The duello or single combat from antiquitie deriued into this kingdome of England, with seuerall kindes, and ceremonious formes thereof from good authority described.

Of extraiudiciall Duells. That for contrac∣ting the aduenture of a greater warre into a lesse number it hath beene by the Ancients vsed, and by the iudicious without con∣trouersie allowed. Chap. 2.

TO diminish imminent daunger of a greater blood-shed, Antiquity oftimes made choise of the Duello, most commonly, as we describe it, twixt two combatants: (although some-times into a greater number, yet rarely hath this contraction beene made.) In the Troian warre Homer testi∣fies of Diomedes and Aeneas, Paris and Menelaus, Hector and Aiax, as assaying by single combat to decide the bloody controuersies of two the most famous people of the Gentiles. Hillus leader of the Athenian, and Echenus of the Arcadian forces by personall conflict striue in Herodotus to trans∣act their controuersie of priority in the army, as also to determine the right of the Herculean stocke in their fathers possessions. The Romans wageing war with the Albans referred all to the successe of the Curiatii and Horatii, who determi∣ned it by victory atchieued by the Horatii. Of like

nature (the hidden secret of Gods particuler prouidence exempted) was that of litle Dauid and great Goliah in holy writ reported; as also of the British Arthur and Flollo tribune of the Emperour Leo in Gaule, after Geffrey of Monmouth his relati∣on. Nor different was the offer of Lewes the first Christian King of the Frankes to Alaricus Prince of the Westgothes, nobilissimo pari fortunam (as Ae∣milius writes) vtrius{que} gentis decretum ir••. And in the latter memory of our auncestors, a gene∣rall sedition twixt▪ the French and Italian con∣ioyned armies was epitomized into a select num∣ber (as Guicciardine reports) of thirteen soldiers of each nation. George Castriot, alias Seanderbeg ouer∣came Feribassa in like fight. Of these and like ex∣amples in forrein stories is frequent mentiō; nor in the English are they wanting. Danish irrupti∣ons a••d the bad aspects of Mars, hauing drencht the common mother earth with her sonnes blood streames, vnder the raigne of Edmund a Saxon Monarch, misso in compendium (so worthy Camden expresseth it) bello vtriusque gentis fata Edmundo Anglorum & Canuto Danorum regibus commissa fuerunt, qui singulari certamine de summâ imperij in hâc insulâ, (that is the Eight in Glostershire) depugnarunt. Agreeing herevnto was that one and last condition of the three, which the Duke of Normandy before his conquest offered to King Harold, vt scilicet spectante exercitu gladio rem ventilarent. So was it offered betweene

Iohn of England; and Lewes of France, that by a single Champion on both parts, their contro∣uerted right to certaine Forts should be brought to decision. Neither did Richard of that name the second, hence degenerate, in challenging the French Charles the sixt, vpon that royall quarrell of best title to the Fleurs de lis. The iustice of Combats in this kinde (so the whole warres bee iust) is approued by iudicious writers, Frisius, Ayala, Gentilis, Bodin and others. Noninterest enim (saith Bodin) quo numero aduer••us hostes decernatur; learned Alciat making no doubt, but that Prin∣ces, of whose kingdome-controuersies no earthly Magistrate hath iurisdiction, may vpon force of their priuate credit with Bellona, discusse what-so∣euer their publique wrongs. Cum enim (saith he) bellum non nisi maximâ calamitate humani generis inuehatur, quid iustius excogitari potest, quam vt, tantâ noxâ de medio sublatâ, hi potissimum soli armis decernant ad quos ea res pertinet, victorem{que} res se∣quatur? where hee vouches the appointed lists at Bourdeaux, twixt Charles of Aniou, and Peter of Ar∣ragon, for triall of right to the Crowne of Sicily, which was allowed by Pope Martin and the whole colledge of Cardinals, where-vnto hee addes a se∣cond, of two brethren of Hungary. Haec est necessi∣tas quae bellum iustificat (saith a great Ciuilian) cum ad bellum extremo loco confugitur. Antiquity hath allowed it, Reason confirmed it, therefore so I leaue it.

Notes

• Iliad. y. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. & 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• In Calliope.
• Dionys. Hali∣car li. 3. antiq. Rom. Liu. lib. 1.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ Reg. cap. 17.
• Galfred. Mo∣numeth. lib▪ 7▪ cap. 3.
• P. A••milius lib. 1. in Clodoueo.
• Guicciard. lib. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. hist. Ital.
• Hist. Scander∣beg lib. 5.
• Henric. Hun∣tingd. lib. 6. hist. edit. Germ. fol. 36••. Cam∣d••n. in Dobunis
• Guil. Malmes▪ lib 3. de gestis reg. Ang••iae. ••ol▪ 56.
• Annal. Hibern. ••uperrime edit. sol 797
• Rot. Parlam. 7. Rich 2.
• Fris. de rep lib. 1. c▪ 26. Ayala lib. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. cap. 3. Bodin de reb. cap. 4. lib 7. Al••er. Gentil. de iure belli. lib. 1 c 3.
• Alciat▪ de sing. certam. lib. cap. 3.
• Indictum istud de Siciliae regno duellum & ple∣niùs refert, & in eo notatu dignissima Pa∣ris de Puteo lib. 3. cap. 2.
• B••ld. 5 consil. 49••.