When I was asked to do the wording for Richard's knighting scroll, I knew I wanted to draw on some inspirational sources that were meaningful to Richard. He is a scholar of Froissart, and loves the Black Prince as a symbol of fourteenth century chivalry.
Reading Froissart, I couldn't find a good passage for Richard relating to the Black Prince, but I did find a passage that had the structure I wanted - the Queen of England calling Henry, Earl of Lancaster forward for who was renowned for his reputation and good deeds. There is also some inspirational phrasing from the siege of Bristow. This gives some good phrasing and language structure for a scroll lauding Richard's qualities.
Carrying on the type of language, I inserted the society parts of the trappings of knighthood, referred to Richard's deeds that brought him this far, and lastly made the scroll in the present tense, referring to his vigil a month prior and making the writ conditional upon his acceptance (which shouldn't really be assumed, they do ask him in the ceremony if he will accept the accolade).
Note the bolded text that inspired the final text:
And
then this tiding spread about the realm so much, that at the last it
came to the knowledge of the lords by whom the queen was called
again into England. And they apparelled them in all haste to come to
Edward her son, whom they would have to their sovereign lord. And the first
that came and gave them most comfort was Henry earl of Lancaster with the wry
neck, called Tort Col, who was brother to Thomas earl of Lancaster, beheaded as
ye have heard herebefore, who was a good knight and greatly recommended,
as ye shall hear after in this history. This earl Henry came to the queen
with great company of men of war, and after him came from one part and other earls,
barons, knights and squires, with so much people that they thought them
clean out of perils, and always increased their power as they went
forward. Then they took counsel among them that they should ride
straight to the town of Bristow, whereas the king was, and with him the
Spencers. The which was a good town and a strong, and well closed, standing on
a good port of the sea, and a strong castle, the sea beating round about it.
And therein was the king and sir Hugh Spencer the elder, who was about ninety
of age, and sir Hugh Spencer his son, who was chief governour of the king and counselled
him in all his evil deeds. Also there was the earl of Arundel, who had wedded
the daughter of sir Hugh Spencer, and divers other knights and squires
repairing about the king's court. Then the queen and all her company, lords of
Hainault, earls and barons, and all other Englishmen, took the right way to the
said town of Bristow, and in every town whereas they entered they were received
with great feast and honour, and always their people increased ; and so
long they rode by their journeys that they arrived at Bristow, and besieged the
town round about as near as they might : and the king and sir Hugh Spencer the
younger held them in the castle, and the old sir Hugh Spencer and the earl of
Arundel held them in the town. And when the people of the town saw the great power
that the queen was of (for almost all England was of her accord), and perceived
what peril and danger evidently they were in, they took counsel among
themselves and determined that they would yield up the town to the queen, so
that their lives and goods might be saved. And so they sent to treat with the
queen and her council in this matter ; but the queen nor her council would not
agree thereto without she might do with sir Hugh Spencer and with the earl of
Arundel what it pleased her.
If you would like to see the full text of the Chronicles of Froissart, you can find it here:
https://archive.org/stream/chroniclesoffroi00froi/chroniclesoffroi00froi_djvu.txt
https://archive.org/stream/chroniclesoffroi00froi/chroniclesoffroi00froi_djvu.txt
Here is the final text used for Richard's scroll:
Let
tidings spread about the realm so much, that it become common knowledge of all
the lords and ladies by the word of the Queen and King of Ealdormere, Kaylah
and Trumbrand. Summoned to the court is
Richard Larmer, their good squire, whom they declared would be apparelled as a
good knight ought and then be recommended to all earls, barons, knights,
squires, and other good gentlefolk of the realm.
Richard had come to the list and field of war for many years with the bearing and vigor of a knight, ever increasing Ealdormere’s fame and power as he went forward, so Kaylah and Trumbrand took counsel with their knights, and so Richard was received at the court of the Crown Tournament one month past, with great celebration and honour, and accorded to him to contemplate the meaning of the belt of argent, the chain of gold, and the mantle of a knight, and come forth at Wassail, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in December, with his answer.
Should he consent to the burden and trial of knighthood, let this writ pass from the hands of the Crown to Richard Larmer as a recount of the Queen and King’s word and deed and good judgment done this day, where the belt and chain are passed to him, and let the 7th day of December, in the year of our Society be the day of his knighting, and let his oath from this day forward be true and manifest.
Kaylah Trumbrand
Richard had come to the list and field of war for many years with the bearing and vigor of a knight, ever increasing Ealdormere’s fame and power as he went forward, so Kaylah and Trumbrand took counsel with their knights, and so Richard was received at the court of the Crown Tournament one month past, with great celebration and honour, and accorded to him to contemplate the meaning of the belt of argent, the chain of gold, and the mantle of a knight, and come forth at Wassail, on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception in December, with his answer.
Should he consent to the burden and trial of knighthood, let this writ pass from the hands of the Crown to Richard Larmer as a recount of the Queen and King’s word and deed and good judgment done this day, where the belt and chain are passed to him, and let the 7th day of December, in the year of our Society be the day of his knighting, and let his oath from this day forward be true and manifest.
Kaylah Trumbrand
Cheerfully slaving for my feudal masters,
Brand, Barenwalde