Star.
London, England, 1828-08-29 00:00:00

DUELS.

In the twelfth century, duels in France had become so
frequent as to require particular enactments kr their
crevention ; as, for example, when the debt about which
the dispute occurred did not amount to fivepence.—
The regulation of the mode in which this barbarous
custom might be maintained had engaged the atten-
tion of several of the French Kings. In the year 1205,
Philip Augustus had rest icted the length of the club,
with which single combat was then pursued, to tint e
feet; and in 1260, Stint L ,uis abolished the practice
of deciding civil matters by duelling. With the revival
of literature and of the arts, national manners became
am linrated, and duels necessarily declined. It was
still, however, not unusual for the French to promote
or to behold those single combats over which the pages
of romance have thrown a delusive charm, and whicli
were, in early times, hallowed, in the opinion of the
vulgar, by their accompanying superstitious cere-
monies. When any quarrel had been referred to this
mode of decision, the parties met on the appointed day,
and frequently in an open space, overshadowed by the
walls of a convent, which thus lent its sanction to the
bloody scene. From day-break the people were gene-
rally employed in erecting scaffolds and stages, and in
placing themselves upon the towers and ramparts of the
adjacent buildings. About noon the cavalcadewas usually
seen to arri se at thedoor of the lists. Then the herald cried,
" Let the appellant appear ;" and his summons was an-
swered by the entrance of the challengerermed cap a-pie,
the escutcheon supended from his neck, his visor lower
ed, and an image of some national saint in his hand.
Ile was allowed to pass within the lists, and conducted
to his tent. The accused person likewise appeared, and
was led in the same manner to his tent. Then the
herald, in his robe embroidered with fleur-de-lis, ad-
vanced to the centre of the lists, and exclaimed, "Oyez,
oyez ! lords, knights, squires, people of all condition,
our Sovereign Lord, by the Grace of God, King of
France, forbids you, on pain cf death or confiscation of
goods, either to cry our, to speak, to cough, to spit, orl
to make signs." During a profound silence, in which
nothing but the murmurs of the unconscious stream-
let, or the chirping of birds might be heard, the
combatants quitted their tents, to take individually the,
two first oaths. When the th►rd oath was to be admi..,
nistered, it was customary for them to meet, and fore,
the Marshal to take the right hand of each, and to,
place it on the cross. Then the funct;ons of the Priest
began, and the usual address, endeavouring to con-
ciliate the angry passions of the champions, and to re-
mind them of their common dependence on the Su-
PREME BEING, may have tended to benefit the
bystanders, although it generally jailed of its effect with
the combatants. If the parties persisted, the last oath was
administered. The comb items were obliged to swear
solemnly that they had neither about them nor their,
horses, stone, nor herb, nor charm, nor invocation ; and
that they would fight only with their bodily strength,
their weapons, and their horses. The crucifix and bre-
viary were then presented them to kiss, the parties re-
tired into their tents, the heralds uttering their last ad-li
to exertion and courage, and the challengers
rushed forth from their tents, which were immediately
dragged from within the lists. Then the Marshal of
the field having cried out, "Let them pass, let them
pass," the seconds retired. The combatants instantly
mounted their horses, and the contest commenccd.—
Foreign Review.

A most respectable deputation from the American
Chamber of Commerce waited on the Honourable
James Barbour, Ambassador from the United States
of America, on Saturday last, at the Adelphi Hotel,
to congratulate him on his arrival in this country, and
to solicit the honour of his company to dinner whilst
in Liverpool. We understand Mr. Barbour expressed
himself gratified by the compliment which had been
paid to him, and regretted that his early departure for
London prevented him from accepting their polite invi-
tation. He also assured the merchants of Liverpool of
the earnest desire of his Government to promote that
amity and intercourse which were so essential to the
welfare of both countiies.—livelpool Advertiser.
Yesterday morning between five aad six o'clock, as
the ship Minion was unloading at the Customhouir
quay, Lower Thames street, the men on board were
engaged in shifting an immense wooden stage or plat-
form, weighing upwards of two tons, used in landing
the ships' cargoes. While it was suspended in the air.
a seaman on board, named Dyke, unfortunately got
under it. At that instant the chain which supported it
snapped in two, and the ponderous machine fell upon
the head of the poor man and dashed his brains out, at
the same time smashing the sky-light, and otherwise
damaging the vessel. Full five minutes elapse.' before
the body could he extricated from under the platform.

The fine Brazilian frigate Isabel, in Falmouth har-
bour, is manned by a crew composed of natives of A-
mon every maritime state in the old and new world.
She has on board about 60 English seamen, must of
whom, it is said, were impressed from on beard Brazi-
lian merchant ships, at Rio. Since her arrival at Fal-
mouth she has been constantly visited by pat ties, desirous
of viewing her, and they have been received with great
politeness by the Officers, who have shown them through
the vessel. Vk'hilst several of these parties were on
board about one o'clock on Tuesday, and their boats
being alongside, an alarm was given that five of
the English sailors had got through one of the
ports and had seized on a boat which bad con-
veyed a patty of the visitants, in which they were
seen pulling with their utmost force for the shore.—
Immediately all was bustle, but before one of the
ship's boats could be launched and manned, the ad-
venturous tars were nearly half a mile from the
vessel. A smart chase immediately commenced. In
the Brazilian boat were 16 seamen and a party of ma.
tines, and they so far gained on the fugitives as to be
within 200 yards of them, when jumping into the wa.
ter, which reached about the middle, they ran from the
beach up the hill at the foot of which Falmouth is
built, and made off across the country. This being
observed on board the frigate, the Officer in command
thought it best to hail the pursuers and direct them to
return, as a chase through the country might be at-
tended with serious consequences to the foreigners:—
We'tibderstacd that this is the second party of English
sailors that have escaped since the Isabel has been in
the harbour, and that in consequence, the admission of
, visitors to the ship was prohibited.— Plymouth Jour.