With Spurs of Gold
“This Is the Rule for the Gallant Knight”
Amend your lives, ye who would fain
The order of the knights attain;
Devoutly watch, devoutly pray;
From pride and sin, oh turn away!
Shun all that’s base; the Church defend;
Be the widow’s and the orphan’s friend;
Be good and leal; take naught by might;
Be bold and guard the people’s right;—
This is the rule for the gallant knight.
Be meek of heart; work day by day;
Tread, ever tread, the knightly way;
Make lawful war; long travel dare;
Tourney and joust for ladye fair;
To everlasting honour cling,
That none the barbs of blame may fling;
Be never slack in work or fight;
Be ever least in self’s own sight;—
This is the rule for the gallant knight.
Love the liege lord; with might and main
His rights above all else maintain;
Be open-handed, just and true;
The paths of upright men pursue;
No deaf ear to their precepts turn;
The prowess of the valiant learn;
That ye may do things great and bright,
As did Great Alexander hight;—
This is the rule for the gallant knight.
Eustache Deschamps
(Fourteenth century).
A Steed! A Steed!
A steed! a steed! of matchless speed!
A sword of metal keene!
Al else to noble hearts is drosse—
Al else on earth is meane.
The neighing of the war-horse proude,
The rowling of the drum,
The clangour of the trumpet loude—
Be soundes from heaven that come.
And, oh! the thundering presse of knightes,
When as their war-cryes swelle,
May tole from heaven an angel bright,
And rouse a fiend from hell.
Then mounte! Then mounte! brave gallants all,
And don your helms amain;
Deathe’s couriers, Fame and Honour, call
Up to the field againe;
No shrewish tear shall fill our eye
When the sword hilt’s in our hand;
Heart-whole we’ll parte and no whit sighe
For the fayrest of the land.
Let piping swaine and craven wight,
Thus weepe and puling aye;
Our business is like to men to fighte
And like to Heroes, die!
Motherwell’s Ancient Minstrelsy
(Author unknown).