I had never as yet such a thought in my heart, nor I trust in
God never shall have, for no man living. If I had any such intention,
your grace ought not all only to blame me, but also to punish my body,
yea, and by true justice to be dismembered.'...
[Illustration: THE CANONS' CLOISTERS]
"All that day the king tarried there and wist not what to do. Sometimes
he imagined that honour and truth defended him to set his heart in such
a case, to dishonour such a lady and so true a knight as her husband
was, who had always well and truly served him. On the other part love so
constrained him, that the power thereof surmounted honour and truth.
Thus the king debated in himself all that day and all that night. In the
morning he arose and dislodged all his host and drew after the Scots, to
chase them out of his realm. Then he took leave of the lady, saying, 'My
dear lady, to God I commend you till I return again, requiring you to
advise you otherwise than you have said to me'. 'Noble prince,' quoth
the lady, 'God the Father glorious be your conduct, and put you out of
all villain thoughts. Sir, I am and ever shall be ready to do your grace
service to your honour and mine.' Therewith the king departed all
abashed; and so followed the Scots...."
At the same time as the Garter the College of St. George was founded,
consisting of twenty-six Canons and twenty-six Poor Knights, all to live
within the walls of the lower ward. The name of "Poor Knights" was
recently changed, out of a characteristic modern dislike, to "Military
Knights".
In 1357 King John of France arrived as a prisoner at Windsor. He and his
son Philip were captured by the English at Creçy. He rode through London
to the palace of the Savoy "on a white steed with very rich furniture,
and the Prince of Wales on a little black hackney by his side". There he
kept his household for a time, and was visited and entertained by the
King and Queen of England, "consoling him"--whatever that may mean--"all
in their power". He was transferred to Windsor, and there hunted and
hawked and took what other diversions he pleased in the neighbourhood.
Nevertheless he died in England in 1364. The tower at the north-west
corner of the upper ward is called King John's after this captive.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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