CHIVALRY AND LARGESSE



1. Chivalry



What I learned while studying the concept of Chivalry is that there are many definitions of Chivalry. I found many lists of qualities and virtues that, throughout history, have been deemed to encompass chivalric behavior. Some of these were very wrapped up in religion with commands to obey and defend a particular church or religion. I am going to list below some of the different “Codes of Chivalry” that I ran into in my research.



One such was:



Courage (Willingness to Take Risks)

Fortitude (Sticking to the Consequences of a Risk Gone Sour)

Fidelity (Truth to One's Word and Contract)

Honesty

Loyalty (to Individuals)

Hospitality and Respect for Hospitality

Continence

Chastity

Courtesy

Diplomacy



Some of these (courage, hospitality, respect for hospitality) are traditional warrior values (cf. Homer); others are “religious” additions, aiming for the ideal of a noble, gentlemanly warrior.





Another was:



Chivalry was disciplined by a code of conduct that was clearly understood although it was never clearly formulated. Examination now, in retrospect, allows it to be reduced to this series of commandments composed by one famous individual of the age:



1. Thou shalt believe all the Church teaches and shalt obey her commandments.

2. Thou shalt defend the Church.

3. Thou shalt respect all weaknesses and shalt constitute thyself the defender of them.

4. Thou shalt not recoil before thine enemy.

5. Thou shalt make war against the infidel without cessation and without mercy.

6. Thou shalt perform scrupulously thy feudal duties, if they be not contrary to the laws of God.

7. Thou shalt never lie, and shalt remain faithful to thy pledged word.

8. Thou shalt be generous, and give largesse to everyone.

9. Thou shalt be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil.





In my research, I found that those commandments above largely evolved from two earlier sources which listed a knight’s duties as follows:



First:



To fear God and maintain His Church

To serve the liege lord in valour and faith

To protect the weak and defenceless

To give succour to widows and orphans

To refrain from the wanton giving of offence

To live by honour and for glory

To despise pecuniary reward

To fight for the welfare of all

To obey those placed in authority

To guard the honour of fellow knights

To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit

To keep faith

At all times to speak the truth

To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun

To respect the honour of women

Never to refuse a challenge from an equal

Never to turn the back upon a foe.



And a second exhortation which was added later:



Love God Almighty with all your heart and all your powers

Love your neighbour as yourself

Give alms to the poor as ye are able

Entertain strangers

Visit the sick

Be merciful to prisoners

Do ill to no man, nor consent unto such as do, for the receiver is as bad as the thief

Forgive as ye hope to be forgiven

Redeem the captive

Help the oppressed

Defend the cause of the widow and orphan

Render righteous judgement

Do not consent to any wrong

Persevere not in wrath

Shun excess in eating and drinking

Be humble and kind

Serve your liege lord faithfully

Do not steal

Do not perjure yourself, nor let others do so

Envy, hatred and violence separate men from the Kingdom of God

Defend the Church and promote her cause.





In later centuries a famous Duke came to define, for his Order, a knight’s twelve chivalric virtues as:



Faith, Charity, Justice, Sagacity, Prudence, Temperance, Resolution, Truth, Liberality, Diligence, Hope, Valor





Also, in my research, I found some of the examples of chivalric behavior particularly interesting, in other words, how to live life by whatever code of chivalry you choose to follow:





Code of Chivalry - Example 1



Live to serve King and Country.

Live to defend Crown and Country and all it holds dear.

Live one's life so that it is worthy of respect and honor.

Live for freedom, justice and all that is good.

Never attack an unarmed foe.

Never use a weapon on an opponent not equal to the attack.

Never attack from behind.

Avoid lying to your fellow man.

Avoid cheating.

Avoid torture.

Obey the law of king, country, and chivalry.

Administer justice.

Protect the innocent.

Exhibit self control.

Show respect to authority.

Respect women.

Exhibit Courage in word and deed.

Defend the weak and innocent.

Destroy evil in all of its monstrous forms.

Crush the monsters that steal our land and rob our people.

Fight with honor.

Avenge the wronged.

Never abandon a friend, ally, or noble cause.

Fight for the ideals of king, country, and chivalry.

Die with valor.

Always keep one's word of honor.

Always maintain one's principles.

Never betray a confidence or comrade.

Avoid deception.

Respect life and freedom.

Die with honor.

Exhibit manners.

Be polite and attentive.

Be respectful of host, women, and honor.

Loyalty to country, King, honor, freedom, and the code of chivalry.

Loyalty to one's friends and those who lay their trust in thee.





