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VI.
Royal Com17:entaries.
broughc from that Combat, for he was
fo
difabled in both his Arms , rhat he
conld fcarce make u[e of his hands to feed himfelf. Thisduel was becween rwo
farnous Souldiers, one was called
Pero Nunnez:.,,
who was che perfon wich whom I
was acquainted, called by
Palentino, Diego Nunnez:.,;
and che other was
Baltafar Pe–
re,:,,
borh of rhem Gentlernen of good extraétion, and of equal bravery and aífu–
rance. Their difpure aroíe upan fome poims of honourable fatisfaltion given
and received between two Duelliíls who had fought fome fe\1/ days befare, to
whom they had been Seconds.
Baltafar Pern
made choice of a cerrain Gentle–
man for his Second, called
Egas de Guw1an,
a Nacive of
Sroj/le,
who was one ofche
greateíl: Bullies and Heél:ors of that time ; che other Second was
Hernan Mexia,
born alfo at
Seville,
who hearing of rhe·duel which was
to
fucceed,between thé
aforefaid Principals , prevailed wirn
Pero Nunnez:.,
with rnuch imporruntcy to cake
him for his Second, chat
fo
he mighc fight wirh
Egas de G11,:,man;
who preíu–
ming on his own íl:rengrh and skill at his weapon, had defamed and fpoken ílight–
]y of chis
Hernan de Mexia.
When
Egas de Guz:.,man
underíl:ood that
Hernan de
Mexi,r,
was che perfon with whom he was to engage, he fem a meífage to
Per~
Nunnez:.,,
letting him know, that lince che Principals were Gentlemen of good Fa–
rnilies and Noble extraétion , he íhould not debafe himfelf and them fo far as
to
bring a man for his Second who was of a mean and poor birch, and che Son of a
Molara
or
Morifca
woman, who[e Trade it was to fell broyled Pilchers in the
Market-place of Sr.
Salvador
in
Sevifle
;
and that he might chufe what orher Se–
cond he pleafed , chough not a Gentleman , provided he were not .of rhar vile
and bafe extraétion, as was chis
Hernan.
Pero Nunnez:.,
coníidering chac
Egas de
Cuu-11an
had reafon, endeavoured to acqqic himfelf of che word and promife he
had given to
Hernan M~xia
to make him his Second , bue was noc able
to
prevail
opon him, nor would he upon any cerms releafe him, when amongíl: ocher ihings he
heard chat
Egas de Guz:.,man
íhould fay, thac he knew himfelf
to
have thac advanrage
over him in che ufe of his 'Weapon, that it was a difparagement to him to con–
cend
with fuch an Adv~rfary. When
EgM de Guz.,man
underílood thac
Me:ria
would not releafe
Pero Nunne'G
of bis word , he fenc to warn him to come well
:. provided in~o che field, for thac he íhould find him armed wich a Coat of Male,
añd a Head-piece, although the Principals were có fighc naked from che waíl:e
upwards.
·
In
chis manner both PrinGipals and Seconds went out to fight in a Field ar a
good diíl:ance from
Potocft :
and at the
fir{l
encounter
Pero Nunnez:.,,
who was che
ftrongeíl: man known in chofe days, íl:roak his Adverfary's Sword afide, and pre–
fently clofing wich him, threw him on the ground, and being upan him , caíl:
handfuls of auíl: into his eyes , cuffed him wich his fiíl: on che face ; bue did not
ufe bis dagger to íl:abb him cherewith.
In
another pare of che field, ·at fome di–
íl:ance from che Principals, che Seconds were engaged ;
Hernan Mexia
wa) afraid
to dofe wich
Egas de Gul:.man,
becaufe he knew him-to be of greacer íl:rength of
body, and more corpulenc chan he, bue encercained him wich che nimbleneís and
agility of his Sword, in which he had che advantage, leaping and skipping from
one fide to l'he other, withouc coming fo near as to wound him.
Egas de Gu,:,man
obferving che
ill
condition his Principal was in, and rhac he could not cacch horn of
his Enemy, he took his own SV1;ord by che hile, and darted it wich che point for–
wards at che face of
Mexia
;
who looking on the Sword
to
avoid ir,
G
utman
in chat
~om_ent leaped in, and clofed wich him, and wich ch~ dagger in his band, wounded
h1m mche fore-head cwo fingers deep , and there 1c broke in his skull.
Mexia
francick wich his wound , ran about che field like a Mad-man, and carne to che
place where che cwo Principals were firuggling; and not minding where he firuck
or dealc bis blows , he gave his own Principal a ílaíh wich bis .Sword and ran
wildly away, noc knowing whicher.
Egas de Guz:.,man
going hafüly ro ch~ relief of
his Compani-on , heard
Pero Nunnez:.,
fay, thac che wound he had received was
-from his own Second, and rherewich he redoubled bis blows on che face of his
A_dverfary, and caíl: more duíl: into his eyes. Then
Gu,:,mdn,
coming to chem;
fatd, A curfe be upon fucb a Gentleman as
Pero Nunnez:.,:
Did noc
l
deftre you
and wam you, nor
to
briog fuch aRafcal into che field, for your. Second as chis:
and cherewith lene him a cuc with bis Sword, which he fended off wich his Arm'
as he did feveral och~rs, cill he was fo hacked and hewed , chat he lay all raw :
and full of
µ
ounds m che field : bue
Egas de Guz:.,man
helped up bis Companion
from the ground, and having gachered up all the four Swords, he clapt chem under
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