albeit one of the enemies did also leaue the Lists yet his entent therein was to pursue his foe being fled thence and forsomuch as the Combat was for matter of Treason it sufficeth not onlie for the victorious to vanquish the enemie but also to bring him into the power of the Iudge to bee punished And it is plaine that seeing of the one partie one was hurt and the other fled they ought to be iudged to lose all honor and be condemned as guiltie of that wherevpon the quarrell was mooued 14 Seauen Gentlemen doo compound with seauen other to runne certeine courses at the Tilt for honor and loue of Ladies in which match it happened that fiue of the one partie did commendablie acquite themselues but the other two of that side were ouerthrowne On the other side two onelie performed their courses well and the rest of that companie exceeding euill losing many Launces and running very foule whereof a question grewe whether vnto fiue well doers and two euill or vnto two weldoers with fiue euill the honor ought be allotted Albeit in this case much may bee spoken yet for that the question is not of any particular mans merit but which partie in generall performed best the enterprize it may be alleadged that the partie wherein were most weldoers ought to haue the honor notwithstanding the fall of two of their companions yet forsomuch as to fall from horseback by the enemies force or vertue is most reproachfull it seemeth that the misaduenture of two men onlie may reasonablie be the losse of honor to all the rest And therefore we leaue the iudgement of this doubt vnto wise men better experienced in Armes 15 Two Gentlemen being in Combat for life the Challenger taketh the sword of the Defender from him notwithstanding the Defender most valiantlie defendeth himselfe with his arme and hands all the whole day during which time he could not be forced either to denie yeeld or bee slaine A question thereupon arose whether of them was victorious Forsomuch as this Combat was for life and that in euerie fight of such nature no victorie is fullie gained vntill the Defender is slaine or els forced to yeeld or denie it seemeth that he is not to be iudged guiltie nor hauing done any of these although his sword were lost which indeede in all Martiall exercises and feates of Armes is a thing much to bee discommended But most certeine it is that in all Combats and actions of Armes for Honor Loue Praise onelie whosoeuer loseth his sword must presentlie also lose the honor and victorie 16 Two Gentlemen fighting for life within the Listes the one yeeldeth himselfe a prisoner Whether may the Prince of the place who in Combat is elected a Iudge saue the life of him that is vanquished Hereunto may be answered That albeit euerie prisoner apperteineth vnto his taker yet hath it commonly been vsed that the victorious haue presented their prisoners vnto the Prince to bee disposed at his good pleasure who in recompence thereof doo vse according to the magnanimous mindes of such persons not onelie to pay the charges of the victorious but also in signe of clemencie and mercie set the infortunate prisoner freely at libertie As did the noble King Edward the third of England vnto Iohn Visconti who in his presence was vanquished by Thomas de la March base sonne vnto the French King And Phillip Duke of Milan did the like vnto another infortunate Gentleman vanquished by a Neapolitane Knight Of the honor gained or lost by being disarmed in sundrie places and of sundrie peeces CAP. 6. A Man that loseth his Sword in fight is more reproached than he that loseth his Shield For he gaineth the greatest honor that winneth the chief weapon from the enemie which is the Sword seeing therewith the Emperour and Kings do create their Knights and the Sword is borne before them in signe of authoritie and regall power He that loseth his Headpeece in fight is more dishonored than he that loseth his Shield because the Helmet defendeth the most principall part of man but the Shield armeth a lower place He that loseth his Gauntlet in fight is more to bee blamed than he who is disarmed of his Poulderon For the Gauntlet armeth the hand without which member no fight can be performed and therfore that part of Armour is commonlie sent in signe of defiance He that is cast out of the Saddle by violence of his aduersaries encounter shall bee more reprooued than he who falleth by the default of his horse the breaking of girths or any such like accident Of the honor gained or lost by the hurts giuen or taken in Combat for life or in Triumph CAP. 7. HE that in fight loseth his Eye shall thereby receiue more dishonor than hee that loseth his Teeth because the Eye is a member seruing the most necessarie sence but the Teeth are onelie instruments of the mouth He that loseth his right Eye is more to bee reproached than he that loseth the left Eye because the right side is in better opinion of men The like is to bee said of the hands of the armes and legges If a man hauing but one Eye doo fight with another man that hath two in losing that one Eye he shall be more blamed than he who hath two Eyes although hee loseth one