by Gilbert of the Haye knycht. [Decoration] PROLOGUS. At the honour and the reuerence of God Almichty his glore and louyng of his prouidence, the quhilk is souerane lord and syre de toutes choses, of all thingis in heuyn and in erde, we begyn here THE BUKE OF THE ORDRE OF KNYCHTHEDE: ffor to schaw, how be the semblaunce of the hye almychty prince of hevin, quhilk has dominacioun and seignoury apon the vij planetis of the hevyn,--the quhilkis seuin planetis makis all the courss of the hevyn, and gouernis the influences celestiales, and has powere apon the ordinancis of all erdely corporale thingis; and to schaw, that as kingis and princis has dominacioun and seignoury here apon all knychtis, sa suld knychtis haue dominacioun and seignourye subordinate of the princis and lordis behalue, be semblaunce of syk like figure, apon the small peple, to gouerne, reugle, and defend thame in all thair necessiteis: The quhilk Buke is deuidit in sere parties, as sall efterwart appere be the declaracioun of the chapitres efter folowand. HERE FOLOWIS THE DECLARACIOUN OF THE RUBRIKIS EFTIR THE PARTIES OF THE BUKE. The Fyrst chapitre is, How a bachelere Squyere of honoure passit till a grete semblee of Lordis, at a Kingis crounyng, in entencioun to tak the Ordere of Knychthede, and how he forvayit, and willit in a wilderness quhare thare was ane alde Knycht duelland in ane hermytage, that had tane him fra the warld, to lyue in contemplacioun of Almychty God, to mend his lyf, and mak gude end, etc.; And how the worthy anciene Knycht techit the Squyere the poyntis of honour and propereteis pertenand to the said Ordre, etc. Quhat the secund chapitre contenis, sequitur.-- The Secound chapitre is, How the Bachelere quhilk suld ressaue that hye Ordre, how he suld first 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 said properteis of the noble Ordre and office of Knychthede, as the Knycht deuisis. Quhat the ferde chapitre contenis.-- The Ferde chapitre contenis, The forme of the examinacioun how the Bachelere Squyere suld be examynit, be the faderis of the Ordre, before or he ressauit the said Ordre. Quhat the fyft chapitre contenis.-- The Fyft chapitre contenis, How the Bacheler Squyer suld ressaue the noble Ordre, and the forme and manere tharof, and of the process of the making of Knychtis be ordre. Quhat the sext chapitre contenis.-- The Sext chapitre contenis, The poyntis of the takenyngis of the blasoun of the signis and seremons custumable to be maid in geving of the said Ordre, and all be ordre. Quhat the sevynt chapitre contenis.-- The Sevynt chapitre contenis, The gude thewis, vertues, and custumes that pertenis to the Knychtis that honourably wald manetene the foresaid Ordre of Knychthede. Quhat the auchtand chapitre contenis.--