The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-26
DUEL in OLDEN TIMES.
A Most Remarkable Combat in
the Forest of st. German.
LIE Coup de Jarnac That Was Given in the
Presence Of the King-The Tool Of
Royal Patron.

1t was the summer 1547, and great null
titude OF people had assembled in the forest
OF ST. German to witness spectacle that
was never again to be seen on French SOIL
All Paris was there-nobles, merchants,
soldiers, artisans, black-robed lawyers,
students, priests; they had poured in thou
sands out OF the narrow, crooked streets
into the fragrant greenwood. And among
them, says writer in Macmillan's Maya
zine, were many gaunt figures in doublets of
fashion a quarter of a century old,
mounted on lean and limping horses; pow
erty-stricken mobiles from distant provinces,
who had wandered out from their ruined
manors and empty oranges, moved by a
strange curiosity to look for once on the new
court and King.
For the King was there; it was in fact a
royal quarrel that was to be settled on the
green sward in presence of those eager spec
tators. And with him was Diane de Poi
tiers. the pale woman. twenty years older
than the young sovereign about whom she
had woven her mysterious spells. 1t was
for DANES qualification that the chivalry of
France had gathered under the great oaks to
assist at duel between two combatants so
unequally matched that the result was a
fOreg0De conclusion.
The courtiers of Francis I, headed by the
Duchesse d. Estampes, had considered a
woman Of 40, captivating a Prince of 20 a
tair mark for their wiz They had flung
their insults at Diane lightly for some years,
forgetting that kings do not live forever.
But the funeral ceremonies of Francis were
scarcely over before Diane took measures to
prove to these imprudent people that La
Vieille. as they called her. was not to be rid
lid ,.t.fl i
tampes was banlshed to Brittany, with a
twofold charge of heresy and treason hang
ing over her.
Among the warmest friends of the Duchess
was certain Nj. de Jarnac, who had long
been destined to receive the blow aimed
actually atfDiane's rival. Everything had
been in train for long time. a year or
more ago the docie Henry had put into
circulation an odious SANDER about De
Jarnac, which came OF course, in due time
to the victims ears, when he exclaimed
hotiy that it was an Infamous lie, whoever
had uttered it, Then it appeared that the
highest parsonage but one in the kingdom
was responsible for the story.
The Dauphin could not, of course, take
up his own quarrel; but he had no difficulty
in finding champion. Francois de Vivonne,
Selgneur dc la Chataigneraie, begged eagerly
to De allowed to act for the Prince. The
King was applied to for permission to settle
the matter according to ancient custom, by
wager of battle. Francis refused the re-
quired permission, and for some months the
subject was dropped Francis died in the
spring of 1j47. and Henry had been King
exactly three weeks when the Secretary of
State signed an Order OF Council summon
ing De Jarnac to meet Chataigneraie in
judicial combat in three months Time.
This characteristic institution OF the mid
die ages had already be, ONE half obsolete.
The laws which regulated it were con-
IL vts,h fnp
which cannot be accused Of being over-sen-
sitiye to human suffering. They provided
that the combat should terminate only by
the death or surrender of one of the COM
batants, who in either case remained at the
absolute disposal of the victor. Chataigne-
rale was man OF seven or eight and twenty.
OF middle height, square set, strongly built,
an athlete renowned for his surprising
feats OF arms. He was something of bully,
but no one cared to quarrel with him, for
his reputation both as a wrestler and swords
man was we'll established, and he stood high
IN the Kings good graceS. De Jarnac was
older than his opponent, a tall, slender, del
cate man, little wanting in nerve. certainly
with no passion for fighting. They had once
been comrades in arms, and no one knew
better than he Chataigneraie's immense SUI
periority. He made one melancholy attempt
to arrange matters with Nine. de Poitiers,
who Informed him eoldly that the wine was
drawn and must be drunk, ng that the
hlng was interested III the matter and
WOULD NEVER YIELD.
De Jarnac then began to attend to his soul
in preparation for death; but at the same
time he engaged an Italian swordsman to
give him lessons in fencing, hoping very
family that the professional would be able
to teach him some new bette which nigh,
disconcert his formidable antagonist.
While De Jarnac was visiting various
churches and commencing himself to various
saints Chataigneraie was 4Olng Dragging
about. says De Vieileville, in q manner in.
tolerable TO those who were not of his party
The day fixed was July 10TH The Isis
were erected on the large and lofty plateau
of st. German. Pavilions had been pitched
for the grand people; the poor mobiles from
the provinces lodged contentedly in the shade
of the forest trees. For the court it was q
delightful sort Of picnic, sylvan festivity
of which Diane was the cold, implacablt
queen.
1t was warm summer weather, and early
r ising seems to have been in vogue. At
clock in the morning, before the dew was
off the grass, all was ready, and the specta-
tors in their places, the restless, excitabe
Partisan IOpuiace pressing into every
available space. eager for good view Of
the tragedy. Among the lockers ON were
some whose names are conspicuous in the
disastrous history of the next thirty years
They sat TRANQUILITY together, enjoying the
bright sunshine and the fragrant air.
The heraldS summoned the challenger to
appear, and ChataigneIaie rode into the
lists, accompanied by Francis of Guise, his
sponsor, and 600 other gentlemen, all
brayely dressed in white and crimson. They
made the circuit of the Isis, saluted the
King and Queen, and then Chataigneraie
returned to his tent. The Duke OF Ven
dome, unwilling to remain quite in the
background while Guise occupied such a
position, and sorry perhaps for De Jarnac's
forlorn attitude offered TO act as his spon-
sor. The King peremp,Oriiy forbade his
cousin to confer so much honor on De Jar
nae, whereat Nendome, indignant at the
prohibition, arose and took his departure,
followed by the rest Of the Bourb0ns. De
Jarnac had to fall back on Nj. de BOisy, the
Grand Equerry.
Then followed long delay in the pro-
ceedings. The challenged had the right of
choosing the weapons to be used in the duel
and. according to curious and highly in
convenient custom, he was not obliged to
announce his choice till the day came The
challenger had, therefore, to provide him.
self with large miscellaneous collection Of
arms, in order not to run the risk of finding
himself without the appointed weapons at
the last moment The serious outlay thus
incurred was pronounced by contemporary
writer's TO be one OF the worst features in
these affairs. Brantome, indeed, tells story
of poor but very worthy nobleman who
WAS put 10 SUCH expense On q similar 0cca-
sion that when the combat was over he was
obliged to join the Order of ST. John of
Malta, that he might not starve in his old
age. Thus may man save his life and
his honor" is the writer's plainiive COM
ment, only to live in Indulgence and distress
ever after"
De Jarnac's professional friend had given
him some fencing lessons. What proved to
be Of more Importance was his discovery of
the fact that the redoubtable Chataisneraie
had, like other people, weak paint. All
old wound received at the siege OF CAMS, in
Piedmont, had left slight stiffness in his
right arm. The quick-witled Italian saw at
once that this was chance for his man. and
he did rot hesitate to take advantage of it.
He counseled him accordingly 10 fight on
foot and TO demand the heavy armor of the
past century, long since discarded in favor
OF less cumbrous defenseS.
Chataipneraie and his sponsor were sur
prsed when they heard De Jarnac's de-
cision. Slender and weakly as he was, they
had expected him to select the lightest ac-
GOVERNMENTS. They assented, however, to
the coat of mail, to the long two-edged
sword. Which was quite out of fashion in
France and Italy, but still used by the