Indeed, the old knights did have a kind of creed about protecting the land. The Charter of the Forest from 1217, for example, was a royal decree that restored common rights to the woods and protected them from overuse. In the same vein, many feudal lords kept sworn oaths—often written in a parchment scroll—to guard the game and the timber for future generations. If we were to draft a modern manifesto, we could borrow the spirit of those oaths: a pledge to preserve, to plant, and to ensure that the forest remains a resource for all. Think of it as a chivalric code—“the noble knight of the green”—with clear duties: plant a tree for every acre cleared, guard saplings from wolves of neglect, and honor the covenant with the earth. It’s a practical way to give the old tradition a new purpose.

Aye, that sounds like a noble plan indeed. We could start with a simple verse, something like: “I, a humble steward of the earth, pledge to plant a sapling for each forest felled, that the wood may grow anew for future riders and scholars.” Then add a clause about council meetings: “In each council’s deliberation, let a tree be sown before the final decree.” We can sketch it on a parchment—well, a coffee mug would be a most fitting relic, ink from the rainwater to keep the ceremony true to nature. Shall we draft the first line together?

It sounds quite noble, though perhaps a touch too grand for a single line. How about: “I, a humble steward of the earth, pledge to plant a sapling for each tree felled, that the forest may breathe anew for future riders and scholars.” That keeps the spirit without over‑embellishment.