Please see the introduction of this series for more information on the authors and context.
Like all his contemporaries, Brantôme witnessed the change of duels from very formal, public affairs to private hidden encounters. In this excerpt, he attributes this new habits to the example of the Italians, specifically the Neapolitans. He makes other points that I have found notable:
- The lack of armour is called out by other authors. Brantôme is original here in that he does not appear to find it a big problem, given that you’re fighting for your life either way;
- The weapons are expected to be those found on the spot, which makes it likely that no true equality was ensured;
- Not only are these unofficial, unsanctionned fights, but there was a habit of seconds (and thirds) to join the fight, instead of just ensuring equity. Several subsequent accounts confirm this. I am not currently able to confirm that Brantôme is right in attributing that particular habit to Neapolitans as well. At the very least it was his perception.
[Après la première partie décrivant des combats judiciaires]
Or, laissons ces contes puisque la pratique n’en est plus par le sainct Concile de Trente. L’on s’advisa à Naples (et s’use fort aujourd’huy) d’une autre manière de combats, qui se font par appels et seconds, hors des villes, aux champs, aux forests, et entre les hayes et buissons, d’où estoit venu ce mot: combattere à la mazza. Moy, curieux, j’ai demandé d’austresfois à gens biens experts en ces combats et mots chevaleresques la derivation du mot. Ils m’ont dict, dans Naples mesme, que matta en espaignol vaut autant à dire que buisson ou haye, et en langage Napolitain s’appelle mazza, corrompu, mais pourtant vient et dérive de là pour la longue habitude de frequentation de jadis entre les Napolitains et Espaignols qui ont estés bons maistres autresfois ; et pour s’appeller ainsy aux champs, entre les buissons, à l’escart, pour se battre, on disoit combattere à la mazza. Ils m’en ont dict autres raisons pour ceste derivation, que je laysseray pour prendre ceste-cy.
Or, les combats à la mazza sont estés fort desapprouvés par les docteurs duellistes anciens, pour beaucoup de raisons, dont l’une estoit : d’autant que ces combats se faisoient sans aucunes armes deffensives, ny couvrant le corps, ce que l’on requiert fort en camp clos pour beaucoup de raisons que les escrivains duellistes escrivent, mais seulement avecques l’espée et la cappe, ou à la dague, qui ne sont estimées armes deffensives, d’autant que d’elles-mesmes ne couvrent le corps, si-non en tant que la dextérité de la personne le permet : et la raison pourquoy ces duellistes veulent le corps couvert, est qu’ils disent qu’autrement est combattre en bestes brutes, et qui se vont precipiter à la mort comme bestes. Cela va bien, et est bon ; mais en quelque maniere que ce soit, quand on vient là, ou couvert, ou descouvert, il y faut venir résolu, ou mourir ou vaincre ; davantage, ceux sont plus à estimer qui vont au combat plus chargés de brave courage que de lourdes masses d’armes, là où il y a tant d’abus, comme j’ay dict cy-devant. Mais, tout ainsy que la querelle est prise, selon ainsy se doit-elle demesler et vuider, sans aller emprunter tant de diversité et sortes d’armes, sinon celles qui se sont trouvées sur le point du differend, ou la cappe, ou l’espée, ou la dague et l’espée, fust sans estre couvert ; et telle est l’opinion d’aucuns gallans hommes ; et si, au combats à outrance precedens que j’ay dict s’exerçoient peu de courtoisies, en combats de la mazza et d’appels il s’en est trouvé et veu aussy peu, et se sont peu practiquées ; mais (qui pis est) en tel combats de la mazza à Naples, il y avoit tousjours (ou le plus souvent) des appellans ou seconds, lesquels, voyans battre leurs compaignons, s’entredisoient entr’eux (bien qu’ils n’eussent debat aucun ensemble mais plustost amytié que hayne) : “Et que faisons-nous, nous autres, pendant que nos amys et compaignons se battent ? Vrayment, il nous fait beau veoyr ne servir icy que de spectateurs à les veoyr entretuer ! Battons-nous comme eux.” Et sans autre cerimonie se battoient et s’entretuoient bien souvent tous quatre. Cela estoit plus de gayeté de coeur que de subject et d’animosité.
