Knights of the Hare stories?

[Karl Helweg]

In 1339 King Edward anxious to raise morale of the English army in France and facing Phillip's larger force came up with a cunning plan to spontaneously knight several squires and soldiers at the first sign of the French attack.

Hearing a great noise from the French army Edward ran out into the predawn dark with his sword drawn. A dozen or more clever and lucky young men were drawn hurriedly together and dramatically knighted only to find that the French were not attacking but had only been scared of a hare running between them!

These 12 (or 14?) knights became legendary for fighting hard and bravely, turning down no challenge, to overcome the stigma of being known as the Knights of the Hare.

So, does anyone have access to these stories? I find many references to them but not the stories themselves.

I cannot even find a list of their names let alone famous deeds.

[Baron Alcyoneus]

I bet a horse could be spooked by a hare pretty easily.

But it makes a great story to make it the knights being scared!

This is about all I'm finding:

Knights of the Hare

An order of twelve knights created by Edward III. in France, upon the following occasion:- A great shouting was raised by the French army, and Edward thought the shout was the onset of battle; but found afterwards it was occasioned by a hare running between the two armies.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894

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Froissart Chapter XLII

It was a matter of much wonder how two such fine armies could separate without fighting. But the French were of contrary opinions among themselves, and each spoke out his thoughts. Some said it would be a great shame, and very blameable, if the king did not give battle when he saw his enemies so near him, and drawn up in his own kingdom in battle array, in order to fight with him according to his promise: others said it would exhibit a singular instance of madness to fight, as they were not certain that some treachery was not intended; besides, if fortune should be unfavourable, the king would run a great risk of losing his kingdom, and if he should conquer his enemies, he would not be the nearer to gaining possession of England, or of the land of his allies. Thus the day passed until near twelve o'clock in disputes and debates. About noon a hare was started in the plain, and ran among the French army, who began to make a great shouting and noise, which caused those in the rear to imagine that the combat was begun in the front, and many put on their helmets and made ready their swords. Several new knights were made, especially by the earl of Hainault, who knighted fourteen, and they were ever after called knights of the hare.

[Karl Helweg]

Piers Brent - I found that account too but it is a dead end as well. So maybe there were two different "Knights of the Hare"; one English and one French(?)

Regardless, both accounts imply that these Knights of the Hare collected quite a few legends/stories/tales but I cannot find a one. I am simply looking for the individual names and tales.

Does anyone have any obscure references to these individual tales?

Like Robin Hood, there was probably a near endless series of them told by wandering performers sort of like 14th century soap operas. I am hoping that some were recorded.

[Baron Alcyoneus]

I googled this quickly, so I didn't look long enough to find the original (which I've read in some of my Scythian related books).

http://www.khandro.net/animal_hare_rabbit.htm

Hare as Protector of Europe

The hare can be said to be the preserver of Europe, in that it was due to the appearance of a hare that the Persian army never managed to make significant incursions on the European mainland. According to Herodotus (The History: Book IV, 134) in 513-512 BCE, as Darius was trying to get Scythian horsemen to commit to direct combat in the Persian style, a hare chanced to appear. The Scythians appeared to be more interested in pursuing the animal than in coming forward. Consequently the great Persian conqueror had second thoughts and abandoned his attempt.
Clever Hare

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[Karl Helweg]

No one in all of our libraries has any list of who the Knights of the Hare members were?

They were running around trying to be extra cool during the Hundred Years War in occupied France; they must have done something that was actually recorded somewhere....

Plan B - upon verification that no one seems to be capable to calling documentation out - make them up.

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[Baron Alcyoneus]

I think you are over thinking this

I'm with Petrus. I rather doubt that it was considered an offical order like Knights of the Garter/Star/Golden Fleece, etc. If it had, it would be far easier to research.

Large groups of people were often knighted just before a battle because they thought they would fight harder (see The Kingdom of Heaven ), and be an extra morale booster for those around them. Some wag simply called them 'the Knights of the Hare', mocking the King's action, but the burden of the mockery fell on them.

Just as Angus wasn't known for building bridges, leading the army into battle, midwifing thousands of babies at once, but just shagging that one sheep.