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duringe the space of tenne yeares, and liuinge virtuouslie ought to be
a gent. Therfore I saye that lawfullie wthout repulse, he maye
fight wth anye gent of nature or birth because he is of equall
nobilitie, speciallie duringe the time they are in thexercise of
armes together And of this nobilitie, besides that alredie
recited we shall more at lardge hereafter intreate.

Of thexellencie of Armes

Ca. 10.

The lawe Ciuile saithe, that as dignitie is the
rewarde of virtue to all men, so infamie is general:
lie dispyzed, & speciallie in armes, wch God gave at
the beginninge for the preseruation of Iustice, for the obedi:
ence of subiects, for augmentacion of the worldlie empire of
God, for the punishment of the prowde & rebellious, for the
conseruation of peace & tranquilitie, for the oppression of tyrants
& such as are dispozed to oppresse others. All wch are governed
by the valiaunce and travell of men of warre, wth the powre
of people appointed by God. ffirst in the first age, we see howe
by libell & battle God suffred kinge Dauid to fight wth Golias
and kill him, he also for the Cawses aboue saide, permitteth the vse of
armes, and for to incurrage men therto giue infinite priviledges to such
as wolde applie them selues to that exercise, & punishing those
souldiers that solde their weopon or armour, or that converted
them to other vses rurall, as to make plowes or mattocks, men
infamous, villaines, labourers, artisans or others of evell or
base condicion maye not weare armes. They are for men of
Nobilitie virtue & good fame, who shall sweare to defende
the common weale and to hazard death. In the profession of
armes there is great Religion thorough the precepts of virtue
& solemnitie of others, who so therfore is not sufficientlie armed
& furnished to fighte wth thennemie at time convenient, is
to be reproved & banished the armie. Therfore the lawe spe:
kinge of Phendi willeth that a soldier beinge from his auncestors
discended noble maye not fighte wth a gentleman that is not
his equall borne. But this is not in vse by the discipline of