LaChataigneraiewassomortifiedbytheresultoftheencounter，thatheresolutelyrefusedtohavehiswoundsdressed。Hetoreoffthebandageswhichthesurgeonsapplied，andexpiredtwodaysafterwards。
Eversincethattime，anyslyandunforeseenattackhasbeencalledbytheFrenchacoupdeJarnac。Henrywassogrievedatthelossofhisfavourite，thathemadethesolemnoathalreadyalludedto，thathewouldneveragain，solongashelived，permitadue]。Somewritershaveasserted，andamongothers，Mezeraie，thatheissuedaroyaledictforbiddingthem。Thishasbeendoubtedbyothers，and，asthereappearsnoregistryoftheedictinanyofthecourts，itseemsmostprobablethatitwasneverissued。Thisopinionisstrengthenedbythefact，thattwoyearsafterwards，thecouncilorderedanotherdueltobefought，withsimilarforms，butwithlessmagnificence，onaccountoftheinferiorrankofthecombatants。Itisnotanywherestated，thatHenryinterferedtopreventit，notwithstandinghissolemnoath；
butthat，onthecontrary，heencouragedit，andappointedtheMarshaldelaMarquetoseethatitwasconductedaccordingtotherulesofchivalry。ThedisputantswereFendilleandD’Aguerre，twogentlemenofthehousehold，who，quarrellingintheKing’schamber，hadproceededfromwordstoblows。Thecouncil，beinginformedofthematter，decreedthatitcouldonlybedecidedinthelists。MarshaldelaMarque，withtheKing’spermission，appointedthecityofSedanastheplaceofcombat。Fendille，whowasabadswordsman，wasanxioustoavoidanencounterwithD’Aguerre，whowasoneofthemostexpertmenoftheage；butthecouncilauthoritativelycommandedthatheshouldfight，orbedegradedfromallhishonours。D’AguerreappearedinthefieldattendedbyFrancoisdeVendome，CountdeChartres，whileFendillewasaccompaniedbytheDukedeNevers。Fendilleappearstohavebeennotonlyaninexpertswordsman，butathoroughcoward；onewho，likeCowley，mighthaveheapedcursesontheman，“——Death’sfactorsure，whobroughtDireswordsintothispeacefulworld。“
Ontheveryfirstencounterhewasthrownfromhishorse，and，confessingonthegroundallthathisvictorrequiredofhim，slunkawayignominiouslyfromthearena。
OneistemptedtolookuponthedeathofHenryIIasajudgmentuponhimforhisperjuryinthematterofduelling。Inagrandtournamentinstitutedontheoccasionofthemarriageofhisdaughter，hebrokeseverallancesinencounterswithsomeofthebravestknightsofthetime。Ambitiousofstillfurtherrenown，hewouldnotrestsatisfieduntilhehadalsoengagedtheyoungCountdeMontgomeri。Hereceivedawoundintheeyefromthelanceofthisantagonist，anddiedfromitseffectsshortlyafterwards，intheforty-firstyearofhisage。
InthesucceedingreignsofFrancisII，CharlesIX，andHenryIII，thepracticeofduellingincreasedtoanalarmingextent。DuelswerenotrareintheothercountriesofEuropeatthesameperiod；butinFrancetheyweresofrequent，thathistorians，inspeakingofthatage，designateitas“l’epoquedelafureurdesduels。“TheParliamentofParisendeavoured，asfarasinitspowerlay，todiscouragethepractice。Byadecreedatedthe26thofJune1559，itdeclaredallpersonswhoshouldbepresentatduels，oraidingandabettinginthem，toberebelstotheKing，transgressorsofthelaw，anddisturbersofthepublicpeace。
WhenHenryIIIwasassassinatedatSt。Cloud，in1589，ayounggentleman，namedL’isleMarivaut，whohadbeenmuchbelovedbyhim，tookhisdeathsomuchtoheart，thatheresolvednottosurvivehim。
Notthinkingsuicideanhonourabledeath，andwishing，ashesaid，todiegloriouslyinrevenginghisKingandmaster，hepubliclyexpressedhisreadinesstofightanybodytothedeathwhoshouldassertthatHenry’sassassinationwasnotagreatmisfortunetothecommunity。
Anotheryouth，ofafierytemperandtriedcourage，namedMarolles，tookhimathisword，andthedayandplaceofthecombatwereforthwithappointed。Whenthehourhadcome，andallwereready，Marollesturnedtohissecond，andaskedwhetherhisopponenthadacasqueorhelmetonly，orwhetherheworeasallade，orheadpiece。
