<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=346045" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>Knyghthode and Bataile</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">A XVth Century Verse Paraphrase of Flavius Vegetius Renatus' Treatise 'DE RE MILITARI'</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Proemium.<br>Salue, festa dies<br>i martis,<br>Mauortis! auete<br>Kalende. Qua Deus<br>ad celum subleuat<br>ire Dauid.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Hail, halyday deuout! Alhail Kalende<br>Of Marche, wheryn Dauid the Confessour<br>Commaunded is his kyngis court ascende;<br>Emanuel, Jhesus the Conquerour,<br>This same day as a Tryumphatour,<br>Sette in a Chaire & Throne of Maiestee,<br>To London is comyn. O Saviour,<br>Welcome a thousand fold to thi Citee!</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And she, thi modir Blessed mot she be<br>That cometh eke, and angelys an ende,<br>Wel wynged and wel horsed, hidir fle,<br>Thousendys on this goode approche attende;<br>And ordir aftir ordir thei commende,<br>As Seraphin, as Cherubyn, as Throne,<br>As Domynaunce, and Princys hidir sende;<br>And, at o woord, right welcom euerychone!</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>But Kyng Herry the Sexte, as Goddes Sone<br>Or themperour or kyng Emanuel,<br>To London, welcomer be noo persone;<br>O souuerayn Lord, welcom! Now wel, Now wel!<br>Te Deum to be songen, wil do wel,<br>And Benedicta Sancta Trinitas!<br>Now prosperaunce and peax perpetuel<br>Shal growe,-and why? ffor here is Vnitas.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Therof to the Vnitee 'Deo gracias'<br>In Trinitee! The Clergys and Knyghthode<br>And Comynaltee better accorded nas<br>Neuer then now; Now nys ther noon abode,<br>But out on hem that fordoon Goddes forbode,<br>Periurous ar, Rebellovs and atteynte,<br>So forfaytinge her lyif and lyvelode,<br>Although Ypocrisie her faytys peynte.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Now, person of Caleys, pray euery Seynte<br>In hevenys & in erth of help Thavaile.<br>It is, That in this werk nothing ne feynte,<br>But that beforn good wynde it go ful sayle;<br>And that not oonly prayer But travaile<br>Heron be sette, Enserche & faste inquere.<br>Thi litil book of knyghthode & bataile,<br>What Chiualer is best, on it bewere.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Whil Te Deum Laudamus vp goth there<br>At Paulis, vp to Westmynster go thee;<br>The Kyng comyng, Honor, Virtus the Quene,<br>So glad goth vp that blisse it is to see.<br>Thi bille vnto the Kyng is red, and He<br>Content withal, and wil it not foryete.<br>What seith my lord Beaumont? 'Preste, vnto me<br>Welcom.' (here is tassay, entre to gete).</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>'Of knyghthode & Bataile, my lord, as trete<br>The bookys olde, a werk is made now late,<br>And if it please you, it may be gete.'<br>'What werk is it?' 'Vegetius translate<br>Into Balade.' 'O preste, I pray the, late<br>Me se that werk.' 'Therto wil I you wise.<br>Lo, here it is!' Anon he gan therate<br>To rede, thus: 'Sumtyme it was the gise'-</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And red therof a part. 'For my seruyse<br>Heer wil I rede (he seith) as o psaultier.'<br>'It pleaseth you right wel; wil your aduyse<br>Suppose that the kyng heryn pleasier<br>May haue?' 'I wil considir the matier;<br>I fynde it is right good and pertynente<br>Vnto the kyng; his Celsitude is hier;<br>I halde it wel doon, hym therwith presente.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Almyghti Maker of the firmament,<br>O mervailous in euery creature,<br>So singuler in this most excellent<br>Persone, our Souuerayn Lord! Of what stature<br>Is he, what visagynge, how fair feture,<br>How myghti mad, and how strong in travaile!<br>In oonly God & hym it is tassure<br>As in a might, that noo wight dar assaile.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Lo, Souuerayn Lord, of Knyghthode & bataile<br>This litil werk your humble oratour,<br>Ye, therwithal your Chiualers, travaile,<br>Inwith your hert to Crist the Conquerour<br>Offreth for ye. Ther, yeueth him thonour;<br>His true thought, accepte it, he besecheth,<br>Accepte; it is to this Tryumphatour,<br>That myghti werre exemplifying techeth.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>He redeth, and fro poynt to poynt he secheth,<br>How hath be doon, and what is now to done;<br>His prouidence on aftirward he strecheth,<br>By see & lond; he wil provide sone<br>To chace his aduersaryes euerychone;<br>Thei hem by lond, thei hem by see asseyle;-<br>The Kyng his Oratoure, God graunt his bone,<br>Ay to prevaile in knyghthode & bataile.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Amen.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">I.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Sumtyme it was the gise among the wise<br>To rede and write goode and myghti thingis,<br>And have therof the dede in exercise;<br>Pleasaunce heryn hadde Emperour and Kingis.<br>O Jesse flour, whos swete odour our Kinge is,<br>Do me to write of knyghthode and bataile<br>To thin honour and Chiualers tavaile.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Mankyndys lyfe is mylitatioun,<br>And she, thi wife, is named Militaunce,<br>Ecclesia; Jhesu, Saluatioun,<br>My poore witte in thi richesse avaunce,<br>Cast out therof the cloude of ignoraunce,<br>Sette vp theryn thi self, the verrey light,<br>Therby to se thi Militaunce aright.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>O Lady myn, Maria, Lode sterre,<br>Condite it out of myst & nyght, that dark is,<br>To write of al by see & lond the werre.<br>Help, Angelys, of knyghthode ye Ierarkys<br>In heven & here; o puissaunt Patriarkys,<br>Your valiaunce and werre in see & londe<br>Remembering, to this werk putte your honde.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Apostolys, ye, with thalmyghti swoorde<br>Of Goddis woord, that were Conquerourys<br>Of al the world, and with the same woorde<br>Ye Martirys that putte of sharpe shourys,<br>Ye Virgynys pleasaunt and Confessourys<br>That with the same sworde haue had victory,<br>Help heer to make of werre a good memory.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And euery werreour wil I beseche,<br>Impropurly where of myn ignoraunce<br>Of werre I write, as putte in propre speche<br>And mende me, prayinge herof pleasaunce<br>To God be first, by Harry Kyng of Fraunce<br>And Englond, and thenne ereither londe,<br>Peasibilly that God putte in his honde.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Thus seide an humble Inuocatioun<br>To Criste, his Modir, and his Sayntis alle,<br>With confidence of illustratioun,<br>Criste me to spede, and prayer me to walle,<br>Myn inwit on this werk wil I let falle,<br>And sey what is kynyghthode, and in bataile,<br>By lond & see, what feat may best prevaile.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Knyghthode an ordir is, the premynent;<br>Obeysaunt in God, and rather deye<br>Then disobeye; and as magnificent<br>As can be thought; exiled al envye;<br>As confident the right to magnifie<br>As wil the lawe of Goddis mandement,<br>And as perseueraunt and patient.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The premynent is first thalmyghti Lord,<br>Emanuel, that euery lord is vndir<br>And good lyver; but bataile and discord<br>With him hath Sathanas; thei are asondir<br>As day & nyght, and as fier wasteth tundir,<br>So Sathanas his flok; and Cristis oste<br>In gemmy gold goth ardent, euery cooste.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Themanuel, this Lord of Sabaoth,<br>Hath ostis angelik that multitude,<br>That noon of hem, nor persone erthly, woote<br>Their numbir or vertue or pulcritude;<br>Our chiualers of hem similitude<br>Take as thei may, but truely ? fer is,<br>As gemmys are ymagyned to sterrys.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Folk angelik, knyghthode archangelike,<br>And the terrible tourmys pryncipaunt,<br>The Potestates myght, ho may be like,-<br>The vigoroux vertue so valyaunt,<br>The Regalye of thordir domynaunt,<br>The Thronys celsitude of Cherubyn?<br>Who hath the light or flamme of Seraphyn?</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Yit true it is, Man shal ben angelike;<br>Forthi their hosteyinye the Lord hath shewed<br>Ofte vnto man, the crafte therof to pike,<br>In knyghthode aftir hem man to be thewed:<br>By Lucyfer falling, rebate and fewed<br>Her numbir was, and it is Goddis wille,<br>That myghti men her numbir shal fulfille.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Of myghty men first is thelectioun<br>To make, & hem to lerne, & exercise<br>An ooste of hem for his perfectioun,<br>Be numbred thenne; and aftir se the gise<br>Of strong bataile, fighting in dyuers wise;<br>In craft to bilde, and art to make engyne<br>For see & lond, this tretys I wil fyne.