下载辰思小说免费APP
TheprodigiousluxuryofthatimmensecityofRomeencouragedsensuouspleasures。ThetranquillityoftheplainsofGreecegaverisetothedescriptionofthesentimentsoflove。[134]Theideaofknights—errant，protectorsofthevirtueandbeautyofthefairsex，ledtothatofgallantry。
Thisspiritwascontinuedbythecustomoftournaments，which，unitingtherightsofvalourandlove，addedstillaconsiderableimportancetogallantry。
23。OftheCodeofLawsonjudicialCombats。Someperhapswillhaveacuriositytoseethisabominablecustomofjudiciarycombatreducedtoprinciplesandtofindthegroundworkofsuchanextraordinarycodeoflaws。Men，thoughreasonableinthemain，reducetheirveryprejudicestorule。Nothingwasmorecontrarytogoodsense，thanthosecombats，andyetwhenoncethispointwaslaiddown，akindofprudentialmanagementwasusedincarryingitintoexecution。
Inordertobethoroughlyacquaintedwiththejurisprudenceofthosetimes，itisnecessarytoreadwithattentiontheregulationsofSt。
Louis，whomadesuchgreatchangesinthejudiciaryorder。Défontaineswascontemporarywiththatprince；Beaumanoirwroteafterhim，[135]andtherestlivedsincehistime。Wemust，therefore，lookfortheancientpracticeintheamendmentsthathavebeenmadeofit。
24。RulesestablishedinthejudicialCombat。Whentherehappenedtobeseveralaccusers，theywereobligedtoagreeamongthemselvesthattheactionmightbecarriedonbyasingleprosecutor；and，iftheycouldnotagree，thepersonbeforewhomtheactionwasbrought，appointedoneofthemtoprosecutethequarrel。[136]
Whenagentlemanchallengedavillain，hewasobligedtopresenthimselfonfootwithbucklerandbaston；butifhecameonhorsebackandarmedlikeagentleman，theytook。hishorseandhisarmsfromhimand，strippinghimtohisshirt，theycompelledhimtofightinthatconditionwiththevillain。[137]
Beforethecombatthemagistratesorderedthreebanstobepublished。Bythefirsttherelativesofthepartieswerecommandedtoretire；bythesecondthepeoplewerewarnedtobesilent；andthethirdprohibitedthegivingofanyassistancetoeitheroftheparties，underseverepenalties，nay，evenonpainofdeathifbythisassistanceeitherofthecombatantsshouldhappentobevanquished。[138]
Theofficersbelongingtothecivilmagistrate[139]guardedthelistorenclosurewherethebattlewasfought；andincaseeitherofthepartiesdeclaredhimselfdesirousofpeace，theytookparticularnoticeoftheactualstateinwhichtheymutuallystoodatthatverymoment，totheendthattheymightberestoredtothesamesituationincasetheydidnotcometoanunderstanding。[140]
Whenthepledgeswerereceivedeitherforacrimeorforfalsejudgment，thepartiescouldnotmakeupthematterwithouttheconsentofthelord；andwhenoneofthepartieswasovercome，therecouldbenoaccommodationwithoutthepermissionofthecount，whichhadsomeanalogytoourlettersofgrace。[141]
Butifithappenedtobeacapitalcrime，andthelord，corruptedbypresents，consentedtoanaccommodation，hewasobligedtopayafineofsixtylivres，andtherighthehadofpunishingthemalefactordevolveduponthecount。[142]
Therewereagreatmanypeopleincapableeitherofoffering，orofacceptingbattle。Butlibertywasgiventhem，oncausebeingshown，tochooseachampion；andthathemighthaveastrongerinterestindefendingthepartyinwhosebehalfheappeared，hishandwascutoffifhelostthebattle。[143]
Whencapitallawsweremadeinthelastcenturyagainstduels，perhapsitwouldhavebeensufficienttohavedeprivedawarriorofhismilitarycapacitybythelossofhishand；nothingingeneralbeingagreatermortificationtomankindthantosurvivethelossoftheircharacter。
When，incapitalcases，theduelwasfoughtbychampions，thepartieswereplacedwheretheycouldnotbeholdthebattle；eachwasboundwiththecordthatwastobeusedathisexecutionincasehischampionwasovercome。[144]Thepersonovercomeinbattledidnotalwayslosethepointcontested；if，forinstance，theyfoughtonanimparlance，helostonlytheimparlance。[145]
