other Herehaults cried aloud saying This is the Helmet of a disloyall and miscreant Knight Then was brought thether a Bason of gold or siluer full of warme water which being holden vp the Herehaults with a loud voyce sayd What is this Knights name The Purseuants answered that which in trueth was his name Then the King of Armes sayd That is not true for he is a miscreant and false traitor and such a one as hath broken the ordinance of Knighthood Thereunto answered the Chaplins Let vs giue him his right name Then spake the Trompets What shall be done with him To which words the King answered Let him bee with dishonor and shame banished my kingdome as a vile and infamous man that hath done offence against the honor of Knighthood When the King had so said the King of Armes and other Herehaults cast the warme water on the disgraded Knights face as though he were a new baptized saying Hencefoorth thou shalt be called by thy right name Traitor Then the King together with twelue other Knights put vppon them mourning garments declaring sorowe and comming vnto the Knight disgraded put him downe the stage not by the staiers he mounted vp when he was made Knight but threwe him downe tyed vnto a rope Then with great ignomie he was brought vnto the Altar and there laied groueling on the ground and ouer him was read a Psalme full of curses These were the Ceremonies vsed at the degradatiō of Knights in the time of Sir Tristram Sir Lancelot and other famous Knights who were no doubt men very valiant in Armes but by meanes of writers that haue added vnto their acts many vntruths their prowesse and enterprises are holden as fables How many orders and degrees of Knighthood haue been and of them how many yet extant CAP. 6. 1 THe first and most noble order both for antiquitie and honor is that of the GARTER 2 The next to it is that of the TOSON 3 The third is that of S. MICHAEL 4 The fourth is that of the NVNTIATA 5 There is also one newe order of Knighthood in France called the Order of S. ESPRIT whereof I am not fullie enformed All these Knights be called Knights of the Coller in signe they excell others in Honor and reputation as those Orders whereinto Emperours Kings and Princes doo enter Next to these in dignitie are 1 The Knights of the BAND 2 The Knights of S. IAGO 3 The Knights of CALATRAVA 4 The Knights of ALCANTARA 5 The Knights of MONTESIO 6 The Knights of REDEMPTION 7 The Knights of MALTA 8 The Knights TEVTONICI The third sort of Knights are 1 The Knights of the SEPVLCHER 2 The Knights of SANTA MARIA 3 The Knights of S. LAZARO 4 The Knights of S. STEFFANO These may bee called rather Knights of Superstition than persons of Honor. Among these wee make no mention of Knights of the Round Table neither haue wee set downe the Knights of Amadis de Gaule nor of Orlando Furioso Yet doo I suppose some part of those stories to bee matters of trueth although writers haue added vnto them things incredible By which meane the histories themselues are holden fabulous Wee haue not here spoken of the Knights of the Starre nor of them which were called Knights of the Spurre which orders are extinct or not regarded The Knights Templers were also long since cleerelie suppressed Of the Order of the Garter CAP. 7. EDWARD the third King of England after he had obteined many great victories King Iohn of France King Iames of Scotland being both prisoners in the Tower of London at one time and King Henrie of Castile the bastard expulsed and Don Pedro restored by the Prince of Wales did first erect this Order in his Kingdome Anno 1350. vppon no weightie occasion as is reported Notwithstāding the same is and long hath been in so great honor as Emperours Kings and Princes haue desired to bee of that companie accompting it great Honor. The number of this Colledge or fellowship is 26. Knights and when any of them dye another is chosen by consent of the companie The Soueraine of the Order is the King of England his heires and successors This Order was dedicated to S. George as the Aduocate of those Knights The custome was long that these Knights yeerely held a feast at the Castle of Winsor where is also the Church founded by the same King Edward who likewise gaue great stipends to certeine Priestes to serue there It is not commonlie knowne what was the occasion that mooued the King to make this Order but thus haue I heard it vulgarlie reported That King Edward dauncing with the Queene and other Ladies of his Court tooke vp a Garter that happened to fall from one of them whereat some of the Lords smiling the King said vnto them that or it were long he would make that Garter to bee of high reputation Vpon this ground it is sayd the Order tooke beginning Euerie yeare all the Knights on the feast day of S. George are bound to resort vnto Windsor or such other place as by the Soueraine shall be appoynted The principall Officers apperteining to this most honorable Order are these The Prelate The Chancellor The Register The King of Armes named Garter and the Vsher called the Blacke Rod. Which places are presentlie furnished with these persons