Beingansweredahelmetonly，hesaidgaily，“Somuchthebetter；for，sir，mysecond，youshallreputemethewickedestmaninalltheworld，ifIdonotthrustmylancerightthroughthethemiddleofhisheadandkillhim。“Truthtosay，hedidsoattheveryfirstonset，andtheunhappyL’isleMarivautexpiredwithoutagroan。Brantome，whorelatesthisstory，adds，thatthevictormighthavedoneashepleasedwiththebody，cutoffthehead，draggeditoutofthecamp，orexposedituponanass，butthat，beingawiseandverycourteousgentleman，heleftittotherelativesofthedeceasedtobehonourablyburied，contentinghimselfwiththegloryofhistriumph，bywhichhegainednolittlerenownandhonouramongtheladiesofParis。
OntheaccessionofHenryIVthatmonarchpretendedtosethisfaceagainstduelling；butsuchwastheinfluenceofearlyeducationandtheprejudicesofsocietyuponhim，thathenevercouldfinditinhishearttopunishamanforthisoffence。Hethoughtittendedtofosterawarlikespiritamonghispeople。WhenthechivalrousCrequidemandedhispermissiontofightDonPhilippedeSavoire，heisreportedtohavesaid，“Go，andifIwerenotaKing，Iwouldbeyoursecond。“ItisnowonderthatwhensuchwereknowntobetheKing’sdisposition，hisedictsattractedbutsmallattention。AcalculationwasmadebyM。deLomenie，intheyear1607，thatsincetheaccessionofHenry，in1589，nolessthanfourthousandFrenchgentlemenhadlosttheirlivesintheseconflicts，which，fortheeighteenyears，wouldhavebeenattherateoffourorfiveinaweek，oreighteenpermonth！Sully，whoreportsthisfactinhisMemoirs，doesnotthrowtheslightestdoubtuponitsexactness，andadds，thatitwaschieflyowingtothefacilityandill-advisedgood-natureofhisroyalmasterthatthebadexamplehadsoempoisonedthecourt，thecity，andthewholecountry。Thiswiseministerdevotedmuchofhistimeandattentiontothesubject；fortherage，hesays，wassuchastocausehimathousandpangs，andtheKingalso。Therewashardlyamanmovinginwhatwascalledgoodsociety，whohadnotbeenengagedinadueleitherasprincipalorsecond；andifthereweresuchaman，hischiefdesirewastofreehimselffromtheimputationofnon-duelling，bypickingaquarrelwithsomebody。SullyconstantlywroteletterstotheKing，inwhichheprayedhimtorenewtheedictsagainstthisbarbarouscustom，toaggravatethepunishmentagainstoffenders，andnever，inanyinstance，tograntapardon，eventoapersonwhohadwoundedanotherinaduel，muchlesstoanyonewhohadtakenawaylife。Healsoadvised，thatsomesortoftribunal，orcourtofhonour，shouldbeestablished，totakecognizanceofinjuriousandslanderouslanguage，andofallsuchmattersasusuallyledtoduels；andthatthejusticetobeadministeredbythiscourtshouldbesufficientlypromptandseveretoappeasethecomplainant，andmaketheoffenderrepentofhisaggression。
Henry，beingsowarmlypressedbyhisfriendandminister，calledtogetheranextraordinarycouncilinthegalleryofthepalaceofFontainebleau，totakethematterintoconsideration。Whenallthememberswereassembled，hisMajestyrequestedthatsomepersonconversantwiththesubjectwouldmakeareporttohimontheorigin，progress，anddifferentformsoftheduel。Sullycomplacentlyremarks，thatnoneofthecounsllorsgavetheKinganygreatreasontofelicitatethemontheirerudition。Infact，theyallremainedsilent。
Sullyheldhispeacewiththerest；buthelookedsoknowing，thattheKingturnedtowardshim，andsaid:——“Greatmaster！byyourfaceI
conjecturethatyouknowmoreofthismatterthanyouwouldhaveusbelieve。Iprayyou，andindeedIcommand，thatyoutelluswhatyouthinkandwhatyouknow。“Thecoyministerrefused，ashesays，outofmerepolitenesstohismoreignorantcolleagues；but，beingagainpressedbytheKing，heenteredintoahistoryofduellingbothinancientandmoderntimes。HehasnotpreservedthishistoryinhisMemoirs；and，asnoneoftheministersorcounsellorspresentthoughtpropertodoso，theworldisdeprivedofadiscoursewhichwas，nodoubt，alearnedandremarkableone。