The mirror of fortune, or, The true characters of fate and destiny wherein is treated of the growth and fall of empires, the destruction of famous cities, the misfortunes of kings and other great men and the ill fate of virtuous and handsome ladies : whereunto is added Moral, politick, and natural reflection upon several subjects / written in French by Monsieur Chevreau : and newly translated into English by D. Decoisnon.

CHAP. X. Of the Misfortune of Duellists.

THere are few Combats like that of Radi∣slas, against S. Venceslas King of Bohemia; and like that of Ruy Paez of Viedna, against Rodrigus of Avilla, who fought three days to∣gether without any advantage: Nature is not alwayes capable to produce such great men, or rather the Heavens do not alwayes work their Miracles. Of all the Customs of People, there was never one so unjust in my opinion, nor so cruel; I marvel it hath past for a Law in times past, and even in our Fathers times. Crantz, in his second Book of his History of Saxony, saith, That the first use of Duels is come from the Danes, in whose Countrey all the differen∣ces, both Civil and Criminal, were decided by; which Custom was afterwards introduc'd into Saxony, and passed from the Saxons to the Lombards, and thence into Gaules. The King of Burgundy called Gondebaut, maintained strongly that Custom, grew so obstinate in

countenancing of it, (according to Agobert, Bishop of Lyons, in his Treatise of Duels) that the Ecclesiastick threatnings were not ca∣pable to divert him from it. There was not so much as Churchmen that refrained the use of it, saith an Author. And this Custom was generally received in our latter Ages, if we believe Matthew Paris, in his Book of King Henry the third's life. Godfrey a Bishop took it so ill, that Peter Bishop of Xantus, had per∣mitted Duels to Churchmen, that he blam'd him in publick Libels: And we find that the Emperor Frederick, was Excommunicated at the Council of Lyons, by Innocent IV. because he constrained some Churchmen to use those deplorable extremities. Abbots and Fryers pra∣ctised these horrible Cruelties, when their Ti∣tles about any thing that was due to them were not strong enough and authentick; and when they had to do with Persons of Quality, who refus'd to fight with them, for their lives, they had select men for that purpose, that they called Abbots, or Clergy-Knights, who fought in their vindication. The Empe∣ror Orbon, ordered Church-differences to be decided by Duels, And Turcket remarkt in his History of Spain, that at the Council of Basile, the Bishops being assembled, lookt upon a com∣bat between John of Merle, born in Castile, of Portuguese Parents, and Henry Ramestan, a Bur∣gundian,

who was kill'd; that John of Merle was the same that had fought with the like suc∣cess against the Lord of Cheruy, in the Town of Arras, in Duke Philip's presence.

Roderick of Toledo, in his Relation of Spain, speaks of a Combat which was no less strange. He saith that Alphonsus King of France, would have the French Liturgy used in Spain, by the counsel of Constance his Wife, and of Richard Abbot of St. Victor at Marseilles, which Pope Gregory VII. sent there to reform the Chur∣ches. The Clergy of Toledo, with the people, opposed it openly; and the King and Clergy agreed that this difference should be decided by a Combat. The Knight of the Kings side was worsted by that whom the Clergy had chosen; but Alphonsus's authority was such, that he obtained what he desir'd for all that; and then it was objected, that the power of Kings made the force of all the Laws fruitless, since they did what they pleased. If we do but look back upon former Ages, we shall read of Duels of very old date; and we shall read but few Authors which do not confirm the use of them by some Examples.

Before Avarice had sought for Mines in the Earth, and had found the art to sharpen Steel for the ruine of Nature, men made use of those Arms that they brought into the world, and fought at Fifty-cuffs, and tyed great knots

in Ropes, and knockt one another on the head with them. This kind of Arms was call'd the Ceste of the Ancients; and thus was Jocus kill'd by Cleomedus, and Amicus, the King of the Bebricians by Polux, because he would give him no passage, till he had tryed himself with this Ceste against some Argonauts. Entellus and Dares fight this way in Virgil, and the last of them causeth pity, to hear how he comes off. Some of the ancient Romans used to cast Ropes or Nets upon their Enemies heads, arms, or legs, and about their necks, to choke them withall, or to entangle them; and thus Pitta∣chus a wise man of Greece, catcht Phinon, and overcame him with a Net, with which he catcht his Head, and so the wise man said that he had cast his Net to catch a Fish; for Phinon had upon his Coat of Arms a Fish, which he wore upon his Cap.

