The History of Chivalry; Or, Knighthood and Its Times, Volume 1 (of 2) — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The History of Chivalry; Or, Knighthood and Its Times, Volume 1 (of 2)
John Stuart Mill · en
The English customs regarding degradation are minutely stated by Stowe in
the case of an English knight, Sir Andrew Harcley, Earl of Carlisle who
(in the time of Edward II.) was deprived of his knighthood, previously to
his suffering the penalties of the law for a treasonable correspondence
with Robert Bruce. "He was led to the bar as an earl, worthily apparelled,
with his sword girt about him, horsed, booted, and spurred, and unto him
Sir Anthony Lucy (his judge) spoke in this manner: 'Sir Andrew,' quoth he,
'the king for thy valiant service hath done thee great honour, and made
thee Earl of Carlisle, since which time thou as a traitor to thy lord, the
king, led his people, that should have helped him at the battle of
Heighland, away by the county of Copland, and through the earldom of
Lancaster, by which means our lord the king was discomfited there of the
Scots, through thy treason and falseness; whereas, if thou haddest come
betimes, he hadde had the victory, and this treason thou committed for the
great sum of gold and silver that thou received of James Douglas, a Scot,
the king's enemy. Our lord the king wills, therefore, that the order of
knighthood, by the which thou received all the honour and worship upon thy
body, be brought to nought, and thy state undone, that other knights of
lower degree may after thee beware, and take example truly to serve.' Then
commanded he to hew his spurs from his heels, then to break his sword over
his head, which the king had given him to keep and defend his land
therewith, when he made him earl. After this, he let unclothe him of his
furred tabard, and of his hood, of his coat of arms, and also of his
girdle; and when this was done, Sir Anthony said unto him, 'Andrew,' quoth
he, 'now art thou no knight, but a knave; and for thy treason the king
wills that thou shalt be hanged and drawn, and thy head smitten off from
thy body, and burned before thee, and thy body quartered, and thy head
being smitten off, afterwards to be set upon London bridge, and thy four
quarters shall be sent into four good towns of England, that all others
may beware by thee;' and as Sir Anthony Lucy had said, so was it done in
all things, on the last day of October."[84]
CHAP. III.
THE EQUIPMENT.
_Beauty of the chivalric Equipment ... The Lance ... The Pennon ...
The Axe, Maule, and Martel ... The Sword ... Fondness of the Knight
for it ... Swords in Romances ... The Shield ... Various sorts of Mail
... Mail ... Mail and Plate ... Plate Harness ... The Scarf ...
Surcoats ... Armorial Bearings ... Surcoats of the Military Orders ...
The Dagger of Mercy ... Story of its Use ... Value of Enquiries into
ancient Armour ... A precise Knowledge unattainable ... Its general
Features interesting ... The broad Lines of the Subject ... Excellence
of Italian Armour ... Armour of the Squire, &c. ... Allegories made on
Armour ... The Horse of the Knight._