For the office of Knychthede suld have stark place in gouernaunce, and he suld be wele horsit, and haue power of men to kepe the contree and the Kingis wayis, all pilgrymes, trauailouris, merchandis, labouraris, and suld haue the jurisdictioun of justice in citeis and townis; and quhen nede war, to assemble the folk for the prouffit of the commountee; and quhen perilis war apperand in the landis, to byrn mysal housis, and destroye perilous passagis, ger hag woddis, and byg and mak reparacioun of euill biggit placis, castellis, and wallit townis and fortressis, and kepe and defend all gudely persouns; chastyse and punyse all misdoaris and wikkit cruell persouns; ffor and the contrary of thir gude poyntis war approprit to the Ordre, than all gude gouernance wald faile, and na man wald be seur; ffor the office is foundit ay on gude and prouffitable werkis that ar spede full to the commoun prouffit, and to gaynstand all thame that settis thame for the distrublaunce of the pore peple, and hyndering of the commoun prouffit, and to put down euill and wikkit men, and to fauour, nurise, and manetene gude peple: ffor rycht as the hewing ax is ordanyt to cutt doun treis that hynderis labouragis of landis, and cartis and chariotis and merchandices to passe through the forestis, sa is the suerd of Knychthede ordanyt to kutt away and destroye the wickkit vnworthy wedis and ronnis of thornis of euill men that lettis labouraris, merchandis, and traualouris to trauale throu the warld, quhilk is as a forest and wildernes quhen it is not wele redde; off the quhilk euill men suld be wedit out be Knychtis, keparis of the lawe, that gude men mycht lyve in lee; and he that is a Knycht, and dois nocht this, bot dois evyn the contrary, suld be tane be the Prince, or be othir worthy, faithfull, and honourable Knychtis, and put till dede; ffor quhen a Knycht is a revare, or a thef, or a traytour or a murtherar, or a Lollard, scismatike or heretike, or in syk termys opinly knawin and approuit, than is he vnworthy for to lyve, bot to be punyst in example of otheris that defoulis that maist noble and worthy Ordre, and abusit it aganis the poyntis and the propereteis of the Ordre; ffor it war better to syk a Knycht to [gh]elde him selfe to justice to be punyst, with mortall punycion, na to lyve in sik misordinate lyf for to vndo himself, and otheris mony, quhilk lesse euill war that he war vndone allane, and lesse charge till his saule: ffor gif a knycht or a lord haue all thir forenamyt vicis in him or any part of thame, and wald punyse otheris, and will nocht punyse himself, that is nocht the rycht way of justice; ffor gude justice begynnis at it selfe, and syne at othir men, ffor grete lak is to reproue and correct otheris in that, that he is foulare smyttit him self; quhilk gif he will nocht do, othir Knychtis suld do for honoure of thair Ordre, till hald it euir in honoure and worschip, as wele efferis it to be. And