Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-04-30

, rity. These combats, however, We're pecu-
liarly ferocious. The parties fought with
their fists, as do our prize fighters; but they
frequently introduced balls of iron and
stone, with which they often struck fatal
blows. They introduced the Cestus which
was a heavy glove or gauntlet of thick
leather. studded with nails which were
equally destructive. Klian speaks of a
Cretan Pancratist who dropped down dead
while they were taking him to the judges
10 receive the garland. Another prize
fighter, having received blow in the
mouth which knocked in all his teeth, swal-
lowed them, together with the blood that
followed, to conceal from his antagonist an
injury which might have induced him to
continue the contest. There are many in
stances in ancient times of ferocious bravery,
which at the present day would he discard
ed with Indignation. \ brave champion
who had been twice crowned at the Olym-
pic games, fought and conquered all who
entered the lists against him, except the last
one-a man of powerful frame, who rushed
upon him. seized him by the throat, trip
ping up his heels at the same time, and
actually strangled him on the spot but ere
he expired by violent effort he broke off
the toe of his adversary, which gave him
such pain that he died instantly, and the
judges ordered his dead BODY To he crowned
with the palm of victory Ii was the fash
ion for the Roman ladies to attend these
exhibitions, and now and then they would
step into the lists and have a set-to them
selves. Tacitus and Juvenal both speak of
il; and although the Roman ladies on these
occasions were not as thinly clad as our
model artistes, yet they were dressed like
the wearing a shield calculated
To protect the breast and shoulders, and
growing more narrow at the bottom, in
order to he used with greater convenience.
1t was during the reign of Nero and Domi-
tian that those WORTHLESS introduced female
gladiators and Nero exhibited in one show
four hundred senators and six hundred
equestrians. These may not have been
called duels, but savage practices: and if
ladies were insulted in those times, they
procured no champions TO fight their battles.
but redressed their WRONGS themselves.
Nevertheless, trihing wrongs-abusive Ian
guage, giving the lie, or striking a blow
were not in those times, as they are at this
day, considered just grounds of mortal
combat by duel. Judicial trials by combat
were common in the barbarOus ages, par
ticularly among the Burgundians. We all
remember the melo-drama of 1.-The Dog of
MOntargis," but all are not acquainted with
lis origin. The fight between Macaire and the
dog belonging TO Aubry took place in 1871,
at the Isle of Notre Dame. Charles the
Fifth was present when the dog convicted
e
ing him in the fight, and for this crime
Macaire was hanged. 4 curious trial by
battle took place in 626. Queen Cundbage, /
consort of the king of Lombardy, a celebra- /.
ted woman both for beauty and unimpeach I
able virtue, had some inSolcnt proposals .
made to her by AN impertinent court-hy by .
the name Of Adaluif; but instead of hand ,
ing him over to the laws for punishment, .
she mercifully baniShed him In a fit of .
revenge he accused her TO the king of hav-
ing a lover. and that she intended to poison .
him in order to marry that lover. The .
king, blinded with rage, immured the queen
in a castle As she vas related To ClOtaire,
king Of the Francs. he demanded that she .
should be tried by judicial contest. Ada
lulf was commanded 10 meet a cousin Of
'ht fut'H, 'sshtu iAia'li- "ip HI tlt ''ii-
test got Adalulf down and cut his throat,
which established the innocence Of the
queen. The clergy were also liable to trial
by battle; and Louis :he Fat, in his charter
Of the Abbey of st. Maur, admitted that the
priests possessed this right. The bishop of
Angus ordered certain monks to maintain
their rights to tithes by cudgeling each
other; but William the Conqueror would
not permit clerks Of abbeys to fight without
the permission of their diocesan. Priests
in those times were good fencing masters,
and, as chaplains to the army, had a fair
portion of the fight.