay, 
 p. 26. Edin. 1835, 4to. 
 
 2 Lord Hailes's Additional Case of the Countess of Sutherland, pp. 110, 128. 
 
PEEFACE. xxix 
 
 gif and leive my sylar [silver] colar to Sir Gilbert the Hai/e, and he to 
 say for my soul ten Psalters." ^ 
 
 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 under- 
 taking 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.^ 
 
 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." ^ 
 
 Norton Hall, Jamucury 1847. 
 
 1 Genealogie of the Sainteclaires of Eosslyn, p. 91-98. 
 
 2 " Extracts from The Buike of King Alexander the Conquerour, a Manuscript 
 in the Library at Taymouth Castle." (1831), 4to. Privately printed by the Secre- 
 tary of the Bannatyne Club. ^ See swpra, page 1. 
 
Cjje Bttfee 
 
 of 
 
 Cfje ©rter of mn^litijoolf, 
 
PROLOGUS. 
 
 T the honour and the reuerence of God Almichty his glore 
 and louyng of his prouidence, the quhilk is fouerane lord and 
 fyre de toutes chofes, of all thingis in heuyn and in erde, 
 we begyn here THE BUKE OF THE ORDRE OF 
 KNYCHTHEDE : ffor to fchaw, how be the femblaunce of the hye 
 almychty prince of hevin, quhilk has dominacioun and feignoury apon 
 the vij planetis of the hevyn, — the quhilkis feuin planetis makis all 
 the courfs of the hevyn, and gouernis the influences celeftiales, and has 
 powere apon the ordinancis of all erdely corporale thingis ; and to fchaw, 
 that as kingis and princis has dominacioun and feignoury here apon all 
 knychtis, fa fuld knychtis haue dominacioun and feignourye fubordinate of 
 the princis and lordis behalue, be femblaunce of fyk like figure, apon the 
 fmall peple, to goueme, reugle, and defend thame in all thair neceffiteis : 
 The quhilk Buke is deuidit in fere parties, as fall efterwart appere be the 
 declaracioun of the chapitres efter folowand. 
 
 Here folowis the Declaracioun of the Rubrikis 
 eftir the parties of the buke. 
 
 The Fyrft chapitre is. How a bachelere Squyere of honoure pafGt till a 
 grete femblee of Lordis, at a Kingis crounyng, in entencioun to tak the 
 Ordere of Knychthede, and how he forvayit, and willit in a wildernefs 
 
 1 
 
[2] 
 
 quhare thare was ane aide Knycht duelland in ane hermytage, that had 
 tane him fra the warld, to lyue in contemplacioun of Almychty God, to 
 mend his lyf, and mat gude end, etc. ; And how the worthy anciene 
 Knycht techit the Squyere the poyntis of honour and propereteis per- 
 tenand to the faid Ordre, etc. 
 
 Quhat the fecund chapitre contenis, fequitur. — 
 The Secound chapitre is. How the Bachelere quhilk fuld reffaue that hye 
 Ordre, how he fuld firft 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 faid properteis of the noble Ordre 
 and office of Knychthede, as the Knycht deuifis. 
 
 Quhat the ferde chapitre contenis. — 
 The Ferde chapitre contenis, The forme of the examinacioun how the 
 Bachelere Squyere fuld be examynit, be the faderis of the Ordre, before or 
 he reffauit the faid Ordre. 
 
 Quhat the fyft chapitre contenis. — 
 The Fyft chapitre contenis. How the Bachelor Squyer fuld reffaue the 
 noble Ordre, and the forme and manere tharof, and of the procefs of the 
 making of Knychtis be ordre. 
 
 Quhat the fext chapitre contenis. — 
 The Sext chapitre contenis, The poyntis of the takenyngis of the blafoun 
 of the fignis and feremons cuftumable to be maid in geving of the faid 
 Ordre, and all be ordre. 
 
 Quhat the fevynt chapitre contenis. — 
 The Sevynt chapitre contenis. The gude thewis, vertues, and cuftumes 
 that pertenis to the Knychtis that honourably wald manetene the forefaid 
 Ordre of Knvchthede. 
 
 Quhat the auchtand chapitre contenis. — 
 The Auchtand chapitre contenis, How the faid Ordre fuld be haldyn at 
 honour, and quhat honoure fuld be done to thame that beris the faid 
 Ordre, and has optenyt it with honoure. 
 
HERE BEGTOTS 
 THE FIRST CHAPITRE OF THE BUKE. 
 
 >HE Autoure of this Buke reherfis, How it befell in a contree 
 quhare a worthy, wyfe, anciene Knycht, that lang tyme had 
 bene in the exercifioun of honourable weris, the quhilk, be 
 the nobleffe and the force of his noble and hie curage, 
 throu grete wifedome and hye gouernaunce, had auenturit his perfone 
 to purfue and manetene juflis, tournaymentis, and weris, and throu his 
 gude fortune and prowefs, had optenyt grete honour and glore, and 
 vifitorius loving : And after all this, as courfe of nature gevis till all man- 
 kynde, and othir creaturis that in this erde lyf beris, he, confiderand that 
 this lyf mycht nocht langfumly endure, hot it behovit nedely tak ane end ; 
 for to make gude end, and conclufioun to godwart, and to lyve out of the 
 ficht of tribulacioun and vexacioun of the warld, and to be at his deuocioun 
 in contemplacioun of his Creatour : For he'fawe that God had gevin him 
 largely of his grace, fuflBciandly of warldly honoure and glore ; and that 
 nature in him was fa faillid throu febilnefs, that he had nouthir force, na 
 vertu, na powere to welde armes as he was wount ; and had deuifit and 
 departit his landis, gudis, and heritagis till his barnis, and ordanyt for all 
 his thingis fynablye, and chefit to mak his habitacioun in a thik wod of a 
 
4 THE BUKE OF THE OEDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 wildernefs, in a faire haulch, inclofit within wateris, and grete treis bath of 
 fruytis and of diners naturis, and of herbes, fa that he was content to flee 
 the fycht and the repaire of the warld : Sa that nane that had fene him fa 
 worthily, honeftly, and honourably, had euir hidertillis manetenyt fa worthy 
 and hye Ordere in all worfchip, but lak or difhoneftee of his cors, fuld fe 
 him in his failit elde, for fault of powere of naturall ftrenth, in fyk febilnefs 
 that he mycht nocht oure him felf to gouerne his perfone in fyk worfchip of 
 honeftee as he was wount, that filth of elde fchamyt him nocht, quhill he had 
 geldit to God and nature his naturale dewiteis : And als, that the vexacioun 
 of the warld gert him nocht abftrak his inclinacioun of contemplacioun and 
 deuocioun fra the contynuale remembraunce that he was determynit in his 
 hert to have of the glorious paflioun of Crift, the quhilk he traiftit, fuld be 
 a targe betuix him and the inymy of mankynde, in the day of the dredefull 
 jugement, to fauf him fra the terrible paynis of hell. And as he was 
 walkand a day in ane herbare allane, in his deuocioun, in a thik bulk of the 
 wod, quhare there was a grete tree in the myddis, chargit full of fair 
 fruytis in the fefoun, the quhilkis he gaderit and held to refrefch him with 
 be tymes : And in that herbare, vnder the faide fruyte tree, thare was a 
 faire well of water of noble nature, quhilk in diuers ftryndis paft throu the 
 herber till othir^ardynnis and preaux, till watere thame in fomere for more 
 gudely growth ; in the quhilk herbare the noble Knycht was cuftumyt to 
 mak his dayly repaire ; and thare in his contemplacioun, he maid his fecrete 
 orifoun, zeldand gracis and lovingis to Almychty God, the makare of the 
 mekle honour and worfchip that he had grantit him in this warld, euer- 
 mare day of his lyf, to contynew in fik deuocioun and contemplacioun 
 perpetualy. 
 
 And fa befell that in the famyn tyme, befell a grete ftormy wyntere, in 
 the quhilk a worthy King had fett and ordanyt a grete affemblee of Lordis 
 and Knychtis and worthy men, for hie, grete, and honourable actis to 
 be done, in the quhilkis mony gong bachelere fquieris propofit thame to be 
 maid knychtis of that worthy Kingis hand : And fa befell that ane of 
 the lordis fonis of that contree, quhilk had fett his entent and purpofe 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 5 
 
 to tak the Ordre of Knychthede at the faid affemblee ; and as it hapnyt 
 him to pas throu that contree quhare the noble anciene Knycht had 
 maid his habitacioun; And forthy that the faid Squier quhilk was ferre 
 trauaiUt, for irknes of trauale and waking to cum to the femblee, he flepit 
 apon his palfray, and wauerit fra his folk out of the hye way, fa that 
 he become properly in the famyn foreft and wildernefs quhare the 
 Knycht was induelland ; and to the famyn fontayn, in the herbere thare, 
 quhare the Knycht was at his contemplacioun, in the famyn tyme 
 come [the palfray] thare to drink at the well. And als fone as that the 
 Knycht fawe in fyk a kynde, fik ane honourable man, he left his con- 
 templacioun, and tuke out a Buke of his bofum and began to rede. And 
 fone quhen the pallefray put doun his hede in the well for to drynk, the 
 Squiere began to wakyn of his flepe, and will nocht quhare he was be- 
 cummyn, and than rais vp the worthy anciene Knycht, and comit till him to 
 fpere of his effere ; the quhilk quhen the gong Squiere faw fa hare and aide, 
 with a lang berde, and langar fyde hyngand hare, quhite as the fnawe, with 
 a fyde goun, aide and bare of woUe, and euill farand, with mony holis ryvin 
 and rent, for grete age of wering, and for the grete waking and deuocioun and 
 penitence that he had tane till him in that defert, and the greting that he 
 maid for his trefpafs of gouthede, he was worthin rycht lene, pale and 
 wan, with hevy chere, and hoU eyne, fa that be femblance his behalding 
 was lyke to be as of a haly man and of godly lyf. Sa that grete maruaill 
 had thai ilkane of othir, ffor fen the Knycht hed left the warld, to duell 
 thare in that defert, he had nocht fene na man in all that tyme. And the 
 gong Squyere had mare grete maruaill, how he was hapnyt thare, and of the 
 grete maruailoufs maner of the worthy man ; quhilk be his feris and port 
 femyt till have bene a man of grete valoure : And with that he lichtit doun 
 of his pallefray, and faluft the noble Knycht, quhilk geldit him agayne his 
 reuerence and reffauit him gracioufly, and gert him fytt doun in the herbere, 
 and reyne his horfe, and reft him; and lang tyme beheld him in the 
 vifage, to fe gif he wold aucht fay. Bot the Squyere, quhylk maruailit mekle 
 of the efferis of the Knycht, for the grete worthynes that him thocht apperit 
 
6 THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 in his vifage, and maneris, he deferrit till him to moue firfl fpeche, as to do 
 him reuerence for honour and age. And thus the worthy Knycht fpak 
 firft, fayand, Faire frende, quhat is the caufe of goure cummyng here in this 
 wildernes ? And fra quhyn ar ge cummyn, and quhare wald ge be ? And 
 than anfuerd the gong Bachelere, fayand, Certes Sir, thare is a grete renoun 
 gangand in ferre contreis of a grete affemblee, and rycht honourable, that 
 fuld be maid in this land be ane of the maift worthy Kingis that is in 
 the warld : quhare grete multitude of honourable and worthy men fuld 
 affemble, for honourable actis to be done, and thare fuld the faid King 
 mak mony new knychtis, be caufe that he him felf has entencioun to 
 be maid knycht thare, in the famyn tyme ; and thus for honour of the 
 worthy Prince and of his new knychthede, I and otheris drawis togedir 
 to fe thai honourable actis, and, God willand, to be maid knycht of his 
 hand thare. And be caus that I tuke grete journeis be the way cummand, 
 my pallefray, throu his foft pafling, gave me curage to flepe, as man 
 fordouerit, and fa bade behynd my company, and wanderit fa in this 
 wildernefs, vnwittand quhare, quhill my hors, in this hauleh, heldit to 
 drynk. Than ar ge, faid the worthy Knycht rycht welcum here. 
 
 Bot quhen the noble worthy man herd him fpeke of the hye and 
 noble Ordere of Knychthede, and of the propereteis that till it appertenis, 
 he gave a fare fob, with a grete fiche, that vnefs mycht he fpeke lang tyme 
 eftir ; rememberand of the grete honoure that he had bene in, manete- 
 nand the faide Ordre of fa lang tyme. And quhen the Squyere faw him 
 fall in fyk a thocht, be manere of ane extafy, he fperit at him, Quhat 
 movit him to mufe fa mekle on his wordis ? And than the worthy anciene 
 Knycht anfuerd him, fayand. That his thocht was on the hye and worthy 
 Ordre of Knychthede that he had fpoken of, and on the grete charge 
 that a knycht vndergais quhen he vndertakis that noble and worfchipfull 
 Ordre of Knychthede. And than faid the faid Squiere, That gif he coud 
 oucht teche him of the poyntis that mycht pertene to the faid Ordere, for 
 the honour and reuerence of God, that he wald teche him. And with that 
 the faid Knycht blenkit vp, fayand, O faire fone, how art thou fa bald to 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 7 
 
 fett thee to tak that forenamyt Ordere hot firft thou knew the poyntis 
 belangand the gouernaunce and man^tenaunce of it, and the maner how it 
 fuld be kepit, gouernyt, and manetenyt in honoure and worfchip, as efferis, 
 eftir the ordinaunce of God : ffor thare fuld nane be fa hardy to tak that 
 hye honourable Ordre hot he war firft worthy be the ficht of a prince thare 
 till. And fyne that coud the poyntis and the articlis that to the faid Ordre 
 appertenis, and to knaw bath the meritis and the prowefs of the Ordre ; 
 and rycht fa the defaultis that a knycht may mak till his Ordre ; nathare 
 fuld na knycht mak ane othir bot firft he himfelf coud thai poyntis, tech- 
 ingis, and documentis, to teche thame to the vaflall or bachelere, that he 
 thocht to mak a knycht of : ffor he is mifordanyt and vnworthy knycht 
 that makis knychtis nocht knawand the propereteis of the faid Ordre, to 
 teche to thame that he gevis the Ordre till the cuftumys and documentis 
 that till it appertenis. And then faid the Sqyuare, Faire fader, fen it is 
 fa that as I traift ge knaw the propereteis and cuftumes of the faid Ordre, 
 that ge wald, of gour gudelynes, teche me and informe of the docu- 
 mentis and propereteis belangand to the faid Ordre of Knichthede ; ffor 
 I haue gude hope in God, that for the traift that I haue thairto, I fulde 
 lere befily and wele all the perfe6lioun of the faid Ordre. 
 
 And than anfuerd the Knycht, fayand, Faire fone, fen it is fa that thou 
 has fa gude will to lere the reuglis and the documentis belangand the faid 
 Ordre, I fall len the a lytill Buke quharein all the reuglis and the ordy- 
 naunce of all' the poyntis and documentis that pertenis to the faid Ordre 
 ar writin ; in the quhilk Buke, I rede wele oft, and takis confolatioun, 
 of the mekle honoure, worfchippis, and worthynes that to the faid Ordre 
 appertenis, and of the grete grace that God hes gevin me in this erde to 
 be fa happy till haue gouernyt fa, but lak, the faid Ordre, that all my grace 
 and gude auenture throw it I hadand rycht fa I honourit it, and did all 
 my powere to manetene it, and kepe it in worfchip, but repruf ; for rycht 
 as Knycht, be his Ordre, takis bath of God and man honoure, worfchip, 
 and warldly prouflSt, rycht fa he is behaldyn till gouerne, kepe, and mane- 
 tene his Ordre in all honoure, worfchip, and reuerence vndefoulit. 
 
8 THE BUKE OF THE OEDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 And than delyuerit the Knycht the Buke to the Bachelere ; in the quhilk 
 quhen he had red a lytill fpace,' he hevit vp his handis to the hevyn, and 
 lovit Almychti God that had gevin him the grace to cum that way, in 
 the tyme that he was fa wele fortunyt to haue knaulage of the poyntis, 
 techingis, and properteis of the faid Ordre, and reuglis that till it apper- 
 tenit, the quhilk I have lang tyme mekle defyrit to knawe. And than 
 faid the Knycht, Faire fone, thou fall tak this Buke with the to the Court, 
 for fen I am bath aide and wayke, and may nocht trauaill to fchaw the 
 reuglis, and documentis, and propereteis of the faid Ordre to thame 
 that defyris thame, that ar with the King, thou fall geve the copy of 
 this faid Buke till all men that defyris it ; and thou fall hecht me, quhen 
 thou art doubbit Knycht, thou fall cum this way agayne this, and tell 
 me quhat Knychtis falbe maid thare, and all the manere of thair 
 making, and how the King and the new Knychtis takis in thank this 
 Buke of the reuglis and documentis of the faid Ordre ; and quha alkis 
 the copy of it. 
 
 And thus tuke the Bachelere his leve at the Knycht, and the 
 Knycht his benedi6tioun, and fa lap on his horfe, and paffit on, quhill 
 he met with his menge ; and fa to the Kingis palace ; and did his de- 
 voyr in gouernement of his perfone rycht worthily, and gave the copy 
 till all maner of noble man that wald defyre till have it: the quhilk 
 Buke the King lovit mekle, and prifit, and all the lordis, and held it 
 rycht dere. 
 
SECUNDUM CAPITULUM. 
 
 HERE FOLOWIS THE SECUND CHAPITRE, THAT SPEKIS OF THE POYNTIS OF 
 THE OEDRE THAT A BACHELERE SQUIERE SOLD LERE, OR HE TAK THE 
 FORENAMYT ORDRE. 
 
 (N the tyme that cheritee, leautee, juftice, and veritee was 
 failit in the warld, than began crueltee, vnlautee, injure and 
 falfetee : and than was errour and diftrublaunce in the warld ; 
 in the quhilk warld God had maid man to duelle to trowe 
 in him, feme him, honoure him, loue hhn, and dout him : Bot firft 
 quhen defpifing of juftice come in the warld, and than was fyk myfreugle 
 and milgouernaunce in the warld amang the peple for fault of juftice, that 
 for to gere the reugle of gude gouernaunce cum agayn with force and drede 
 of awe, the peple gert chefs a Man amang a thoufand, the quhilk was maift 
 wife, maift ftark and fturdy, and heft of gouernaunce, maift godlyke, and full 
 of grete leautee, and of maift noblefs, maift curageus, and beft techit in ver- 
 tues ; and ay of ilke thowfand of the peple thare was fyk a man chofyn 
 to be chiftane of the laue, and to gouerne thame, and be thaire ledare : And 
 fyne thai inquerit and foucht quhat befte was maift worthy, maift ftark and 
 fturdy, and maift fwift rynnand, and maift hable to mannis fervice, and 
 behove, and thareto was chofyn the Horfe ; for the maift worthy and con- 
 venable and beft rynnand, and maift hable for mannis fervice ; and 
 thathors was ordanyt to that chofe Man to ryde upon ; and eftir the Hors 
 the Knycht, ane of his namys, that in Franche is callit Cheualier, that is 
 to fay, Hors man, and be the tothir fignificaeioun, that is callit Miles ; that 
 
 2 
 
10 THE BUKE OF THE OEDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 cummys of this forefaid caus, that he was in thai tymes a man chofyn be 
 the prince and the peple of ilke thoufand men, the worthieft to be thair 
 Chiftane and Gouernoure in were, and thaire Prote6lour in tyme of pes. 
 And thus quhen he was in thai tymes chofyn amang a thoufand, ane of 
 maiil vertu, and worthieft to be a gouernour of the laue ; and fyne the 
 maift worthy and noble befte of the warld chofin to here him, that he fuld 
 nocht ga on fut : fyne eftir ordaynyt thai that the maift noble and worthy 
 armoure fuld be deuifit and maid to thai Knychtis to kepe thair perfouns 
 in hele fra ftrakis of thair inymyeis, and fra the dede ; and thare was he 
 enarmyt and fett upon the hors and maid Chiftane and Gouernour of a 
 thowfand perfouns vnder him ; and thus was Knychthede firft ordanyt 
 and maid. And thar fore all Knychtis fuld think apon thair worthy and 
 noble begynnyng, and the propereteis and caufis thar of ; and fett him fa 
 that he haue als noble a curage in him felf as fuld effere to the Noble 
 Ordre, that he reflauis in virtueis, and in gude thewis, and worthynes of 
 condiciouns, fa that his worthy condiciouns and vertewis accqrde to the 
 begynnyng that is fa noble ; ffor and he do the contrair, he is inymy 
 till his Ordre, and fyk men fuld nocht be reffauit to the Ordre that ar 
 inymyes tharetill. Na fuld nane be maid Knychtis that had contrarius 
 condiciouns to that worthy and noble Ordre : he fuld haue lufe and drede 
 in him till God, and till his Prince, agains haterent and defpifing ; and 
 rycht as he fuld lufe and drede God, and his Lord and Prince, fa fuld 
 he ger him felf be dred and lufit of his folk, bathe be noblefs of curage, 
 and gude thewis, and gude cuftumes, thinkand apon the hye honoure and 
 worfchip that is gevin till him, that is fa hye and fa noble ane office, 
 and of fik worfchip, that the condiciouns, and the noblefs of the Ordre, fuld 
 be accordand togeder : Sa that throu the grete honour of his eledlioun, 
 firft, that be the prince and the people, is chofin amang a thoufand for the 
 maift worthy, and fyne the maift noble and worthy armouris put on him, 
 and fyne the maift noble and worthy befte that was in the world gevin and 
 ordanyt him to ryde on, and otheris to gang on fut befyde him; than 
 aucht he wele to lufe and drede God, and his Prince that fendis him that 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYCHTHEDE. 11 
 
 hye honour and worfchip ; and fyne he aw wele to mak fyk caufe throu 
 noblefs of curage and gude cuftumes, that he be lufit and dred of the 
 peple ; fa that be lufe he conqueft charitee, and be drede he conqueft 
 lautee and juftice : And thus all Knycht fuld haue in him thir foure thingis, 
 that is to fay, charitee and gude thewis, lautee and juftice, and fuld excede 
 otheris in noblefs of vertues as he does in noblefs of honouris. And 
 alflua, in famekle as man is mare worthy, mare curageus, and vertuousj 
 and mare wit and vnderftanding has na womman, and of mair ftark nature, 
 in famekle is he better na womman, or ellis nature war contrary till it felf ; 
 that bountee and beautee of curage fuld folowe bountee, and beautee, and 
 noblefs of cors ; and thus fen a man is mare hable till haue mare noble 
 curage, and to be better na womman, in famekle is he mare enclynit to be 
 tempit to vice na is the womman, ffor he is mare hardy vndertakare, bathe in 
 gude and euill, opynly ; and in famekle has he mare meryt till abftene 
 him fra vicis na has the womman, that is of wayke nature : and tharforeilke 
 man fuld be war that wald enter in the forefaid Ordre ; and wit wele firft 
 quhat he dois, ffor he takis thare a grete honoure, maryte with a grete 
 feruitute ; that is to fay, a grete thrillage that he mon reffaue with the 
 Ordre, to be thrall to the condiciouns, propereteis, and cuftumes that 
 appertenis to the faid Ordre, and to the frendis of the faid Ordre : ffor 
 quhy, that in famekle that a man has mare noble creacioun and begynning, 
 and mare has of honour, in famekle is he mare thrall, and bounde to be 
 gude and agreable to God, and till him that dois him that honoure. And 
 gif he be of wikkit and euill lyf of tyranny and crimynous lyfing, he is 
 eontrarius and inymy of the Ordre, and rebellour to the commandementis 
 of honour. For the Ordre of Knychthede, be the caus that it is maid and 
 ordanyt for, is fa noble of it felf, that the Princis war nocht anerly content, 
 and the peple to ches the maift noble man of ligny, and to geue him the 
 maift noble armouris, and fyne fett him on the maift noble and curageus 
 befte for mannis vfe. Bot fen thai ordanyt him to be a lorde : Bot quhat 
 vnderftandis thou redare be a lorde ? A man is nocht a lord fuppofs he 
 haue neuer fa mekle of warldly gudis : bot he is a lord that has feignoury 
 
12 THE BUKE OF THE ORDEE OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 and jurifdi6lioun vpon other men, to gouerne thame, and hald law and 
 juftice apon thame quhen thai trefpafs. In the quhilk lordfchip thare 
 is fa mekle noblefs, and in feruitude thare is fa mekle fubjedlioun, 
 bondage, and thrillage, that grete difference is betuene, and than fuld 
 thare be alfmekle difference in the perfonis, as thare is difference betuix 
 the twa eftatis : For and a man tak the Ordere of Knychthede, and he be 
 villaine of his condiciouns, and wykkit of lyf, he dois grete injure to all 
 his fubjedtes that he has vnder him in gouernaunce, that ar gude folk and 
 fymple, and mekle feruis punycioun for cruell and wickit lyf that tyrane 
 lordis ar of, to the peple, makis tham mare worthy to be bondis bound, 
 na to be lordis of the peple of God, off the quhilkis thai mon gelde a 
 ftrayte compt a day, quhilk efferis to the Prince to punys, be the counfale 
 of thame that gude and worthy Knychtis ar, ffor vnworthy war, that thai 
 war callit Knychtis, and here the name and the honoure of that hye 
 Ordre that wyrkis in the contrair, deftroyand and vndoand the peple of 
 God, that thai ar chofin be eledlioun, and oblift to defend, and for that cans 
 has thair lordfchippis to gouerne the peple of God : ffor nocht anerly the 
 chefing and eledlioun to the Ordre, na the noble hors, na armouris, na 
 gouernaunce, na lordfchip, thame thocht nocht anerly, was fufiieiand to the 
 worthynes of that noble and worfchipfuU Ordre till hald it at honour ; 
 hot thai ordanyt him a Squier, and a varlet Page to be euer contynualy at 
 his bidding and feruice in all placis thare he war, to tak kepe till him, — 
 the Squiar to gang with him at his bidding, the Page to kepe his Hors. 
 And ordanyt the peple to labour the ground, to graith lyfing for the 
 Knychtis and Nobles that war thair gouernouris and proteftouris, and to 
 thair hors and feruandis ; the quhilkis was excufit to nocht laboure, bot to 
 reft thame euer betuix dedis of armes and adlis honourable, at hunting 
 and banking, and othir difportis, and to gouerne and kepe paffibles 
 the labouraris, and fauf thame fra fors and wrang, fa that clerkis 
 mycht pefably ftudy in fciencis, men of kirk vake in Goddis feruice, 
 merchandis in thair marchandice, and othir craftis wirkand at lordis deuifs. 
 And thus quhen clerkis ftudyis in fciencis, how men fuld be techit 
 