Hee that loseth his whole hand shall bee more reproached than he who loseth one Eye And hee that loseth a foote is more disgraced than he that loseth one hand Of Iusts and Turniaments and how the accidents in such exercises are to be iudged CAP. 8. IT is written how at a Triumph in the noble Citie of Naples a Gentleman called the L. Peter Counte of Derise receiued so furious an encounter by the Launce of another that ranne against him that therewith he became at one instāt disarmed of his Shield his Curats Headpeece so as he being vtterly disarmed was left on horsback in his doublet only without other harme In requitall whereof the said Peter gaue vnto the other Gentleman so violent a blowe as therewithall the girths of the horse were broken and the man cast headlong on the ground Thereupon a question was mooued which of them had merited most honor or rather which of them deserued least reproach Whereunto was answered absolutelie that he who fell fro the horse was most dishonored for next vnto death to fall from the horse is most reproachfull Yet is it lesse disgrace to fall with the horse than to fall alone and therefore albeit a man doth runne neuer so well if in the end he doth fall frō the horse he can by no meanes receiue honor for that day but shall rather depart with disgrace Who so fighting on foote at Barrier or in any other exercise of Armes is by the force of his aduersarie constrained with his hand to touch the ground shall thereby lose all commendation He that on horsebacke directeth his Launce at the head is more
say with the Poet. Tota licet veteres exornent vndique cerae Atria nobilitas sola est atque vnica virtus Paulus aut Cossus aut Drusus moribus esto Hos ante effigies maiorum pone tuorum Praecedant ipsas illi te consule virgas Dic mihi Teucrorum proles animalia muta Quis generosa putet nisi fortia nempe volucrem Sic laudamus aequum facili cui plurima palma Feruet exultat rauco victoria circo Nobilis hic quocunque venit de gramine cuius Clara fuga ante alios primus in aequore puluis VVhether a quarrell betweene two Emperours may be decided by particular Combat CAP. 2. IT happened the Emperiall seate being voyd the Electors named vnto that dignitie two Princes not by general cōsent but by deuisiō of voyces the one partie chosing Alfonso king of Spaine the other Richard Duke of Cornwal brother to the King of England These Princes claiming the Empire the one challenged the other to trie the right by Combat wherevpon grewe a question whether persons of so high calling ought be admitted to fight in Combat Therevnto is said that forsomuch as the Empire in the beginning was gotten by Armes and vertue and that the execution of all iustice resteth in Armes it seemeth an Empire in that sort gained to be more honorable than if it were giuen by election Besides that in such triall the victorious enioyeth it by diuine iudgement And for example that Empires haue been so iudged we reade that the Romanes being in warre with the Albanois it was by consent of the one and the other people agreed that three brethren of the one partie called Horatij should fight with three of the enemies who were also brethren called Curiatij These men being brought together after long and doubtfull fight the victorie fell vnto the Romanes and the Albanois according vnto agreement willinglie yeelded their Countrie vnto the Romanes gouernment On the contrarie may be alleadged that forsomuch as the weldooing of the whole Empire consisteth vpon the life of the Emperour he ought not to fight in person But this is to bee vnderstood of an Emperour alreadie possessed and inuested for if the election be doubtfull then to auoyd a publique warre and effusion of bloud it seemeth verie reasonable that two Princes making claime ought be admitted to triall of Armes so long as no other title or interest appeareth VVhether a King may challenge an Emperour to Combat CAP. 3. THe auncient Emperours of Roome were of so great puissance and had vnder them so manie Monarchies and Kingdomes as well neere the chiefest part of the world was vnto them subiect and the Princes of those ages were reputed either Subiects Vassals or Tributaries vnto the Emperours In which respect it was thought vnfit that the Emperour should vouchsafe to fight with any King or Prince of what state or qualitie soeuer It appeareth also that the honor and respect borne towards them was excessiue because the ciuill lawe doth call the Emperour Lord of the world affirming he hath iurisdiction ouer Kings and all Princes yea there wanteth not of those that haue named him GOD vpon the earth and consequently reasonable that he should refuse to fight in Combat with any King or other Potentate On the contrarie side may be alleadged that the dignitie and title of Kings is more auncient than that of Emperours and that they haue the like soueraigntie ouer men For well we knowe that Aeneas Romulus Numa gouerned in Roome many and many yeares before that Iulius Caesar vsurped the title of Emperour Neuertheles Lancislao King of Hungarie challenging the Emperour was repulsed as vnworthie It happened also that another