STAR-CHAMBER DECREE AGAINST DUELS. 127 



describing also the miserable effect which it draweth 

 upon private families, by cutting off young men, 

 otherwise of good hope ; and chiefly the loss of the 

 king and the common-wealth, by the casting away 

 of much good blood 3 which, being spent in the field 

 upon occasion of service, were able to continue the 

 renown which this kingdom hath obtained in all 

 ages of being esteemed victorious. 



Secondly, his majesty s said attorney-general did 

 discourse touching the causes and remedies of this 

 mischief that prevailed so in these times ; shewing 

 the ground thereof to be a false and erroneous ima 

 gination of honour and credit, according to the term 

 which was given to those duels by a former procla 

 mation of his majesty s, which called them betwitch- 

 ing duels, for that it was no better than a kind of 

 sorcery, which enchanteth the spirits of young men, 

 which bear great minds, with a shew of honour in 

 that which is no honour indeed ; being against re 

 ligion, law, moral virtue, and against the prece 

 dents and examples of the best times, and valiantest 

 nations of the world ; which though they excelled 

 for prowess and military virtue in a public quarrel, 

 yet know not what these private duels meant ; say 

 ing farther, that there was too much way and counte 

 nance given unto these duels, by the course that is 

 held by noblemen and gentlemen in compounding of 

 quarrels, who use to stand too punctually upon con 

 ceits of satisfactions and distinctions, what is before 

 hand, and what behind-hand, which do but feed the 

 humour : adding likewise, that it was no fortitude to 