THE BUKE OF THE OEDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 13 
 
 to knawe, lufe, and ferue God, and doubt, and to geue gude enfample of 
 do6trine to the lawit peple to rycht fa do, for the honour and reuerence of 
 Almychtie God in deuocioun and gude lyf. Rycht fa apon the tothir part, 
 quhen Knychtis ar maid be Princis, thai fuld fett thame with gude virtues 
 and gude enfamplis and noblefs of curage, and othir wayis gif node war be 
 force of armes to manetene, gouerne and defend the fmall peple in all juftice 
 and equitee, in lufe and drede both of God and of the Prince as is before 
 recomptit, be the quhilkis thai fuld throu lufe haue contynuale charitee 
 amang thara, and be the drede thai fuld ftand awe to do oucht ilkane 
 till othir wrang, or wikkitnefs ; and here atour as the clerkis techis thair 
 fcoleris to the fculis of fciencis of clergy, fa fuld a gude Knycht teche his 
 barnis the noblefs of the poyntis and propereteis of chyualrie ; and that 
 fuld be done in thair gouthede : And firft and formaft a Knycht fuld lere his 
 fone to be dodlryned in vertues, and fyne fuld he be dodlrinyt and techit 
 to ryding in his gouthede, or ellis he fall neuer be gude rydare ; and ay as 
 he cummys till elde, that he lere to gouerne hors and armouris ; and that 
 he be feruand to fum lord, and vfe him in armes lang or he tak the Ordre, 
 ffor vnworthy war he fuld be a lord or a maifter that knew neuer quhat it 
 is to be a feruand, ffor he may neuer wele tak na knawe the fuetenes that 
 it is to be the lord, bot gif he had fum knaulage of the fournefs that it is, 
 and payne to a gude hert, to be ane vnderlout or a feruand. And tharfore 
 war he neuer fa grete a lordis fone appertenand to be lord, he war the 
 better that in gouthede fum lord that he feruit to kerue before him, to ferue 
 in chaumer, till arme a lord, till ourefee his hors, that thai war wele gouernyt 
 and grathit, to haunt armouris, to ryn a fpere, to excercife wapnis, and othir 
 habiliteis of honour quhilk appertenis to noblefs, and namely, thai fuld be 
 techit and dodlrinyt be a Knycht thay gong lordis fonis that thocht to be 
 knychtis, ffor rycht as it war nocht femand till a gong man that wald lere 
 to be a man of craft, fuld lere at ane othir that war nocht of the craft, fa is 
 it vnfemand that lordis fonis that wald be in the maift noble Ordre of Knycht- 
 hede fuld fett thame to lere the documents and propereteis of the Ordre of 
 Knychthede, bot at thame that war expert in the knaulage of virtues and 
 
14 THE BUKE OP THE ORDEE OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 gude thewis honourable that to the faid Ordre apperteins ; the quhilkis ar 
 vnknawable till ignoraunt and vnworthy perfonis ; ffor the grete noblefs of 
 the faid Ordre may nocht ferd at keping of hors na juftis na tournaymentis, 
 na git to haunt na duell with lordis, na knychtis in company, to pas in weris 
 na in bataillis. Bot it war rycht expedient thatthare war deuifit, and ordanyt 
 be the Prince, fcolis of dodtrinyng and teching of the noble poyntis and 
 properteis that efferis to that hye and worthy Ordre till gong lordis barnis 
 that war lykly to cum to perfe6tioun. And that the knawlage thar of ware 
 writtin in bukis be wys men of knaulage, that knewe and had experience 
 tharof, fa that ignorant gong lordis barnis mycht firfl lere the fcience be 
 fludy and fpeculacioun, and fyne efter thai mycht, quhen thai come eldar, 
 lere the pradlik of the Ordre, be conuerfacioun, as to pas to diuers juftis 
 and tournaymentis, to diuers realmes, in diuers voyagis and battaillis, fa 
 mycht thai haue the pratyk with the fcience ; ffor vile thing is, to here 
 office or ordre, and nocht to knawe the gouernaunce tharof throu wilfuU 
 ignorance ; ffor war nocht the fculis of clergy, mony errouris and ignorauncis 
 war in the warld mare na thare is. Bot fen thare is na fculis of cheualrye, 
 quhat maruaill is thouch thare be mony Knychtis vnwytty ; ffor war all 
 Knychtis and clerkis but errour, than wald thai be till all the laue of the 
 warld a gude myroure, and than fuld ilkane drede to do wrangis and 
 injuris till othir : And fen thir tua thingis gouernis and manetenis all this 
 warld — the tane the Spiritualitee, the tother the Temporalitee ; and thare 
 is fa mony fculis in fere -contreis of fciencis of clergy, and nocht ane 
 that men wate of the nobil Ordre of Cheualrye, than ar the goiiernouris 
 and manetenouris of the faid Ordre, to blame in thair awin proffit and 
 honour, quhare fa grete nede is, to be fa negligent. 
 
 Quharfor the Autour of this Buke prayis and requeris, and mekely 
 makis fupplicacioun to the Mageftee Ryall, and till all the company 
 of the Noblefs and Chyualrye of the Realme, that thai affemble thame 
 togidder, and mak reformacioun of this grete fault that is maid to the 
 Noble Ordre, and the grete wrang that is done till it, in the fault of 
 do6lrine and teching of the poyntis and propereteis of Nobleffe, etc. 
 
TERTIUM CAPITULUM. 
 
 HOW SEN THE DOCTOURE HAS DECLABIT IN SUM PART THE POYNTIS OF 
 
 THE ORDBE WITH THE PROPERETEIS AND CONDICIOUNS, NOW LYKIS IT 
 
 HIM TO SPEKE OF THE OFFICE THAT FOLLOWIS THE SAID ORDRE : — 
 
 t 
 
 )HAT is to fay, to quhatpurpos it was ordanyt — to quhat fyne 
 — and quhat entencioun : And how gif Knychtis vfs nocht 
 thair office, thai ar contrarius to thair Ordre, and to the 
 begynning of thair awin making : ffor the quhilk caus he is 
 nocht veray Knycht in dede, fuppofs he here the name ; ffor fik Knychtis 
 ar mare villayns na is outhir fmyth, wrycht, or mafoun, that dois thair craft, 
 as thai ar techit, and tharefor to fchaw the poyntis of the Ordre is grete 
 meryt to thame that wate it nocht : the quhilkis he declaris here efterwart ; 
 and firft and formaft, Knychthede was ordanyit to manetene and defend 
 Haly Kirk, and the Faith, for the quhilk God, the Fader of Hevyn, fend 
 his Sone in this warld, to tak in him oure humanitee, flefchly inumbrit, 
 and incarnate in the glorious Virgyne Mary, his fuete moder, be the 
 joyfuU meffage brocht till hir be the angel Gabriel ; and fyne for our 
 fakis, and to fynde vs of the origynale fyn, and to geve vs eternale lyf, 
 tuke dede and paffioun here, with grete difpifing vilaynous, to geue vs 
 enfample and informacioun how we fuld reule oure lyfing here: Quhilk 
 ordanyt all writtis for oure teching and do6lrine ; and all his werkis 
 and dedis here, he did for oure enfample and enformyng, to multiply his 
 faith. And thus, rycht as he has chofin to growe and manetene his fayth, 
 the worthi and wys clerkis to hald fcolis, and ilkane to teche othir be the 
 
16 THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 haly wryttis of prophecies and of lawis aganis the inymyes of the Faith : 
 Rycht fa the hye glorious God chefit Knychtis to be his campiouns, fa 
 that the unworthy myftrowaris and rebellouris agaynis his faith mycht be 
 throu thame chaftifit, be force of armes to vencufs and ourecum his 
 inymyes, the quhilkis every day forfs thame at thair powar to put doun 
 the fayth of Haly Kirk, and thir Knychtis that thus occupyis thame in the 
 defenfe of his rychtis ar callit his Knychtis of Honour in this warld, and 
 in the tothir, that defendis the Haly Kirk and the Criftyn Faith, quhilk is 
 oure faule hele and falvacioun. And tharefore Knychtis that has faith and 
 baptefme in him, and ufis nocht the vertues and properteis of the faith, ar 
 contrarius till otheris that kepis the faith, evyn as a man that God hes 
 gevin till refoun, and difcrecioun, and he dois evyn the contrary. Thus 
 he that has faith, and kepis it nocht, is contrarius till himfelf, for he wald 
 be fauf, and gais nocht the hye gate till his falvacioun : ffor quhy, his will 
 difcordis with his witt, and ledis it the way of myftreuth, that is agayne his 
 falvacioun, and ledis him to the way of eternale dampnacioun ; and fyk men 
 takis the office and ordre, mare to be prifit and honourit in this warld, na 
 for any prouffit that thai think to do to God, na to thair Prince that gave 
 thame the office. Bot the maift noble officeris and ordres in this erd ar 
 office and ordre of Clerkis and of Knychtis, and the beft lufe in this erde is 
 ay betuix thame ; and tharfore rycht as Clergy was nocht ordanyt to be 
 agayn the Ordre of Knychthede, bot to honoure it, and thame that worthily 
 beris it, fa fuld Knychtis nocht be aganis the haly ordre and office of Clergy, 
 to manetene worfchip and defend it, aganis the rebellouris and euill willaris 
 of the Kirk, that are callit Sonis of Iniquitee, as thai ar oblift in taking of the 
 faid Ordre of Knychthede : ffor a man is nocht anerly oblift to lufe his 
 ordre, bot he is oblift with that to lufe thame that be othir ordres vnder 
 his awin lord; for to lufe his ordre, and nocht to lufe the caus that his ordre 
 is ordanyt for ; ffor fyk lufe is nocht ordere lyke, ffor God has ordanyt nane 
 ordre vnder him to be contrair till ane othir ; and as to that thare is ordres 
 of religious that few of thame lufis ane othir, and git lufis well thair awin 
 ordre ; bot that is nocht the rycht ordre of lufe and charitee, that fuld be 
 
THE BUKE OF THE OEDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 17 
 
 in religious : And ryeht fa a Knycht fuld nocht famekle lufe his awin ordre, 
 that he myflufe othere ordres, ffor that war aganis God, and gude faith ; 
 ffor the Ordre of Knychthede is fa hye, that quhen a King makis a knycht, 
 he fulde mak him lord and govemour of grete landis and contreis, efter his 
 worthines, and all Knychtis fuld think that there is a Lord and fyre aboue 
 all knychtis, ffor the honour of quham thai ar all made Knychtis for to do 
 his will, and feme him fyrft, and fyne thair temporale lordis. 
 
 Item, the Emperour aw to be Knycht, in fignificance that he is Lord 
 and fyre of all Knychtis in temporalities : And beeaus that the Emperour 
 may nocht mak na gouerne all Knychtis, thare was ordanyt Kingis, to 
 be fubordinate perfons, next efter Emperouris, to gouerne realmes 
 and contreis the quhilkis fuld alffua be knychtis, fa that thai may mak 
 knychtis, ffor na man may mak knychtis hot he be Knycht before, 
 fauffand the Pape : alffua all kingis fuld have vnder thame Dukkis and 
 Prineis, ErUis and Vicountes, and Vauvaffouris and Barouns ; and 
 vnder the Barouns Knychtis of a fchelde, the quhilkis fuld gouerne 
 thame be the ordynance of the Barouns that ar in the hyare degree of 
 Knychthede, before namyt : And that gerris he [him] multiply knychtis in 
 takenyng that na King, bot he may na can gouerne all the generahtee 
 of Knychtis in erd, ffor thare is nouthir Emperoure, na King, that 
 can, na may in his regno gouerne all his fubditis but help of his 
 Knychtis : bot the King of Glore can wele allane but othir power, 
 na of his awin vertu and majeftie, can and may gouerne and reugle all 
 this erde, and all the hevin, at his awin plefaunce, the quhilk is ane anerly 
 God allane in Trinitee and Vnitee ; and tharfor wald he nocht that ony 
 Knycht allane mycht mak a knycht that fuld gouerne all the knychtis of 
 this warld bot he allane ; and tharfore ordanyt he in this warld mony of 
 Knychtis to be, that his Mageflee may the better be knawin, and that 
 Kingis and Prineis fuld mak officeris vnder thame of Knychtis. And forthy 
 dois a King or a Prince grete wrang to the Ordre of Knychthede quhen 
 he makis othir fereffis, baillies, or prouoftis of othir lawlyar men na 
 knychtis ; ffor than ar Kingis and Prineis caus of the abufioun of the 
 
 3 
 
18 THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 Ordre of Knychthede, quhilk was ordanyt for fik caus : ffor that Ordre 
 was ordanyt to be fubftitute till Princis and Kingis, apon the gouernement 
 of the peple, as maift worthy and maift honourable for fik gouernaunce of 
 fmall peple ; and aboue thame Dukis, Erllis, and Barouns ; and aboue 
 thai Kingis and Princis ; and aboue Princis and Kingis allenerlye Empe- 
 rouris and Papis. And thus fuld the warld be gouvernyt be commoun 
 reugle of gouernance, fauffand Kingis that ar priuilegit or prefcribit in 
 thaire power imperiale : and thus Knychthede is the hyeft temporale Ordre 
 that is in the warld; but nochtthe hieft office : ffor Kingis and Emperouris 
 is nocht Ordre, bot it is office; be the quhilk office thai precell aboue 
 all othir officis of temporalitee, as Dukis, Countes, Marquis, Vauvafour, 
 Baroun, and Knychtis ; and fuppofs, of all officis of honourabilitee, the 
 Knychtis office be the lawaft office of dignitee vnder Imperiale or Ryale 
 magellee, neuertheles the Ordre is hyeft and maift honourable ; ffor quhy, 
 that all Emperouris and Kingis aw to here that Ordre, or ellis thair 
 dignitee is nocht perfyte, ffor ellis may thai mak na Knychtis. And 
 be honourabilitee of the Ordre of Knychthede grete honour is ordanyt 
 be the lawis to do to Knychtis, and be noblefs of honour that is put till 
 him, he fuld haue noblefs of vertues, and worthynefs in his curage ; be 
 the quhilk noblefs of curage he fuld be lefs inclynit till all wikkitnefs, 
 and all vicis of barat, and trechery, and othir villain condiciouns, na ony 
 othir perfone. 
 
 The office alffua of Knychthede aw to defend his naturale Lord, and 
 manetene him ; ffor a King is bot a man allane but his men ; and but 
 tham thare may na King gouerne, na deffend his peple, na git nane othir 
 Lord, ffor thai ar bot fynglere perfons ; and thus, gif ony man be aganis 
 the Mageftee or othir Lordis of the temporalitee, the Knychtis fuld help 
 him to defend and manetene his rychtis. Bot commonly ane euill wikkit 
 Knycht takis party contrair with a Kingis fubditis agayne himfelf, ffor he 
 wald haue his Lord put doun, that he mycht haue fum part of the lord- 
 fchip ; bot than wirkis he agayne his awin ordre, and office that he is 
 ordaynit for ; that is ane, the faith of Jhefu Crift ; ane othir, his natural 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 19 
 
 Lord ; the third, the peple in thair richtis : ffor the Knychtis ar adettit to 
 inaiietene and defend juftice ; ffor rycht as a juge has powar be his office 
 to juge and geue a fentence, rycht fa has he poware to kepe his juge- 
 mentis fra fors and fra wrang and violence, in excercifioun and in execu- 
 cioun of his jugement and fentence. Andbecaus that tilljugement of caus 
 pertenis wele wifdome and difcrecioun of Clergy to knaw the lawis, it is a 
 noble thing quhen Knychthede and Clergy is affemblit togedir, fa that 
 Knychtis war clerkis and wele letterit men, fa that thai war the mare 
 fuflSciand to be jugis be the knaulage of fcience of lawis, ffor than war 
 thare na man mare worthy na hable till to be a juge, na a Knycht clerk : 
 ffor hot fcience of Clergy to knaw the lawis, thare is na man worthy to 
 here office of juflice. Knychtis fuld be wele ryddin, and in gouthede 
 lere to be wele ryddin, on deftrellis and courferis, till haunte juflis and 
 tournaymentis, to hald Table Round, to hunt and hauk at hert and hynde, 
 daa and raa, here and baare, loup and lyoun, and all fik honourable 
 plefauncis, and fa mayntenand the office and the Ordre of Knychthede 
 worthily : And as all thir propereteis before faid pertenis till a Knycht, as 
 to the habilnes of his corps, rycht fa is thare othir propereteis pertenand 
 to the faule ; as juftice, force, prudence, and temperaunee, charitee and 
 veritee, lautee and humilitee, faith, efperaunce, fubtilitee, agilitee, and with 
 all othir vertues touchand to wifdome, appertenis till him, as to the faule ; 
 and forthy, when a Knycht has all ftrenthis and habiliteis that appertenis 
 to the corps, and has nocht thame that appertenis to the faule, he is nocht 
 verray Knicht, hot is contrarius to the Ordre, and inymy of Knichthede : 
 ffor than it war lyke that Knychthede war contrarius to the faule behufe ; 
 the quhilk is fals, ffor the principale caus of the Ordre is to the mane- 
 tenaunce of the Criftyn faith, and of all vertues, and inymy to vicis. 
 
 Item, Office of Knychtis is to manetene and gouerne landis and policy, 
 and to defend thame ; ffor the raddour and the drede that the peple has 
 of the Knychtis, thai byde apon thair craftis and labouragis, and grathis 
 lyfing for the Lordis, for dout to be vndone, deftroyit, and defertit ; and thus 
 ar the Kingis dred for the Knychtis. And thare, fais the Do6lour, that a 
 
20 THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYCHTHEDE. 
 
 fals Knycht, that will nocht help to defend his King and his Lord naturale, 
 is lyke faith hot gude charitable workis, or Knychthede tume and idill 
 hot office, or heretike aganis the faith. And thus a fals Knycht that is 
 vntrewe, that dois nocht the bidding of his Prince, and is contrarius till 
 his biddingis and opyniouns, dois grete wrang to the Knychtis that fechtis 
 to the dede for juftice, and for the faith, and for his Prince, and his 
 naturale Lord, and is worthy to be punyft vtterly : ffor thare is na Ordre 
 na office that is maid bot it may be vnmaid, or ellis Goddis mycht war bot 
 fmall ; and than, fen the Ordre of Knychthede was ordanyt be God Almych- 
 ty, and gouernyt and manetenyt be thame that beris the faid Ordre, gif thai 
 that fuld goueme the faid Ordre, and manetene it, mifgouernys it, and dois 
 the contraire, the Ordre is lytill behaldyn to thame, ffor thai vndo the Ordre. 
 And thus the wikkit King vndois nocht anerly the Ordere of Knychthede 
 in himfelf, bot alffua he vndois it in his Knychtis quhen he gerris thame do 
 aganis the Ordre, outhir be euill enfample that he gevis thame, doand 
 thingis that ar aganis the faid Ordre, or be flatery that thai mak to thair 
 wikkit maifter, and fals fuggeflioun to ger thame be lufit of him, knawand 
 that he is euill fett and will redily trow euill talis. And all thus gif it be 
 euill done, to gerr a Knycht be mifgouernyt, and myffame throu euill 
 gouernaunce. It is mekle were done to mifgouerne mony Knychtis, as thir 
 wikkit princis dois, that all the charge of the mifgouernaunce of all the 
 Knychtis of his realme is be his default and negligence, or that thai be fa 
 wikkit in thame felf, that thai geve him vnworthy counfale, to do apon his 
 fubjectis extorfiouns, be wikkitnefs of tyranny e, or of barate or trechery, 
 trefone to thair naturale lordis, or vnleautee till his fubditis, be force of thair 
 wikkit curage ; and than is fyk a Prince mekle to prife and to love, that 
 knawis fyk trychouris, and trompouris and vnworthy traytouris, that beris 
 wafle name of Knychthede, that wald counfale him, and tyce him to forffet 
 and vndo the worthy and noble Ordre of Knychthede, that he has fa 
 honourably tane, and worthily hydertillis has manetenyt ; mekle honour and 
 worfchip is in his curage of the Prince that fa dois, and mekle fuld be lufit 
 with thame that beris the Ordre worthily, quhen he takis fik vengeaunce of 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYCHTHEDE. 21 
 
 the inymyes of the Ordre, that throu thair wikkit counfale wald corrumpe 
 his noble curage. 
 
 Item, the Order of Knychthede ftandis in the corage, and nocht in 
 the corffage, ffor ellis war the Ordre htill worth; ffor quhy? A lytill 
 perfone may quhilum throu habilitee of corps oure cum a mekle, and 
 tak him, and enprifone him. Bot a thoufand men, fuppos thai be neuer fa 
 ftark, may nocht oure cum na vencus a gude Knyehtis curage. And thus is 
 the Ordre of Knychthede mare worthily in the curage na in the corflage, 
 ffor ellis war nocht that the Knychthede accordit better to the body na 
 to the faule. And be that, the vnworthy cowartis Knyehtis that fleis in 
 bataillis fra thair lordis ar nocht worthy to be callit Knyehtis, na to here 
 the honour that to worthy knyehtis efferis, ffor thai drede mare the dif- 
 troublaunce and malefs of thair corffage, na the honoure and worfchip of 
 thair curage that appertenis to the Ordre of Knychthede of rycht. And 
 thus noblefs of curage is better pertenand to Knyehtis na is force of 
 corffage, or ellis fuerenes and cowardife in mannis perfone fuld be of the 
 propereteis of the Ordre. And hardynes and largefs fuld be contrarius 
 till it, and that war mekle vnrefone ; bot be all gude way of ordere, quhen 
 a gude Knycht is oure fett with oure grete powar, and leffe has of help and 
 of faloufchip to fupple him, in fa mekle fuld he haue mare bye curage and 
 mare force of fpirit, to oure cum all his aduerfaris ; and gif he be oure 
 thrawin, till manetene the poyntis and propereteis of the worthy Ordre 
 of Knychthede, than has he optenyt the honour and the lofs of the wor- 
 fchipfuU reward and meryt of juftice, that dels for the defenfs of the rycht, 
 and manetenaunee of the worfchipfuU and meritable poyntis of the Ordre, 
 as he that dels for lufe and leautee, and honoure of the noble Ordre that he 
 was ordanyt to. For the wife man fais. That Knychthede and hardyneffe 
 may neuer langfumly dwell togider bot wifedome and wife difcrecion ; 
 ffor quhare na wifdome na difcrecione reftis, how fuld thare be knau- 
 lage of honoure. Na, how fuld that perfone difcerne betuix honor- 
 able and diftionorable a6l or vndertaking of worfchip, quhare wifdome 
 is away, ffor wifdome will never mare mak fault till his honoure. And 
 
22 THE BUKE OF THE OEDER OF KNYCHTHEDE. 
 
 forthy, is it fignifyit till all Knychtis of honour, that a Knycht may neuer 
 be hardy, na haue the vertues that to Knychthede fuld pertene, hot he 
 haue wifedome in him ; na thare is na man that may fa mekle honour 
 do till his Ordre of Knychthede, as to ftand to the vttereft with ftark 
 curage for the rycht fermely, and neuer confent to leve his lord ; na 
 his rychtwife actioun to dee tharfore ; and treuly that mon be reuglit 
 with witt and refoun, and nocht be foly na ignoraunce ; ffor quhen 
 foly and ignoraunce is with the Ordere of Knychthede, wit and refone, 
 knaulage and difcrecioun, ar flemyt thairfra ; ffor wifedome, refoun, and 
 difcrecioun ar the ledaris and gouernouris of Cheualrye bathe in Knycht, 
 King, and Emperoure, and but wifedome the Order is peruertit ; ffor 
 inpoffible thing it is, that foly and ignoraunce gouerne that worthy Ordre. 
 And than mon it on nede force be gouernyt be wifedome, and thus is 
 it, that fen the Ordre is reuglit be witt and wifedome, than fuld all gude 
 Knychtis pres them to be wyfe, and fett tharon all thair hert and mynde ; 
 the quhilk makis Knycht fa curageus, that he doubtis nocht the dede, in 
 regarde of honoure and his rychtwife caufe, that he may lufe and honour 
 his Ordre, to fauf bathe faule and honour, in the contrair of foly and 
 ignoraunce. 
 
 Item, Office of Knychthede is to mantene and defend wedowis, 
 maidenis, faderles and moderles barnis, and pore miferable perfouns 
 and piteable, and to help the wayke agayne the flark, and the pure 
 agayne the riche ; ffor ofttymes fik folk ar be mare ftark na thai 
 pelit and derobbit, and thaire gudis tane, and put to deftrudlioun and 
 pouertie, for fault of powere and defence. And becaus all fik dedis is 
 wikkitnes, crueltee, and tyranny, tharfore is the Ordre of Knychthede 
 ordanyt, as in that poynt amang the lave, to gaynftand. And gif a 
 Knycht himfelf be the manetenar or doare of thir thingis, he is vnworthy 
 to here the Ordre for his wikkitnes. And rycht as God has gevin 
 to the Knycht pithe, hardynes, and hye curage, rycht fa has he gevin 
 him pitee in hert, to haue merci of the pure that gretis on him ; alkand 
 help and confort for traift that thai haue in thame of help. And thus 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 23 
 
 fuld a Knyeht haue gude ficht to the miferable perfouns, gude eris to 
 here thame, and gude mynde to think on thame, that pitoufly cryis 
 apon hun for help and confourt. And he that has nocht thir vertues, 
 is nocht verray Knicht, na fuld nocht be comptit as ane of the Ordere 
 of Knychthede. Alfua, and the office of Knichthede, that fa mekle 
 is lufit and prefit and honourit, war till derub and deftroy the pore folk 
 and all fik peaceable perfouns, and till defaue wedowis, that has na 
 defence hot God and the Office of Knychthede, and till myfgoueme 
 in thair gudis and heritagis, and dilTaue the faderles and moderles 
 bamis, and all thing that war falfate, barate, wikkitnes and trechery, 
 war poyntis of the faid office, and the office war alfmekle honourit 
 for euill dedis, and wickit lyfing, as it is now for gude dedis, thare fuld 
 ma prefs to tak the faid Ordre and office na thare dois now ; ffor 
 be caufe that the Ordre is founded apon lautee, curtaify, liberalitee, 
 lufe, and pitee, many of thame that beris the faid Ordre irkis tharof in 
 the warld that now is. 
 