We see David in the Holy Scriptures meet Goliah, and Hobach, Neptune, two of the greatest Philistines; and Jonathan, Semmas's son, meet a great Gyant; and Theoclus, and Pollinis, kill'd one another; and the antipathy of these two Brothers lasted even after death: for when they went to burn them according to the An∣cients custom, the flame (as I have remarkt in a Moral Philosopher) divided it self to con∣sume them apart, as if it had been unpossible

for them to agree either dead or alive, and their ashes to have been kept in the same Viol.

Oxillius and Dedius's difference about the Scepter of the Elians, was decided by two men chosen for that purpose. Arius was killed by Pergamus; and Hillus the Dorian, by Echemus King of Arcadia. Mellantus, King of the Mes∣sinians, vanquisht in a Duel Tantus of Thebes, who had challeng'd Thuiratus, King of Athens; and though he used more policy in his Victory over him, than courage, the Athenians crown∣ed him for all that, and rejected Thimates, who was base enough to refuse the Combat, and beg his life of his Enemy. Alexander kill'd in a single Combat Spitrobatus, Emperor of Jonia, and Darius's Son-in-law, at Gramicus; and un∣der Artaxerxes Reign, Darius overcame a cer∣tain Caducian, with so much glory and good Fortune, that this Victory was the Empire of Persia in his way. Sitibarzanus, chief of the Rebels of the Arrians, was killed by Erygius, because he had so much presumption to chal∣lenge the valiantest man of Macedonia. Saxo Germanicus speaks of a Duel in the fifth Book of his History, and saith that Hithinus and Ho∣gius fought a Duel, and that the first gave Ho∣gius his life; but they kill'd one another seven years after that. A Scythian and two Persians were kill'd by Scanderberg, in King Amurath's

presence; and Pyrrhus, King of the Epirotes, was challeng'd by a Knight of Mammestin, who was the valiantest man of all the Sicilian Ar∣my, and cut him in the middle, according to Plutarch. William Count of Angoulesme, did the same execution with his Sword upon a Norman Knight, armed all over with a good Cuirass, and therefore he was sirnamed Cut∣iron. Acron was worsted by Romulus, and stript of his Arms at the head of both their Armies. The Curiaces were beaten by the Horaces; Viri∣domarus, and Briomarus, by Marcellus; the Ge∣neral of the Fidenates's Cavalry, by Cornelius Cassus; a Gaule, by Valerius Corvinus, helpt by a Crow, who, by a strange Prodigy, fought with Amenus, and pecked him in the face; another Gaule was vanquisht by Manlius Torquatus; and Quintus Cotus destroyed two Spaniards one after another.

Aradion was kill'd in a Duel by Probus an Emperor. Alarick, King of the Goths, by Chil∣derbert, King of France. And Clotarius II. kill'd Bersierus. King of the Saxons, or the Senes. There came a thing to pass in Charlemains and Aygolants time King of the Sarazens, that's re∣markable enough. This King and Emperor agreed that some Knights of both their Armies should decide their differences, and that the victorious side should impose Laws upon the vanquisht, in all manner of wayes concerning

their interest, without excepting Religion it self, and all that which is held most sacred a∣mongst men. Christians were the Conquerors, so that Aygolant and the Sarazens embraced im∣mediately the Christian Religion. But one day this King seeing twelve Beggars dine by Charle∣mains Table, and inquiring what men those were that looked ill, and were so ill cloathed? The Almoner, after a long and ridiculous me∣ditation, answer'd him that they were Gods messengers; he returned over the Pirenean hills, took to his first worship, and would not be any longer of a Religion, whose God he concluded was very mean, since his messengers were so poor.