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Thelectioun of werreours is good<br>In euery londe; and southward ay the more,<br>The more wit thei haue & lesse blood,<br>Forthi to blede thei drede it, and therfore<br>Reserue theim to labour & to lore,<br>And northeward hath more blood and lesse<br>Wit, and to fight & blede an hardinesse.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>But werreours to worthe wise & bolde,<br>Is good to take in mene atwix hem twayne,<br>Where is not ouer hote nor ouer colde;<br>And to travaile & swete in snow & rayne,<br>In colde & hete, in wode & feeldys playne,<br>With rude fode & short, thei that beth vsed,<br>To chere it is the Citesens seclused.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And of necessitee, if thei be take<br>To that honour as to be werreourys,<br>In grete travaile her sleuth is of to shake,<br>And tolleraunce of sonne & dust & shourys,<br>To bere & drawe, & dayes delve and hourys<br>First vse thei, and reste hem in a cave,<br>And throute among, and fode a smal to haue.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>In soden case emergent hem elonge<br>Fro their Cite, streyt out of that pleasaunce;<br>So shal thei worthe, ye, bothe bolde & stronge;<br>But feithfully the feld may most avaunce<br>A myghti ooste; of deth is his doubtaunce<br>Ful smal, that hath had smal felicite.<br>To lyve, and lande-men such lyuers be.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Of yonge folk is best electioun,<br>In puberte thing lightlier is lerned,<br>Of tendre age vp goth perfectioun<br>Of chiualers, as it is wel gouerned;<br>Alacrite to lepe & renne vnwerned,<br>Not oonly be, but therto sette hem stronge<br>And chere theim therwith, whil thei beth yonge.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>For better is ?ge men compleyne<br>On yerys yet commyng and nat fulfilled,<br>Then olde men dolorouxly disdeyne,<br>That thei here yougthe in negligence haspilde.<br>The yonge may seen alle his daies filde<br>In disciplyne of were and exercise,<br>That age may not haue in eny wise.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Not litil is the discipline of werre,<br>O fote, on hors, with sword or shild or spere,<br>The place & poort to kepe and not to erre,<br>Ne truble make, and his shot wel bewere,<br>To dike and voyde a dike, and entir there,<br>As is to do; lerned this gouernaunce,<br>No fere is it to fight, but pleasaunce.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The semelyest, sixe foote or litil lesse,<br>The first arayes of the legyoun,<br>Or wyngys horsyd, it is in to dresse;<br>Yet is it founde in euery regioun,<br>That smale men have had myght & renoun:<br>Lo, Tideus, as telleth swete Homere,<br>That litil man in vigour had no pere.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And him, that is to chese, it is to se<br>The look, the visagynge, the lymys stronge,<br>That thei be sette to force & firmytee;<br>For bellatours, men, horsis, hondis yonge,<br>As thei be wel fetured, is to fonge,<br>As in his book seith of the bee Virgile,<br>Too kyndis are, a gentil and a vile.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The gentil is smal, rutilaunt, glad-chered,<br>That other horribil, elenge and sloggy,<br>Drawinge his wombe abrede, and vgly-hered,<br>To grete the bolk, and tremulent and droggy,<br>The lymes hery, scabious & ruggy;<br>That be wil litil do, but slepe & ete,<br>And al deuoure, as gentil bees gete.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>So for bataile adolescentys yonge<br>Of grym visage and look pervigilaunt,<br>Vpright-necked, brod-brested, boned stronge.<br>Brawny, bigge armes, fyngeres elongaunt,<br>Kne deep, smal wombe, and leggys valiaunt,<br>To renne & lepe: of these and suche signys<br>Thelectioun to make ascribed digne is.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>For better is, of myghti werryourys<br>To haue ynogh, then ouer mych of grete.-<br>What crafty men tabide on werrys shourys,<br>It is to se; fisshers, foulers, forlete<br>Hem alle, and pigmentaryes be foryete,<br>And alle they that are of idil craftys,<br>Their insolence & feet to be forlafte is.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The ferrour and the smyth, the carpenter,<br>The huntere of the hert & of the boor,<br>The bocher & his man, bed hem com nere,<br>For alle tho may do and kepe stoor.<br>An old prouerbe is it: Stoor is not soor,<br>And commyn wele it is, a werreour<br>To have aswel good crafte as grete vigour.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The reaumys myght, the famys fundament,<br>Stont in the first examynatioun<br>Or choys, wheryn is good be diligent.<br>Of the provynce that is defensioun;<br>A wysdom and a just intensioun<br>Is him to have, an ost that is to chese,<br>Wheryn is al to wynne or al to lese.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>If chiualers, a land that shal defende,<br>Be noble born, and have lond & fee,<br>With thewys goode, as can noman amende,<br>Thei wil remembir ay their honeste,<br>And shame wil refreyne hem not to fle;<br>Laude & honour, hem sporynge on victory,<br>To make fame eternal in memory.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>What helpeth it, if ignobilitee<br>Have exercise in werre and wagys large;<br>A traitour or a coward if he be,<br>Thenne his abode is a disceypt & charge;<br>If cowardise hym bere away by barge<br>Or ship or hors, alway he wil entende<br>To marre tho that wolde make or mende.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Ciuilians or officers to make<br>Of hem that have habilite to werre,<br>Is not the worship of a lond tawake,<br>Sumtyme also lest noughti shuld com nerre,<br>Thei sette hym to bataile, & theryn erre;<br>Therfore it is by good discretioun<br>And grete men to make electioun.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And not anoon to knyghthode is to lyft<br>A bacheler elect; let first appare<br>And preve it wel that he be stronge & swift<br>And wil the discipline of werrys lere,<br>With confidence in conflict as he were.<br>Ful oftyn he that is right personabil,<br>Is aftir pref reported right vnabil.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>He putte apart, putte in his place an other;<br>Conflicte is not so sure in multitude,<br>As in the myght. Thus proved oon & other<br>Of werre an entre or similitude,<br>In hem to shewe. But this crafte dissuetude<br>Hath take away; here is noon exercise<br>Of disciplyne, as whilom was the gise.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>How may I lerne of hym that is vnlerned,<br>How may a thing informal fourme me?<br>Thus I suppose is best to be gouerned:<br>Rede vp thistories of auctoritee,<br>And how thei faught, in theym it is to se,<br>Or better thus: Celsus Cornelius<br>Be red, or Caton, or Vegetius.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Vegetius it is, that I entende<br>Aftir to goon in lore of exercise,<br>Besechinge hem that fynde a faut, amende<br>It to the best, or me tamende it wise;<br>As redy wil I be with my seruyce<br>Tamende that, as ferther to procede.<br>Now wel to go, the good angel vs lede.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>First is to lerne a chiualerys pace,<br>That is to serue in journey & bataile;<br>Gret peril is, if they theryn difface,<br>That seyn: our enemye wil our oste assaile<br>And jumpe light; to goon is gret availe,<br>And pace in howrys fyve<br>Wel may they goon, and not goon ouer blyve.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And wightly may thei go moo,<br>But faster and they passe, it is to renne;<br>In rennyng exercise is good also,<br>To smyte first in fight, and also whenne<br>To take a place our foomen wil, forrenne,<br>And take it erst; also to serche or sture,<br>Lightly to come & go, rennynge is sure.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Rennynge is also right good at the chace,<br>And forto lepe a dike, is also good,<br>To renne & lepe and ley vppon the face,<br>That it suppose a myghti man go wood<br>And lose his hert withoute sheding blood;<br>For myghtily what man may renne & lepe,<br>May wel devicte and saf his party kepe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>To swymme is eek to lerne in somer season;<br>Men fynde not a brigge as ofte as flood,<br>Swymmyng to voide and chace an oste wil eson;<br>Eeke aftir rayn the ryueres goth wood;<br>That euery man in thoost can swymme, is good.<br>Knyght, squyer, footman, cook & cosynere<br>And grome & page in swymmyng is to lere.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Of fight the disciplyne and exercise<br>Was this: to haue a pale or pile vpright<br>Of mannys hight, thus writeth olde wyse;<br>Therwith a bacheler or a yong knyght<br>Shal first be taught to stonde & lerne fight;<br>A fanne of doubil wight tak him his shelde,<br>Of doubil wight a mace of tre to welde.