ent to
the law that it is good, not daring to make defense, or to justify
themselves; but this offense expressly gives the law an affront, as
if there were two laws, one a kind of gown law and the other a law
of reputation, as they term it. So that Paul's and Westminster, the
pulpit and the courts of justice, must give place to the law, as the
King speaketh in his proclamation, of ordinary tables, and such
reverend assemblies; the Yearbooks, and statute books must give
place to some French and Italian pamphlets, which handle the
doctrines of duels, which, if they be in the right, _transeamus_
_ad_ _illa_, let us receive them, and not keep the people in
conflict and distraction between two laws. Again, my lords, it is a
miserable effect, when young men full of towardness and hope, such
as the poets call "_Aurorae_ _filii_," sons of the morning, in whom
the expectation and comfort of their friends consisteth, shall be
cast away and destroyed in such a vain manner. But much more it is
to be deplored when so much noble and genteel blood should be spilt
upon such follies, as, if it were adventured in the field in service
of the King and realm, were able to make the fortune of a day and
change the future of a kingdom. So your lordships see what a
desperate evil this is; it troubleth peace; it disfurnisheth war; it
bringeth calamity upon private men, peril upon the State, and
contempt upon the law.

Touching the causes of it: the first motive, no doubt, is a false
and erroneous imagination of honor and credit; and therefore the
King, in his last proclamation, doth most aptly and excellently call
them bewitching duels. For, if one judge of it truly, it is no
better than a sorcery that enchanteth the spirits of young men, that
bear great minds with a false show, _species_ _falsa_; and a kind of
satanical illusion and apparition of honor against religion, against
law, against moral virtue, and against the precedents and examples
of the best times and valiantest nations; as I shall tell you by and
by, when I shall show you that the law of England is not alone in
this point. But then the seed of this mischief being such, it is
nourished by vain discourses and green and unripe conceits, which,
nevertheless, have so prevailed as though a man were staid and
sober-minded and a right believer touching the vanity and
unlawfulness of these duels; yet the stream of vulgar opinion is
such, as it imposeth a necessity upon men of valu