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INTRODUCTION.

of King Henry the Eighth, though it was undoubtedly stillvested in the Commanders of Armies, who frequently Knightedseveral persons both before a battle to stimulate the courageof their soldiers, and after a victory to reward those who hademinently signalized themselves. “No man,” says Sir ThomasSmith, “ is a Knight by succession; no, not the King or Prince.Knights, therefore, be not born, but made; either before thebattle, to encourage them the more to adventure their lives ; orafter the conflict, as advancement for their hardiness and man-hood already shewed : or out of the war, for some great servicedone, or some good hope through the virtues which do appearin them.” 1 This was so universal a custom, that it is scarcelynecessary to adduce particular instances. Froissart 2 says,that in 1380, when the English Army were before Troyes, theEarl of Buckingham, the King’s Lieutenant, made Sir ThomasTry vet a Banneret, and Knighted several persons; and thencalling to him a right gentle Esquire of Savoy, called Ralph de.Gruyeres, son of the Count of Savoy, who had been requestedto be made a Knight, both before Ardres and St. Omer, saidto him, ‘ Ralph, if it pleases God and Saint George, we shallhave conflict of arms, therefore I wish you to be a Knight.’The Esquire excused himself, as he had before done, thus,

‘ My Lord, may God thank you, and return you the good andhonour you would do me; but I will never be a Knight unlessI am made by my natural Lord, the Count of Savoy, in battle,by Christians against Saracens,’ so he was troubled no more.”Hall relates, that after the battle of Flodden, in 1513, the

1 De Republica Anglorum, ed. 1584, p. 21. See also Ashmole, p. 41.

2 Par Buchon, ed. 1837, tome II. p. 104.