King contending with the Emperour for the Kingdome of Polonia the said King did challenge the Emperour to Combat as before that time Carlo Martello the sonne of Carlo the second had done for triall of the title of Hungarie which he claimed by discent from his mother The said King of Hungarie who was then possessed being of person puissant did condiscend to fight with Carlo Martello a young man of twentie yeares and vnexpert in Armes yet indeede rightfull heire These Princes resolued to make triall by Armes vppon a day certeine appoynted the King of England to be their Iudge and they to performe the fight in a certeine Iland of his which was done Carlo Martello became victorious and tooke from the Hungarian King his helmet which had a cheine hanging at the same which helmet Carlo Martello and all his successors vsed as a badge But for resolution of this matter thus wee conclude that Princes or Kings hauing dependance of the Empire may bee repulsed to fight with the Emperour but a King soueraigne acknowledging no Superiour and holding his Dominion of GOD and his owne sword onelie may challenge and fight with any Emperour Of the Equalitie and disequalitie of great Nobilitie and of the priuiledges due to all men professing Armes CAP. 4. A King vncrowned may lawfullie challenge a King crowned vnlesse the King vncrowned be vnlawfullie aspired or a Tyrant The number of Christian Kings are 14 of whom onelie foure were auncientlie crowned by the Pope that is the French King the King of England the King of Ierusalem and the King of Sisil All the other Kings were crowned by their owne Prelates Thus saith Paris An Earle being a Prince absolute and not subiect vnto the Empire or any other Potentate may refuse to fight with any person being a subiect notwithstanding hee hath the title of Prince Duke or Marquize Here is to bee noted that these titles of honor were at the first giuen in office as the title of Duke was proper vnto him that was a Generall of the Armie A Marquize was he vnto whom the confine or Marches of a Countrie or Kingdome was committed An Earle or Count was a Iudge or Commander in Peace and of them in the auncient Emperours seruice were diuers as the Countes Palantine were as stewards of the Emperours house of his Court or Stable euerie of them might challenge any Prince Duke or Marquize being a subiect because they are in respect of subiection reputed none other than Barons A Gentleman well borne and descended from Parentage of foure degrees may fight with any Earle or Baron in case of treason to his Prince or Countrie and also murther and infidelitie because they are besides their dignitie none other than Gentlemen and Gentilitie or Nobilitie is hereditarie and cannot bee taken away but Dignitie may But in other quarrells of lesse importance the Earle in respect of his dignitie may fight by Champion but in the cases aforesaid he shall fight in person vnlesse he bee aged lame or otherwise disabled A Capteine Generall of an Armie Emperiall or Royall may not be challenged by any Gentleman or Lord neither ought the Gouernour of any Citie Towne or Castle because no publique commandement may be abandoned for priuate respect The like is to be
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
was a red Crosse in the forme of a Sword This Order was erected at such time as the King Don Ramiro wanne the victorie against the Moores in the Prouince of Compostella at which time great possessions and priuileges were giuen to S. Iames of Compostella Anno. 1030. This Order hath one chiefe Gouernour who is called Great Master he with thirteene other Knights haue authoritie to choose or remooue any Knight at their discretion Vpon the Feast day of All Saincts these Knights doo vse to meete and consult vpon matters apperteining to their estate The reuenues belonging to these Knights is merueilous amounting to many hundred thousand Duckets Many Popes haue giuen their allowance to this Order yet either they could not or would not reserue a greater tribute thereof than ten Malachini yearely Knights of Calatraua CAP. 14. BY imitation of the Order aforesaid was this Knighthood of Calatraua begun in the yeare 1130. The inuenter thereof was Don Santio King of Toledo They were called Knights of Calatraua of the Prouince and place where they were made and setled which was where ancientlie the chiefe Church of Templers had been who not being of power sufficient to resist the Saracens were forced to yeeld the place vnto these Knights The habit of these Knights is a blacke garment and vpon it in the breast is set a red Crosse. These Knights haue also exceeding great possessions and many Commandries in diuers places of Spaine Knights of Alcantara CAP. 15. THese Knights liuing in effect vnder the ordinances and rules of the former doo weare a greene Crosse. Neere vnto the Citie of Alcantara in Castiglia vpon the riuer of Tago they haue a Church of great beautie indowed with rich possessions Knights of Montesio CAP. 16. IN Valentia are the Cauallieri di Montesio a place also seated in that Prouince These Knights doo weare a red Crosse and their Order begun about