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►
' AX
THE WORKS OF
GEORGE SILVER
A.D. 1^99
n:
Tvi:: ' -r. .ary
U L
*. ;
1
\^f ftafilr ttfpe m rfU SHavf astncicrtt ii^tsA^dn^, and tkat t/ui
pirn ft» t/dtuffU armcunt -pf/'JcPMWs ^ i^aJTumtr aruC
TTUf/ic fritwi narian ^ }i.TU\CUAni£^fi tv fcn^ojec
die n^lfU ^ct£^Tt7LtUu c(tL
CXBrcifntac ef
^29 f^ sJCOtcic ^i/li^J^ LicndcnuzTi^.
I ^s^ s
Title-page to the Prefentation Copy MS. of the
" Paradoxes of Defence." (No. 34,192.)
(Reduced.)
THE WORKS OF
GEORGE 5ILVER
COMPRISING
"l»ARADOXES OF DEFENCE"
[Frinted in 1599 and now reprinted^
AND
"BREF INSTRUCTIONS VPO MY PRADOXES OF
DEFENCE"
[Printed far the first time from the MS. in the British Museum]
EDITED WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY
CYRIL G. R. MATTHEY
CArrAIN, LORDON RIFLK BIUGADK ; MBMBKR OF THB LONDON rBNCING CLUB; AND
MBMSIIB d'HONNBUR DO CBRCLB D'RSCRIMB DB BRUXELLBS
WITH EIGHT COLLOTYPE REPRODUCTIONS FROM THE MS. IN
THE BRITISH MUSEUM
LONDON
GEORGE BELL AND SONS, YORK STREET
COVENT GARDEN »"^
1898
ri"i..;i'' !;. \ 'i.v
24364 6R
CHrSWICX PKBU >-€HARLBS WHITTINGHAM AND CO.
TOOKS COURT, CHANCBRY LANS, LONDON.
INTRODUCTION.
[N 1599 a certain George Silver published
a work entitled ** Paradoxes of Defence,
wherein is proved the trve grounds of Fight
to be in the short auncient weapons, and
that the short Sword hath aduantage of the long Sword
or long Rapier. And the weakenesse and imperfeftion
of the Rapier-fights displayed. Together with an
Admonition to the noble, ancient, viftorious, valiant,
and most braue nation of Englishmen, to beware of false
teachers of Defence, and how they forsake their owne
naturall fights : with a briefe commendation of the noble
science or exercising of Armes. By George Siluer
Gentleman. London, Printed for Edward Blount. 1 599.",
dedicated " To the Right Honorable, my Singvlar Good
Lord, Robert Earle of Essex and Ewe, Earle Marshall of
England, Viscount Hereford, Lord Ferrers of Chartley,
Bourchier and Louaine, Maister of the Queenes Maies-
ties horse, & of the Ordenance, Chancellor of the
Vniuersitie of Cambridge, Knight of the most noble
order of the Garter, and one of her Highnesse most
43X48 5
VI INTRODUCTION.
honorable Priuy Counsell.'* This book is a small 4to
volume of viii and 72 pages, containing three woodcuts —
a work but little known to any save antiquaries and col-
le6lors ; yet for all that it is a work which must have
possessed considerable value at the time it was written,
when duelling and brawling were matters of everyday
occurrence.
It was in all probability very shortly afterwards that
George Silver wrote " Bref Instru6lions vp8 my pra-
doxes of Defence for the true handlyng of all Mann' of
weapons together w* the fower grownds & the fower
gou'nors w*"** gouernours are left out in my pradoxes w*out
the knowledge of w*^ no Man can fight saf." This, as its
title indicates, bears very materially upon the earlier
work ; so much so, in faft, that the " Paradoxes " with-
out the "Bref Instruftions" cannot be considered a com-
plete work in the sense that was evidently intended by
the author when he wrote the later part The "Bref In-
stru(^ions/' however, so far as can be ascertained, were
never published ; and there is only the MS. to show that
this second and completing portion of the work was ever
contemplated, much less undertaken by the author. The
reason why this was not published will probably never
be known, but it must have been a matter of considerable
moment to have hindered the completion of a work
to which he evidently attached the very greatest im-
portance.
Be that as it may, the MS. of the "Bref Instruftions"
INTRODUCTION. vii
in question existed, but remained unknown except to
very few people up to about the year 1890, at which time
it was discovered in the MS. Department of the British
Museiun by the late Mr. W. London. He was warned
at the Museum to beware of assuming the work to be
autograph, but he afterwards stated in a letter to Captain
Hutton that he found '' the educated but careless and
corrupt spelling to be chara(^eristic of Silver/' and also
that he '' considered it to be the oldest English treatise on
arms, with the exception of that on the two-h^nd sword in
the Harleian MS. (3542), which dates from the fifteenth
century." The " Bref Instru6lions " consist of thirty-
four closely-written pages in very good preservation
there being but few places, and those of comparative
insignificance, where the handwriting is too faded to be
legible ; in such cases the context, however, clearly con-
veys the meaning. It is interesting to note that the
MS.* of the " Paradoxes " is also in the Library of the
British Museum, having been purchased in 1892 at the
sale of the MSS. of Edwin H. Laurence, Lot 603, at a
cost of ;^II.
From the time that the MS. of " Bref Instruflions '*
first became known to Mr. London he appears to have
studied it with considerable care, and, although not him-
self a fencer, he became at once so convinced of the prac-
• MS. 47 pages. No. 34, 192. " With ' Epistle Dedecatorie ' (flF. 4-6)
to Robert [Devereuz, 2nd] Earl of Essex. Probably the adtual presenta-
tion copy, &c." Vide Thimm's "Bibliography of Fencing and Duelling."
b
vui INTRODUCTION.
tfcal value to swordsmen of its .contents that he made ^
complete transcript of it — ^by no means a light undertaking '
when the caligraphy and spelling are taken into account
Knowing Captain Alfred Hutton by reputation as one
of the most universallyrecognized authorities on all matters
respefting the sword and its emplojrment, it occurred
to Mr. London after completing the transcript that
Captain Hutton was of all others the one best qualified
by his practical knowledge and experience to pronounce
definitely upon the merits of the MS. He accordingly
obtained an introdu^on, and, after some correspondence,
left the transcript for perusal. This occurred in 1894.
In due course it wasretumedi and then only Captain
Hutton learned of the rather sudden death of the lender,
who it appeared had some short time previously expressed
a wish that the transcript might be allowed to remain in
Captain Hutton's magnificent coUedlion of fencing and
duelling literature.
Thus it was, in 1895, that the " Bref Instruftions," by
far the more valuable part of George Silver s work, first
came under my notice. «
Realizing the vahie of this unpublished work Captain
Hutton eventually extracted from Mr. London's tran-
script of it the material upon which he based a most
interesting article in " The Indian Fencing Review " of
January, 1897, on "Sword Fighting and Sword Play,"
constituting in itself a highly practical little work, and
likely to prove of much assistance to the infantry officer
INTRODUCTION, ix
desirous of Tendering himself as ** handy " as possible
with his sword at close quarters*^ More. recently stilly
namely, on September 25, 1897, Captain Hutton gave
practical illustration of the ''grips" mentioned by him in
that artide at an exhibition of swordsmanship at the
Whitton Park Club, and this display following upon the
publication of his paper immediately recalled to my mind
die original MS* at the Briti^ Museum. I took an, early
opportunity of consulting this in order to make a closer
acquaintance with Silver's later and more important work,
which is probably the earliest ^in Eiigli^ at any rate) to
teach what is now considered to be the niost telling and
dassic style of fence, viz., '' Parry and Riposte."
Much in[q)res5ed^ by what I saw and afterwards read»
itstrudc me thata work so pecidiarly English, containing
so much matter of value to all swcxxlsmen, and to infantry
officers in particular, ought not to remain buried, but
should rather be published for the use of those who
care to read and learn. I therefore determined to
complete the work so nearly finished by George Silver,
by publishing his MS. of '' Bref Instru£lion&" Captain
Hutton and Captain Thimm, whom I consulted on this
idea, gave me every encouragement, the former most
kindly placing at my disposal the transcript made by Mr.
London for comparison when my own transcript was
completed.
After reading the "Bref Instnwftions" carefully through
in conjun£lion with the "Paradoxes," I determined to
X INTRODUCTION.
make the work really complete, as George SHver had
evidently intended it to be, by reprinting the '* Para-
doxes'' as nearly as possible in their original form, with
the ''Bref Instru<5lions'' following literatim et veriatim
in accordance with the MS.| and in the same style as the
•'Paradoxes.''
These latter alone contain much to interest the swords-
man and the antiquary, but it is ncft so much to this por-
tion of the work as to the ** Bref Instruif^ions" that I
desire to dire6l attention, owing to the remarkably clear
and concise manner in which much excellent and service-
able advice upon the handling of the sword is given.
Taking into consideration the fa<5l that the weapon re*
commended by Silver as the most serviceable nearly 300
years ago, though slightly longer and doubles-edged, was
for all pra6lical purposes similar, as regards the blade, to
the regulation weapon of to-day, much, if not all, that he
has written upon the handling of it in his time may well
prove of immense service to those whose lives are at times
dependent upon the more or less ready use of their swords.
The fa<5l that so little distinction is now made between
the swordsmanship of the duellist and that of the soldier
must be incomprehensible to the majority of fencers who
have given any consideration to the matter as thus defined.
Fencing as now taught throughout Europe is made, and
always has been, entirely subservient to the requirements
of the duel, with all its attendant etiquette. This distinc-
tion is demonstrated by almost any work (whether of
INTRODUCTION. xi
andent or of modem date) upon the art of sword-fencing,
and it is moreover a rule to which there are few exceptions.
That this distin^on should exist among continental
nations cannot be altogether a matter of surprise to us,
seeing that the possibility, and even, in certain countries,
the probability of a dud is common to both civil and
military sodety alike, but ^that this method should be
adopted in this country, where duelling is altogether a
thing of the past, it is not quite so easy to understand
As a means simply of promoting health, and as a re-
creation, fencing of the dassic schools, whether French or
Italian, cannot be too highly commended, and with simply
such obje<^ as these in view all the stringent etiquette of
the dud and the extreme niceties of the art of fence
should be strongly insisted upon in the fencing-room. It
is generally admitted that the true basis of all scientific
swordsmanship is foil-play — ^meaning thereby that a man
who is fairly expert with the foil will very soon render
himsdf equally so with the sabre; although I do not
suggest that a man cannot become a good sabre fencer
without the groundwork of foil-fencing— I merely say that
he is invariably the better for it
Now in all probability the only Englishmen to whom
swordsmanship can ever be a matter of real necessity are
officers in Her Majesty's Navy and Army, of whom it is
perhaps the infantry officer rather than any other that
should be considered on this account, and who in parti-
cular should be clearly instru^ed in the vast distin^ion
xii INTRODUCTION.
that exists between the sabre dud and the sabre fight,
shorn of all formality andrulesi as he would find it on
service, whether against a savi^e or a civilized enemy.
The method of instru^lton as at present authorized for
his use is so closely allied to the duelling system as to be
practically indistinguishable from it, and to such an extent
is this true that the authority responsible for its invention
and adoption has seen fit not only to negle£l all instruc-
tion respeAing either the attack or defence of the lower
limbs, but has a6hially gone so far a^ absolutely to pro-
hibit the attack or defence of any part of the body below
the hip. From this, and from many other instances of a
more or less similar nature, it is evident beyond dispute
that the system and etiquette of the duel have been
rigidly adhered to throughout, and this too in a text-book
presumably compiled to teach y9w sabre fighting, such as
would be encountered on active service. Clearly, in the
place of this, a simple system should have been drawn up
to teach an officer how to defend himself thoroughly, and
how to attack an adversary, without puzzling him with a
number of complicated parries and movements, which,
even if pra^cable with a feather-weight duelling sabre,
and in the fencing-room, become utterly impossible with
the regulation sword, and in a fight of the '' rough and
tumble" order. Given the present infantry regulation
sword of sufficient weight and strength to render it a
really serviceable weapon, it would be impossible for any
man to put into pra(^ice the principles which he is now
INTRODUCTION. xiii
supposed to be taught Why not, therefore, having de^
dded upon the pattern of the regulation sword, have
drawn up, or have caused to be drawn up, by one ormore
of our well-known swordsmen, competent from experi-f
ence to judge what is really requisite for the puipose, a
simple commou'^sense method oi sword-fighting ^vAXakX^
for service requirements. This could easily be taught, and
devoid of a great deal of that preliminary fendng-room
drudgery that so frequently proves to be the real bar to
further interest and improvement except in the case of the
enthusiast— a system, in &61, of such a description that
the advanced ''science" of the sword is as far as possible
diiminated from it, in order to make way for the simple
development of individual coolness and quickness by such
means as can without difficulty be pra<5lised by officers
among themselves at any time.
