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Everyone has heard of the Knights of the
Round Table, but many people are not familiar with any of the Noble
Knights save for Lancelot. But even Lancelot, however, is to many
people something he was not. The Knights were men of courage, honor,
dignity, courtesy, and nobleness. They protected ladies and damsels,
honored and fought for kings, and undertook dangerous quests.
Charge Given to the Knights by King Arthur
God make you a good man and fail not of beauty. The Round Table
was founded in patience, humility, and meekness.Thou art never to
do outrageousity, nor murder, and always to flee treason, by no means
to be cruel, and always to do ladies, damosels, and gentle women succour.
Also, to take no battles in a wrongful quarrel for no law nor for
no world's goods.
Thous shouldst be for all ladies and fight for their quarrels, and
ever be courteous and never refuse mercy to him that asketh mercy,
for a knight that is courteous and kind and gentle has favor in every
place. Thou shouldst never hold a lady or gentle woman against her
will.
Thou must keep thy word to all and not be feeble of good believeth
and faith. Right must be defended against might and distress must
be protected. Thou must know good from evil and the vain glory of
the world, because great pride and bobauce maketh great sorrow. Should
anyone require ye of any quest so that it is not to thy shame, thou
shouldst fulfil the desire.
Ever it is a worshipful knights deed to help another worshipful knight
when he seeth him a great danger, for ever a worshipful man should
loath to see a worshipful man shamed, for it is only he that is of
no worship and who faireth with cowardice that shall never show gentelness
or no manner of goodness where he seeth a man in any danger, but always
a good man will do another man as he would have done to himself.
It should never be said that a small brother has injured or slain
another brother. Thou shouldst not fail in these things: charity,
abstinence and truth. No knight shall win worship but if he be of
worship himself and of good living and that loveth God and dreadeth
God then else he geteth no worship here be ever so hardly.
An envious knight shall never win worship for and envious man wants
to win worship he shall be dishonoured twice therefore without any,
and for this cause all men of worship hate an envious man and will
show him no favour.
Do not, nor slay not, anything that will in any way dishonour the
fair name of Christian knighthood for only by stainless and honourable
lives and not by prowess and courage shall the final goal be reached.
Therefore be a good knight and so I pray to God so ye may be, and
if ye be of prowess and of worthiness then ye shall be a Knight of
the Table Round.
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The Emblem of the Knights
The emblem of the Knights of the Round Table
worn round the necks of all the Knights was given to them by King
Arthur as part of the ceremony of their being made a knight.
The Order's dominant idea was the love of God, men, and noble deeds.
The cross in the emblem was to remind them that they were to live
pure and stainless lives, to stive after perfection and thus attain
the Holy Grail. The Red Dragon of King Arthur represented their allegiance
to the King. The Round Table was illustrative of the Eternity of God,
the equality, unity, and comradeship of the Order, and singleness
of purpose of all the Knights. |
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