Brantôme, Discours sur les Duels, p. 308-310
[After the first part describing judicial combat]
Let us leave these accounts there since the practice is no more by the holy Council of Trent. In Naples another form of combat has been invented (and is much used today), done by calls and seconds, out of the cities, in the fields, in the forests, between hedges and bushes, from which came the word: combattere à la mazza. I have been curious myself and asked before to people experts in these fights and knightly words how the word was derived. They told me, in Naples itself, that matta in Spanish means as much as bush or hedge, and in Napolitan language is called mazza, corrupted, but still comes from there from the long habit of frequentation between the Neapolitans and the Spanish, who were their good masters formerly ; and to call themselves to the fields, between the bushes and out of the way, in order to fight, they have been saying à la mazza. They told me other reasons for this derivation, that I will leave to take this one.Fights à la mazza have been strongly disapproved of by ancient doctors in duelling, for many reasons, one being that these fights are done without any defensive weapon, nor cover for the body, which is much required in the lists for many reasons that the duellist writers write about, but only with sword and cape, or dagger, which are not deemed defensive arms, because they do not guarantee the body by themselves, only to the degree that the skill of the person allows: and the reason why these duellists want the body covered, is that they say that otherwise the fight is akin to that of savage beasts, which throw themselves to death like animals. This is all well and good; but whatever the manner, when the moment comes, covered or not, there is need to be resolute to win or die; more, they should be praised who get in combat loaded more with bravery than a heavy mass of weapons, the latter being the occasion of so many abuses that I have described earlier. But, in the circumstances in which the quarrel emerges, thus must it be settled, without having to deal with such diversity of weapons, only those that were found in the place of the disagreement, be it the cape, the sword, or the sword and dagger, even without armour ; and such is the opinion of many galiant men. And if in the fights to the death that I have described previously there have been rare signs of mercy, in the fights à la mazza or by calls little has been seen as well. Worse, in such fights à la mazza in Naples, there were always (or most of the time) callers or seconds, who seeing their companions fight got used to telling each other (although they had no cause to debate between them, rather friendship than hate): “And what will we do ourselves, while our friends and companions are fighting? Really, it would be quite a sight that we would serve only as spectators to see them kill one another ! Let us fight like they do.” And without more ceremony, they would fight together and quite often end up all four dead. This is more by their fancy than because of animosity.
Brantôme, Discours sur les Duels, p. 308-310
I intend to watch this like a hawk. I am currently writing my dissertation on the duel in sixteenth century Italy. And Brantome is a source I have had some trouble unlocking, both in finding an original edition, and then the language. Yes scold me, I am a Canadian who has not learned his French.
I have two requests, and this will make your exploration far more significant as scholarship. First, somewhere on the page it would be good to know what edition of Brantome you are using. I am more than willing to help you sort this out.
Also, an acknowledgement of the pages from which you quotes are coming, even if it is as simple as “(Brantome, 88-89)” at the end of a block of text.
As to the duel “alla macchia” in Italian, I have found reports of these as far back as the 1450 in Naples, so Brantome might be on the money there. As to the seconds fighting, this is generally seen as more of a French thing. I can’t say it isn’t something that the French learned from the Neopolitans, I have not found a Neopolitan example in my travels. In comparison French duelling history is rife with them. You might want to track down Francois Billacois’ book on the Duel in early modern France.
Cheers
Hello, thanks for the interest!
I personnally have the Sulliver edition of Discours sur les Duels, but I thought it wouldn’t be the most convenient to quote from when there are other editions with practically identical texts available online at the BNF site. I have given the links to both books in the introduction:
Discours sur les Duels
Le Vray et Ancien Usage des Duels
I am going to link to the exact page of either of these in each post. It’s already the case but I’ll repeat the link in the translated quote to make it easier to find!
Regards,
Sigh, you are going to make me learn my French…. aren’t you. =)
This is great. I’ll be watching this very closely.
I’m currently reading Marc de la Beraudiere’s “Le Combat Seul à Seul en Camp Clos”. It’s a little later in date and trying to bring back some regulation to the duel.
Yes, there seems to have been a number of authors trying to propose ways to put some order back into these things… I’m only starting to realize how deep of a rabbit hole I’ve stuck my head in here!