That such a system can be drawn up, and that there
are those who are thoroughly qualified to do it well, there
is no doubt — ^the main point to be borne in mind being
from the outset to dismiss all that to any unnecessary ex-
tent savours of the duelling school, and then to teach the
smallest number and the simplest of parries that will pro-
tect a T02Xifrotn head tofaot^ and the correal and quickest
way of delivering a cut or thrust, coupled with careful
ini^truflion in the judicious use of the left hand in defence,
which is now and has long been totally ignored. So soon
as an officer installed upon such simple lines as these
finds that he can always stop deliberate attacks delivered
xiv INTRODUCTION.
without feints (as they might usually be expelled), and
can make his ripostes with tolerable hope of success, he
will at once begin to acquire confidence in himself and in
his sword at dose quarters, and before long it is not un-
reasonable to believe that our officers generally would
learn properly to understand, and to form a more corre6l
estimate of the value of the weapons they wear as a
fighting arm, than with certain almost rare exceptions is
at present the case.
The whole matter pra6lically then amounts to this : In
order to make a man a fencer it requires an expenditure
of much time, patience, and labour on the part of instru6lor
and pupil alike. Why therefore endeavour to achieve so
much which at the best can only be done in comparatively
few cases, whereas far more practical results can be
attained, and that in a much larger number of cases, with
infinitely less trouble to all concerned ? Surely, if an
officer after practical experience found that he could hold
his own and render a good account of himself in a hand-
to-hand encounter on such lines as already suggested, is
it not also reasonable to suppose that this of itself would
prove sufficient incentive to him to look into the real
'* science " of the art of his own accord, and thus eventu-
ally to assist, though in a way unintentionally, in the
re-establishment of the art of fence in this country upon
an even better, and certainly upon a more justifiable basis
than that upon which it exists in other countries ?
To the infantry officer, then, whether he be a fencer or
INTRODUCTION. xv
not, and perhaps more especially in the latter case, I
earnestly recommend a perusal and careful study of the
'* Bref Instructions ;" for I am convinced that a great deal
of what he reads therein can be put into pra6lice in sword
encounters with highly successful results, especially when
they take place against men of savage or barbarian races
that Her Majesty's troops are now so frequently sent to
face in various quarters of the globe. To him I particu-
larly commend the " Gryps " (cap. 6), and the ripostes
that can be made from them — ^powerful parries, with
strong, rapid, and, in the majority of cases, most unlooked-
for ripostes, calculated to thoroughly surprise an adver-
sary under almost any circumstances.
As an example : A rushing opponent delivers a sweep-
ing downward blow at the left side of the head or neck.
This is met with a high prime parry, and nothing being
less likely Njthan a feint under such circumstances, the blow
can be met deliberately, or even with a forward movement
of the foot, and the assailant's sword-wrist gripped firmly
with the left hand under the right as his cut is checked,
and almost simultaneously with the formation of the
parry. The sword-point is then inclined to the rear over
the left shoulder, and the pommel dashed into his face
with terrific force, the way being further cleared for it by
pressure downwards with the left hand upon the adver-
sary's sword-arm. There are, of course, variations of
this, and a man fairly pra6tised in this class of close fight-
ing would be able easily to combine all these movements
xvi INTRODUCTION.
almost into a single afHon ; and there is, moreover, a
great point in favour of this, inasmuch as it is hardly
possible for any defence to be brought against a riposte
of this kind in time to prove successful. The more
furious and determined the onslaught the simpler and
more effeilive the parry and riposte really become.
Silver gives the "gryps" or seizures for use to meet
various attacks with ripostes of this description (in many
cases with the alternative of using the point), which can
most effe6lively be made from them, and these it is which
appear of such pra<5lical value as to warrant the publica*
tlon of them after so many years of oblivion.
It is true that they had gone out of vogue before his
time, as is shown by his statement in the *' Paradoxes,''
that "there are now in these dayes no gripes, closes,
wrestlings, striking with the hilts, daggers, or bucklers,
vsed in Fence-schools," but which at the same time
proves them to have been previously recognized, taught,
and used, and to have simply been lost sight of as times
and weapons changed.
It is sufficiently remarkable that from the very com-
mencement Silver lays great stress upon defence ; every
argument he makes use of points to the absolute necessity
of this in the first instance, and it is only when in safety
that he advises counter-attack or riposte.
The soundness of his views in this is amply justified
by the fa<5l that the most classic fence of the present day
is admitted by schools of fence of all nations to consist of
INTRODUCTION. xvii
die corre^tiy-formed parry followed by an instantaneous
riposte. He draws particular attention to the fa6l that
for years previous to his time all had been sacrificed to
attack, and that defence had been almost if not entirely
negledled for the sake of attack by those who made it
their business to teach the use of the sword — a fa<5l which
he justly condemns. This remains the point of primary
importance throughout Silver's work, and forms the very
essence of his teaching.
Much that we can read in the '' Paradoxes " appears
to have been, and doubtless was, written in a feeling of
intense irritation against and jealousy of Saviolo (the
writer on the rapier)* and his school, but the manner
in which he treats his own method of defence and attack
in his ** Bref Instructions/' as opposed to that of the
Italian school of his day, clearly proves that he had
thoroughly thought out the system which he advocated,
and that he had reduced it to a science practically of his
own creation, which is remarkable at any rate for much
common sense, and in some respeCls, perhaps, for teach-
ing of a unique kind. His ''Bref Instructions '' can be
still used with great effeCl, almost without modification,
to suit our modem sword, and it is on this account that
I have brought them forward, suppressing or adding no-
* '< Vincentio Saviolo. His PnuS&e, in two bookes : the first treat-
ing of the Use of the Rapier and Dagger, the second of Honour
and Honourable Quarrels. 4to, 1595. London: Printed by John
WoUe."
xviii INTRODUCTION.
thing, in order to show how wide a scope th6y still possess
for providing a powerful method of defence against all
weapons, and some simple though telling ripostes for use
in hand-to-hand fighting. Silver, too, fully realized the
fa(^ that the hilt or pommel of the sword (or the butt of
any arm) constituted an effeftively offensive portion of
the weapon if properly handled. A few modern authors,
who have written upon bayonet fighting, have taught the
use of the rifle-butt, but Silver was, so far as I have been
able to ascertain, the first writer to attach any importance
to the offensive possibilities of the sword-hilt. That in it
he indicates a weapon of great power, when used as an
auxiliary to the point and edge at close quarters, there
can be no doubt, for whereas many a man can do much
damage to his opponent after being run through the
body, especially if able for the moment to retain the
blade in himself (and thus render his enemy moment-
arily powerless), few if any would be able to stand up
against a back-handed blow in the face with the pommel
of a regulation sword.
I suggest that sword fighting is not taught, and that
it ought to be. Fencing should be encouraged to the
utmost, but fighting should be regarded, as it was by
Silver, as a distindl subjedl, and of much greater import-
ance in the majority of cases.
My advice to every infantry officer is to study these
grips closely, and to thoroughly master the simplicities of
sword fighting, and on no account to try to persuade him-
INTRODUCTION. xix
self that an intricate and possibly faulty duelling school
will keep his skin whole in hand-to-hand fighting, unless
he be already an expert fencer.
Cyril G. R. Matthey.
TO THE RIGHT
HONORABLE, MY SINGVLAR
GOOD LORD, ROBERT EARLE OF
Effex and Ewc,Earle Marfliall of England, Vif-
count Hereford, Lord Ferrers of Chartley, Bourchier
and Louaine, iSMaiJier of the ^eenes MaiejUes horfe , (S
of the Ordenance, Chancellor of the Vniuemtie of Cam-
bridget Knight <f the mofi noble order of the Gar-
ter ^ and one of her Eigbnejfe mofi ho-
norable Priuy Counfell.
m
Encing (Right honorable)
in this new fangled age, is like
our fafhions , euerie daye a
change, refembling the Ca-
melion,whoalteretli himfelfe
I into all colours faue white : fo
Fencing changeth into all wards faue the right.
That it is fo , experience teacheth vs : why it is
fo , I doubt not but your wifedome doth con-
ceiue. There is nothing permanent that is not
true, what can be true that is vncertaine ? how
can that be certaine,thatAandsvponvncertain
A3
The Epistle ,
grounds? The mindof managreedie hunter af-
ter truth, finding the feeming truth but chaun-
ging, not alwayes one, but alwayes diucrfe, for-
fakes the fuppofed, to find out the afTured cer-
taintie : and fearching euery where faue where
it fhould, meetes with all faue what it would.
Who feekes & finds not, feekes in vaine ; who
feekes in vaine, mufl if hewil find feeke againe:
and feeke he may againe and againe, yet all in
vaine. Who feekes not what he would , as he
fhould, and where he fhould , as in all other
things (Right honourable) fo in Fencing : the
mind defirous of truth, hunts after it,and hating
falfhood, flies firom it, and therfore hauing mif-
fed itonce,itafiayes die fecond time : if then he
thriuesnot,he tries another way : whe that hath
failed he aduentures on the third : & if all thefe
^e him , yet he neuer faileth to chaunge his
weapon, his fight, his ward, if 1^ any meanes he
may compafTe what he moft affeds: for becaufe
men defire to find out a true defence for them-
felues in their fight, therefore they feeke it dili-
gently, nature hauing taught vs to defend our
felues, and Art teaching how : and becaufe we
mifle it in one way we chaunge to another. But
though
•ers
Dedicatorie.
though we often chop and change , turne and
returne, from ward to ward, from fight to fight,
in this vnconftant fearch , yet wee neuer reft in
anie, and that becaufe we neuer find the truth:
and therefore we neuer find it, becaufe we neuer ^f^t^^^
feeke it in that weapon where it may be found. pr»fiunemm-
For , to feeke for a true defence in an vnxxucZnmciul'^ .
weapon, is to angle on the earth for fifli, and to ^^'^'i^ujt
huntin the fea for Hares: truth is ancient though J^S,^*-'^^*'^,
it leeme an vpftart : our forefathers were wife,«»^r«r«i»r«
though our age account them foolifh , valiant <aI^U^^^
though we repute them cowardes : they found ^^Jj^"^
out the true defence for their bodies in ^o^t * ^ff**^'-
weapons by their wifdome, they defended them thmfife, mj,
(elues and fubdued their enemies , with thofe^,;IJ«r *
weapons with their valour. And (Right bono- '^g^^*
rable)ifwewill haue this true Defence, we muft'^w^T^/*-
feeke itwherc it is, in fliort Swords, fliort Staues vrmu.deftna
the halfe Pike , Partifans , Gleucs , or luch like *{iitt£r!f!'
weapons of perfed l6gths , not in long Swords, ^!?,!fl^j^**
long Rapiers, nor frog pricking Poiniards : for "«*'. «^/«/-
if there be no certain grounds for Defence,why heM/t it ma-
do they teach it? if there be , why haue they notjJ^^/£j/;
found it? Not becaufe it is not : to fay fo, were iiJ^/S'iSl
to gainefay the truth : but becaufe it is not cer->««'"*'' "''^
A4
warns.
The Epistlb
taine in thofe weapons which they teach. To
proue this, I haue fet forth thefe my Paradoxes,
different I confefTe from the maine current of
our outlandish teachers, but agreeing I am well
aflured to the truth , and tending as I hope to the
honor of our Englifh nation. The reafon which
moued me to aduenture fo great a taske , is the
defire I haue to bring the truth to light, which
hath long time lyen hidden in the caue of con-
tempt, while we like degenerate ibnnes, haue
forfaken our forefathers vertues with their wea-
pon8,and haue lufted like men fickeofaftrange
ague, after the ftrange vices and deuifes of Ita-
lian, French and Spanifh Fencers, lideremem-
bring , that thefe Api(h toyes could not free
Rome from Brennius facke, nor Fraunce from
King Henrie the fifthis conquefl. To this defire
to find out truth the daughter of time, begotten
of Bellona , I was alfb moued ,that by it I might
remoue the great lofle of our Englifh gallants,
which we daily fufFer by thefe imperfed fights,
wherein none vndertake the combat , be his
caufeneuerfo good, his cuning neuer fo much,
his fbrength and agilitie neuer fo great, but his
vertue was tied to fortune : happie man, happie
doale^
Dedicatorie.
doale , kill or be killed is the dreadfiill ifTue of
this diuelliih imperfed fight. If that man were
now aliue, which beat the Maifler for the fcho-
lers £iult , becaufe he had no better inftruded
him , thefe Italian Fencers could not efcape his
cenfure , who teach vs Of&nce , not Defence,
and to fight , as Diogenes fcholers were taught
to daunce, to bring their lines to an end by Art.
Was Aiax a coward becaufe he fought with a
feuen foulded Buckler, or are we mad to go na-
ked into the field to trie our fortunes, not our
vertues? Was Achilles a run-away , who ware
that well tempered armour, or are we defperat,
who care for nothing but to fight, and learn like
the Pigmeys, to fight with bodkins, or weapons
of like defence? Is it valour for a man to go na-
ked againfl his enemie? why then did the La-
cedemonians punifh him as defperate, whom
they rewarded for his vallour with a Lawrell
crowne ? But that which is mofl fhamefuU, they t» Ms itmiiit
teach mg to butcher one another here at home 'l^fi^^tj'
in peace.wherewith they cannot hurt their ene- */'/'" ^5«r'
mies abrode in warre. For, your Honour wcilMf smrds. t*
knowes, that when the battels are ioyned, and tv^^S/Sf-
come to the charge, there is no roome for them 3S'*i^*!£f
baiuno
The Epistle
'Sf'ZfhtfMjji. to drawe their Bird-fpits , and when they haue
jmintbiirit- them, what can they doc with them? can they
tuujftrtbibai, pierce his Comet with the pomtr can they vn-
ltfM*iSg!> ^ l^ce his Helmet, vnbuckle his Armour, hew a-
£/^y^;2:!^funder their Pikes with a ^S/octf/tf, a rw^rya, a Dr/V/tf,
'!fi'Jh(aS ^ Stramafon,or other fuch like tdpeftuous termes?
tbefiMtfbis no, thefe toyes are fit for children, not for men,
/hmoHf^is"' for ftragling boyes of thd Campe , to murder
Ik^iusX poultrie, not for men of Honour to trie the bat-
3w!fe'^ tellwith their foes. Thus I haue (right Honora-
Mitgainejiite blc) for thc trial of the truth, betweene the (hort
^bs^^tmgL, Sword and the long Rapier, for the fauing of the
^a^^MfbST ^i^cs of our Englifh gallants , who are fent to.