viz. Doctor Cooper Bishop of Winchster Prelate Master Iohn Wolly Esquire one of her Maiesties priuie Counsell Chauncellor Doctor Day Deane of Winsor Register Master W. Dethicke chiefe King of Armes Garter Master William Norris Esquire Vsher. The Statutes of this great Order are remaining with the sayd Master Garter a Gentleman verie studious in his facultie and carefull to preserue the Records belonging vnto the Nobilitie of England From him I receiued the names of these Knights of the first institution of the GARTER which I found in an auncient booke of his written in the French tongue The first Knights of the Order King Edward Soueraine The Prince of Wales his sonne The Duke of Lancaster The Earle of Warwicke The Capteine de Buch. The Earle of Stafford The Earle of Salisburie The Lord Mortimer Sir Iohn Lisle Sir Bartholmew de Bourchesh Sir Iohn Bewchamp The Lord of Mahun Sir Hugh Courtney Sir Thomas de Holland Sir Iohn de Grey Sir Richard Fitzsimond Sir Miles Stapleton Sir Thomas Walle Sir Hugh Wortesley Sir Neel Loring Sir Iohn Chandos Sir Iames Dandely Sir 〈◊〉 de Holang Sir Henrie Eme. Sir Fauchet de Prichcourt Sir Walter Pauelly The names of those that are presentlie of the same most noble Order The Queene of England Soueraine The King of Spaine The Duke Casemirus The Vice Conte Montacute The Earle of Shrewsburie Earle Marshall of England The Lord of Honsdon Lord Chamberlein The Earle of Warwicke The Earle of Hontingdon The Lord Bourleigh Lord Threasurer of England The Lord Grey The Earle of Darbie The Earle of Pembrooke The L. Howard of Effingham L. Admirall of England The Lord Cobham
of the weapon cap. 7. How manie waies victorie is gained cap. 8. What was ancientlie due vnto such as were victorious in publique Combat cap. 9. The third Booke WHat sortes of men ought not bee admitted in triall of Armes cap. 1. Whether a Bastard may challenge a Gentleman to Combat cap. 2. Of restitution of Honor. cap. 3. Of the disequalitie of Gentlemen cap. 4. Of Iniurie done with aduantage cap. 5. Of Iniuries euill offered cap. 6. Of Satisfaction cap. 7. What satisfaction is to bee giuen vppon an Iniurie by deedes cap. 8. Other meanes of Pacification and composition cap. 9. Of satisfaction to be giuen vpon words cap. 10. How the giuing of satisfaction is a thing not reproachfull cap. 11. The fourth Booke OF Nobilitie accompanied with great dignitie cap. 1. Whether a King may challenge an Emperour to Combat cap. 2. Whether a quarrell betweene two Emperours may be decided by particular Combat cap. 3. Of the equalitie and disequalitie of great Nobilitie and of the priuiledges due vnto all men professing Armes cap. 4. Certeine Questions Opinions and Iudgements vpon accidents happening in trialls and exercises of Armes cap. 5. Of the honor gained or lost by being disarmed in sundrie places and of sundrie peeces cap. 6. Of honor gained or lost by the hurts giuen or taken in Combat for life or in Triumph cap. 7. Of Iusts and Turniamens and how the accidents in such exercises are to be iudged cap. 8. The manner of Combats as they were auncientlie tried in England cap. 9. Certeine Combats for life graunted by the Kings of England cap. 10. Certaine Combats for Triumph and Honor performed before the Kings of England cap. 11. The ceremonie appertaining to deliuerie of Prizes at Iusts Turniaments before the King cap. 12. The fifth Booke OF what qualitie a Gentleman professing Armes ought to be cap. 1. Of Knighthood cap. 2. Of the originall of Knighthood giuen as dignitie and what Princes haue authoritie to make Knights cap. 3. The Ceremonie at the making Knights about the yere of our Lord 1020. cap. 4. The Ceremonies at the disgrading Knights in those dayes cap. 5. How manie degrees of Knighthood haue been of them how manie are yet extant cap. 6. Of the Order of the Garter cap. 7. Other degrees of Knighthood in England cap. 8. The order of the Toson and originall thereof cap. 9. The order of S. Michael cap. 10. The Order of the Anunciata cap. 11. Knights of the Band. cap. 12. Knights of S. Iago cap. 13. Knights of Calatraua cap. 14. Knights of Alcantara cap. 15. Knights of Montesio cap. 16. Knights of Redemption cap. 17. Knights of S. Iohn in Ierusalem of some called Knights of the Rhodes and now Knights of Malta cap. 18. Knights Teutonici cap. 19. Knights of the Sepulcher cap. 20. Knights of S. Marie cap. 21. Knights of S. Lazaro cap. 22. Knights of S. Steuen cap. 23. Ceremonies in degradation of Knights cap. 24. The Authors Intention cap. 25. The Authors Conclusion cap. 26. FINIS THE BOOKE OF Honor and Armes VVhat a Combat is and the originall thereof CAP. 1. A COMBAT is a single fight of one man against another for trial of truth either els of diuers men as two foure sixe tenne or more equallie and indifferentlie agreed vppon to fight on horsbacke or foot without aduantage in number of persons or disequalitie of weapons These kind of fights seeme to be first vsed of great Princes who desiring to end publique Contention and warre did mutuallie consent to determine the same by their owne priuate vertue and aduenture