In course of time, as manners softened and Christian
teachings began to affect feudal society, knighthood developed into chivalry.
The Church, which opposed the warlike excesses of feudalism, took the knight
under her wing and bade him be always a true soldier of Christ. To the rude
virtues of fidelity to one's lord and bravery in battle, the Church added
others. The "good knight" was he who respected his sworn word, who
never took an unfair advantage of another, who defended women, widows, and
orphans against their oppressors, and who sought to make justice and right
prevail in the world. Chivalry thus marked the union of pagan and Christian virtues,
of Christianity and the profession of arms.
THE CHIVALRIC CODE
Needless to say, the "good knight" appears
rather in romance than in sober history. Such a one was Sir Lancelot, in the
stories of King Arthur and the Round Table. As Sir Lancelot lies in death,
a former companion addresses him in words which sum up the best in the
chivalric code: "'Thou wert the courtliest knight that ever bare shield;
and thou wert the truest friend to thy lover that ever bestrode horse; and thou
wert the truest lover among sinful men that ever loved woman; and thou wert the
kindest man that ever struck with sword; and thou wert the goodliest person
that ever came among press of knights; and thou wert the meekest man, and the
gentlest, that ever ate in hall among ladies; and thou wert the sternest knight
to thy mortal foe that ever put spear in the rest.'" [13]
[13] Malory, Morte d'Arthur, xxi, 13. See also
Tennyson's poem, Sir Galahad, for a beautiful presentation of the ideal
knight.