 For the office of Knychthede fuld have dark place in gouernaunce, and 
 he fuld be wele horfit, and haue power of men to kepe the contree and the 
 Kingis wayis, all pilgrymes, trauailouris, merchandis, labouraris, and fuld 
 haue the jurifdidlioun of juftice in citeis and townis ; and quhen nede 
 war, to affemble the folk for the prouffit of the commountee ; and quhen 
 perilis war apperand in the landis, to byrn myfal houfis, and deftroye 
 perilous paffagis, ger hag woddis, and byg and mak reparacioun of euill 
 biggit placis, caftellis, and wallit townis and fortreffis, and kepe and defend 
 all gudely perfouns ; chaftyfe and punyfe all mifdoaris and wikkit cruell 
 perfouns ; ffor and the contrary of thir gude poyntis war approprit to the 
 Ordre, than all gude gouernance wald faile, and na man wald be feur ; ffor 
 the office is foundit ay on gude and prouffitable werkis that ar fpede full 
 to the commoun prouffit, and to gaynftand all thame that fettis thame 
 for the diftrublaunce of the pore peple, and hyndering of the commoun 
 prouffit, and to put down euill and wikkit men, and to fauour, nurife, and 
 manetene gude peple : ffor rycht as the hewing ax is ordanyt to cutt doun 
 
24 THE BUKE OF THE OEDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 treis that hynderis labouragis of landis, and cartis and chariotis and 
 merchandiees to paffe through the foreftis, fa is the fuerd of Knychthede 
 ordanyt to kutt away and deftroye the wickkit vn worthy wedis and ronnis 
 of thornis of euill men that lettis labouraris, merchandis, and traualouris 
 to trauale throu the warld, quhilk is as a forefl and wildernes quhen it 
 is not wele redde ; off the quhilk euill men fuld be wedit out be Knychtis, 
 keparis of the lawe, that gude men mycht lyve in lee ; and he that is a 
 Knycht, and dois nocht this, bot dois evyn the contrary, fuld be tane be 
 the Prince, or be othir worthy, faithfuU, and honourable Knychtis, and put 
 till dede ; ffor quhen a Knycht is a revare, or a thef, or a tray tour or a 
 murtherar, or a Lollard, fcifmatike or heretike, or in fyk termys opinly 
 knawin and approuit, than is he vnworthy for to lyve, bot to be punyft in 
 example of otheris that defoulis that maift noble and worthy Ordre, and 
 abufit it aganis the poyntis and the propereteis of the Ordre ; ffor it war 
 better to fyk a Knycht to gelde him felfe to juftice to be punyft, with mortall 
 punycion, na to lyve in fik mifordinate lyf for to vndo himfelf, and otheris 
 mony, quhilk leffe euill war that he war vndone allane, and leffe charge till 
 his faule : ffor gif a knycht or a lord haue all thir forenamyt vicis in him or 
 any part of thame, and wald punyfe otheris, and will nocht punyfe himfelf, 
 that is nocht the rycht way of juftice ; ffor gude juftice begynnis at it felfe, 
 and fyne at othir men, ffor grete lak is to reproue and correct otheris in 
 that, that he is foulare fmyttit him felf ; quhilk gif he will nocht do, othir 
 Knychtis fuld do for honoure of thair Ordre, till hald it euir in honoure 
 and worfchip, as wele efferis it to be. And all Knychtis that fauouris fyk 
 cruell dedis, and gerris nocht punyfe thame, thai ar foule in the dede as 
 the doaris of thame ; ffor fyk men ar nocht verray Knychtis^ bot feigned 
 beris the Ordre, and dois nocht the office ; ffor rycht as a Knycht had a 
 hurt in ane of his handis, that hurt is mare nere and dere, to the laue 
 of his othir membris, na it is to me or ane othir man, and erar efferis 
 till him to fett remede tharein. And rycht fa, gif a Knycht myfgouernis 
 him in fyk kynde that he be othir thef, or traytour, revar, or murderar, 
 it appertenis mare till othir knychtis to fett thare in remede, na it dois 
 
THE BUKE OF THE OEDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 25 
 
 till otheris that ar na knychtis ; ffor all knychtis ar, and fuld be as a 
 cors. And thare ffore, knychtis has mare wite of the myfgouernaunce 
 of othir knychtis na ony othir man has, and mare diftionoure alffua na 
 men that ar na knychtis ; ffor it is thair default, fen the correi6loun 
 efferis to the Order and to the Office ; ffor quhy, he is inymy to the 
 Ordre that fa gouernys : And than fuld it wele effere to the Order to 
 punyfe thair inymyes. Quharefore, thou that art a Knycht, and will 
 correk otheris defaultis, correk thine awin faultis fyrft : ffor a tray tour, 
 thef, or revare Knycht, he is alffua thef, traytour, and revare till his 
 Order that revis at the worfchip and the honoure that appertenis till it, 
 mare na to reve othir mennis gudis ; ffor he that ftelis or revis honour 
 fra ony perfone, bringis him hame fchame and diflionoure and euill re- 
 noune ; quhilkis honoure paffis all richefs. Quhat difference is thare, to 
 gude vnderftanding, till a traytour that betraifis his awin Lord naturale. 
 or his caftell, or his wyf, or his douchter, or his eldeft fone, or flais his 
 counfale and murderis thame, or fik dedis dois, in regard of him that 
 euer was lele and trewe in all thir thingis, and deis for his Lord in bataill 
 place. And alffua quhen a Knycht defendis ane othir that is falfe and 
 traytoure till his Prince or his naturale Lord, and will nocht thole him cum 
 to juftice, nor na punycione to be done apon him, he is were na he that 
 did the dede : and the Ordre of Knychthede is diftionourit in his perfone, 
 that manetenis, and will nocht bring to juftice a falfe traytour; and 
 vnworthy war that he had juftice in keping. 
 
 Ane othir poynt of the Office of the Knychthede is, to accufe traytouris 
 aganis his prince, or otheris that it efferis, and till appelle thame of bataill, 
 and feicht wyth thame : And office of traytour is, to deny his trefone, and 
 hyde it, and cover it, quhill he may, and efchewe all prufis tharof ; and thus 
 ar the twa curagis wele contrarius togidder, that neuer curage of traytour 
 mycht ourcum ane noble curage of a trew Knycht ; hot gif it be throw pride 
 or furquidy, that is callit oure prefumptuoufe in himfelf : the quhilk God 
 tholes quhilom be punyft in bataill place. Bot the curage of a lele Knycht, 
 that for a lele caufe debatis, may nocht be oure cummyn, bot gif it be for 
 
 4 
 
26 THE BUKE OF THE OEDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 fum fyn agaynis the Ordre of Knychthede : ffor gif a Knycht wald reve 
 fra the fmall peple the gude that God has gevin thame, and geve it till 
 otheris that he aw nocht to, that war agayne the Office of Knychthede, to 
 tak fra laware na himfelf outhir moble gudis or poffeffiouns, and hald it 
 as heretage till him, nocht gevand, na reftorand agayn ; he may be lyknyt 
 to the wolf that the lord gave the fchepe to kepe to, as till a familyar 
 faa ; or he may be lyknyt till a fule lorde that left his faire wyf in keping 
 till a gong traytour knycht ; or he that left his ftark caftell and his gudis 
 till a bitter cuvatous knycht, vntrew knycht ; and thus is he mekle to 
 wyte that gevis his caftell, or his wyf, or his fchepe, in fyk gouernaunce ; 
 or how ane othir fuld traift his gouernaunce in him that gouernis nocht 
 wele himfelf? ffor thir ar thingis that men fuld nocht put in mifgouernaunce 
 of fule men, his faire wyf, his caftell, and his moble gudis ; ffor commonly 
 fyk men that begylis thair lordis may neuer be reformyt na redreffit till 
 lautee, na till honour of Knychthede. 
 
 Item, Ane othir poynt of the Office of Knychthede is, to hald his 
 armouris cleine and faire, and wele at poynt, and to fe wele to the 
 gouernaunce of his horfe, and nocht to play thame at playes of dice, 
 and of tabilles, and othir licht playis, quhilkis ar nocht contenyt in the 
 poyntis of the Ordre : ffor it is forbedyn in the lawis to mak ony ath 
 contrary to the Ordre of Knychthede, na to the Office ; and he that 
 puttis doune the principale thingis quhare with the Ordre and Office 
 is haldyn at honoure and worfchip, throw lycht playes or uthir wayis, 
 he honouris nocht wele his Ordre; ffor Knycht in weris, but horfe 
 and harnais, is lytill prefit ; and fen it is fa, that God and man acordit 
 in the poyntis of the Ordre of Knychthede that na falfe aythis fuld be 
 tharein, na in thame that gouernis the faid Ordre, fuld than nane be. 
 
 Item, Lordis na Knychtis fuld nocht brek the ath of mariage throw 
 mifordynate lechery, ffor that is a poynt that difcordis with the poyntis 
 of the Ordre; ffor thare is thre gree of chaftitee, the quhilkis all 
 honourable perfouns ar behaldin till, that is, ane in mariage, ane in 
 wedowhede, and ane in maidynhede that is callit virginitee; of quhilk 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 27 
 
 the Haly Writt biddis thame that may nocht lyve chafte, mary thame, 
 and fyne kepe thair maryage ; ffor gif thai do nocht, and thai brek 
 mariage, that brekis thair aithe to godwart, the quhilk is agayn the 
 Ordre and Office ,of Knychthede; iFor chaftitee is vertu, and mif- 
 ordanyt lechery is vice : And thus fen all vertu folowis the Ordre, and 
 all vice difcordis with it, it fyttis wele that princis, lordis, and knychtis 
 kepe honour in that poynt, and namely, nocht to forffet to thair 
 mariage. 
 
 Item, Juftice and Knychthede acordis togeder, and juftice and 
 mariage, brefing and othir difordinate lechery difcordis with juftice ; 
 and thus Knychthede and difordanyt lechery difcordis, as apperis be 
 the lawis of Haly Kirk, quhilkis efferis prelatis to corredl : And thus 
 gif a prince, or a lord, or a knycht brekis mariage, he is mare to blame 
 na ony of lawer degree ; ffor the hyar degree the gretter fault, and 
 mare to be punyft in all exceffis of vertu. 
 
 Item, Ane othir poynt of Knychthede is, that a Knycht fuld be meke 
 and full of clemence, and nocht prydy, na prefumptuoufe, na orguilloufe ; 
 ffor oft tymes of pryde and orguille and prefumpcione cummys injure and 
 difcenfione ; ffor orguille is contrary to juftice, and inymy to concord ; "and 
 tharfore, thare fuld na Knycht be hautayn, na feir, na prydefuU, na prefump- 
 tuoufe, bot euer with mekenes, and clemence, and humilitee, be fymple as 
 a may amang peple, and in his inymyes prefence be as lyone rampand ; 
 ffor quhat ever he be, that be full of pryde and prefumptuoufnes, amang 
 vertuous men is repute nocht, for thai ar contrarius to pes and concorde, 
 and pes and concorde ar contrarius to juftice. And fa is pride aganis 
 the poyntis of the Ordre. And humilitee is the rute of the ftede- 
 faftnes of Knychthede ; ffor fchortly to fay, Knychthede acordis till all 
 vertu and juftice, and all thingis that ar contrarioufe to virtu and juftice 
 ar contrarioufe to the Ordere and Office of Knychthede : ffor Knycht- 
 hede fuld defend all injuris and wrangis, all pilleries, wrang, weris, and 
 tribulaciouns, and fuld hald the peple in all juftice, equitee, veritee, and 
 lautee, pes and debonairetee, and outfched the wikkit fra the gude peple 
 
28 THE BUKE OF THE OEDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 pefable ; quhilkis, gif thai do nocht, bot dois the contrarye in thair gover- 
 naunce, thai ar contrarius to thair Ordere, and worthy to be punyfl. Bot 
 thare is nane that all knawis, na all may punyfe, bot the Emperoure, the 
 quhilk ordanyt Knychthede fpirituale, to kepe juftice, ordinare, be reugle 
 vertuoufe, in pes and concorde, and juftice rigoroufe, that is, the Ordre of 
 Knychthede, quhilk fuld on force compell euill men, and of wikkit lyf, to 
 defift and ceffe fra thair wikkitneffe, and punyfe thame tharfore : And thus 
 is thare Knychtis of pes and concorde amoroufe, and be reugle of juftice, 
 to mak gud reugle and gracious concorde and gouernaunce in the peple ; 
 and alffua Knychtis of the juftice rigoroufe, ordanyt to compelle be fors 
 of armes all tyrannis, traytouris, and all othir myfdoaris, and cruell tor- 
 mentouris of the haly labouraris, kirk men, merchandis, and traualouris, to 
 ceffe and defift fra thair wikkitneffe. The quhilkis Knychtis fuld be full 
 of vertues, and gude lyf, to geue otheris enfample. 
 
QUARTUM CAPITULUM. 
 
 HERE SPEKIS THE DOCTOUKE OF THE EXAMINACIOUN OF THE SQUYER, WHILK 
 SULD ENTER IN THE ORDER NEWLY OF KNYCHTHEDE. 
 
 AYAND, That he fuld be firft examynyt be ane aide 
 Knycht that knewe and lufit wele the faid 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, fa that he haue grete nomber of Knychtis in his company. Bot 
 it fuld nocht be fa : ffor Knychthede takis na hede to multitude bot to 
 nobleffe of cheualrye, and of curage, and of gude thewis, that we haue 
 before fpokyn of; and tharefore, gif he that is examynour lufys better 
 multitude, na nobleffe of curage and of vertu, he is nocht worthy 
 to be examynoure of Squyeris, bot fuld be reprovit and punyfl be the 
 Prince of Knychthede, of his defoulyng of the Order of Knychthede : 
 and firft and foremaft it fuld be fperit, Gif he trowis, lufis, and doubtis 
 God ? but quhilk poynt is na man worthy till nane order of Nobleffe. 
 Item, Gif he dredis the defaultis to do, that difhonouris 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 con- 
 diciouns, • he wenis he takis honour till him, bot he takis diftionour ; 
 ffor a Squyer but nobleffe is nocht worthy to fa hye honour, as to the 
 worthy honour of Knychthede ; na git in the weris of his prince or-otheris, 
 but horfe, armouris, and fik men, ar nocht habil to wyn honour in armes. 
 
30 THE BUKE OF THE ORDEE OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 ffor men may nocht mare cruelly deftroye the noble Order of Knychthede, 
 na till haue ane vnworthy examynoure of the Squier that fuld enter in the 
 faid Ordre ; ffor gif he admytt to the Ordre a man of vnworthy curage, 
 that is deftrudlione of the Ordre ; and fuld a Squier examyne himfelf 
 firft, and think on the mony noble propereteis and condiciouns of the 
 Ordre, to think in him felf gif he war worthy, or he put him to the exam- 
 nacioune. Rycht as Scholaris examynit to be Preftis or greid in fcholis, 
 fuld nocht fett thame thar fore, bot thai fand thame worthy tharfore, ffor 
 dout thai war repeUit, or ellis defoulit thair greis ; rycht fa fuld Bachelere 
 Squieris in the examinacioune of the Order of Knychthede, ffor he fuld 
 nocht alffua alk the Ordre that he wald eftir deffoule be his euill thewis. 
 And alffua Lordis that ar fa informyt, that thai will mak fik men Knychtis, 
 thai do aganis the poyntis of the Ordre, and chargis thair confciences ; ffor 
 men knawis nocht nobleffe 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 
 falfe hert, full of barate, trechery, and ti-ayfoune ; na he takis him nocht be 
 his faire harnais, na his faire horfe, na othir faire habilliamentis ; ffor oft 
 tymes vnder fyk faire habilliament ar nocht the befl men of armes, and 
 worthiaft in vertues. Quharfore, gif thou will wale worthyaft and maifl 
 noble man of curage, thou feke him be thir takenis, that is, for to fay, 
 juftice, and temperance, force and prudence, ffayth, efperaunce that is 
 gude hope, and cheritee, and leautee ; and be thir takenis, thou fall 
 knawe the noblefs of curage ; be the quhilkis vertues, the noble hert de- 
 fendis it fra the inymyes of Knychthede ; quhilkis ar falfehede, trechery, 
 trayfone, thift and murder, and fyk lyke thingis. 
 
 Item, Our gong men fuld nocht be maid Knychtis, bot gif thai had 
 gude tutouris and curatouris, for dout of mifgouernaunce 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 fueris to kepe. And gif 
 the Squiere that is reffauit 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 himfelf too; ffor 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYCHTHEDE. 31 
 
 and he be vencuft in barrier, or he be cowart or full of wikkit 
 vicis, as fleand .fra battailHs, revand or fteland, he fall neuer haue 
 honour na proufRt of his Ordre : ffor rycht as it honouris the honour- 
 able, it dilhonouris the difhonourable. Bot of all thing, a Knycht fuld 
 kepe him in all vertu to hald the mydwart, for ay the mydwart is 
 vertu, fa is the extremitee vice ; and thus a Knycht fuld be of refonable 
 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 fuld be fperit at him, Quhat is the caufe that he takis the 
 Ordre for ? quhethir for faimes of corflage ; or for hardineffe of curage ; 
 or for richeffe, that he may be proudly cled ; or for pryde, that he may 
 take mare ftate na his falowis that now is ; or for that he is wele horfit 
 and enarmyt ; or for to be a myrour in his lignie, that nane is fa worthy 
 as he to be Knycht. 
 
 Item, Men may mak Knychtis of pure mennis fonis, and thai haue gude, 
 evin in frendfchip of lordfchip ; and with that, that thai haue the vertues 
 forefaid. Bot and a Knycht or a Lord mak ane vnworthy creature Knycht, 
 he puttis his honour in dangere, that difprifis and dilhonouris the Noble 
 Ordre of Knychthede, and makis his awin honour mare law na it was ; for 
 the fylth and the wrechit vnhoneftee, that he has lychtlyit the faid Ordre. 
 For be rycht refone of worthyneffe and nobleffe of the Ordre, thare may 
 nocht, na fuld nocht na villaine curage cum be gude, evin to the faid 
 Ordre ; ffor that war be gude refone vndoyng of the faid Noble Ordre, 
 that is ordanyt bot for nobleffe and gentilleffe of curage and gude vertues, 
 as forefaid is, and gude thewis : For hye parage and ancien honour ar the 
 firft poyntis of the rute of Knychthede, that is cummyn fra aide anceftry, 
 and fyne worthy perfouns with worfchipfuU condiciouns and propereteis, 
 perfonale of the Knycht him felf, makis manage betuix worfchipfuU 
 vertues in hye parage and Knychthede, quhilk aw nocht to lycht bot 
 in nobleffe ; and tharfore, and a Lord marry nocht hye parage and 
 Knychthede togeder, he is contrarius to Nobleffe and to Knychthede, 
 M and to Knychthede bathe. Bot a Lord may put of his powere forffably 
 
32 THE BUKE OF THE OEDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 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 fup- 
 pofe that he haue power to mak a Knycht, he has na power to vnmak 
 him, fa mekle is the vertue of Knychthede ; ffor na man but grete caufe, 
 and Juge with princis powar, may tak honour away quhare it is anys 
 gevin. Than be refone, it aucht nocht to be that Prince nor Knycht 
 mak na Knycht of ane unworthy perfone, na of villaine lignage. ffor 
 wald men underftand that alfmekle is nature honourit, as for corporale 
 nature, in tree and befte as in man ; bot as for nature fpirituale, 
 man is mare honourde. Bot be the nobleffe of the fpirituahtee of the 
 faule refounable, that accordis with angelis of hevin, thare is grete 
 difference ; and fen nobleffe of curage fuld be in all Knycht, it may ftand 
 that a man of a new fprongyn lygnye, that be honourable and worthy in 
 all gentrife, mycht be convenable and worthy to the Ordre, fa that the 
 vertues condiciouns and propereteis of nobleffe 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 fuld better or alfwele 
 accorde to the propereteis corporalis, and perfonalis, as fpiritualis : the 
 quhilk is falfe, ffor Knycht gaynis nocht bot for hye parage and nobleffe, 
 with the feven vertues before namyt be the Doctour, as Force, Prudence, 
 Juftice, and Temperance, with Faith, Gude Hope, and Charitee, with 
 leautee that efferis to Knychthede. 
 
 Item, The examynour fuld fpere 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 docu- 
 mentis and techingis gerris vnworthy men be reboytit and repellit 
 fra the examinacione of the inquifitouris, 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 fuld be 
 repellit for their mifgouernaunce ; And forthy fuld the Knycht, that is 
 the inquiffitour, feke wele the poyntis of nobleffe and of valour, and of the 
 vertuoufe propereteis and gude thewis of the Squyer that fuld be Knycht ; 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDEE OF KNYOHTHEDE. 33 
 
 and quhy, and for quhat caufe, he will tak the Ordre ; and quhethir it be 
 for meritable caufe till implye him for the Haly Kirk, the Criftyn faith, 
 and for t;he commone prouffit, for the peace, and for all peccable perfouns ; 
 or he takis the Ordre for pryde or couatife, or for to be honourit, or for 
 vane glore, or to wyn richeffe thareby, quhilk, gif he may perfaue that his 
 entencione cummys of ane vnworthy caufe, admytt him neuer : ffor 
 rycht as Homycide, Symony, Ufure, and Scifmatyke condicioune, repellis 
 Clerkis fra benefice and honoure, and all dignitee ; in lyke cas fuld thir 
 faultis before namyt repelle a Squyere fra the noble Ordre of Knyehthede, 
 that fuld haue nane affinitee hot till nobleffe of corage, as faid is ; ffor and 
 men wald wele knaw and confider the grete chargis and dewiteis that 
 folowis the faid Ordre, with faule perile, and worfchip oft in were, thay 
 fald (land grete aw to tak that noble Ordre, mare na to be outhir monk, 
 or frere, or othir religioufe of the hardefl Ordre that is ; ffor traiftis wele, 
 that grete honour beris ay grete charge, and gretter difefe 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 eft tanti gaudii excelfa tenere, quanti eft meroris 
 de excelfo cadere. And tharfore Knycht fuld mare dout honour na dede, 
 and fchamefulnes fuld mare chaftife a worthy Knycht, and geve him a 
 hardar paffione ; and it fuld happin him, na fuld outhir hunger or thrift, 
 or hete or calde, or ony difefe that he mycht haue ; and namely, grete 
 princis and lordis fonis fuld think grete fchame to wyn ane euill name for 
 lak of thair condiciouns in thair southede, gif thai thocht euer to cum to 
 the worthy and worfchipful Ordre of nobleffe that Knyehthede is callit ; 
 ffor thai may wele traift that the name that thai wyn in thair song age 
 remaynis with thame for euermare : And than is it grete auenture, and 
 euer thai be worthy to reffaue that Ordre, quhen the examynouris knawis 
 thair condiciounis ; and tharfore, all fyk perilis fuld be fchawin to the 
 Squier or he fett him to cum to the examynyng. Cheualry may nocht 
 be vp haldyn but grete coftis, and als expenfis on horfe, harnais, mete, and 
 men, and othir neceffair thingis that till it appertenis ; and tharfore, thare 
 fuld na man, fuppofs he war worthy, defyre to tak the Ordre hot he war a 
 
 5 
 
34 THE BUKE OF THE OEDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 lorde, or that he had lord to mynifter him all his neceffiteis, and hald his 
 honour abufe in tyme of weris ; ffor ellis, in default of horfe, harnais, and 
 othir necefliteis, euill fett Knychtis, quhen thai wantt, affemblis fyk euill 
 men as thame felff, and gerris mony ruggaris and revaris, and othir wikkit 
 men, deftroy the commouns, and diftrouble the realme, and makis mekle 
 wrang to be done in thaire default. 
 
 Item, Men countrefait in thair perfone, na oure grete growin men, 
 na men oure fat, or that has euill difpoficione, or euill fekenes 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 nobilneffe 
 of the Ordre is fa worfchipfull, that it fufferis na man that has mahaigne, 
 na demembrit, na othir wayis manket in corffage, vifage, na membris — be 
 he neuer fa riche — to be admyttit to the faid maift noble Ordre, the 
 quhilk excludis vttraly all ignobilitee and vilitee. 
 
 Item, The inquifitoure examynour fuld mak inquefl at the Squyar 
 gif euer he did ony grete exceffiue fyn, as trefoune, or fcifme, forcery, or 
 wichecraft, or grete murderis, or fyk lyke thingis ; the quhilk, fuppofe he 
 prife thame lytill, may lett him to reffaue the noble Ordre, in company to 
 be falowe to the worthy Cheualrye : na git na vane glorius Squyare fuld 
 be na Knycht, ffor vane glore tynis the meritis of all gude vertues. Na he 
 fuld nocht be a gabufoure, na a flaitour Squyare, that fuld enter in the faid 
 Ordre ; na sit hautane, na fiere in pride, na orguilloufe Squyere fuld 
 nocht enter in Knychthede ; and namely outrageus in word, and fclander- 
 oufe bakbytare, fuld nocht enter in the Ordre ; na commone leare, na 
 commone vicioufe hurdomare hafartour, commoune tauernouris full of 
 lleuthe, barganouris, commouns glotouns, kid and knawin for fyk, dron- 
 kynfum, manefuorne, and all outrageus commoun vicius men, ar nocht 
 to be reffauit to the Ordre of Knychthede, hot fuld be repellit be the 
 examynouris of the Ordre : And thus faid nane be reffauit to the 
 Ordre hot nobles of parage, vertuoufe, honell, and of worthy curage ; 
 and in all this fuld Squyer be inquerit, or he be Knycht. 
 
QUINTUM CAPITULUM. 
 
 HERE DECLAEIS THE DOCTOUK IN QUHAT FASSONE AND MANEE SULD A 
 SQUYEB THAT WALD BE KNYCHT, RESSAUE THE ORDRE OF KNYCHT- 
 HEBE. 
 
