The booke of honor and armes

Of the disequalitie of Gentlemen. CAP. 4.

BEfore wee enter into consideration of this mat∣ter, I thinke good to aduertise, that as there be di∣uers sorts of men that may not challenge others, so are there some that ought not be challenged of a∣nie. The first of them is Clarkes, or Ecclesiastical per∣sons, professing religion. The other sort is Doctors, with all Students, and such men as are onlie giuen to literature and knowledge. But to returne vnto dise∣qualitie of noble persons, I say that the true nobilitie of men, is Vertue, and that he is truelie noble that is vertuous, bee he borne of high or of lowe Parents. And the more highlie he be borne, the worse reputa∣tion

he meriteth, if he cannot continue the honor left him by his Ancestors. Chrisostome saith, what honor is it to bee well borne, being defiled with vile condi∣tions: or what hurteth base parentage to him, that is with gentle manners adorned? Who so vaunteth of his Ancestors, seemeth without any good thing of his own. Seneca saith, that who so will trulie iudge what worthines is in man, must consider of him na∣ked, laying aside his liuings and titles of honor, with all other fauours of fortune. He must also imagine him without bodie, and then weigh of what value or excellencie he is in minde, because nobilitie is pla∣ced in the minde, and in the minde it appeareth.

Now to speake of disequalitie, I say that albeit Emperours, Kings, Princes, great Lords, and meane also, are comprised within the name of Gentlemen and Soldiers, yet is there among them such inequali∣tie, as no Gentleman of what title soeuer, may bee cōpared vnto a King, nor any Soldier vnto an Empe∣rour, whereof we wil speake hereafter more at large.

Touching the disequalitie of priuate nobilitie, thus is it to bee discoursed. All Gentlemen are either without office, either els they haue office or dignitie, as the gouernment of Townes, Countries, Ambassa∣ges, or commandements in warre. Who euer of them hath any office or employment, either it is gi∣uen him for time or life. If he bee an officer for time, and is occasioned to answere in Armes, he may de∣fer the Cōbat till the expiration of his time in office.

If the office be for life, & the qualitie thereof such as maketh him Superiour to the aduersarie, he may fight by Champion.

If such an officer be not Superiour to the enemie, he ought aske leaue of his Prince, and not obteining it, shall without license go vnto the place of Combat, and with Armes answere the Enemie; for the obli∣gation of honor is to bee preferred before all other. Whosoeuer is borne noble (vnder which word is comprised all sorts of nobilitie and gentilitie) is equal to any other Gentleman of priuate condition. Note here, that in saying a Gentleman borne, we meane he must be descended from three degrees of gentry, both on the mothers and fathers side, such is the opinion of Paris.

A Gentleman descended of the most noble house, not hauing iurisdiction or commandement, may be challenged of any priuate or particular Gentleman. Also in respect that the profession of Armes is hono∣rable, a Soldier that hath long serued without re∣proach, ought be accompted a Gentleman.

Also a Scholler hauing continued the studie of good learning, & is aspired to the degrees of schooles, cannot be denied the title of gentrie.

A simple Soldier of honest fame, may fight with any other Soldier, Corporall, Sergeant, or other offi∣cer, the Capteine excepted, and he also may bee chal∣lenged to answere by Champion.

Euerie Capteine may challenge another Capteine, vnlesse their charges bee such as the one can com∣mand the other, and this rule must serue through all degrees of Soldiers, both on horseback and foot: yet is it to bee vnderstood, that men at Armes being the most honorable sort of Soldiers and in continuall pay, (being for the most part Gentlemen) may not be

refused to fight with any priuate Capteine of foot∣men.

It may be also that a Capteine of footmen should fight with a Capteine of horsemen, were it not that those charges are giuen to Noble men, & the charge of men at Armes to the most Noble: yet is conside∣ration to be had aswell of their birth as their charges. For the Capteine in meaner place, may bee so hono∣rablie borne, as he ought not be repulsed: which re∣spect is also to bee had among Capteines, both on horsebacke and foote, and likewise among all horse∣men, and Soldiers on foote in particular.