The daily Alaskan., 1915-08-17
wv WY @7'F7V7s7WNF The Kings
 Scapeg0at
 An Account of a Duel Fought
 In the Sixteenth Century.
By ?. A. MITCHEL

Is Q historical account of duel that occurred 400 years ago and fine l- lustratiOn of the difference between 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 fcultles 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,l
 "How comes 1t, Guichot, that you are able to make so brave O show with the revenues which you have, for I know that they are not excessiveP
 The question was asked of Guy Cha bot Sieur de Jarnac by the dauphin, who afterward became Henry IT., king of France.
 Jarnac, embarrassed at such Il ques- ton, was unfortunate iR the choice of words used in his reply. He said that his stepmother kept him, giving him everything he required. Henry delib- erately mlsconstrued the statement and reported to members of the court that Jarnac had boasted of a love af- fair with his stepmother.
 Mortified, indignant at such an ac- cusation, the young man publicly de- l clared that whoever had made the as- sertlon was "a malicious villain and had wickedly He'd" Then, hastening to his fathers chateau, he threw him self at his feet and protested that he was innocent of the charge. Having 1 convinced his father, he returned to court intent upon averaging the injury | done him.
 The dauphin found himself in very unpleasant position. When princes err there must be a scapcgoat. Francis Yivowne, SIeur de Chatagnerie, cour- tier in favor both with King Francis and the dauphln, a young warrior of great prowess, though friend of Jar mac, 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 part of the feudal tradition and law of France, requiring the consent of the king. Francis referred the matter to the privy council, which after long debate recommended that permission to fight be refused. But no sooner had the king died and the dauphin ascended 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-slx. 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 quar- rel. In short, he was just the man to vindicate his royal master in his con- temptlble 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- | versary of lie and had been challeng- ed; therefore he was permitted to fight in any way he pleased. Upon the nd- 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 witll his enemy, downing him and stabbing him while prostrate. The armor in this case would be to his disadvantage. Jarnac also stipulated for heavy i 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 of his adversary. As he was accus- toned to boast of the deeds he had 1 performed, be now boasted 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- tiOn of the day. The courtiers were largely on the side of the kings scape- goat, and Henry did not deny that his own sympathies were with Chata- gnerie. The provincial nobility, of whom the Jarnac family were mem bers, regarded Jarnao 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 Yendome of a rival family to the Guises asked the kings permission to