I humbly thanked his grete hyenes; And so to Mynerve I dyd than applye, Whiche dyd me teche with syker perfytnes For to haunt armes ryght well and nobly. Sapyence me ruled well and prudently; Thus amonge knyghtes for to just and tourney, Mynerve me taught in sundry wyse all day. It was a joyfull and a knyghtly syght, For to beholde so fayre and good a sorte Of goodly knyghtes armed clere and bryght, That I sawe there, whiche dyd me well exorte Armes to haunte with coragyous comforte: Mynerve me taught my strokes and defence, That in short space was no resystence Agaynst my powre and myghty puyssaunce; To my wylfull herte was nought impossyble, I bare my selfe so without doubtaunce My herte made my courage invyncible, Of whiche the trouthe was soone intellygyble, With my behavynge before the preemynence Of kynge Melezius famous excellence. Which right anone for dame Minerve sent, And me also, with sir Trouth to obey. We thought full litell what the mater ment, But unto him we toke anone the way, Entring the chambre so fayre, clere, and gay. The king us called unto his person, Sayeng: I wyll Graund Amoure anone Truly make knight; for the time approcheth That he must haunt and seke adventure For La Belle Pucell, as true love requireth. And first of all began to me discure The highe order how I shoulde take in cure; And than anone he gan to expresse What knighthode was to perfite sekernesse. Knighthode, he sayd, was first established The comenwelth in right to defende, That by the wrong it be not minished; So every knight did truely condiscende, For the comynwelth his power to entende Ageynst all suche rebelles contrarious, Them to subdue with power victorious! For knighthode is not in the feates of warre, As for to fight in quarell right or wronge, But in a cause which trouth can not defarre; He ought him selfe for to make sure and stronge Justice to kepe mixt with mercy amonge; And no quarell a knight ought to take, But for a trouth or for the comins sake. For fyrst, good hope his legge harneys sholde be; His habergion of perfyte ryghtwysenes; Gyrde faste wyth the gyrdle of chastite, His riche placarde should be good besines, Brandred with almes so full of larges; The helmet mekenes, and the shelde good fayth; His swerde Goddes worde, as saynt Poule sayth. Also true wyddowes he ought to restore Unto their right for to attayne theyr dower, And to upholde and mainteyne evermore The welth of maydens with his myghty power. And to his soverayne, at every maner hower, To be redy, true, and eke obeysaunt, In stable love fixt and not variaunt.