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is Mr Angelo Perugino who putteth example of two
ffrenche gentlemen, and the one having slaine the other
in Combatt by licence, resolued that he that gained the
victorie coulde not be by his Prince condemned for murder

If A man beinge challenged maye
be forbidden to fighte by his Prince

Ca. 9.

Lorde how harde this question is
to be decyded, where the defender is a gent
the subiecte of one Prince, and the challingr
the vassll of an other, and that for lawfull
cause the defender ought to answere him in battle of life & death
of wch promise the Prince havinge knowledge, causeth
his saide subiecte beinge Challenged, and vppon his alleage:
aunce commaundeth him that he shall in no wise accepte the
Defiaunce, ffor beinge his vassall he mente to imploye
him & his personne in seruice. ffor the trewe decision of
this doubte, who knoweth whether this excuse can excuse
the defender? and yet may be alleadged that the person of
everie subiecte is cheiflie bounde to his owne Prince before
all other, and the Civill lawe saithe that the Prince is
lorde of the Subiects person, by wch reason it mighte be
saide in not acceptinge the Defiaunce he is to be excuzed
and this lett of his lorde to be sufficiente. On the contra:
rie parte it maye be saide that a gent is more bounde to his
owne honnor then his Prince, and that no lett can be al:
leadged againste the honnor of the gent. The lawe wil:
leth that the subiecte oughte to prefer his Princes lyffe
and honnor before his owne, and the subiecte is bounde to obeye
and serue his Prince in all things possible. But this
semeth a thinge vnhonnest & impossible to doe againste
his owne reputacion, wch preserued, he ought wth care to