This tale could be from any date between the 11th and 15th centuries, though my personal guess is that it is likely to date from the 13th and although it is unattributed, is very likely to have been written by a clerk, possibly as a sermon.

The continual struggle between the knights, the clergy, and the civilizing influence of court saw many literary skirmishes as each attempted to forward what amounted to moral sermons intended to mold the knight's character. This process continued throughout the period we think of as the Middle Ages, as a dynamic society in turbulent times struggled with violence both within and from the outside.

This piece, possibly a sermon, shows a shrewd yet uncomplicated effort to preach to tourneying knights, not quite going so far as to condemn their warlike activities but clearly asserting the paramount importance of God and the clerk's perspective. The theme is in a sense timeless, since a legion of scholars from Ferguson to Duby to Keen to Kaeuper have illuminated the tension between perspectives of the three orders.

While the pursuit of a religious career following retirement from a martial one are a foundation both of chivalric romance and history--Ramon Lull, Lancelot, and William Marshal (on his deathbed)--the normal expression of piety in this phase is for the knight to turn not to the church hierarchy, with whom his caste has struggled for the duration of his life, but rather to an independent mix of elder statesman and mystic, generally becoming an isolated hermit and a dispenser of wisdom to the knights-errant who happen across his abode. In this text the knight does not follow that path, which the clerical author derides in the squires mockery, but rather simply assumes religious orders in an abbey, to me a clear indication that the author was not himself a knight, but was rather a cleric.

A reading of this story gives a good sense of the tension that characterized the relationship between 'those who prayed' and 'those who fought'; it makes for interesting discussions.

A knight, sage and courteous, hardy and of great valor, that none in all chvialry was so great of worship, held ever in great love to Mary the Virgin. To prove his vaillance and to exercise his body in feats of arms he was on his way to a tourney, armed and fortified in his joy. Soit befell onthe day of the jousting, that he to please God rode forth full hastily, for fain would he be first in the field. But anon from a chruch nearby he heard the bells give a signal of the singing of holy mass. And straightaway the knight turned into the church to listen to the service of God. Within they sang nobly and devoutly a mass in praise of Mary the Holy Virgin; and then straightaway they began another. Full well the knight have ear and prayed with good heart to Our Lady.

Now when the second mass was done a third was begun forthright in the same place. Thereupon his squire spoke the knight, "Sir, by the holy body of God the hour of the tourney is passing, and do you yet linger here? Come away I pray you! Think you to turn hermit, or devotee, or hypocrit? Go we now aboutour own proper trade."

"Friend," the knight then made answer, "he jousts right nobly who listens to the service of God. When all the masses are said and sung we will ride our way; and if it please God, we will not leave before; but afterwards, for God's honor, I will go joust full hardily." Thereafter he spoke no more, but turned his face to the altar and remained at prayer until all the chanting was ended.

Then the two mounted their horses, as it behooved them to do, and fared forth towards the place wherein they were to take their sport. But even as they rode, they met other knights returning from the tourney which had been fought out from end to end. And lo came you, the knight who came even then from mass he who had won the prize. They who were returning, greeted him and and praised him, and said that never had any knight done such great feats of arms as he had that day done, and always thenceforth would the honor thereof be his. Many there were who surrendered themselves to him, saying, "We are your prisoners, this we may not deny, nor that you won us by force of arms."

Then was the knight no longer abashed, for he understood speedily that she for whose sake he had stayed him in the church had borne his part in the battle.

Frank and free he called his barons about him, and said to them, "Now give ear, all of courtesy, for I would tell you of such a marvel that never have you heard its like." Then hetold them point by point how he had waited to hear out the masses, and had not entered the lists, nor fought with either lance or shield, but he believed that the Maid whom he had worshipped within the church had fought for him in his stead.

"Right wonderous is the tourney wherein she has jousted for me, yet I should make small account thereof and if I did not now do combat for her; foolish and simple would I be if I turned me again to the vanities of the world." And so he promised God that never henceforth would he tourney save before the true judge, who knows all good knights and passes sentence upon them according to their deeds. Then he took leave full piteously, and many a one wept thereat right tenderly. But he departed from them, and in an abbey of monks thenceforth served the Virgin Mary, and I think he held to the path that leads to a good end.

By the example we may well see that the gentle God, whom we worship, loves and cherishes and honors he who stays to hear mass in the holy church, and who gladly does service to his fair, sweet Mother. Fruitful is the custom thereof, and he who is sage and courteous willingly practices good manners; for what the colt learns in teething time will he hold so long as he lives.