Of twoe fighters, thone wondeth his ennemie, & 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 receavinge 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 natture & disposition of somme men (though valient inoughe) yt seinge the bloud of an other will sounde & die. So it chaunced 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 challendge 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