%i* "^"-^'^certaine death by their vncertaine fights , & for
abandoning of that mifchieuous and imperfed
weapon,which femes to kill our fi'iSds in peace,
but caiinot much hurt our foes inwarre , naue I
at this time giuen forth thefe Paradoxes to the
view of the world. And becaufe I knowe fuch
flraunge opinions had need of flout defence, I
humbly craue your Honorable protedion , as
one in whom the true nobility of our vi£torious
Aunceflors hath taken vp his refidence. It will
fiite to the refl of your Honours moft noble c6-
plements , to maintaine the defence of their
weapons
Dedicatory.
weapons whofe vertues you polTeile. It agrees
with vour Honourable difpoGtion , to receiue
with rauour what is prefentedvidthloue. It forts
with your Lordfhips high authority , to weigh
with reafon, what is fit for marfhall men. It is an
vfuall point of your Honor , which winnes your
Lord(hip loue in your countrey , to defend the
truth in whomfoeuer : and it addeth a fupply to
that which your Lordfhip haue of late begun
to your vnfpeakeable honor and our ineftima-
ble benefite, to reduce the wearing of fwordea
with hilts ouer the hands, to the Romanedifci- fhAf>^^
-. - 1 1 • 1 1 1 UMUtbtbMi
pline, no longer then they might draw them vn- MhJ^uce tier-
der their armes , or ouer their fhoulders. In all %!!^^dtfe^
or any of thefe reJpeds, I reft afTured that your ^JJJi-'J^'
Lordfhip will vouchfafe to receiue with muor muMje^Mj
and maintaine with honour thefe Paradoxes o(M$re0fi»iMt
mine, which if they be fhroudedvnder fo iafe 9i*^!^l^mu
fhield, I will not doubt but to maintaine with'T^/'^'i^f'*"
reafon amongft the wife , and proue it by pra- ttterptrttfttt
difevpon the ignorant, that there is no certaine *"*
defence in the Rapier , and that there is great
aduantage in the mort Sword againft the long
Rapier, or all maner of Rapiers in generall , of
w^hat length foeuer. And that the fhort StafFe
The Epist. Dedicatorie.
hath the vauntage againft the long StafFe of
twelue, fourcteene, fixteene or eightecne foote
long, or of what length foeuer. And againft two
men yvith their Swordes and Daggers, or two
Rapiers, Poiniards & Gantlets, or each of them
a cafe of Rapiers : which whether I can per-
forme or not, I fubmit for triall to your Honors
martiall cenfure , being at all times readie to
make it good, in what maner,and againft what
man foeuer it ftiall ftand with your Lordfhips
good liking to appoint. And {o I humbly com-
mend this booke to your Lordfhips wifedome
to perufc, and your Honour to the Higheft to
proted in all health and happinefTe nowe and
euer.
Your HoiMH^ in all dutie,
Qeorge Siluer.
AN
T'"" ;•—.' vp-.K [
:rj.': i.::,::ary
PU
■■ tn, l. W i l ■
_ ^nojfnioTn
tn^n^.
j_-^-___^ — .^ _^
I 'Vve't9rficu^,'va£ta'>vt>,^/L^rviC
<y^SA^(^
■s \
' ]
! '•
Faciimile of page 8 of the " Paradoxes of Defence."
(Reduced.)
AN ADMONITION
TO THE NOBLE, ANCIENT,
VICTORIOVS, VALIANT, AND
MOST BRAVE NATION OF
ENGLISHMEN.
\Eorge Siluer hauing the perfeft i
^ knowledge of all maner of weapos,
I and being experieced in all maner
of fights, thereby perceiuing the
'great abufes by the Italian Tea-
chers of Offence done vnto them,
the great errors, inconueniences, &
falfe refolutions they haue brought
them into, haue inforced me, euen of pitie of their moft
lamentable wounds and ilaughters, & as I verily thinke
it my bounden dutie, with all loue and humilitie to ad-
monifh them to take heed, how they fubmit them-
felues into the hands of Italian teachers of Defence, or
(Iraungers whatfoeuer; and to beware how they forfake
or fufpeft their owne naturall fight, that they may by
calling off of thefe Italianated, weake, fantaflicall, and
moft diuellifh and imperfect fights, and by exerci-
fing of their owne ancient weapons, be reflored, or
atchieue vnto their natural, and moft manly and victo-
rious fight againe, the dint and force whereof manie
B
2 An Admonition
brauc nations hauc both felt and feared. Our plough-
men haue mightily preuailed againft them, as alfo a-
gainfl Maifters of Defence both in Schooles and coun-
tries, that haue taken vpon the to ftand vpon Schoole-
trickes and iugling gambolds; whereby it grew to a
common fpeech among the countrie-men. Bring me to
a Fencer, I will bring him out of his fence trickes with
good downe right blowes, I will make him forget his
fence trickes I will warrant him. I fpeake not againft
Maifters of Defence indeed, they are to be honoured,
nor againft the Science, it is noble, and in mine opinio
to be preferred next to Diuinitie ; for as Diuinitie pre-
ferueth the foule from hell and the diuell, fo doth this
noble Science defend the bodie from wounds & flaugh-
ter. And moreouer, the exercifing of weapons putteth
away aches, griefes, and difeafes, it increafeth ftrength,
and ftiarpneth the wits, it giueth a perfedt iudgement,
it expelleth melancholy, cnolericke and euill conceits,
it keepeth a man in breath, perfedt health, and
long life. It is vnto him that hath the perfection there-
of, a moft friendly and comfortable companion when
he is alone, hauing but only his weapon about him, it
putteth him out of all feare, & in the warres and places
of moft danger it maketh him bold, hardie, and valiant.
And for as much as this noble and moft mightie na-
tion of Englifhmen, of their good natures, are alwayes
nioft louing, verie credulous, & ready to cherifti & pro-
tect ftragers : yet that through their good natures they
neuer more by ftrangers or falfe teachers may be decei-
ued, once againe I am moft humbly to admonifti the, or
fuch as fhal find in themfelues a dufpofition or defire to
learne their weapons of them, that from henceforth as
ftran-
An Admonition.
ftrangers (hall take vpon them to come hither to teach
this noble & mofl valiant, & victorious nation to fight,
that firft, before thej learne of them, they caufe a fuifi-
cient triall of them to be made, whether the excellencic
of their skill be fuch as they profeiTe or no, the triall to
be very requiiite & reafonable^ euen fuch as I my ielfe
would be contented withall, if I fhould take vpon me to
go in their countrie to teach their nation to fight. And
this is the triall: theyfhall play with fuch weapos asthey Jgreatfimtr to
profeiTe to teach withall, three bouts apeecc with three ^^^j^^/^j^
of the befl Englifh Maiflers of Defence, & three bouts ^hecaufi^o^^s
apeece with three vnskilful valiant men, and three bouts of arms ought to
apeecewiththreerefolutemenhalfdrunke. Then ifthey ^fjiJfjf^^f
can defend thefelues againfl thefe maiflers of Defence,
and hurt, and go free from the refl, then are they to be
honored, cherifhed, and allowed for perfeft good tea-
chers, what countrey men foeuer they be: but if of anie
of thefe they take foile, then are they imperfect in
their profeffion, their fight is falfe, & they are falfe tea-
chers, deceiuers and murtherers, and to be punifhed ac-
cordingly, yet no worfe punifhment vnto them I wifh,
then fuch as in their triall they fhall find.
There arefoure ejpeciall markes to know the Italian fight
is imperfeB. & that the Italian teachers and fetters
forth of books of Defence^ neuer had the per-
feBion of the true fight.
the firfl marke is, they feldome fight in their 2
:owne country vnarmed, commonly in this Tet they per-
kfort, a paire of Gantlettes vpon their hands, ^^tfeoftU^S!^
*and a good fhirt of maile vpon their bodies. pUr without hilt
The fecod marke is, that neither the Italians, nor any or^^tkt is fuffi-
B 2 ^ *
4 George Siluer his
of their beft fcholers do neuer fight, but they are
moft comonly fore hurt, or one or both of them flaine.
The third marke is, they neuer teach their fcholers,
nor fet downe in their bookes anie perfe6t lengthes of
their weapons, without the which no man can by nature
or Art againft the perfe6t legth fight fafe, for being too
fhort, their times are too long, and fpaces too wide for
their defence, and being too long, they wilbe vpon eue-
rie crofle that fhall happen to be made, whether it be
done by skil or chance, in great danger of death; becaufe
the Rapier being too long, the croffe cannot be vndone
in due time, but may be done by going backe with the
feete ; but that time is alwaies too long to anfwere
the time of the hand, therfore euery man ought to haue
a weapon according to his owne flature : the tall man
mufl haue his weapon longer then the man of meane
ftature, or elfe he hath wrong in his defence, & the man
of meane flature mufl haue his weapon longer then the
man of final flature, or else he hath wrong in his defence;
& the man of fmal flature mufl beware that he feed not
himfelf with this vaine coceipt, that he wil haue his wea-
pon long, to reach as farre as the tall man, for therin he
fhal haue great difaduantage, both in making of a flrong
croffe, and alfo in vncrofling againe, and in keeping his
Eoint from croffing, and when a croffe is made vpon
im, to defend hinifelf, or indanger his enemie, or to re-
deeme his lofl times. Againe Rapiers longer, then is
conuenient to accord with the true flatures of men, are
alwaies too long or too heauie to keepe their bodies iii
due time from the croffe of the light fhort fword of per-
fe6t length, the which being made by the skilfull out of
any of the foure true times, vpon any of the foure chiefe
Afti-
Paradoxes of Defence. 5
Adions, by reafon of the vncertaintie & great iwiftnefle
in any of thefe times, they are in great danger of a blow,
or of a thruft in the hand, arme, head, body, or face, & in
euerie true croffe in the vncrofling, in great danger of a
blow vpon the head, or a full thruft in the bodie or face:
and being taken in that time & place, the firft mouer in
vncrofling fpeedeth the Rapier man of imperfe<£t legth,
whether it be too long, too fhort or too heauie, and go-
eth free himfelfe by the diredtion of his gouernours.
The fourth marke is, the croffes of their Rapiers for
true defence of their hands are imperfedl, for the true
cariage of the guardant fight, without the which all
fights are imperfedt.
Of fixe chiefe caujes^ that many valiant men thinking
themfelues by their praBifes to be skilfull in their
weapons^ are yet manie times in their fight fore
hurty and manie times fiaine by men of
fmall skilly or none at all.
(He firft and chiefeft caufe is, the lacke of the 3
[foure Gouernours, without the which it is
kimpofiible to fight fafe, although a man
^fhould pradtife moft painfully and moft di-
ligently all the daies of his life.
The fecond caufe is, the lacke of knowledge in thedue
obferuance of the foure Adtions, the which we cal bent,
fpent, lying fpent, and drawing backer thefe Adtions e-
uerie man fighteth vpon, whether they be skilfull or vn-
skilfiiU, he that obferueth them is fajfe, he that obfer-
ueth the not, is in cotinuall danger of euerie thruft that
fhalbe ftrongly made againft him.
B3
6 George Siluer his
The third cgufe is, they are vnpradtifed in the foure
true times, neither do they know the true times fro the
falfe : therefore the true choife of their times are moft
commonly taken by chance, and feldome otherwiie.
The fourth cauie is, they are vnacquainted out of
what fight, or in what maner they are to anfwer the va-
riable fight: and therefore becaufe the variable fight is
the moft eafieft fight of all other, moft comonly do an-
fwer the variable fight with the variable fight, which
ought neuer to be but in the firft difbuice, or with the
fhort Sword againft the long, becaufe if both or one of
them fhall happen to prefe, and that in due time of nei-
ther fidefight be changed, the diftance, by reason of nar-
rownefTe of fpace, is broken, the place is won and loft of
both fides, then he that thrufteth firft, fpeedeth: if both
happen to thruft together, they are both in daeer, Thefe
things fometimes by true times, by change of fights, by
chance are auoided.
The fift caufe is, their weapons are moft commonly
too long to vncrofTe without going backe with the feet.
The fixt caufe is, their weapons are moft commonly
too heauie both to defend and offend in due time, & by
thefe two laft caufes many valiat me haue loft their Hues.
