Humility

Humility: Value first the contributions of others; do not boast of your own accomplishments, let others do this for you. Tell the deeds of others before your own, according them the renown rightfully earned through virtuous deeds. In this way the office of knighthood is well done and glorified, helping not only the gentle spoken of but also all who call themselves knights.

Now why is this so hard to do? Blowing our own horn seems to be a normal thing. Of course we know and hate all those show-offs out there. We know them (or have been them), the jock with, "Did you see what I did the last game?" Or the geek that goes, "I was able to ___ using ____ even though it was too hard because of ____ but that didn't stop me because I was able to pull off a ____ with only a ____ to work with." Or the airhead that goes, "Did you see her ____? She's so annoying! Who does she think she is, just because she has a __________, she acts so _______. I bet she had to _______________ just to get it." Or the blogger that goes, "_____________."

We don't really brag all the time, we don't always hoot, "Who da man?" But we hate people that get too loud that we don't hear ourselves.

Humble is hard for me too. I get high and mighty a lot. I don't say it. But I think it so hard it shows. I pride myself as an intellectual, and when people say dumb comments around me I judge their entire character based on their utterances. That is quite bigoted to be sure but this is how humility is a difficult thing. As an attitude it is quite difficult to attain by sheer force.

This is why I think the chivalrous principle on how to practice it is so appealing to me. I don't have to do anything negative (NOT be boastful), rather the practice is pro-active (DO praise others first and let them praise you). It seems so hard to brag when you are trying to give another person credit. And more importantly it gives the people around you a sense of encouragement, that whatever you have attained is attainable by them.

We then do not becomes objects of envy (or contempt) but rather inspiration. And that is a much better alternative.

Largesse

Largesse: Be generous in so far as your resources allow; largesse used in this way counters gluttony. It also makes the path of mercy easier to discern when a difficult decision of justice is required.

Wow, isn't that so much like tithing? Come to think of it, other than the blessings promised to those who bring their tithes, that extra 10% is what gets us in to trouble. We buy things that we shouldn't, we waste it and we do things that do not glorify God. When that money is given to God, or to His purpose, we are assured that the money was given purpose and was for the good of all. This makes us generous, disciplined and most of all blessed.

Generosity counters gluttony. How apt, if we get rid of binge money what do we binge with? And if we learn how not to have it all, we understand those who don't have it all.

Be generous as it is more blessed to give than to receive. That is God's way. That is the knight's way.

Nobility

Nobility: Seek great stature of character by holding to the virtues and duties of a knight, realizing that though the ideals cannot be reached, the quality of striving towards them ennobles the spirit, growing the character from dust towards the heavens. Nobility also has the tendency to influence others, offering a compelling example of what can be done in the service of rightness.

"Holding on to virtues" seems old fashioned doesn't it? Isn't society more or less pluralistic now? Is there still room or right to influence others that your path is right? Aren't we beyond that? Isn't absolute morality outmoded?

Yes society has become pluralistic, every one disclaims that their truth is gospel truth, they just present their humble opinion. Don't misconstrue them they are not claiming to be right, just a possibility. Very tolerant isn't it?

Unfortunately, when some old fashioned folks make a stand they are declared wrong by people who can't even proclaim themselves right. Granted there are many megalomaniacs that bask in the glory of being "The One" but everybody can't be right. That ends up with contradictions being equally right and equally wrong.

To be noble in the sense of knighthood is to bravely face stigma when one stands for his rights, or rather one one stand's for what is right. People hide behind the legal to ease their conscience in what is moral.

Want to smoke pot legally? Move to a state that allows it.
Wanna score with a hooker? Go where it's legal.
Still a virgin? What kind of mutated freak are you?

You can be an underachiever and be "proud of it." You can be a school dropout and be "proud of it." You can be a bum that got lucky, struck it rich, score chicks, and find yourself crunked and be "proud of it."

But stand for right, respect women, your fellowmen, go to church, pray in school and you are declared a threat to democracy. Where's the justice?

