[173] Froissart, livre 1. c. 87. The romances of chivalry are full of tales expressive of this feature of the knightly character. As amusing a story as any is to be found in the Morte d'Arthur. "There came into the court a lady that hight the lady of the lake. And she came on horseback, richly bysene, and saluted King Arthur, and asked him a gift that he promised her when she gave him the sword. 'That is sooth,' said Arthur, 'a gift I promised you. Ask what ye will, and ye shall have it, an it be in my power to give it.'--'Well,' saith the lady, 'I ask the head of the knight that hath wore the sword, or the damsel's head that brought it. I take no force though I have both their heads, for he slew my brother, a good knight and a true, and that gentlewoman was causer of my father's death.'--'Truly,' said King Arthur, 'I may not grant either of their heads with my worship, therefore ask what ye will else, and I shall fulfill your desire.'--'I will ask none other thing,' said the lady. When Balyn was ready to depart, he saw the lady of the lake, that by her means had slain Balyn's mother, and he had sought her three years; and when it was told him that she asked his head of King Arthur, he went to her streyte, and said, 'Evil be you found, you would have my head, and therefore shall lose yours,' and with his sword lightly he smote off her head before King Arthur. 'Alas! for shame,' said Arthur, 'why have you done so? you have shamed me and all my court; for this was a lady that I was beholden to, and hither she came under my safe-conduct. I shall never forgive you that trespass.'--'Sir,' said Balyn, 'me forthinketh of your displeasure; for this same lady was the untruest lady living, and by enchantment and sorcery she hath been the destroyer of many good knights, and she was causer that my mother was burnt through her falsehood and treachery.'--'What cause soever ye had,' said Arthur, 'you should have forborne her in my presence; therefore, think not the contrary, you shall repent it, for such another despite had I never in my court, therefore withdraw you out of my court in all haste that you may.'" Morte d'Arthur, lib. ii. c. 3. [174] Malmsbury, p. 184. Quem cuilibet, quamvis infestissimo inimico negare, laudabilium militum mos non est. [175] Froissart, vol. ii. c. 162. [176] Froissart, ii. 26. [177] This was part of the exhortation of a king of Portugal, on knighting his son, according to a Portuguese historian, cited in Lord Lyttleton's History of Henry II., vol. ii. p. 233. 4to. [178] Morte d'Arthur; first book of Sir Tristram, c. 34. [179] Caxton, c. 66. [180] The necessity of courtesy of manner was so important in the minds of the old poets that they ascribed it not only to every favourite hero, but even to animals, whether real or imaginary. Our moral poet Gower thus gravely sets forth the politeness of a dragon.