Stephen Barcellas, in his History of the Earls of Barcelonia, speaks of a Combat in a close Camp, with the ancient Ceremonies, betwixt Zinophrus of Arria, a Christian Knight, son to Don Bernardo Barcin, Count of Barcelonia, and a black Knight, whose name was Balzaro, who was kill'd by Zinophrus, after he had challeng'd all the Christian Knights, being of opinion, That all Christendom was not able to find a man who could resist him. Paul, the Deacon, hath not passed by in his History the challenge of King Cunebert, to decide in a single Combat the difference he had with Alachis, who had ex∣pelled him out of his Dominions, and filled them with his Cruelties and Murthers. William

Duke of Normandy, call'd the Conqueror, who began a new Race of the Kings of England, did no less against Herauld; and in Emperor Otho's time, a Duel decided the question, which Right could not do before; to wit, if the great Grandchildren should succeed with their Un∣cles, after their Fathers and Grandfathers were deceased; Fortune favoured the Childrens side: And Titus Livius, and Valerius Maximus, speak of such another succession, which was decided this way, even before Scipio's time, be∣twixt two brothers, Corumbis and Osna. Gau∣stier, Governor of Caesarea in the Holy Land, after he had accused Hugh, Prince of Taffus, of High Treason, offered to prove his Accu∣sation by a Combat: And William, Archbishop of Tyr, of whom we learn this particularity, acquaints besides in the same Chapter of his History, that Godfroy of Bouillon, fought with a Kinsman of his, for the sale of an Estate they were not agreed upon, and against others, at several times, and shewed in all his Combats proofs of an extraordinary valor. Albert Crantz relates in his History, that Julia was joined to the Crown of Denmark, by a Duel, in which Roe King of that Countrey triumpht over Hunding, Prince of the Saxons: He saith in the same place, that Uffen, son to Hermond, King of Denmark, had the same success against the Duke of Saxony's son, and a Knight, whom

he fought both together, and that he drew by this happy Combat the admiration of all the World.

Andrew du Chesne, a French Author, informs us in his History of England, that Gumhilde, King Canut the second's sister, was married to Henry, Conrad the Salick's son, Emperor, and that she was accused of Adultery. But she resolved to vindicate her self by a single Com∣bat, to prove her own innocence, in a close Camp; but when she saw that her Accuser was of the bigness of a Gyant, and that his stature made every one to tremble that were of her side, she engaged in her quarrel a little Boy that she had carried with her out of England. This youth, who could reach but little higher than his Enemies legs, ham-string'd him very ingeniously, and proved manifestly by that for∣tunate blow, that strength is useless often, where policy and cunning is used, and that it was not alwayes Thunders and Tempests that cast down Mountains, and great Trees; the Empress overjoy'd that her Virtue should be discovered, by a way that in all likelihood should have caused her to cease from being guilty, in making her cease to live, left the Em∣peror at that very time, and never admitted him since to her Bed, whatsoever entreaties or threatnings they could use; she took a Nun∣nery for her Palace, and would not accept of

any other: shewing thereby, that she was of the same mind of that Roman Lady, that af∣firmed that it was not enough for Caezar's wife to be chaste, but that she must not so much as cause a suspition. There was a Duel between Geoffroy Baynard Accuser, and William Earl of Eu accused of High-Treason, in the year 1096. when young William King of England, held a very considerable Assembly at Salisbury; Bay∣nard had the better of it, and he pull'd out his Enemies eys, and cut off those parts which Modesty doth not permit me to name, after his victory over him, and his Gentleman was han∣ged, after he had been whipt very cruelly. Soon after that the Pope was retired from the Council of Constance, there hapned a Duel be∣twixt Frederick, Duke of Austria, and the Earl Harman of Cylin, more for the glory of Arms, than for any private hatred, the Duke of Austria got the better of it, in the presence of all the Prelates, in the year 1418, March 22. and Count Cylin received there a very dange∣rous wound.

