Cornish Characters and Strange EventsBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Cornish Characters and Strange Events
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Cornwall (England : County) -- Biography; Cornwall (England : County) -- History; Legends -- England -- Cornwall (County)
The Duke is said to have looked about him and remarked to his second,
"How grey and cold London looks this morning, and yet the sky is
almost cloudless." To which the Colonel replied, "It is through lack
of London smoke. London is nothing without its smoke."
The combat then commenced between the principals, and at a little
distance from them between the seconds.
The combat between the former was carried on with fury, and the clash of
steel called to the spot the keepers of the Park and a few stragglers
who were abroad there at this early hour--in all about nine or ten. None
of them interfered; they looked on as they might at a cock-fight.
In a short time the Duke was wounded in both legs, and his sword pierced
his antagonist through the groin, through the arm, and in sundry other
parts of the body. If they had thought little enough before of attending
to self-defence, they now seemed to abandon the idea altogether. Each at
the same moment made a desperate lunge at the other; and the Duke's
weapon passed right through his adversary's body up to the hilt. The
latter, according to one account, shortening his sword, plunged it into
the upper part of the Duke's left breast, the blade running downwards
into his belly. But there is another version of the story.
Meanwhile the seconds had been engaged, and Colonel Hamilton deposed:
"Maccartney had made a full pass at him, which he, parrying down with
great force, wounded himself in the instep; however, he took that
opportunity to close with and disarm Maccartney, which being done, he
turn'd his head, and seeing my Lord Mohun fall, and the Duke upon him,
he ran to the Duke's assistance; and that he might with the more ease
help him, he flung down both swords; and as he was raising my Lord Duke
up, he saw Maccartney make a push at his Grace"--this was explained to
be over his shoulder--and "he immediately look'd to see if he had
wounded him; but seeing no blood, he took up his sword, expecting
Maccartney would attack him again; but he walked off. Just as he was
gone came up the keepers and others, to the number of nine or ten, among
the rest Ferguson, my Lord Duke's steward, who had brought Bassiere's
man with him; who opening his Grace's breast, soon discovered a wound on
the left side, which came in between the left shoulder and pap, and went
slantingly down through the midriff into his belly. This wound is
thought impracticable for my Lord Mohun to give him."
Maccartney now took to his heels and fled, and tarried not till he was
secure in Holland.
Colonel Hamilton remained on the field, and surrendered himself to
arrest.
An attempt was made to remove the Duke to the Cake House, but he
expired on the grass. Lord Mohun also died on the spot.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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