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Knight, Death, and the Devil, 1513–14
Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528)
Chivalry is the belief and practice of knights in the middle ages and even
today. Chivalry was a code of ethics and etiquette upheld by the noble Knights.
The three things that the knights lived by were : courage, honor, and fidelity.
Chivalry is important because it brings order to the chaos that surrounds us.
The Code of Chivalry is important to all Knights of Freemasonry Universal.
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.
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