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Yf A gentleman dooth beare an Emprease
& the same is towched by thre sondrie per:
sons, wch of them oughte firste come to
combatt.

Ca. 29.

It channced that a Certeine gent came vnto a Cittie wher:
in were manie other gent & nobilitie belonginge to the Prince
of that Contrie. This gent ware openlye an Emprease, wch
declared that who so ever wolde towche the same sholde be bound
to fighte wth him in Combatt. It happened that duringe this
gent aboade in that Courte the Emprease was in one daye
towched by thre sondrie gent, of wch nomber one was an
Earle, then beinge offred to be fought wth of everie of them
it behoued him for his honnor to see them all answered. The
question is wch of them he is bound to fight first withe. The
Earle alleged that he was the worthiest person, & therfore
he ought come to combatt before anye other. An other saide
that he towched the Emprease firste, & therfore must firste
be fought wth. The thirde obiected that the Challinger pro:
mysed him longe before that so sone as a place, Iudge, & other
preparation for combat were made he wolde fight wth him
before all others. The Challinger him selfe saide it was
in his owne choise to fight firste wth wch of them he pleased, &
therfore wolde fight wt the firste wch done & he escaped
wth life he wolde answere both the other in order. Vppon
thease requests & allegations the Iudge was asked wth wch
of them he ought to begin, the like question hath bene alredy
demaunded yf a man be prisonner to thre, & is by them all
at one instannt demaunded to appeare in diuers places, great
doubt by our doctors hath bene made wch of tem he ought to
obeye firste, so in this case manie good reasons may be alleged
whie he sholde appeare to everie of them, & to choose is not
in the powre of him that weareth the Emprease, for so do:
inge maye preiudice the others, because the first fighter may
slea him, wherby the other shalbe robbed of their honnor be:
inge prevented. But my opinion is he ought to answere ye