AChristiangentlemanofSevillesentachallengetoaMoorishcavalier，offeringtoproveagainsthim，withwhateverweaponshemightchoose，thatthereligionofJesusChristwasholyanddivine，andthatofMahometimpiousanddamnable。TheSpanishprelatesdidnotchoosethatChristianityshouldbecompromisedwithintheirjurisdictionbytheresultofanysuchcombat，andtheycommandedtheknight，underpainofexcommunication，towithdrawthechallenge。
Thesameauthorrelates，thatunderOthoIaquestionaroseamongjurisconsults，viz。whethergrandchildren，whohadlosttheirfather，shouldshareequallywiththeirunclesinthepropertyoftheirgrandfather，atthedeathofthelatter。Thedifficultyofthisquestionwasfoundsoinsurmountable，thatnoneofthelawyersofthatdaycouldresolveit。Itwasatlastdecreed，thatitshouldbedecidedbysinglecombat。Twochampionswereaccordinglychosen；onefor，andtheotheragainst，theclaimsofthelittleones。Afteralongstruggle，thechampionoftheuncleswasunhorsedandslain；anditwas，therefore，decided，thattherightofthegrandchildrenwasestablished，andthattheyshouldenjoythesameportionoftheirgrandfather’spossessionsthattheirfatherwouldhavedonehadhebeenalive。
Uponpretexts，justasfrivolousasthese，duelscontinuedtobefoughtinmostofthecountriesofEuropeduringthewholeofthefourteenthandfifteenthcenturies。Amemorableinstanceoftheslightnessofthepretextonwhichamancouldbeforcedtofightadueltothedeath，occursintheMemoirsofthebraveConstable，DuGuesclin。Theadvantagehehadobtained，inaskirmishbeforeRennes，againstWilliamBrembre，anEnglishcaptain，sopreyedonthespiritsofWilliamTroussel，thechosenfriendandcompanionofthelatter，thatnothingwouldsatisfyhimbutamortalcombatwiththeConstable。
TheDukeofLancaster，towhomTrousselappliedforpermissiontofightthegreatFrenchman，forbadethebattle，asnotwarrantedbythecircumstances。TrousselneverthelessburnedwithafiercedesiretocrosshisweaponwithDuGuesclin，andsoughteveryoccasiontopickaquarrelwithhim。Havingsogoodawillforit，ofcoursehefoundaway。ArelativeofhishadbeentakenprisonerbytheConstable，inwhosehandsheremainedtillhewasabletopayhisransom。Trousselresolvedtomakeaquarreloutofthis，anddespatchedamessengertoDuGuesclin，demandingthereleaseofhisprisoner，andofferingabond，atadistantdate，forthepaymentoftheransom。DuGuesclin，whohadreceivedintimationofthehostilepurposesoftheEnglishman，sentbackword，thathewouldnotaccepthisbond，neitherwouldhereleasehisprisoner，untilthefullamountofhisransomwaspaid。Assoonasthisanswerwasreceived，TrousselsentachallengetotheConstable，demandingreparationfortheinjuryhehaddonehishonour，byrefusinghisbond，andofferingamortalcombat，tobefoughtthreestrokeswiththelance，threewiththesword，andthreewiththedagger。DuGuesclin，althoughillinbedwiththeague，acceptedthechallenge，andgavenoticetotheMarshald’Andreghem，theKing’sLieutenant-GeneralinLowerNormandy，thathemightfixthedayandtheplaceofcombat。TheMarshalmadeallnecessaryarrangements，uponconditionthathewhowasbeatenshouldpayahundredflorinsofgoldtofeastthenoblesandgentlemenwhowerewitnessesoftheencounter。
TheDukeofLancasterwasveryangrywithhiscaptain，andtoldhim，thatitwouldbeashametohisknighthoodandhisnation，ifheforcedonacombatwiththebraveDuGuesclin，atatimewhenhewasenfeebledbydiseaseandstretchedonthecouchofsuffering。Upontheserepresentations，Troussel，ashamedofhimself，sentnoticetoDuGuesclinthathewaswillingtopostponethedueluntilsuchtimeasheshouldbeperfectlyrecovered。DuGuesclinreplied，thathecouldnotthinkofpostponingthecombat，afterallthenobilityhadreceivednoticeofit；thathehadsufficientstrengthleft，notonlytomeet，buttoconquersuchanopponentashewas；andthat，ifhedidnotmakehisappearanceinthelistsatthetimeappointed，hewouldpublishhimeverywhereasamanunworthytobecalledaknight，ortowearanhonourableswordbyhisside。TrousselcarriedthishaughtymessagetotheDukeofLancaster，whoimmediatelygavepermissionforthebattle。