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>This fanne & mace, which either doubil wight is<br>Of shelde & sword in conflicte or bataile,<br>Shal exercise as wel swordmen as knyghtys,<br>And noo man (as thei seyn) is seyn prevaile<br>In felde or in gravel though he assaile,<br>That with the pile nath first gret exercise;<br>Thus writeth werreourys olde & wise.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Have vche his pile or pale vpfixed faste,<br>And, as in werre vppon his mortal foo,<br>With wightynesse & wepon most he caste<br>To fighte stronge, that he ne shape him fro,-<br>On him with shild & sword avised so,<br>That thou be cloos, and prest thi foo to smyte,<br>Lest of thin owne deth thou be to wite.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Empeche his hed, his face, have at his gorge,<br>Bere at the breste, or serue him on the side<br>With myghti knyghtly poort, eue as Seynt George,<br>Lepe o thi foo, loke if he dar abide;<br>Wil he nat fle, wounde him; mak woundis wide,<br>Hew of his honde, his legge, his thegh, his armys;<br>It is the Turk: though he be sleyn, noon harm is.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And forto foyne is better then to smyte;<br>The smyter is deluded mony oonys,<br>The sword may nat throgh steel & bonys bite,<br>Thentrailys ar couert in steel & bonys,<br>But with a foyn anoon thi foo fordoon is;<br>Tweyne vnchys entirfoyned hurteth more<br>Then kerf or ege, although it wounde sore.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Eek in the kerf, thi right arm is disclosed,<br>Also thi side; and in the foyn, couert<br>Is side & arm, and er thou be supposed<br>Redy to fight, the foyn is at his hert<br>Or ellys where, a foyn is euer smert;<br>Thus better is to foyne then to kerve;<br>In tyme & place ereither is tobserue.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>This fanne & mace ar ay of doubil wight,<br>That when the Bacheler hath exercise<br>Of hevy gere, and aftir taketh light<br>Herneys, as sheeld & sword of just assise,<br>His hert avaunceth, hardynes tarise.<br>My borthon is delyuered, thinketh he,<br>And on he goth, as glad as he may be.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And ouer this al, exercise in armys<br>The doctour is to teche and discipline,<br>For double wage a wurthi man of armys<br>Was wont to take, if he wer proved digne<br>Aforn his prince, ye, tymes VIII or IX;<br>And whete he had, and barly had the knyght<br>That couthe nat as he in armys fight.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Res publica right commendabil is,<br>If chiualers and armys there abounde,<br>For, they present, may nothing fare amys,<br>And ther thei are absent, al goth to grounde;<br>In gemme, in gold, in silk be thei fecounde,<br>It fereth not; but myghti men in armys,<br>They fereth with the drede of deth & harmys.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Caton the Wise seith: where as men erre<br>In other thinge, it may be wel amended;<br>But emendatioun is noon in werre;<br>The cryme doon, forthwith the grace is spended,<br>Or slayn anoon is he that there offended,<br>Or putte to flight, and euer aftir he<br>Is lesse worth then they that made him fle.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>But turne ageyn, Inwit, to thi preceptys!<br>With sword & sheld the lerned chiualer<br>At pale or pile, in artilaunce excepte is;<br>A dart of more wight then is mester,<br>Tak him in honde, and teche hym it to ster,<br>And caste it at that pile, as at his foo,<br>So that it route, and right vppon hym go.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Of armys is the doctour heer tattende,<br>That myghtily this dart be take & shake,<br>And shot as myghtily, forthright on ende,<br>And smyte sore, or nygh, this pile or stake;<br>Herof vigour in tharmys wil awake<br>And craft to caste & smyte shal encrece;<br>The werreours thus taught, shal make peax.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>But bachilers, the thridde or firthe part,<br>Applied ar to shote in bowes longe<br>With arowys; heryn is doctryne & art,<br>The stringys vp to breke in bowes stronge,<br>And swift and craftily the taclis fonge,<br>Starkly the lifte arm holde with the bowe,<br>Drawe with the right, and smyte, and ouerthrowe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Set hert & eye vppon that pile or pale,<br>Shoot nygh or on, and if so be thou ride<br>On hors, is eek the bowys bigge vp hale;<br>Smyte in the face or breste or bak or side,<br>Compelle fle, or falle, if that he bide.<br>Cotidian be mad this exercise,<br>On fote & hors, as writeth olde wise.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>That archery is grete vtilitee,<br>It nedeth not to telle eny that here is;<br>Caton, therof in bookys writeth he,<br>Among the discipline of chiualerys,<br>And Claudius, that werred mony yeres,<br>Wel seide, and Affricanus Scipio<br>With archerys confounded ofte his foo.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Vse eek the cast of stoon with slynge or honde;<br>It falleth ofte, if other shot ther noon is,<br>Men herneysed in steel may not withstonde<br>The multitude & myghti caste of stonys;<br>It breketh ofte & breseth flesh & bonys,<br>And stonys in effecte are euerywhere,<br>And slyngys ar not noyous forto bere.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And otherwhile in stony stede is fight,<br>A mountayn otherwhile is to defende,<br>An hil, a toun, a tour, and euery knyght<br>And other wight may caste stoon on ende.<br>The stonys axe, if other shot be spende,<br>Or ellys thus: save other shot with stonys,<br>Or vse hem, as requireth, both atonys.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The barbulys that named ar plumbatys,<br>Set in the sheld is good to take fyve,<br>That vsed hem of old, wer grete estatys;<br>As archerys, they wolde shote and dryve<br>Her foo to flight, or leve him not alyve;<br>This shot commended Dioclisian<br>And his Coemperour Maxymyan.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The Chiualers and werreourys alle,<br>Quicly to lepe on hors, and so descende<br>Vppon the right or lyft side, if it falle,<br>That exercise is forto kepe an ende;<br>Vnarmed first, and armed thenne ascende,<br>And aftir with a spere or sword & shelde,<br>This feet is good, when troubled is the felde.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And LX pounde of weght it hade to bere<br>And go therwith a chiualerys pace,<br>Vitaile & herneysing and sword & spere,<br>Frely to bere; al this is but solace;<br>Thinge exercised ofte in tyme & space,<br>Hard if it be, with vse it wil ben eased,<br>The yonge men herwith beth best appesed.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And exercise him vche in his armure,<br>As is the gise adayes now to were,<br>And se that euery peece herneys be sure,<br>Go quycly in, and quyk out of the gere,<br>And kepe it cler, as gold or gemme it were;<br>Corraged is that hath his herneys bright,<br>And he that is wel armed, dar wel fight.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>To warde & wacche an oste it is to lerne<br>Both holsom is that fvlly and necessary,<br>Withinne a pale an oste is to gouerne,<br>That day & nyght saftly theryn they tary<br>And take reste, and neuer oon myscary;<br>For faute of wacch, ha worthi not myscheved<br>Now late, and al to rathe? Is this nat preved?</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>To make a fortresse, if the foon be nygh,<br>Assure a grounde, and se that ther be fode<br>For man & beest, and watir deep mydthigh,<br>Not fer; and se there wode or grovys goode.<br>Now signe it, lyne it out by yerde or rode,<br>An hil if ther be nygh, wherby the foo<br>May hurte, anoon set of the ground therfro.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Ther flood is wont the felde to ouer flete,<br>Mak ther noo strength; and as is necessary<br>Vnto thyn oste, as mych is out to mete,<br>And cariage also theryn most tary;<br>Men dissipat, here enemy may myscary,<br>And combred is an oste that is compressed;<br>Tak eue ynough, and hoom have vch man dressed.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Trianguler, or square, or dymyrounde<br>The strength it is to make of hosteyinge;<br>Thavis therof is taken at the grounde;-<br>And estward, or vppon thi foo comynge,<br>The yatys principal have vssuynge,<br>To welcom him; and if an ost journey,<br>The yatis ar to sette vppon his wey.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The centenaryes thervppon shal picche<br>Her pavilons, and dragonys and signys<br>Shal vp be set, and Gorgona the wicche<br>Vpsette they; to juste batail condigne is<br>Vch helply thing; another yate & signe is,<br>Ther trespassers shal go to their juesse,<br>That oponeth north, or westward, as I gesse.