Code of Chivalry - Example 2



1. Nobility in Service

2. Death before Dishonor

3. Enterprise in obedience to rule

4. Respect for all worthy people

5. Honor all those above your station

6. Command Obedience through respect

7. Scorn those who are ignoble

8. Protect the innocent

9. Punish the guilty

10. Courtesy to all ladies

11. Battle is the test of Manhood

12. Combat is Glory

13. Defend your charge unto death

14. War is the flowering of Chivalry

15. Death to all who oppose the cause

16. Arts are the food of the Chivalrous (especially music)

17. Anger blinds, a cool head will win the day





Code of Chivalry - Example 3



1. Always respect and obey the law unless the law is wrongful.

2. Always be kind and never cruel.

3. Give mercy to those that ask for it.

4. Always be truthful and never lie.

5. Defend the Law of Good and seek to stop injustice.

6. Have compassion to the weak, frail, and oppressed, and seek to help them in any way.

7. Be charitable to others and give to those in need.

8. Always succor women when they are in distress.

9. Love your country, family, religion, and uphold them in any way.

10.Always put the needs of other above the needs of yourself.

11.Live a pure and noble life.

12.Although these rules are almost impossible to always uphold, the effort is well worth it.





Orders of Conduct on the field of battle



In Battle take on enemies in this order



1. Enemy leader

2. Opponents of great renown, enemy flags and standards

3. Opponent Cavalry of Noble or Elite status

4. Other opponent Cavalry

5. Opponent elite footmen

6. Opponent camp and headquarters

7. Opponent melee troops

8. Levies or peasants





The List Field (The showplace of Chivalric Conduct)



1. Courtesy to your opponent at all times

2. In combat if you are uncertain of a blow take it

3. Do not let anger control your actions

4. Do not let the lack of Chivalry in others cause you to be unchivalrous

5. If your opponent is your equal practice chivalric action

6. If your opponent is your better give no quarter

7. Remember your actions speak louder than words





The final example of living the chivalrous life I found was the most descriptive in spelling out the way to live each chivalric virtue in it’s Code of Chivalry and, not surprisingly, I found it is the Code of Chivalry of our own House:



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.







I think our Code truly embodies the best of all the other codes I found in my research. I also believe, though, that it must work hand in hand with our Code of Honor. That the two cannot be separated. I am going to repeat that Code here:





The Code of Honor



To be an honorable person is not just to be honest, truthful, and fair; it is also to place a premium on these qualities and the behavior they require.



To be an honorable person is not just to do the right thing, nor simply to give moral considerations a central place in our lives. It is also to want to be known and trusted by others - especially by other honorable people - as this sort of person. And honorable people will go to great lengths to maintain these bonds of trust or to re-establish them when they are broken.



To be honorable is to affirm the importance of moral considerations both in one's own life and conduct and in the life of the community to which we belong. Without the latter we may have many saints and much good behavior, but we do not have honor.





I am going to be frank in saying that I ran into situations in the Nations where I was expected to obey the law of man, but in my heart I knew that doing so could lead to a moral wrongdoing. As the third statement above makes clear, we must affirm the importance of “moral considerations” in our own lives and in the life of our community. In the Nations we were guests in another community and subject to their laws, of course. But in my opinion their law sometimes came into conflict with moral considerations and when it did, that is where the problems arose. For if by obeying the letter of their law I was bound to a moral conflict how could I, in good conscience and in trying to live a life of both chivalry and honor, keep their law?



This is much the same situation we face today in the Landing, under threat from the Baron Hochstib who, if he were to manage to conquer us, gods forbid, may very well bring with him and the resulting membership in the Human empire, the immoral Chaston’s Edict. Our House may be faced with the question of whether to obey an Edict which becomes the law of our land or decide that it is an immoral law which cannot in good conscience be obeyed. If we were only to follow the Code of Chivalry perhaps we would indeed find ourselves required to obey this immoral Edict. But if we live by both our Codes of Chivalry and of Honor, hand in hand, one intricately tied to the other, I have no fear that our membership can decide anything other than that Chaston’s Edict is immoral and cannot, indeed must not, be obeyed however much it is purported to be man’s law in our land.





2. Largesse



From our Code of Chivalry:



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.



By this definition it might be construed that ‘largesse’ is strictly financial. Being generous with your fund as in perhaps purchasing a weapon or shield for someone in need and without the resources to purchase it themselves. Or helping to clothe or feed the poor. All of which are very good examples of largesse, but not, I believe, the only way in which one can practice the virtue of largesse.



I found a wonderful discussion of Largesse recorded in the Silver Gryphon’s Library.



One of the most interesting statements, I thought, was made by Lord Cryheart: "I think the measure of the gift is most likely the measure of the need."



