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From William Shakespeare’s Henry VI, part 1 (III: 4):

Scene: Paris - The Palace

BASSET:

Villain, thou know’st the law of arms is such
That whoso draws a sword, ’tis present death,
Or else this blow should broach thy dearest blood.

Blackstone in his Commentaries (IV. 124): “By the ancient law … fighting in the king’s palace … was punished with death.”

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Posted on January 15th, 2007 by Scott Granneman
Categories: Language & Literature, history, law
Tags: death, history, law, literature, shakespeare