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>In maneer a strengthe is to be walled,<br>If ther oppresse noo necessitee:<br>Delve vp the torf, have it togedir malled,<br>Therof the wal be mad high footys<br>Above grounde; the dike withouten be<br>IX foote brode, and deep dounright;<br>Thus dike & wal is wel fote in hight.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>This werk they calle a dike tumultuary;<br>To stynte a rore, and if the foo be kene,<br>Legytymat dykinge is necessary;<br>XII foote brod that dike is to demene,<br>And nyne deep; his sidys to sustene,<br>And hege it as is best on either side,<br>That diked erth vpheged stonde & bide.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Above grounde arise it foure foote;<br>Thus hath the dike in brede footys XII,<br>And XIII is it high fro crop to roote,<br>That stake of pith which euery man him selve<br>Hath born, on oneward is it forto delve.<br>And this to do, pikens, mattok and spade<br>And tole ynough ther most be redy made.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>But and the foo lene on forwith to fight,<br>The hors men alle, and half the folk ofoote<br>Embataile hem, to showve away their myght,<br>That other half, to dike foot by foote,<br>Be sette, and an heraude expert by roote,<br>The Centrions other the Centenaryis<br>In ordre forth hem calle, as necessary is.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And ay among the centrions enserch,<br>The werk, if it be wrought, kept the mesure,<br>In brede & deep & high, perch aftir perch,<br>And chastise him, that hath nat doon his cure.<br>An hoste thus exercised may ensure<br>In prevalence, whos debellatioun<br>Shal not be straught by perturbatioun.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Wel knowen is, nothinge is more in fight<br>Then exercise and daily frequentaunce;<br>Vch werreour therfore do his myght<br>To knowe it wel and kepe his ordynaunce;<br>An ooste to thicke, I sette, is encombraunce,<br>And also perilous is ouer thynne,<br>Thei sone fle that be to fer atwynne.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>We werreours, forthi go we to feelde;<br>And as our name in ordir in the rolle is,<br>Our ordynaunt, so sette vs, dart & sheelde<br>And bowe & axe, and calle vs first by pollys;<br>Triangulys, quadrangulys, and rollys,<br>We may be made; and thus vs embataile,<br>Gouerned, vndir grate to prevaile.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>A sengil ege is first to strecch in longe,<br>Withoute bosomynge or curuature,<br>With dowbeling forwith let make it stronge,<br>That also fele assiste, in like mesure,<br>And with a woord turne hem to quadrature,<br>And efte trianguler, and then hem rounde,<br>And raunge hem efte, and keep euerych his grounde.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>This ordynaunce of right is to prevaile;<br>Doctryne hem eek, whenne it is best to square,<br>And when a triangul may more availe,<br>And orbys, how they necessary are;<br>How may be to condense, and how to rare;<br>The werreours that ha this exercise,<br>Be preste with hardynesse, & stronge & wise.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And ouer this, an olde vsage it was<br>To make walk thryes in euery mone,<br>And tho they wente a chiualerys paas<br>X myle outward, the men of armys, none<br>Vnharneysed; the footmen euerychone<br>Bowed, tacled, darted, jacked, saladed;<br>Vitaile eke born withal, her hertis gladed.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>In hom comynge, among thei wente faste<br>And ranne among. Eek tourmys of ryderys<br>Sumtyme journeyed on foote in haste,<br>Shelded & herneysed with myghti sperys;<br>Not oonly in the playn, but also where is<br>A mountayn or a clif or streyt passagys.<br>Thus hadde thei both exercise and wagys.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Ereithre ege in this wise exercised<br>Was by & by, so that no chaunce of newe<br>Nas to be thought, that thei nere of avised,<br>And hadde way the daungerys teschewe<br>Vndaungered; and this wisdom thei knewe<br>By discipline of their doctour of armys,<br>To wynne honour withouten hate or harmys.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Thelectioun and exercise anended,<br>An ooste is now to numbre & dyvide,<br>And seen vch officer his part commended,<br>And how to sette a feeld to fight & bide.<br>Goode Angelys and Sayntys, ye me gide<br>And lighte me, o Lady Saynte Mary!<br>To write wel this werk & not to tary.-</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>II.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Electrix ita Milicie pars prima recedit,<br>Et pars partitrix ecce secunda subit.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The firste parte of IIII is here at ende;<br>Now to the part secounde! er we procede<br>To knowe this, His grace God vs sende!<br>Myn auctour ofte aduiseth vs to rede<br>And to the sense of it to taken hede;<br>To rede a thinge withoute intelligence,<br>As seith Cato the Wise, is negligence.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>But this I leve vnto the sapience<br>Of chiualers, and to my werk retorne,<br>Theryn to do my feithful diligence<br>For their pleasaunce, out of this prosis storne<br>The resonaunce of metris wolde I borne.<br>As myghti herte in ryngynge herneysinge,<br>So gentil wit wil in good metris springe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And for thonour of theuerlastyng kynge,<br>Our saviour Jhesus and his Ierarkys,<br>His Angelys, and for that swete thinge,<br>His Modre, patronesse of al my warkys,<br>For His prophetys love and patriarkys,<br>And for thapostolis that made our Crede,<br>As do me fauour, ye that wil me rede.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Virgile seith (an high poete is he)<br>That werre in armys stont and mannys myght,<br>The man on hors, o fote, or on the see;<br>Riders be wyngis clept, for swift & light,<br>On either half of thege eke ar thei dight;<br>But now that ege is called the banere<br>Or banerye, hauyng his banereer.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Also ther are riders legyonaryis;<br>Thei are annexed to the legioun.<br>In too maner of shippes men to cary is,<br>Their namys ar couth in this regioun;<br>Orthwart go they the flood, and vp & doun;<br>Riders in playn, footmen goth euery where,<br>By theyme the commyn wele is to conquere;</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Riders a fewe, and haue o foote fele,<br>Thei spende smal, and horsmen spende fre.<br>Footmen o tweyne is to dyuide & dele:<br>Or legiaunt or aydaunt for to be.<br>Confederat men aydaunt is to se,<br>That is to say, by trewce or toleraunce,<br>As Frensh ar suffred here, and we in Fraunce.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Aydaunt be they, but in the legioun<br>Lith thordinaunce in werre to prevaile.<br>A legioun out of electioun<br>Hath take his name, as elect to bataile.<br>Her diligence and feith is not to faile;<br>Thi legyaunt forthi to multiplie<br>Is right, but aydauntys a fewe applie.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Thousant werreours was a phalange<br>In dayis olde, and of men<br>Was a caterve, but this diagalange<br>Is, as to this, not worth a pulled hen.<br>The legioun, departed into X,<br>Is vs to lerne, and legions how fele<br>It is to haue, and how asondir dele.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The consules legiounys ladden,<br>Al aldermeest; but thei hadde exercise,<br>Wherof the felde victoriously thei hadden;<br>To chose a legioun, this was the gise,<br>In bookys as they seyn, these olde wise:<br>Wyis, hardy, strong, doctryned, high statured,<br>In feet of werre ofte vsed & wel vred.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>That was the man, he was mad mylitaunt,<br>When al the world to the Romayn Empire<br>Was made obey, by knyghthod valiaunt;-<br>A sacramental oth doth it requyre,<br>To write pleyn this matere I desire,<br>By God & Criste and Holy Goost swar he,<br>And by that Emperourys maiestee.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Next God is hym to drede and hym to honour is;<br>Right as to God ther bodily present,<br>To themperour, when he mad Emperour is,<br>Devotioun; vch loyal ympendent<br>Is to be vigilaunt, his seruyent;<br>God serueth he, both knyght & comynere,<br>That loueth him, to God that regneth here.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>God, Criste Jhesus, and Holy Goste; was sworn<br>By theim, and themperourys maiestee,<br>That his commaundementys shuld be born<br>And strenuously be doon, be what thei be;<br>Fro mylitaunce that thei shal neuer fle<br>Ner voyde deth, but rather deth desire<br>For themperour, and wele of his Empire.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Thus sworn, vch knyght is of the legioun.