TheQueenappearstohavedisapprovedpersonallyofthismodeofsettlingadisputedclaim，butherjudgesandlegaladvisersmadenoattempttoalterthebarbarouslaw。Thepracticeofprivateduellingexcitedmoreindignation，fromitsbeingofevery-dayoccurrence。InthetimeofJamesItheEnglishweresoinfectedwiththeFrenchmadness，thatBacon，whenhewasAttorney-general，lenttheaidofhispowerfuleloquencetoeffectareformationoftheevil。InformationswereexhibitedintheStarChamberagainsttwopersons，namedPriestandWright，forbeingengaged，asprincipalandsecond，inaduel，onwhichoccasionhedeliveredachargethatwassohighlyapprovedofbytheLordsoftheCouncil，thattheyorderedittobeprintedandcirculatedoverthecountry，asathing“verymeetandworthytoberememberedandmadeknownuntotheworld。“Hebeganbyconsideringthenatureandgreatnessofthemischiefofduelling。“Ittroublethpeace——itdisfurnishethwar——itbringethcalamityuponprivatemen，periluponthestate，andcontemptuponthelaw。Touchingthecausesofit，“heobserved，“thatthefirstmotiveofit，nodoubt，isafalseanderroneousimaginationofhonourandcredit；butthen，theseedofthismischiefbeingsuch，itisnourishedbyvaindiscoursesandgreenandunripeconceits。Hereuntomaybeadded，thatmenhavealmostlostthetruenotionandunderstandingoffortitudeandvalour。
　　Forfortitudedistinguishethofthegroundsofquarrelwhethertheybejust；andnotonlyso，butwhethertheybeworthy，andsettethabetterpriceuponmen’slivesthantobestowthemidly。Nay，itisweaknessanddisesteemofaman’sselftoputaman’slifeuponsuchliedgerperformances。Aman’slifeisnottobetrifledwith:itistobeofferedupandsacrificedtohonourableservices，publicmerits，goodcauses，andnobleadventures。Itisinexpenseofbloodasitisinexpenseofmoney。Itisnoliberalitytomakeaprofusionofmoneyuponeveryvainoccasion，neitherisitfortitudetomakeeffusionofblood，exceptthecauseofitbeworth。“[See“LifeandCharacterofLordBacon，“byThomasMartin，Barrister-at-law。]
　　ThemostremarkableeventconnectedwithduellinginthisreignwasthatbetweenLordSanquir，aScotchnobleman，andoneTurner，afencing-master。Inatrialofskillbetweenthem，hislordship’seyewasaccidentallythrustoutbythepointofTurner’ssword。Turnerexpressedgreatregretatthecircumstance，andLordSanquirborehislosswithasmuchphilosophyashewasmasterof，andforgavehisantagonist。Threeyearsafterwards，LordSanquirwasatParis，wherehewasaconstantvisitoratthecourtofHenryIV。Oneday，inthecourseofconversation，theaffablemonarchinquiredhowhehadlosthiseye。Sanquir，whopridedhimselfonbeingthemostexpertswordsmanoftheage，blushedasherepliedthatitwasinflictedbytheswordofafencing-master。Henry，forgettinghisassumedcharacterofanantiduellist，carelessly，andasamerematterofcourse，inquiredwhetherthemanlived？Nothingmorewassaid，butthequerysankdeepintotheproudheartoftheScotchbaron，whoreturnedshortlyafterwardstoEngland，burningforrevenge。Hisfirstintentwastochallengethefencing-mastertosinglecombat，but，onfurtherconsideration，hedeemeditinconsistentwithhisdignitytomeethimasanequalinfairandopenfight。Hethereforehiredtwobravos，whosetuponthefencing-master，andmurderedhiminhisownhouseatWhitefriars。Theassassinsweretakenandexecuted，andarewardofonethousandpoundsofferedfortheapprehensionoftheiremployer。
　　LordSanquirconcealedhimselfforseveraldays，andthensurrenderedtotakehistrial，inthehopehappilyfalsethatJusticewouldbeliehername，andbelenienttoamurdererbecausehewasanobleman，who，onafalsepointofhonour，hadthoughtfittotakerevengeintohisownhands。Themostpowerfulintercessionswereemployedinhisfavour，butJames，tohiscredit，wasdeaftothemall。Bacon，inhischaracterofAttorney-general，prosecutedtheprisonertoconviction；andhediedthefelon’sdeath，onthe29thofJune，1612，onagibbeterectedinfrontofthegateofWestminsterHall。
