The Broad-Stone of Honour
Encyclopedia
The Broad Stone of Honour, or Rules for the Gentlemen of England, is a book written by Kenelm Henry Digby
and published first in 1822 by F. C. & J. Rivington of London. Then the work was subdivided into its constituent parts and published as Godefridus (1829), Tancredus (1828), Morus (1826) and Orlandus (1829). Later it was revised and republished as The Broad Stone of Honour: Or, the True Sense and Practice of Chivalry (1844 to 1948).
Now almost unknown, Digby's The Broad Stone of Honour (named after his favourite castle
, Ehrenbreitstein
) was an attempt to describe the true meaning of chivalry
and to revive it in modern life. In his Godefridus section, Digby defined chivalry:
The Broad-Stone is plentifully supplied with examples from medieval literature, even the most obscure accounts. Even his admirers often found his appreciation of the Middle Ages
excessive, in that he refused to see any fault in them. Still, the work was deeply influential, in its attack on Utilitarianism
and its devotion to rational thinking over the heart, his lack of interest in intellectual ability, and his disdain for making money all had serious impact on the Victorian notion of a proper gentleman.
Digby concluded that the whole concept of gallantry or chivalry is to be found in the Eight Beatitudes
; significantly the eight-pointed cross
es used by the Knights of Malta
and other such orders are believed to have alluded to the same idea. The book was so influential in its day that ideas such as the Boy Scout
movement can be traced back to it.
Kenelm Henry Digby
This article is about Kenelm Digby, the Anglo-Irish writer. For other people with the same name, see Kenelm Digby Kenelm Henry Digby was an Anglo-Irish writer born at Clonfert in Ireland, though he certainly did not regard himself as Irish...
and published first in 1822 by F. C. & J. Rivington of London. Then the work was subdivided into its constituent parts and published as Godefridus (1829), Tancredus (1828), Morus (1826) and Orlandus (1829). Later it was revised and republished as The Broad Stone of Honour: Or, the True Sense and Practice of Chivalry (1844 to 1948).
Now almost unknown, Digby's The Broad Stone of Honour (named after his favourite castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
, Ehrenbreitstein
Ehrenbreitstein
Ehrenbreitstein may refer to:, a district of Koblenz* Ehrenbreitstein Fortress * Ehrenbreitstein , the hill on which the fortress stands on the east bank of the Rhine...
) was an attempt to describe the true meaning of chivalry
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
and to revive it in modern life. In his Godefridus section, Digby defined chivalry:
- Chivalry is only a name for that general spirit or state of mind which disposes men to heroic actions, and keeps them conversant with all that is beautiful and sublime in the intellectual and moral world.
The Broad-Stone is plentifully supplied with examples from medieval literature, even the most obscure accounts. Even his admirers often found his appreciation of the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
excessive, in that he refused to see any fault in them. Still, the work was deeply influential, in its attack on Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is an ethical theory holding that the proper course of action is the one that maximizes the overall "happiness", by whatever means necessary. It is thus a form of consequentialism, meaning that the moral worth of an action is determined only by its resulting outcome, and that one can...
and its devotion to rational thinking over the heart, his lack of interest in intellectual ability, and his disdain for making money all had serious impact on the Victorian notion of a proper gentleman.
Digby concluded that the whole concept of gallantry or chivalry is to be found in the Eight Beatitudes
Beatitudes
In Christianity, the Beatitudes are a set of teachings by Jesus that appear in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The term Beatitude comes from the Latin adjective beatus which means happy, fortunate, or blissful....
; significantly the eight-pointed cross
Maltese cross
The Maltese cross, also known as the Amalfi cross, is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta and through them came to be identified with the Mediterranean island of Malta and is one of the National symbols of Malta...
es used by the Knights of Malta
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
and other such orders are believed to have alluded to the same idea. The book was so influential in its day that ideas such as the Boy Scout
Scouting
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement with the stated aim of supporting young people in their physical, mental and spiritual development, that they may play constructive roles in society....
movement can be traced back to it.
Footnotes
- Holland, Bernard - Memoir of Kenelm Digby first published 1919; paperback, Fisher Press, 1992 ISBN 1 874037 05 1