 ., ND as to that, the Squyer quhen he is examynyt and 
 admyttit, he fuld fchriue him clene of all fynnys and 
 defautis that he may think on, that euer he maid aganis 
 God, and his Mageftee ; and tak his Sacrament, fayand " In 
 the name of thee, and in entencione to feme thee, and honour thee, My 
 Souerane Lord God, and thy dere moder Mary, and all thy haly Sandtis 
 of Paradife, I tak this day this worthy Ordre." And this fuld be done be 
 prince or lord in a grete fefl«, as Zule, Pafche, or Witfonday, or AH 
 Halowmefle, ffor the mare honourable affemble is maid thay dayes na in 
 otheris : And than fuld the Squyere fall the Fell evin, and wake all that 
 nycht in prayeris of grace alking, and otheris als fuld pray for him, to geve 
 him grace, worthily to reffaue and kepe, and worthily gouerne the faid 
 Ordre, at the plefaunce of God, and the haly Court of Hevin : And on 
 the day before, he fuld pas to the Kirk, in his beft array as efferis and 
 cuftum of the countree is, thair to be in prayeris, and to here a preching, 
 or a propoficione langand the faid mater ; na he fuld nouthir here na fpeke 
 vicioufe fpeche, na trompouris, na janglouris, for that is lak to the Ordre : 
 And on the mome eftir, quhen he is arayed in habyte of Knychtis wede, 
 thare mon be grathit a folempne Meffe with note, and in the tyme of the 
 
36 THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 Offeratore, he fal cum before the altare and offer : And fyne fall 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 prefent place, fuld 
 thare be maid a faire fermone, declarand the poyntis of the Chriftyn faith, 
 acordand thame togeder with the poyntis of the Ordre of Knychthede. 
 To the quhilkis poyntis of acordans the Squyre fuld take gude tent, and 
 knaw thame all, and hald thame prentit in his hert percure, with all the Vij. 
 facramentis, the X. Commandmentis, the Xij. articles of the treuth, and to 
 kepe him fra the Vij . dedely [fynnis] . To all the quhilkis poyntis of the faith, 
 to kepe and honoure and fulfill at his powere, incontynent that he haue tane 
 the faid Ordre at the honoure and reuerence of God, and thareto fuld mak 
 his fpeciale prayeris for all, the tyme of the Meffe : And fra thyne furth for 
 all his lyf dais. And quhen the preching is done, than fall cum furth the 
 Prince or Lord that fuld mak him Knycht ; the quhilk aw of dett to be 
 Knycht or he mak ony Knychtis : rycht as nane may mak Prefte hot he 
 be Prefte, fa may nane mak Knycht hot firft he be maid Knycht, faiffand 
 the Pape : ffor how may he geve that he has nocht ? ffor herbes and 
 beftis may geve thair nature ilkane till othir, to mak thair nature per- 
 petuall ; hot fa may nocht Knychtis be maid, hot firft the makare be 
 poffeffit 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 diftionour to the Ordre. And thai that takis the 
 faid 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 diffauit of his Ordre, and all Cheualrye fclanderit. 
 And than fuld the Squier hald vp his handis to the hevyn, and his eyne to 
 the hicht, and his hert to God, fyttand on his kneis, and thare fuld the 
 Prince haue the Suerd redy of Honour, gylt with gold, and belt it about 
 his fydis, in takenyng of Chaftitee, Juftice, and Cheritee, and thare the 
 Knycht fuld outhir geve him a ftrake with his hand, or with a drawin 
 fuerd, in the nek, to think on the poyntis and defend his dewiteis. And 
 fyne fuld he outhir kys him in the mouth, or ellis kys the croce of the 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 37 
 
 fuerd, and geve it him, and ger him Ms it agayne, and fa put it in the 
 fcalbourd, and bid him think on his athe, ande charge that he has vnder- 
 tane, and the honour that he fuld manetene. And efter that all the 
 feruice of God be done, the new maid Knycht fuld ryde on ane courfere 
 out throw the citee, or toune, and fchaw him to the peple, fa that 
 thai may knaw him for a Knycht, defendour of Haly Kirk and commone 
 prouffit, and halder of lawe and juftice, and mayntenour of the peple, that 
 quhafa has ado thai fuld draw till him for help ; and that he fuld haue 
 mare raddour and drede to do mys, or oucht that fuld be agayne the lawe 
 euer mare in tyme to cum, and to faif the honour and the worfchip of his 
 noble Ordre ; ffor raddour, drede, and fchamefulnes is hye grace till all 
 perfouns that has honour to kepe. And in that day fuld thare be grete 
 feflyng, juflyng, and tournaymentis, with other a6lis, as liffis and behurdis, 
 geue grete giftis, and mak grete folempnitee in the honoure of God and 
 the grete fefte, and that Herauldis and Kingis of Armes and Menftralis 
 war rewardit. And than fuld the Prince rewarde the new Knycht with 
 landis, lordfchippis, or othir worthy giftis and gouernementis, till eke 
 his eftate and help to manetene the honoure of the Ordre. And thus 
 fuld 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 worfchip of 
 lordis of eftate may nocht be kepit, hot quhare giftis ar gevin, and 
 noble actis of honour excerfit : ffor quhare honoure is nocht kepit, ordere 
 gais bakwart. 
 
SEXTUM CAPITULUM. 
 
 HERE SPEKIS THE DOCTOURE OF THE SIGNIFICATIOUNE OF THE ARMES OP 
 
 THE ORDER OF KNYCHTHEDE. 
 
 )0W declaris the Doctour, that as the Prefte quhilk in the 
 Mefs fayand has fyndry habitis and habilliamentis, quhilkis 
 ilkane has a fyndry fignificacione, as is acordand to thair office 
 and order, and that office of Prefte and office of Knycht has 
 fa grete affinitee and alliaunce togeder ; ffor quhy ? that rycht as office of 
 Prefte has certane thingis that pertenis to the Ordre ; and ilkane has a 
 certane fignificacione, fa has the Ordre of Knychthede : ffor ilk thing 
 pertenand till his Order has a certane fignificacioune, be the quhilkis is 
 fignifyit the noblefle of the Order of Knychthede. 
 
 And firft and formaft, Thare is to the Knycht gevin a Suerd with a croflit 
 hilt, that fignifyis that rycht as our Lord Jhefu Crift vencuft in the Croce 
 the inymy of mannis lygnage, to the quhilk he was dempt throu the fyn 
 of Adam, oure firft fader, that rycht fa fuld a Knycht vencufe the fais of 
 the Croce throu the fuerd ; ffor the fuerd is ordanyt to do juftice with ; 
 and tharefore is it maid with twa egeis, in takenyng that he fuld mane- 
 tene and defend bathe Temporalitee and Spiritualitee with the double 
 fcherand fuerd. 
 
 Item, To the Knycht is gevin a Spere quhilk is evin, and betakenis 
 rychtwifeneffe and veritee ; ffor as the fpere is evin, and rycht fa fuld he 
 be bathe evynlyk and rychtwife, and manetene and defend lautee and 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDEE OP KNYOHTHEDE. 39 
 
 equitee, in contrary of falfhede and trecherye ; and the fcharp hard ftelin 
 poynt of the fpere hede betakenis, that fuppofe falfehede be neuer fa wele 
 armyt, sit will lautee pas throu him, and vencufe him. And be the 
 pennone on the fpere end, it fchawis that veritee hydis him nocht, hot 
 fchawis him to falfehede, fayand ay, quhen it movis, Lo me here Veritee, 
 that has na drede of falfehede, na trecherye ; and Veritee is the founde- 
 ment of efperaunce that is gude hope, and of all othir tbingis that ar 
 fignifyit be the fpere. 
 
 Item, Chapellat of ftele alffua is gevin to the Knycht, in takenyng of 
 drede of fchame and repruf ; ffor a Knycht fuld be fchamefuU as a maydin 
 dredand repruf : ffor Knycht or woman, but drede of fchame, may nocht 
 kepe honour langfumly, na be obedient to thair ordre : ffor rycht, as 
 drede and fchamefulnes, gerris a perfone caft doune the hede, and luke to 
 the erde, fa dois the flelin hat the Knycht caft doune his eyne ; and rycht 
 as the flelyn hat kepis the knychtis hede, quhilk is the hyaft membre, and 
 maifl; principale of his perfone, fa kepis drede of fchame the Knychtis 
 honour, that is the hyaft poynt of his ordre, and maift principale poynt of 
 all. The quhilk drede of fchame fuld haue in it fyve wittis to kepe, that 
 throu nane of thai fuld diflionour cum, and that the nobleffe of his curage 
 fuld defend thai fyve wittis, that neuer throu thame euill na wikkitneffe 
 cum. 
 
 Item, Haubergeone is gevin to the Knycht, in takenyng of caftell, to 
 kepe him fra his inymyes, that is, euill vicis ; ffor rycht as a caftell 
 is wallit all about with ftanis togedir junyt, to kepe Knycht fra his fais, 
 rycht fa is the haubert to kepe him rycht fa fra his fais that ar vicis and 
 defaultis, till his maift noble Ordre of Kychthede, the quhilk is maid 
 of mony fyndry pecis as of maillis. 
 
 Item, Leg-harnais is gevin the Knycht, that his leggis and fete were 
 feker to paffe in the wayes and ftretis, and kepe thame, that na robbouris, 
 na thevis, na murderaris, vmbefett the wayes to reve na ftrouble lele 
 merchandis, na labouraris, men of kirk, na pilgrimys, that paffis in the 
 contree for the commons prouffit of the Realme : And in fik keping he 
 
40 THE BUKE OF THE OEDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 fuld be garnyft in his armouris and his wapnis, that" he mycht do fcathe 
 and tak nana. 
 
 Item, Thare is gevin him Maiffe, that is to fay PoUax, in takenyng that 
 he is officere ryale ; and that gif ony man difobeyis till his wand, that he 
 lay that maiffe on thame to hald the Kingis rychtis on fut. 
 
 Alffua, Spuris ar gevin him, in fignifiaunce that rycht as fpuris fpedis 
 the horfe to ryn fad, and befy in tyme of nede, quhen his inynjyes 
 cummys nere, rycht fa fuld Knycht in tyme of nede be befy quhen 
 the King or his Contree is ourefett with lourdanis and revaris of tray- 
 touris or other wikkit mifdoaris, fa that he flepe nocht his time, bot 
 be befy and diligent in the commone prouffit. Of the fuerd we haue fpoken 
 of before, in quhat takenyng and fignificacioune it is gevin. 
 
 Item, The quhip is gevyn to the Knycht in his hand, quhen he is on 
 horfe, to that fignificacione, that he fuld ftand aw and be obedient till his 
 Lord ; ffor difobeifaunce vndois the Knycht and brekis his Ordre, that 
 all his offpring will forthink : as for the inobedience of Adam, all his 
 offpring was punyfl. 
 
 Item, Gorgelin is gevin him, in takenyng that thare fuld nouthir enter na 
 iffe throu his gorge thing that fuld be villanie, na lak thing to the honour of 
 the Ordre ; as to be at bidding of his lord, but difobeyfaunce, and but mur- 
 mur do his lordis commandementis ; and nouther do, na confent, to trefone 
 or guille, barate, na trechery, vnleautee, na othir vice, that may cum throu 
 word na thocht be the gorge outwart ; na exceffe of glutony, drunkyn- 
 neffe, na othir myftemperaunce throu the gorge inwart. And thus the 
 gorgelyn fuld kepe the Knychtis gorge. 
 
 Item, Maffe is gevin him, that betakenis ftrenth and force of curage, the 
 quhilk maffe is lyknyt till a falfe fterap, quhilk ftrykis on all fydis, apon all 
 kynde of harnais ; fa dois force of curage, it ftrykis on all fydis, and de- 
 fendis the honour of Knichthede agayne all vicis, and enforcis vertues. 
 
 Item, Thare is gevin to the Knycht his lytill fchort Suerd, that fum 
 callis Mifericorde, in fignifyand that quhen he has implyde his fpere, 
 his lang fuerde, his polax, his falfe fterap, and his falow be fa nere 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 41 
 
 him that he may nocht help himfelf with nana of thay, than it is 
 gude at fchort ftrakis ; and it is callit outher Schort Suerd or Mife- 
 ricord ; ffor caufe that a Knycht fuld nocht all traift in his armoure 
 na wapnis, hot in his awin vertu, and in him that maid him, and in 
 his mercj ; and traift that throu his help, quhen all wapnis are faillit, 
 that he fall faue his honour and bring him' fra the perile of dede and 
 diftionour. 
 
 Item, Schelde or targe is gevin to the Knycht in fignifiaunce that 
 as office of fehelde is to be the targe betuix the Knycht and the ftrakis, 
 fa fuld the Knycht be betuix the Prince or his Lorde and the ftrakis ; 
 as the fehelde reflauis the ftrakis before the Knycht, fa fuld the Knycht 
 before his lorde, kepe ftrakis fra him. And as fehelde is couplit to the 
 Knychtis breft, thare his hert is, fa fuld the Knycht be till his lord bound 
 in lautee as till his awin hert, and is a myd moyen betuix him and his peple. 
 
 Gloues of plate ar gevyn to the Knycht in takenyng, that as thai 
 kepe his handis fra ftrakis and woundis and manglyng, throu the quhilkis 
 the body mycht be tynt, fa fuld he kepe his handis, that he give na 
 faith, na athe, na mak nane condicioune na obligacioune agayn his Lord, 
 ffbr than war he vndone ; and as Knycht liftis his wapnis mare feurely 
 and traiftly, that his handis ar enarmyt, fa fuld he lift mare feurely to 
 God Almichtj, that he be enarmyt, that his handis wirk na mifgouern- 
 aunce in taking of wrangwife gudis ; na ftrykyng of vnlefuU perfonis ; 
 na making of vnlefull condiciouns, and vnlefull touchingis ; na put 
 his handis in vnlefull plaeis. 
 
 The Sadill that he rydis in, betakenis fekernes, that he be nocht 
 lychtly put by his purpofe, fa kepis the fadill him, that he be 
 nocht lichtly put fra his hors ; ff'or quhen he war doune ftrykyn 
 than war his honour lawe. And rycht as he is ferme and feker in 
 his fete, fa fuld he be ferme and feker in his curage, in juftice, lautee, 
 noblefle, veritee, and charitee ; ffbr throw feuretee of a gude hardy 
 knycht mony gude dedis ar done, throu gude hardy men of armes, 
 and mony cowartis ar declarit, quhen hardy men ar approuit, vau- 
 
 6 
 
42 THE BUKE OF THE OEDER OF KNYCHTHEDE. 
 
 touris and vayn glorious men, that dar nocht be fane quhare the hardy 
 and worthy knychtis apperis in worthynes in bataill place, and thare 
 fortune enforfis hardyneffe. And as the fadill, with the grathe that langis 
 it, haldis him ferme, that he movis nocht for na ftrake of fpere of inymy, 
 fa fuld forfe of curage kepe him, that he move neuer again gude faith na 
 refone, and bow nocht with vice agayn vertu. And as the hors beris grete 
 charge of the armyt Knycht, and fadill and harnais, fa beris the Knycht, 
 be vertu of his Ordre, grete charge, the quhilk he fuld nocht lychtly be 
 movit fra. And as he is fett apon a hie fadill, aboue a bye courfour, fa 
 fuld his curage be bye to defend the rycht, and manetene the poyntis of 
 his maift bye and noble temporale Ordre. 
 
 And tharfore is Courfer gevin him or Deftrere, to betakyn nobleffe 
 and hicht of curage, that Knycht fuld haue aboue all othir peple, fen he 
 has bathe maifl hye and noble order, and fyne maift noble habilUament 
 of armoure, and fyne maift hye and noble hors ; fa fulde he haue 
 maift hye and noble curage, with force to pafle all otheris in vailliaunce 
 of armes and honoure, and to be fene aboue all his men, and mare fere 
 of, fa that men that had nede of his help fuld fe him of fere, to draw 
 till him for help. 
 
 Item, his Courfere or deftryere has Bridill gevin till him, with irne 
 bytt in the mouth, and reynis in the Knychtis hand, fa that the Knycht 
 may refreyne the hors, that he pas nocht away with him. And that 
 iryn bitt in mouth betakenis, that he fuld refrengfe his mouth fra 
 bathe euill vicioufe fpeche and euill thouchtis. And be the reynis is 
 betakenit, that he fuld bald his handis undefoulit, or fylit with oure 
 vilaynoufe dedis, or that he be oure large to gave till othir that he 
 haue nede him felf, and that he be nocht fa lycht of ftriking with his 
 handis that thare be na difcrecione in his dedis, and that be thai reynis 
 he fuld be led with pure folk that war nede beftad of help, quhare thane 
 nedis war to trauaile to help thame ; and that he war nocht oure narow na 
 nedy that he had lak tharethrou, nocht to fpare his gude and fpend his 
 honour ; and that he be of handis hardy to defend him fra his fa ; and 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYCHTHEDE. 43 
 
 doubte 'na thing, ffor oure grete doubte makkis Knychtis to haue lathe 
 curage. 
 
 Item, The Horfe-Hede is bundya with ana hede-ftell of the bridill, 
 in that kynde that he fuld do na thing, but be ordynaunce of the Knycht, 
 that efferis till courfe of armes : and bot be refone ; and the hede of the 
 horfe gais before, and is bundyn to do refoune, fa fuld the refone ga before 
 all dede of armes, and other a6tis honourable that he dois. And as his 
 hede-ftele byndis his hede to refone, fa dois refone the Knycht, and kepis 
 his worfchip. Alfua, the Knychtis hors is enournyt with harnais before 
 and behynd, on his body, fa efferis it to Knychtis to be honourably 
 enournyt with honourable clething, and alfa with vertues honourable. And 
 becaufe that fum horfe ar enarmyt with fik harneis as efferis to defend 
 thair corps fra harmes, fa fuld Knycht be enarmyt with richeffis of tem- 
 porale gudis, or ellis he may nocht gudely do his worfchip, nouthir in pes 
 na in were, and oft tymes gerris mony reueryes and wrang wynnyngis be : 
 for Clerkis fais. Quod propter inopiam multi deliquerunt, etc. 
 
 Item, Jakkis war ordanit to Knychtis, thai tymes of geris that war of 
 grete folempnitee, of fylk aboue all thair harnais, that fignifyit grete 
 trauailis that effeiris till him to do ; ffor rycht as the jakkis ar aboue the 
 hauberkis, and ordanyt nereft bathe wynd and rayn, and othir Ilormys, fa 
 fuld a Knycht for the peple fufteyne all ftormes and trauailis for thame, fa 
 that all myflerfuU and peceable perfones that had myfter, fuld, throu him, 
 haue reconfourt and refuge at nede, for the honoure of noble that ordanyt 
 that Noble Order, for that caufe to be a protedlour and ane aduocate of 
 all poore, miferable, and peceable perfones : The quhilkis be the nobleffe 
 and the creacione of the Ordre, he is ordanyt to defend, manetene, 
 and bald in thair richtis, quhen thai haue mifter, and thai be requerit : 
 Quhilkis Knychtis fuld erar expone thame outhir to be dede, or prefonare, 
 or woundit fare, or he left thame but help that ar vnder thaire cure and 
 faufgarde : Be the quhilkis poyntis of the Ordre, men may fe that 
 Knychtis, be vertu of thair Ordre, has a grete charge, quhat of juftice 
 balding, quhat of thair landis gouernyng, and of thair peple maynteyning. 
 
44 THE BUKE OF THE OEDEE OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 and of thai peceable perfones defending, as ar kyrk men, and maidnis fra 
 forfe and ravifyng, wedowis, and faderles and moderles barnis fra fup- 
 prifing, labouraris, merchandis, and traualouris fra diftroubling, and all 
 peceable perfones fra fors and wrangwife vexacione, 
 
 Eftir this, Takyn of Armes to here is gevin the Knycht in his fchelde, 
 or in his cote of armes, or othir wayis, fa that he be knawin and kend in 
 bataill be otheris ; fa that gif he dois wele he fuld have honoure and wor- 
 fchip, and gif he dois evill he fuld haue diftionoure and difworchip, and 
 fik as efferis till ane inymy of the Ordre of Knychthede : for gif he be 
 vailliaunt and hardy in bataill ; or he be feigned, flak, and cowart, and flee 
 fra his lorde in bataill. 
 
 Item, Baneris ar gevyn, hot that is bot to Kingis, and Princis, Erllis, 
 Dukkis, Marquis, Vavaflburis, Barones, and Knychtis Banneroll ; And thus 
 quhen a Baroun Banneroll has mony Knychtis vnder him, thai aw to 
 diffend thaire lordis landis, and his lyf, and his honoure : fibr the honoure 
 of Knychthede fl;andis in that, that he be lufit, lovit, prifit, honourit, 
 and doubtit, with the prince, lordis, and peple of the realme ; ffor the 
 honoure of lordis and princis fl;andis in the pluralitee of mony worfchip- 
 full and honourable Knychtis : And as Knychtis of honoure ar honourde 
 with princis, lordis, and peple, for hardynefle, noble curage, vertu, and 
 worthynefle, that thai haue wonyn with thair princis, lordis, and maifl;eris 
 honoure in thair gouthede ; rycht fa ar vnworthi cowartis, full of trefone 
 and falfehede, barate and trechery, and othir vicioufe lyf, fuld be haldyn 
 as diflionourit, and vnworthy to be amang thame that ar honourable in 
 the faid Order, and mare to be blamyt na othir lawlyar folk, fuppofe thai 
 had done mys. 
 
SEPTIMUM CAPITULUM. 
 
 HERE SPERIS THE DOCTOUEE OP GUDE CUSTUMES THAT EFFERIS TO 
 
 KNYCHTHEDE. 
 
 . ND, firft, he fais that Nobleffe of curage has chofyn Knychtis 
 of honour to be aboue the fmall peple, and the fmall peple 
 to be at thair feruice and gouernement. Than fuld Nobleffe 
 and gude cuftumes be intill all noble knychtis, be vertu of 
 thair Ordre ; ffor nobleffe of Knychthede cummys neuer to man of gude 
 evin rychtwifely na honourably, hot it be throu nobleffe of curage ; ffor 
 but nobleffe of curage it may neuer cum to that hie degree of honoure, 
 and but ele6lioun of vertu, and gude cuftumes and thewis ; and thus on 
 nede force it behufis the Knycht, or he cum to that hye worfchip and 
 eftate, worthily but vfurpacione, that he be knawin full of gude vertues, 
 gude cuftumes, and gude thewis in gouernance. And fyrft and formaft, 
 all Knycht or he tak Ordre fuld knaw all the Seven Vertues, and thair 
 branchis ; that is to fay, the four Vertues Cardinale, and the thre Vertues 
 Theological. The thre Theological is Faith, Gude Hope, and Cheretee, 
 as we have before touchit. The four Cardinale Vertues ar Juftice, Tem- 
 perance, Fors, and Prudence. 
 
 And firft and formaft, a Knycht bot he be of gude Faith, all is for nocht 
 that he dois ; ffor he may neuer haue othir vertewe na gude cuftumes ; 
 ffor but faith all is bot fyn that euer man dois : ffor be faith men has all 
 gude knawlage and vuderftanding of God and his haly Sanctis ; and but 
 faith man is wer na nocht ; ffor be oure faith we haue fight fpirituale of 
 hevin and hell, and all Goddis workis, vifibilis and invifibilis. And be 
 
46 THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYCHTHEDE. 
 
 Faith men has Efperaunce, Cheritee, and Leautee, and ar fervitouris to 
 Veritee, and fault of Faith myffaris all thir thingis. Knychtis be gude 
 ancien cuftumes was wont to ga in the Haly Land, to defend and mane- 
 tene the Criftyn Faith, fechtand agains the inymyes of the Croce, and was 
 marterit : but full few now dois that. Alfua, be vertu of fayth and gude 
 cuftumes, Knychtis defendis the Clerkis and Kirkmen fra wikkit tyrane 
 men, the quhilk aganis the faith, and for default of faith fchapis thame 
 to derob and ourethraw bathe clerkis and kirkmen, for thair tyranny and 
 wikkitnes. 
 
 Item, Efperaunce is a noble vertu, be the quhilk Knychtis traiftis to 
 haue the vi6lory in battail and in feicht. Clerkis be Efperaunce traiftis 
 to haue the joy of hevyn, and be thair teching gerris vs trow rycht fa : 
 but the quhilk Efperaunce, that is Gude Hope, we war all forlorne. Thair- 
 fore Efperaunce fittis well as in a Knycht, ffor be efperaunce he has mare 
 traift in God, na in his horfe, harnais, and menze ; throu efperaunce the 
 curage of knychtis is reinforffit, and the curage of cowartis ourefett. Gude 
 Hope gerris the knycht ourfett grete trauailis, and hard fortunes, in hope 
 of better ay. AllTua Efperaunce gevis knychtis curage to kepe and defend 
 citeis, caftellis, and wallit townis on fmall evyn, and thole bathe hungir, 
 thrift and waking, and mony grete ftrakis, oft tyme. And war nocht 
 Efperaunce of gude hope Knychtis had neuer honour, ffor it is the 
 principale inftrument that gouernis Knychthede in honoure. 
 
 Item, Knycht but Cheritee may neuer be but crueltee and euill will, 
 quhilkis concordis neuer with the honour of Knychthede ; and thus mon 
 Cheritee ■ be chief in a Knycht ; ffor throu Cheritee man lufis his God 
 atoure all thing, and, as himfelf his nychtbour ; but the quhilk poynt is na 
 man may be perfyte Criftyn man. 
 
 Item, A Knycht fuld haue in him grete pitee of all pure folk maleefy 
 perfones, and of pure pryfonaris quhen he has the maiftry of thame, and 
 till haue mercy of thame for refonable finaunce ; and throu cheritee men has 
 pitee, but the quhilk charitee na Knycht mycht fuftene the grete charge 
 of Knychthede ; ffor as horfe but fete may nocht here grete chargis, fa may 
 nocht Knychthede, but cheritee : the quhilk cheritee makis hevy birding 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYCHTHEDE. 47 
 
 lycht to bere, and grete charge foft, bathe for the vphald of honour of 
 Knychthede, and meryt of the faule behufe. 
 
 Item, Juftice is till all Knychtis nedefuU, ffor Knycht but juftice is but 
 honoure ; for Juftice and Knychthede is fa wele acordaunt that Knycht 
 but juftice is a body but faule, for but juftice may na Knychthede be ; 
 ffor Knycht injurius is inymy of juftice, and caftis him felf out of the 
 Ordre, the quhilk reuys him and difpifis him in that cas. 
 
 Item, Prudence is a vertue als, that Knychthede may nocht be 
 but ; ffor Prudence is a knawlage that man has of all thing, bathe 
 gude and euill, throu the quhilk he is maid inymy to euill, and frende 
 till all gudenes ; and alfa be Prudence man has knawlage of the 
 thing that is for to cum, and that be the notice of the prefent tyme, 
 as he feis the warld gais : Item, Prudence can with qautelis and fub- 
 tiliteis, a man can, as be the apperaunce of the thingis that he feis, 
 efchewe perilis that ar to cum, and mend ane euill fortune apperand be 
 vertynaffe, bathe corporalis and fpiritualis. And thus knaw thai all tymes 
 that is, and wes, and fal be, and puttis gouernaunce till all as efferis. The 
 commone proufit, and the prince, ar mekle behaldin to the worthy 
 Knychtis, for the mony perilis that thai expofe thaim in for it : and thus is 
 Prudence ane of the maift nedefuU poyntis that may be for Knychtis ; wor- 
 fchipfuU cuftume is in Knycht in tyme of neceffitee to requeft of party to 
 arme him, and defend the commone prouffit. Bot mekle mare is it hon- 
 ourable cuftume to Knychtis till vfe refoun in all his dedis, and gude will 
 and wele fett, that is the glore of Knychthede ; ffor oft tymes bataillis ar 
 mare wonnyn be grace, na be force, and be wit and fubtilitee na be mul- 
 titude of armyt company, as fais Macabeus to the Peple of Ifrael, quhen 
 he fawe his inymyes cum on him fex tymes ma na he ; " Ha ! Ha ! Dere 
 Brethir, reconfort sow, and makis gude chere, and traiftis wele that God 
 fall help vs in this houre, ffor traift nocht that grete multitude makis grete 
 victory, bot mekle erare, grete confufione ; ffor fa grete multitude mycht 
 nocht be gouernyt togeder, ffor thay may nocht wit in the tane end, quhat 
 the tothir dois ; and a lytill mifreugle or affray makis all to flee, etc. :" And 
 gert his peple put thame in gude eflate, and prayde to God to help thame. 
 
