others is the most necessary.

"The king himself is well aware that he was one of the knights in whom the
Black Prince, his father, had the fullest confidence, and to whom he owed
his life more than once in the thick of a _melee_. Thus, then, when the
time comes, he will be able to secure for you a post in the following of
some brave leader. I would rather that it were so than in the household of
any great noble, who would assuredly take one side or other in the
factions of the Court. You are too young for this as yet, being too old to
be a page, too young for an esquire, and must therefore wait until you are
old enough to enter service either as an esquire or as one of the retinue
of a military leader."

"I would rather be an esquire and ride to battle to win my spurs. I should
not care to become a knight simply because I was the owner of so many
acres of land, but should wish to be knighted for service in the field."

"So would I also, Edgar. My holding here is large enough to entitle me to
the rank of knight did I choose to take it up, but indeed it would be with
me as it is with many others, an empty title. Holding land enough for a
knight's fee, I should of course be bound to send so many men into the
field were I called upon to do so, and should send you as my substitute if
the call should not come until you are two or three years older; but in
this way you would be less likely to gain opportunities for winning honour
than if you formed part of the following of some well-known knight. Were a
call to come you could go with few better than Sir Ralph, who would be
sure to be in the thick of it. But if it comes not ere long, he may think
himself too old to take the field, and his contingent would doubtless be
led by some knight as his substitute."