Part 2 (1/2)

The parties to the combat were John Anneslie, a knight, and Thomas Katrington, a squire. Anneslie, the knight, was the complainant and the challenger. Katrington, the squire, was the defendant. The circ.u.mstances of the case were as follows.

[Sidenote: Nature of the quarrel.]

[Sidenote: Castle lost.]

Katrington, the squire, was governor of a castle in Normandy. The castle belonged to a certain English knight who afterward died, and his estate descended to Anneslie, the complainant in this quarrel. If the squire had successfully defended the castle from the French who attacked it, then it would have descended with the other property to Anneslie. But he did not. When the French came and laid siege to the castle, Katrington surrendered it, and so it was lost. He maintained that he had not a sufficient force to defend it, and that he had no alternative but to surrender. Anneslie, on the other hand, alleged that he might have defended it, and that he would have done so if he had been faithful to his trust; but that he had been _bribed_ by the French to give it up. This Katrington denied; so Anneslie, who was very angry at the loss of the castle, challenged him to single combat to try the question.

[Sidenote: Reason for this mode of trial.]

It is plain that this was a very absurd way of attempting to ascertain whether Katrington had or had not been bribed; but, as the affair had occurred some years before, and in another country, and as, moreover, the giving and receiving of bribes are facts always very difficult to be proved by ordinary evidence, it was decided by the government of the king that this was a proper case for the trial by combat, and both parties were ordered to prepare for the fight. The day, too, was fixed, and the place--the public square opposite the king's palace--was appointed. As the time drew nigh, the whole country for many miles around was excited to the highest pitch of interest and expectation.

[Sidenote: The company a.s.semble.]

[Sidenote: The combatants appear.]

At the place where the combat was to be fought a large s.p.a.ce was railed in by a very substantial barricade. The barricade was made very strong, so as to resist the utmost possible pressure of the crowd.

Elevated seats, commanding a full view of the lists, as the area railed in was called, were erected for the use of the king and the n.o.bles of the court, and all other necessary preparations were made.

When the hour arrived on the appointed day, the king and the n.o.bles came in great state and took their places. The whole square, with the exception of the lists and proper avenues of approach, which were kept open by the men-at-arms, had long since been filled with an immense crowd of people from the surrounding country. At length, after a brief period of expectation, the challenger, Anneslie, was seen coming along one of the approaches, mounted on a horse splendidly caparisoned, and attended by several knights and squires, his friends, all completely armed.

[Sidenote: The horse excluded.]

He stopped when he reached the railing and dismounted from his horse.

It was against the laws of the combat for either party to enter the lists mounted. If a horse went within the inclosure he was forfeited by that act to a certain public officer called the high constable of England, who was responsible for the regularity and order of the proceedings.

Anneslie, having thus dismounted from his horse with the a.s.sistance of his attendants, walked into the lists all armed and equipped for the fight. His squires attended him. He walked there to and fro a few minutes, and then a herald, blowing a trumpet, summoned the accused to appear.

[Sidenote: Summons to the accused.]

”Thomas Katrington! Thomas Katrington!” he cried out in a loud voice, ”come and appear, to save the action for which Sir John Anneslie, knight, hath publicly and by writing appealed thee!”

[Sidenote: Appearance of Katrington.]

Three times the herald proclaimed this summons. At the third time Katrington appeared.

He came, as Anneslie had come, mounted upon a war-horse splendidly caparisoned, and with his arms embroidered on the trappings. He was attended by his friends, the representatives of the seconds of the modern duel. The two stopped at the entrance of the lists, and dismounting, pa.s.sed into the lists on foot. Every body being now intent on the combatants, the horse for the moment was let go, and, being eager to follow his master, he ran up and down along the railing, reaching his head and neck over as far as he could, and trying to get over. At length he was taken and led away; but the lord high constable said at once that he should claim him for having entered the lists.

[Sidenote: Horse's head forfeited.]

”At least,” said he, ”I shall claim his head and neck, and as much of him as was over the railing.”

[Sidenote: The pleadings.]

The combatants now stood confronting each other within the lists. A written doc.u.ment was produced, which had been prepared, as was said, by consent of both parties, containing a statement of the charge made against Katrington, namely, that of treason, in having betrayed to the enemy for money a castle intrusted to his charge, and his reply. The herald read this doc.u.ment with a loud voice, in order that all the a.s.sembly, or as many as possible, might hear it. As soon as it was read, Katrington began to take exceptions to some pa.s.sages in it. The Duke of Lancaster, who seemed to preside on the occasion, put an end to his criticisms at once, saying that he had already agreed to the paper, and that now, if he made any difficulty about it, and refused to fight, he should be adjudged guilty of the treason, and should at once be led out to execution.

[Sidenote: Katrington is ready.]