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The
12 Trusts
In
medieval romances, King Arthur had his elite Round Table Knights
swear the following oath to chivalry once each year during the feast
of Pentecost:
"Never
do outrage nor murder, and always flee treason; also, by no means
to be cruel, but to give mercy unto him that asketh mercy, upon
pain of forfeiture of their worship and lordship of King Arthur
forevermore; and always to do ladies, damsels, and gentlewomen
succor, upon pain of death. Also, that no man do battle in a wrongful
quarrel for no law, nor for the world's goods."
The oath was
surprisingly sparse for a warrior ethic like chivalry, which encompassed
every aspect of a knight's life. This should not be surprising.
The knights understood what was required of them already. Chivalry
saturated the very air that they breathed.
Lord
Tennyson's masterpiece, Idylls of the King, added further
dimension:
"To
ride abroad redressing wrongs,
To speak no slander, no, nor listen to it,
To honor his own words as if his God's"
and
"To
love one maiden only, cleave to her,
And worship her by years of noble deeds, Until they won her."
To resurrect
a new chivalry in modern times (more specifically, in our personal
lives), it would be helpful to have some sort of template or code
to guide us, and as a reminder of what chivalry is all about.
The following is such a template.
We call it the 12 Trusts.
Upon
my honor,
- I will
develop my life for the greater good.
- I will
place character above riches, and concern for others above personal
wealth.
- I will
never boast, but cherish humility instead.
- I will
speak the truth at all times, and forever keep my word.
- I will
defend those who cannot defend themselves.
- I will
honor and respect women, and refute sexism in all its guises.
- I will
uphold justice by being fair to all.
- I will
be faithful in love and loyal in friendship.
- I will
abhor scandals and gossip—neither partake nor delight in them.
- I will
be generous to the poor and to those who need help.
- I will
forgive when asked, that my own mistakes will be forgiven.
- I will
live my life with courtesy and honor from this day forward.
By adhering
to these 12 Trusts, I swear to partake in the living Quest in
everything I do.
This oath can
be taken in privacy of your own soul, or aloud in the presence of
a group of friends, signified by some ritual reminscent of the solemnity
and meaning of the accolade of knighthood.
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