What is the caufe that wife men in karning or pra&ifing
their weapons ^ are decehied with
Italian Fencers*
i
ihatbmtd^in T^Hcre are foure caufes : the firft, their schoolmaifters
force a true X are imperfeft: the fecond is, that whatfoeuer they
^^* teach, is both true & falfe; true in their demoftrations,
according with their force& time in gctleplay,& in their
actions
Paradoxes of Defend j
actions according with true force & time in rough play
or fight, £dfe : for exaple, there is as much difference be-
twixt thefe two kind of fights, as there is betwixt the true
pidureof Sir Beuis oi Southampton^bc Sir^tf/>himfelf,if
he were liuingv' The third, none ca iudge oftheCraftbut
the Crafts-man; the vnskilfull, be heneuer fo wife^ can
not truly iudgeof his teacher, or skill, the which helear-
neth, being vnskilful himfelfe. Laflly, & to confirme for
truth all that fhal be amifle, not only in this elxcellet Sci«-
ence of Defence, but in all other excellent fecrets, moft
commonly the lye beareth as good a fhew of truth, as
truth it felfe.
Ofthefalfe refolutions and vaine apmicns of Rapier^men^
and of the danger of death thereby enjiiing.
!T is a great queflion, & efpecially amogft 4
'the Rapier-men, who hath the vantage of
J the thrufler, or of the warder. Some hold
Jflrongly, that the warder hath the vantage :
^others fay, it is mofl certain that the thru**
fler hath the vantage. Now when two do happe to fight,
being both of one mind, that the thrufler hath the van-
tage, they make all fhift they can, who fhall giue the firfl
thrufl: as for example, two Captaines at Southampton e-
uen as they were going to take fhippingvpon thekey,fel
atflrife, drew their Rapiers, and prefently, being defpe-
rate, bardie or refolute, as they call it, with all force and
ouer great fpeed , ran with tneir rapiers one at the o-
ther, & were both flaine. Now when two of the contrary
opinion fhall meet and fight, you fhall fee verie peacea-
ble warresbetweene them: for they verily thinke that he
8 <Teorge Siluer bis
that firft thrufteth is in great danger of his life, there-
fore with all fpeede do put themfelues in ward, or Sto*
cata, the furefl gard of all other, as Vincentio faith, and
therevpon they ftand fure, faving the one to the other,
thruft and thou dare; and iaith the other, thrufl and
thou dare, or ftrike or thrufl and thou dare, £uth the o-
ther: then faith the other, ftrike or thruft and thou dare
for thy life« Thefe two cunning gentlemen ftanding
long time together, vpon this worthie ward , they both
depart in peace, according to the old prouerbe : It is
20od fleeping in a whole skinne. Againe if two fhall
fight, the one of opinion, that he that thrufteth hath the
vantage, and the other of opinion, that the warder hath
the vantage » then most commonly the thrufter being
valiant, with all ipeed thrufteth home, and by reafbn
of the time and fwift motion of his hand, they are moft
commonly with the points of their rapiers, or daggers,
or both, one or both of them hurt or flaine ; becaufe
their fpaces of defence in that kind of fight, are too wide
in due time to defend, and the place being wonne, the
eye of the Patient by the fwift motion of the Agents
hand, is deceiued. Another refolution they ftand fure
vpon for their Hues, to kill their enemies, in the which
they are moft conmionly flaine themfelues : that is this:
When they find the point of their enemies rapier out
of the right line, they fay, they may boldly make home a
thruft with a Pajfata^ the which they obferue, and do ac-
cordingly: but the other hauing a fhorter time with his
hand, as nature manie times teacheth him, fodainly tur-
neth his wrift, whereby he meeteth the other in his paf-
fage iuft with the point of his rapier in the face or body.
And this falfe refolution hath coft manie a life.
That
Paradoxes of Defence. 9
That the caufe that manie arefo often Jlaine^ and manie
fore hurt in fight with long Rapiers is not by reafon of
'their dangerous thrufis^ nor cunningneje of that
b alienated fight , but in the kngu) and
vnweildinejfe thereof
T is moft certainc, that men may with
fhort fwords both ftrike, thruft, falfe and
double , by reafon of their diftance and
nimbleneife thereof, more dangeroufly
, then they can with long Rapiers: and yet
when two fight with mort fwordes , hauing true fight,
there is no hurt donemeither is it poflible in anie resufon,
that anie hurt fhould be done betwixt them of either
fide , and this is well knowne to all fuch as haue the per-
fedtion of true fight . By this it plainely appeareth, that
the caufe of the great flaughter, and fundrie hurts done
by long Rapiers, confifteth not in long Reach , dange-
rous thruftes, nor cunningneiTe of the Italian fight, but
in the inconuenient length, and vnweildinefile of their
long Rapiers: whereby it commonly falleth out , that in
all their Adtions appertaining to their defence, they are
vnabie, in due time to performe,and continually in dan-
ger of euerie croffe, that fhall happen to be made with
their rapier blades, which being done , within the halfe
rapier; (vnleflfe both be of one mind with all fpeed to de-
part, which feldome or neuer happneth betweene men
of valiant difpofition ,)it is impofiible to vncroflfe, or get
out , or to auoid the ftabbes of the Daggers . And this
hath falne out manie times amongft valiant men at
thofe weapons^
C
I o George Siluer bis
Of running and Jianding faji in Rapier fight ^ the runner
hath the vantage.
F two valiant men do fight being both cun-
ning in running, & that they both vfe the fame
at one inftant, their courfe is doubled, the
place is wonne of both fides, and one or both of them
will commonly be flaine or fore hurt: and if one of them
fhall runne, and the other ftand faft vpon the Imbrocata
or Stocatay or howfoeuer, the place wilbe at one inftant
wonne of one fide, and gained of the other, and one or
both of them wilbe hurt or flaine: if both fhall prefe
hard vpon the guard, he that firfl thrufleth home in true
place, hurteth the other: & if both thrufl together, they
are both hurt: yet fome vantage the runner hath, be-
caufe he is an vncertaine marke, and in his motion: the
other is a certaine marke, and in a dead motion: and by
reafon thereof manie times the vnskilfull man taketh
vantage he knoweth not how , againfl him that lycth
watching vpon his ward or Stocata guard.
Offiriking andtbrufiing both together.
It is flrongly holden of manie, that if in
fight they find their enemy to haue more
skill then themfelues, they prefently will
continually flrike, & thrufl iufl with him,
whereby they will make their fight as
good as his, and thereby haue as good aduantage as the
other with all his skill: but if their fwordes be longer
then the other, then their aduantage is great; for it is
certaine
Paradoxes of Defence. 1 1
certaine (fay they) that an inch will kill a man: but if
their fwordes be much longer then the other, then their
aduantage is fo great, that they wilbe iure by thrufting
and flriking iuft with the other, that they will alwaies
hurt him that hath the fhort fword, and go cleare them-
felues, becauie they will reach him , when he fhall not
reach them . Thefe men fpeake like fuch as talke of Ro-
bin Hoode, that neuer (hot in his bow; for to flrike or
thruft iuft together with a man of skill, lyeth not in the
will of the ignorant , becaufe the skilfull man alwaies
fighteth vpon the true times,by the which the vnskilfull
is ftill difappointed of both place and time, and there-
fore driuen of neceffitie ftill to watch the other, when &
what he will doe; that is, whether he will ftrike, thruft,
orfalfe: if the vnskilfull ftrike or thruft in the time of fal-
ling, therein he neither ftriketh nor thrufteth iuft
with the other : he may faie , he hath ftroke or thruft be-
fore him, but not iuft with him, nor to anie good pur-
pofe; for in the time of falling, if he ftrike or thruft, he
ftriketh or thnifteth too ihort: for in that time he hath
neither time nor place to ftrike home, and as it is faid»
the vnskilfull man , that will take vpon him to ftrike or
thruft iuft with the skilful!, muft nrft behold what the
man of skil will doe, and when he will doe it , and ther-
fore of neceffitie is driuen to fufFer the skilfull man to be
the firft mouer, and entred into his A6tion, whether it
be blow or thruft, the truth therof in reafon cannot be
denied. Now iudge whether it be pofSble for an vnskil-
full man to ftrike or thruft iuft together with a man of
skill; but the skilfull man can moft certainly ftrike and
thruft iuft together with the vnskilfull , becaufe the vn-
skilfull fighteth vpon falfe times, which being too long
C 2
i 2 George Siluer bis
to anfwere the true times, the skilful! fighting vpon the
true times, although the vnskilfull be the firft mouer^
& entred into his A6tion, whether it be blow or thruft;
yet the fhortneile of the true times maketh at the plea-
lure of the skilfull a iuft meeting together: in perfeft
fight two neuer ftrike or thruft together, becaufe they
neuer fuffer place nor time to performe it.
Two vnskilfull men manie times by chance ftrike
and thrufte together, chance vnto them, becaufe they
know not what they doe, or how it commeth to pafie:
but the reafons or caufes be thefe. Sometimes two falfe
times meet & make a iuft time together , & fometimes a
true time and a falie time meeteth and maketh a iuft
time together, and fometimes two true times meet and
make a iuft time together. And all this hapneth becaufe
the true time and place is vnknowne vnto them.
George Siluer his refolution vpon that hidden or doubt-
full quejiion , who hath the aduantage of the
Offender or Defender.
he aduantage is ftrongly holden of many
to be in the offender, yea in fbmuch, that
if two minding to offend in their fight, it
is thought to be in him that firft ftriketh
^ or thrufteth . Others ftrongly hold opini-
on that the wardr abfolutely hathftill the aduantage, but
theie opinions as they are contrary the one to the other:
fo are they contrarie to true fight, as may well be feene
by thefe fhort examples. If the aduantage be in the war-
der, then it is not good anie time to ftrike or thruft.* if
the aduantage be in the ftriker or thrufter, then were it
a friuolous
Paradoxes of Defence. 1 3
a friuolous thing to learne to ward , or at anie time to
feeke to ward, fince in warding lieth difaduantage.
Now may it plainly by thefe examples appeare , that if
there be anie perfection in fight, that both fides are
deceiued in their opinions , becaufe if the flriker or
thrufter haue the aduantage, then is the warder ftill in
danger of wounds or death. And againe, if the warder
hath the aduantage, then is the ftriker or thrufter in as
great daunger to defend himielfe againft the warder,
becaufe the warder from his wards , taketh aduantage
of the ftriker or thrufter vpon euerie blow or thruft,
that ftiall be made againft him . Then thus I conclude,
that if there be perfection in the Science of De-
fence, they are all in their opinons deceiued; and that
the truth may appeare for the fatisfaftion of all men,
this is my refblution: there is no aduantage abfolute-
ly, nor difaduantage in ftriker, thrufter, or warder: and
there is a great aduantage in the ftriker thrufter & war-
der: but in this maner, in the perfedtion of fight the ad-
uantage confifteth in fight betweene partie and partie:
that is, whofoeuer winneth or gaineth the place in true
pace , fpace and time , hath the aduantage , whether
he be ftriker, thrufter or warder. And that is my re-
folution.
Of Spanish fight with the Rapier.
^He Spaniard is now thought to be a better 9
man with his Rapier then is the Italian,
I Frenchman, high Almaine, or anie other
^countrie man whatfoeuer, becaufe they in
their Rapier-fight ftand vpon fo manie intricate trickes^
C3
14 George Siluer bis
that in all the courfe of a mans life it (hall be hard to
learne them, and if they rnifle in doing the leafl of them
in their fight, they are in danger of death. But the Spa--
niard in hi$ fight, both iafely to defend himielfe , and to
endanger his enemie, hath but one onely lying, and two
wards to.Ieame, wherein a man with fmall pradtife in a
verie fliort time may become perfedl.
This is the maner of Spanifh fight, they (land as
braue as they can with their bodies ftraight vpright,
narrow fpaced, with their feet continually mouing, as if
they were in a dance, holding forth their armes and Ra-
piers verie ilraight againfl the face or bodies of their e*
nemies: & this is the only lying to accomplifh that kind
of fight. And this note, tnat as long as any man fhall
lie in that maner with his arme, and point of his Rapier
ftraight, it (hall be impofiible for his aduerfarie to hurt
him, becaufe in that ftraight holding forth of his arme,
which way foeuer a blow fhall be made againft him, by
reafon that his Rapier hilt lyeth fo farre before him, he
hath but a verie litle way to moue, to make his ward per*
i^6k,y in this maner. If a blow be made at the right fide
of the head, a verie litle mouing of the hand with the
knuckles vpward defendeth that fide of the head or bo-
die, and the point being ftill out ftraight, greatly endan-*
gereth the ftriker: and fo likewife, if a blow be made at
the left fide of the head , a verie fhxall turning of the
wrift with the knuckles downward, defendeth that fide of
the head and bodie, and the point of the Rapier much
indangereth the hand, arme, race or bodie of the ftriken
and if anie thruft be made , the wards , by reafon of the
indiredions in mouing the feet in maner of dauncing,
as aforefaid, maketh a perfe^ ward, and ftill withall the
point
Paradoxes of Defence. 15
point greatly endangereth the other. And thus is the
Spanifli fight perfe<5t: ib long as you can keepe that or-
der, and ibone learned, and therefore to be accounted
the heft fight with the Rapier of all other. But note how
this Spanifh fight is perfedt, and you fhall fee no
longer then you can keepe your point ftraight againft
your aduerfarie: as for example, I haue heard the like
ieft.
