n the Judicial Duel
An Extract from the Froissart's Chronicles
CAP. LXI, Pg 201: "Howe a squyer called Jaques le Grys was accused in the parlyament house at Parys before all the lordes there present, by a knyght called John of Carongne, and what Jugement was gyuen vpon them; and howe they Justed at vtteraunce in Parys, in a place called saynt Katheryne, behynde the temple; and how Jaques le Grys was confounded."
Images courtesy of David Cvet's personal collection of Froissart, Jean [1337-1412]. "Sir John Froissart's Chronicles of England, France, Spain, Portugal, Scotland, Brittany, Flanders, And the Adjoining Countires; Translated from the Original French by John Bourchier, Lord Berners". London: Printed by F.C. and J.Rivington, T.Payne..., 1812.
The modern text transciption below from the Tales from Froissart.
"The life-and-death duel between James le Gris and John de Carogne One member of the Count d'Alençon's household accuses another of a grave crime."
Book III, ch. 46 (Johnes, v. 2, pp. 203-06).
edited by Steve Muhlberger, Nipissing University
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(page 1 of 4) About this period, there was
much conversation in France respecting a duel which was to be fought, for
life or death, at Paris. It had been thus ordered by the parliament of
Paris, where the cause, which had lasted a year, had been tried, between a
squire called James le Gris and John de Carogne, both of them of the
household of Peter, count d'Alençon, and esteemed by him; but more
particularly James le Gris, whom he loved above all others, and placed his
whole confidence in him. As this duel made so great a noise, many from
distant parts, on hearing of it, came to Paris to be spectators. I will
relate the cause, as I was then informed.
It chanced that sir John de Carogne took it into his head he should gain
glory if he undertook a voyage to the Holy Land, having long had an
inclination to go thither.
He took leave of his lord, the count d'Alençon,
and of his wife, who was then a young and handsome lady, and left her in his
castle, called Argenteil, on the borders of Perche, and began his journey
towards the sea-side. The lady remained, with her household, in this castle,
living in the most decent manner.
Now it happened (this is the matter of
quarrel) that the devil, by divers and perverse temptations, entered the
body of James le Gris, and induced him to commit a crime, for which he
afterwards paid. He cast his thoughts on the lady of sir John de Carogne,
whom he knew to be residing with her attendants, at the castle of Argenteil.
One day, therefore, he set out, mounted on the finest horse of the count,
and arrived, full gallop, at Argenteil, where he dismounted. The servants
made a handsome entertainment for him, because they knew he was a particular
friend, and attached to the same lord as their master; and the lady,
thinking him no ill, received him with pleasure, led him to her apartment,
and shewed him man of her works. James, fully intent to accomplish his
wickedness, begged of her to conduct him to the dungeon, for that his visit
was partly to examine it. The lady instantly complied, and led him thither;
for, as she had the utmost confidence in his honour, she was not accompanied
by valet or chambermaid. As soon as they had entered the dungeon,
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(page 2 of 4) James le Gris fastened the door unnoticed by the lady, who was before him, thinking
it might have been the work of the wind, as he gave her to understand.
When they were thus alone, James embraced her, and discovered what his
intentions were: the lady was much astonished, and would willingly have
escaped had she been able, but the door was fastened; and James, who was a
strong man, held her tight in his arms, and flung her down on the floor, and
had his will of her. Immediately afterward, he opened the door of the
dungeon, and made himself ready to depart. The lady, exasperated with rage
at what had passed, remained silent, in tears; but, on his departure, she
said to him, -- "James, James, you have not done well in thus deflowering
me: the blame, however, shall not be mine, but the whole be laid on you, if
it please God my husband ever return." James mounted his horse, and,
quitting the castle, hastened back to his lord, the count d'Alençon, in time
to attend his rising at nine o'clock: he had been seen in the hôtel of the
count at four o'clock that morning. I am thus particular, because all these
circumstances were inquired into, and examined by the commissioners of the
parliament, when the cause was before them.
The lady de Carogne, on the day this unfortunate event befel her, remained
in her castle, and passed it off as well as she could, without mentioning
one word of it to either chambermaid or valet, for she thought by making it
public she would have more shame than honour; but she retained in her memory
the day and hour James le Gris had come to the castle. The lord de Carogne
returned from his voyage, and was joyfully received by his lady and
household, who feasted him well.
When night came, sir John went to bed, but his lady excused herself; and, on
his kindly pressing her to come to him, she walked very pensively up and
down the chamber. At last, when the household were in bed, she flung herself
on her knees at his bedside, and bitterly bewailed the insult she had
suffered. The night would not believe it could have happened; but at length,
she urged it so strongly, he did believe her, and said,-" Certainly, lady,
if the matter has passed as you say, I forgive you, but the squire shall
die; and I shall consult your and my relations on the subject: should you
have told me a falsehood, never more shall you live with me." The lady again
and again assured him, that what she had said was the pure truth.
