Page:MS V.b.104 109v.png

Twoe gentlemen Suizers beinge determined to fight for liffe and death obteyned lycence of a Prince to haue a free feilde graunted who condiscendinge to their Request commaunded they sholde fight wth weapons of a gent wch are swordes of equall lengthe. Beinge entred into the lists, the one bringeth wth him a sword accordinge to the appointmente, the other the like weopon, and therwth secretlie a nomber of pricks of iron wch at his first entrie he bestowed in diuers parts of the feild And comminge to fight, him self havinge on shoees wherof ye soales were of yron, he resorted still to the places where thease pricks of sharpe nailes were laide, till at length the ennemie had so sore hurte his foot vppon them as he became vanquished. hereof no small doubte ariseth whether he lawefullie might in this sorte have victorie or not, but by reason in armes it semeth he maye, because in Combatt for life & death it is tollerable (as ofte it hathe bene saide) to vse all pollecie Crafte or deceipte. Tiberio Crasso beinge in Spaine & knoweinge that the ennemies of the people of Rome thorough the greate dearthe of Corne had extreame neede of breade & victuaills, and so as that in diuers daies before they had not eaten any foode of Sustenaunce, he havinge aboundance cawsed a greate deale of his owne provision to be laide forthe wch done sodeinlie he retired him selfe from thence, wch the ennemies perceyvinge, allured wth ye sweete victuaills, ran thyther to staunche their extreme hunger, where they fed so disordinatlye, that they only remoued not their former wants, but also became so heavie & sleapie, that Tiberio returninge thither to assaile them, obteined a speedie desired victorie Hanibal beinge in the great & famous warrs against the Romaines at Canna seinge that longe drowght & winde, had raised merveilous store of dust & sande, like a wise & skillfull capteine knewe that the winde drivinge the same vppon the face of the ennemie were no small aduauntage to him in fighte he placed his battle in such speedie and skillfull sorte as he gained the aduauntage of the winde, and therby raised the dust so thicke in the eies of thennemie, that by that crafte & pollecie he gained the victorie, wherin died so manie Romaines as not one of the noble famelie of Fabrij reamined aliue, wch till this