of life as did Golias and Dauid the Horatij and Curiatij with diuers other who fighting onlie in person for the publique cause therby saued the effusion of much bloud and the liues of many most worthie Captaines and valiant Soldiers And albeit the cause and occasion of these Combats was publique respect yet each particular Gentleman or other person professing Honor and Armes ought sufficientlie bee moued therevnto for defence of his owne particular reputation which respect and haplie also some publique occasion mooued the Combat of Aeneas with Turnus of Menelaus with Alexander of Pulfius with Varenus of Robert Mountfort with Henrie Earle of Essex in England yea Kings and Princes haue of late time done the like as Charles the third King of France with the King of Hungarie Alfonso King of Spaine with Richard Earle of of Cornwall and King Alfonso with King Ranier These particular fights were first vsed among the people called Lombardes as appeareth by the lawes written by Aliprandus one of the Kings that gouerned that Nation yet true it is that the Combats of those People and in that Age were tried with no other weapons but onelie certeine shields and staues of wood vnlesse it were for cause of infidelitie Neither seemeth it that the chiefe occasion of their fight was respect of Honor nor that the vanquished should become dishonored or Prisoner vnto the vanquisher as since hath been vsed Of the order of challenging and defending CAP. 2. FIrst is to bee considered that all Iniuries are either by words or by deeds and that in euerie Iniurie by words the Iniurer ought bee the Challenger but in an Iniurie by deedes the Iniured ought to challenge as for example Simon saith to Austen thou art a Traitor Austen answereth Thou liest then doth it behooue Simon to mainteine his words and consequentlie to challenge Austen to the Combat An Iniurie by deedes is thus Simon giueth a hurt a cut or other violence vnto Austen whereat offended he saith Thou hast done me offence violence iniurie or such like speach Simon answereth Thou liest Then behoueth it that Austen do challenge Simon and force him by fight to mainteine the hurt he offred Wherfore as a rule or maxime in matter of Honor it is speciallie to be noted that whosoeuer is truelie and lawfullie belied must of force become Challenger to mainteine that he spake or did and wherevppon the Lie is giuen him And although some men rather to shewe the dexteritie of their wits than the valour of their mindes will at such occasion vse many superfluous words whereby further speach of offence doth followe and so take opportunitie to giue the Lie vnto whom the hurt by hand was giuen yet the true and precise reason of Honor is that he who gaue the blowe hurt should without further dispute be challenged vnlesse he denie the doing thereof with offer of satisfaction Thus appeareth brieflie that whosoeuer is lawfullie belied ought by Armes to challenge mainteine and proue that which he affirmed or did in preiudice of the honor or person of the Iniured For what cause the partie belied ought to challenge and of the nature of the Lie CAP. 3. FOr so much as in ordinarie triall by lawe and ciuill Iudgements whosoeuer standeth accused by deniall of such accusation is free from condemning vntill further proofe be made euen so in euerie imposition by speach contrarie to
and were made Christians Within short space after these Knights builded diuers Churches and among them some Cathedrall Temples making them places of residence for Bishops who were also inioyned to weare the habit of the Order Neere vnto the riuer Vistola was a great Oake where these Knights builded the first Castle and Towne which with time was encreased and called Borgo di Santa Maria where is now the chiefe Church apperteining to this Order thereunto belongeth so great riches and reuenues as these Knights may both for men and monie compare with diuers Princes This Countrie of Prussia is great and much thereof bounded by the riuer Vistola and is also confined by Sarmatia the Massageti and Polonia These Knights are also Lords of Liuonia which was likewise by them brought to the faith of Christianitie and is with Christians now inhabited Knights of the Sepulcher CAP. 20. THis Knighthood is now extinct or rather conioyned vnto the Order of Malta The Ensigne belonging to these Knights was two red Crosses Knights of S. Mary CAP. 21. IN the life of Pope Vrban the fourth at which time was great warre among the Princes of Italie certeine rich Gentlemen of Bolognia and Modona desiring to eschue the present troubles and bee exempt from publique charges desired of that Pope to permit them to liue in contemplation and erect a newe Order of religious Knighthood which for money they obteined calling themselues Knights of Sainct Mary The habit of this Order was verie pompous and thereupon a red Crosse wrought with gold round about They were speciallie inhibited to weare gold in their spurres and horse harnesse They made profession to fight against the Infidels and all others that offended Iustice Notwithstanding they liued euer at