Chivalry

In the past week, I've seen this I don't know how many times.

And I have a problem with it.

Below you'll find a decent representation of the knights code and the code of chivalry, as pertaining to a knight. If one wasn't a knight, the code of chivalry need not apply to you.

The Knights Code of Chivalry and the vows of Knighthood

• To fear God and maintain His Church
• To serve the liege lord in valor and faith
• To protect the weak and defenseless
• To give succor to widows and orphans
• To refrain from the wanton giving of offense
• To live by honor and for glory
• To despise pecuniary reward
• To fight for the welfare of all
• To obey those placed in authority
• To guard the honor 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 honor of women
• Never to refuse a challenge from an equal
• Never to turn the back upon a foe

Yes, it's true, only one of those specifically deals with women. So yes, it's true, ladies, you've been using the term "chivalry" entirely incorrectly.

However, it's the ending of this comedic response with which I have taken issue.

You see, it breaks a few pieces of the code:

• To refrain from the wanton giving of offense
• To live by honor and for glory
• To fight for the welfare of all

And just because I can:

• At all times to speak truth

Brett Druck has broken each of these in his response to this woman.

He took offense at her remark about chivalry. No knight would ever have succumbed to this.
There was no honor found in challenging a lady to a dual. Never. No self-respecting knight would ever have done such a thing.
He jousted only for his own reputation, for his own purposes, not for the welfare of those around him.
Obviously, as this is a comedy sketch, none of it was true. *wink*

Chivalry isn't about women. It's about battle etiquette between knights. If you're not a knight, it does not apply to you. You're not expected to live by it. Ladies, if you're not hanging around knights all the time, don't expect the boys to open every door for you and joust for who gets to open the next one.

That would just be silly.

[I couldn't help myself]

{RD}