The attempt, introduced by Henry III, to compel the holder of land worth £20 or more to accept a knighthood. Edward III did the same in 1278. It was a means of increasing royal revenue. However, many sought to evade the ordinance. It also resulted in a diminution of the chivalric ideal of a knight by making qualification a matter of money. -
Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases. Christopher Coredon with Ann Williams.