Book II.] FRACAS TN THE HUNTING FIELD. 113 



and there was a Rowland for his Oliver, and a lie for his 

 indignity." If this letter had been sent to Lord Darcy in the 

 ordinary way, it would have been an ordinary challenge, as 

 justifiable as most challenges ; but it seems that, though 

 ready to maintain with his life that Lord Darcy was a liar, he 

 was not prepared to call him a liar to his face : so he con- 

 tented himself with writing " divers copies " of the letter, and 

 scattering them about the fields — addressed, and signed, but 

 not sealed. Markham appears to have laboured under the 

 impression that Lord Darcy would shelter himself under the 

 privileges of the peerage, and the offices he held under the 

 crown, by virtue of which he was not amenable to meet a 

 commoner, or other person of less rank than himself, in a duel. 

 Many curious points as to status relating to the laws of duels 

 are incidentally mentioned in the pleadings and judgments, 

 the outcome of this incident, which we need not revert to here. 

 The case was heard in the Star Chamber, November 27, 16 16, 

 before Lord Chancellor Ellesmere, Dr. George Abbot, Arch- 

 bishop of Canterbury, Viscount Wallingford, the Earl of 

 Arundel, Dr. Andrews, Bishop of Ely, Sir John Digby, the 

 Bishop of London, Sir Ralph Winwood, Secretary of State, 

 Chief Justice Montagu, and Chief Justice Hubbert (King's 

 Bench). Sir Fluke Grenville, and Sir Francis Bacon conducted 

 the prosecution, Avhile Serjeant Crew was counsel for Lord 

 Darcy and Serjeant More defended Markham. As before 

 mentioned, the case went against Markham, who was sentenced 

 to pay a fine of ;^500, and to be committed to prison until 

 he gave a security for his future good behaviour. This 

 excessive fine would have been increased tenfold had it not 

 been for the provocation and summary chastisement Mark- 

 ham received under Beckwith's switch. As to our author's 

 subsequent career, we have only to add that, being bred to 

 arms, he served under the royal forces with some distinction 

 during the civil wars in the ensuing reign. Unfortunately, 

 the times being out of joint precludes any trace of his closing 

 years, and we have been unable to ascertain how, or when, his 

 eventful life came to an end. 



VOL. I. I 