Theresultwas，thataroyaledictwasissued，whichSullylostnotimeintransmittingtothemostdistantprovinces，withadistinctnotificationtoallpartiesconcernedthattheKingwasinearnest，andwouldexertthefullrigourofthelawinpunishmentoftheoffenders。Sullyhimselfdoesnotinformuswhatweretheprovisionsofthenewlaw；butFatherMatthiashasbeenmoreexplicit，andfromhimwelearn，thattheMarshalsofFrancewerecreatedjudgesofacourtofchivalry，forthehearingofallcauseswhereinthehonourofanobleorgentlemanwasconcerned，andthatsuchasresortedtoduellingshouldbepunishedbydeathandconfiscationofproperty，andthatthesecondsandassistantsshouldlosetheirrank，dignity，oroffices，andbebanishedfromthecourtoftheirsovereign。[LePereMatthias，tomeii。livreiv。]
ButsostrongaholdhadtheeducationandprejudiceofhisageuponthemindoftheKing，thatthoughhisreasoncondemned，hissympathiesapprovedtheduel。Notwithstandingthisthreatenedseverity，thenumberofduelsdidnotdiminish，andthewiseSullyhadstilltolamenttheprevalenceofanevilwhichmenacedsocietywithutterdisorganization。Inthesucceedingreignthepracticeprevailed，ifpossible，toastillgreaterextent，untiltheCardinaldeRichelieu，betterabletograpplewithitthanSullyhadbeen，madesomesevereexamplesintheveryhighestclasses。LordHerbert，theEnglishambassadoratthecourtofLouisXIIIrepeats，inhisletters，anobservationthathadbeenpreviouslymadeinthereignofHenryIV，thatitwasraretofindaFrenchmanmovingingoodsocietywhohadnotkilledhismaninaduel。TheAbbeMillotsaysofthisperiod，thattheduelmadnessmadethemostterribleravages。Menhadactuallyafrenzyforcombatting。Capriceandvanity，aswellastheexcitementofpassion，imposedthenecessityoffighting。Friendswereobligedtoenterintothequarrelsoftheirfriends，orbethemselvescalledoutfortheirrefusal，andrevengebecamehereditaryinmanyfamilies。Itwasreckonedthatintwentyyearseightthousandlettersofpardonhadbeenissuedtopersonswhohadkilledothersinsinglecombat。
[“Elemensdel’HistoiredeFrance，vol。iii。p。219。]
Otherwritersconfirmthisstatement。AmelotdeHoussaye，inhisMemoirs，says，uponthissubject，thatduelsweresocommoninthefirstyearsofthereignofLouisXIII，thattheordinaryconversationofpersonswhentheymetinthemorningwas，“Doyouknowwhofoughtyesterday？“andafterdinner，“Doyouknowwhofoughtthismorning？“
ThemostinfamousduellistatthatperiodwasDeBouteville。Itwasnotatallnecessarytoquarrelwiththisassassintobeforcedtofightaduelwithhim。Whenheheardthatanyonewasverybrave，hewouldgotohim，andsay，“Peopletellmethatyouarebrave；youandImustfighttogether！“Everymorningthemostnotoriousbravosandduellistsusedtoassembleathishouse，totakeabreakfastofbreadandwine，andpractisefencing。M。deValencay，whowasafterwardselevatedtotherankofacardinal，rankedveryhighintheestimationofDeBoutevilleandhisgang。Hardlyadaypassedbutwhathewasengagedinsomeduelorother，eitherasprincipalorsecond；andheoncechallengedDeBoutevillehimself，hisbestfriend，becauseDeBoutevillehadfoughtaduelwithoutinvitinghimtobecomehissecond。ThisquarrelwasonlyappeasedonthepromiseofDeBoutevillethat，inhisnextencounter，hewouldnotfailtoavailhimselfofhisservices。Forthatpurposehewentoutthesameday，andpickedaquarrelwiththeMarquisdesPortes。M。deValencay，accordingtoagreement，hadthepleasureofservingashissecond，andofrunningthroughthebodyM。deCavois，thesecondoftheMarquisdesPortes，amanwhohadneverdonehimanyinjury，andwhomheafterwardsacknowledgedhehadneverseenbefore。
CardinalRichelieudevotedmuchattentiontothislamentablestateofpublicmorals，andseemstohaveconcurredwithhisgreatpredecessor，Sully，thatnothingbutthemostrigorousseveritycouldputastoptotheevil。Thesubjectindeedwaspainfullyforceduponhimbyhisenemies。TheMarquisdeThemines，towhomRichelieu，thenBishopofLucon，hadgivenoffencebysomerepresentationshehadmadetoMaryofMedicis，determined，sincehecouldnotchallengeanecclesiastic，tochallengehisbrother。Anopportunitywassoonfound。