the same time that the Knighthood of Calatraua tooke beginning Knights of Redemption CAP. 17. THese Knights were erected in the Kingdome of Aragon by King Iames who conquered the Ilands Maiorica and Minorica in the yeare 1212. Their garments are white and thereon a blacke Crosse. The office of these Knights is to redeeme prisoners wherevpon they are called Caualieri della Redentione The chiefe Gouernour of them remaineth at Bercellona Knights of S. Iohn in Ierusalem of some called Knights of the Rhodes and now Knights of Malta CAP. 18. IT is written with what warrant I know not that at the Citie of Amiens in Picardie a Prouince of France there was borne a certein Gentleman who in his childhood had been brought vp in learning and being growne to mans estate disposed himselfe to the exercise of Armes and therein long time continued Afterwards hauing atteined riper yeares he despised the world and framed himselfe to a solitarie life as one fullie resolued to liue in contemplation vnseene of any but God alone Hauing sometime remained in that solitarie sort a sodeine desire he had to visite the Sepulcher where Christ was buried which shortlie after he did And to the end he might with securitie passe the barbarous Nations he apparelled himselfe like vnto a Phisition by which meane without impediment he performed his iorney Thus hauing passed the difficulties of trauell in diuers straunge Countries he ariued at Ierusalem and being there fell into acquaintance with Simon Patriarke of that Citie and in lamenting wise enformed him of the oppression and crueltie offered and daylie vsed by the Infidels towards the poore Christians Whereunto Simon answered that albeit the Christians in those Countries indured great outrages yet they of Ierusalem suffered much greater and should be forced to more if God did not defend them By this conference the Patriarke conceiued Peter the Hermit for so he was called to bee a man of good vnderstanding and apt to execute any action of importance that should bee committed vnto him Whereupon the Patriarke determined to make him a messenger vnto the Pope vnto whom by letters he imparted the great calamitie and afflicted estate of the poore Christians inhabiting the Holy land Peter hauing receiued his instructions and letter of credence returned into the West first vnto the Pope and after solicited other Princes in such sort and with so good successe as by his perswasions many great Kings and Potentates consented to take in hand the recouerie of the Holy land from the oppression of the Infidels and some of them furnished that enterprise with men some with monie and some did goe in person Among which number as the chiefe was Robert Duke of Normandie sonne to King William of England Godfrey Duke of Lorayn with two of his brethren called Eustace and Baldwin Hugh sirnamed the Great brother to the French King with diuers other Princes Dukes Earles and Barons Also thether went Beomondo Duke of Calabria who for zeale to that seruice or desire of honor resigned his Dukedome vnto Ruggiero his brother taking with him so many of his subiects as would voluntarilie followe him of whom with such other Capteines and Soldiers of Italie as came vnto him he assembled more than twentie thousand all choyce men yong fit for the warre All things in this sort prepared for the iorney Vrban the second then Pope sent vnto these Capteines a white Crosse with commandement that al the Soldiers should weare the like calling that enterprise la Cruciata It is said that the Christians at such time as this warre was proclaimed in Chiaramont a Citie of Auernia indeuoured themselues vniuersallie to animate the Soldiers and ioyned in generall praier for their good successe giuing them meate apparell and furniture vnasked or required Moreouer those that were indebted were forgiuen and such as had been banished were pardoned The women also contrarie to their custome willinglie and with much ioy consented their husbands and sonnes should passe in this enterprise and for their furniture gaue them their Iewels Cheines and monie The French King likewise sent them great treasure and gaue priuileges to the Soldiers lands and wiues in their husbands absence And many great Princes and other Lords sold and impawned their patrimonies to further this action So as the Armie assembled for this holie enterprise amounted vnto three hundred thousand footmen and one hundred thousand horse who presentlie marched towards Constantinople where they passed the straight called Bosphoro Tracio and landed at Calcedonia For the first enterprise they besieged Nicea in Bithinia which within fiftie daies was yeelded and the fourth of Iuly at the foote of certeine Mounteines neere vnto that Citie the Christians fought a battell with a Turkish Armie which in number exceeded ours and thereat was present Soliman the Emperour of Turkie and Persia but the Christians had victorie with the losse of two thousand men but of the enemies were slaine fortie thousand This victorie gained the Christians following their enterprise within short time wonne an hundred Cities and Townes of accompt among