<br>The legioun stont in cohortys;<br>Cohors the Latyn is, this regioun<br>Tenglish it fore, help vs, good Lord! Amen.<br>The dignite and number of the men<br>Hath in the firste cohors an excellence<br>Of noble blood, manhode and sapience.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>This feleshepe, most worshipful, most digne,<br>Bar thegil and thymage of themperour;<br>As God present was holden either signe,<br>Thei hadde both attendaunce & honour;<br>Of chiualers heryn was doon the flour,<br>A an and footmen,<br>And of wight horsmen.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The military cohors, or the choors,<br>Thus named it the wise, and the secounde<br>Cohors, like as the bonet to his coors<br>Is set, thei sette it footmen stronge & sounde,<br>And an half, and abounde<br>In hit, with sixe & sixti hors, and it<br>The Quyngentary called men of wit.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>As fele & myghty choys putte in the thridde is,<br>For in their honde espeyre is al to thryve;<br>Her place in ordynaunce is in the myddys,<br>And for the firth choors is to discrive<br>Footmen and an half,<br>With sixe & sixti hors, and eue as fele,<br>With better hors, vnto the fifthe dele.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>For as the first cohors is the right horn,<br>So in the lift horn is the fifthe choors;<br>For V choors stonde in the frounte aforn,<br>Or the vawarde; of termys is noo foors,<br>So the conceyt be had. The sixt cohors<br>Hath, as the fifthe, yet lusty men & yonge;<br>To thegil next to stonde it is to fonge,</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>That is the right horn; in the myddil warde<br>The nexte choors hath eue as mony as she,<br>The nexte as fele, and therto is tawarde<br>The myghti men, amyddis forto be;<br>The nynth is of the same quantitie,<br>The tenth is eue as is the choors beforn,<br>But make it strong, for it is the lift horn.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The legioun in ten is thus cohorted,<br>And an see men on foote,<br>Hors, and therty therto soorted,<br>Of fewer hors is not to speke or moote<br>In eny legioun; yet, crop & roote<br>To seyn, of hors ther may be take moo,<br>Commaundement if ther be so to do.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Exployed heer thusage and ordynaunce<br>Of legyoun, vnto the principal<br>Of chiualers retourne our remembraunce;<br>The dignitie and name in special<br>Of euery prince enrolled, and who shal<br>Do what, and whenne, and where, it is to write;<br>Good angel, help vs al this werk tendite.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The grete Trybune is mad by Themperour,<br>And by patent, and send by jugement;<br>Thundir Trybune is hent of his labour.-<br>An Ordyner for fighters forth present<br>Is forto sette; eek Themperour content<br>Is ofte to sende and make secoundaryis;<br>What name is heer for hem? Coordinaryis.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>An Egiller bar thegil, and thymage<br>Of themperour bar an Ymaginary;<br>And moo then oon ther were of those in wage;<br>A Banereer, tho clept a Draconary,<br>A Kyng Heralde, tho clept a Tesserary,-<br>The baner he, he bar commaundement,<br>Al thoost tobeye her princys hole entent.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Campigeners made exercise in feeldys,<br>Campymeters mesured out the grounde,<br>To picche pavilons, tentys and teeldys,<br>The forteresse triangeler or rounde<br>Or square to be made or dymyrounde,<br>His part hit was; and he that was Library,<br>Thaccomptys wrot, that rekenyng ne vary.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The Clarioner, Trompet, and Hornycler,<br>With horn, & trompe of bras, and clarioun,<br>In terribil batailis bloweth cleer,<br>That hors & man reioyceth at the soun;<br>The firmament therto making resoun<br>Or resonaunce; thus joyneth thei bataile;<br>God stonde with the right, that it prevaile!</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>A Mesurer, that is our Herbagere,<br>For paviloun & tent assigneth he<br>The grounde, and seith: 'Be ye ther, be ye here!'<br>Vch hostel eek, in castel and citee,<br>Assigneth he, vch aftir his degre.<br>A wreth o golde is signe of grete estate;<br>That wered it, was called a Torquate.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Sengil ther were of these, and duplicate<br>And triplicate, and so to for and fiv,<br>That hadde wage, vche aftir his estate.<br>Tho namys goon, such personys alyve,<br>It may be thought, therof wil I not scryve.<br>Ther were eek worthymen clept Candidate,<br>And last, the souldeours, vch othrys mate.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The principal prince of the legioun,<br>Sumtyme it was, and yet is a like gise,<br>To make a Primypile, a centurioun;<br>A Lieutenaunt men calle him in our wise;<br>And him beforn is Thegil forto arise;<br>Four hudred knyghtis eek of valiaunce<br>This prymypile hadde in his gouernaunce.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>He in the frounte of al the legioun<br>Was as a vicaptayn, a gouernour,<br>And took availe at vch partitioun.<br>The First Spere was next, a lusty flour;<br>Two hundred to gouerne is his honour,<br>Wherof thei named him a Ducennary,<br>The name fro the numbir not to vary.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The Prince an hundred and an half gouerned,<br>Eek he gouerned al the legioun<br>In ordynaunce; oueral he went vnwerned.<br>The nexte spere, of name and of renoun,<br>As mony hadde in his directioun;<br>The First Triari hadde an hundred men;<br>A Chevetayn was eke of euery ten</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Thus hath the first cohors fyve Ordinayris,<br>And euery ten an hed, a Cheveteyne,<br>To rewle theim; and so it necessayr is,<br>An hundred and fyve on this choors to reigne:<br>Four Ordinayris and the cheef Captayne,<br>That is their Ordinary General,<br>And seyde is ofte of him: He rewleth al.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>So high honour, so gret vtilitee<br>Hath euerych estate of this renoun<br>Prouided hem by sage Antiquitee,<br>That euery persone in the legioun<br>With al labour, with al deuotioun<br>To that honour attended to ascende,<br>And that avail to wynne, her bodyis bende.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The nexte choors, named the Quyngentary,<br>Hath Centurions or Centenerys fyve;<br>Thridde choors as fele hath necessary;<br>The firthe fyve, and, forto spede vs blyve,<br>In euery choors the Centyners oo fyve<br>In numbir make, and so the legioun<br>Of hem hath fyvty-fyve vp & doun.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Not fyvty-fyve Whi? For fyve thordinayrys<br>In their Estate and stede of fyve stonde;<br>To graunte this, me semeth, noo contrary is;<br>Though in my book so wryton I ne fonde,<br>Of LV, wel I vndirstonde<br>And fynde cleer, so that it most appere,<br>That vndir Ordynayrys V were.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The consulys, for themperour Legatys<br>Sende vnto the oste; to thaim obtemperaunt<br>Was al the legioun, and al the statys;<br>They were of al the werres ordynaunt;<br>To theim obeyed euerych aydaunt;<br>In stede of whom illustres Lordes, Peerys,<br>Be substitute, Maistrys of Chiualerys;</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>By whom not oonly legiounys twayn,<br>But grete numbrys hadde gouernaunce.<br>The propre juge is the Provost, certayn,<br>With worthinesse of the first ordynaunce;<br>The vilegate is he by mynystraunce<br>Of his power, to hym the Centeners<br>Obey, and the Trybune and Chiualers.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Of him the rolle of wacch and of progresse<br>Thei crave and haue, and if a knyght offende,<br>At his precepte he was put to juesse<br>By the trybune, in payne or deth tanende.<br>Hors, herneys, wage & cloth, vitail to spende,<br>His cure it was tordeyn, and disciplyne<br>Vnto euery man, seuerous or benygne.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>His justising, with sobre diligence,<br>And pite doon vppon his legioun,<br>Assured hem to longh obedience<br>And reuerence, and high deuotioun;<br>Good gouernaunce at his promotioun<br>Kept euery man; and his honour, him thoughte<br>It was, when euery man dede as him oughte.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The Maister or Provost of Ordynaunce,<br>Although he were of lower dignitie,<br>His estimatioun & gouernaunce,<br>The bastilys, dich, & pale is to se;<br>And wher the tabernaculys shal be<br>And tent & teelde & case & paviloun<br>And cariage of al the legioun.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>For seeke men the leche and medycyne<br>Procureth he, for larderye and toolys;<br>Of euery werk cartyng he most assigne,<br>For bastile or engyne or myne. And fole is<br>He noon, that is expert in these scolys;<br>This was a wise, appreved chiualere,<br>That, as he dede himself, couth other lere.