[308] "To break across," the phrase for bad chivalry, did not die with the lance. It was used by the writers of the Elizabethan age to express any failure of wit or argument. To the same purpose, Celia, in "As You Like it," says of Orlando, tauntingly, "O that's a brave man. He writes brave verses, speaks brave words, swears brave oaths, and breaks them bravely, quite traverse, athwart the heart of his lover, as a puny tilter, that spurs his horse but on one side, breaks his staff like a noble goose." [309] The old English ordinances, fortunately, have been preserved, and are exceedingly curious. The ordinances, statutes, and rules, made and enacted by John Earl of Worcester, constable of England, by the kinge's commandement, at Windsor, the 14th day of May, in the seventh year of his noble reign (Edward IV.), to be observed and kept in all manner of justes of peace royal, within this realm of England, before his highness or lieutenant, by his commandment or licence, had from this time forth, reserving always to the queen's highness and to the ladies there present, the attribution and gift of the price, after the manner and form accustomed, the merits and demerits attribute according to the articles following:-- First, whoso breaketh most spears, as they ought to be broken, shall have the price. Item, whoso hitteth three times in the helm shall have the price. Item, whoso meteth two times coronel to coronel, shall have the price. Item, whoso beareth a man down with stroke of spear shall have the price. How the Price should be lost. First, whoso striketh a horse shall have no price. Item, whoso striketh a man, his back turned, or disarmed of his spear, shall have no price. Item, whoso hitteth the toil or tilt thrice shall have no price. Item, whoso unhelms himself twice shall have no price without his horse fail him. How Spears broken shall be allowed. First, whoso breaketh a spear between the saddle and the charnel of the helm shall be allowed for one. Item, whoso breaketh a spear from the charnel upwards shall be allowed for two. Item, whoso breaketh a spear so as he strike him down or put him out of his saddle, or disarm him in such wise as he may not run the next course, shall be allowed for three spears broken. How Spears broken shall be disallowed. First, whoso breaketh on the saddle shall be disallowed for a spear breaking. Item, whoso hits the toil or tilt over shall be disallowed for two. Item, whoso hitteth the toil twice, for the second time shall be abased three. Item, whoso breaketh a spear within a foot of the coronall, shall be judged as no spear broken, but a good attempt. For the Price. First, whoso beareth a man down out of the saddle, or putteth him to the earth, horse and man, shall have the price before him that striketh coronall to coronall two times. Item, he that striketh coronall to coronall two times shall have the price before him that striketh the sight three times.