Dueling Burlesqued

Weekly Entertainer April 19, 1804 at 316-317.

A short time ago a foreign gentleman, a friend of the Prince De Conde’s, attended at the Public Office, Bow-street, to give information that a young gentleman of the name of Etienne du Cas, a relation of the prince’s, had received a letter from a gentleman, whom he did not know, calling him “a coward,” and challenging him to fight with pistols on Saturday afternoon. The writer acknowledged he was unknown to the party whom he was addressing by name, but stated that he would be in the ride in St. James’s Park at five o’clock on Saturday afternoon, mounted on a bright bay horse, with a white handkerchief in his hand, and on their meeting would adjourn to a proper place to fight. The letter concluded with stating the writer’s address to be “Edward Stephenson, Esq., No. 30, Great Ormond-street.”

In consequence of this information, warrants were issued against the challenger and the foreign young gentleman. In the evening, Etienne du Cas, attended by his relation, and a friend, appeared before Aaron Graham, Esq. in the custody of Baker; but the other party had not arrived. Mr. Graham then proposed that Mr. Du Cas should enter into a recognizance not to break the peace by being provoked to fight by Mr. Stephenson, which was agreed to, and was about to be taken by the clerk, when lo! A lilliputian hero entered the office, in the custody of Rivett, to the no small amusement of every one present, even the magistrate could not resist laughing, for the challenger proved to be a mere child, only fourteen years of age, but dressed in the extreme of fashion, with a very thick neckcloth and his shirt collar up to is ears, and only about three feet two inches high.

After the magistrate had recovered from his astonishment, he examined Master Stephenson as to the challenge sent to Mr. Du Cas, which he denied to be written by him, but acknowledged it was sent by two elder boys who were at Chigwell-school with him, and they signed his name with his consent. The offence given by Mr. Du Cas was, that he had been on a visit in the neigbourhood of Chigwell-school, and had paid some attention to MIss H.. with whom Master Stephenson was enamoured.

The magistrate reprimanded Master Stephenson and told him, if he did not make a very sufficient apology to Mr. Du Cas he would commit him to prison; he moreover said he should send for Masters George Leath and Joseph Harris, who had assisted in manufacturing the letter, and should hold them to bail to keep the peace.