With Spurs of Gold

Amend your lives, ye who would fain The order of the knights attain; Devoutly watch, devoutly pray; From pride and sin, oh turn away! Shun all that's base; the Church defend; Be the widow's and the orphan's friend; Be good and leal; take naught by might; Be bold and guard the people's right;— This is the rule for the gallant knight. Be meek of heart; work day by day; Tread, ever tread, the knightly way; Make lawful war; long travel dare; Tourney and joust for ladye fair; To everlasting honour cling, That none the barbs of blame may fling; Be never slack in work or fight; Be ever least in self's own sight;— This is the rule for the gallant knight. Love the liege lord; with might and main His rights above all else maintain; Be open-handed, just and true; The paths of upright men pursue; No deaf ear to their precepts turn; The prowess of the valiant learn; That ye may do things great and bright, As did Great Alexander hight;— This is the rule for the gallant knight. Eustache Deschamps (Fourteenth century).

A steed! a steed! of matchless speed! A sword of metal keene! Al else to noble hearts is drosse— Al else on earth is meane. The neighing of the war-horse proude, The rowling of the drum, The clangour of the trumpet loude— Be soundes from heaven that come. And, oh! the thundering presse of knightes, When as their war-cryes swelle, May tole from heaven an angel bright, And rouse a fiend from hell. Then mounte! Then mounte! brave gallants all, And don your helms amain; Deathe's couriers, Fame and Honour, call Up to the field againe; No shrewish tear shall fill our eye When the sword hilt's in our hand; Heart-whole we'll parte and no whit sighe For the fayrest of the land. Let piping swaine and craven wight, Thus weepe and puling aye; Our business is like to men to fighte And like to Heroes, die! Motherwell's Ancient Minstrelsy (Author unknown).