Speaking of respect for women, there is nothing in the code of chivalry that assumes that women are the weaker sex. It may have been the practice of the times and even practiced by some knights, but chauvinism is not a by product of chivalry.

That is why to be noble is seen as funny. People imagine a prude, an inflexible person who has his head in the medieval ages.

But nobility goes beyond having it in your blood, it's having it in your soul. It's not selling out, it's doing what you believe in because you have always known it to be right. As much as that sounds like a Saturday cartoon, that is how things are. Or rather should be.

Without a stand we fall for the next fad and later research proves that to be wrong. Nobility is beyond rationalizing, it is based on an absolute morality. Whereas absolute morality is questioned because times are dynamic and that the original rational for the moral is no longer known, it does not invalidate the purpose of what was once a good practice.

Nobility is to stick to what is good as opposed to what is new, modern or in fashion.
If modern society truly respects a person's rights, then it shouldn't only be the right to mess up. It should include the right not to change as well and to change with what is better.

Franchise

Franchise: Seek to emulate everything I have spoken of as sincerely as possible, not for the reason of personal gain but because it is right. Do not restrict your exploration to a small world, but seek to infuse every aspect of your life with these qualities. Should you succeed in even a tiny measure then you will be well remembered for your quality and virtue.

To emulate virtue as sincerely as possible. Now that's a tall order. It may seem self contradictory but when one achieves virtue to a certain degree of success it is quite easy to be condescending. It is easy to come from a moral high ground and think that, "If everyone else lives life the way I do then there shouldn't be any problem with the world."

This is why one should believe in an ideal much higher, impossibly higher than oneself. This is so that one might honestly say that he is still walking the path and have not yet attained it.

As a Christian, I believe in trying to attain Christlikeness because Christ is a Christian's ultimate model. God-Man. God who became man but did not stop being God. For God to humiliate Himself in this form we call our bodies is the ultimate example of humility. Forget the story of transforming into a bird so that the other birds freezing to death in the cold winter night may understand that they are trying to fly through a glass window and that you know the way into the warm house. In the scheme of things, in a universe 40 billion lightyears in diameter, humanity is but a colony of viruses. And God chose to take on viral form because He loves us.

That is humility at it's best. God who has all the bragging rights in the universe, willingly suspended that. If I was on the cross and I had omnipotence at my disposal I'd let my tormentors have it. Being swallowed by the earth is so cliche, I'm thinking of them experiencing every lash and I cut and bruise I've got all within a span of 60 seconds. Long enough to make them feel an eternity of pain fast enough to overwhelm them.

But God in His righteousness did not condescend, He forgave. That's a model for franchise. Keep preaching, keep walking the walk but do not laugh at those who fall. To do right not because of the benefits not because of well-being but because of an innate sense of right.

Think about it, why do we do right? Afraid of being caught? It has the least complications? It is admirable? It feels good to be above the rest? Without these benefits, why should anyone do right?

This is the difficulty of franchise it is the summation of all the virtues, and after the achievement of virtue we are not to say "Do as I do." None of course not even knights can become "knightly perfect." But like Christ, knighthood is an ideal to reach. Think about it,no matter how dirty a white horse gets it is still not mistaken for black.

Be a white horse.

An Order is in Order

I wonder if there could be an order of knighthood dedicated to the same ideals in the golden age but in which our citizenship is the world.

There should be an order of this sort. A "Blog Knight" or something like it. Basically, I'm just making a call for other men with the same sentiments as I to be a support group of sorts.

I am amazed at how many do not have a good sense of themselves, choosing to go with the flow because of convenience. Rather than simplifying their lives by knowing themselves rather than mimicking the rest of society. Adapting is one thing but to become changes by your enviornment is another. There must be a way to spread timeless ideals to start with ourselves is fine, but how far do our personal influences spread.

Who can I organize with, who will be with me in this. What do I want to do? Nothing concrete, as of the moment. But I know that somehow, I want chivalry to be fashionable again. Maybe not change the world, that's too far, but just enough to show people that "There's a knight" or whatever name they will give to men who will display chivlary.

