"Behold now, on this the first day of the Round Table,
I lay upon you all the Order of Chivalry.
All of you, and those who shall sit afterwards at this Table,
are the Knights of Logres,
and for the glory of Logres, the Realm of Righteousness,
do not ever depart from the high virtues of this realm.
Do no outrage nor murder nor any cruel or wicked thing;
fly from treason and all untruthfulness and dishonest dealing;
give mercy unto those that seek it--or sit no more at this Table.
And always give all the help in your power to ladies and damsels,
go out to succour gentlewomen and widows, turn from all
else to right any wrong done to any woman in the world--and never,
on pain of death and eternal disgrace,
do you any ill thing to a woman, or suffer it to be done.
Nor, for love or gain, fight in any quarrel that is not just and righteous."
(author unknown) |