When Lewis XII. King of France, made War in Italy against the Pope, there hapned two remarkable Duels, the one was between Don Perralto a Spaniard, who was of the Popes Army, against Don Aldoramus, of the same Countrey, that was of the Frenches side; and both of them were wounded dangerously, and

had both lost their lives upon the place, if they had not been fetcht out of their Camp, which was closed in by Snow. The second Duel was between two Albanians, one of which was of the Kings Army, and the other of the Popes; they were very well armed, after their Coun∣trey fashion, with a Stradiot at their Arm∣wrist, and their Hats in their hands: And to give you an account of their actions, saith the Marshal Marck in his History, the Albanian of the Popes side ran upon the other, and hurt his shoulder; the Albanian of the Kings side, when he saw himself in that condition, took his Stradiot like a Lance, and darted it at him, which hit him in the throat, and followed it close, so that at last with a great many blows, he made an end of him; and it was pity, said he, for they were counted both pretty Fellows amongst the Albanians. Never was a stranger blow seen, than that which de Villars relates concerning Montshall of Vivarets, who with his Lance run through the Knight Carraf's Saddle his Gantlet, and his Cuirass. In Francis the first's time King of France, the Knight Bayard, af∣ter he had fought against the Lord Hiacintus Simonetta, in Milan, fought on foot in Naples, and kill'd Don Alonzo de Santo Majores, of the Family of Cordova.

Long before that time there was a Duel be∣tween Geoffery Grisgonel, against Bartholus, the

Duke of Saxony's brother, under the Reign of Robert, that the Inquisitive may find in Belle Forest, in the third Book of his History. Audigier in his Treatise of Duels, saith that Gathranus, King of Burgundy, found the blood of a Bufeloe as he went a hunting, that had been killed in the Forest of Vogus. The King was very an∣gry, commanded that the chief Forester should be catcht, and that he should be put to the wrack, to force by torments a confession from his mouth, that no man could do neither by promises nor threatnings. At last he accus'd Chadon the Kings Chamberlain, who was put in Prison at Thalons: he was condemned to suffer the wrack, but he underwent it without confessing any thing, and requireth a Combat; the King granted him what he desired, but he being sick, he proposeth his Nephew, who is accepted by the Forester, and who wounded him with his Lance, he presently flew upon him to cut his Throat with a Dagger that he had at his girdle, but he ran it in his own body, in strugling and tormenting of himself with the other.

Chadon being fled after this Adventure, he King commanded to follow and catch him; he was taken as he was going to save himself in St. Marcels Church; he was tyed to a Post by the Kings order, and stoned to death by the people, and thus three men dyed for Buffloe.

Alphonsus in his Book de vero honore militari, saith a Gentleman of Germany, Master of the Emperor Henry the Fifths Wardrobe, fell in love with the Empress Matilla, alias Metilla, his Masters Wife, and the King of Englands daughter, he took his opportunity to discover his passion to her: but she rejected and threat∣ned him, and advised him to put off that love that would cost him his life. But his kindness turned into fury, he accused Metilla of Adul∣tery, offers to prove his Accusation by a Com∣bat; and that which is no less strange and sur∣prizing, there was never a Knight that prof∣fered himself to maintain the Empresses ho∣nour, although it was known all over Germa∣ny, Italy and England, Remond Berranger, Count of Barcelona, being toucht with the Empresses Misfortune, went some time after incognito to the Emperors Court, put on a Fryers habit to go see Metilla, who was close Prisoner in a Tower, examin'd her, neither discovering him∣self by his name, nor by his intention and de∣sign: but that very day he fought the German, and forced him to declare the Empress inno∣cent, and to confess his own crime. After that glorious action, he returned his way home, without making himself known; and for all that the Emperor and Emperess sought him everywhere, to recompence his virtue, he con∣tented himself with a private satisfaction, that

he had done what he ought to do, and desired no other acknowledgments and applauses. Some other Historians are of a contrary opi∣nion, and maintain that the Emperor gave him the County of Provence, which ever since hath been inherited by his Descendants.