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And ouer this, the ferrour & the smyth,<br>The tymbre men, hewer & carpenter,<br>The peyntour, and vch other craft goth with,<br>To make a frame or engyne euerywhere,<br>Hem to defense and her foomen to fere;<br>Tormentys olde and carrys to repare<br>And make newe, as they to broken are.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Foregys and artelryis, armeryis,<br>To make tole, horshoon, shot & armurre;<br>And euery thing that nede myght aspie, is<br>In thooste; and eek mynours that can go sure<br>Vndir the dich, and al the wal demure<br>Or brynge in thoost; herof the Maister Smyth<br>Had al the rule, and euer went he with.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The legioun is seide haue choorsis X.<br>The military first, or miliary,<br>The best and gentilest and wisest men<br>And myghtiest, therto be necessary;<br>Eek letterure is good & light to cary.<br>Her gouernour was a Trybune of Armys,<br>Wise & honest, that body strong & arm is.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The choorsys aftir that, Trybunys cured<br>Or Maysterys, as it the prince pleased;<br>Vch chiualeer in exercise assured<br>So was, that God & man therwith was pleased;<br>And first to se the prince do, mych eased<br>The hertys alle. Fresh herneys, armur bright,<br>Wit, hardinesse & myght had euery knyght.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The firste signe of al the legioun<br>An Egil is, born by an Egeler,<br>And thenne in euery Choors is a Dragoun,<br>Born by a Draconair or Banereer;<br>A baner eek had euery Centener<br>Other a signe, inscrived so by rowe,<br>His Chevetayn that euery man may knowe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The Centeners had also werreourys,<br>Hardy, wel harneysed, in their salet<br>That had a creste of fetherys or lik flourys,<br>That noon errour were in the batail set,<br>To his Cristate and to his Baneret<br>And to his Decanair euerych his sight<br>May caste, and in his place anoon be pight.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Right as the footmen haue a Centurion,<br>That hath in rewle an C men & X,<br>So haue the riders a Decurion,<br>That hath in rewle XXXII horsmen.<br>By his banere him knoweth alle his men,<br>And ouer that, right as it is to chese<br>A myghti man for thaym, so is for these.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>For theim a stronge & wel fetured man,<br>That can a spere, a dart, a sword wel caste,<br>And also fight, and rounde a sheld wel can,<br>And spende his wepon wel withoute waste,<br>Redier to fight then flite, and ner agaste,<br>That can be sobre, sadde, & quyk & quyver,<br>And with his foo com of and him delyuer;</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Obeyssaunt his premynentys wille,<br>And rather do the feat then of it crake,<br>Impatient that day or tyme spille<br>In armys exercise and art to wake,<br>And of himself a sampeler to make<br>Among his men, wel shod, honestly dight,<br>And make hem fourbe her armure euer bright.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Right so it is, for these men to chese<br>A Decurioun, thorugh lik to him in fourme,<br>Impatient that thei the tyme lese,<br>Wel herneysed, and euerych of hys tourme<br>In euery poynt of armys wil enfourme,<br>And armed wil his hors so sone ascende,<br>That mervaile is, and course hym stronge anende,</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And vse wel a dart, a shaft, a spere,<br>And teche chiualers vndir his cure,<br>Right as himself to torne hem in her gere,<br>The brigandyn, helmet, and al procure,<br>It oftyn wipe clene,-and knowe sure,<br>With herneysing and myghti poort affrayed<br>Is ofte a foo, and forto fight dismayed.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Is it to sey: 'he is a werrely knyght,'<br>Whos herneys is horribil & beduste,<br>Not onys vsed in a fourte nyght,<br>And al that iron is or steel, beruste;<br>Vnkept his hors, how may he fight or juste?<br>The knyghtis and her horsys in his tourme<br>This Capitayn shal procure & refourme.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>III.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Tercia bellatrix pars est et pacificatrix,<br>In qua quosque bonos concomitatur honos.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Comprised is in smal this part secounde,<br>An ooste to numbir, and a legioun;<br>In foylis is it fewe, in fruyt fecounde;<br>The saluature of al religioun<br>Is founde heryn for euery regioun.<br>Wel to digeste this God graunte vs grace,<br>And by the werre his reste to purchace.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>O gracious our Kyng! Thei fleth his face.<br>Where ar they now? Summe are in Irelonde,<br>In Walys other are, in myghti place,<br>And other han Caleys with hem to stonde,<br>Thei robbeth & they reveth see & londe;<br>The kyng, or his ligeaunce or amytee,<br>Thei robbe anende, and sle withoute pitee.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The golden Eagle and his briddys III,<br>Her bellys ha they broke, and jessys lorne;<br>The siluer Bere his lynkys al to fle,<br>And bare is he behinde & eke beforne;<br>The lily whit lyoun, alas! forsworne<br>Is his colour & myght; and yet detrude<br>Entende thei the lond, and it conclude.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Of bestialite, lo, ye so rude,<br>The Noblis alle attende on the Antilope;<br>Your self & youris, ye yourself exclude,<br>And lose soule & lyif. Aftir your coope<br>Axe humble grace, and sette yourself in hope,<br>For and ye wiste, hou hard lyif is in helle,<br>No lenger wolde ye with the murthre melle.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Ye se at eye, it nedeth not you telle,<br>Hou that the beestis and the foulys alle,<br>That gentil are, ar sworn your wrong to quelle;<br>Ypocrisie of oothis wil not walle<br>You fro the sword, but rather make it falle<br>On your auarous evel gouernaunce,<br>That may be called pride & arrogaunce.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>This yeve I theim to kepe in remembraunce;<br>Goode Antilop, that eny blood shal spille,<br>Is not thi wille; exiled is vengeaunce<br>From al thi thought; hemself, alas, thei kille.<br>O noble pantere! of thi breth the smylle,<br>Swete and pleasaunt to beest & briddis alle,<br>It oonly fleth the dragon fild with galle.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>What helpeth it, lo, thangelis wil falle<br>On him with al our werreours attonys;<br>Thei muste nede his membris al to malle.-<br>Of this matere I stynte vntil eftsonys,<br>And fast I hast to write as it to doone is,<br>That myght in right vppon the wrong prevaile<br>In londe & see, by knyghthode & bataile.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Lo, thus thelectioun with exercise<br>And ordynaunce, as for a legioun,<br>Exployed is, as writeth olde wise.<br>What ha we next? Belligeratioun.<br>O Jesse flour! Jhesu, Saluatioun<br>And Savyour, commaunde that my penne<br>To thin honour go right heryn & renne.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>An oste of exercise 'exercitus'<br>Hath holde of olde his name; a legioun<br>As an electioun is named thus,<br>And a choors of cohortatioun.<br>The princys of her mynystratioun<br>Her namys have, and aftir her degre<br>The Chevetaynys vndir named be.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Exercitus, that is to seyn an Ooste,<br>Is legiounys, or a legioun;<br>Tweyne is ynough, and IIII is with the moste,<br>And oon suffiseth in sum regioun;<br>Therof, with ayde and horsmen of renoun,<br>As needful is, groweth good gouernaunce<br>In euery londe, and parfit prosperaunce.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>What is an ayde? It is stipendiaryis<br>Or souldiours conduct of straunge londe,<br>To such a numbir as it necessary is,<br>Aftir the legioun thei for to stonde<br>In ordynaunce, to make a myghti honde;<br>Heryn who wil be parfit and not erre,<br>Tak Maysterys of armys and of werre.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>This was the wit of Princys wel appreved,<br>And ofte it hath be seid and is conclude,<br>That oostis ouer grete be myscheved<br>More of her owne excessif multitude<br>Then of her foon, that thenne wil delude<br>Her ignoraunce, that can not modifie<br>The suffisaunce, an ooste to geder & gye.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>To gret an oost is hurt in mony cace:<br>First, slough it is in journeyinge & longe;<br>Forthi mysaventure it may difface,<br>Passagis hard, and floodis hye amonge;<br>Expense eek of vitaile is ouer stronge,<br>And if thei turne bak and onys fle,<br>They that escape, aferd ay aftir be.