The Boke of Noblesse: Addressed to King Edward the Fourth on His Invasion of France in 1475
History
The Boke of Noblesse: Addressed to King Edward the Fourth on His Invasion of France in 1475
Chivalry -- Early works to 1800; Great Britain -- History -- Edward IV, 1461-1483; Hundred Years' War, 1339-1453
[14] It was in this sense that the duke of Burgundy was called Charles le
Hardi, which was equivalent to the modern _le Temeraire_, that is, not only
Bold, but Rash. We find that the author of _L'Arbre des Batailles_
discusses in his third book, chapter viii., the various causes from which
"est ung chevalier bien hardy:" and he asserts them to be many: "Car
premierement ung chevalier sera hardy pour avoir et conquerir vaine gloire
et l'honneur de ce monde: pour ce seulement quil voit les hardis honnourez
et le couhars dishonnourez. Ung autre chevalier sera hardy pour avoir peur
de perdre honneur et proffit de son seigneur, et pour peur destre prins sil
estoit couhart. La tierce par usaige; car se ung chevalier a grant temps
porté le harnois il seulement qui scaurra bien l'usaige prandra ardement in
ce quon ne parle contre lun sil faisoit le contraire. Aultre chevalier y a
qui est hardy pour ce quil sent son harnois et armeures estre bons et de
bonne espreuve. Aultre chevalier y a qui est hardy pour son cappitaine quil
scet estre bien sage et bien fortuné. Aultre chevalier y a qui est hardy
par droicte fureur, et par droicte coulere hayreuse. Aultre chevalier y a
qui est hardy par ignorance: car il est si simple quil ne scet que est
vertu de force: mais faite ainsi comme il voit faire au plus avance. Aultre
chevalier y a qui est hardy par couvoitise de gaigner richesses et non pour
aultre chose. Or saiches maintenant comme en toutes ces hardiesses na vertu
si non en cellui qui est hardy de droicte congnoissance et de droit
scavoir, et ayt la voulente entendue a vertu et a justice et ferme voulenté
d'attendre et de soustenir toute chose deue et possible par la vertu de
force. Et te souffise de ceste vertu quant à present."
[15] Jean de Villiers, seigneur de l'Isle Adam et de Villiers le Bel,
having joined the party of the duke of Burgundy, was by his influence made
Maréchal of France in 1418. He was arrested by the duke of Exeter at Paris
in 1420, and released by the duke of Bedford in 1422, at the request of
Philip duke of Burgundy. By duke Charles he was highly favoured, made one
of the first knights of the order of the Golden Fleece, and captain of
Paris when the duke of Bedford left that city in 1430. He was killed during
a popular commotion at Bruges in 1437. See his life in Anselme's Histoire
Genealogique, 1723, vii. 10.
[16] The account which Monstrelet gives of this insurrection entirely
corresponds with that of our author. It is as follows:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account