LLOYD BOWEN is Reader in Early Modern History at Cardiff University.
A rich narrative that does much to inform the recent historiography of the relationship between aristocratic notions of honour and elite violence in early modern societies....Lloyd Bowen should be congratulated for making such a substantial contribution to the literature on duelling, litigation, masculinity, and elite honour culture more broadly. The book will be admired by scholars in the field for years to come. * MIDLAND HISTORY * This microhistory is an impressive deep dive into the thick documentation and surrounding historical contexts of a single event... Of particular value is Bowen's treatment of the significant questions of manslaughter and murder in homicide trials, and how the English common law determined those categories. I heartily recommend this book to all scholars of European violence, the law, and elite social relationships. Bowen has written a thorough microhistory in the best sense, reaching from a single event to a much broader constellation of important historical issues. * RENAISSANCE QUARTERLY *