There was a cunning Dodtor at his firft going to fea,
being doubtfuU that he fhould be fea-ficke, an old wo-
man perceiuing the fame, faid vnto him: Sir, I pray, be
of good comfort, I will teach you a tricke to auoid that
doubt; here is a fine pibble (lone, if you pleafe to accept
it, take it with you, and when you be on fhip-bord, put
it in your mouth , and as long as you fhall keepe the
fame in your mouth, vpon my credit you fhall ncuer vo-
mit: the Doftor beleeued her, and tooke it thankfully at
her hands, and when he was at fea, he began to be ficke,
whereupon he prefently put the flone in his mouth ,
& there kept it fb long as he pofiibly could, but through
his extreme fickneffe the flone with vomit was cafl out
of his mouth: then prefently he remcbred how the wo-
man had mocked him, and yet her words were true.
Euen fo a Spaniard hauing his Rapier point put by»
may receiue a blow on the head, or a cut ouer the face,
hand, or arme, or a thrufl in the body or face, and yet his
Spanifh fight perfect » fo long as he can keepe flraight
the point of his Rapier againfl the face or body of his
aduerfarie: which is as eafie in that maner of fight to be
done, as it was for the Dodor in the extremity of his
vomite to keepe the flone in his mouth.
Yet one other pretie iefl more, fcarce worth the rea-
1 6 George Siluer his
ding, in commendation of outlandifh fight. There was
an Italian teacher of Defence in my time» who was ib
excellent in his fight, that he would baue hit anie En*
glifh man with a thruil, iufl vpon any button in his dou-
blet, and this was much fpoken of.
Alfb there was another cunning man in catching of
wildgeefe, he would haue made no more ado, when he
had beard them crie, as the maner of wildgeefe is, flying
one after another in rowes, but prefently looking vp,
would tell them, if there had benea dofen,fixteene, twc-
tie , or more, he would haue taken euerie one. And this
tale was manie times told by men of good credit, and
much maruelled at by the hearers: & the man that wold
haue taken the wildgeefe, was of good credite himfelfe:
marie they faid, indeed he did neuer take anie, but at a-
nie time when he had looked vp, and feene them flie in
that maner, he would with all his heart haue taken the,
but he could no more tell how to do it, then could the
cunning Italian Fencer tell how to hit an Englishman,
with a thruil iufl vpon any one of his buttons, when he
lifted.
Illufionsfor the maintenance ofimperfeB weapons & falfe
fights , tofeare or difcourage the vnskilfuU in their
weapons, from taking a true courje or vje^
for attaining to the perfeS know^
ledge of true fight.
Irfl, for the Rapier (faith the Italian^ or falfe
teacher) I hold it to be a perfect good wea-
p6, becaufe the crofTe hindreth not to hold
the handle in the hand, to thrufl both far &
flraight, & to vfe all maner of aduantages in the wards,
or
Paradoxes of Defence. ij
or fodainly to caft the fame at the aduerfarie, but with
the Sword you are driuen with all the ftrength of the
hand to hold faft the handle. And in the warres I would
wifh no friend of mine to weare Swords with hilts, be-
caufe when they are fodainly fet vpon, for hafte they {kt
their hands vpon their hilts in fteed of their handles : in
which time it hapneth manie times before they can Thefe c$Mnterfeit
draw their fwords, they are flaine by their enemies. And-^^''^^'^*^
for Sword and Buckler fight , it is imperfedt , becaufe the that kmn Zt \he
buckler blindeth the fight , neither would I haue anie trui fight fri the
man lie aloft with his hand aboue his head, to flrike^^/J^'/-^'^
found blowes. Strong blowes are naught, efpecially be-
ing fet aboue the head, becaufe therein all the face and . ^y/-.^-
bodie is difcouered. Yet I confefTe , in old times , wh^n «^/ wen L
wed
pons were Jhort^
blowes were only vfed with fhort Swords & Bucklers,£( astMHmfpaft
back Sword, thefe kind of fights were good & mofl ma- J^^'^^^/
ly , but now in thefe daies fight is altered. Rapiers are lo- tbruftfafe at be--
ger for aduatage the fwords were wot to be: whc blowes %^{^^^^ffl
were vfed, men were fo fimple in their fight , that they /^y&j/ ^wn-^ ,r
thought him to be a coward, that wold make a thrufl or vnder the per/ea
flrike a blow beneath the girdle. Againe, if their weapos 'Q^.f^^'^
were fhort , as in times pafl they were, yet fight is better peath the wnfte,
looked into in thefe dayes, than then it was. Who is it in ^/j/^lr^^*/'
thefe daies fceth not that the blow copafTetb rpund lik^Zgf, huai^^^^
a wheele, whereby it hath a longer way to go , but the courfeoftbebiew
thrufl paflTeth in a flraight line, and therefore commeth^^^^f^^JJ^
a nearer way, and done in a fhorter time the is the blow, head^/M, ii be-
and is more deadly then is the blow? Therefore there is ^^j\l^{^^]'^
no wife man that will flrike, vnleflc he be wearie ^^y^^ ^^^ JJ?^Vw^^
of his life. It is certaine , that the point for aduantage that thej did not
euerie way in fight is to be vfed, the blow is vtterly Jj^f ^^ ^''^J
naught, and not to be vfed. He that fighteth vpon the /or /ackel/skm,
D
1 8 George Siluer bis
as m tbeje imes blow clpccially with a fliort fword, wilbe (ore hurt or
gliJ^f/Z' niii flaine. The deuill can fay no more for the maintenance
Mr tifo/i dmes of errors.
JbM hauifiught
/w^rl^ymM ^^* ^ ^^ commeth cmtinualhfas ware a way as a thrufiy
frefentij ham and moft ctmmonfy nearer J^ronger^
%ttta^s. rmrefimfierandisfomer
done.
1 1 fttf|W f He blow , by reafo that it compafleth round
Jmfutation^^ ^M B^ jjj^g ^ wheele, whereby it hath a longer way
* '^ ' . S3 v5 ^^ come, as the Italian Fenfer faith, & that
'***^ the thrufl pafling in a flraight line, commeth
a nearer way, and therefore is fboner done then a blow ,
is not true: these be the proofes.
Let two lie in their perfcdl flrengths and readineffe ,
wherein the blades of their Rapiers by the motion of the
body, may not be crofled of either fide, the one to flrike,
and the other to thrufl. Then meafure the diflance or
courfe wherein the hand and hilt pafleth to finifh the
blow of the one, and the thrufl of the other , and you
fhall find them both by meafure , in diflance all one «
And let anie man of iudgement being feene in the ex-
ercife of weapons, not being more addided vnto nouel-
ties of fight, then vnto truth it felfe, put in meafure, and
pradtife thefe three fights , variable , open , and guar--
dant, and he fhall fee, that whenfoeuer anie man lyethat
the thrufl vpon the variable fight, (where of neceflitie
mofl commonly he lyeth , or otherwife not poffiblie to
keepe his Rapier from croffing at the blow & thrufl, vp-
on tne open or gardant fight, ) that the blowes & thrufles
from thefe two fightes, come a nearer way, and a more
flronger
Paradoxes of Defence. 1 9
ftronger and fwifter courfe then doth the thruft, out of
the variable fight. And thus for a generall rule , where-
foeuer the Thrufter lyeth, or out of what fight foeuer
he fighteth^ with his Rapier, or Rapier and Dagger, the
blow in his courfe commeth as neare, and nearer, and
more iwift and ftronger then doth the thruft.
Perfe& fght Jiandeth vpon both blow and tbrufi , tkere^
foretbetkrufiisnotonelytoievjed.
' Hat there is no fight perfe6l without both 1 2
blow and thruft: neither is there anie cer-
taine rule to be fet downe for the vfe of the •
point onely, thefe be the reafons : In ^g^^J^^^jfi^^
there are manie motions , with the hand , bodie , and
feet, and in euerie motion the place of the hand is alte-
red, & becaufe by the motions of the hand , the altering
of the places of the hand, the changes of lyings, wards,
and breaking of thruftes, the hand will fometinMS be in
place to ftrike, fome times to thruft, fi^metimes after a
blow to thruft^ and fometimes after a thruft to ftrike, &
fometimes in place where you may ftrike, and cannot
thruft without lofTe of time, and fometimes in place
where you may thruft, and cannot ftrike without lofTe of
time , and fometimes in place where you can neither
ftrike nor thruft, vnlefTe you fight vpon both blow and
thruft » nor able to defend your fclfe by ward or going
backe , becaufe your ipace wilbc too wide, and your di-
ftance loft • And fometimes when you haue made a
thruft , a ward or breaking is taken in fuch fort with the
Dagger or blade of the Sword, that you ca neither thruft
againe, nor defend your felfc vnlefTe you do ftrike, which
D 2
20 Oeorge Siker his
you may foundly doe, and go free, and fometimes when
you ftrike, a ward wilbetaken in fuch fort, that you can-
not ftrike againe , nor defend your felfe , vnleffe you
thruft, which you may fafcly doe and goe free . So to
conclude, there is no perfedion in the true fight, with-
out both blow and thruft , nor certaine rule to be fet
downe for the point onely.
That the blow is more dangerous and deadly in fight , then a
thruft ^fortroofe thereof to be made according with Art^
an Englishman holdeth argument againfi an Italian.
Italian.
Hich is more dangerous or deadly in
fight of a blow or a thruft?
Englishman.
This queftion is not propounded ac-
cording to art , becaufe there is no fight
perfect without both blow and thruft.
Italian.
Let it be fo, yet opinions are otherwifc holden , that
the thruft is onely to be vfed, becaufe it commeth a nea-
rer way, and is more dangerous and deadly , for thefe
reafons: firft the blow compaflfeth round like a wheele,
but the thruft paflfeth in aftraight line, therfore the blow
by reafon of the compafile, hath a longer way to go then
the thruft, & is therefore longer in doing, but the thruft
pafleth in a ftraight line, therfore hath fhorter way to go
the hath the blow, & is therfore done in afliorter time, &
is therfore much better then the blow, & more dange-
rous and deadly, becaufe if a thruft do hit the face or bo-
die, it indangereth life, and moft commonly death en-
fueth : but if the blow hit the bodie, it is not fo dagerous.
Englishman.
TaradMes of Defence. 21
'Englishman.
Let your opinios be what they wil, but that the thruft
Cometh a nearer way, & is fooner done then the blow, is
not true : & for proofe thereof reade the twelfth Paradox.
And now will I fet downe probable re'afons , that the Tht bhm i
blow is better then the thruft, and more dangerous and ^^**i ^^*
deadly. Firft, the blow commeth as neare a way , & moft
comonly nearer then doth the thru^, tc is theifore done
in a fliorter time theii is the thruft : therfore in reiped: of
time, wherupon ftad^th the pcrfeftion of fight, the blow
is much better then the thruft. Againe , the force of the
thruft paiTeth ftraight , therefore any croffe being indi-
re<^y made, the force of a child may put it by: but the
force of a blow pafteth indireftly , therefore must be di-
reftly warded in the counterchecke of his force: which
canot be done but by the couenient ftrength of a man, &
with true croffe in true time, or elfe will not fafely defed
him; and is therfore much better, & more dagerous the
the thruft , and againe, the thruft being made through
the hand, arme, or leg, or in many places of the body and
face, are not deadly , neither are they maimes , or loffe of
limmes or life, neidier is he much nindred for the time
in his fight, as long as the bloud is hotrfor example.
I haue knowne aGetlema hurt in Rapier fight, in nine
or ten places through the bodie, armes, and legges, and
yet hath continued in his fight , & afterward hath flaine
the other 9 and come home and hath bene cured of all his 7-^ ^^ ^^^/^^^
wouds without maime, & is yet liuing.But the blow be- e^ f^ A»w, /A?
ing ftrSgly made, taketh fomtimes cleane away the hand J^^jj^^^|^ ^*^
from the arme , hath manie times bene feene. Againe, SeaJ.
a full blow vpon the head or face with a fhort ftiarpc
Sword, is moft commonly death. A full blow vpon the
D 3
2a George Sihter his '
necke, flioulder, arme, or Icgge, indangereth life , cut-
teth off the veines , mufcles y and finewes, perifheth the
bones : theie wounds made by the blow, in reiped of
perfe£t healing , are the lofle of linunes^ or maimes in-
curable for euer.
And yet more for the blow:a ful blow vpon the head,
face, arme, leg, or legs, is death, or the partie so woun-
ded in the mercie of him that fhall fo wound him. For
what man fhall be able long in fight to ftand vp , either
to reuenge, or defend himfelfe, hauing the veines, mu-
icles, and finewes of his hand, arme , or leg cleane cut i-
fiinderf or being difmembred by fuch wound vpon the
&ce or head, but fhall be enforced therby, ^d through
f^ S^^iL ^^^ ^^^^ of bloud, the other a litle dallying with him, to
withaftrfng yeeld htmfelf , or leaue his life in his mercie?
hkn^ commaun- And for plainer deciding this cotrouerfie betweene
fh\ltrT '^ *^ *^l^w and the thrufl , confidcr this fhort note. The
blow commeth manie wayes , the thrufl doth not fo. The
blow commeth a nearer way then a thrufl mofl com*
monly, and is therefore fooner done. The blow requi-
reth the ilrength of a man to be warded ; but the thrufl
may be put by, by the force of a child. A blow vpon the
hand, arme, or leggeis a maime incurable; but a thruf!:
in the hand , arme, or legge is to be recouered. The
blow hath manie parts to wound , and in euerie of
them commaundem the life ; but the thrufl hath but a
few, as the bodie or face, and not in euerie part of
them neither.