The day when a man helps a woman and the woman won't second guess if we want to get in their pants. A time when we can serve from heart of service without being construed as pretentious.
A time when we tell off people to do the right thing and people around us will go "He's right," rather than "Oh grow up!"

A world when the big brothers who protect their younger sisters will accord the same respect they demand to other brothers' sisters.

The day in which temperance and rationality will not be seen as "Dude, you're so gay!" A day when intelligence will not be laughed upon.

We don't need to change the world just a few people with courage. Not everyone got dubbed in the office of knighthood but their influence became a fashion.

A New Order is in order.

Not the whole world just enough then the world wi

To Knights Whose Armors have Tarnished

Click the title. Or go to http://www.chronique.com/Library/Chivalry/code.htm

A Code of Chivalry
Modern, based on the "Old Code"

Brian R. Price
April, 1997 Introduction

Prowess: To seek excellence in all endeavors expected of a knight, martial and otherwise, seeking strength to be used in the service of justice, rather than in personal aggrandizement.

Justice: Seek always the path of 'right', unencumbered by bias or personal interest. Recognize that the sword of justice can be a terrible thing, so it must be tempered by humanity and mercy. If the 'right' you see rings agrees with others, and you seek it out without bending to the temptation for expediency, then you will earn renown beyond measure.

Loyalty: Be known for unwavering commitment to the people and ideals you choose to live by. There are many places where compromise is expected; loyalty is not amongst them.

Defense: The ideal knight was sworn by oath to defend his liege lord and those who depended upon him. Seek always to defend your nation, your family, and those to whom you believe worthy of loyalty.

Courage: Being a knight often means choosing the more difficult path, the personally expensive one. Be prepared to make personal sacrifices in service of the precepts and people you value. At the same time, a knight should seek wisdom to see that stupidity and courage are cousins. Courage also means taking the side of truth in all matters, rather than seeking the expedient lie. Seek the truth whenever possible, but remember to temper justice with mercy, or the pure truth can bring grief.

Faith: A knight must have faith in his beliefs, for faith roots him and gives hope against the despair that human failings create.

Humility: Value first the contributions of others; do not boast of your own accomplishments, let others do this for you. Tell the deeds of others before your own, according them the renown rightfully earned through virtuous deeds. In this way the office of knighthood is well done and glorified, helping not only the gentle spoken of but also all who call themselves knights.

Largesse: Be generous in so far as your resources allow; largesse used in this way counters gluttony. It also makes the path of mercy easier to discern when a difficult decision of justice is required.

Nobility: Seek great stature of character by holding to the virtues and duties of a knight, realizing that though the ideals cannot be reached, the quality of striving towards them ennobles the spirit, growing the character from dust towards the heavens. Nobility also has the tendency to influence others, offering a compelling example of what can be done in the service of rightness.

Franchise: Seek to emulate everything I have spoken of as sincerely as possible, not for the reason of personal gain but because it is right. Do not restrict your exploration to a small world, but seek to infuse every aspect of your life with these qualities. Should you succeed in even a tiny measure then you will be well remembered for your quality and virtue.

How does it speak to you? Do you agree with it?

I do. For the longest time I have been afraid to declare that chivalry is not dead because of a misconception that chivalry was a means to show off, and a means to take advantage of women though seemingly virtous deeds.

Yet without a list of what the code actually was about, I could not defend my beliefs to be true. I do not portray myself to have achieved the virtous glory of knighthood but it is something to be strived for.

I do believe that there is room for the true gentleman, one who is benevolent yet not a pushover. Modern thought believes this to be impractical in today's dog eat dog world. Or others belive that when someone tries to be chivalrous a hidden agenda is suspect.

Neither of this is necessarily true, yet Machiavelli has tainted many to think that it is the norm. Fellow knights of the heart, (for we cannot all be dubbed by the Queen of England). What say you? Is there a place for our kind in today's time?

Are knights as crooked as Thomas Mallory set them up to be (exemplified by the adulterous Lancelot) or can it still be pure and redeemed? Is there room for the Noble Warrior to protect without seeking vainglory.