home in rest with their wiues and children They were commonlie called Caualieri di Madonna but because they liued continuallie in ease and pleasure men termed them Frati gaudenti as much in our language as Goodfellowe brethren It may bee some of them are yet extant Knights of S. Lazaro CAP. 22. THese Knights of this Order doo pleade great antiquitie saying they were in the time of S. Basil and their profession hath been confirmed by sondrie Popes They also affirme that Fredericke the Emperour sirnamed Barbarossa gaue them great possessiōs in Sicilia Calabria Puglia and Terra di Lauoro And to those lands diuers Popes did adde much Notwithstanding time that weareth all things away did also consume these riches and the Order well neere extinct till of late yeares Pius quartus the Pope did reuiue it who made Gianotto Castiglione a noble Gentelman of Milan great Master These Knights doo professe to bee obedient vnto their great Master and other Officers of the Order They promise also to liue chast or at the least continent and content with one wife Also to bee charitable and liberall chieflie to poore people infected with leprosie Moreouer euerie Knight promiseth to weare a greene Crosse before they enter into this Knighthood must prooue himselfe to bee borne in lawfull wedlocke and a Gentleman both by father and mother and to beare Armes Also that he is discended of ancient Christians and no Morrano or Turke That he hath of rent at the least 200. Crownes therewith to mainteine his dignitie That he and his auncestors haue euer liued as Gentlemen without vse of any base or mecanical occupation That he hath not been suspected of any notable euill fact or is defamed for any vice That he be not indebted nor is wedded to any widdowe or hath had more than one wife But besides these passable protestations he must vndertake to say fiue and twentie Pater nosters and so manie Aue marias with other Superstitious things not worthie the writing This Order haue of late time been much fauoured by the Dukes of Sauoy Knights of S. Steffano CAP. 23. IN the yeare 1561. Cossimo Duke of Florence and Siena hauing setled his gouernment and liuing in peaceable estate erected this religious Order of Knighthood calling those that entered thereunto Caualieri di San Steffano To these Knights he gaue a red Crosse bordered about with gold The Statutes annexed vnto this Order are not vnlike to those apperteining to the Order of Malta sauing that these haue libertie to marrie The chiefe place of their resiance is the Citie of Pisa where the Duke prepared them a Church and builded for them a Pallace wherein to lodge And because neere to that Citie is a Hauen fit to receiue the Gallies wherein these Knights should serue it seemed good to that Prince to settle them there The Duke himselfe and his successors is great Master of this Order and vnder him are diuers other Officers of reputation This is the last Order or degree of Knights that I haue seene or read of saue onelie the great Knighthood of S. Esprit whereof as is before said I am not enformed The Ceremonies in the degradation of Knights CAP. 24. IT seemeth that the degradation of Knights hath been vsed onelie for offences of greatest reproach and dishonour which I conceiue partlie by the rarenes of such actions and partlie for that the men bereft of that dignitie were not onelie degraded but also by lawe executed As in the raigne of King Edward the 4. it appeared a Knight was degraded in this sort First after the publication of his offence his gilt spurres were beaten from his heeles then his sword taken from him and broken That being done euerie peece of his Armour was brused beaten and cast aside After all which disgraces he was beheadded In like manner Andrew of Hekela Knight and Earle of Cardoyl was in this sort disgraded He being apprehended was by the Kings commandement brought before Sir Anthony Lucy Anno. 1322. apparelled in all the robes of his estate as an Earle and a Knight and so led vnto the place of Iudgement Being thether come Sir Anthony Lucy said vnto him these words First thou shall lose the Order of Knighthood by which thou hadst all thine honour and further all worship vppon thy bodie bee brought to nought Those wordes pronounced Sir Anthony Lucy commanded a knaue to hewe the Knights spurres from his heeles and after caused his sword to bee broken ouer his head That done hee was dispoyled of his furred Tabord of his Hood of his furred Cotts and of his Girdle Then Sir Anthony saide vnto him these wordes Andrew now art thou no Knight but a knaue and for thy treason the King doth will thou shalt bee hanged This manner of proceeding in the degradation of these two Knights I found recorded in an auncient booke of Master Garters written in the selfe same words that are here expressed The Authors Intention CAP. 25. ALbeit the whole scope and intent of this booke is to discourse the poynts of Honor and dignities apperteining vnto Armes yet for not being mistaken in my meaning I haue thought good to say that the commendation due vnto learning is of no lesse desart thā