Of
Paradoxes of Defence. 23
Of the difference hetwixt the true fight & tbefalfe: wher^
in confifteth {the Principles being had with the di--
reSim ofthefaure Gouernors) the whole
perfeBion of fight with all ma^
ner of weapons.
He true fights be thefe: whatibeuer is 14
done with the hand before the foot or
feet is true fight. The falie fights be thefe:
whatfoeuer is done with the foot or feet
' before the hand, is falfe, becaufe the hand
is fivifter then the foot , the foot or feet being a flower
mouer then the hand: the hand in that maner of fis;ht is
tied to the time of the foot or feet, and being tied there-
to, hath loft his freedome, and is made thereby as flow
in his motions as the foot or feet: and therfor that fight
is falie.
Ofeuill orders or cufiomes in our English FlcefchooleSy&
of the old or ancient teaching of weapons , & things very
neceffarie to be continued for the auoiding ofer^
rors^ and reuiuing and continuance of our
ancient weapons^ and mofi vi&o--
rious fight againe.
(Here is in my opinid in our Fence-fchooles 1 5
(an euill order or cuftome in thefe dayes v-
[fed, the which, if it might ftand with the
Igood liking of our Maifters of Defence , I
thinke it neceffarie to be left : for as long as
it is v&d, it (hall be hard to make a good SchoUer.
24 Gtarge Siluer hit
That is this, at the fingle Sword, Sword and Dagger, &
Sword and Buckler, they forbid the thruft, & at the fina-
gle Rapier, and Rapier & Dagger, they forbid the blow.
Either they are both together beft, or the thruft altoge-
ther beft, or the blow altogether beft. If the thruft be
beft, why do we not vfc it at the fingle Sword, Sword &
Dagger , & Sword and Buckler. If the blow be beft, why
do we not vfe it at the fingle Rapier, Rapier & Poinyard?
But knowing by the Art of Armes, that no fight is per-
fed without both blow and thruft , why do we not vfe
and teach both blow and thrufl? But howfbeuer this we
dayly fee, that whc two meet in fight, whether they haue
skill or none, vnlefTe fuch as haue tied thefelues to that
boyifh, Italian^ weake, imperfe<% fight, they both ftrike
and thruft, and how fhall he then do, that being much
taught in fehoole^ neuer learned to flrike ^ nor how to
defend a ftrong blow? & how fhall he the do^ that being
brought vp in Ffice-fchoole, that neuer learned to thruft
with the fingle Sword, Sword and Dagger, and Sword
and Buckler, nor how at thefe weapos to breake a thruft?
Surely, I thinke a downe right fellow, that neuer came
in fcnoole, vfing fuch skill as nature yeeldeth out of his
courage, flrength, and agilitie, with good downe right
blowes and thrufb among , as fhall beft frame in his
hands, fhold put one of thefe imperfed fchollers great-
ly to his fhifts. Befides , there are now in thefe dayes no
gripes, clofes, wreftlings , ftriking with the hilts, dag-
gers, or bucklers, vfed in Fence-fchooles. Our plough-
men by nature wil do all thefe things with great ftregth
& agility: but the Schooleman is altogether vnacquain-
ted with thefe things. He being faft tyed to fuch fchool-
play as he hath learned , hath loft thereby the benefite
of
fwarres
Paradoxes of Defence. 2 5
of nature, and the plowman is now by nature without
art a £irre better man then he. Therefore in my opinion,
as long as we barre anie maner of play in ichoole, we
(hall hardly make a good fcholler: there is no maner of
teaching comparable to the old ancient teaching, that
is, firft their quarters, then their wardes, blowes, thrufls,
and breaking of thruftes, then their Clofes and Gripes,
ftriking with the hilts. Daggers, Bucklers, Wraftlings,
ftriking with the foote or knee in the Coddes, and all
thefe are fafely defended in learning perfeftly of the
Gripes. And this is the ancient teaching, the perfcfteft ^^.*
& moft beft teaching; and without this teaching, there tuitLn tf Stocca-
fliall neuer fcholler be made able , doe his vttermofl , to, lmhr$cauu^
nor fight fafe. Againe their fwordes in ichoolesare too^^j**''^"
long by almoft halfe a foote to vncrofle, without going
backe with the feete , within diflance or perfectly to
ftrike or thruft within the halfe or quarter fword . And
in feruing of the Prince, when men do meet together in
publique fight , are vtterly naught and vnferuiceable .
The beft lengthes for perfedt teaching of the true fight L$t«vfaf9nj
to be vfcd and continued in Fence fchooles , to accord ^^'^'^'
with the true flatures of all men, are thefe. The blade to
be a yard and an inch for meane ftatures, and for men
of tall flatures, a yard and three or foure inches, and no
more . And I would haue the Rapier continued in
fchooles, alwaies readie for fuch as fhall thinke them-
felues cunning, or fhall haue delight to play with that
imperfedt weapon. Prouided alwaies, that the Schoolc-
maifler or Vfher play with him with his fhort Sword,
plying him with all maner of fight according to the
true art: this being continued the truth fhall flourifh,
the lye fhalbe beaten downe , and all nations not ha*
E
26 George Siluerhis
uing the true fcience, fhall come with all gladnefle tO'
the valiant and moft braue Englifh maisters of Defence
to learne the true fight for their defence.
The gnmnds or Principks of true fight with all
1 6 maner of weapons.
Irft Judgement, Lyings, Diftance, Diredi-
on, Pafe, Space, Place, Time, Indirecti-
on, Motion, Action, generall and conti-
nuall Motion , Progreffion , Regreflion ,
Traucrfing, and Treading of groundes,
Blowes,'jThruftes, FauUes, Doubles, Slipes, Wardes,
breakings of Thrufts, Clofings, Gripes, & Wraftlings,
Guardant fight. Open fight. Variable fight, and Clofe
fight, and foure Gouernours.
The wardes of all maner of weapons.
L fingle weapons haue foure wardes, and
all double weapons haue eight wardes.
The fingle fword hath two with the point
vp, and two with the point downe. The
StafFe and all maner of weapons to be v-
fed with both handes haue the like.
The Sword and Buckler, and Sword and Dagger are
double weapons, and haue eight wardes, two with the
point vp,'"and two with the point downe , and two for
the legges with the point downe, the point to be caried
for both fides of the legges, with the knuckles downe-
ward , and two wardes with the Dagger or Buckler for
the head. The Forrefl bill is a double weapon by reafon
of
Paradoxes of Defence. 27
of the head, and therefore hath eight wardes,f6ure with
the Stafie^ foure with the head, foure of them to be vfed
as with the ftafFe, and the other foure with the head, the
one vp, the other downe, and the other fidewaies.
The names and numbers of times appertaining vnto fight
hothtrue andfalje.
Here are eight times , whereof foure are i g
true 9 and foure are falfe: the true times
be thefe.
The time of the hand.
The time of the hand and bodie.
The time of the hand,bodie and foote.
The time of the hand^bodie and feete.
The falfe times be theje.
The time of the foote.
The time of the foote and bodie.
The time of the foote, bodie and hand.
The time of the feete, bodie and hand.
Thus haue I thought good to ieparate and make
knowne the true times from the faUe , with the true
wardes thereto belonging, that thereby the rather in
pra£tifing of weapons , a true courfe may be taken for
the auoidin? of errours and euill cuflomes, and fpeedie
attaining of good habit or perfect being in the true vfe
and knowledge of all maner of weapons.
Of the length ofweaponsy and how euerie man may fit him--
felfe in theperfeSf length of his weapon^ accor^
ding to his ownefiature , with brieje rea^
fons wherefore they ought to befo^
E2
19
George Siluer his
O know the pcrfedt length of your Sword^
you (hall (land with your fword and dagger
drawn, as you fee this pi6ture » keeping out
flraight your dagger arme^ drawinge backe
your (word as far as conueniently you can » not opening
the elbow ioynt of your fword arme: and looke what you
can draw within your dagger , that is the iuft length of
your fword,to be made according to your owne ftature.
V yk\^
If the fword be
Unger^jou can
ifordly vncroffe
without going
bucke with your
feet. If porter^
thi you CM hard-
ly make a true
croffe without
putting in of your
feetythe which
times are too ieng
to anfwer the
time of the hand.
The likereafons
for thejbort
fiaffe, half Pike, .
Forreft hill. Par-
tifan,or Gleue, or
Juch like weapons
of perfea length.
Paradoxes of Defence. 29
The perfe6t length of your two hand fword is, the
blade to be the length of tne blade of your fingle fword.
To know the perfedl length of your fhort ftafFe, or
half Pike, Forreft bil, Partifan, or Gleue,or fuch like wea-
pons of vantage and perfed lengths, you fhall ftand vp-
right,holding the ftafFe vpright clofe by your body, with
your left had, reaching with your right hand your ftafFe
as high as you can, and then allow to that length a ipace
to jfet both your hands, when you come to fight, where-
in you may conueniently ftrike,thruft, and ward, & that
is the iuft length to be made according to your ftature.
And this note,that theie lengths will commonly fall out
to be eight or nine foot long, and will fit, although not
iuft, the ftatures of all men, without any hindrance at all
vnto them in their fight, becauie in any weapon wherin
the hands may be remoued, and at libertie, to make the
weapon loger or fhorter in fight at his pleafure,a foot of
the ftaffe behind the backmoft hand doth no harme.
And wherfore thefe weapons ought to be of the lengths
aforefaid,and no fhorter , theie are the reafbns: If they
fhouldbe fhorter, then the long ftafFe, Morris Pike, and
fuch like weapons ouer and aboue the perfe£t length,
(hould haue great vantage againft them, becauie he may
come boldly and £tfe without anie gard or ward, to the
place where he may thruft home,and at euery thruft put
him in danger of his liferbut if thefe weapons be of their
perfe£t lengths , then can the long ftane, the Morris
Pike, or anie other longer weapon ly nowhere in true
fpace, but fhall be ftill within compafle of the crofTe, to
crofle and vncroiFe, wherby he may fafely paile home to
the place,where he may ftrike or thruft him thathath the
long weapon, in the head, face, or body at his pleaiure.
E3
30 ^ George Siluer his
Of the lengths of the Battel axe, Halbard, or blacke Bill^
orfucb like weapons of weighty appertaining
vntogardor battell.
N anle of thefe weapons there needeth
no iuft lengthy but commonly they are» or
ought to be fiue or fixe foot long, & may
not well be vfed much longer, becauie of
their weights: and being weapons for the
warres or battell, when men are ioyned clofe together,
may thruft,& ftrike found blowes, with great force both
ftrong and quicke; and finally for the iuil lengths of all
other fhorter or longer weapons to be gouerned with
both hands, there is none: neither is there anie certaine
lengthes in anie maner of weapons to be vfed with one
hand, ouer or vnder the iuft length of the fingle (word.
Thus endeth the length of weapons.
Of the vantages of weapons in their kinds ^ places^ & times,
both in pr mate and publike fght.
Irft I will begin with the worft weapon,
an imperfe£t and infufficient weapon,
and not worth the fpeaking of; but now
being highly efteemed , therefore not to
be left vnremembred ; that is , the fingle
Rapier, and Rapier and Poiniard,
The fingle Sword hath the vantage againft the fin-
gle Rapier.
The Sword and Dagger hath the vantage againft the
Rapier and Poiniard.
The
Paradoxes of Defence. 3 1
The Sword & Target hath aduatage againft the Sword
and Dagger, or Rapier and Poiniard.
The Sword and Buckler hath aduantage againft the
Sword and Target, the Sword and Dagger, or Rapier
and Poiniard.
The two hand Sword, hath the vantage againft the
Sword and Target, the Sword and Buckler , the Sword
and Dagger, or Rapier and Poiniard.
The Battel-axe, the Halbard, the Blacke-bill,or fuch
like weapons of weight,appertaining vnto guard or bat-
tell,are all one in fight, and haue aduatage againft the
two hand Sword, the Sword and Buckler, the Sword and
Target, the Sword & dagger, or the Rapier & Poiniard.
The fhort ftaffe or halfe Pike, Forrcft-bill, Partifan,
or Gleue , or fuch like weapons of perfect length, haue
the vantage againft the Battel-axe , the Halbard , the
Blacke-bill,the two hand fword,tbe Sword and Target,
and are too hard for two Swords and Daggers, or two
Rapiers and Poiniards with Gantlets , and for the long
ftafte and Morris Pike.
The long StafFe, Morris Pike, or Iauelin,orfuch like
weapons aboue the perfect length, haue aduantage a-
gainft all maner of weapons , the fhort flaffe, Welch
hooke, Partiian,or Gleue, or fuch like weapons of van-
tage excepted: yet too weake for two Swords and Dag-
gers or two Swords and Bucklers , or two Rapiers and
Poiniards with Gantlets , becaufe they are too long to
thruft, ftrike, and turne fpeedily : and by reafbn of the
large diftance, one of the Sword and Dagger-men will
get behind him.
