No doubt we have made progress as a whole, but in some
things we have degenerated sadly. The first thing taught then was how to
serve. No man could rise to the honour of knighthood without service. A
nobleman's son even had to wait on his father, or to go into the family of
another nobleman, and wait upon him as a page, standing behind his chair at
dinner. This was an honour. No notion of degradation was in it. It was a
necessary step to higher honour. And what was the next higher honour? To be
set free from service? No. To serve in the harder service of the field; to
be a squire to some noble knight; to tend his horse, to clean his armour,
to see that every rivet was sound, every buckle true, every strap strong;
to ride behind him, and carry his spear, and if more than one attacked him,
to rush to his aid. This service was the more honourable because it was
harder, and was the next step to higher honour yet. And what was this
higher honour? That of knighthood. Wherein did this knighthood consist? The
very word means simply _service_. And for what was the knight thus waited
upon by his squire? That he might be free to do as he pleased? No, but that
he might be free to be the servant of all.
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