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The ffiuethe
Booke.

Wherin is discoursed What Champions
maye be geuen in Particular combatt

Cap. Primus:

In the ffirste Chapiter of this
ffiueth Booke it is declared in generall that
who so will fight vppon wager of battell, or els
vppon anye suche lyke occasion of man to man, yt
then everie of them ought to defende their lives
wth the sworde accordinge to the discipline of
Salustio who in an exortacion made on the be:
halfe of Catelina a valiaunt Romaine said on this wise
Brethren the sworde is our onlye meanes to make vs waye, wch
sayeinge importeth as muche, as be yowe valiaunt and of goode
courage. And therfore all challengers, and also all defenders
oughte to fight in Person, exceptinge when the inequalitie of
estate doe not permitt, as when the challinger is of lesse condy:
cion then he that is challinged, for in that case the defender maye
appointe his champion of equall estate to the Challinger, who
maye lawfullie fighte in his place. And this is the decrees of
the lawe of Lombardie, the lawes Civile & the consti:
tucion of Frederigo the Emperor in the kingedome of Sicilia
Therfore we see it becommeth not the Inferior to provoke
one of better condicion then him selfe, (Reseruinge when the
vassall challengeth to fighte wth his lorde in case of infidely:
tie)