The Welch hooke or Forreft bill,hath aduantage a-
gainft all maner of weapons whatfoeuer.
3 2 George Siluer his
Yet vnderftand, that in battels ,and where varictic of"
weapons be, amongft multitudes of men and horfes^the
Sword and Target, the two hand Sword, the Battel-axe,
the Blacke-bill, and Halbard, are better weapons , and
more dangerous in their offence and forces , then is the
Sword and Buckler, fliort ftaffe , long ftaffe, or Forreft
bill. The Sword and Target leadeth vpon Shot , and in
troupes defendeth thrufts and blowes giuen by battel-
axe, Halbards, Blacke-bill, or two hand fwords, far bet-
ter then can the Sword and Buckler.
The Morris Pike defendeth the battell from both
horfe and man , much better then can the fliort ftaffe,
long ftaffe, or Forreft bill. Againe, the Battel-axe , the
Halbard, the Blacke bill,the two hand fword,and Sword
& Target, amongft armed men and troopes, when men
are come together , by reafbn of their weights, fliort-
neffe, and great forces , do much more offend the ene-
mie, & are then much better weapons, then is the fliort
ftaffe, the long Staffe, or Forreft bill.
Of the injufficiencie and difaduant ages of the
Rapiers-fght in Battell.
Or the fingle Rapier, or Rapier & Poiniard,
they are imperfect & infufficient weapons:
, and efpecially in the feruice of the Prince,
► when men fhall ioyne together, whatfer-
^uice can afouldier do with a Rapier, a chil-
difli toy wherwith a man can do nothing but thruft,nor
that neither, by reafbn of the length, and in euerie mo-
uing when blowes are a dealing ,for lacke of a hilt is in
daunger to haue his hand or arme cut off, or his head
clouen ?
Paradoxes of Defence. 33
clouen • And for Wardes and Gripes, they haue none,
neither can anyof thefe fine Rapier men,for lacke of vfe,
tell howe to ftrike a found blow.
Of the vantages andfufficiencie of the short
Sword fight in battelL
He (hort Sword, and Sword and Dagger, 23
are perfect good weapons , and cfpecially
in feruice of the Prince* What a braue wea-
pon is a fhort fharpe light Sword, to carie,
to draw, to be nimble withall, to ftrike, to cut, to thruft
both flrong and quicke. And what a goodly defence is a
flrpng iingle hilt , when men are cluftering and hurling
together , efpecially where varietie of weapons be , in
their motions to defend the hand » head, face, and bo-
dies , from blowes, that (halbe giuen fometimes with
Swordes, fometimes with two handed Swordes, battell
Axe, Halbardes , or blacke Billes , and fometimes men
flialbe fo neare together , that they (hall haue no fpace,
fcarce to vfe the blades of their Swordes belowe their
waftes,then their hilts (their handes being aloft) defen-
deth from the blowes, their handes, armes, heads, faces,
and bodies : then they lay on, hauing the vfe of blowes
and Gripes , by force ot their armes with their hilts,
ftrong blowes, at the head , face , armes , bodies , and
flioulders, and manie times in hurling together , fcope
is giuen to tume downe their points, with violent thrufb
at their faces, and bodies, by reaibn of the fhortnefle
of their blades, to the mightie annoyance , difcomfort ,
and great deftru£tion of their enimies. One valiant man
with a Sword in his hand , will doe better feruice , then
ten Italians^ or Italienated with the Rapiers.
F
34 George Siluer his
That all matter of double weapons^ or weapons to be vjed
with both bandes^ haue aduantage againft thejin--
gle Rapier or Jingle Sword^ there is no
quejlion to be made.
That the Sword and Buckler hath the vantage tf-
gainjl the Sword and Dagger.
He Dagger is an imperfect ward , al-
though borne out ftraight , to make the
Space narrow, whereby by a litle mouing
of the hand, may be fufficient to faue both
fides of the head , or to breake the thruft
from the face or body, yet for lackeof the circumference
his hand will lie too high or too low,ortoo weake, to de-
fend both blowand thruft: if he lye ftraight with narrow
fpace^which is beft to breake the thruft,thenhe lieth too
weake, and too lowe to defend his head from a ftrong
blow : if he lye high , that is ftrong to defend his head,
but then his fpace wilbe too wide to breake the thruft
from his bodie • The Dagger ferueth well at length to
put by a thruft , and at the halfe Sword to crofle the
Sword blade , to driue out the Agent, and put him in
danger of his life, and fafely in anie of theie two actions
to defend himfelfe. But the Buckler, by reafon of his cir-
cumference and weight, being well caried, defendeth
fafely in all times and places , whether it be at the point,
halfe Sword, the head, bodie, and face, from all maner
of blowes and thruftes whatfoeuer,yet I haue heard ma-
nic hold opinion, that the Sword and Dagger hath ad-
uantage of the Sword and Buckler, at the Clofe, by rea-
fon of the length and point of the Dagger : and at the
point
Paradoxes of Defence. 35
point of the Sword , they can better fee to ward then
with a Buckler . But I neuer knew anie, that wanne the
Clofe with the Dagger vpon the Sword and Budkler ,
but did wi(h himfelfe out againe:fordiftance being bro-
ken, iudgement faileth, for lacke of time to iudge , and
the eie is deceiued by the fwift motion of the hand, and
for lacke of true Space with the dagger hand, which can-
not be otherwife , for lacke of the circumference to de-
fend both blow and thruft , it is impofSble for lacke ot
true Space in iufl time , the agent hauing gotten the
true place, to defend one thruft or blow of an hundred .
And it is moft certaine, whofoeuer clofeth with Sword
and Dagger, againft the Sword and Buckler , is in great
danger to be flaine . Likewife at the point within di-
ftance, if he ftand to defend both blow and thruft with
his Dagger , for lacke of true fpace and diftance , if he
had the beft eye of anie man, and could fee perfedtly ,
which way the thruft or blow commeth , and when it
commeth , as it is not to be denied but he may, yet his
fpace being too large, it helpeth him nothing, becaufe
one mans hand being as fwift as another mans hand ,
both being within diftance, he that ftrikethor thrufteth,
hurteth the warder: the reafon is this .• the Agent being
in the firft motion although in his offence , further to go
then the warder to defend , yet the warders fpace being
too large, the blow or thruft wilbe performed home,be-
fore the warder can come to the true place to defend
himfelfe, and although the warder doe perfedtly fee the
blow or thruft comming,fo fhall he fee his owne ward fo
farre from the true place of his defence , that although
he doe at that inftant time,plainly fee the blow or thruft
comming, it fhalbe impoilible for him to recouer the
F 2
3 6 George Siluer his
true place of his ward, till he be wounded. But let the
warder with the dagger fay , that it is not true which. I
hauefaid,for as he hath eies to behold the blow or thruft
comingyfo hath he as good time to defend himielf.Hcre*-
in he fhal find himfelf deceiued to; this is the reafon:the
hand is the fwiftefl motion, the foot is the floweft, with«-
out diitance the hand is ti«d to the motion of the feet,
wherby the time of the hand is made as flow as the foot,
becaufe thereby we redeeme cuerie time loft vpon his
comming by the flow motion of the foot, & haue time
therby to iudge > whc & how he can performe any aflio
whatfoeuer , and fo haue we the time of the hand to the
time of the feet •Now is the had in his owne cpurfe more
fwifter then the foot or eye,therfore within diftance the
eye is deceiued,& iudgement is loft; and that is another
caufe that the warder with the dagger,altbough he haue
^^aT tf^'^' perfeft eyes, is ftil within diftance deceiued. For proofe
^•tunrftheUd. ^^^^ ^^ Si'^sA is mpte fwifter then the eye,& thereby de-
ceiueth the eyesilet two ftand within diftance,& let one
of the ftand ftill to defend himfelf,^ let the other florifti
& falfe with his hand, and he (hall continually with the
fwift motions of his hand, deceiue the eyes of him that
ftandeth watching to defend himfelfe,£cfhal continual-
ly ftrike him in diuerfe places withhi$hand.Againe,take
this for an example, that the eyes by fwift motions are
deceiued rturne a turne-wheele fwiit,& you fhall not be
able to difcerae with your beft eies how many fpokes be
in the wheele,no nor whether there be any fpokes at all,
or whereof the wheele is made, and yet you fee when the
wheele ftandeth ftill there is a large diftance betweene
euerie fpoke. He that will not beleeue that the fwift mo-
tion of thehandin fight will deceiue the eye,ftial ftarea-
broad
FaradMes of Defence. 37
broad with his eye8,& feele himfelf foundly hurt,before
he fhalljpcrfcdtly fee how to defend himfclfc. So thofe
that trufl to their iight^the excellccy of a good eye,their
great cunning, &.perfe£t wards of the daggers,that they
can better fee to ward then with a buckler,(hall euer be .
deceiued. And whc they be wounded,they fay the Agct
was a litle too quicke for them ;fometimes they fay they
bare their dagger a litle too low : fometimes they are
thrufl ynder the dagger,then they favythey bare it a litle
too high :ibQietimes a thruft being ftrongly made , they
being £>undly paid therewith, fay, they were a litle too
llow,6^ fometimes they be foundly paid with a thrufl,&
they thinke they were a litle too quick. So they thatpra-
dife or thinke to be cunning in the dagger ward, are all ^^^fW^^^
the dayes of their lii^es learning, and are neuer taught. '
That thf Sword and Buckler hath the vantage
against the Sword and Target.
He Sword & Target together hath but two 25
fights; that is, the variable fight, & the cloie
.fight, for the clofe fight, the nuber of his feet
are toQ many to take againfl any ma of skill
hauing the Sword & buckler,& for the variable fight al-
though not ib many in number,yet too many to win the
place with his foot to flrike or thruft home.The fword&
buckler-man can out of his variable,ope & gardat fight,
come brauely off & on , falfe and double, ftrike & thruft
home , & make a true crofTe vpon euery occafion at his
pleaiure:if the Sword & Target ma will flie to his gardat
fight, the bredth of his Target will not fuffer it , if to his
open fight,the hath the Sword & Buckler man in effedt
the fword and Buckler to the fingle , for in that fight by
reaibn of the bredth,the target can do litle good or none
at all. F 3
3 8 George Siluer bts
The short Stage.
Ow for the vantage of the fhort StafFe a-
gainft the Sword and Buckler , Sword &
Target, two hand fword , finglc Sword,
Sword and Dagger , or Rapier and Poi-
niard, there is no great queftion to be
made in anie of thefe weapons: whenfoeuer anie blow
or thruft fhall be ftrongly made with the (lafFe, thev arc
euer in falfe place, in thecariage of the wards, for if at a-
ny of thefe fixe weapons he carie his ward high & ftrog
for his head , as of neceflitie he muft carie it veric high,
otherwife it will be too weake to defend a blow being
ftrongly made at the head , then will his fpace be too
wide, in due time to breake the thruft from his bodie.
Againe, if he carie his ward lower , thereby to be in e^
quail fpace for readinefte to breake both blow & thruft,
then in that place his ward is too low, and too weake to
defend the blow of the ftafFe:for the blow being ftrongly
made at the head vpon that ward , will beate downe the
ward and his head together, and put him in great dan-
ger of his life. And here is to be noted, that if he fight
well , the ftaflfe-man ncuer ftriketh but at the head , and
thrufteth prefently vnder at the body : and if a blow be
firft made, a thruft foUoweth ; & if a thruft be firft made,
a blow followeth ; and in doing of any of them, the one
breedeth the other : fo that howfoeuer anie of thefe fixe
weapons ftiall carie his ward ftrongly to defend the firft,
he (hall be too farre in ipace to defend the fecond, whe-
ther it be blow or thruft.
Yet againe for the ftiort ftaffe : the fhort ftafFe hath
the vantage againft the Battel-axc, blacke-bill, or Hal-
bard,
Paradoxes of Defence. 3 9
bard: the fhort ftafFc hath the vantagc,by reafon of the
nimblenefle and length : he will ftrike and thrufl freely,
and in better and fwifter time then can the Battel-axe,
Blacke-bill, or Halbard:and by reafon of his iudgement,
diflance and time,fight fafe. And this refblue vpon, the
(hort flafFe is the beft weapon againfl all maner of wea-
pons, the Forreft bill excepted.