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Therfore it was the gise amonge the wise,<br>That of ?es had experience,<br>Oonly to take an oost as wil suffice,<br>Of preved & acheved sapience,<br>In chiualerys that han done diligence<br>In exercise of werre; a lerned ooste<br>Is sure, an vnlerned is cost for loste.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>In light bataile, oon legioun with ayde,<br>That is, X Ml. men o fote, and too<br>Thousand on hors, sufficed as thei saide;<br>They with a lord no grete estat to goo,<br>And with a gret Estate as mony mo;<br>And for an infinit rebellioun<br>Twey dukys and tweyn oostys went adoun.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Prouisioun be mad for sanytee<br>In watre, place & tyme & medycyne<br>And exercise. In place ?h be<br>The pestilence, his place anoon resigne,<br>To weet marice and feeld to hard declyne;<br>To high, to lough, to light, to derk, to colde,<br>To hoot, is ille; attemperaunce be holde.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>In snow & hail & frost & wintir shouris,<br>An ooste beyng, most nedes kacche colde;<br>For wyntir colde affrayeth somer flourys,<br>And mareys watir is vnholsom holde;<br>Good drinke and holsom mete away wil folde<br>Infirmytee; and fer is he fro wele,<br>That with his foon & sekenesse shal dele.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Cotidian at honde ha medycyne,<br>First for the prince; as needful is his helth<br>To thooste, as to the world the sonne shyne;<br>His prosperaunce procureth euery welth;<br>But let not exercise goon o stelthe;<br>Holde euer it. Ful seelde be thei seek<br>That euer vppon exercise seeke.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>In ouer colde & hoot, kepe the couert,<br>And exercise in tymes temperate;<br>Footmen in high & lough, feeld & desert;<br>An hors to lepe a dich, an hege, a yate.<br>Tranquillite with peax & no debate<br>Be sadly kept, exiled al envie;<br>Grace in this gouernaunce wil multiplie.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Ha purviaunce of forage & vitaile<br>For man & hors; for iron smyteth not<br>So sore as honger doth, if foode faile.<br>The colde fyer of indigence is hoote,<br>And wood theron goth euery man, God woot;<br>For other wepen is ther remedie,<br>But on the dart of hongir is to deye.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Or have ynough, or make a litil werre,<br>And do the stuf in placys stronge & sure;<br>In more then ynough, me may not erre;<br>The moneyles by chevishaunce procure,<br>As lauful is, I mene, nat vsure;<br>But tak aforn the day of payment;<br>It loseth not, that to the prince is lent.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>What man is hool in his possessioun,<br>If he ha no defense of men of armys?<br>Beseged if me be, progressioun<br>That ther be noon, and noo vitail in arm is,<br>O woful wight, ful careful thin alarm is!<br>Honger within, and enmytee abowte,<br>A warse foo withinn is then withoute.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And though thi foo withoute an honger be,<br>He wil abide on honger thee to sle;<br>Forthi comynge a foo, vitaile the,<br>And leve hym noght, or lite, vnworth a stre;<br>Whete and forage and flesh, fissh of ?<br>Wyn, salt & oyle, fewel and euery thinge<br>That helpeth man or beest to his lyvinge:</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Tak al, thi foo comyng, and mak an oye<br>That euery man to strengthes ha ther goodis,<br>As thei of good & lyves wil ha joye,<br>And negligentys to compelle it good is.<br>The feriage be take away fro flodis,<br>The briggis on the ryverys to breke,<br>And passagis with falling tymbour steke.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The yatis and the wallys to repare,<br>The gunnys and engynys & tormente,<br>And forge newe, ynowe if that ther nare;<br>Ful late is it, if thi foo be presente,<br>And fere ingoth, if hardinesse absente.<br>Be war of this, and euery thing prouide,<br>That fere fle, and good corage abide.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Golde it is good to kepe, and make stoor<br>Of other thing, and spende in moderaunce;<br>More and ynough to haue, it is not soor,<br>And spare wel, whil ther is aboundaunce;<br>To spare of litil thing may lite avaunce.<br>By pollys dele, and not by dignitee,<br>So was the rewle in sage antiquytee.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And best be war, when that thin aduersary<br>Wil swere grete, ye by the Sacrament,<br>And vse that, ye and by seint Mary,<br>And al that is vndir the firmament:<br>Beleve nat his othe, his false entent<br>Is this: thi trewe entent for to begile.<br>The pref herof nys passed but a while.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Wel ofter hath fals simulatioun<br>Desceyved vs, then opon werre; and where<br>Me swereth ofte, it is deceptioun.<br>Judas, away from vs! cum thou no nere:<br>Thou gretest, Goddis child as thaugh thou were;<br>But into the is entred Sathanas,<br>And thou thi self wilt hange! an hevy cas.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Sumtyme amonge an ooste ariseth roore.<br>Of berth, of age, of contre, of corage<br>Dyuers thei are, and hoom thei longe sore,<br>And to bataile thei wil, or out of wage.<br>What salue may this bolnyng best aswage?<br>Wherof ariseth it? Of ydilnesse.<br>What may aswage it best? Good bisinesse.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>With drede in oost to fight thei are anoyed,<br>And speke of fight, when theim wer leuer fle,<br>And with the fode and wacch thei are acloyed.<br>'Where is this felde? Shal we no batail see?<br>Wil we goon hoom? What say ye, sirs?' 'Ye, ye!'<br>And with her hed to fighting are thei ripe<br>Al esily, but he the swellinge wipe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>A remedie is, when thei are asonder,<br>The graunt Tribune, or els his lieutenaunt,<br>With discipline of armys holde hem vndir<br>Seuerously, tech hem be moderaunte,<br>To God deuout, and fait of werrys haunte,<br>The dart, baliste, and bowe, and cast of stoon,<br>And swymme & renne & leep, tech euerychoon.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Armure to bere, and barrys like a sworde,<br>To bere on with the foyn, and not to shere,<br>And smyte thorgh a plank other a boorde,<br>And myghtily to shake and caste a spere,<br>And loke grym, a Ml. men to fere,<br>And course a myghti hors with spere & shelde,<br>And daily se ho is flour of the feelde.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>To falle a grove or wode, and make a gate<br>Thorgh it, and make a dike, and hewe a doun<br>A cragge, or thurl an hil, other rebate<br>A clyf, to make an even regioun,<br>Or dowbil efte the dike abowte a toun;<br>To bere stoon, a boolewerk forto make,<br>Other sum other gret werk vndirtake.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The chiualer, be he legionary,<br>As seide it is beforn, on hors or foote,<br>Or aydaunt, that is auxiliary,<br>On hors or foote,-if that thei talk or mote<br>Of werre, and reyse roore, vp by the roote<br>Hit shal be pulde with myghti exercise<br>Of werreourys, gouerned in this wise.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Commende, and exercise, and holde hem inne,<br>For when thei ha the verrey craft to fight,<br>Thei wil desire it, wel this for to wynne.<br>He dar go to, that hath both art & myght.<br>And if a tale is tolde that eny knyght<br>Is turbulent other sedicious,<br>Examyne it the duke, proceding thus:</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The envious man, voide his suggestioun,<br>And knowe the trowth of worthi & prudent<br>Personys, that withouten questioun<br>Wil say the soth, of feith and trewe entent,<br>And if the duke so fynde him turbulent,<br>Disseuer him, and sende hym ellys where,<br>Sum myghti feet to doon as thaugh it were:</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>To kepe a castel, make a providence,<br>Or warde a place, and do this by thaduyce<br>Of counsel, and commende his sapience,<br>That he suppose hym self heryn so wise,<br>That therof hath he this honour & price;<br>So wittily do this, that he, reiecte,<br>Suppose that to honour he is electe.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>For verreily, the hole multitude<br>Of oon assent entendeth not rebelle,<br>But egged ar of theim that be to rude,<br>And charge not of heven or of helle,<br>With mony folk myght thei her synnys melle;<br>Thei were at ease her synnys forto wynne,<br>Suppose thei, if mony be ther inne.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>But vse not the medycyne extreme<br>Save in thin vtterest necessitee,<br>That is, the crymynous to deth to deme,<br>The principals; by hem that other be<br>Aferd to roore, yet better is to se<br>An oost of exercise in temperaunce<br>Obeysaunt, then for feere of vengeaunce.