RULES OFDUELLING WITH SABRES.
THE FOLLOWING ARE THERULES OF DUELLING WITH SABRES,TRANSLATED FROM “ESSAI SUR LE DUEL,”BY THECOMTE DE CHATEAUVILLARD.
1st.—Each combatant must have two seconds for this sort of duel, and one of the two must have a sabre. They must, if possible, get sabres with curved blades for the two antagonists, as being less fatal.
2nd.—When arrived on the ground there must be no discussion between the two combatants, their seconds being their plenipotentiaries.
3rd.—The seconds having agreed upon the choice of the ground the most proper for the combat—level and equal for the two opponents—must mark the two places, the distance being calculated as if the two opponents were both on thelonge and the points of the two sabres one foot apart.
4th.—The seconds, after having tossed for the places, take their principals to the place given to each by chance.
5th.—Gloves with gauntlets are generally used for this duel, but the seconds of the insulted party (if belonging to the class spoken of in the 11th sec. of the 1st chap.) can oblige the combatants not to wear them. Nevertheless, every one is entitled to wear an ordinary glove, or a pocket-handkerchief round the hand, but the handkerchief must not hang down.
6th.—If the insulted party (if belonging to the class spoken of in the 10th and 11th secs. of the 1st chap.) wishes to wear a glove with a gauntlet, his seconds must offer a similar one to his opponent, and if the latter refuses it, the insulted party may use his and the other wear an ordinary glove or handkerchief.
7th.—When the combatants are placed, the seconds measure the blades, which must be of equal length and similar shape. The choice of the sabre, if similar ones are used, must be tossed for. If by carelessness the sabres are not alike, the choice should still be tossed for; but if the sabres are too disproportioned for such a combat it should certainly be put off.
8th.—But, however, if the combatants belong to the same regiment they can use their own sabres, but the sabres must be mounted the same.
9th.—The insulted party (if in the class of 11th sec., 1st chap.) can use a sabre belonging to him, but he must offer a similar one to his adversary, who can refuse it and then use his own; nevertheless, if the difference should give a too great disadvantage to either one or the other the seconds should postpone the duel, unless the seconds of both parties present a pair of sabres unknown to the combatants. Then the choice of the pair should belong to the insulted party, and the choice of the sabre to the other.
10th.—The seconds, after having invited the combatants to take off their coats and waistcoats, must go up to their principal’s opponent, who must show his naked breast in order to prove that he wears nothing to protect himself against the edge or point of the sabre blade. His refusal would be equivalent to a refusal to fight.
11th.—When what is above described is finished, the seconds should toss for which one of them is to explain the conventions of the duel to the combatants, to whom the weapons are then given, with the recommendation to wait until the signal is given to begin.
12th.—When the seconds are placed on bothsides of the combatants, the one designed gives the signal by the word—Allez!
13th.—If before the signal is given the combatants join blades together it is equivalent to a signal, but it is blamable if only one of the two does it.
14th.—When the signal is given the combatants can cut and thrust at one another, advance, retire, stoop, turn round, vault, and do anything they think profitable to them: such are the rules of the combat.
15th.—It is against the rules of this combat to strike your opponent when he is disarmed or when he is on the ground, to take hold of his arms or his body or to take hold of his weapon.
16th.—Disarmed means when the sabre has fallen out of the hand, or when dropping the point has touched the ground.
17th.—When one of the combatants is wounded his seconds must stop the combat until they think it proper that it should begin again.
18th.—If before there is any wound one of the seconds wishes to stop the duel, he asks if he can do so to the opposing seconds by lifting up his stick or sabre, and if an affirmative answer is given by the same movement he suspends the duel.
19th.—The seconds can agree beforehand tostop the duel at the first blood shed—humanity and the gravity of the case must guide them.
20th.—If one of the two combatants is killed or wounded against the rules of the duel, the seconds must refer to the 20th and 21st art. of the 4th chap.
1st.—If possible sabres with blunt points must be used for this duel.
2nd.—Each combatant must have two seconds.
3rd.—The seconds, after having agreed upon the choice of the ground best fitted for the combat—level and equal for the two opponents—must mark the two places at the distance calculated as if the opponents were both on the longe and the points joining together.
4th.—Either combatant can use gloves with gauntlets provided the adversary has one too, or that a similar one can be offered to him, otherwise the difference must be levelled by the seconds.
5th.—The weapons must be alike and unknown to the combatants, but if the combatants belong to the same regiment they can use their own sabres, provided they are of the same sort and have the same mountings.
6th.—The seconds, after having tossed for the places, take their friends to the places which have fallen to them.
7th.—The seconds must toss for which of the two antagonists is to choose his sabre.
8th.—The second designed to give the signal must explain to the combatants the conventions of the duel, which are, that it is strictly forbidden to make use of the points of the sabres, which would be felony.
9th.—The seconds invite their friend to strip naked down to the waist, but they may keep their braces on if they are used to them.
10th.—The seconds present both sabres to the combatant who has gained by toss the right to choose, who picks one out, they then present the last one to the other combatant and recommend them both to wait for the signal.
11th.—When the seconds are placed on both sides of the combatants the signal is given by the word—Allez!
12th.—When the signal is given the combatants can cut at one another—taking care not to wound their adversary with the point of their sabre—can stoop, advance, retire, turn round, vault, &c., and stop only when the seconds tell them to: such are the rules of the combat.
13th.—The seconds must always stop the duelas soon as one of the combatants is wounded, in order to see whether he can continue or not—the seconds are the only judges for that; but the custom in this kind of duel is to stop the combat at the first wound.
14th.—If one of the combatants is killed or wounded against the rules,see20th and 21st art. of 4th chapter.
Chapters1st–10th.—The insulted party has the choice of the duel and weapons.
11th.—The insulted party, if struck or wounded, has the choice of the duel, weapons, distances, and can forbid his opponent to use weapons belonging to him, but in that case he must not use his own.
Chapters4th–20th.—The seconds must, if anything takes place against the rules, make a written statement of it and prosecute the felon by all the laws in their power (andpoursuivre le fauteur devant les tribunaux par toutes les voies de droit en leur pouvoir).
21st.—The seconds of the party who is charged with felony must, by all means, declare the truth. They are not otherwise accountable for it, unless they aided in committing the wrong, which cannot be supposed possible.
LONDON:HENRY BLACKLOCK AND CO., PRINTERS,ALLEN STREET, GOSWELL ROAD.
LONDON:HENRY BLACKLOCK AND CO., PRINTERS,ALLEN STREET, GOSWELL ROAD.
LONDON:
HENRY BLACKLOCK AND CO., PRINTERS,
ALLEN STREET, GOSWELL ROAD.