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One Qwestion in armes is lately deman:
ded, whether a commune soldier may Challenge A
Capiteine or other officer of the armie to wager of battell or
not? Frontino telleth of one that saide to Scipio Affricano yt
he was nothinge valiaunt, to whome he answered, my mother
brought me forth an Emperor but not to fighte. It is writ:
ten also yt Mario beinge in Germanie was challenged by an
Almaine, to whome he saide, yf thow be desirous to die, goe
hange thy selfe by the necke. Plutarcho in the life of Antonio
Augusto, reciteth one yt offred to fight wth him, wherto he
answered thow hast as thowsand waies to kill thy selfe, &
so Antonio refuzed to fight wth him in person, beinge not pro:
voked for cause of honnor. ffor (as is before said) a gentle:
man by birth or armes maye in case of his honnor and fame
challenge any lorde, and the lorde shalbe compelled to answer
in person or by champion equall to the challinger. But in
such cases, for that thease soldiers be subiectes, and the lordes
Superiors, it is no reason they sholde meete in fighte. likewise
whensoever any man challengeth a Coronell or capteine of
an other Campe, it shalbe lawfull for him to appointe an equall
champion for the satisfaction of his honnor. Cheifteines & Cap:
teines be officers in Regiment & gouernment of the publique
armie & ought not to fight in single Combatt vnles they be
licenced by their Prince or liuetennaunt generall except
them selues be Challengers, for then they cannot revoke it
& otherwise not, by reason of the common perill as is before
declared. In like manner a Capteine or Centurion of foote
men may not provoke one that is a Cheifteine or generall
or that is a Coronell of horsemen to fight wth him on
foote, neither maye a horseman challenge a footeman to fight
on horsbacke, because combat is to be perfourmed according to
the qualitie or condicion of him that is challinged. Soldiers
in seruice, somme be more honnorable & somme lesse, as the
seruice on horsbacke is more honnorable then that on foote.
Therfore whensoever a footeman Challengeth a man on
horsback he maye saye, thowe art on foote, therfore I will
not contende wth thee, as one yt serueth in an inferior pfession