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On 7th August 1485 Alexander Stewart 1st Duke Albany (age 31) was killed in a duel with Louis XII King France (age 23), possibly at a tournament. His son John (age 1) succeeded 2nd Duke Albany.
On 1st August 1603 John Townshend (age 35) was killed in a duel on horseback with Matthew Browne (age 40) at Hounslow Heath [Map].
Matthew Browne died the following day.
On 8th November 1609 George Wharton (age 26) and James Stewart (age 24) killed each other in a duel at Islington Fields over a game of cards. They were buried together in the same grave in Islington, by the King's command on 10th November 1609.
On 21st April 1610 John Egerton was killed in a duel by Edward Morgan (age 34) at Highgate.
History of Parliament: "The elder Morgan was engaged in an unspecified legal battle with Sir John Egerton (age 59), and the duel was the culmination of a quarrel that had lasted at least four years. In June 1606 the younger Morgan had attempted to stab Egerton and his son John in church. Two years later, in August 1608, he had challenged the Egertons to meet him 'in any place of Christendom', describing Sir John as 'a filthy black knight' and his whole family as 'vipers'. These provocations were initially ignored, but when Morgan refused to return a hawk belonging to the Egertons which had landed on his property and abused the falconer with 'reproachful speeches', John Egerton had issued his own challenge, only to be forbidden from taking the field by his father.36 John would not let the matter rest, however, and on 19 Apr. 1610, after encountering Morgan at Prince Henry's Court, he again challenged Morgan, who not only accepted but described John's father as 'the greatest oppressor this day in England'."
In 1617 Arthur Wingfield was killed in a duel.
On 30th April 1636 Thomas Leventhorpe 2nd Baronet (age 43) was killed in a duel with Arthur Capell of Little Hadham (age 50). His son John (age 6) succeeded 3rd Baronet Leventhorpe of Shingey Hall in Hertfordshire.
In 1640 Ralph Eure of Bishop Middleham (age 38) was killed in a duel.
In 1644 Charles Crofts (age 21) was killed in a duel with the queen's dwarf Geoffrey Hudson. See Letters of Herietta Maria
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Before June 1645 Edward Knollys 2nd Earl Banbury (age 18) was killed in a duel. His brother Nicholas (age 14) succeeded 3rd Earl Banbury, 3rd Viscount Wallingford, 3rd Baron Knollys although was never summoned to Parliament as a consequence of questions over his father's paternity.
On 13th May 1652 Henry Compton was killed in a duel with George Brydges 6th Baron Chandos (age 31) at Putney, Surrey [Map].
On 22nd August 1661 Roger Grosvenor (age 33) was killed in a duel by his cousin Hugh Roberts.
Around 30th July 1667 Henry Belasyse (age 28) was killed in a duel following a drunken quarrel by his friend Thomas Porter over a trivial matter. The event was described by Samuel Pepys: Here Sir Philip Frowde, who sat next to me, did tell me how Sir H. Belasses is dead, and that the quarrel between him and Tom Porter, who is fled, did arise in the ridiculous fashion that I was first told it, which is a strange thing between two so good friends.
On 9th January 1669 Captain Francis Bromwich was killed in a duel, or a brawl. See Samuel Pepys Diary 11 January 1669.
In 1677 Charles Mohun 3rd Baron Mohun Okehampton (age 32) was killed in a duel. In 1677 His son Charles (age 2) succeeded 4th Baron Mohun Okehampton, 5th Baronet Mohun of Boconnoc in Cornwall.
In 1681 William Carnegie (age 19) was killed in a duel with William Tollemache (age 32) at Paris [Map].
On 6th July 1685 Sharington Talbot (age 29) was killed in a duel with Captain Love over whose troops fought better at the Battle of Sedgemoor which had been fought earlier the same day.
In 1686 John Talbot (age 21) was killed in a duel by Henry Fitzroy 1st Duke Grafton (age 22).
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 20th March 1688 George Killigrew (age 24) was killed in a duel or a tavern brawl.
On 19th December 1688 Catholic Major Walter Littleton was killed in a duel by Protestant Captain Charles Adderley, both of the Royal Horse Guards. The cause of the duel unknown although it may be related to how Littleton's withdrawal before the 15th Jun 1685 Battle of Axminster.
On 6th October 1692 Captain Philip Lawson was killed in a duel by his brother-in-law Charles Knollys 4th Earl Banbury (age 30). The House of Lords decided that he was not a Peer (there was doubt over the paternity of his father), and he pleaded in the King's Bench. The second husband his wife Anna Maria Knollys (age 36) had lost to dueling.
On 12th April 1696 Henry Bourchier Fane (age 27) was killed in a duel with Elizeus Burges at Leicester Fields Leicester Square.
