reply, bear to be reproached
with breach of promise, by a rival inferior to him both in honor and
virtue.

But though this famous challenge between Charles and Francis had no
immediate consequence with regard to these monarchs themselves, it
produced a considerable alteration on the manners of the age. The
practice of challenges and duels, which had been part of the ancient
barbarous jurisprudence, which was still preserved on very solemn
occasions, and which was sometimes countenanced by the civil magistrate,
began thenceforth to prevail in the most trivial incidents; and men, on
any affront or injury, thought themselves entitled, or even required
in honor, to take revenge on their enemies, by openly vindicating their
right in single combat. These absurd, though generous maxims, shed much
of thee best blood in Christendom, during more than two centuries; and
notwithstanding the severity of law and authority of reason, such is
the prevailing force of custom, they are far from being as yet entirely
exploded.

CHAPTER XXX.

HENRY VIII

{1527.} Notwithstanding the submissive deference paid to papal
authority before the reformation, the marriage of Henry with Catharine
of Arragon, his brother's widow, had not passed without much scruple and
difficulty. The prejudices of the people were in general bent against a
conjugal union between such near relations; and the late king, though he
had betrothed his son when that prince was but twelve years of age, gave
evident proofs of his intention to take afterwards a proper opportunity
of annulling the contract.[*] He ordered the young prince, as soon as
he came of age, to enter a protestation against the marriage;[**] and on
his death-bed he charged him, as his last injunction, not to finish an
alliance so unusual, and exposed to such insuperable objections. After
the king's accession, some members of the privy council, particularly
Warham, the primate, openly declared against the resolution of
completing the marriage; and though Henry's youth and dissipation kept
him, during some time, from entertaining any scruples with regard to the
measure which he had embraced, there happened incidents sufficient
to rouse his attention, and to inform him of the sentiments generally
entertained on that subject. The states of Castile had opposed the
emperor Charles's espousals with Mary, Henry's daughter; and among
other objections, had insisted on the illegitimate birth of t