elling. In that year his famous edict was promulgated,
in which he reiterated and confirmed the severe enactments of his
predecessors Henry IV. and Louis XIII., and expressed his determination
never to pardon any offender. By this celebrated ordinance a supreme court
of honour was established, composed of the marshals of France. They were
bound, on taking the office, to give to every one who brought a
well-founded complaint before them, such reparation as would satisfy the
justice of the case. Should any gentleman against whom complaint was made
refuse to obey the mandate of the court of honour, he might be punished by
fine and imprisonment; and when that was not possible, by reason of his
absenting himself from the kingdom, his estates might be confiscated till
his return.

Every man who sent a challenge, be the cause of offence what it might, was
deprived of all redress from the court of honour--suspended three years
from the exercise of any office in the state--was further imprisoned for
two years, and sentenced to pay a fine of half his yearly income.

He who accepted a challenge was subject to the same punishment. Any
servant or other person, who knowingly became the bearer of a challenge,
was, if found guilty, sentenced to stand in the pillory and be publicly
whipped for the first offence; and for the second, sent for three years to
the galleys.

Any person who actually fought, was to be held guilty of murder, even
though death did not ensue, and was to be punished accordingly. Persons in
the higher ranks of life were to be beheaded, and those of the middle
class hanged upon a gallows, and their bodies refused Christian burial.

At the same time that Louis published this severe edict, he exacted a
promise from his principal nobility that they would never engage in a duel
on any pretence whatever. He never swerved from his resolution to pursue
all duellists with the utmost rigour, and many were executed in various
parts of the country. A slight abatement of the evil was the consequence,
and in the course of a few years one duel was not fought where twelve had
been fought previously. A medal was struck to commemorate the
circumstance, by the express command of the king. So much had he this
object at heart, that, in his will, he particularly recommended to his
successor the care of his edict against duelling, and warned him against
any ill-judged lenity to those who disobeyed it.

A singular law formerly existed