48 THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 And thus was the bataill wonnyn throu his wit and counfaile, and confourt 
 quhilk come of grete prudence and grace. And thus fuld all gude Princis 
 and Lordis that wald haue thaire barnis worthy and wyfe men, and hable to 
 the Ordre forefaid : thai fuld get dodlryne thame, inft,ru6t thame, and 
 teche thame firft in thir virtues before narayt, and fpeeially till vfe refone 
 and juftice, and gude vnderftanding of wit, and that prudence teche thame 
 to be a frende till all gudelynes, and inymy till all wikkitnes, ffor be thai 
 vertues, the vertew of prudence junys him with Knychthede, and dois it 
 mekle honoure. 
 
 Item, Force is a grete vertu in all noble a6lis, and fpecialy agayn 
 the Seven Dedely Synnis, quhilkis, quhen thai haue the maiftry, ledis 
 man to the paynis of hell; off the quhilk fevin fynnis, Glutony is 
 ane of the werft ; fforthy, that quhen a glutoun has chargit him our mekle 
 with metis and drinkis than bringis it in Suereneffe, that he mon flepe 
 or reft ; and in his reft than defyris he Luxure ; and quhen he feis that all 
 this charge may nocht be uphaldyn but grete gudis and richefs, than 
 cummys Couatife, that fettis nocht by how that gude be wonnyn hot he 
 haue it ; off the quhilk conqueft cummys Ire, and Inuye, and redy Murther 
 and flauchter, quhilkis cummys feldyn, hot that Pryde be in thair falou- 
 fchip. And thus throu glutony is gaderit and affemblyt all the foule 
 company of the Seven Dedely Synnis : And thus Knychtis that haldis thir 
 wayis, gais nocht in the hall of nobleffe ; Glutony makis the corps feble, 
 and fchortis the lyf, agaynis the quhilk vicis, and namely of glutonye, the 
 worthy curage of a noble Knycht ftryvis full ftoutly, and wynnis the 
 vi6lory on him that is inymy to the noble Ordre of Knychthede. And 
 thus be Force he feichtis agayn his inymyes throu bye nobleffe of curage 
 with help of abftynence and of temperance : And agayne Luxure feichtis 
 Chaftitie forfably, and beautee of corps, mekle etyng and drinking, quynte 
 clething, and joly polift corps ; falfate, trefoune, injure and mifprifing of God, 
 and of his San6lis and of his mekle gloire, and no doubt the paynis of 
 hell, na fik like thingis is agayne the Ordre of Knychthede, and all gude 
 thewis. Perfyte Chaftitee forfably feichtis aganis Lechery throu the remem- 
 braunce of God and his commandementis. And to wele vnderftand the 
 
THE BUKE OF THE OEDEE, OF KNYOHTHEDE. 49 
 
 the hye graces and gudelynes and glore of the hyaft God, quhilkis he 
 has ordanyt for thame that lufis and honouris him, and feruis him treuly ; 
 and alffua to think on the forow and difefe that ordanyt is for thame that 
 dois the contrair, that myfprifis his commandementis, and myftrowis him ; 
 for to lufe him, ferue him, and honour him, that is fa worthie to be lufit, man 
 has forfs and grace, with Chaftite forfable, with ftark curage vnvencufable, 
 werrays and ourecummys the vice of myfordinate Lecherye, be force of 
 curage and nobleffe, quhilk will nocht put him in fubje6lione of evill 
 thouchtis ; na be oure cummyn with fik wrechitnefs ; na his hye honour 
 lawit na defoulit, that fa mekle charge has fuftenyt in grete honourable 
 actis in weris that he fuld thole his worthi curage of Knychthede 
 be ourecummyn with vicis. For fuppofe he be curageous and hardy, 
 and of corps ftrenthy to ourecum his corporale inymyes ; and nocht 
 nobleffe in him of forfs of curage to vencufe and ourethrawe his inymyes 
 fpirituale, that is vicis ; he has nocht all the verray noble poyntis, 
 propereteis, na condieiouns of Knychthede that he fuld ficht with ; ffor 
 noble curage of Knycht fuld alfwele feicht again the Deuill that is inymy 
 of the faule as agayne man inymy to the corps. 
 
 Item, Auarice is a vice that gerris oft tymes the curage of mony noble 
 Knycht defcend full lawe ; ffor quhy, the gredyneffe of gude blyndis 
 thair hye curage for glytwifneffe of gold and of richeffe, that it oure- 
 cummys the force that fuld vencufs his inymy with, and makis him 
 fubject till fa lawly wretchitneffe and vnhoneft thing, that is hot for 
 defaut of forfs ; that fuld be his pillare of worfchip till hald him 
 ferme ; the quhilk pillare faillis him at nede quhen nobleffe of hye 
 corage is flokit throu Cuvatife, nocht defendand thame aganis it, as the 
 worthyneffe of the Ordre requeris : hot tholis him to be ourecummyn 
 and vencuft throu cowardife fpirituale, and lacheffe of curage fouplit throu 
 Auarice ; and changit thair curage again the nobleffe of the Ordre : And 
 tharefore it is a grete maugre in a realme quhare lordis and knychtis ar 
 gredy to gudis, and couatoufe ; ffor it is rute of all wikkitneffe ; ffor of it 
 cummys wrangwife extorfiouns, and euill wonnyn gudis, wrangwife con- 
 queftis of landis, and fyne ar thay fall haldand, that na gude will pa,rt with, 
 
 7 
 
50 THE BUKE OF THE OEDEE OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 hot the nede peny ; and be this way thai becum bondis and fubjefitis to 
 thair gudis, and varyis fra the rycht way of liberalitee that manetenis 
 nobleffe of Cheualrye, and is inymy to the noble Ordre, to be wrechit 
 of the gudis that God has fend thame to preue thame, and affay thair 
 vertu with ; and nocht to be hid, na hurdit. And as for remede of this, 
 thare is a vertew calHt Fortitude, that is llifnes in hert aganis vice, 
 that will nocht falde no mare na rant ftele, quhilk is fa ferme in 
 itfelf, that it will nouthir bow to frende na faa, to help thame at 
 nede, hot he be requerit and aikit, and that is for the hie ftifnes that is 
 in him, of the vertu of fortitude of curage ; that fa grete honour it is worthi 
 to have for his worthynes, that he is euer redy to be at bidding of worthy 
 dedis and honourable, quhen he is requerit. And the hyenes of his noble 
 corage he thrawis him fra all appetite myfordinate of all vicis ; as quhen a 
 Knycht is tempt with Couatife or Auarice, that his hert is fett and enclynit 
 to that wrechit gredyneffe that is moder of all wikkitneffe, and of tray- 
 founis, falfate, barate, trechery, manefuering ; than fuld he fauf his honour 
 to have recourfe to Fortitude, and thare fall he fynd na fault of help, coun- 
 fale, and confourt, to fupplee him at nede ; for he is nouthir lache na git 
 cowart, na falfe hertit na neghgent ; hot with him fall be foundyn ftrenth 
 and fors,.hye curage in gudelynes, quhilk efferis wele to be fere to the 
 noble Ordre of Knychthede ; ffor throu that, a Knycht may be lorde of his 
 curage, and be maifter of himfeif, and ourecum all vicis. And thus fuld 
 ilke noble Knycht think on the noble King Alexander of Macedoyne, and 
 of his liberahtee, the quhilk had fa noble a curage, that he difpifit auarice 
 and couatife ; in largeffes of giftis, he had euer the hand opyn till all men, 
 alfwele frende as fa ; throu the quhilk renoune of fredome the fouldiouris 
 of his inymyes that war auaricioufe and couatoufe, come fra thame till 
 hym, and gert his company grow, and euermare and mare he conqueft,, 
 and euermare and mare delt till his men ; and thus, throu his renoune of 
 liberalitee and difpifing of the vice of auarice, with othir vertues of 
 nobleffe of fortitude, he come to the honour of Conqueroure of all the 
 Warld. Quhairfore, all nobil Knychtis fuld euer think on vertues of 
 nobleffe and of largefTe, and defpife auarice and couatife ; that he be nocht 
 
THE BUKE OF THE OKDER OF KNYCHTHEDE. 51 
 
 fubje6l till vnworthy perfounis, na wyrk nane vnworthy dedis ; na think to 
 mak nane vnworthy conqueflis throu auarice, the quhilk efferis nocht to 
 noble and worthy Ordre of Knychthede — Accydo est male. 
 
 Suerens is a vice quhilk makis a man to hate all gudelynes and to lufe all 
 vicioufnes. Be the quhilk vice, thare is ma folk condampnyt na be ony othir 
 vice in this warlde be takenis and fignis may be perfauit ; and be the con- 
 trair, that is wilfulnes in gudelynes to do gude werkis, men may knawe the 
 takenis of a man that fal be favit fra dampnacioune better, and mare clerely, 
 na be ony vertuoufe condicione that man may haue ; and thus, quha will 
 ourecum and vencufe Suereneffe, he mon nedely begyn at gude, and fortitude 
 of curage, throu the quhilk he ourecummis the inclinacioune of Suerenes 
 that mannis flefch is inclynit to, be the fyn of Adam, our held fader, 
 quhilk of the erde takis inclinacioune mare to fleuth na to diligence, and 
 mare till euill na to gude ; ffor fleuth and leithfulnefle drawis efter it dule 
 and difplefaunce of othir mennis gude auentures, and is blythe of thar myf- 
 fortunys : and quhare thai haue euill, thai wald it war wer, and thus has 
 he ay difefe ; ffor he has difefe and dule of thair gude, and fyne he has 
 difefe and dule of that, that thai haue nocht fa mekle euill as he wald ; 
 the quhilk puttis thame in ire and in paffione doloroufe contynualy, bathe 
 in body and faule ; and tharefore, thou Knycht that wald vencufe that 
 vice of fleuth, pray to God to graunt the force in curage of diligence aganis 
 that vice of fleuth, that thou may ourethrawe him, and halde him at vnder ; 
 and think how that our Lord God, quhen he gevis till othir men ony 
 grace or gudelynes for thair gude meritis, he takis nocht fra the to give 
 thame, na he gevis thame nocht all the gudis that he has to geve ; hot 
 that he has yneuch bathe to geve the and otheris, that makis him gude 
 caufe ; of the quhilk he gevis vs ane example in the Ewangel, fayand, 
 Amice, non facio tibi injuriam, That is to fay, Quhen the vignerones 
 labouraris had wroucht all the day, fra the morne early tiU nycht, and 
 otheris began at the Evyn-fang tyme, and wroucht rycht fa to the nycht ; 
 and the Lord of the wynis gave thame y-lyke feis for thair day werk ; and 
 thai that had wrocht fra the morne airly murmurit the Lord, fayand, He was 
 vnrychtwife, that gave thame alfmekle that began at Evyn-fang tyme as to 
 
52 THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OP KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 thame that began at morne airly : and he anfuered, That. he did thame na 
 wrang, quhen he departit his awin gude at his awin will, and payde tham 
 all that he hecht thame ; quharefore thai had na caufe to murmur him, na 
 to haue nane envy at thair nychtbouris, as faid is. 
 
 Orgueille, that is callit Pryde, thinkis na man pere till him, and is a grete 
 vice ; ffor he wald na man war fa gude na fa worthy as he, and had leuer 
 be him allane, na in ony company that him thocht na pere till him. And 
 Humilitee and Fortitude are twa vertues that lufis evynlynes, and fa ar 
 thai aganis Pride ; and, tharefore, gif a proud, hichty, hautane Knycht may 
 nocht ftanche his awin pride, call till Mekenes and Fortitude ; ffor meke- 
 neffe withoutyn ftedefaftnes may nocht gaynftand pryde ; ffor quhen thai 
 twa ar togidder, than may thai wele gaynftand pryde ; na pryde may 
 neuer be vencuft, but mekeneffe and ftedefaftnes of fortitude ; ffor 
 kyndely thing is, that quhen a song King is fett on his hye horfe, 
 he is proud and hautane, but fyne cummys fortitude of humihtee, with 
 grete ftedefaft mynde, thinkand how he fuld haue pryde in his hert, 
 quhen he rememberis of all the poyntis of his Ordre, and quhy he is 
 maid Knycht. Bot quhat is the pryde of a proud haultane man worth, 
 quhen he can nocht remembre of the poyntis that God may fone lawe 
 him with? ffor thare is na man fa proud and full of orgueill, bot and 
 he had bene difconfyte and ourecumyn in bataill place and vencuft, 
 bot he fuld be full meke ; and that fallis ofttymes amang Knychtis of 
 honoure : for quhy ? the fors of ane othir mannis corps has ftrykyn doune 
 the pryde of his curage : And thus fen fors corporale in a ftrange perfone 
 has lawit his pryde, it war lyke that fors of humilitee fpirituale, that is 
 fer mare vertuoufe, fuld in his awin perfone ourecum pryde ; fen the tane 
 is fpirituale nobleffe, and the tothir corporale. 
 
 Item, Envy is a vice that is not agreable to God, na juftice, na charitee, 
 na to largeffe, the quhilk pertenis to the Ordre of Knychthede, and thus 
 quhen ony Knycht has his hert failit, and his curage lawlyit, that he 
 may no mai:e folow the a6lis of nobleffe, na dedis of were, for faulte of 
 ftrenth of curage that is failit in him, na has nocht in him, Juftice, 
 Charitee, na Largeffe, fyk men dois injure to thair Ordre of Knychthede, 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OP KNYCHTHEDE. 53 
 
 that gerris mony Knychtis be envius of othir mennis gude fortune, and 
 thai ar fuere and lythir to trauaile thame to wyn honoure in armes, the 
 quhilk bringis the richeflis ; for euer efter honour thare cunamys rycheffe, 
 and thai that ar thus envioufe takis fra othir men the gude that is nocht, 
 na may nocht be thairis, ffor thai wald pres thame to reve thame thair 
 honoure, quhilk, quhen thai had gert thame tyne, throu murmuracioune 
 and envioufe langage of bakbyting, that honour that thai tak fra thame, 
 may nocht cum to thamefelf; and be fyk Enuy he dois mony thingis 
 that ar difcordant till his Ordre. 
 
 Item, Ire is a ftroublance of curage, and of gude mynde, and gude will, 
 and difturnis a mannis curage to vengeaunce ; and thus, quha fa lykis 
 to fett remede in this vice of Ire, he mon haue recourfe to forfe of 
 corage; that is, the lord and maifter of mannis mynde and his paffions, 
 and fyne feke to Pacience and to Charitee, the quhilkis ar cheif of 
 counfale to Knychthede, and with temperaunce, mefe his mynd and 
 bryng his hert to fobirnes ; and thir Vertues ay bringis allegeaunce of 
 the grete paynis and trauailis that Ire has movit in mannis hert: and 
 in famekle as the ire is the mare, in famekle fuld force of curage of 
 nobleffe of Knychthede be the ftarkare to ourecum the vnrefonable paffions 
 of ire, the quhilkis cummis ay of euill, and dois hot euill, ffor the ire 
 of man makis nocht man to haue mare rycht anent Godwart ; hot man 
 fuld be armyt with gude will, foberneffe, humilitee, and pacience, charitee 
 and abftinence, and fyne cummys juftice, and bringis wifedome with him, 
 and annoblis the Ordre of Knychthede fere mare na it was before, and 
 thus we haue that aganis all vicis of the Seven Dedely Synnis : The vertu 
 of Force, with help of thir othir counfalouris that we haue here before 
 namyt, is fouerane remede aganis thame. 
 
 And now is it fpedefuU that we fe quhat is the vertu of Temper- 
 aunce, and quhat it is nedefuU and behovefuU till : And as to that, 
 the Doftour fais. That Temperaunce is a vertu quhilk haldis him euer 
 in the mydwarde betuene twa vicis, that is to fay, betuene oure lytill and 
 oure mekle, and thus techis temperance a man to kepe the mydwarde, 
 ffor vertu is ay in the mydwarde : ffor man that has na mefure in himfelf. 
 
54 THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 quhen he dois outhir till the hye or to the law, thare wantis dif- 
 crecione of temperaunce and mefure, (the quhilk is nedefuU to be in 
 Knychthede), ffor quhen Knycht knawis nocht his quantiteis of his 
 mefure in all his dedis, his honoure is in were : iFor he fuld be temperit in 
 largeffe, that he be nouthir fule large na oure wrechit ; in hardineffe, that he 
 be nocht fule hardy na oure eowart ; in etyng and drinking that he be 
 nocht glutone, na gormand, na flut, na flutheroune, na zit dronkynfuni ; 
 na that he hunger nocht himfelf for wrechitnes ; in his fpeehe that he 
 haue nocht our mony wordis, na that he be nocht oure beftely, na our 
 blate, that he haue na langage, na collacione in tyme quhen it efferis ; 
 alfua in his clething that he excede nocht, na that he be nocht oure 
 wrechit : And thus in all thing to bald mefure is temperaunce : And 
 fchortly to fay, it is the reugle of all wifedorae, and but it na Knycht may 
 well gouerne his Ordre, na neuer fall men fynd temperance hot with 
 wifdome and with vertu. 
 
 Item, Gude cuftume and vfage is till Knychtis to here every day the 
 Meffe, quhare euer he be, gif it may gudely be gottyn, and gif ony 
 preching or teching of clerkis, or wyfe men be proponyt, he fuld be 
 redy euer to here the Word of God, and euer be redy till honoure, 
 anourne, and pray to God, and to lufe him, ferue him, honoure him, 
 and obeye him in all place, atour all thing ; and in all his dedis, haue 
 euer his hert on him, and euer think on the Paffioun of Crift, and 
 on his awin dede, that he mon anyfs dee, and think on the fchortnes 
 and the wrechitnes of this warld, and of the paynis of Hell, and of the 
 grete joyis and glore celeftiall of Hevyn ; And euer alk him of his 
 grace that hye glore of Paradife, and traiftis wele that he that takis 
 mare plefaunce in haukis and houndis, delicioufs metis, joly clethingis, 
 fair women, gude wynis and fpicis, lycht wordis with negligence of Goddis 
 feruice, and lycht lying and defpifing of Goddis pure peple, and of the 
 lawis of God and man, fyk Knychtis ar nocht worthy Knychtis, hot erar 
 difpifaris of the Ordre, and inymyes to Knychthede; ffor fum trowis in 
 wichecraftis, as in meting of beftis, or in fleyng of foulis with thame or 
 agayne thaim, or on rycht hand, or on left hand, fayand, the rycht fyde 
 
THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 55 
 
 gais aganis him, and the left fyde gais with him : And fayand, That all fik 
 folyis efferis nocht to wifedome, refone, na difcrecioune, na to gude faith. 
 Bot it as foly of fulis that grevis God, and caflis men of Goddis grace, 
 and gerris thair inymyes oft tymes be maifleris of thame, quhen thai will 
 nocht tak documentis of gude teching, na gude thewis to reugle thair 
 dedis, and mare has traift in thair fretis and folyis, na in the faith of God 
 Almychty. And tharfor, thai that vfis thir folyis, and levis the Vertues 
 before faid of Fayth, Gude Hope, and Charitee, Humilitee, Largeffe and 
 Lawtee, and nobilneffe of Forfe of curage, to gaynftand all thir vnworthy 
 fantafyes, he is nocht worthy to here that hye, worthy, and noble Ordre 
 of Knychthede that dois thus ; ffor fum Knycht has fyk cuftumes to trow, 
 quhen euer he feis a nakit womman in the mornyng, he fall nocht do his 
 proufRt na honoure that day, na quhen he feis a womman kemmand hir hede 
 nakit in the mornyng, he fall nocht have honour in armes that day ; and 
 this is a falfe vnworthy treuth, ffor a juge that kepis the lawis that he is 
 ordanyt to kepe, dois wele his office. Sa dois a Knycht quhen he vfis 
 refone and difcrecione, and kepis fayth and lawtee with all the laue of 
 Vertues of nobleffe, than is he worthy Knycht, and kepis wele his Ordre : 
 Bot a Knycht that wyrkis eftir gone fretis, that we have here fum part 
 namyt, and otheris, and levis the ordre of gude vertues and gude thewis, 
 he is dois evin as a juge that leuis gude and futhfaft witneffis led in a 
 caufe before him, and jugis agayn gude fayth, be the chirmyng of foulis, 
 or be the berking of doggis, and fyk lyke thing ; and thus Knycht fuld be 
 ferme in the faithe, nocht variand, na fuld nocht traift in fik fretis, na 
 wichcraft ; and leue the verray faith of God, ffor all fyk thingis are bot 
 janglyng of fendis, that fleis in the ayre, that temptis Criftyn folk, to ger 
 them vary fra the rycht faith to drawe thanle to thair condampnacione. 
 
 Item, Till Knychthede efferis, principaly to be amoroufe of the commone 
 prouffit, and of the commouns; ffor quhy? be the commouns, and for the 
 commone prouflSt Knychthede was foucdyn, flablyfl, and ordanyt, than 
 fuld Knychtis be cusjus of thair prouffit, be refone ; ffor gude refone gevis, 
 that all Princis, Lordis, and Knychtis fpecialy, fulde be mare curius of the 
 commoun prouffit, na of thair awin propre gudis ; ffor quhy ? it is mare 
 nedefuU and mare fpedefull, and grettar and mare neceffair, ffor the com- 
 
56 THE BUKE OF THE OEDEE OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 moun proufRt riches bathe Prince and Peple, and gude propre gudis, hot 
 a perfone proprely, and mare gude, is to be bathe riche, Prince and Peple, 
 na he allane, and nocht his peple. 
 
 Item, To Knycht efferis to fpeke fobirly and wifely, and curtafly ; and 
 to be alffua nobly cled in diuerfs clethingis, and honourable, fair horfe, 
 fair harnais, in the banting of weris, and gouernaunce that he has : 
 till bald alfua gude houfe, eftir his power and eftate, till haue honed 
 houfing ; and treuly Curtafy and Knychthede fuld neuer part company ; 
 ffor foule and vilaynoufe fpeche fylis the mouth of a noble Knycht, and 
 fa dois it of all perfone of eftate ; hamelynes and gude fpecialitee of 
 acquyntance with gude folk, worthy and honeft, is wele accordant to 
 Knychthede. 
 
 Item, Lautee, Veritee, Juftice, Humilitee, Charitee, Largefle, Hardy- 
 neffe, Prowefle, with Forfe in curage and noblefle, Pitee, Honeftee, Drede, 
 Schame, with othir fyk like Vertues, and otheris that we haue before 
 namyt, appertenis wele to be in company with the noble Ordre ; 
 and rycht as we fay. That in God is all vertu, all noblefle, and all gude- 
 lynefs, fa fuld all Knychtis, Lordis, and Princis, folow at all thair gudely 
 powere the futfteppis of thair ledare, lord, and teehour, Jhel'u Crift, 
 quhilk all his werkis that he wrocht was all to geve us gude infl;ru6lioun to 
 gouerne vs in fyklike maner. And all the writtis that euer was writtin 
 for our documentis and teching, for the teching of the keping of horfe and 
 harnais and wapinis, is nocht anerly the inftru6lione of Knychthede till 
 his barnis and otheris that he fuld teche vnder him : bot the gude 
 cuftumes, gude inftru6liones in vertues, and gude enfamples of gude god- 
 lyke gouernaunce, efter all the form and maner before faid, fuld be 
 the gouernaunce of Knychtis, firft in thamefelf, and fyne teche till otheris ; 
 ffor he that better techis his horfe na his barnis, he gais nocht the rycht 
 gate to teche the Ordre. 
 
OCTAUUM CAPITULUM. 
 
 HERE DECLARIS THE DOCTOUR THE HONOURIS THAT SULD BE DONE TO THE 
 NOBLE ORDRE OF KNYCHTHEDE. 
 
 OD himfelf ordanyt Knychthede, and honourit it, and 
 honouris it, and alffua all the peple honouris Knychthede ; 
 and as is recountit be the Lawis, Knychthede is honourit 
 abufe all Ordre that euer was next Prefthede, as maift 
 honourable ordre and office that is or wes, and aboue all ftatis, fauffand 
 the Haly Ordre and OflBce that facrifyis the body of God, the haly Sacra- 
 ment of the Altare, with the otheris Sacramentis of the Haly Kirk. And 
 the faid Ordre of Knychthede is 'rycht neceffair to the gouemaunce of the 
 warld, as is before faid, in'fyndry placis ; and tharefore, before all temporale 
 ordre, Knychthede fuld be honourit be mony refouns, with all maner of 
 peple ; ffor and Emperouris Kingis and Princis had nocht annext to thame 
 the Ordre of Knychthede, with the vertues and propereteis, and nobiliteis, 
 langand to the faid Ordre, thaj war nocht worthy to be Emperouris, 
 Kingis, na Princis : ffor fuppofe the Office be gretare, the Ordre is 
 y-lyke ane in Kangis and in Knychtis, as Prefthede is y-lyke of degree, 
 bathe in Pape, Cardynale, and Patriarche, alfmekle is it in a fymple prefte : 
 and fa is it in Kingis and Princis knychthede, in regarde of fymple 
 Knychtis, fuppofe the Office be mare grete; tharefore aucht thai till 
 honoure the Office and Ordre of Knychthede, bathe Emperouris, Kingis, 
 Princis, and Barouns ; ffor quhan thai do nocht honoure to the faid Ordre, 
 thai do diftionour to thamefelf ; ffor the Knychtis gerris the grete Lordis, 
 
 8 
 
58 THE BUKE OF THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 
 
 Princis, and Barouns be honourit aboue the finall peple, and than 
 fuld thai again do honour to the faid Ordre, and honour thame abufe 
 the peple. 
 
