Knightly Law

You who long for the Knightly Order,
It is fitting you should lead a new life;
Devoutly keeping watch in prayer,
Fleeing from sin, pride and villainy;
The Church defending,
The Widows and Orphans succouring.
Be bold and protect the people,
Be loyal and valiant, taking nothing from others.
Thus should a Knight rule himself.

He should be humble of heart and always work,
And follow Deeds of Chivalry.;
Be loyal in war and travel greatly;
He should frequent tourneys and joust for his Lady Love;
He must keep honor with all,
So that he cannot be held to blame.
No cowardice should be found in his doings,
Above all, he should uphold the weak,
Thus should a Knight rule himself.
— Eustace Deschamps

I enjoy testing and building my strengths. I enjoy engaging in combat, pitting myself against adversaries and challenges. I enjoy these things, yet am not under the impression I will ever win a court case by engaging opposing counsel in a sword duel. Nor am I under the impression my size or strength can be used to intimidate prosecutors or other attorneys.

I had the good fortune to work for almost 8 years in the Clark County District Attorney's Office and even though I am on the other side now, still maintain friendly relations with many prosecutors. Certainly I am not under any belief that I intimidate any of them; they are good people who would not back down from any threat or attempted intimidation. The advantages that size, or strength, or fitness of physical training give me have more to do with my attitude than any influence over anyone else.

The days of disputes being settled at the sword points of armed gladiators are over. Today the battles over our rights are fought by lawyers in the courtroom, not in the sands of the arena. Yet even if the armor has been replaced by expensive suits and swords turned in for legal briefs, it is still a fighter's skill with the weapons at hand, and even more importantly their attitude and spirit, which dictate who prevails.

In addition to my interest in martial arts, I participate in a medieval recreation organization called the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), where I find additional opportunity to hone both my physical skills and my quest to embody the qualities, or virtues, of knighthood.

The SCA is an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe. Our "Known World" consists of 19 kingdoms, with over 30,000 members residing in countries around the world. Members, dressed in clothing of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, attend events which feature tournaments, royal courts, feasts, dancing, various classes & workshops, and more (http://www.sca.org)*.

While there is no universal set of “the Knightly Virtues” one can document, I attempt always to embody those qualities we think of as knightly, namely:

Prowess (Valor, Excellence):
I strive for excellence in all of my endeavors, martial or otherwise. I work to exemplify strength, used in the service of justice, rather than for personal glorification and gain. I use my physical, cerebral, and moral strength to fight tyranny over others. I am a protector, sworn to protect those who depend upon me, and honored to do so.

Justice (Temperance):
I seek to set aside personal bias in order to understand and follow the right path. I recognize the need for temperance along with justice, mercy along with might. I endeavor to make judgments that consider intent and interpretation alongside the “cold, hard facts.”

Loyalty (Obedience, Faithfulness):
I am known for my steadfast commitment to my word, my ideals and my people. Integrity is key, and compromise is never an option where loyalty is concerned.

Courage (Integrity, Honesty):
I am familiar with choosing the more difficult path in life, and accustomed to those choices coming with great personal expense. While I am prepared to absorb the losses which accompany courage, integrity and honesty, I always remember that stupidity and courage are cousins – pointless risk or sacrifice is not noble.

Faith (Perseverance, Wisdom):
I have faith in my beliefs and in my abilities to triumph over injustice. Faith, like Justice, must never be blind, yet must persist without compromise. As I’ll never blindly accept orders which may lead to destruction of those I defend, so I will never heedlessly accept a belief without allowing knowledge to inform my faith. 

Largesse (Generosity, Kindness):
I am often criticized by those closest to me for the extent of my generosity, but sharing what is valuable in life is not merely about spreading material goods. Largesse is about sharing my time, attention, wisdom and energy, about creating a sense of peace and community through mercy, rather than engendering hostility and antagonism.

Franchise (Accountability):
I accept no compromises in my commitment to hold true to the virtues and duties I strive to attain. I know that while I will never reach the bar I set for myself, my soul will be ennobled in the effort. My words are my bonds, my honor my currency, and so “try” has been replaced by “do” in my world.

Humility (Morality):
I don’t think I’ll get very far bragging about how humble I am, particularly on a website designed to give you confidence in my skills, abilities and intelligence. Humility is greatly important to me, though never at the expense of my clients. I’ll leave it there for now.

What then is Chivalry? So strong a thing, and of such hardihood, and so costly in the learning, that a wicked man or low dare not undertake it... Whoso would enjoy high honor first must suitable display that he has well been schooled to such arts... (The Biography of Sir William Marshall)

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