sereffis, baillies, or prouostis of othir lawlyar men na knychtis; ffor than ar Kingis and Princis caus of the abusioun of the Ordre of Knychthede, quhilk was ordanyt for sik caus: ffor that Ordre was ordanyt to be substitute till Princis and Kingis, apon the gouernement of the peple, as maist worthy and maist honourable for sik gouernaunce of small peple; and aboue thame Dukis, Erllis, and Barouns; and aboue thai Kingis and Princis; and aboue Princis and Kingis allenerlye Emperouris and Papis. And thus suld the warld be gouvernyt be commoun reugle of gouernance, sauffand Kingis that ar priuilegit or prescribit in thaire power imperiale: and thus Knychthede is the hyest temporale Ordre that is in the warld; but nocht the hiest office: ffor Kingis and Emperouris is nocht Ordre, bot it is office; be the quhilk office thai precell aboue all othir officis of temporalitee, as Dukis, Countes, Marquis, Vauvasour, Baroun, and Knychtis; and supposs, of all officis of honourabilitee, the Knychtis office be the lawast office of dignitee vnder Imperiale or Ryale magestee, neuertheles the Ordre is hyest and maist honourable; ffor quhy, that all Emperouris and Kingis aw to bere that Ordre, or ellis thair dignitee is nocht perfyte, ffor ellis may thai mak na Knychtis. And be honourabilitee of the Ordre of Knychthede grete honour is ordanyt be the lawis to do to Knychtis, and be nobless of honour that is put till him, he suld haue nobless of vertues, and worthyness in his curage; be the quhilk nobless of curage he suld be less inclynit till all wikkitness, and all vicis of barat, and trechery, and othir villain condiciouns, na ony othir persone.