 Item, All Knychtis ar free be than: Ordre, ffbr Knychthede and fre- 
 dome acordis togeder rycht wele to the ryale mageftee and lordfchip ; and, 
 tharefore, fen Knychthede is ordanyt for the manetenyng, defending, and 
 vp balding of Emperouris and Kingis, Princis, Barouns, and all Commouns 
 and fmall peple, than is it grete refone that thai all fuld defend, manetene, 
 and vphalde the honour of Knychthede, and all Knychtis. And to the 
 honour of Knychthede it appertenis, that he be in honours haldyn, and 
 that he be lufit for his gudelynes ; and that he be doubtit for his proweffe 
 and hardyneffe ; and that he be lovit for his noble dedis of worthynes ; 
 and that he be hamely for his lawlynes, and hichty in tyme : And becaufe 
 he is of the felf ordre that Klingis ar of, he fuld be haldin of counfale to 
 Kingis and of grete Princis ; and becaufe that he is of the natur of all 
 niankynde, and enclynit to vicis, he is the mare worthy and honourable 
 that he has force of noble curage to abftene him tharefra : And, tharefore, 
 fuld a Knycht difpife all vicis, and lufe all vertues ; ffor the quhilkis, all 
 Knychtis ar honourit, and nocht for othir caufe ; and all Prince, King, 
 Lord, or Barone, that honouris Knychthede, outhir in court or in counfale, 
 in houfe or in femblee, he honouris himfelf : And alfua, quha honouris 
 thame in gouernement of bataill, honouris himfelf; and alffua, all Lord, that 
 of a wife Knycht makis him a feruand, delyueris his honour in the handis 
 of nobleffe of gude curage ; and quhat Lord or Prince that encrefeis the 
 honoure of a wife Knycht in his feruice, or multiplyis it, enereffis and 
 multiplyis his awin honour ; and quhat euer Lord that manetenys Knycht 
 that is in office, ordanyt till him, and enforfis him in his office, he enforfis 
 him felf and his lordfchip ; and Lord, that is bathe Prince and Knycht, 
 has grete affinitee, and lufe and frendfchip to Knychthede, and grete 
 company fuld haue thar with: And gif he requeris of foly and euill 
 maner of trety, ony Knychtis wyf till enclyne hir to wikkitnes, he 
 excedis the honoure of Knychthede ; na git alfa a Knychtis wyf that has 
 
THE BUKE OP THE ORDER OF KNYOHTHEDE. 59 
 
 barnis vrJaufuU of villaine generacione, dois lytill honour to the Ordre 
 of Knychthede, that fcho is honourit throu ; hot fcho deftroyis ande 
 puttis to noeht the noble hgnie and confraternitee of Knychthede. And 
 quhat Knycht that has his barnis in matrymonye with ony villaine womman, 
 he dois lytill honour to the noble Ordre of Knychthede, na to the band of 
 gentrife : And fen it is fa that nobleffe and gentilleffe ar of tenderneffe and 
 frendfchip to Knychthede, and to the honour of Knychthede, and of his 
 Lady be the honourit band of mariage ; and the contrair is deftru6lione of 
 Knychthede. Thus gif noblis and gentill men that ar na Knychtis, and 
 has bot honour and worfchip of thair awin birth and natiuitee, ar oblift 
 naturaly to honour of Nobleffe and Knychthede be the vertu of gentrife 
 that thai ar natyf till, than mekle mare ar Knychtis behaldyn to the 
 honoure and worfchip of Knychthede, quhilkis be thair ordre thai ar 
 bundyn to ; ffor in that that thai do honoure to thair Ordre, thai do 
 honoure to.thame felf : For all Knycht is oblift at all powere to honour 
 his perfone ; firft to be wele cled in his perfone, fyne to be wele horflit, 
 and fyne wele enarmyt and harneft in his habilliament, and alfua aw 
 nobily to be feruit of noble perfons : that is to fay, perfouns vertuoufe, 
 fen all nobleneffe prefupponis vertu. But sit mekle mare but comparifone 
 is he behaldyn till honoure him felf with nobleffe of curage; ffor the 
 quhilk nobleffe of curage he beris that hye and noble Ordre of Knycht- 
 hede, the quhilk alffua is defoulit and diihonourit quhen a Knycht levis 
 vertu of curage, and takis him falfe cogitaciouns of trayfouns, ref and rape, 
 murder and thift, and puttis out of his curage, and flokis all the faid 
 vertues of nobleffe, as Juftice, Temperance, Fors, and Prudence with 
 Faith, Gude Hope, and Charitee,Liberalitee and Lautee, with otheris before 
 namyt, appertenand to the maift noble Ordre : And thus, Knycht that dif- 
 honouris ane Knycht his fader in Knychthede, is nocht worthy to be 
 honourit, ffor gif he war honourit fen he diftionouris his awin Ordre, mekle 
 wrang war than done to the noble Ordre, to do honour till hun that dif- 
 honouris him felf and his Ordre ; ffor quha may better honoure or dif- 
 honoure the Ordre na thai that are of the Ordre, and berand the Ordre : 
 
60 THE BUKE OF THE OEDEE OF KNYCHTHEDE. 
 
 and thus fen Knycht has in his hert a noble duelling place for the vertues 
 and nobleffe of curage, that fuld goueme and manetene Knychthede, kepe 
 well that caftell place and duelling, that it be nocht oure fett na fegit 
 with vicis, than mekle honour and reuerence is worthi to be done tiU him 
 for his mekle worfchip and nobleffe ; and the mare that Knychthede 
 be affemblyt with hie Princehede or hye Lordfchip, the mare is the 
 Knycht behaldyn till honoure his Nobile Ordre, and mare oblift to 
 manetene his Knychthede with worfchip: At the reuerence, honour, 
 lufe, loving, feruice, and doubting of Almychty God, oure glorioufe 
 Saluioure, and of his dere and glorioufe Moder and Virgyne oure fuete 
 Lady Marye, and all the Haly Court of Hevin. In nomine Pateis, et 
 FiLij, ET Spieitus Sancti, Amen. 
 
 (JEyplicit Eorlire tie Cfjebalrie, 
 
 HERE ENDIS THE BUKE OF THE ORDRE OF KNYCHTHEDE. 
 
^pjpentiijc* 
 
No. I. 
 
 EXTEACTS 
 
 C?je JSufee of tjje Sato of sarmps. 
 
 G^mc«a Domini nostri Jhesw Christi, et caritas Dei, ef commmicacio Scmcti Spiritm Fol. 1. 
 sit semper cvm ommihus nobis in Christo Jhesu Domino nostro. Amen. 
 
 >ERE begynnys the Buke callit The Buke of the Law of 
 Armys, the quhilk was compilit be a notable man, Dodlour 
 in Decreis, callit Bonnet, Prioure of Sallon ; the quhilk, 
 quhen it was maid, callit it The Fleur of Bataillis, or the 
 Tree ; into the quhilk Buke thare falbe foure partis efter as the Rubryis 
 fchawis. The Firfl part falbe. Of the Tribulacioun of the Kirk before the 
 Natiuitee of Chrifte. The Secund party falbe, Of the Tribulaciouns and 
 Deftru6tioun of the Four Prineipa,le Realmes gretteft of the Warld, &c. 
 The Thrid falbe, Of Bataillis in generale. The Ferde, Of Bataillis in 
 fpecialitee. 
 
 here begynnys the rubryis of the first party, etc., be the 
 quhilkis men may better knaw the processe of the said buke, 
 and of euery chaptere specialy. 
 
 In the Firfl Chapiter he fperis, Quhat thing is Bataill ? - i 
 
 The Second Chapiter is, Quhare was firft foundyii Bataill ? - ii 
 
64 APPENDIX. 
 
 The Third is, Of the tribulacions of the Kirk by paffit, - iij 
 
 The Ferde is, Of the firft Angel, - - - iiij 
 
 TheFyftis, Ofthetother Angel, . . . - v 
 The Expoficioun apon the tothir party of the Vifioun of Sandl 
 
 Johne, - ...... vj 
 
 The thrid Angel, ...... vij 
 
 The ferde Angel, ------ viij 
 
 The fyft Angel, ...... ix 
 
 And git fpekis he mare furtherly of the Vifioun, - - x 
 
 Expliciunt Ruhrice Prime Partis^ etc. 
 Sequitur Prologus in hreuibus. 
 
 Here folowis the Prolong of the faid Buke, in termis, as the forenamyt 
 DocTouEE Bonnet, Prioure of Sallon, maid his firft Intitulacioun and Pro- 
 hemium : And fyne efter fall folowe the principale parties of the Buke fore- 
 namyt, Tranflatit be me Gilbert of the Haye Knycht, Maifl;er in 
 Arte, and Bachilere in Decreis, Chaumerlayn vmquhile to the maifl; 
 worthy King Charles of Fraunce, at the requefl; of ane hye and mychty 
 Prince and worthy Lord, Williame Erle of Oeknay and of Cathnes, 
 Lord Synclere, and Chancelare of Scotland, in his Caftell of Roflelyn, 
 the sere of our Lord a thowfand four hundreth fyfty and fex. 
 
 Fol. 2. PROLOGUS. 
 
 To the haly Croune of Fraunce, in the quhilk this day regnys 
 Charles the Sext of that name, the quhilk is lufit and redoubtit 
 oure all the warld be the ordynaunce of God ; till him be gevin honoure, 
 lofe, and glore, abune all erdely Lordfchippis : Maifl; hye Prince I am eallit, 
 be my richt name. Bonnet Priour of Sallon, Doctoure in Decreis. 
 The quhilk I haue had mony fmale thouchtis and gude will to mak fum 
 
APPENDIX. 65 
 
 Buke ; Firft, in the honoure of God, and of his fuete Moder, and of 
 gour hye Lordfchip. And the refouns quhy I haue vndertane to mak 
 this Buke ar gude yneuch, as femys me. And Firft and formaft, for 
 quhy? That the ftate of Haly Kirk is in fik tribulacioun that hot gif 
 God oure Lorde fet fum gude remade, the quhilk was wont till mak 
 gude cheuifaunce and gude end, in that mater be the Brether of the 
 faith, auentureris of the Chriftin Faith, I can fe be na way that it 
 may wele be, hot gif thare be fum gudely way of acordaunce fundyn and 
 fone. The Secund caufe is and refoun. For I fe all Criftyndome fa grevit, 
 and ftroublit of weris, difcenfiouns, thiftis, and reueryis, haterentis, and 
 envyes, that men kennys almaift na realme in Criftyndome bot it is in 
 were. Thrid refone is, for quhy ? That the land of Provence, of quhilk I 
 am borne and vp brocht, is fa turnyt now for the renewing of new Lord- 
 fchip, and for diuerfe opyniouns that ar amang Lordis and the Communi- 
 teis, that with grete payne may ony wyfe man here it be reherfit, the 
 mekle forowe that the Commouns fuftenis for fik debatis. The Ferde 
 refoun, for quhy ? That mony notable Clerkis, the quhilkis wenys thai 
 vnderftand wele the glofyng of ancien Prophecies, fais, that it fulde be ane 
 of the hie lignie of Fraunce, the quhilk fuld fett remede in all this thingis, 
 and put this trauailland warld in pes and reft, that now is put in grete 
 peftilence. And for this caufe my curage has gevin me to mak fum 
 newing of thing till enfourme sour southede of mony fyndry knaulagis of 
 Haly wrytt, fa that sour curage fuld be movit the mare to help to fett 
 remede in the Haly Criftyn faith, the quhilk is in poynt of perifing, and 
 geve it focour ; and to geve sow corage for to do in fik manere, that the 
 Prophecyes, the quhilkis are prefumyt to be vnderftandin in sour perfone 
 maift worthy, be verifyit in sour maift noble and worthy Princehede, throu 
 •sour notable and haly werkis : And forthy, I mak sour Hienes hertly 
 requeft and fupphcacioune, that nathing that I fall put in this Buke, ge 
 difprife, na lichtly, ffor all that I here fay takis foundement of Haly Writt, 
 and of the Decreis and Lawis Cannon and Ciuile, and Philofophy Naturale, 
 that is Natural Refoun. The quhilk Buke fal be callit The Floure of 
 Bataillis, ok the Tree : And fyne mon I pas to my werk ; and 
 tharefore is thare cummyn to me fik ane ymaginacioun, that I will ger 
 
 9 
 
66 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 mak a Tree, the quhilk fall bere bot fruyte of forowe ; as men may fe, 
 that all the perfecuciouns of the Kirk and Contreis beris bot fruyte of 
 dule and difeife ; departit in Four Partis, as is before faid, on the quhilkis 
 Four Partis the diuifioun of oure Buke fal be foundit, etc. 
 
 EXPLICIT PROHEMIUM. 
 
 PRIMUM CAPITULUM. 
 
 Fol. 2, b. i<s^^^^^ EN it is fa that apon this mater, the quhilk may be lyknyt 
 
 till a Tree, that may bere na fruyte but fruyte of doloure 
 and difeifs, we fee twa partis principale, amang the quhilkis 
 is grete difcorde, difcenfioun, and were ; firft, apon the Haly 
 Kirk and the Fredome of it, as apon the Pape, and the Sege of Rome, 
 with the fredomys : And apon the tothir part, we fee, how amang Kingis 
 and Princis, and Temporale Lordis, thare is ryfin fa grete difcenfiouns, 
 difcordis, and weris, that the Brethir of the Fayth, as Nobles, men 
 that wont was to be werreyouris to defend the Kirk rycht, ar now 
 ryfyn agayne the Commouns and Comiteis agayn thame, that grete dule 
 is to fe : Quharefore this Buke may wele be comparit till a Tree quhilk 
 beris na fruyte, but fruyte of dule, etc. 
 
 Fol. 11. 
 
 HEBE EFTERE FOLOWES THE DECLARACIOUN OF THE RUBRYIS OF THE 
 
 SECUND BUKE, ETC. 
 
 N the firft. Of the perfecucioun and deftructioun of the 
 Foure grete Realmes. 1* 
 
 Item, How and in quhat tyme the Citie of Rome was firft 
 foundit. 2 
 
 Item, In quhat tyme gouernyt the Senatouris. 3 
 
 Item, Of the gouernement of the King Tules. 4 
 
 * The Number of the Chapters, in both the Second and Third Parts or Books, are 
 omitted in the Original Manuscript. 
 
APPENDIX. 67 
 
 Item, Of the King Fernicle Archy. 5 
 
 Item, Efter of the King Tarquyn. 6 
 
 Item, Of the dede of King Alexander. 7 
 
 Item, Here he fpekis of grete Archile, Conful of Rome. 8 
 
 Item, Here fpekis he of grete Sir Sempny, Conful of Rome. 9 
 
 Item, Of the grete worthynes of Schir Sypre, Conful of Rome. 10 
 
 Item, How grete Cartage was deftroyit. 11 
 
 Item, How the Almaynis wan a bataill apon the Romayns. 12 
 
 Item, Of Scilla, the grete inymy of the Romayns. 13 
 Item, How the Provineis maid Julius Cefar thaire lord, for his 
 
 worthynes. 14 
 
 Item, How that Fortune is rycht variable. 15 
 
 Item, Here he fpekis of Sir Arthoma, Conful of Rome. 16 
 Item, Spekis he of a queftioun, be the quhilk thar come firft 
 
 Jurifdiftioun amang men. 17 
 
 Item, Here he tellis quha was firft Juge amang men. 18 
 
 HERE FOLOWIS THE CHAPTERIS OF THE THEID PARTY OF THIS PRESENT Fol. 21 b. 
 BUKE, AS FOLOWIS HERE BE DECLARACIOUN. 
 
 I N the firft, Quhethir it be lefuU and lawufuU thing till entre 
 
 in cloifit feldis to defend richtwife caufe. 1 
 
 Item, Of the famyn mater sit fpekis he mare furtherly. 2 
 
 Quhethir it be thing poflible that this Warld be in pes. 3 
 
 How that Force is ane of the principale foundementis of Bataill. 4 
 
 How it may be kend in a Man gif he be forfy or nocht. 5 
 
 Quhethir is mare vertu till a man to aflTailse, or to byde in felde. 6 
 
 Be how mony thingis may men knaw the prowefs of a Knycht. 7 
 
 A man fuld erar chefe to dee in felde, na flee fra the bataill. 8 
 
 Quhat punycioun fuld he haue that paffis fra the Oft but leue. 9 
 Quhat punycioun fuld he haue that fechtis wyth his Lordis inymy 
 but leve, or of the Conftable. 10 
 
68 APPENDIX. 
 
 Fol. 26. HERE BEGYNNIS THE TABLE OF THE FEKDB PART OF THIS BUKE. 
 
 ^N Primis Off quhat rycht, or quhat evin cummys 
 
 Bataill. 1* 
 
 Be quhat rycht or refoun may Men moue were 
 
 agaynis the Sarragenis or othir miftrowaris, 2 
 
 Gif the Emperoure fuld moue were agayne thame, quha fuld obey 
 
 till his mandement. 3 
 
 Quhethir othir Princis na the Emperoure may moue were apon the 
 
 Sarrasenis. 4 
 
 Quhethir the Emperoure may ordane were agayne the Pape, or 
 
 agayne the Haly Kirk. 5 
 
 Quhethir the Pape may mak were on him. 6 
 
 Quhat thingis may ger moue Bataill neceffe. 7 
 
 Quhat thingis pertenis till a gude Knycht to do. 8 
 
 Quhat thingis pertenis to the Duke of the battaill. 9 
 
 How, and for quhat cans, a Knycht fuld be punyft. 10 
 
 Quhethir Strenth be a Vertu morale. 11 
 
 Quhethir, gif the Duke of the bataill be tane, men fuld haue merci 
 
 of him, and faue his lyf. 12 
 
 Gif Forfe be a Vertu Cardinale or nocht. 13 
 
 Quhethir Prefonaris that are tane in bataill be the takaris or the 
 
 lordis that payis the wagis. 14 
 
 Quhethir the Vaffaillis fuld pas in were on thair awin coft, or on 
 
 the princis coftis, 15 
 
 Gif a Barouns men fuld [help] thair Lord agayne their King, [and] 
 
 ferue in his weris or nocht. 16 
 
 Gif twa Barouns has were ilk ane agayne othir, quhethir fuld thair 
 
 men help ilkane his awinLorde,or thair King, and he chargethame. 17 
 Quhethir I aw to defend my nychtbour in armys, and men wald 
 
 fett to fla him. 18 
 
 * In the MS. the Numbers of the Chapters in this Fourth Part, are marked, Primum 
 Capitulum, II. Ca"., III. Ca". &c. 
 
APPENDIX. 69 
 
 Quhat Perfonis ar behaldin to defend othir. 19 
 
 How the Bonde is behaldin to defend his Lorde. 20 
 
 How the Sone is behaldin to defend the Fader, but the leue of the 
 
 juftice. 21 
 
 Quhethir erar is the Sone behaldin defend his Fader, or his natural 
 
 Lord maifter. 22 
 
 Quhethir a Clerk fuld erar help his Fader or his Bifehop, and he 
 
 haue were. 23 
 
 Quhethir to conqueft gudis rychtwifely Men may lefuUy mak defen- 
 
 fable were. 24 
 
 Quhethir for vnrychtwife conqueft Men may mak were diffenfable. 25 
 Quhethir Preftis and clerkis may defend thair gudis be armes. 26 
 
 Gif Armoure lent and tynt in felde fuld be reftorit. 27 
 
 Gif Armoure or horfe hyrit and tynt fuld be reftorit. 28 
 
 Gif a Knycht be [ar]reft douand his Princis charge, quhethir has 
 
 the Knycht or the Prince afitioun to the party. 29 
 
 Gif a Man gais to the weris vnchargit, fall he tak wagis. 30 
 
 Gif a Knycht feruis a King vnchargit in his weris, quhether may he 
 
 laufuUy alk him his wagis. 31 
 
 Gif the King of Spanse fendis fecours to the King of France in his 
 
 weris, as he has done othir tymes till him in fik lyke cas, quhethir 
 
 fuld the SpannoUis alk wagis at the King of France. 32 
 
 Gif a Man gais to were for vayn glore, quhethir he may, be law of 
 
 armes, alk wagis or nocht. 33 
 
 Gif a Capitane doand his Lordis bidding tyne his gudis, gif his Lord 
 
 aw to reftore him agayne. 34 
 
 Gif a Man gais to the were for couatife to pele and rub gudis, 
 
 quhethir he may alk wage or noucht. 35 
 
 Gif a Clerk may leuefuUy pas to the weris or nocht. 36 
 
 In quhat termes the wage aw to be payit to Men. 37 
 
 Gif a Wageour gais to play and difport him, with leue, for a tyme, 
 
 gif he fuld be payit of that tyme. 38 
 
 Gif a Knycht has tane wagis of a King for a sere, and he wald with- 
 
70 APPENDIX. 
 
 in thre monthis pas his way tillane othir Prince, quhethir gif he 
 
 fuld be payit for the tyme that he had feruit. 39 
 
 Gif a Sowdioure be payit of a Prince for a sere, gif he may put ane 
 
 othir in his ftede or nocht. 40 
 
 Quhethir gif a Capitane may fend of his folk away, that he has anys 
 
 mouftrit in felde. 41 
 
 Gif a Man of armes hapnis feke in the weris, quhethir he may alk 
 
 his wagis for all the tyme that he is feke or nocht. 42 
 
 How Gudis fuld be departit in the weris, that ar wonnyn in tyme of 
 
 the weris, 43 
 
 Gif a Man may rychtwifely hald that he has tane fra a revare, that 
 
 fet to reue him be the way. 44 
 
 Gif twa Citeis makis were ilkane on othir, quhethir thai may lefully 
 
 mak were thai clamand to hald of na fouerayne. 45 
 
 Quhethir a Man may fla his prifonare efter that he be tane and 
 
 seldit, at his awin will. 46 
 
 Gif a Man may alk ranfoun of gold and filuer at his prifonare be 
 
 law or armes. 47 
 
 Quhethir for the weris that is betuix the Kingis of Ingland and of 
 
 France, the Franehmen may leuefuUy tak the pure mennis gudis, 
 
 and mak achet of, and mak prefonaris thair perfouns. 48 
 
 Quhethir a King may lefully, be cautele and fubtiltee, ourfet or 
 
 difconfyte ane othir King. 49 
 
 Quhethir Bataill may lefully be on Haly day. 50 
 
 Quhethir gif a Man wrangis ane othir, he may lefully recouer 
 
 apon him be were his thing, gif he may reclame him in jugement. 51 
 Gif a Knycht dels in bataill in his Princis querele, quhethir his 
 
 faule be fauf, or nocht. 52 
 
 Quhethir Ryehtwife men or finnaris ar ftarkar in bataill. 53 
 
 Quhy is there fa mekle Were in this warld. 54 
 
 Gif a Prifouner be fuorne to hald prifoun, and his takar put him 
 
 atour his ath in ftark prifoun or feftnyng, gif it be lefuU to him 
 
 to efcape, and brek prefoun. 55 
 
APPENDIX. 71 
 
 Gif a Man be prefonare till ane othir, and he put him in a flark 
 
 clofe toure, in fakir fefteynyg, quhethir he be haldin to brek 
 
 prifon, and efchape. 56 
 
 Gif a Man has fauf condyt to com feurely, nocht fpekand of his 
 
 way-paffing, quhethir he may be haldyn prifonar in his pafling. 57 
 
 Gyf a Man that has fauf condudt may bring on his fauf condudl 
 
 gretare man na himfelf is. 58 
 
 Gif a Man be tane prifoner apon ane otheris fauf condyt, quhethir 
 
 he that aw the fauf condyt fuld outred him of prifoun on his 
 
 awin coft. 59 
 
 Gif a Man fuld enter agayn in prifoun, and he war rycht dredand 
 
 for to be put to dede. 60 
 
 Gif a Prince may lefuUy refufe ane othir Prince to pas his voyage 
 
 throu his centre but fcath. 61 
 
 Quhethir Kirkmen fuld pay tallies, tributis, and inpofieiouns to 
 
 Seclere kingis or princis. 62 
 
 Gif the Kirk may mak were agayne the Jowis. 63 
 
 Gif a Man may ficht for his wyf in armes. 64 
 
 How the ta Brothir may defend the tothir in armys. 65 
 
 Gif a Baron be vaffall to twa Lordis that makis weris in fyndry con- 
 
 treis, to quhilk of tham fall he mak feruice till. 66 
 
 And gif a Baron be vaffall to twa lordis the quhilkis makis were 
 
 ilkane apon othir, quham to fall he mak feruice. 67 
 
 Quhethir Bondis fuld be conftreynit to the weris. 68 
 
 Quhilk Folk may nocht be ftrengeit to mak weris, fuppofs thai be 
 
 chargit. 69 
 
 Gif a Man be hurt farely be ane othir, and he hurt him agayne, gif 
 
 he fal be punyft. 70 
 
 Gif a Man bonde makis flauchter be the bidding of his Lord, fuld 
 
 he be punyft. 71 
 
 Quhethir a Bonde may defend him again his Lord, and he war fett 
 
 to fla him. 72 
 
 Gif a Monk may defend him fra his Abbot, and he wald fett to fla 
 
 him. 73 
 
72 APPENDIX. 
 
 Gif the fone may lefuUy defend him agayn his fader, and he wald 
 
 flahim. 74 
 
 Gif a Man may lefully defend him agayn his awin juge, or nocht. 75 
 
 Gyf a Man be banyft a realm, and happin to cum in agayne be ony 
 
 cas, gif men wald fet on him, to tak him, quhethir he aucht to 
 
 defend him. 76 
 
 Gif a Prefte be aflailit wyth his inymyes berand Goddis facrit body 
 
 on him, quhethir he aw to lay doun Goddis body, and defend 
 
 him, or nocht. 77 
 
 Gif a Man may for mark be prifoner that maid neuer caus hot for 
 
 otheris. 78 
 
 How, and in quhat maner, mark fuld be tholit or gevin be the Prince. 79 
 How fuld mark be gevin aganis a Citee that allegis to na foverayne. 80 
 Gif all Lordis may graunt markis. 81 
 
