“Thus it should appear to everyone that the best pastime of all is to be often in good company, far from unworthy men and from unworthy activities from which no good can come.” (P.63)
“You should be generous in giving where the gift will be best used and as careful as you can that you let your enemies have nothing that is yours. Love and serve your friends, hate and harm your enemies, relax with your friends, exert yourself with all your strength against your foes. You should plan your enterprises cautiously and you should carry them out boldly.” (P.70)
“Trusting too much in his daring can make a man lose his life foolishly; but when one is engaged on an armed enterprise, one should dread vile cowardice more than death.” (P.71)
“Be sure that you do not despise poor men or those lesser in rank than you, for there are many poor men who are of greater worth than the rich.” (P.71)
“Refrain from remonstrating with fools, for you will be wasting your time, and they will hate you for it.” (P.71)
“Above all refrain from enriching yourself at others' expense, especially from the limited resources of the poor, for unsullied poverty is worth more than corrupt wealth.” (P.71-72)
“From arrogance grow many branches from which many evils come, so many as may cause the loss of soul and body, honor and wealth.” (P.73)
“What you do not know, you should ask with due humility to be taught it.” (P.73)
* Reprinted from A Knight’s Own Book of Chivalry by Geoffrey De Charny (1306-1356), translated by Elspeth Kennedy, 2005, University of Pennsylvania Press
