Page 80 - All About History - Issue 09-14

Killing for honour

Seton had fired and missed and Hawkey’s misfire
also counted as a shot. Both men could leave with
their honour intact. The seconds could and should
have intervened. But now, controversially, Hawkey
and Seton were handed their second pistols.
According to Seton’s wife, it was Hawkey who
demanded that they both shoot again – but even if
this is true, Isabella drew attention to the fact that
Rowles did not withdraw Seton after his man’s first
shot had been “received but not returned”.
Perhaps Hawkey’s simmering hostility towards
Seton was such that neither second could impose
their will on him. For whatever reason, Hawkey and
Seton went to their marks once more and faced
each other, waiting for the word. Seton missed
again, but this time Hawkey made no mistake.
Because of the sideways stance adopted by
duellists, the ball entered his opponent’s right hip. It
passed through his lower abdomen wall and exited
from his left groin. Blood from the wound sprayed
the shingle for a distance of 70 to 100 centimetres,
(two to three feet), signifying an arterial bleed, and
Seton crumpled to the ground. Hawkey is reported
to have simply uttered: “I’m off to France”, as killing
someone in a duel was the same as killing them
under any other circumstances – against the law
– and a witness reported seeing two men dressed
in black running along a lane, hiding their faces as
they raced desperately past him.
Seton was transported to a hotel, where a life-
threatening aneurism was diagnosed. The artery
was repaired, but within days Seton began to
exhibit signs of a major infection. He died about
two weeks later – the last Englishman to die in
a duel on English soil. Hawkey and Pym went
to ground and that appeared to be the end of
the matter. There was something of a national
sensation a year later, therefore, when Pym
resurfaced and handed himself in. A young and
promising officer, he was visibly affected by the
way his life and career had been turned upside
Duels weren’t always fought to the death, but down out of a sense of loyalty to his friend. He
often until first blood had been drawn
gained the sympathy of the jury and was acquitted.
This was perhaps the signal Hawkey himself had
“ A witness reported seeing two men dressed been hoping for, because he now also offered
in black running along a lane, hiding their himself up for trial.
His barrister’s strategy was the same that had
faces as they raced desperately past” been employed at Pym’s trial: Seton hadn’t been
killed in a duel, but as the result of surgery that,

A history of duelling

1526
O King Francis I of O Paradoxes of O Bloody duel between Mohun and O One of the O Code Duello, the O Major Campbell
France challenges Defence by George the Duke of Hamilton, in which earliest recorded unofficial rule is tried for
the Holy Roman Silver is published, both of the high-profile figures pistol duels book of duelling the death of
emperor Charles which champions die and which helps seal public occurs between is published in Captain Boyd
V to a duel to sort the English opinion against sword duelling. Sir Deering and Ireland. The rules and sentenced
out their countries’ broadsword for its Swords are replaced as the Colonel Richard are criticised by to death, a rare
differences. Charles effectiveness over weapon of choice in duel by the Thornhill. The duel many, including occasion of this
predictably refuses the rapier pistol, which tended to result in proves fatal for those in power, for punishment
the challenge. in duelling. shorter and less bloody fights. Sir Deering. being too deadly. being used.
1526 1599 1712 1777 1777 1808

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