　　Withregardtothepublicduel，ortrialbybattle，demandedunderthesanctionofthelaw，toterminateaquarrelwhichtheordinarycourseofjusticecouldwithdifficultydecide，Baconwasequallyopposedtoit，andthoughtthatinnocaseshoulditbegranted。Hesuggestedthatthereshouldbedeclaredaconstantandsettledresolutioninthestatetoabolishitaltogether；thatcareshouldbetakenthattheevilbenomorecockered，northehumourofitfed，butthatallpersonsfoundguiltyshouldberigorouslypunishedbytheStarChamber，andtheseofeminentqualitybanishedfromthecourt。
　　Inthesucceedingreign，whenDonaldMackay，thefirstLordReay，accusedDavidRamsayoftreason，inbeingconcernedwiththeMarquisofHamiltoninadesignuponthecrownofScotland，hewaschallengedbythelattertomakegoodhisassertionbysinglecombat。[See“HistoryoftheHouseandClanofMackay。“]Ithadbeenatfirsttheintentionofthegovernmenttotrythecasebythecommonlaw，butRamsaythoughthewouldstandabetterchanceofescapebyrecurringtotheoldandalmostexplodedcustom，butwhichwasstilltherightofeverymaninappealsoftreason。LordReayreadilyacceptedthechallenge，andbothwereconfinedintheToweruntiltheyfoundsecuritythattheywouldappearonacertainday，appointedbythecourt，todeterminethequestion。ThemanagementoftheaffairwasdelegatedtotheMarischalCourtofWestminster，andtheEarlofLindsaywascreatedLordConstableofEnglandforthepurpose。Shortlybeforethedayappointed，RamsayconfessedinsubstanceallthatLordReayhadlaidtohischarge，uponwhichCharlesIputastoptotheproceedings。
　　ButinEngland，aboutthisperiod，sternerdisputesaroseamongmenthanthosemereindividualmatterswhichgenerateduels。ThemenoftheCommonwealthencouragednopracticeofthekind，andthesubduedaristocracycarriedtheirhabitsandprejudiceselsewhere，andfoughttheirduelsatforeigncourts。Cromwell’sParliament，however，——althoughtheevilatthattimewasnotsocrying，——publishedanorder，in1654，forthepreventionofduels，andthepunishmentofallconcernedinthem。CharlesII，onhisrestoration，alsoissuedaproclamationuponthesubject。Inhisreignaninfamousduelwasfought——infamous，notonlyfromitsowncircumstances，butfromthelenitythatwasshowntotheprincipaloffenders。
　　TheworthlessDukeofBuckingham，havingdebauchedtheCountessofShrewsbury，waschallengedbyherhusbandtomortalcombat，inJanuary1668。CharlesIIendeavouredtopreventtheduel，notfromanyregardtopublicmorality，butfromfearforthelifeofhisfavourite。HegavecommandstotheDukeofAlbemarletoconfineBuckinghamtohishouse，ortakesomeothermeasurestopreventhimflorafighting。
　　Albemarleneglectedtheorder，thinkingthattheKinghimselfmightpreventthecombatbysomesurermeans。ThemeetingtookplaceatBarnElms，theinjuredShrewsburybeingattendedbySirJohnTalbot，hisrelative，andLordBernardHoward，sonoftheEarlofArundel。
　　Buckinghamwasaccompaniedbytwoofhisdependants，CaptainHolmesandSirJohnJenkins。Accordingtothebarbarouscustomoftheage，notonlytheprincipals，buttheseconds，engagedeachother。Jenkinswaspiercedtotheheart，andleftdeaduponthefield，andSirJohnTalbotseverelywoundedinbotharms。Buckinghamhimselfescapingwithslightwounds，ranhisunfortunateantagonistthroughthebody，andthenleftthefieldwiththewretchedwoman，thecauseofallthemischief，who，inthedressofapage，awaitedtheissueoftheconflictinaneighbouringwood，holdingherparamour’shorsetoavoidsuspicion。Greatinfluencewasexertedtosavetheguiltypartiesfrompunishment，andthemaster，asbaseasthefavourite，madelittledifficultyingrantingafreepardontoallconcerned。Inaroyalproclamationissuedshortlyafterwards，CharlesIIformallypardonedthemurderers，butdeclaredhisintentionnevertoextend，infuture，anymercytosuchoffenders。Itwouldbehardafterthistosaywhowasthemostinfamous，theKing，thefavourite，orthecourtezan。
　　InthereignofQueenAnne，repeatedcomplaintsweremadeoftheprevalenceofduelling。Addison，Swift，Steele，andotherwriters，employedtheirpowerfulpensinreprobationofit。Steeleespecially，inthe“Tatler“and“Guardian，“exposeditsimpietyandabsurdity，andendeavoured，bothbyargumentandbyridicule，tobringhiscountrymentoarightwayofthinking。[See“Spectator，“Nos。84。97，and99；and“Tatler，“Nos。25，26，29，31，38，and39；and“Guardian，“No。20。]