What I gleaned from the resulting discussion was that largesse can also be a gift of one’s time and/or advice, which can often fill someone’s need at the time. There are many young ones I have been able to help who did not need my silvers, but rather information or advice be it on the Voln path or in such ordinary things as where to find a particular shop, what herb helps what wound, whether the plate they are wearing to hunt kobolds might be the cause of it taking the better part of a morning to complete one swing and so forth.



A good question was asked though, that is such ordinary help really largesse? Or just the ordinary help that any of us should be expected to give out of ordinary humanity. I’m not sure anything was really set in stone or indeed can be. For myself, I believe largesse can be found in such ordinary things as I stated above or in such extraordinary things as rescues or helping to equip a youngster. I do not believe the magnitude of the help is any measure as to whether it is largesse or not.



One possible measure of whether it is largesse or simply an act of kindness or help or ordinary generosity, is whether there is a sacrifice involved on the part of the giver. Did you go out of your way to rescue someone? For example, you heard a plea for help on one of the nets and stopped your personal hunting to render aid. Another example might be that you are with friends and a youngster requests aid from someone. Do you stop what you are doing and render whatever assistance is needed (advice, spells, herbs or whatever), thus making a sacrifice of your own personal time? There is a festival coming up, but you meet a youngster who is hunting say, thraks and manticores with a drake falchion and a reinforced shield because he cannot afford a better weapon and shield. Do you get him better gear knowing that it will deplete the funds you have available to spend at the festival? I would think surely such aid rendered when it involves a personal sacrifice on our part, be it rescue or advice or something more material need, would be considered an act of largesse. More so, at any rate, than the same aid rendered while sitting and resting or (in the case of silvers) when there was no financial hardship to one personally in equipping a youngster.



One point I think it is important to make though, and perhaps one measure of whether an act of kindness or help or generosity is truly a matter of largesse or not, is whether it comes from the heart. This leads me to the thought I wanted to conclude with on both of these topics, Chivalry and Largesse.





3. Conclusion



Striving to live a life of Chivalry and Honor is a noble goal. One I think perhaps can never be fully achieved as in “ahh, now I have finally achieved my goal”. It is an ongoing thing, something we are continually learning how to do, learning better ways to achieve, striving for and yearning for. But it is my personal belief that such striving must come, ultimately, from the heart. It can never be a totally mental exercise where a code is set out and one follows it utterly and completely, thus achieving a life of Chivalry and Honor in some cold, emotionless way. The path of Chivalry and Honor is bound to be a hard one to follow for it will require sacrifice and courage to follow such a path. While a strictly unemotional and intellectual person might start down the path, I believe there will come a point where one’s heart must come into the picture or else all the striving in the world toward such a goal will make it nothing more than an interesting intellectual exercise.



To me, Chivalry and Largesse must come from my heart or they are merely a set of steps to take to make myself feel better about myself. It is the “selflessness” inherent in the concepts of Chivalry and Largesse (and Honor) that make those goals worth striving for and that will make the lands a better place to live if enough people do strive for those goals.



That said, I realize there may be the rare person who does find it more of an intellectual exercise, that, for one reason or another, is not capable of really feeling it in their heart but who strives as best they can to follow such concepts from whatever inner desire. To that rare person I would say, do not let my words about “feeling it in one’s heart” deflect you from following such a path. There may be reasons why your heart does not feel to you as if it is involved – but the goal is still a noble one and if you are truly striving, truly wanting to walk the path of Chivalry and Honor, I would not lessen your dedication or make light of your sacrifice and striving with my words. Your heart may not “feel” selfless as you tread the path toward your goal, but then I have learned that feelings are not always required to start down the path. You may or may not acquire those “feelings” as you strive, but whether you do or not, as I said, the goal is a noble one and can do you no harm and only enrich your life and the lives of those around you.



One last thing I would add: I have encountered so many people who have helped me, or who I have seen help others, that probably would not have the least idea that they were practicing either Chivalry or Largesse in those terms. I think it is important to remember that our House does not have a premium on the virtues we strive for and that there are many others who, while they may not think of it in those terms, have the same goals as we do. We may not always agree totally with their definitions or methods, but it does not make them bad or wrong. I think it is important to remember that others may have their own definitions of Chivalry (and Honor) and Largesse, which may not exactly meet our definition, but, nevertheless we must give them their due in striving to walk their own path in an honorable fashion and trying to make the lands a better place in their own way. If we truly want to make the lands a better place to live, then I believe we can and should strive to learn from each other, even when we cannot totally agree with each others’ definitions. Just because my definition of Honor and Chivalry may not agree with someone else’s does not make them any less honorable or myself any better than they are, so long as we are both striving to do the best we can to live up to our own definitions.