 How, or be quhat refoun, may it be fteynd that the King of France 
 
 be nocht fubje6l to the Empire. 82 
 
 Quhethir gif the King of Ingland be fubjedl ony way to the Empire. 83 
 Gif a Burgefs haldand change and houfe at Parife be tane and 
 
 robbit be the way cummand to Parife-wart, quhethir he is to be 
 
 gevin power of merk to for the gude recouering. 84 
 
 Quhethir a Scolare at the fludy in Parife of Ingland borne, aw to be 
 
 prifonare. 85 
 
 Quhethir a Seruand fuld joyfe the priuilege that his maifter has lang 
 
 joifit. 86 
 
 Gvf ane Ingliffman cummys to Parife to vifyte his fone at the fcule, 
 
 beand feke, quhethir he aw to be prifoner, or nocht. 87 
 
 Gyf ane Ingliffman cummys to Parife to vifyte his brother feke at 
 
 the fcule, quhethir he aw to be prifonare, or nocht. 88 
 
 Quhethir a Studyand may lefully be haldin in prifoun for ony mark. 89 
 Quhethir a Wode man may be haldyn prefoner and ranfound in the 
 
 weris. 90 
 
 Quhethir a Wode man, efter that he be cummyn again to his wit, 
 
 may be haldyn prefoner. 91 
 
APPENDIX. 73 
 
 Quhethir a pafland aide Ancien man, be law of armes, may be haldin 
 
 prifonere. 92 
 
 Quhethir a Childe may lefully be tane and haldin prefonere be the 
 
 law of armes. 93 
 
 Quhethir a BIynd man, be law of armes, may be tane and haldin 
 
 prefonere. 94 
 
 Quhethir Ambaffadouris or Legatis cummand to the King may lede 
 
 his inymyes throu his realme with thame, or nocht. 95 
 
 Quhethir a Bifchop may be tane prefonere be a Franch man, the 
 
 Bifchop beand of Ingland. 96 
 
 Quhethir a Kirk man may be tane for mark. 97 
 
 Quhethir gif Pilleryns may be maid prefoneris be ony maner of 
 
 weris of armes. 98 
 
 Quhat thingis in tyme of were has fauf condyt be pridilege unafkit 
 
 at the Princis. 99 
 
 Quhethir, in tyme of were, the afs and the ox fuld bathe joife a 
 
 maner of priuilege. 100 
 
 Quhethir gif the varlet aw to Joyce the priuilege of the hulbandman. 101 
 Quhethir, in tyme of weris, folk may ledder caftellis and wallit 
 
 townis lefully. 102 
 
 How fuld be punyfl folk that brekis the Princis fauf condyt, or his 
 
 affurancis. 103 
 
 Quhethir a grete Lord fuld traift in a fauf condyt, or ony othir 
 
 lawar perfon. 104 
 
 Quhethir gif a Criftin King, Prince, or Emperour, may gif a fauf 
 
 condyt till ane othir King, Prince, or Emperoure Sarrasene. 105 
 
 Gif twa Lordis has made trewis togidder fuorne, quhethir gif the 
 
 tane brek trewis gif the tothir fuld rycht fa brek. 106 
 
 Quhether better be to fecht faftand before mete, or efter mete 
 
 quhen men has dronkin. 107 
 
 Quhethir bataill may be fet before Ladyes. 108 
 
 Quhethir the Queue Jonat of Naplis mycht lefully affailsie the 
 
 King Lowis de Cicile. 109 
 
 Here previs the Autour playnly how gage of bataill is reprovit be all 
 
 maner of lawis. 110 
 
 10 
 
74 APPENDIX. 
 
 Here he puttis the cafe, in the quhilk it is lefuU to geve gage of 
 
 bataill. Ill 
 And git he puttis ane othir cafe in the quhilk law of armes will thole 
 
 gage of bataill. 112 
 
 And sit ane othir cafe efter the lawis of Lumbardy. 113 
 
 And sit ane othir cafe efter the law of Lumbardy. 114 
 
 And sit ane othir cafe efter the law of Lumbardy. 115 
 
 And sit ane othir cafe efter the law of Lumbardy. 116 
 
 And sit ane othir efter the law of Lumbardy. 117 
 
 And sit ane othir efter the lawis of Lumbardy. IIS 
 
 And sit ane othir cafe efter the lawis of Lumbardy. 119 
 
 And sit ane othir cafe efter the law of Lumbardy. 120 
 
 And sit ane othir cafe efter the law of Lumbardy. 121 
 
 And sit ane othir cafe efter the law of Lumbardy. 122 
 
 And sit ane othir cafe efter the law of Lumbardy. 123 
 
 And git ane othir cafe efter the faid Lawis. 124 
 
 And sit ane othir cafe efter the law of Lumbardy. 125 
 
 And sit ane othir cafe efter the law of Lumbardy. 126 
 
 And git ane othir cafe efter the faid Lawis. 127 
 How oft tymes the bataill in liftis is nocht done be the principale 
 
 perfouns hot be otheris. 128 
 The form and maner of thair Aithis that fuld fecht in barrieris of 
 
 clofe liftis in felde. 129 
 Gif a man paffit age, may put quham him lift to campioun to ficht 
 
 in barreris for him. 130 
 Gif ane of the campiouns brekis his fuerd, quhether ane othir fuld 
 
 be gevin him agayne. 131 
 Gif the Lord may nocht knaw the firll day quha has the lyklyar, gif 
 
 thai fuld cum again on the morn, and enter in felde as before : 
 
 Quhilk of the twa campiouns fuld firft flryke. 132 
 Gif the vencufl man fuld pay the coftis, thouch the Kyng remytt 
 
 his aftioun. 133 
 Gif a man has bene vencuft of ony crime in barreris, gif he may be 
 
 accufit in jugement tharof, 134 
 
APPENDIX. 75 
 
 Quhethir gif the campiouns may fecht in playne felde, but barreris, 
 
 gif thai lykis. 135 
 
 How he fuld be punyft that has grantit his crime, and vencuft in 
 
 barreris opinly. 136 
 
 Gif a Knycht appelis ane othir, quhether gif thai may leue of, and 
 
 forthink the appele. 137 
 
 Here he fpekis of Armes and baneris in generale. 138 
 
 Here he fpekis of Armes and baneris in fpecialitee. 139 
 
 Gif a Man may [tak] otheris armes at his lyking. 140 
 
 Gif ane AUemain fyndis a Frenchman berand the famyn armes that 
 
 he beris in felde, quhethir gif he may appele him of battaill. 141 
 
 How fuld be punyfb folk that beris othir mennis armes but leue, to 
 
 do tham ony lak. 142 
 
 Here fpekis he of colouris in armes, quhilkis are the maifl noble ; 
 
 and of thair diuifiouns. 143 
 
 And firft, he fpekis of the colour that is rede. 144 
 
 And fyne he fpekis of afure that is the blewe coloure. 145 
 
 And fyne he fpekis of the quhite colouris. 146 
 
 And fyne he fpekis of the colour that is blak. 147 
 
 And fyne he fpekis of the condicioun and nature of the ordinance 
 
 of the clofing of the Barreris. 148 
 
 And sit fpekis he of the condicioun of the clofe felde, ordanyt for 
 
 fechting in barreris, as faid is. 149 
 
 And sit ane othir thrid reule of the condicioun and nature of clofe 
 
 barreris. 150 
 
 And sit fpekis he of the ferde condicioun and nature of the clofe 
 
 felde, that is callit barreris. 151 
 
 And sit the fyft doctryne gevis he of the form and maner and con- 
 dicioun of the clofe felde. 152 
 And sit the fext doctrine fpekis he of the form, maner, and condi- 
 cioun of the clofe barreris. 153 
 Here he fperis quhat condicioun fuld be in a gude Emperoure be 
 
 the nature of his hie office. 154 
 
 Quhat thingis appertenis to be in a gude Prince, King, or othir. 155 
 
76 APPENDIX. 
 
 CAPITULUM CXXXVIII, &c. 
 
 HEKE SPEKIS THE DOCTOURE OF ARMES THAT AR IN BLASONS, AND 
 OF BANERIS AND PENOUNS.* 
 
 Fol. 77. b. ^^^ ^^^ OW efter that he has determynit of Bataillis bathe in gene- 
 rale and in fpeeiale, than will he declare the Armes that all 
 Prineis and Nobles and othir Gentiliis aw to were, and of thair 
 colouris, and difcripdouns r And fyrft, Quhethir a man that is 
 nocht of thair lygnie may here leuefully thair Armes at his plefaunce ? the 
 quhilk mater is nocht lycht to declare, hot of grete difficultee for mony 
 cauffis. And firft, men fuld vnderftand that fum Armes was gevin of power 
 of autoritee of Emperouris, Kingis, and Prineis, to Lordis, and otheris 
 Barouns, or to thair predeceffouris, the quhilkis ar of aide tyme, and of 
 aide anceftrye, that nane fuld here, hot thai war cummyn of that lignie, that 
 is to fay, in the realme of the Emperoure, King, or Prince that gafe the faid 
 armes ; ffor and the King of France had gevyn a lyon of gold to here till a 
 Lord of his contree, quhat wrang dois that Lord till ane othir Lord of 
 Spaigne or of Almane, that the Emperoure or the King of Spayne had 
 gevin it till. Bot thare is othir maner of Armes, the quhilkis ilke man that 
 beris thame, tuke at thair awin plefance to mak diflPerence and knaulage 
 amang Lordis, Gentilis, and noblemen of armes, to knaw ilk ane be othir. 
 And all namys and furnamys of men was foundyn ffor the famyn caufe. 
 Or ellis all fuld haue bene in confufioun that nane fuld haue had knaulage 
 of ane othir. And this name may ilke man tak, and geue his barne at his 
 awin plefance, or the godfader, or godmoder, or frendes may geue namys 
 to thair frendis ; and rycht fa in the famyn wyfe is it of armes, that in the 
 
 * Although each chapter at the beginning is marked with a rubric, the number of 
 the chapter is not given in the Original Manuscript. The following selection will 
 be found to differ somewhat in the divisions, but it represents the whole portion of 
 the Manuscript which corresponds with the titles of chapters 138 to 153, in the 
 preceding Table ; along with the conclusion of the Work. 
 
APPENDIX. 77 
 
 begynnyng quhen the weris began, till haue fum defference amang 
 nobles, fik armes was, fum affignit be Princis and Lordis ; fum was tane 
 at the plefance of partye; fum be thair frendis confent and confale, fa 
 that men of honour and of eftate fuld be knawin be thair armes, the 
 quhilkis ar callit thair takenys in armoury. And thus in were tyme, 
 new men of armes that has nane armes of propertee, may in this wife 
 tak armes at thair lyking fyk as thame left. Bot nocht to tak nane 
 otheris Armes. 
 
 HERE SPERIS THE DOCTOUR GIF A MAN MAY TAK ANE OTHERIS ARMES 
 
 AT HIS LYKING. 
 
 , S thus a Man has tane to here in his Armes a low of gules 
 in a champ of filuer, ane othir of that ilke toune has 
 tane the famyn efter that he has it wynteris and seris. 
 Than fperis the queftioun, Quhethir the firft may gaynftand 
 this armes and plenge to the Prince, and ger this be reformyt and for- 
 borne. And firft he fais. Nay ; jffor quhy ony man may tak lefully, as before 
 faid is', ane othir mannis name, and call his barne in the famyn toun, ffor 
 it befallis oft tymes that fyndry men ar callit be a name in the famyn toun ; 
 and may do it but lak. And quhy then may thai nocht alfwele tak twa 
 ane armes, or thre, or alfmony as lykis. Bot the countre party fais agayne, 
 That it is a commoun vfe and cuflume in mannis lawe, and approuit be othir 
 lawis, that quha fa euer may firft tak wilde foule, or fyfeb, or wylde 
 befte in the wildernefs, it is his be the lawe. And than, fen this noble 
 man has firft tane fik a befte, or fik a foule, or fik a fifch, to here in his 
 fehelde and on his cote of armes, and on his banere, pannoun of armes, or 
 in blafone apon his heraulde or perfeuandis breft, or othir wayis to paynt 
 in hall or chaumer at his lyking ; Quhy fuld ony othir tak it efterwart to 
 here that war in toune or in the famyn contree, quhare it war borne ? And 
 als it war mare thair fcathe na thir proufiit, fibr it wald quhilom mere men 
 that had grete dedis ado, quhen thai wend to cum to thair awin maifter 
 in werefare, thai mychtfailse, and othir wayis in fyndry wyfe mycht erre in 
 
78 APPENDIX. 
 
 thair dedis that mycht hynder bathe the partis that nedit nocht, na is na 
 poynt of gude gouernaunce, na gude policy in dedis of armes : And as 
 langand this queftioun the Doctour makis fie a eonclufioun, That gif a gentill 
 man or lord had tane ane armes at his plefance, and borne it lang tyme 
 opynly kend in dede of armes, and in weris, or othir wayis in tyme of pes, 
 that it war kyd and knawin till him and his lignage ; Thare aw nane othir 
 in that contree to tak the famyn to bere, na the Prince na the lord of that 
 contree, fuld nocht lat tham bere it on na wife, ffor than war the prin- 
 cipale caufe of Armes- taking all forletyn; ffor the principale caufe of Armes- 
 taking is for to knawe the perfonagis of noble men in bataill, or in armes, 
 or in tournamentis, or to knawe a lord in felde be ane othir, with his men, 
 and his frendis and wele willaris fuld draw till him and knawe him be his 
 takin, and fa fuld the diuerfitee of armes mak the knaulage of the 
 diuerfitee of perfonnagis ; and gif it be hapnyt ony lorde or othir man to 
 be flayn in felde, and fa raanglit that his vifage mycht nocht be knawin, be 
 his cote of armes he fuld be knawin and brocht to Criftin berifs : And 
 alffua, that be the defference of armes euer farth quhill the warld leftis, 
 men fuld knaw be the takynnyng of thair armes, thair fepulturis quhare 
 thai ar beryit; and quha was in thai tymes maifthonourable and worthy men, 
 as oft tyme men feis apon thair fepulturis be thair frendis maid efter thaire 
 deceffe, and fum be thame felf or thai be dede ; be the quhilkis, quhen all 
 the lygnie is failit, and the furname, sit will the valliance of thame be 
 knawin be thair armes, the quhilkis in armes are callit Takenis : ffor and 
 fyndry lordis or gentilis tuke all ane armes, or takenis, it was hot a con- 
 fuffioun. And a mare grete refoun ffor be all gude cuftumes of nobleffe, 
 lordis, and gentilis, makis thair felis efter thair armes, and gif ane fuld 
 bere ane otheris armes in his fele, men fuld nocht wit quhais it war. 
 Item, all Kingis fuld kepe that na man do till othir dilhonour, fchame, na 
 villany, na injure, na new novelliteis. And it is to prefume, gif ony man 
 wald newly tak ane aide armes of ane otheris that it war for difpyte or 
 injure to defpife him to prouoke noife and debatis for aide fede orenuy, 
 the quhilk the Prince fuld ftanch. And as to the argument, it is na thing 
 lyke till a man to be callit lyke till ane othir or fyndry in a town ; For 
 
APPENDIX. 79 
 
 quhy ? For fik caufe men has gert geve ilke man his furname that makis 
 the difference. Bot and mony men bare ane armes, how fuld ony man, 
 Haralde, or othir, knaw men, na geve the honoure of gude dede till him 
 that had honourabily deferuit it, or to geve lak and diftionour till cowar- 
 dis or flearis fra bataillis : And tharefore, in all fik debatis, the Prince 
 fuld ger fett remede. And gif ony complaynt war, fe, be Harraldis and 
 men of knawlage, quha had rycht, quha wrang, and do juftice. 
 
 HERE SPERIS THE DOCTOURE GIF A FRANCH KNYCHT SAW A DUCHEMAN OF 
 ALMANE BERAND HIS ARMES BUT DIFFERENCE, AND HE APPELLIT HIM 
 OF WERE TO FECHT WITH HIM, OR FORBERE THE ARMES ; QUHETHIR 
 AW HE TO BE ADMYTTIT, BE PRINCE, OR NOCHT TO FEICHT IN BARRIERIS 
 WITH HIM. 
 
 S gif a Knycht of Almane wald cum to fee nobleffe in France, 
 as tournamentis or othir waflelage, and that he fand a Knycht 
 in France at the tournayment, that bare the famyn armes 
 that he beris : And thus he maid queflioun buftoufly, fayand. 
 He traiflit he wrangit him and his lignie to here thai armes, fperand, be 
 quhat title of rycht he bare thame ? The Knycht of France anfuerd, fayand. 
 That he traiflit that he mycht here lefully the takyn of armes that his 
 fader, and forefader, and all his anceflris had of fa lang tyme borne, that 
 thare was na memorye in the contrarye. The Duche Knycht replyis 
 agayn, fayand, Gude Sir, fuppofe your fader and anceflris haue borne 
 thame fik a tyme, my kyn and anceflris ar of eldare begynnyng na souris, 
 and als ar mare noble of lignie ; quharefore, fen ge and gouris has tane 
 thame efter us, and se ar nocht of fa grete noblefTe of aide anceftry, me 
 think se fuld deferr till us, and nocht we to 50W : Quharefore, I fay ge 
 here thame euill and wrangwifly, and that I fall preue with my perfone. 
 And with that the Franchman fais. That he dois him na wrang that beris the 
 armes that his anceflres has of fa lang tyme borne, and that he denyis his 
 wrang, and that fall he defende. Than is this the queflion, Quhethir the 
 King aw to geve leve to thir twa Knychtis to feicht, or nocht ? And as to 
 the firfl vifage, it femys thai fuld be tholit, be the refouns that the Duche 
 
80 APPENDIX. 
 
 Knycht allegis. Bot the Doctouris accordis nocht to that opynion, ffor as 
 we have before faid, thai ar nocht of a realme, na of a Prince haldand, 
 quharfor the Naciouns makis the defference fufficiand, fa that it war nocht 
 done for defpyte, na othir barate ; ffor gif a trauailand Knycht of France 
 had tane fik armes, and he war a wikkit man, of lyf a tyran, and unhonour- 
 able, that mycht defame the armes in ferre contreis, the Duche Knycht 
 mycht haue fum coloure and refoun tharefor, gif the Franch Knycht paft 
 in Burgone, or Barry, or Lorane, and brynt and flewe, and reft and forfit 
 women, and had renoun to be a wikkit man of lyf, and men wift nocht 
 his furname, na of quhat contree he war, and the tothir Knychtis armes 
 war kend our all thai countreis, and fum men mycht traift that it war he ; 
 and in this cas, the Duche Knycht had refoun to alk him to be depriuit 
 of his armes at the King of France, and the King to grant it him, gif the 
 faid Duche Knycht and his lignie war approuit men of honour, and thare- 
 apon grant him leue of bataill in liflis, as faid is, gif him lykis for the 
 caufe, efter the cuflumes may be tholit. 
 
 HERE SPERIS THE DOCTOURE HOW THAI SULD BE PUNYST THAT BERIS 
 OTHERIS ARMES WRANGWISELY, IN ENTENCIOUN TO DO MYS VNDER 
 SCOUG OF THAME COUERTLY. 
 
 S gif a Souldiour of fymple ftate tuke the armes of a Knycht 
 Noble of France that war of gude renoune, bathe in 
 honour of armes, and othir wayes of aide ancienetee, and 
 that Knycht of Ducheland had tane thai armes newly, in 
 entent to be mare prefit and honourit, and to be hyar auanfit, and tak 
 mare wagis, in faith I traift that the King, at the perfuyt and requeft of 
 partye, the King aw to punyfe him be law of Armes. As in the lyke 
 maner, gif a maifter armoureur of Parife, that had renoun to be the beft 
 of that craft, that war in France, and in his werkis had a takvn that his 
 werkis were knawin by, and ane othir of Troyes in Champaigne tuke that 
 ilke takyn, fa that for the renoun of the Parifien, his werkis fuld be the 
 better fauld ; and rycht fa of coultellin, or ony othir craft, or of no- 
 tairis, gif ane dois falfet vnder the failign of ane othir, I fay, all fik men 
 
APPENDIX. 81 
 
 fuld be well and cruelly punyft be juftice ; and gif the contrary war 
 tholit, it war grete damage to the realme. 
 
 HERE SPERIS THE DOCTOUR QUHAT ARMES AR MAIST NOBLE BE THE 
 COLOUHIS, AND QUHAT CGLOURIS AR MAIST NOBLE IN ARMES. 
 
 lOT be caufe the Princis and Lordis beris Armes of mare 
 nobleffe na otheris ; and that the Do6touris has fpokyn in 
 othir tymes, and othir placis, of Princis armes, and of thair 
 baneris, quharefore I will nocht here mak queflioun, na dout 
 the quhilk armes are the maift noblez and the maift rychez ; ffbr quhy, 
 that alwayis comparifoun is odious.* Bot it plefis me to fpeke fum thing 
 of Colouris of Armes, and of thair defcripciouns. And as the Dodlour fais, 
 that fum of thame is mare noble na otheris, for the reprefentatioun that 
 thai mak be thair propre nature, and be this caufe, we fay, that colour of 
 Gold is the maift noble colour that is in this warld here ; and the refoun 
 quhy is, ffor be the nature of gold, it is clere and fchynand, rich, vertuoufe, 
 and confortand; ffor oure Maifteris, Do6touris, andMedicinaris, and Philofo- 
 phouris, gevis the gold in fyndry wife in medicyne to folk that ar debilitez 
 in thair nature, that thai can get nane othir remede for fouerane remede ; 
 and is lyknyt be his condicioun and nature to the Sonne, the quhilk is the 
 maift noble planet that euer God maid, and beris lycht till all the warld, 
 and encrefcement and confourt till all naturale creaturis. And the lawis 
 fais, that of all things that God maid, the claritee and Hcht is the maift 
 noble ; and, tharefore, the Haly Wrytt fais, that the fandbis in hevyn fchynis 
 as the fonne ; and alffua oure Souerane Lord, quhen he tranffigurit him 
 before his Apoftlis, his vifage apperit to thame as the fonne in fomeris day 
 brycht : And becaufe the Gold is comperit to the Sonne, as the propre 
 effedl of the fonne, the quhilk is king and lord of all planetis, and alffua is 
 figurit be Haly Wrytt be the vifage of our Lord ; and be that caufe the 
 ancien Princis, in aid lawis of armes, ordanyt that na noble man fuld here 
 
 * In the original, " Oar toutes comparaisons sont haynneuses." 
 
 11 
 
82 APPENDIX. 
 
 gold in his armes, hot Princis, Kingis, and Emperouris, for the noblefs of 
 him : And thus conclude we, that the maift noble coloure is Gold. And 
 fuppofe fum ignorant men wald fay, gold is metalle, and na coloure, that 
 makis nocht ; ffor largely to tak colouris, be all oure Maifteris and Philofo- 
 phouris, all metallis, all low and lychtnes, that lemys and gevis fycht to 
 the eyne, is of the nature of colouris. 
 
 The Secound coloure that is in Armoury, is callit be thir maifteris Purpre ; 
 the quhilk he callis here Rede colour ; the quhilk reprefentis the lowe of 
 Fyre, the quhilk is the maift clere, and lycht efter the fonne, and the maift 
 noble of all the elementis ; the quhilk colour fuld nane in armes were, hot 
 anerly Kingis or Princis, be the aide cuftumes of Princis and Faderis of 
 Armes, of aide tymes. 
 
 The Thrid colour is Afure ; the quhilk, be his figure and coloure, repre- 
 fentis the Ayer, the quhilk is next the fyre, the maift noble element ; ffor 
 it is in itfelf lignie and futile, and penetratyf, reflauand the lycht throu it, 
 and hable till raflaue all influences of the planetis and of the hevynly con- 
 ftellaciouns of nature, throw the quhilkis all this Erde is gouernyt, and all 
 Nature : and fum callis the coloure Agure, hafand the colour of the firma- 
 ment, fayand, that Afure is a hevynly colour, it makis not : ffor thare is 
 hot lytill betuene, nocht than the lift is nocht colourit. 
 
 Ane othir coloure is the Quhyte coloure, the quhilk next the Afure is the 
 maift noble coloure that was countit in Armoury in ancien cronikis, be- 
 caufe that it is maift nere the nature of lycht and claritee ; and for the 
 clerenefs of it, it is fignyfyit to the vertu of puritee, of cleneffe, and inno- 
 cence, and fympilnefs : And as to that the Haly Scripture fais, that the cle- 
 thingis of Jhefu Crift apperit ay to thame of quhite colour as fnaw ; and 
 this coloure of quhite reprefentis the Water, the quhilk efter the Aire is 
 the maift noble element. 
 
 Ane othir colour is in- Armoury that callit is Blak ; the quhilk reprefentis 
 
APPENDIX. 83 
 
 the Erde, and be it is fignyfyit dolour, ffor it is ferreft fra lichtnefs and 
 claritee that betakenis blythnes, and cummys nereft to myrkneffe ; and 
 tharefore, quhen ony peple or folk will mak dule for ony of thair frendis 
 dede, or in ony bataill tynt, or othir grete mifauenture, men makis thair 
 dule in that clething ; fFor it is the laweft of degree of all the four elementis, 
 and is fignifyit be it humilitee. And for that caufe, in takenyng of 
 humilitee, the religioufe men ar cled in blak wede, commonly to fchawe 
 mekenes in hert, and put away all luft of vanitee, and vane glore warldly. 
 
 PRIMA EEGULA BELLI CLAUSTRALIS. 
 
 HERE SCHAWIS THE DOCTOUR CERTANE THINGIS AND DOCUMENTIS 
 TOtrCHAND CLOSE BATAILL, THAT WE CALL BATAILL IN LISTIS. 
 
 ND firft, be caufe that clofe bataill is rycht periloufe and 
 myfty to be jugit be ignorant men, that ar nocht inftru6l in 
 the lawis, myn advys is, that thare fuld na Prince, na Lord, 
 hald felde of bataille in Liftis, hot gif he had gude wife 
 counfale of wele vnderftandand men of lawe ; that is for to fay, of Doftouris 
 in Canoun and Ciuile, to geve him gude counfale : ffor commounly the 
 cafis ar fa fubtile to juge, that Seclere men for couatife and auarice of 
 warldis wyn, gevis oft tyme counfale to Prineis that foundis mare to the 
 defyre of wynnyng of warldis gude, na it dois to refone or to rychtwife 
 querele ; and als thai wate quhat cafis ar in the lawis condampnyt vtterly, 
 and reprouit, and quhat cafis ar tholit and permyfit at the plefance of 
 Prineis ; and wate alflua, quhat cafis ar priuilegit in the law quhilk nocht ; 
 and the lawis fais. That Aduocatis ar procuratouris of mannis lignage. 
 And ane othir refoun quhy I haue fett this reugle is, ffor commonly the 
 Clerkis ar mare fad of counfale, and mare caulde of complexion, and mare 
 temperit in thair enrage, and ferrar can fe in the ground of a mater na 
 Secleris ; ffor Seclaris ar hate of blude, and in ire, and oft tymes thai geve 
 thair counfale and jugement again refoun, with the wrang outhir for fede or 
 
84 APPENDIX. 
 
 frendfchip, luferent, or haterent, or for mede, or for ire, or breth, or othir 
 fingulare appetite,for honour or richefs, or lordfchip or reddoure or otheris. 
 And erar ar inclynyt to mak were, na trety and concorde ; and to ger bataill 
 in barrieris be, na to floke it, and appefe it ; ffor ire lettis the mannis mynde 
 to juge and determe veritee. 
 
 SEOUNDA REGULA BELLI OLAUSTRALIS. 
 
 HERE DECLARIS THE DOCTOUR ANE OTHIR REUGLE AND DOCTRYNE APON 
 THE GOUERNAUNCE OP CLOSE BATAILL. 
 
 >HAT nocht gaynftandand that be malice or hete, woodnes, 
 ramage, or pride orguilloufe, or be inclinacioun, auaricius 
 appellacioun of bataill be maid, and the party reffauis the 
 gage of bataill, the Prince fuld be wife in his audience geving, 
 and of gude tholemudenes, to fuetely here the caufe that the Appelloure 
 chalangis the appelland of; and wele copy and vnderftand all the mater 
 before, or he geve his confent, and gif the caufe movis of dett or of fede, 
 or of ony othir fingular caufe he fuld call counfale, and inquere how and 
 quhare, and in quhat place, and for quhat caufe, and of quhat tyme, and 
 all the circumftancis, and gif the Prince may be ony way get knawlage of 
 other pruf or witnes, or othir pruf be inftrument or obligacioun, or to draw 
 out of the party be inquificioun or confeffioun, and othir maner of prufis. 
 And gif the Prince may perfaue be ony way that ony knaulage may be 
 gottyn be ony way of the warld, the Prince fuld nocht thole paffe bataill. 
 Or fuppofe na witnes war, hot anerly that the party allegit witnes, sit fuld 
 he affigne day till produce thai prufis before the juftice ordinare ; ffor quhen 
 pruf is offerit, or allegit, all wage of bataill is flokit, be all lawis of canon 
 and of ciuile. 
 
