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oughte not to be so called because they have none aucthoritie or
gouernmente, and maye be refuzed to fighte wth anye Earle
or duke. Amonge Subiects the Princes ought to have
place nexte the Emperor, the seconde place apperteineth
to dukes, the thirde to Marquises the fourth to Earles, &
everie one of thease beinge officers in the Empire may fight
wth dukes and all other great lordes because they be their
Equalls. likewise all cheif officers of a kinges howse maye
fight wth anie duke, Marquise or Earle that is their equall
in Councell & companie wth the person imperiall. This
difference is made according to the lawe Ciuile, wch comman:
deth equalitie and fittnes in personall combatt, Also we
have alredie declared that an Earle may geve his champion
to any challinger beinge his inferior yet we finde by the or:
ders in armes and iudgements in Chevalrie, that yf an Earle
be wronged or chardged by a duke for breache of faithe
or other great offence, wherby his honnor or fame is tow:
ched, the Earle maye in this case provoke a Prince a
duke or Marquis, who not answeringe in Combatt shalbe
reputed dihonnored. The lawe saith that he that este:
meth not his honnor and fame is a traitor to him self &
ought to be constreined to fight & defende his owne honor
An Earle in this case may fighte wth anie honnorable
man, and ought to be answered in person, and as I saide
in the booke of Champions, an Earle maye fighte by
Champion when he were challinged of a simple gent or
souldier (allwaies exceptinge the case of infidelitie
against his vassall. But whensoever he be provoked
by anie man of equall estate or office to him self he ought
to fight in Person. The like I saye of any Prince
beinge Subiecte because they be equall of dignitie
Iurisdiction & aucthoritie. And though it semeth yt
Princes because they have the firste place, sholde be
moste worthie, yet is there no difference betwexte a
Prince and a duke, but only the name & title, for eithr
of them be Barons. And albeit the name of a Prince
ys sometimes vsed for Emperor or a kinge, yet a Prince
not free or a subiecte is but equall to dukes as in the
next Chapiter shall appeare.