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aswell of the decretall & the lawe wch saith that crafte or
deceipte vsed against an ennemie yf he be ouercome, shalbe re:
puted virtue. we reade howe Hanibal in his affaires against
the Africane Rebells knowinge they loued to drink wine
caused certeine vessells of his owne provision to be poysoned
& in a night remoued his Campe as though he had fledd
leaving the saide vessells there, wch the Africans pursuenge
came thither & not mistrusting the deceipte, to quench their
great thirst dronke of the wine & forthwth died. wch
don Anibal retorned & wthout manie blowes obteined the victo:
rie. On this behalf maye be alleadged an other lawe wch saith
that to escape the hande of thennemie no crafte art or subtle:
tie ys vnlawfull, & who so cannot destroie his ennemie by
sworde may doe it wth venome. Frontino writeth of manie deceits
to be vsed against our ennemies. Nevertheles seinge this order
of proceedinge tendeth rather to assuraunce to offende then
defende, we ought to esteme victorie by poyson as vnlawfull
neither maye anie man in that sorte Challenge a victorious
Crowne. This victorie is moste dishonest & the Iudge
shall forbid in iuerie combatt to use anye venome or poyson
and yf anie man by such meanes doe overcome his ennemie, he
shall not be demed victorious. The lawe of Lombardie
hath worthelie proved, that no person shall vse or weare
anye pestilent hearbe or poyson in feilde or other place ap:
pointed for the triall of martiall prowesse, because the
same is a thinge impertinent to gent, and soldiers & fit for
Phisitions. This is the true Iudgement, that victorie
shalbe gained thorough virtue dexteritie & manhoode &
not thorough medicine. Yf this sentence semeth not good
alleadginge a better reason I will give place.