Some Ages before Archambot Vicecount Tu∣renne fought many Duels, he fought one a∣mongst the rest, for the vindication of Mary of Arragon, Emperor Otho the third's Wife, who was accused of Adultery. He was extraordi∣nary happy in his Combats; and the Empres∣ses virtue was very much obliged to that of this Knight, who protected her against all them that would make her pass for a Criminal. It was she her self for all this, that accused the Duke of Modena, to have exprest some love to her, and that caused him to dye, having inven∣ted that Crime against him, That Dukes La∣dy being troubled in mind for that imposture, and for the accident that followed it, deman∣ded justice of the Emperor some time after, in that general Assembly of all Italy upon the River Pau, near Plaisance; she profered to prove her deceased Husbands innocency by Fire, as the ancient custom was: and the truth was no sooner found, but Mary of Arragon was burnt in the Nine hundred and eighty sixth year, and that this worthy Widow was recom∣pensed with four Castles, and esteemed of all

those that thought to pity her. Criticks would, may be, suspend their belief, if the truth of it was not confirmed by Viterbus in his universal Chronicle; by Sigoignus in his History of the Kingdom of Italy; and by Strada in the life of the Emperor Otho the third.

Gondeberg, a French Princess, Erioldus's Royal Consort, King of Lombardy, had in her Retinue, a Gentleman of that Countrey, whom she esteemed much, and who grew so insolent of her favor, that he was impertinent enough to entertain the Queen of Love. Gondeberg sur∣prized at his discourse, did spit in his face, and threatned that bold Fellow; who, to prevent her, told the King that the Queen designed to attempt upon his life; and that he should take heed of her private intelligences, for she had a mind to poyson him, that she might be joined to Taso, Governor of Tuscany. The King cau∣sed Gondeberg to be laid fast in a Castle, at the first report that was made to him by Adulphus. King Clotanius, the last of that name, sent Am∣bassadors to Ernoldus, to tell him that he ought not to imprison that Queen who was his Kins∣woman, because she was descended from the Kings of Austrasia, of the Family of France, and that she could not be punisht for a Crime of which she was not convinced. Lancelotus, one of the Ambassadors, obtained of the King that one on the behalf of that fair and virtuous

Queen, should challenge the Accuser to fight a Duel, and at that time Arribert the Queens Cousin threw down his Glove for a pledge; Adalulphus took it up, but he was vanquisht by Arribert, and afterwards hanged; and the Queen, after three years imprisonment, was delivered from her fears and troubles. Under the Reign of Lewis the Stutterer, King of France, a Countess of Gastinois, Jndgelger's Wife, and Godmother to Jndgelger Duke of Anjou, was accused to have had a hand in her Husbands death, murthered in his Bed, and found dead by her. Goutran, nearest of kin to the deceased, was the Accuser; and though the Countess offered to justifie her self by her Oath, the King found this accident so strange, that he ordered her to find out a man for her defence. When all hopes were lost for the Countess, and that there was no man that pre∣sented himself to fight for her, at last Jndgelger, Earl of Anjou, her Godson, who was but 16 years of age, proffer'd himself to engage a∣gainst Gontran, one of the most valiant and esteem'd of his age, attacks him in the Kings, and all the Courts presence, casteth him down at his feet, cuts off his head, delivered the Coun∣tess out of Prison, and saved at the same time both her honour and life.

I will not speak here of all the Duels that have been fought for the Honour of Ladies;

do but read Herodotus, that, amongst others, re∣lates that Calisthenes, the Tyrant of Siciona, publisht at the Olympic Sports, that he would give his daughter Againsta in marriage to him that should be Victor. This publick Declaration made 13 Princes to come and try their Valor for her, and as Calisthenes had promised, she was given to the valiantest. Idas and Lynceus, fought against Castor and Polux, for Lemippus's two daughters; Hercules fought Achelaus, for Dejamra; and Theseas against Minotaurus, for Ariadna. There was a Combat between Mene∣laus and Paris, for fair Helena; Agamemnon and Achilles fought a Duel for Briseis; and Virgil doth not omit that of Aeneas and Turnus, for Lavinia.

A great Volume would scarce be sufficient, if I should speak in particular of the Duels that have been fought by persons of all degrees and qualities, and of all Ages, whose Lives Death receives every day still by the hands of Fortune: But we have insisted too long upon this bruitish Valor, and enraged Virtue; we must pass from Arms, to Learning; and from the Camp, to Academies.