Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-07-16
TheKings
Scapeg0at
An Account of q Duel Fought
In the Sixteenth Century.
By T. A. Mitchell

the method Of settling affairs of hon
or among men In the olden time and
the beginning of the nineteenth cen
tury, when mortal combat to settle diff
f~iculties between individuals may be
said to have received its quietus In the
new world in the death of Alexander
Hamilton at the hands of Aaron Burr.
"How comes 1t, Guichot, that you
are able to make SO brave a show with
the revenues which you have, for I
know that they are not excessive?'
The question was asked of Guy Cha
bot Sieur de Jarnac by the dauphin,
who afterward became Henry II, king
of France.
Jarnac, embarrassed at such O ques-
ton. was unfortunate in the choice of
words used in his reply. He said that
his stepmother kept him, giving him
everything he required. Henry DELHI
erately misconstrued the statement
and reported to members of the court
that Jarnac had boosted of a love af-
fair with his stepmother.
Mortified, indignant at such an ac-
cusation, the young man publicly de-
clared that whoever had made the as
sertion was "a malicious villain and
had wickedly lied" Then, Fastening
to his fathers chateau, he threw him.
self at his feet and protested that he
was innocent of the charge. Having
convinced his father, he returned to
court intent upon avenging the injury
done him.
The dauphin found himself in a very
unpleasant position. When princes err
there must be a scapegoat. Francis
Vivowne, Sieur de Chatagnerie, a cour-
tier in favor both with King Francis
and the dauphin, a young warrior Of
great prowess, though a friend of Jar
nae, seeing that he would confer a
great favor on the future king by do
ing so, took up the quarrel In his be-
half, declaring that 1t was to him and
him alone that Jarnac had made his
boast.
Duels at this time were a part of the
feudal tradition and aw of France,
reqniring THE consent of the king.
Francis referred the matter to the
privy council. which after a long debate
recommended that permission to fight
be refused. But no sooner had the
king died and the dauphin assembled
the throne than ~Chatagnerie addressed
a letter to the new king, repeating his
accusation, whereupon Jarnac made
a request that the duel be permitted to
take place. The king consented, and
arrangements for the contest were
forthwith made.
Chatagnerie was twenty-six years
old, while his adversary was thirty-six.
The former was also of great strength
and very ready with his sword. He
was continually boasting of his feats
of arms and ever ready to pick a quar-
rel. In short, he was just the man to
vindicate his royal master in his con-
temptible charge.
At that time the same rule of the
code, that the challenged party should
have the choice of arms, existed as 1t
has since. Jarnac had accused his ad-
yersary of a lie and had been chalIeng-
ed; therefore he was permitted to fight
in any way he pleased. Upon the adj
vice Of his fencing master he demand
ed the heavy armor and long double
edged swords in vogue a century be-
fore. The reason for this was that his
opponent had been wounded in battle
In the right arm and had never re-
gained perfect use of 1t, and the
heavy iron gauntlet and sword would
naturally hamper the movements of
this arm. Chatagnerie's great strength
gave him an advantage In closing with
his enemy, downing him and stabbing
MIN while PROSTATE. The armor In this
case would be to his disadvantage.
Jarnac also stipulated for heavy
shields, which would be an advantage
to the weaker party, who would nat
urally be on the defensive.
Chatagnerie seemed to have no fear
whatever of making an easy conquest
or his adversary. AS he was accus-
toned to boast of the deeds he had
performed, he now boosted of the deed
he was about to perform. He ordered
a banquet to be served In his tent on
the field, to which he invited the court
to celebrate his victory.
Naturally the affair was the sensa-
ton of the day. The courtiers were
largely on the side of the kings scape-
goat, and Henry did not deny that his
sympathies, were with Chata-
gnerie. The provincial nobility, of
whom the Jarnac family were mem
bers, regarded Jarnac as the defender
OF their honor and looked upon him as
their champion. One of the powerful
Guise family was to act as second for
the royal scapegoat, and the Duke de
Vendome of a rival family to the
Guises asked the kings permission to
act for Jarnac. He was refused and, dis
gusted at the kings favoritism, with
drew, followed by the other princes
OF the blood. The constable of France
then filed the position.
The king having announced his in