　　Hiscomedyof“TheConsciousLovers“containsanadmirableexposureoftheabuseofthewordhonour，whichledmenintoanerrorsolamentable。Swift，writinguponthesubject，remarkedthathecouldseenoharminroguesandfoolsshootingeachother。AddisonandSteeletookhigherground，andthelatter，inthe“Guardian，“summedupnearlyallthatcouldbesaiduponthesubjectinthefollowingimpressivewords:——“AChristianandagentlemanaremadeinconsistentappellationsofthesameperson。Youarenottoexpecteternallifeifyoudonotforgiveinjuries，andyourmortallifeisrendereduncomfortableifyouarenotreadytocommitamurderinresentmentofanaffront；forgoodsense，aswellasreligion，issoutterlybanishedtheworldthatmengloryintheirverypassions，andpursuetrifleswiththeutmostvengeance，solittledotheyknowthattoforgiveisthemostarduouspitchhumannaturecanarriveat。A
　　cowardhasoftenfought——acowardhasoftenconquered，butacowardneverforgave。“Steelealsopublishedapamphlet，inwhichhegaveadetailedaccountoftheedictofLouisXIV，andthemeasurestakenbythatmonarchtocurehissubjectsoftheirmurderousfolly。
　　Onthe8thofMay，1711，SirCholmelyDeering，M。P。forthecountyofKent，wasslaininaduelbyMr。RichardThornhill，alsoamemberoftheHouseofCommons。Threedaysafterwards，SirPeterKingbroughtthesubjectunderthenoticeoftheLegislature，andafterdwellingatconsiderablelengthonthealarmingincreaseofthepractice，obtainedleavetobringinabillforthepreventionandpunishmentofduelling。Itwasreadafirsttimethatday，andorderedforasecondreadingintheensuingweek。
　　AboutthesametimetheattentionoftheUpperHouseofParliamentwasalsodrawntothesubjectinthemostpainfulmanner。Twoofitsmostnotedmemberswouldhavefought，haditnotbeenthatQueenAnnereceivednoticeoftheirintention，andexactedapledgethattheywoulddesist；whileafewmonthsafterwards，twootherofitsmemberslosttheirlivesinoneofthemostremarkableduelsuponrecord。Thefirstaffair，whichhappilyterminatedwithoutameeting，wasbetweentheDukeofMarlboroughandtheEarlPawlet。Thelatter，andfatalencounter，wasbetweentheDukeofHamiltonandLordMohun。
　　ThefirstaroseoutofadebateintheLordsupontheconductoftheDukeofOrmond，inrefusingtohazardageneralengagementwiththeenemy，inwhichEarlPawletremarkedthatnobodycoulddoubtthecourageoftheDukeofOrmond。“Hewasnotlikeacertaingeneral，wholedtroopstotheslaughter，tocausegreatnumbersofofficerstobeknockedontheheadinabattle，oragainststonewalls，inordertofillhispocketsbydisposingoftheircommissions。“EveryonefeltthattheremarkwasaimedattheDukeofMarlborough，butheremainedsilent，thoughevidentlysufferinginmind。SoonaftertheHousebrokeup，theEarlPawletreceivedavisitfromLordMohun，whotoldhimthattheDukeofMarlboroughwasanxioustocometoanexplanationwithhimrelativetosomeexpressionshehadmadeuseofinthatday’sdebate，andthereforeprayedhimto“goandtakealittleairinthecountry。“EarlPawletdidnotaffecttomisunderstandthehint，butaskedhiminplaintermswhetherhebroughtachallengefromtheDuke。
　　LordMohunsaidhismessageneedednoexplanation，andthatheLordMohunwouldaccompanytheDukeofMarlborough。Hethentookhisleave，andEarlPawletreturnedhomeandtoldhisladythathewasgoingouttofightaduelwiththeDukeofMarlborough。Hislady，alarmedforherlord’ssafety，gavenoticeofhisintentiontotheEarlofDartmouth，whoimmediately，intheQueen’sname，senttotheDukeofMarlborough，andcommandedhimnottostirabroad。HealsocausedEarlPawlet’shousetobeguardedbytwosentinels；andhavingtakentheseprecautions，informedtheQueenofthewholeaffair。HerMajestysentatoncefortheDuke，expressedherabhorrenceofthecustomofduelling，andrequiredhiswordofhonourthathewouldproceednofurther。TheDukepledgedhiswordaccordingly，andtheaffairterminated。