 To the Thrid reugle and doftrine of battaill in Liflis is this : That the 
 Prince in na cafe fuld juge bataill to be, hot quhare thare is na prufis 
 allegit na producit, and that is law commoun and reafonnable cuftum ; 
 
APPENDIX. 85 
 
 bot he fall fuere, be his faith, that his caufe can nocht be prufit in na way 
 hot be his perfoun. 
 
 The Ferde do6lrine teching and reugle of bataill in barrieris is : That a 
 Prince fuld haue gude counfale to ger propone before him the maner of 
 the appellacioun, and the caufe and occafiouns that the Appellour allegis 
 in his appellacioun, and gif him thinkis refonnable the caufe of the appel- 
 lacioun, he fuld admytt thame to the bataill ; and gif thai war nocht 
 refonnable, flote it out, and gene na confent tharetill, na tholaunce ; ffor 
 gif fulis, throu thair foly, be fa daft that thai wage bataill for lytill, evyn 
 as to fay, Quhethir growis better wynnis in Burgoyne or in Gafcoyne ? or, 
 Quhethir is thare fairar ladyes in Florence or in Barfalongne ? or, In quhat 
 countree is thare beft men of armes, in France or in Lombardy ? And 
 the ta-part caft gage of bataill on the tothir, apon thir grete weris of lawe ; 
 or to fay, his hors runnys faftar na his ; or. That his hors is better na his, or 
 fyk lyke thing ; or, That he lufis his lady better na he dois ; or. That he 
 dancis or fyngis better na he dois, or for fyk maner of tromperys ; a 
 Prince fuld nocht juge na thole bataill to be, bot he fuld, before the peple, 
 in prefence of his counfall, punyfe fyk trompouris, that otheris tuke en- 
 fample thareby in tyme to cum, to gage bataill for fik fule caufis. 
 
 The Fyft doctrine is : That for na wordis of hete, and fudane ire of ehaude 
 cole or of ehaude mellencoly, na injurioufe langage, thare fuld na Prince 
 thole na confent gage of bataill in liflis to pas ; for wordis may be faid for 
 hete, or for brethe, or for gude wyne, or othir wayis in Hchtnes, that fone 
 efter he may repent : bot and the wordis be injurious and diflionourable, 
 crimynoufs or defamatouris, and he perfeuere in his outrageous langage, 
 and lykis nocht till amend ; bot ftand in his purpos efter that the ire 
 falbe paft, ellis the Prince fuld nocht juge bataill to be : ffor gif he dois, 
 he jugis again the Lawis writtin opynly. 
 
 The Sext doctrine is : That becaufe thare is fum men fa hichty hautayn 
 and orguillous and full of furquedry, that thai haue na traift, na fyaunce in 
 
86 APPENDIX. 
 
 God na his Sanctis, bot in thair awin propre pyth and vertu of corps and 
 ftrenth of membris ; na has na will ; na thocht on God to mend thair 
 myfdedis ; na to tak counfale at gude men of lyf and deuocion ; na to 
 mak gude ordynaunce for thame felf, fuppofe the Prince fuld the bataill to 
 be tholit to be done to the vttereft : And tharfore the King fuld affigne cer- 
 tane day of bataill and houre to the Appelloure, and he fuld ger fchaw him 
 the grete perile in the quhilk he puttis him in baith of body and of faule, and 
 monyfe him, and exhort him on Goddis behalf, that all before that euer he 
 fchape him for horfe, harnais, na othir prouifion for the bataill, that firft he 
 fchape him to fe for a gude Confeffour, that be a gude wife clerke, wele 
 letterit and wele inftruct in the faith, and of gude counfale and confcience, 
 that he may difcharge his confcience to, and fchrive him wele, and put his 
 faule firft in gude eftate, and his gudein ordinance, as he wald mak his 
 teftament to ga to dede, and as wyfe man aw to do : Quhilk gif he dois nocht, 
 the King fuld fay him, " That fen he traiftit nocht in Goddis help, he fuld 
 nocht traift that he war a gude Criftyn man, and that he fuld haue the 
 leffe fauour of him ;" and than fuld he ordane him a term within quhilk he 
 fuld put him in gude eftate of the faule to Godwart, and fyne fpere, how 
 thai had done at thair Confeflbure, and fa fuld he do to the tothir : And this 
 is a takyn that a Prince is wyfe, and lufis wele God, that begynnis at him 
 to difpone all his gouernance and dedis. 
 
 Fol. 81. b. HERE SPEEIS THE DOCTOURE QUHAT THINGIS EFFERIS TILL ALL GUDE 
 
 PRINCE TO DO, AND QUHAT SULD BE IN THAME. 
 
 , S now fen he hes fum part declarit quhat properteis fuld be 
 
 in ane Emperoure, now will he declare quhat properteis a 
 
 gude King fuld haue in him : that is the maift bye dignitie 
 
 efter the Emperoure. And sit will oure maifteris faye that 
 
 the name of King is mare na the name of Emperoure be excellence ; 
 
 ffor oure Lord Jhefu Crift in this erde here callit him nocht Emperoure, 
 
 bot tholit to be callit King of Kingis and Lord of Lordis, as our Haly 
 
APPENDIX. 87 
 
 Writt beris witness. And alffua he was callit a Kingis Sone : ffor he is 
 callit in Haly Writt the Sone of David King ; and that fais Clerkis that 
 he is of Kingis be the grettar excellence of lynage. And sit alffua San6l 
 Peter menyt to his teching, that the name of King was mare excellent na 
 the name of Emperoure, quhen he faid till his difciples, That thai fuld be 
 fubgettis till all creature humayne for the honoure of God sour King, and 
 fpecially till all Kingis for the honoure of him, as to the hieft degree 
 and maift excellent. And this approues the Pape Gelafius, &e. 
 
 And trewly I fay, and he kepe wele thir termes, he is a worthy Prince, Fol. 83. b. 
 and worthy to be a King, and till haue fuperioritee and foueranitee, and 
 vi6tory of his fais. And tharefor the Do6lour fettis here certane poyntis 
 of dodlrine touchand a gong Prince, in Ryme, quhilkis fpekis thus : A 
 King that will be ane worthy werryoure, he fulde be wifs, faire, and cura- 
 geous : And that he be Lord of his fubjedlis, asto the Quaile the Sperehauk ; 
 and that he be mifericorde and rigoroufs in juftice, as cafe requeris ; and 
 that gif he will be wele fortunyt in armes, be ay firft. 
 
 Item, a Prince or a King fuld nocht oure liehtly trow all talis na fudayn Fol. 84. b. 
 tydingis ; ffor mony learis oft tymes flechis lordis with falfe talis, and fettis 
 thame in wrang and euill purpofe. And that is oure grete perile in princis 
 and grete lordis, to geue fudane credence till ony mannis tale, quhill he 
 war wele informyt of the futhfaftnes : And he fuld be wele and ryply avifit, 
 or that he write to the Pape ony materis, or till ony flrange Princis, for ony 
 lycht mennis counfailis, or ony fmall wrechit mannis. And quhen he 
 wrytis, his writtis fuld be wele and ftatelyke deuifit, and dytit be wife Clerkis, 
 and men of counfale, and expert in the lawis and purpofe lyke, and fyne 
 be notable gude wrytaris as efFeris ; bathe to the ryaltee of him that fendis 
 the writtis, and of him that thai wryttis ar fend to ; and fuld wele auife for 
 
88 APPENDIX. 
 
 quham he wrytis, that thai be worthy perfouns, and alffua for quhat thing 
 he wrytis ; that it be nocht a wrechit thing that he wrytis for ; and als 
 that his peticioun be bathe rychtwife and honourable ; ffor quhen Princis 
 prayis for vnworthy perfouns, God is offendit and difplefit thareat. And 
 fyne the Pape or Princis that he wryttis till, will hald him for ane vnwife 
 Prince that the lettres fend for fik a perfone, and will nocht fa gladly grant 
 him his alking in tyme to cum. And thus fall the renoun of a Prince pas 
 oure all the Crillyndome, and gene him lofe and honour that excedis all 
 warldis richefs, throu the quhilk he fal be prifit and redoubtit bathe with 
 fais and frendis, and haldin for wife Prince ; and fyne fall he be lufit of 
 God, and wyn throu that the joy of Paradife. 
 
 And sit mare, fuld a King be temperit and meffurit in his conuerfa- 
 cioun, and repair amang folk, in placis public, our oft tymes ; ffor ony thing 
 that Commouns feis oure oft thai prife all the leffe. And quhen it is feldyn 
 fene it gevis folk in mare grete defyre to fe it agayne ay mare and mare ; 
 and for this caufe the grete Souldane of Babilone cummys hot thrife in 
 the sere in publik audience furthwart, and than quhen he cummys furth- 
 wart, on thre fefluale dayes, he cummys rydand with fik a ftate and 
 folempnitee that all the peple defyris and preifes the mare to fe him, na 
 he rade euery day, or euery wolk or moneth ; hot gif it be quhen that 
 he rydis in werefare, and than all his peple and cheualrye may fe him. 
 
 And fuppofe I mycht sit compile and gader togedir mony Vertues 
 and properteis that fuld be in a Prince, and als mony thingis of Myf- 
 gouemaunce that he fuld efchew: Bot in gude faith the Do(Slour fais, 
 that he was fa irkit of wry ting, that he mycht nocht as now na mare 
 tak on hand as to put in this Buke of Bataillis ; bot and God geve 
 him lyve dayes, he fais, in his conclufioun of his Buke, he fall compile 
 a Trety of propereteis of Gude Condiciouns bathe of Temparale men and of 
 men of Kirk, that fall be gude and prouffitable for all men, that on lukis 
 bathe langand the gouernaunce of thair office and digniteis, as may be 
 compylit be the foundement of Haly Writt, and efter the Lawis writtyn. 
 Bot here he prayis to God mekely that he fend grace and gude gouer- 
 
APPENDIX. 89 
 
 naunce to the Prince that he has compilit this wrytt for, and maid this 
 Buke till, that is to fay King Philip* of Fraunce, and geue him grace fa to 
 reule his realme, and his ryall mageftee and eftate, that God be payit 
 of hun, and bring him till his euerleftand joye of Paradife at his ending, 
 and all his frendis and wele willaris. In nomine Pateis, et Filii, et 
 Spiritus Sancti. Amen. 
 
 Explicit Liber Bellorum, fed potius Dolorum, ut refcitat Doctor 
 inpluribus, etc. 
 
 No. II. 
 
 HERE BEFORE ENDIS THE BUEE OP BATAILLES, AND HERE EPTER BEGYNNYS 
 
 Clie ^ufee of tt)e iSrtiere of 
 
 [This portion op the Manuscript, prom fol. 85, to fol. 103, is contained 
 
 IN the present volume.] 
 
 * [It will be observed, that in the Prologue or dedication, at page 64, this "Buke" 
 was addressed by the Author to Charles the Sixth, Bang of France.] 
 
 12 
 
No. III. 
 
 Fol. 103. b. HERE ENDIS THE BUKE OP THE ORDRB OF KNYOHTHEDE; AND 
 
 BEGYNNIS THE BUKE CALLIT 
 
 Cfje iiufee of tl)t 6omxnmntt of 
 JSrmtfe, €tr. 
 
 HERE BEGYNNYS THE TABLE OF THE BUKE OP THE GOUEBNAUNCE OP 
 
 PEINCIS. 
 
 AND firfl of the Prolog of the firft fyndyng, and interpretacioun of the 
 faid Buke out of diuerfe langagis, etc. 
 
 Item, Of the firft Piftle fend fra Alexander till Areftotil to alk him 
 counfale of the Gouemanuee of Perfe new conqueft ; and of the form of 
 the Epiftle, and of his Anfuere. 
 
 Item, Of ane othir of the Anfueris of Ariftotle till Alexander ; and the 
 forme of the Epiftle fend fra Ariftotle of his opynion. 
 
 The Firft chapiter is, How thare is four maneris of Kingis. 1 
 
 How auarice and fule largefs fuld be efchewit in a King. 2 
 
 How Princis and Kingis fuld fett them for gude renoun here. 3 
 
 How thai fuld efchew all outrageous camall luftis and appetitis. 4 
 
 Quhat kynde of fapience efferis to Kingis, Princis, and grete Lordis. 5 
 
 Quhatkyn habyt anournement and clething thai fuld haue. 6 
 
 How Kingis and Princis fuld punyfe myfdoaris, and honour gude men. 7 
 
 How thai fuld haue in thame juftice and equitee with merci. 8 
 
APPENDIX. 91 
 
 Quhatkyn plefance, deduytis, and recreaciouns Princis fuld tak. 9 
 
 How punycioun fuld be maid efter the cafe and Hate of perfons. 10 
 
 How Princis may be lyknyt to the dew of the hevyn. 11 
 
 How Kingis and Princis are of the famyn nature with fymple men. 12 
 How thai fuld delyte thame in bukis of ftories of Vertues and Vicis, 
 
 and of othir honourable dedis of aide Anceflry, and of wifedome. 13 
 
 How thai fulde kepe gude faith and lautee till all Mankynde euer. 14 
 
 How Princis fuld found fcolis and ftudyes of fciences in thair contreis. 15 
 How thai fuld nocht gouerne thame be women, na trow thair coun- 
 
 fale. 16 
 
 How thai fuld nocht traift anerly in a medicine, but ma. 17 
 How Princes fuld gouerne thame be a wyfe Clerk, expert in af- 
 
 tronomy. 18 
 Off the fcience of aflronomy, and of the divifioun of it. 19 
 How Princis fuld atoure all thing tak kepe to thair hele. 20 
 How and in quhat maner thai fuld gouerne thair hele keping. 21 
 Here declaris the Philofophour certane documentis of medicyne. 22 
 Here declaris the Philofophour certane fecrete documentis of medi- 
 cyne. 23 
 Here declaris he the four rathis of the gere, and firft of Ver. 24 
 And firft of the kynde of the fefoun of Somer. 25 
 And fyne of the third fefoun that is callit Hervift, 26 
 And fyne of the nature of the Wynter. 27 
 Quhat thingis fattis or lenys men maift. 28 
 Here declaris the Philofophour ane othir poynt of medicyne. 29 
 Quhat kyndis of metis ar heft for man. 30 
 Off fyndry kyndis of wateris, and thair naturis. 31 
 Off fyndry kyndis of wynis, and thair naturis. 32 
 Off bathis and ftuphis [ftoves], and thair gouernaunce and proffittis. 33 
 Quhat juftice efferis till a Prince or a King. 34 
 How a Prince or a King fuld ken himfelf. 35 
 How Kingis and Princis fuld gouerne be grete counfale. 36 
 How the Man is maid of the four dementis. 37 
 
92 APPENDIX. 
 
 How Princis fuld haue difcrete Secretaris. 38 
 
 How thai fuld have difcrete and traifl meflageris. 39 
 
 How the Prince and the Peple are comperit till a gardyn. 40 
 
 EXPLICIT TABULA DE REGIMINE PRINCIPUM. 
 
 HERE BEGYNNIS THE BUKE CALLIT THE BUKE OF THE GOUEENANCE OF 
 PRINCIS, THAT IS CALLIT THE SECRETE OF SECKETIS, MAID BE ARIS- 
 TOTYLL TILL ALEXANDER THE GRAND : AND FIRST THE PROLOUG AS IT 
 IS CONTENYT IN THE FRANCH BUKE. 
 
 PROLOGUS. 
 
 l^^jT^^i ERE declaris the Autour of this Buke that a clerk, callit Fair 
 1 T I J-^ Patrix, wyfe in all langagis fand in Grece, kepit within a 
 I "7-* h ,1 temple, callit the Temple of the Sonne, (the quhilk the noble 
 '^Sssx^ philofophour Efculapius had gert raak, ) this Buke of the Secre- 
 tis of Ariflotle in language of Grew ; the quhilk he tranflatit out of 
 Grew in the langage of Caldee, the quhilk was quhilom the langage of 
 grete Babyloyne, and now is the langage of grete Inde ; and fyne, at re- 
 queft of the King of Araby, he tranflatit it off the langage of Caldee in 
 his langage of Arrabyk. And fyne, efter that mony a gere, ane othir grete 
 clerk, callit Philippus, tranflatit it out of Arabyk in lang Latyne, and fend 
 it till ane reuerend Fader in Crifb, and wyfe prelate, noble and honourable 
 Sir Guy de Valance, Bifchop of Tryploun : And as beris witnefs be thair 
 aide ancien fl;ories, the worthy and noble Philofophouris in thay tymes, that 
 als lang as Alexander le Grant had with him Ariftotil the wyfe clerk, he 
 paflit throuch and vencufl; all realmes, and all his inymyes, throu the mekle 
 prudence and wifedome of that noble Phflofophour and throu his coun- 
 fale. And quhen he mycht no mare trauaile with him, he fend him ay 
 betuene Lettres and Epifl;lis, how he fuld gouerne him in all his dedis and 
 grete materis. And at the laft, quhen he faw he mycht nocht for elde 
 langfumely be nature lefl;, he compilit this Buke to be a reugle of Gouer*- 
 
APPENDIX. 93 
 
 naunce till him euer mare quhill he lyvit, and fend it till him with grate 
 
 regrate and lamentacioun, that he mycht no mare be with him, fa mekle he 
 
 lufit him, for caufe he was his Maifter and his techour euer fra his begyn- 
 
 nyng of barnehede till that tyme, and with him in his conqueftis. And 
 
 fyne was this ilke Bute tranflatit out of Latine in the langage of Romaine, 
 
 noeht all hallely bot alfmekle as thame thocht nedefull and fpedefuU to 
 
 the Gouernance of Princis. And tharfore the noble Philofophour faid in 
 
 his counfale geving till Alexander, that it was nocht fpedefuU that this 
 
 Buke war till all men publift, bot anerly to the fecrete counfale of Princis, 
 
 and of grete Lordis, and nocht to Commouns ; and to rede it oft tymes 
 
 before thame, to tak, as myrour fchawis the faultis and the futhfaftnes, en- 
 
 fample, and do6brine of gude lyfing, and formable as eflFeris to thair honour 
 
 and proufEt, and of thair fubjedlis. For it is nocht fpedefuU that popularis 
 
 wit the fecrete of Princis, na Lordis gouernance, na the reuglis of thair 
 
 Ordre ; and thairfor is the Buke callit The Secrete of Secretis of 
 
 Aristotil, ordanyt for document and teching of Gouernance of Princis. 
 
 HERE DECLARIS HE HOW ARISTOTLE RESSAUIT A PISTLE SENT FRA ALEX- 
 ANDER tUl him in his grete age, to alk counfale, quhen he had 
 conqueft Perfe, Quhethir he fuld deftroy and fla aU the folk of that 
 land, and peple it with others ? becaufe that thay war periloufe to 
 gouerne, and fubtile, and full of mychti malieioufe engyne of con- 
 queft, for the quhilk he dred thair fubtUe malice. 
 
 FORMA EPISTOLE ALEXANDRl REGIS MAGNI AD ARISTOTILEM. 
 
 JLL ane maift noble and worthy Lord of Juftice, I fignify to 
 thy prudence, that I haue foundyn in the land of Perfe a 
 kynde of folk rycht haboundand in richefs, and of lytiU vnder- 
 ftanding, fettand thair ftudy to mak conqueftis of realmes, 
 and defyrand till haue lordfchip atour othir men ; ffor the quhilk caufe, that 
 we can nocht fynd to be feker of thame, we haue tane to purpofe to put 
 thame all to dede ; bot bydand to haue thy counfale thareto, be wrytt in 
 lettres ; the quhilk counfale we wUl kepe and fulfiU at the vtteraft. 
 
94 APPENDIX. 
 
 HERE FOLLOWIS THE ANSUERE OF ARISTOTIL TILL ALEXANDER IN EPISTIL. 
 
 , LEXANDER, gif thou may change the nature of the erde, 
 the water, and the aire of that regioun, and the difpoficioun of 
 the citeis of the landis of Perfe, than counfale I that thou do 
 thy will hardily ; and gif thou may nocht do as forefaid is, 
 fla thame nocht, hot gouerne thame in aU gudelynes, with clemence, 
 benignitee, and fuetenefs, put honour to thaim, and gracioufly demayne 
 thame in gracioufe juflice and equitee ; the quhilk gif thou dois, I traift, 
 that with the grace of God, that thai fal be gude fubjefilis to the, and fall 
 gouerne thame at thy plefaunce and commandement : ffor than for the 
 lufe that thai fall haue to the for thy noblefs, thou fall haue the dominacioun 
 apon thame with peis and tranquilitie. 
 
 The quhilkis lettres the Prince reflauit with benignitee, and fulfillit his 
 counfale vtterly ; throu the quhilkis thingis the peple of Perfe gafe fik a 
 luferent till Alexander, that thai lufit him better, and was mare obeyfand 
 till him, na ony othir pepele of ony of his othir conqueftis. 
 
 HERE FOLLOWIS A PISTLE SEND FRA ARISTOTIL TILL ALEXANDER 
 
 excufand him for fore elde and waykenes he mycht na mare byde 
 with him na hald the court ; and tharfore he fend him a Regement 
 in wrytt, how and in quhat maner he fuld gouerne him ay furth ; 
 the quhilk begynnis in this maner as efter folowis : — 
 
 Alexander, faire Sone, glorioufs Emperour, the Souerane precioufs 
 God Almychty mot confirme the, and fend the knaulege to fauour the 
 wayis of vertu, and of veritee, and that he wald refreyne in the all 
 beftiale appetitis, and that he wald illumyn thyne engyne, and con- 
 ferme thy fpirit of thy gouemaunce tiU his honour and fervice, honourably 
 to be reffauit as efferis. And I have vnderilandin, how thou defyris that 
 I war with the ; and that thou fais thou art amaruailit that I may abftene 
 fra thy prefence ; thinkand that I am not fa befy and diligent of thy 
 
APPENDIX. . 95 
 
 gouernaunce as I was wont to be : And be this caufe I haue vndertane to 
 make litil Reugles callit Cannonet, that is to fay, A lytil buke, the quhilk 
 falbe as a balaunce in the quhilk thou fall payfs all thy werkis in ; and to 
 be a fupplee to the in my abfence, rycht as I war prefent : &c. 
 
 XL.— CAPITULUM. 
 
 HERE DECLARIS THE NOBLE PHILOSOPHOUR HOW THAT THE SUBJECTIS OF Fol. 129. 
 PRINCIS THAT AR THE VPHALD OF THE WARLDE, AR COMPERIT TILL A 
 FAIRE GARDYN, OR TILL A LORDIS TRESOURE, AND THAT THAI SULD BE 
 KEPIT AS TRESOURE. 
 
 , LEXANDER, faire Sone, sit will I that thow witt, that thy 
 fubjedlis fuld be kepit as thy trefouris, ffor thai ar thy 
 trefoure. For thai may be comperit till a Lord that has 
 a faire and gude gardyn quhare thare is grete quantitee 
 of fruyte treis, herbis, and othir grefis, richefs, and nedefuU till mannis be- 
 hufe, the quhilkis serely and contynualy beris grete plentee of fruytis for 
 mannis fuftenaunce quhen thai ar well grathit, fcroubbit, and demaynit, and 
 wele gudit, kepit, fuftenit, and gouernyt at rycht, and fuld be wele fene to, 
 and focourit at thair nedis. And kepit wele in gude reugle of juftice and 
 faufit fra injuris and oppreflins, and that thare be hot thou allane gar- 
 dener upon thame, and nocht mony maifter gardenaris ; flFor quhare mony 
 maifter gardeneris ar the gardyn is nocht commounly all prouffitably 
 gouernyt, the quhilk fuld be of gude gouernaunce that ftent him nocht to 
 fpill thy treis, na gader thy fruytis, that is to fay, thy fubjedtis gudis 
 wrangwifely ; and fa may thy realme left, and be wele defendit and conferuit, 
 fa that thou kepe the nocht to haue mony difpenfaris in thy gardyn, that is 
 thy realme. Efor quhy, for couatife and gredynes of thy fruytis, thar may 
 enter corrupcioun in thy gardyn, and fyne apon thyfelf, quhen ilk ane preffis 
 oure otheris to be mafteris of thi gudis, and of thy counfaile, and thi gouer- 
 naunce. Bot thare is mony that will hecht and fay thai fall do wele, and 
 
96 , APPENDIX. 
 
 quhen thai mount in gouernaunce thai do all othir wayis. And fum corrum- 
 pis be giftis and hechtis Princis Counfailouris, and peruertis all gude gouer- 
 naunce throu thair gredynefs of gudis, gevand giftis to Lordis of the Coun- 
 fale for to maneteine thame lang in thaire ofRcis and in thaire malicis. And 
 traifl wele, Alexander, that thy Peple and thy Barouns, thy Bacheleris 
 and thy Commons ar the ftuf and the multiplicacioun and furnyfling of thy 
 realme, and be thame mon thou be crownyt, and thy croun vphaldyn and 
 mayntenyt, and be thai nocht throu the manetenyt and fuftenyt in thair 
 rychtis and richefs, thai will nocht lufe the, na honoure the, na tho court, 
 na help to fuftene thyne eftate ; ffor bot gyf thou mak thaim caufe to be 
 fyablez and traift to the, and thy worfehip and prouffit, and to hald lufe and 
 lautee betuix the and thy peple, thou fall neuer be feker na feure a day in 
 thy realme. And will thou vmbethink the wele of all that I haue faid, and 
 gouerne the efter my deuife and counfale beforefaid, thou fal be haldyn as 
 wyfe and worthy King, and doubtit and lufit of thy peple, and of all 
 otheris : And thou fall cum aboue of all thyne vndertakingis and defyris : 
 Quhilkis gif thou faillis to do, thou fall fe that thare fall cum greuoufe 
 mifcheif and myffortune, bathe upon the and thy realme, and thy gouer- 
 naunce, and it fall nocht be in thy powar to fett remede, na thou can nocht, 
 na may nocht eftymy the paynis that fuld be injunft to the tharfore. Bot 
 here I pray hertfuUy to the hye and mychty God, makare of Hevyn and 
 Erde, to geue the grace, as he is gudely Gouernoure of Hevin and Erde, and 
 of all the Warlde to gouerne the fa in vertu and in veritee, in juftice and 
 leautee, that God and man be payit of the end : And rycht fa mote it be of 
 oure worthy King, and gracioufe Prince, and all his welewillaris, I pray 
 to God Almichti, in nomine Patris et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen. 
 
 EXPLICIT LE GOUERNEMENT DES PEINCES.