'Challenges (6 September 1613)'
British Library, Harley MS 4761, ff. 127r-132v
Mr Edward Sackveile now
Earle of Dorsett his relation
of the mannor an of the
Combate and deathe of the
Lord Bruse Baron of –
Kinloss sent to his frends
in England 1613
The Lord Bruse his Challeng to mr Sackveile
A Mons[ieu]r Mons[ieu]r Sackveile:
I that am in ffrance heare how much You
attribute to yo[u]r selfe in this tyme that I
haue giuen the world leaue to sing yo[u]r praises
and fame the trustest truest Alminake
to tell you how much I suffer, and if you
Call to memory when I gaue my hand
laste I told you I receaued the haste for
a truer resolution Conciliation; you bee the
noble gentleman, My soule once spake
come and doe him reason that Could recite
yo[u]r loyall[es] you owe yor birthe and Countrye
were I not Confident yo[u]r honor giues
you the same Corage to doe mee righte
that it did to mee wronge, be m[aste]r of yo[u]r
owne weapon and tyme, the place where souer.
I will waite on You by doeing this you shall
shorten reuenge and cleere the Iealous
opinion the world hath of both of our worthes
Edward Bruse
127vThe Lord Bruse to mr. Mr Edward Sackveils Answere. A Mons[ieu]r Mons[ieur]r le Baron de Kinlosse.
As it shall bee farr from mee alwayes to seeke a quarell soe will I bee alwayes redy to merite any that desires to make tryall of my valor by soe faire a Course as you require, A witnes whereof you shall bee who within this monthe shall receaue a strickt accompte of tyme, place and weapon, of him that shall Conducte you thither where you shall finde mee disposed to giue you ho[nora]ble satisfacction In the meane tyme bee as seacret of the appointement as it seemes you are desirous of it.
Edward Sackveile
Mr. Sackveils Second Letter to my Lord Bruse from Tourgous. A Mons[ieu]r Mons[ieu]r le Baron de Kinlosse a Paris. S[i]r I am redy, at Targous a towne in Zeland to giue you what satisifacc[i]on y[ou]r128rMr Ed. Sackveile yo[u]r sword can render you, Accompanied with a worthy gentlemen for my second, In degree a knighte and for yo[u]r Conveniences I will not lymite you a peremptory daye. but desire you to make it definite and speedy for yo[u]r honor and feare of prevention untill which tyme you shall finde mee there.
Edward Sackveile Tergous 10: August 1613.
My Lord Bruses answer A Mons[ieu]r Mons[ieu]r Sackveile. I haue receaued yo[u]r letter by yo[u]r man and acknowledge you haue dealt nobly with mee and now I come with all possible haste to see you. Edward Bruse
Mr. Edward Sackveils
Letter to a frend of
the maner of the Combateand death:
Betwixt him and the Lord Bruse
Baron of Kinlose
1613 128vMr. Ed: Sackveils relation of his Combate
Worthy S[i]r I am not ignorant, soe ought
I to bee sensible of the false aspersions
some authorlesse toung[es] haue layd upon
mee; in the report[es] of the unfortunate passage
lately hapned between the lord Bruse
and my selfe which as they are spread
here soe Imay I iustely feare they
raigne where you are, there are but
two wayes to resolue doubt[es] of this nature
by oath or sworde: the first is due to
Magistrat[es] and Communicable to frend[es]
the other to such as malitiously slander
and impudently defend their assertion
yo[u]r loue not my merritt assures mee
You hold mee a frend which esteeme I
am so desirous to retayne doe mee
the righte to understand the truth of
that and in my behalfe informe others
who either are or may bee infected w[i]th
synister rumor[es] much preiudiciall to
that faire opinion I desire to hold amongst
all worthy persons and on the faith of
a gentleman the relac[i]on I shall giue
is neither more or lesse then the bare
truthe, The enclosed Contaynes the
first Citation sent mee from Paris by
a Scotish gent. who deliuered it to mee
in Darbishire at my ffather in lawes house129rwith the Lord Bruse:.
