Page:MS V.b.104 104r.png

Of two gentlemen entred into the feilde to
fighte for liefe wth swordes, thone dis:
mounteth & taketh holde of his ennemies
foote on horsbacke who notwithstandinge
alighteth also & ouerthrowes him.

Ca. 11.

It hapened that two gent cominge to Combatt for life &
death and beinge agreed to fighte on horsback wth swordes
onlye & yf anie of them were slaine or vanquished that then
he sholde be accompted a traitor & prisoner to the vanquisher. It
came to passe yt in fighte both their swordes brake, & the one ha:
vinge the reanes of his horse cutt in peices so as he coulde not go:
verne him dismounted, on foote, taking hand vppon his aduersaries
foote who still remained on horsbacke offringe to caste him downe
but he preventinge his intente did willinglie flie from his horse &
bare downe thennemie that on foote pretended this crafte. And he
beinge thoroughe his violence in leapinge downe laied vppon the
grounde bestrode him & kept the aduauntage. In this case the
Iudge shewinge his aucthoritie did departe them & ended the com:
batt. wheruppon he that holde his ennemie downe demaunded him
for a traitor & his prisoner, wherto he answered that promises
were to be perfourmed, and because it was agreed that victorie
sholde be tried wth swordes wch were alredie broken, & that his
mishap in falling pceeded not by virtue of thennemie, but his
owne mishap & violence in offringe to cast him downe, it were
no reason that iudgement sholde so proceede, & the more for yt
there was no yeldinge. On the Contrarie was replied
albeit it was agreed that only swordes sholde trie ye victorie
yet sith the combatt was so begon, and by virtue therof I have
cawsed thee to abandon thy horsback & so become my prisonner
I may by iuste reason require thee of the Iudge, as one whome
I have conquered thorough wisedome manhoode & pollecie, &
it is dexteritie & not the sworde wch avayleth in fighte, wch
I havinge vsed doe demaund thee as my prisonner Thease
allegacions considered, the Question is whether of them hath