Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-28
ANclENr ANp MODERN puGLs.
The Dueno Among knights of Old
Fire Eating uUeiiists of the Last Cen

Froa an TIE Year ROuRd.
In what we moderns are pleased to re
gard as the barbarous ages, duelling wal
particularly rough, though not yerl
ready way. OF invoking poetical justice oil
wrongdoers and designers OF evil. BY
the judicial combat, or "wager Of battle,
as is well known, an accused person was
permitted TO challenge his accuser to SIM
glecombat, and did victory declare FOR him,
his innocence was held TO have been incon-
testably established. The test, however,
can hardly be considered a. conclusive,
since the physically weaker party have
been unfairly handicapped.
Moreover, those oldeu-time duellists
took exceeding pains TO protect their per-
sons. They were tearullv and wonder
fully appareled, begrt with lmpenetra-
BILE steel, 50 that the armOrer shared with
the proverbia! Providence responsibility
for the issue.
The precautions against facile blood let
ting and the pomp and circumstance at
tending the medieval duel are strikingly
set forth in contemporary records of the
preparations for historic combat
which. however. did not come Otf-between
the Duke Of Hereford and the Duke OF
Norfolk, in SeptemCe Der, 1898. The former
was said to have basely betrayed pri-
waite conversation, in which he alleged that
the latter had dropped several expressions
of reasonable nature. The accusation
was denied, and according to the usage OF
the times the Duke Of Norfolk demanded
the privilege of acquitting himself by sin
gle combat. Each of the Dukes, accord
ing to the laws OF chivalry, flung down his
glove, which were both taken before the
King ana sealed, in order to prevent any
future denial Of the challenge.
The King appointed Coventry as the
place OF combat, and caused a splendid
theatre to be erected on GOsford Green,
wherein the fight was to come off. Frois-
sart maintains that neither of the rival
Dukes would trust native artifcers to
supply mis- armOr. One imported four
armorers from LOmbardy, and the other
certain equally cunning craftsmen from
Germany. When the beligerents were
armed for the enc0Lnterit is said they
looked very imposing, but, seeing that they
wore heavy and brightly-pohshed steel
arnOr, that was, moreover, elegantly in
laid" with gold and silver, however strik-
ing they were in appearance, they must
have felt in person particularly uncOmfor-
table.
AS being ready, the first to appear wa &
"Henrie OfLancaster, Duke of HerefOrd,;
who said ia loud voice;
Il am come hitheir TO do mine ,,,,o,,o,
against iuuulNs MuNO Fdles ~ 10 IF Nor
folk, as a traitor, untrue to 10, tho Ifira
his realme and me-" As1d tbe,1, t .sincont S'
nentle be sware u"or r. h niia avane-oi
its that his quas - 80 80 81
ull2s S s.s5 point he required to enter the
nsts. Then he put up his sword, which
before he held naked IN his hand, and pull
ing down his visor made crosse on his
horse, and with speare In hand entered the
lists, and then descended from his horse,
set him down in chair OF green velvet
and there repOsed himself, abiding the
coming of his adversarie." Soon after
there entered King Richard, with great
triumph, accompanied by all the peers OF
the reame." and, moreover, attended by
1000 men in armOr, ''least some trai or
tumult might arise amongst his mobiles,
by quarreling or partaking." When the
King had taken his seat, a herald cried:
s'Behold here, Henrie, of Lancaster,
Duke OF Hereford, appellant, which is en-
tered into the lists roiall to do his devoir
against Thomas MOwbraie, Duke Of Nor
folk, defendant, upon pain to be found false
and recant.
Then came the Duke of Norfolk on
horseback, "his horse being barded with
crimson velvet, embroidered richly with
lions Of silver and mulberie trees, and
when he made his oath before the cOnsta-
BILE and marshal that his quarrel was just
on his chair, that was OF crimson velvet.
The herald then gave the word 20 begin.
The cOmbatants mounted and all was
ready for the dread encounter when-yery
provOkingly for the reader-the King COM
manded them 10 resume their seats, where
they remained for two long hours, while
his Majesty was in consultation with his
advisers. The upshot of the whole por
tent0us affair was that the combat did
not take place, and the King decreed the
hanishment Of both the intending COM
batants.
The same pOmp of preparation and ar
tangement are noted in the accounts Of
other famous single encounters of this Pc
riod. One of the most remarkable was
the duel fought century aud halflater,
in the park Of st. German en- Laye, be-
tween Francis de NivOnne, Lord of Chat
eigneraye, and Guy de ChambO, Lord of
Jarnac, in the presence OF King Henry IL.
and his court. the former, being dan
gerously wounded in the thigh, was dis
abled, and his life, according to the rules
of the combat, became forfeited to the vic
tor, who generously waived his right, and
desired the King to accept at his hands the
life OF the foe he had vanquished, TO which
request his Majesty was gracefully pleased
TO assent. Chateigneraye, however, TOOK
his defeat so much 10 heart that he died
three days afterward. He was confident
OI NlcbOrY; so much so, that ne had pre-
pared a magnificent entertainment for his
friends on the day of the combat. As the
event proved, however, he set too much
store on his own dexterity, and strangely
underyalued the skill Of his adversary.
30 strikingly was this made manifest,
hat the coup de Jarnac thenceforward
became a household wOrd-used to denote
an unexpected manUuYre reserved byI an
enemy. The King greatly regretted the
loss Of Chateigneraye, to whom he was
much attached, and he prohibited future
encounters of that kind under severe
penalties.
In the latter part Of the last and begin
ming OF the present century 1t was
that duelling most generally pre-
vailed in most continental countries, as
we'll as In Great Britain and Ireland. In
France, at the close OF the last century.
according TO an eminent authority,
'there was scarcely man worth looking
on VINO had not killed his man." and in
Great Britain about the same time a gen
tleman's education was held TO be hardly
perfect until he had "smelt powder.
Legislators, lawyers, Judges even, and
IHembers Of other learned professions
gentry and estated persons Of every de-
gree, were so jealous Of their honor. and
Of the preservation Of the stone" OF high
society, that they engaged in deadly con