EP!ST. IL \309 A you with confidence,d1at allduels ot liogle combats are murderous: blanch them ---- over (how you li!l) wuh nomes ofhonour, and honell pretences; thm ufe IS finfull, and thtit nature devilliQ,, Let us cwo, ifyou pleafe, (before hand) enter into chefe liftsof words. Lee_ reafon · (which i.; a more harmeleffe fight) conlhttwah reafon: Take whom you will wuh you into this field1ofall the Philofophers, Civilians,Cononill:s;for Divines (I hope) youOJall find none; and let the right ofthis rruth be tried upon a jull:induGlion. I onely prerpife this caution,{left we quarrel! about the caufeofth1s quarrel!) that necellity mull: be excluded from thefe unlawful! fights; which evn alters their quality, and removes their evil!: The defence ofour life, the injunCl:ion ofa Magill:race1 are ever excepted: voluntary combatsaJeonly quell:ioned;or whofe neceffitywe doe B not find but make. There are not many caufes that can drav; us forth tingle into the field, with colour 0! equity. Let the firll: be the trial! of fame hidden right; wherher of innocence upon a falfe accufation, or oftitle to inheritance, notdecerminab!epy coorfe of Lawes; Aproceeding not tolerable among Chrill:ians, becaufe it wants both warraot and certainty. Where ever did God bid thee hazzard.chy life for thy name~ Where did he promife to fecond thee~ When thou ort without thy commandemenr, without his promif<, thou art without thy proredion. He cakes charge of thee, but when thou art in thy way<s; yea in his. ll this be Gods woy, wh<redid he chalke it out~ Jfthou wanthisWord,looke not foe his aid. Miferable isrhat man, which in dangerous actions is left rohis owne keeping; yea how pbinly dorh the event /hewGods difiike ~ How oft bath innocence lien bleeding in rhefe combats, C and guiltinelfe infulted in theconquell:!Thofe very decretals(whom we oft cite nor, often trull: nor) reporttheinequalicy ofrhisilfue. Two men are broughtto the barre, one accufes the other oftheft, wirhour further evidence, either to cleare or convince: The fword is called for, both witnelfe,andJudge: They meet and combat: The in· noceoc parry is fiaine : The ftollen goods are found afret in other hands, and confelfed. 0 rhe injull:iceofhumane fentences! 0 wretched ell:are of the party mifcarried ! his good name is loft with his life, which he would have redeemed with his valOur: he both dies and finnes, while hell:rives to feeme cleare ofa fione. Ther<fore men fay he is guilty, becaufe he is dead, while the others wickednelfe is rewarded "irh glory. I am deceived, ifin this cafethere were not three murderers; the Judge, the adverfary, himfelfe. Let no man challenge God for neglect of innocence,but ra. D cher magnili'e him for revenge ofprefumption. What he enjoynes, that he undertakes, he maintaines: '1Vho art thou, 0 vaine man, rhar darell: exped him a party in rhineowne brawls~ But there is no other way of rriall. Better n0ne then this. Innoceocy or land is quell:ioned; and nowwe fend two men into rhe lifts, to try whether is the betterFencer: what is the ll:r<ngth orskill ofthe Champions, corhe jull:ice of the caufe ~ Wherefore ferve our owne oathes! whet<' to wirnelfe, records, lotteries, •nd other purgations~ Or why put we not men as jvell to the old Saxon,or Livonian, Ordolion rrialsofhotirons, or fcalding liquors~ t is farre better fame truths fiJOuld be unknown,thenunlawfully learched. Anorhercaufefeemioglywarrantable may be the determining of warre, prevention ofcommon bloodfi1ed: Two armies are ready to joyne battell, rbe field is fure to be bloody on both fides; either part chufes a E champion; rheyr_.o fight for all: the life ofone !ball ranfome arhoufand.OurPhilofophers, our Lawyers /hour for applaufe ofthis Monot)lachy, as a way nr;ere,e:Jfie, fafe: I dar~ n_oc. Eith~rthe warre is jull:, .'ir upjujl; : ifuqj)lll, the ha~~ard of qqcis roo much; 1f )Oft, too ht!le.The caufe ofa JO!J; ~varr~ muft be,befidesrme,impoJt;l!Jt; thet tlecommon,whete!O ft1ll 3 whple (late IS,Jntel'!;(feditltct~fore m3y nor,without raflmclfe and cenrationofGod,be call: up·on rwo'hands.'flie holy ll:ory never records any, but a barborus Pbiliftine, to make this of(~, an~ rhat in the prefpmption ofbis unmatchableneffe. Profanemonumincs rtporoli!any,'and fame on rh is gronnd wife ly r<JeCl:ed. TnUus ch31leoged Albanw ,that the righrofthe twoHoll:smight be deci. dedby ~he two Captaines; he returned a grave r<ply, (~hich I never read noredllf cowardiZe) Thatchis honourll:ood not in rhem two, bur in the two Cities of ..AIJ• \andR~me.
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