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Of twoe fighters, thone wondeth his enne:
mie, & seenge his bloode soundeth, the man
wounded during his soude dooth binde
him & after him selfe dieth.

Ca. 12.

It happened that two gentlemen beinge at defiaunce
agreed to fighte in combatt, and that he that vanquished
his ennemie sholde possesse the horse & armor of him that
is vanquished, and likewise yf anie of them were discomforted
or overthrowne, that then he sholde be accompted as a traitor
After wch agrement entringe into the lists, the one recea:
vinge a mortall blowe on the throte, & bleedinge aboundantly
the sight therof caused the striker to sounde, and as it were
to fall deade to the grounde. ffor oftentimes we see the nat:
ture & disposition of somme men (though valient inoughe) yt
seinge the bloud of an other will sounde & die. So it chaun:
ced in this case, that he that receiued the wounde seinge his
ennemie fall downe forthwth repaired vnto him, & holdinge
him downe did also binde him hande & foote wthin the lists
& traveilinge to caste him owte wherby he might iustlie chal:
lendge victorie, the aboundaunce of bloode gusshinge owt of
his wounde was such, as forced wth extreme greife therof
he presentlie died, not havinge yet drawne his ennemie owte
of the lists whome he had before bounde. Shortly after, he
that remained in this sorte distressed, by bindinge reviued, &
recouered his sences, & not beinge hable to vse his hands &
feete praied the aide of others. hereuppon arose a doubte
whether of them was victored. On the behalf of him yt
was alreadie deade manie reasons were alleadged, ffirst yt
he had taken his ennemie & as prisonner kept him bounde during
a certeine time & so possessed his person, also he never removed
him by violence but laye still as deade till such time as he was
offred to have bene caste owt of the lists, so that yf death had
not preuented his ennemie he coulde not have recovered.
The lawe of the Romaines dooth affirme, that whosoeuer
happeneth into the handes of his ennemie shalbe accompted a