On 20th August 1698 Henry Hobart 4th Baronet (age 41) died from wounds he had received in a duel with Oliver le Neve (age 36) at Cawston Heath, Norfolk. His son John (age 4) succeeded 5th Baronet Hobart of Intwood in Norfolk.
In August 1701 John Hamner 3rd Baronet (age 69) was killed in a duel (probably). His nephew Thomas (age 23) succeeded 4th Baronet Hamner of Hamner in Flintshire. Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton (age 33) by marriage Lady Hamner of Hamner in Flintshire.
On 22nd August 1701 Ferdinando Forster (age 31) was killed in a duel by John Fenwick. Ferdinando slipped on the cobbles before the duel commenced, and was run through by John Fenwick. As Ferdinando had slipped this was regarded as murder and exactly one month later, Fenwick was hanged on the same spot, the authorities having barred all the city gates to prevent any attempt by supporters, to rescue the condemned man.
In the annals of the line of "Bamburgh Forsters", Ferdinando is known only for his untimely end, and for his armour hanging in the Chancel of St Aidan's church, Bamburgh. It has been suggested that in a brawl at a Newcastle pub, Ferdinando, MP for Berwick, and Fenwick taunted each other with partisan political songs. But there seems to be more to it…
On 9th May 1711 Cholmley Dering 4th Baronet (age 31) was killed in a duel at Tothill Fields [Map]. His son Edward (age 6) succeeded 5th Baronet Dering of Surrenden Dering in Kent. The duel, unusually with pistols rather than swords, was with Richard Thornhill with whom Dering had argued in a pub near Hampton Court Palace, Richmond [Map] two days previously; Thornhill had afterwards sent Dering a note challenging him to a duel. Both pistols were fired but only Dering was hit. Richard Thornhill was tried for murder but convicted of the lesser offence of manslaughter. Thornhill was murdered three months later.
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 24th February 1752 Captain Thomas Grey (age 23) was killed in a duel with George Fermor (age 30) at Marylebone Fields. George Fermor was found guilty of manslaughter; he appears to have been sentenced to be burnt in the hand. He succeeded to his father's title the following year. See Letters of Horace Walpole.
On 3rd August 1769 or 25th August 1769 James Agar (age 55) was killed in a duel with Henry Flood (age 37) his political rival. James, who missed with his first shot, reputedly shouted "Fire, you scoundrel!": Flood duly fired. Flood was prosecuted for murder, but was found guilty of manslaughter, and spared a prison sentence, as according to the code of the time he had acted honourably. The case, which aroused huge public interest.
In 1776 Richard Fitzgerald (age 43) was killed in a duel by his daughter's father-in-law Edward King 1st Earl Kingston (age 49).
On 25th September 1777 John Tollemache (age 27) was killed in a duel in New York by Lowther Pennington. His two-year old son John Tollemache (age 2) was adopted by his brother Lionel Tollemache 5th Earl Dysart (age 43). Pennington was "accused of the Murder of the Honorable John Tollemache, Captain in the Royal Navy, and Commander of His Majesty's Ship of War, Zebra." Concluding, the court, "having considered the Evidence against the Prisoner Captain Lowther Pennington, together with what he had to Offer in his Defence, is of Opinion that he is not guilty of the Crime of which he stood accused, and doth therefore Acquit him."
September 29, New-York Gazette: "The Evening after the Arrival of the Fleet [September 25], a duel, with Swords, was fought at Hull's, between the Honorable J Talmash (Brother to Earl Dysert) Commander of the Zebra, and Capt Pennington (Son to Sir Ralph Pennington) of the Guards, who came Passenger in the Zebra; in which the former received a Wound under the left Breast of which he expired immediately; the latter was wounded in 7 different Parts, but is like to do well. Captain Talmash's Corpse were [sic] decently interred in Trinity Church Yard last Saturday Evening."
October 4, Rivington's New-York Gazette: "An unhappy difference having taken place on the passage between the Hon Capt Tollemache, of the Zebra, brother to the Right Hon the Earl of Dysert, and Capt Pennington, of the Guards, brother to Sir Joseph Pennington, it terminated in a duel on the night of their arrival, at Hull's Tavern, when the former was killed by a thrust in the breast, and the latter who received three wounds is in very great danger."
General Richard FitzPatrick (age 29) to his sister-in-law Anne Liddell FitzRoy FitzPatrick (age 40), Countess of [Upper] Ossory: "Captain Tollemache is killed in a duel by a wrongheaded officer in the Guards, a Mr Pennington, whom he brought over in his ship. As it happened at New York, we do not know the particulars, but everybody concludes the latter to have been in the wrong, from his general character. I cannot help pitying Lady Bridget, though she is a detestable woman."
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