A so-called carpet knight was a person who had been awarded a title of
knighthood
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
by the
king of England
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign reigns as the head of state of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies (the Bailiw ...
on a holiday occasion (or in time of peace), as opposed to knighthoods awarded for military service, or success in tournament games.
''
Notes and Queries
''Notes and Queries'', also styled ''Notes & Queries'', is a long-running quarterly scholarly journal that publishes short articles related to " English language and literature, lexicography, history, and scholarly antiquarianism".From the inne ...
'' explained in 1862:
Philip Massinger
Philip Massinger (1583 – 17 March 1640) was an English dramatist. His finely plotted plays, including ''A New Way to Pay Old Debts'', ''The City Madam'', and '' The Roman Actor'', are noted for their satire and realism, and their politi ...
in his play ''
The Maid of Honour
''The Maid of Honour'' is a Jacobean era stage play, a tragicomedy written by Philip Massinger, first published in 1632. It may be Massinger's earliest extant solo work.
Performance
Firm data on the play's date of authorship and initial t ...
'', written in the 1620s, mentioned "loose Carpet-knights" who lived comfortably and "thought to charge, through dust and blood, an armed foe, Was but like graceful
running at the ring, For a wanton mistress' glove".
[William Gifford, ''The Plays of Philip Massinger'' (London, 1845), p. 235, voiced by Gonzaga in Scene 5.]
Notes
{{reflist
English knights by type or order of chivalry