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>The werriours ha myche thing to lerne;<br>And grace is noon, to graunte negligence,<br>Wher mannys helth is taken to gouerne;<br>To lose that, it is a gret offense;<br>And sikerly, the best diligence<br>Vnto thonour of victory tascende,<br>The seygnys is or tokenys tattende.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>For in bataile, when al is on a roore,<br>The kynge or princys precept who may here<br>In such a multitude? And euermore<br>Is thinge of weght in hond, & gret matere,<br>And how to doon, right nedful is to lere;<br>Therfore in euery oste antiquitee<br>Hath ordeyned III signys forto be.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Vocal is oon, and that is mannys voys,<br>Semyvocal is trompe & clarioun<br>And pipe or horn; the thridde macth no noys,<br>And mute it hight or dombe, as is dragoun<br>Or thegil or thimage or the penoun,<br>Baner, pensel, pleasaunce or tufte or creste<br>Or lyuereys on shildir, arm or breste.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Signys vocal in wacch and in bataile<br>Be made, as wacch woordis: 'Feith, hope & grace,'<br>Or 'Help vs God,' or 'Shipman, mast & saile,'<br>Or other such, aftir the tyme and place;<br>Noo ryme or geeste in hem be, ner oon trace,<br>Ne go thei not amonge vs, lest espyes<br>With wepon of our owne out putte our eyis.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Semyvocals, as Trumpe and Clarioun<br>And pipe or horn, an hornepipe thoo<br>It myghte be; the trumpe, of gretter soun,<br>Toward batail blewe vp 'Go to, go to!';<br>The clarions techeth the knyghtys do,<br>And signys, hornys move; and when thei fight,<br>Attonys vp the soun goth al on hight.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>To wacch or worch or go to felde, a trumpe<br>Hem meved out, and to retourne; and signys<br>Were moved, how to do, by hornys crompe,<br>First to remeve, and fixe ayeyn ther digne is.<br>Oonly the clarioun the knyghtis signe is;<br>Fight & retrayt and chace or feer or neer,<br>The clarion his voys declareth cleer.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>What so the duke commaundeth to be doon<br>In werk or wacch or feeld, or frith or werre,<br>At voys of these it was fulfild anoon.-<br>The signys mute, in aventure a sterre,<br>A portcolys, a sonne, it wil not erre,<br>In hors, in armature, and in array<br>They signifie, and make fresh & gay.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Al this in exercise and longe vsage<br>Is to be knowe; and if a dust arise,<br>Theere is an oost, or sum maner outrage;<br>With fiyr a signe is mad in dyuers wise<br>Or with a beem, vche in his contre gise<br>His signys hath; and daily is to lerne,<br>That aftir hem men gide hem & gouerne.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Tho that of werre have had experience,<br>Afferme that ther is in journeyinge<br>Gretter peril, then is in resistence<br>Of fers batail; for in the counterynge<br>Men armed are oonly for yeynstondinge<br>And expugnatioun of hem present<br>In fight; theron oonly ther bowe hath bent.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Their sword & hert al preste ereither fight,<br>In journeyinge ereither lesse attente is;<br>Assault sodeyne a day other by nyght,<br>For vnavised men ful turbulent is.<br>Wherfore avised wel and diligent is<br>The duke to be purveyed for vnwist,<br>And redy is the forseyn to resiste.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>A journal is in euery regioun<br>First to be had, wheryn he thinketh fight,<br>Wheryn haue he a pleyn descriptioun<br>Of euery place, and passage a forsight,<br>The maner, wey, both turnyng & forthright,<br>The dale & hil, the mountayn & the flood;<br>Purtreyed al to have is holdon good.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>This journal is to shewe dukys wise<br>Of that province, or as nygh as may be,<br>The purtreyture & writing forto advise;<br>And of the contrey men a serch secre<br>Himself he make, and lerne in veritee<br>Of hem, that on her lyf wil vndirtake,<br>That thus it is, and vnder warde hem make.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Tak gidis out of hem, beheste hem grete,<br>As to be trewe, her lyif and grete rewarde,<br>And other if thei be, with deth hem threte,<br>And sette a wayt secret on hem, frowarde<br>Whethor thei thinke be other towarde;<br>Thei, this seynge, wil wel condite & lede,<br>Of grete rewarde & deth for hope & drede.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Tak wise and vsed men, and not to fewe;<br>Good is it not to sette on II or III<br>The doubte of al, though thei be parfit trewe;<br>The simpil man supposeth ofte he be<br>Weywiser then he is, and forthi he<br>Behesteth that he can not bringe aboute;<br>And such simpilnesse is forto doubte.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And good it is, that whidirward goth thooste,<br>Secret it be. The Mynotaurys mase<br>Doctryned hem to sey: 'Whidir thou gooste,<br>Kepe it secret; whil thi foomen go gase<br>Aboute her bekenys, to tende her blase,<br>Go thou the way that thei suppose leeste<br>Thou woldest go; for whi? it is sureste.'</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Espyis are, of hem be war! also<br>The proditours that fle from oost to ooste,<br>Be war of hem; for swere thei neuer so,<br>They wil betray, and make of it their booste.<br>Escurynge is to haue of euery cooste;<br>Men wittiest on wightiest hors by nyght<br>May do it best, but se the hors be wight.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>In a maner himself betrayeth he,<br>Whos taken is by negligence thespie;<br>Forthi be war, and quicly charge hem se<br>On euery side, and fast ayeyn hem hye;<br>Horsmen beforn eke euer haue an eye;<br>On vch an half footmen, and cariage<br>Amyddis is to kepe in the viage.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Footmen it is to haue & of the beste<br>Horsmen behinde; vppon the tail a foo<br>Wil sette among, and sumtyme on the breste,<br>And on the sidis wil he sette also.<br>With promptitude it is to putte him fro;<br>Light herneysed, and myghtiest that ride,<br>Doubte if ther is, putte hem vppon that side.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>And archery withal is good to take;<br>And if the foo falle on on euery side,<br>Good wacch on euery side it is to make;<br>Charge euery man in herneys fast abide,<br>And wepynys in hondys to prouide.<br>Selde hurteth it, that is wel seyn beforn,<br>And whos is taken sleping, hath a scorn.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Antiquitee prouided eek, that roore<br>Arise not in thoost, for trowbelinge<br>The chiualers behinde other before,<br>As when the folk that cariage bringe,<br>Ar hurt, or are aferd of on comynge,<br>And make noyse; herfore helmettis wight<br>A fewe vppon the cariours were dight.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>A baner hadde thei togedre to,<br>Alway CC vndir oon banere;<br>The forfighters a-sondred so ther-fro,<br>That no turbatioun amonge hem were,<br>If that ther felle a conflicte enywhere.<br>And as the journeyinge hadde variaunce,<br>So the defense had diuers ordynaunce.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>In open felde horsmen wold rather falle<br>On then footmen; in hil, mareys & woodis,<br>Footmen rather. In feeld & frith to walle<br>An oost with myght, as wil the place, it good is,<br>And to be war that slough viage or floodis<br>Asondre not the chiualerys; for thynne<br>If that me be, ther wil the foo bygynne.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>Therfore amonge it is to sette wyse<br>Doctours, as of the feelde, or other grete;<br>The forgoer to sette vnto his sise,<br>And hem that beth to slough, forthward to gete.<br>To fer aforn, and sole, a foo may bete;<br>He may be clipped of, that goth behinde;<br>And to goon hole as o man, that is kynde.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br>In placys as him semeth necessary,<br>And aduersaunt wil sette his busshement,<br>Not in apert, but in couert to tary,<br>And falle vppon; the duke heer diligent<br>It is to be, to haue his foomen shent;<br>But</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=Anonymous+Olde+English">Anonymous Olde English</a><div class=q> <img src="https://www.citatepedia.ro/g/32share.png" style="float:left" alt="Share"> <script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=346045" data-title="Knyghthode and Bataile de Anonymous Olde English" data-description="A XVth Century Verse Paraphrase of Flavius Vegetius Renatus' Treatise 'DE RE MILITARI' Proemium. Salue, festa dies i martis, Mauortis! auete Kalende. Qua Deus ad celum subleuat ire Dauid. Hail, halyday deuout! Alhail Kalende Of Marche, wheryn ..."></div> </div> </div>

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