ow declaris the Doctour, that as the Preste quhilk in the Mess sayand has syndry habitis and habilliamentis, quhilkis ilkane has a syndry significacione, as is acordand to thair office and order, and that office of Preste and office of Knycht has sa grete affinitee and alliaunce togeder; ffor quhy? that rycht as office of Preste has certane thingis that pertenis to the Ordre; and ilkane has a certane significacione, sa has the Ordre of Knychthede: ffor ilk thing pertenand till his Order has a certane significacioune, be the quhilkis is signifyit the noblesse of the Order of Knychthede.
And first and formast, Thare is to the Knycht gevin a Suerd with a crossit hilt, that signifyis that rycht as our Lord Jhesu Crist vencust in the Croce the inymy of mannis lygnage, to the quhilk he was dempt throu the syn of Adam, oure first fader, that rycht sa suld a Knycht vencuse the fais of the Croce throu the suerd; ffor the suerd is ordanyt to do justice with; and tharefore is it maid with twa egeis, in takenyng that he suld manetene and defend bathe Temporalitee and Spiritualitee with the double scherand suerd.
Item, To the Knycht is gevin a Spere quhilk is evin, and betakenis rychtwisenesse and veritee; ffor as the spere is evin, and rycht sa suld he be bathe evynlyk and rychtwise, and manetene and defend lautee and equitee, in contrary of falshede and trecherye; and the scharp hard stelin poynt of the spere hede betakenis, that suppose falsehede be neuer sa wele armyt, ȝit will lautee pas throu him, and vencuse him. And be the pennone on the spere end, it schawis that veritee hydis him nocht, bot schawis him to falsehede, sayand ay, quhen it movis, Lo me here Veritee, that has na drede of falsehede, na trecherye; and Veritee is the foundement of esperaunce that is gude hope, and of all othir thingis that ar signifyit be the spere.
Item, Chapellat of stele alssua is gevin to the Knycht, in takenyng of drede of schame and repruf; ffor a Knycht suld be schamefull as a maydin dredand repruf: ffor Knycht or woman, but drede of schame, may nocht kepe honour langsumly, na be obedient to thair ordre: ffor rycht, as drede and schamefulnes, gerris a persone cast doune the hede, and luke to the erde, sa dois the stelin hat the Knycht cast doune his eyne; and rycht as the stelyn hat kepis the knychtis hede, quhilk is the hyast membre, and maist principale of his persone, sa kepis drede of schame the Knychtis honour, that is the hyast poynt of his ordre, and maist principale poynt of all. The quhilk drede of schame suld haue in it fyve wittis to kepe, that throu nane of thai suld dishonour cum, and that the noblesse of his curage suld defend thai fyve wittis, that neuer throu thame euill na wikkitnesse cum.
Item, Haubergeone is gevin to the Knycht, in takenyng of castell, to kepe him fra his inymyes, that is, euill vicis; ffor rycht as a castell is wallit all about with stanis togedir junyt, to kepe Knycht fra his fais, rycht sa is the haubert to kepe him rycht sa fra his fais that ar vicis and defaultis, till his maist noble Ordre of Knychthede, the quhilk is maid of mony syndry pecis as of maillis.
Item, Leg-harnais is gevin the Knycht, that his leggis and fete were seker to passe in the wayes and stretis, and kepe thame, that na robbouris, na thevis, na murderaris, vmbesett the wayes to reve na strouble lele merchandis, na labouraris, men of kirk, na pilgrimys, that passis in the contree for the commone prouffit of the Realme: And in sik keping he suld be garnyst in his armouris and his wapnis, that he mycht do scathe and tak nane.
Item, Thare is gevin him Maisse, that is to say Pollax, in takenyng that he is officere ryale; and that gif ony man disobeyis till his wand, that he lay that maisse on thame to hald the Kingis rychtis on fut.
Alssua, Spuris ar gevin him, in signifiaunce that rycht as spuris spedis the horse to ryn fast, and besy in tyme of nede, quhen his inymyes cummys nere, rycht sa suld Knycht in tyme of nede be besy quhen the King or his Contree is ouresett with lourdanis and revaris or traytouris or other wikkit misdoaris, sa that he slepe nocht his time, bot be besy and diligent in the commone prouffit. Of the suerd we haue spoken of before, in quhat takenyng and significacioune it is gevin.
Item, The quhip is gevyn to the Knycht in his hand, quhen he is on horse, to that significacione, that he suld stand aw and be obedient till his Lord; ffor disobeisaunce vndois the Knycht and brekis his Ordre, that all his ofspring will forthink: as for the inobedience of Adam, all his ofspring was punyst.