25。OftheBoundsprescribedtotheCustomofjudicialCombats。Whenpledgesofbattlehadbeenreceiveduponacivilaffairofsmallimportance，thelordobligedthepartiestowithdrawthem。
Ifafactwasnotorious；forinstance，ifamanhadbeenassassinatedintheopenmarketplace，thentherewasneitheratrialbywitnesses，norbycombat；thejudgegavehisdecisionfromthenotorietyofthefact。[146]
Whenthecourtofalordhadoftendeterminedafterthesamemanner，andtheusagewasthusknown，[147]thelordrefusedtograntthepartiestheprivilegeofduelling，totheendthattheusagesmightnotbealteredbythedifferentsuccessofthecombats。
Theywerenotallowedtoinsistuponduellingbutforthemselves，forsomeonebelongingtotheirfamily，orfortheirliegelord。[148]
Whentheaccusedhadbeenacquitted，anotherrelativecouldnotinsistonfightinghim；otherwisedisputeswouldneverbeterminated。[149]
Ifapersonappearedagaininpublicwhoserelatives，uponasuppositionofhisbeingmurdered，wantedtorevengehisdeath，therewasthennoroomforacombat；thesamemaybesaidifbyanotoriousabsencethefactwasprovedtobeimpossible。[150]
Ifamanwhohadbeenmortallywoundedhadexculpatedbeforehisdeaththepersonaccusedandnamedanother，theydidnotproceedtoaduel；
butifhehadmentionednobodyhisdeclarationwaslookeduponasaforgivenessonhisdeath—bed；theprosecutionwascontinued，andevenamonggentlementheycouldmakewaragainsteachother。[151]
Whentherewasaconflict，andoneoftherelativeshadgivenorreceivedpledgesofbattle，therightofcontestceased；forthenitwasthoughtthatthepartieswantedtopursuetheordinarycourseofjustice；thereforehethatwouldhavecontinuedthecontestwouldhavebeensentencedtomakegoodallthelosses。
Thusthepracticeofjudiciarycombathadthisadvantage，thatitwasapttochangeageneralintoanindividualquarrel，torestorethecourtsofjudicaturetotheirauthority，andtobringbackintothecivilstatethosewhowerenolongergovernedbutbythelawofnations。
Asthereareaninfinitenumberofwisethingsthataremanagedinaveryfoolishmanner；sotherearemanyfoolishthingsthatareverywiselyconducted。
Whenamanwhowaschallengedwithacrimevisiblyshowedthatithadbeencommittedbythechallengerhimself，therecouldbethennopledgesofbattle；forthereisnocriminalbutwouldpreferaduelofuncertaineventtoacertainpunishment。[152]
Therewerenoduelsinaffairsdecidedbyarbiters，[153]norbyecclesiasticalcourts，norincasesrelatingtowomen’sdowries。
"Awoman，"saysBeaumanoir，"cannotfight。"ifawomanchallengedapersonwithoutnamingherchampion，thepledgesofbattlewerenotaccepted。Itwasalsorequisitethatawomanshouldbeauthorisedbyherbaron，thatis，byherhusband，tochallenge；butshemightbechallengedwithoutthisauthority。[154]
Ifeitherthechallengerorthepersonchallengedwereunderfifteenyearsofage，therecouldbenocombat。[155]Theymightorderit，indeed，indisputesrelatingtoorphanswhentheirguardiansortrusteeswerewillingtoruntheriskofthisprocedure。
Thecasesinwhichabondmanwasallowedtofightare，Ithink，asfollows。Hewasallowedtofightanotherbondman；tofightafreedman，orevenagentleman，incasehewerechallenged；butifhehimselfchallenged，theothermightrefusetofight；andeventhebondman’slordhadarighttotakehimoutofthecourt。[156]Thebondmanmightbyhislord’scharterorbyusagefightwithanyfreeman；[157]andthechurchclaimedthisrightforherbondmen[158]asamarkofrespectduetoherbythelaity。[159]
26。OnthejudiciaryCombatbetweenoneofthePartiesandoneoftheWitnesses。Beaumanoirinformsus[160]thatapersonwhosawawitnessgoingtoswearagainsthimmighteludetheotherbytellingthejudgesthathisadversaryproducedafalseandslanderingwitness；andifthewitnesswaswillingtomaintainthequarrel，hegavepledgesofbattle。
Theinquirywasnolongerthequestion；forifthewitnesswasovercome，itwasdecidedthattheadversaryhadproducedafalsewitness，andhelosthiscause。
Itwasnecessarythatthesecondwitnessshouldnotbeheard；forifhehadmadehisattestation，theaffairwouldhavebeendecidedbythedepositionoftw