house; After it followes my then answer
returned him by the same bearor
the next is the Accomplishment of my
firste promise being a perticuler assignac[i]on
of place and weapons which I sent by a
servante of myne by Poste from Roterdame
assoone as I landed there, the Receipte
of which with an acknowledgment of my
too faire cariage to the deceased Lord
is testified by the laste which periods that
busines till tw wee mett at Tergous
in Zeland It being the place alotted for
Rendevouz where hee accompanied with one
mr Crayford an English gent for his
second, a Chirurgeon and a man arived
with all the speed hee cold and there
haueinge once rendered him selfe, I
adressed my second S[i]r Jhon Heydon to lett
him understand that nowe all followed
should bee done by Consent as concerni[n]ge
the Tearmes whereon {
we
} wee should
fight as alsoe the place. to our seconds wee
gaue power for these apointment who
agreed wee should goe to Antwerpe from
thence to Bergen upon Zoan where in the midd
waye but a village devided the States Teritories
from the Archduke and there was the destined
stage to the end that haueinge ended hee that
Cold might presently exempt himselfe from129vS[i]r Ed: Sackveils relation of the Combate.
himselfe from the iustice of the Country
by retyreinge into the dominion not offended
It was further concluded that in case any
should fall or Slipp that then the Combate
should cease and hee whose ill fortune had
soe subjected him was to acknowledge his
life to haue been in the others hands, but in
Case one parties sworde shold breake (because
that cold onely Chance by hazard) it was
agreed that the other should take noe
advantage but either bee made frends or
uppon euen tearmes to goe to it againe, thus
these Conclusions being by each of them
related to his partie was by us both approved
and assented unto, Accordingly wee imbarked
for Antwerpe and by reason my lord as I
Conceaue because hee cold not handsomelye
without danger of discovery had not payred
the Sword I sent him at Paris bringinge one
of the same length but twise as broade,
My second excepted against it and advised mee
to match my owne and send him the Choice
which I obeyed (it beinge as you knowe the
Challen[n]geds priviliege to elect his the weapon
at the deliuery of these swords which was
performed by S[i]r Jhon Heydon it pleased
the Lord Bruse to chuse my owne and130rwith the Lord Bruse.
my owne and then (paste expectation)
I told him that hee found him selfe soe
farr behinde hand as little of my bloods
would not serue his turne and therefore
hee was now resolued to haue mee alone
because hee knewe for (I will use his owne
words) that soe worthy a gent. and my frend
Could not endure to stand by and to see him
doe that which hee muste to satisfye
him selfe and his honor, Hereupon S[i]r Jhon
Heydon replyed such intentions weere bloody
and butchery farr unfittinge so noble a
personage who should desire to bleed for
reputation not for life with all adddinge
hee thought him selfe Iniured (being come
this farr) now to bee prohibited from
executinge those ho[nora]ble offices hee came for
The lord for answer onely reiterated
his former resolution, whereupon S[i]r Jhon
leaueing him the sword wee had elected
deliuered mee the other w[i]th his determinac[i]ons
the which (not for matter but manner)
soe moved mee as though to my Remembrance
I had not of a longe while eaten more
liberally then at dynner and therefore
unfitt for such an action, seinge the Chirurgeons
hold a wounde uppon a full stomach more dangerous130vMr. Sackveils relation of his Combate
more daingerous then otherwise I requested
my second to Certifie him I would presently
decyde the difference, and that therefore
hee should ymediately meete mee on
horsebacke at that gate of the Towne
where the lott should direct us, the names
of the Ports beinge putt into a hatte.
and hee draweinge it hapned to bee the
fate that ledd to Lillos, of this Course
hee accepted and forthwith wee mett
at the forenamed place where beinge
searched by our seconds wee were turned
together on horse backe onely waited on
by our Chirurgeons, they beinge unarmed
together we wee roade (but one before
the other some twelve score about some two
English myles and then passion haueinge soe
weake an enemy to assaile as my dirrec[i]on
easely became victor. and useinge his power
made mee obeedient to his Comandmente
I beinge verely madd with anger, the lord
Bruse should thirste after my life with a
kinde of assurednes, seeinge I had come
soe farr and needlessly giue him leaue
to regaine his loste reputation I bade
him alighte which with all willingnes hee
quickly granted and there in a Meadow
anckle deepe at leaste in water biddinge131rwith the Lord Bruse.
biddinge fare well to our doubletts
in our O Shirts began to Charg each other
haueinge afore Comanded our Surgeons
to withdrawe them selues a pretty distance
from us, Coniuringe them besides as
they respected our favors, or theire owne
safetye not to stirr but suffer us to
execute our pleasures wee being fully
resolued (god forgiue us) to dispatch each
other by what meanes wee Could, I
made a thruste at my enemy but was
shorte, and in draweinge backe my arme
I receaued a great wounde with a blowe
thereon which I interpreted as a rewarde
for my shorte shootinge but in revenge
I preste into him though I myste him
alsoe and then receaued a wounde in
my righte pappe which paste Levill
through my bodye almost to my backe
and grappelinge together, hee Catcht
hold on my sword I on his and there
wee wrasteled for the two greateste
and dearest prises wee could euer
expect tryall for; Honor & life, In
which struglinge my hand haueinge but
an ordinary gloue on it, loste one of her
servants (thoug the meanest) which hunge
by a skynn and to fight remaynes as before And131vMr Edward Sackveile relation of his
Combate.
