[Sidenote: and that a Knight of blood and property is above a poor Knight,]
¶ hit belongeth{ e} to a m{ er}shall{ e} to haue a for{ e} sight of all{ e} estatis of þis land in eu{ er}y place pight, For þestate of a knyght of blode, lyvelode, & myght, [Fol. 188.] is not p{ er}egall{ e} to a symple & a poouere knyght. 1136
[Sidenote: the Mayor of London above the Mayor of Queenborough,]
¶ Also þe meyr{ e} of londoñ, notable of dignyte, and of queneborow[269] þe meir{ e}, no þyng{ e} like in degre, at one messe þey owght in no wise to sitt ne be; hit no þyng{ e} besemeth{ e} / þ{ er}for{ e} to suche semble ye se / 1140
[Sidenote: the Abbot of Westminster above the poor Abbot of Tintern,]
¶ Also þe abbote of Westmynster{ e}, þe hiest of þ{ is} lande / The abbot of tynterne[270] þe poorest, y vndirstande, [Fol. 188a.] þey ar boþe abbot{ es} of name, & not lyke of fame to fande; [gh]et Tynterne w{ i}t{ h} Westmynster shall{ e} nowþ{ er} sitte ne stande. 1144
[Sidenote: the Prior of Canterbury above the Prior of Dudley,]
¶ Also þe Pryour{ e} of Caunturbury,[271] a cheff churche of dignyte, And þe priour{ e} of Dudley,[272] no þyng{ e} so digne as he:-- [gh]et may not þe priour{ e} of dudley, symple of degre, Sitte w{ i}t{ h} þe priour{ e} of Caunturbury: þ{ er} is why, a dyu{ er}site. 1148
[Sidenote: the Prior who is Prelate of a Cathedral Church above any Abbot or Prior of his diocese,]
¶ And reme{ m}br{ e} eu{ er}mor{ e} / añ rule þ{ er} is generall{ e}: A p{ ri}our{ e} þat is a p{ re}late of any churche Cathedrall{ e}, above abbot or priour{ e} w{ i}t{ h}-in the diocise sitte he shall{ e}, In churche / in chapell{ e} / in chambur / & in hall{ e}. 1152
[Sidenote: a Doctor of 12 years' standing above one of 9 (though the latter be the richer),]
¶ Right so reu{ er}end docturs, degre of xij. yer{ e}, þem ye must assigne to sitte aboue hym / þat co{ m}mensed hath but .ix. and þaugh{ e} þe yonger may larger spend gold red & fyne, [gh]et shall{ e} þe eldur sitte aboue / wheþ{ ur} he drynke or dyne. 1156
[Sidenote: the old Aldermen above the young ones, and 1. the Master of a craft, 2. the ex-warden.]
¶ like wise the aldremen, [gh]ef þey be eny wher{ e}, þe yonger{ e} shall{ e} sitte or stande benethe þe elder ri[gh]t þer{ e}; and of eu{ er}y crafft þe mastir aftur rule & maner{ e}, and þeñ þe eldest of þem, þ{ a}t wardeñ was þe for{ e} yer{ e}. 1160