On the morrow, the knight sent special messengers with letters to his
friends and nearest relations of his wife, desiring them to come instantly
to Argenteil, so that in a few days they were all at his castle. When they
were assembled, he led them into an apartment, and told them the reasons of
his sending for them, and made his lady relate most minutely everything that
had passed during his absence. When they had recovered their astonishment,
he asked their advice how to act: they said, he should wait on his lord, the
count d'Alençon, and tell him the fact. This lie did; but the count, who
much loved James le Gris, disbelieved it, and appointed a day for the
parties to come before him, and desired the lady might attend to give her
evidence against the man whom she thus accused. She attended as desired,
accompanied by a great number of her relations; and the examinations and
pleadings were carried on before the count to a great length.
James le Gris boldly denied the charge, declared it was false, and wondered
much how he could have incurred such mortal hatred from the lady. He proved
by the household of the count, that he had been seen in the castle at four
o'clock in the morning: the count said, that he was in his bedchamber at
nine o'clock, and that it was quite impossible for any one to have ridden
three-and-twenty leagues and back again, and do what he was charged with, in
four hours and a half. The count told the lady he would support his squire,
and that she must have dreamed it. He commanded, that henceforward all
should be buried in oblivion, and, under pain of incurring his displeasure,
nothing farther done in the business.
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(page 3 of 4) The knight, being a man of courage, and believing what his wife had told
him, would not submit to this, but went to Paris and appealed to the
parliament. The parliament summoned James le Gris, who replied, and gave
pledges to obey whatever judgment the parliament should give.
The cause
lasted upwards of a year, and they could not any way compromise it, for the
knight was positive, from his wife's information, of the fact, and declared,
that since it was now so public, he would pursue it until death. The count
d'Alençon, for this, conceived a great hatred against the knight, and would
have had him put to death, had he not placed himself under the safeguard of
the parliament. It was long pleaded, and the parliament at last, because
they could not produce other evidence than herself against James le Gris,
judged it should be decided in the tilt-yard, by a duel for life or death.
The knight, the squire, and the lady, were instantly put under arrest until
the day of this mortal combat, which, by order of parliament, was fixed for
the ensuing Monday, in the year 1387; at which time the king of France and
his barons were at Sluys, intending to invade England.
The king, on hearing of this duel, declared he would be present at it. The
dukes of Berry, Burgundy, Bourbon, and the constable of France, being also
desirous of seeing it, agreed it was proper he should be there. The king, in
consequence, sent orders to Paris to prolong the day of the duel, for that
he would be present. This order was punctually obeyed, and the king and his
lords departed for France.
The king kept the feast of the Calends at Arms,
and the duke of Burgundy at Lille. In the mean time, the men at arms made
for their different homes, as had been ordered by the marshals; but the
principal chiefs went to Paris, to witness the combat. When the king of
France was returned to Paris, lists were made for the champions in the place
of St. Catherine, behind the Temple; and the lords had erected on one side
scaffolds, the better to see the sight. The crowd of people was wonderful.
The two champions entered the lists armed at all points, and each was seated
in a chair opposite the other; the count de St. Pol directed sir John de
Carogne, and the retainers of the count d'Alençon James le Gris.
On the knight entering the field, he went to his lady, who was covered with
black and seated on a chair, and said,-. "Lady, from your accusation, and in
your quarrel, am I thus adventuring my life to combat James le Gris: you
knew whether my cause be loyal and true." "My lord," she replied "it is so;
and you may fight securely, for your cause is good."
The lady remained seated, making fervent prayers to God and the Virgin,
entreating humbly, that through her grace and intercession, she might gain
the victory according to her right. Her affliction was great, for her life
depended on the event; and, should her husband lose the victory, she would
have been burnt, and he would have been hanged. I am ignorant, for I never
had any conversation with her or the knight, whether she had not frequently
repented of having pushed matters so far as to place herself and husband in
such peril; but it was now too late, and she must abide the event.
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(page 4 of 4) The two champions were then advanced, and placed opposite to each other;
when they mounted their horses, and made a handsome appearance, for they
were both expert men at arms. They ran their first course without hurt to
either. After the tilting, they dismounted, and made ready to continue the
fight. They behaved with courage; but sir John de Carogne was, at the first
onset, wounded in the thigh, which alarmed all his friends: notwithstanding
this, he fought so desperately that he struck down his adversary, and,
thrusting his sword through the body, caused instant death; when he demanded
of the spectators if he had done his duty: they replied that he had.
The body of James le Gris was delivered to the hangman, who dragged it to
Montfaucon, and there hanged it. Sir John de Carogne approached the king and
fell on his knees: the king made him rise, and ordered one thousand francs
to be paid him that very day: he also retained him of his household, with a
pension of two hundred livres a-year, which he received as long as he lived.
Sir John, after thanking the king and his lords, went to his lady and kissed
her: they went together to make their offering in the church of Nôtre Dame,
and then returned to their home.
Sir John de Carogne did not remain long after in France, but set off, in
company with the lord Boucicaut, sir John des Bordes, and Sir Lewis Grat, to
visit the holy sepulchre, and the sultan of the Turks, whose fame was much
talked of in France. Sir Robinet de Boulogne was also with him: he was
squire of honour to the king of France, and had travelled much over the
world.