And I am put in hope onely day to haue
the use alsoe, but at laste breathelesse yet
keeping our holds there paste on both sides
propositions of quitting each others swords
but when Amyety was dead confidence
Cold not liue, and who should quitt first
was the question which on neither parte
either would could p[er]forme, and restrivinge a
fresh with a kicke and a wrench together
I freed my longe Captiue weopon which
Incontinently leaveinge at his Throate
(being m[aste]r still of his). I demanded if hee
would aske his life or Yeild his Sworde (though
in that emynent danger) hee bravelytruely denyed
to doe my selfe beinge wounded and feelinge
losse of blood haueing three Conduits
runninge on mee began to make mee
fainte and hee Coragiously p[er]sistinge not
to accorde to either of my ProPositions
rememberance of his former bloody desire
and feelinge of my present state I strucke
at his harte but with his avoydeing myste
my Ayme yet paste through the bodye
yet draweing through my sword repaste
it through againe through an other
place, when hee Cryed oh I am slaine
seconding his speech, with all the force
hee had desirous to caste mee but beinge132rwith my Lord Bruse.
beinge too weake after I had defended
his assaulte I easely became m[aste]r of him
and layeinge him on his backe when beinge
over him I redemanded if hee would
request his life but it seemes he prized it
not at soe deare a rate to bee beholdinge
for it, brauely replyed hee scorned it
which answere of his was soe noble and
worthye as I proteste I could not finde
in my harte to offer him any more
vyolence onely keeping him downe till at
length his Surgeon afarr of Cryed out
hee would ymediately dye of his woundes
were not stopped, whereupon I asked
if hee desired that his Chirurgeon shold
Come which hee accepted of and soe
beinge drawen away I neuer offered to
take his sworde accomptinge it unhumane
to robb a dead man for soe I held him to bee
this thus ended I retyred to my Surgeon
In whose armes after I had remayned a
while for wante of bloode I loste my
sighte and withall (as ( I then thoughte)
my life alsoe but stronge water and his
dilligence quickly recovered mee, when
I escaped a great dainger, for my lords
Chirurgeon when no body dreamed of it
ranne full at mee with his lords sworde and had132vMr. Sackveils relation of his Combate
and had not myne interposed himselfe
I had beene slayne by those base hands
although the lord Bruse then welteringe
in his blood and paste expectac[i]on of life
(Conformable to all his former Cariage
which was undaunted and noble) cryed
out rascall hold thy hands, soe may I p[ro]sper
as I haue dealt sincerely with you
in this relation the which I pray with
the enclosed deliver to my lord Chamberlain.
Lovaine Septeember vjth 1613.
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Introduction
No introduction.
Manuscript
British Library, Harley MS 4761, ff. 127r-132v,
Languages: English
Creation date: 6 September 1613
Authors
Other Witnesses
- Beinecke Library, Osborn b50, ff. 65r–76v
- Beinecke Library, Osborn b8, ff. 88x–93x
- Bodleian Library, 4o Rawl. 550, ff. 29r–v
- Bodleian Library, MS Ashmole 781, ff. 67–70
- Bodleian Library, MS Tanner 82, ff. 81v–87v
- Bodleian Library, MS Willis 58, ff. 207r–v
- Transcript of British Library, Additional MS 22587, f. 25v
- Transcript of British Library, Additional MS 4149, ff. 210r–211r
- Transcript of British Library, Additional MS 44848, ff. 177r–179v
- Transcript of British Library, Additional MS 72407, ff. 52r–52v
- Transcript of British Library, Additional MS 73087, ff. 47v–52r
- Transcript of British Library, Hargrave MS 226, ff. 244r–249v
- Transcript of British Library, Harley MS 6854, ff. 3r–14r
- Cambridge University Library, MS Ee.5.23, pp408–412
- Huntington Library, EL 244
- Huntington Library, EL 245
- Inner Temple Library, Petyt MS 538/18, ff. 244r–v
- Queen's College, MS 121, f. 493
- Queen's College, MS 130, f. 118
- Queen's College, MS 32, ff. 9v–11v
Seventeenth Century Print Exemplars
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Modern Print Exemplars
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Keywords (Text Type)
- challenges
Keywords (Text Topics)
- duel
- honour
Transcribed by:
Tim Wales (Research Assistant)