Alio the fhort flafFe hath aduantage againfl two Tbefiftrtftaffi
Swords and Daggers , or two Rapiers, Poiniards and •rMfPih hath
Gantlets, the reafons and caufes before are for the tao^ ^ain/twffword
part fet downe already , the which being well confide- and dagger mn^
red, you fhall plainely fee, that whenfoeuer anie one ^^^XiJi^^and
the Sword & Dagger men, or Rapier and Poiniard men GoMtkts.*
fhall breake his diflance , or fu£Fer the StafFe-man to
breake his,that man which didfirfl breake his diflace,or
fufFer the diflance to be won againfl him, is prefently in
danger of death. And this canot in reafon be denied, be-
cause the diflance appertaining to the StafFe-man,either
to keepe or breake, uandeth vpon the mouing of one
large vpzct alwayes at the moft,both for his offence or
fafety. The other two in the breach of their diflance to
offend the Staffe-man , haue alwayes foure paces at
the leafl therin they fall too great in number with their
feet , and too fhort in diflance to offend the Staffe-
man. Now there refleth no more to be fpoken of, but
how the Staffe-man fhall behaue himfelfe to keepe that
diflance, that one of the Sword & Dagger men get not
behind him, while the other fhal bufie him before:to do
that is very eafie,by reafon of the fmal nuber of his feet,
for by a verie fmall turning of his feet, as it were in the
Center point of a wheele, the other two to keepe their
diflance, are driuen to runne twentie foote for one, as it
40 George Siluer his
were vpon the vttermoft part or circle of the wheele :
all this while the StafFe-man is verie well. Then it com-
meth thus to paile, whether they both labour to get be-
hind him, or one keepe diredly before him whileft the
other get behind him , yet before that be brought to
paile^ they fhal either be both before him or iuft againft
both fides of him: at which time ibeuer the StafFe-man
finding either of them within diftance, he preiently in
making of his play, flayeth with blow or thruft one of
the, or at the lead putteth him in great danger of his life.
If the StafFe-man take his time , when they are both
before him , that is to fay , before they come to the half
ring, iuft againfl both fides of the StafFe-man , then he
that is nearefi: within diftance is flain by blow or thruft ,
or put in great danger of his life. But if the Sword and
Dagger men do keepe their diftance vntill they come to
the iuft halfe ring right againft the fides of tne StafiFe-
man , and then breake diftance, that man that firft brea-
keth diftance is flaine with blow or thruft, or fore hurt,
and in great danger of death:and the StafiFe-man ih ma-
king that play at that inftant, muft turne with one large
pace,the which he may eafily do , before the other can
get neare enough to offend him , by reafbn that he
hath to make with his feet but one large pace , but the
other hath at the leaft three paces. But if the Sword
and Dagger*men will in the time that they be before
him, keep their diftance in the time of their being vpon
the middle part of the outfide of thd circle,right againft
both fides of him,& will labor with all heed & diligence
to be both or one of the behind him , that troubleth the
StafFe-man nothing at all,for in that very time, when he
findeth them paft the middle part of the circle, he pre-
fently
Paradoxes of Defence. 4 1.
iently turneth, by the which he (hall naturally fet him--
felfe as it were in a triangle , and both the fword and
dagger-men, (hall thereby ftand both before him in true
distance of three paces , from offending of him at the
leaft , as at the firft they did. And take this for a true
ground, there is no man able to ward a found blow
with the Sword and Dagger, nor Rapier, Poinyard, and
Gantlet, being flrongly made at the head , with the
StafFe , and run in witnall, the force of both handes is
fuch, being in his full motion and courfe, that although
the other do carie his ward high and flrong with both
handes , yet his feete being mouing from the ground ,
the great force of the blow will ftrike him with his ward,
and all downe flat to ground. But if he ftand fafl with
his feete, he may with both weapons together, ftrongly
defend his head from the blow, but then you are fuffici*
ently inftru6ted, the thruft being prefcntly made , after
the blow full at the bodie, it is impoffible in due time to
breake it, by reafon of the largeneflfe of his fpace.
The short Staffe bath the vantage against the longftaffcy
and Morris Pike^ and the Forreji billagainjl all
maner of weapons.
I He reafons are thefe . The fhort StaflFe 27
ihath the vantage of the long Stafie and
^Morris Pike in his flrength & narrownes
!of fpace in his foure wardes of defence.
And the Forrefl bill hath the vantage of
all maner of weapons in his ftrength and narrownes of
fpace in his eight wardes of defence : and the rather be-
cause the Bill hath two wardes for one againft the Staflfc
G
42 George Siluer his
or Morris Pike, that is to fay, fourc with the StafFe, and
foure with the head, and is more offenfiue then is the
StafFe or Morris Pike : yet a queflio may be made by the
vnskilfuU, concerning the fight between the long Staffe
jfueftiw. and the'fliort , in this fort: Why (hould not the long
StaflFe haue aduantage againft (hort Stafie, iince that the
long StafFe-man, being at libertie with his handes, may
make his long StafFe both long and (hort for his befl ad-
uantage , when he (hall thinke it good , and therefore
when he (hall find him(elfe ouermatched in the length
of his StafFe, by the ftrength of the (hort Staffe, and nar-
rQwne(Fe of (pace in his foure wardes of defence, he can
prefently by drawing backe of his Staffe in his handes ,
make his Stafie as (hort as the others , and (b be readie
Jn/wpre. to fight with him at his owne length. To this I anfwere,
that when the long StafFe-man is driuen thereto lye, the
length of his StafFe that will lye behind him, will hinder
him to (Irike, thruft , ward , or goe backe in due time.
Neither can he tume the contrarie end of his StafFe to
keepe out the (hort Stafie man from the Clofe^ nor fafe-
ly to defend him(elfe at his comming in.
Againe of the vantages of weapons.
I Ake this for a general rule, all long Staues,
I Morris Pikes, Forreft bils , lauelins , or
|fuch like long weapons, of what fort foe-
fuer , being aboue the true lengthes , the
(horteft haue the aduantage , becaufe they can cro(Fe
and vncrofife in (horter time then can the longer; and all
maner of (hort weapons to be vfed with both handes, as
ftaues, and fuch like, being vnder the perfedt lengthes,
the
Paradoxes of Defence. 43
the longeft haue the aduantage , and all malier of wea-
pons to be vied with one hand, that are aboue the per-
feSb length of the iingle Sword, the (horteft haue the
vantage, and all maner of weapons vnder the iufl length
of the fhort Sword, as Fauchion8,.Skaine$, or Hangers,
Woodkniues, Daggers, and fuch like fhort weapons of
imperfe^ lengthes, the longeft haue the aduantage,
becaufe the fight of thefe weapons confift within the
halfe or quarter Sword, wherein by the fwift motions of
their handes, their eyes are deceiued , and in thofe wea-
pons, commonly for theii: handes lieth no defence. And
\i two fhall fight with flaues or Swordes, or what wea-
pons foeuer, the one of them hauing his weapon longer
then the perfe<5t length, and the other his weapon, (hor-
ter then the perfedt length, he that hath the longeft
hath the vantage, becaufe the fhorteft can make no true
Crofle in true time. The fhort Stafte or halfe Pike, For-
reft bill , Partifan , or Gleue , or fuch like weapons of
perfe£t length , to be vfed with both handes , haue the
aduantage againft two Swordes and Daggers , or two
Rapiers, Poiniardes, and Gantlets, and againft all other
weapons whatfoeuer, the Forreft bill excepted.
^gainefortbe short Staffe or halfe Pike.
He fhort StafFe is moft commonly the 29
|beft weapon of all other , although other
I weapons may be more ofFenfiue, and efpe-
_ cially againft manie weapons together, by
reafon of his nimblenefle and fwift motions , and is not
much inferiour to the Forreft bill, although the Forreft
bill be more ofFenfiue, and hath more wardes , becaufe
G 2
44 Geargt Sibar his
the Stafie is verie vnceitaine » but the Bill is a more cer*
taine marke, bv reaibn of the breadth of the head, where-
by as the Bill hath aduantage in his wardes in the head,
fo therefore hath the StafFe the like defence, or rather
more, to play vpon the head of the Bill , not onely to
make a perfed good ward, but thereby, the rather to cail
the Bill out of the right line, whereby the StafFe-man
may thruft fafe, and endanger the Bill-man : and the ra-
ther becaufe therein he is the firft mouer , wherin there
is great vantage, both in time and force. And if the Bil*
man be not very skilfuU (all vantages and difaduantages
of both fides confidered,) the (hort Staffe will proue the
ff(jtetlns. better weapon. Laftly note this, that long Staues, Mor-
ris Pikes, and fuch like weapons of imperfe^ lengthes,
being to be vfed with both hands, notwithdanding their
imperfect lengthes, are perfedt weapons to be vied, the
one againft the other , and their fightes therein perfe£t,
becaufe in drawing of them backe betwixt their handes,
their motions are fwifter backewardes, then is the time
of the Agents feet forwardes, by the which all their loft
times are redeemed : therefore thefe weapons in their
fightes, the one againfl the other are perfect. And thefe
weapons in the night are the befi: weapons of all other,
and haue great aduantage againfl the rorreft Bill , fhort
StafFe, or anie maner of fhort weapons whatfoeuer : for
thefe caufes, they boldly make home their fightes , and
if neede be againfl defperate men , that will venture
themfelues to run in, they redeeme their lofl times. But
the other with fhorter weapons for lacke of hght, can
make no true defence. Thus endeth the vantages of wea-
pons.
^eftions
Paradoxes of Defence. 45
^ejlions and anfioers betweene the Sc boiler and the Mai-
fter^ of the vantages and difaduantages betweene a
tall many and a man ofmeanejlature^ bauing
both theperfeB knowledge in
their weapons.
Scholkr.
jHo hath the aduantage in fight, of a tall 30
'man^ or a man of meane flature?
S^aifier.
The tall man hath the vantage » for
' thefe cauies : his reach beine longer , and
weapon vnto his flature accordingly , he hath thereby a ^„ ^^
(horter courfe with his feet to win the true place, wher- p4nuMgi ^gmft
in by the fwift motion of his hand , he may ftrikc or «w» •f «w#«r
thruft home: in the which time a man of meane ftaturc-^^*^^*
cannot reach him, & by his large pace , in his true pace
in his regreflion further , fetteth himfelf out of all dan-
ger, & thefe are the vantages that a tall man hath againft
anie man of (horter reach then himfelfe.
Scholler.
What vantage hath a man of meane ftature againft
a tall man?
^aifter.
He hath none : becaufe the true times in fight, and a-
£tions accordingly, are to be obferued and done, as well
by a tall man, as by a man of meane ftature.
Scholkr.
Why then if this be true , that tall men hauc the van-
tage againft me of meane ftature, it fhold ieeme in fight
G3
46 George Silu& bis
there is no perfeftion, other then this, when men of like
.ftature, reach, & length of weapon, (hall fight together,
the which will feldome or neuer happen, but either in
the length of their weapons, ftatures or reaches (if their
fwords ihould be of iufl length) fome difference mod
commonly there will be in their reaches.
^aijier.
Yes verily, the tall man hath flill the vantage, and yet
the fight is perfect , although the men that fhall happen
to fignt, (hall happe to be vnequall in their ftatures, rea-
ches, or lengths ot their weapons.
Scholler.
That can \ hardly beleeue, vnlefle you can tell me by
Art how to auoid or fafely defend my felfe , being but a
man of meane flature, againfl a tall man.
^aifter.
I will tell you : there belongeth vnto this Art of de-
fence oncly to be vfed with the feet, progreflion, regref-
fion, trauerfin?, and treading of grounds: in any of theie
you playing the part of the Patient , or Patient Agent,
your feete are fwifter in their motions then are the A-
gents, becauie his weight and number of his feet in his
comming to win the true place to flrike or thrufl home,
are greater then yours , and therefore the true time is
yours to auoid him, or fafely to defend your felfe: fb the
Art is flill true, and the tall man hath flill the vantage.
Scholler.
Yet I am not fully fatisfied herein , becauie you tell
me dill that the tall man hath the vantage, and notwith-
ftanding you fay the Art is true , wherein then hath the
tall man the vantage, when by your Art you can defend
your felfe againfl him.
Maifter.
Paradoxes of Defence^ j^j
matjler.
I will fatisfie you therein thus. The tall man hath the
vantage, he can maintaine his fight, both by nature and
Art , with more eafe then can the man of meane fta-
ture , becaufe the man of meane ftature hath there*
by a further courfe with his feete to paile to the place,
wherein he may flrike or thrufl home , and in winning
of that place , is driuen by Art to come garded vn«
der his wards to defend himfelfe, becaufe in the time of
his comming , the tall man may both naturally or artifi^
cially flrike or thrufl home, in the which time, if the ma
of meane flature fhould faile in the leafl iote of his Art,
he (hould be in great daunger of death or hurt. But the
tall man can naturally and fafely come to the true place
open, without any artificiall wards at all, and therein al#
fo endanger the other, or driue him flill to trauerfe his
ground, with all the artificiall skill that he hath to de- ^'J^^^^'^
fend himfelfe; and all this the tall man doth hy x^^onjifi ma taU mm
of his length of weapon, large pace , fhort courie, and nj^fi^^^*
long reach, with great fafetie, pleafure and eafe* And for iml^iach. ^^*
thofe caufes the tall man hath flill the vantage of men o( Short ceurfi.
meane flature, and yet notwitflading the noble Science ^^^^2^""^*
of Defence mofl pcrfed and good.
Of the longfngk Rapier fight betweene valiant men^ ha^
uing bath skUl , he that is the heft wraftler^ or ifneif^
ther of them can wraftk , the ftrongeft man
moft commonly kilUth the other ^ or lea--
ueth him at his mercie.
'Hen two valiant men of skill at fingle Ra- 31
[pier do fight , one or both of them mofl co-
. monly flanding vpon their flrength or skill
' in wraflling, will prefcntly feeke to run into
48 George Siluer his
the cloie ; but hauing both skill , not without fpeciall
care of their gard or crofle, the which they may Rifely
do, by reafon of the length of their Rapiers: out hapning
both of one mind , the rather do bring themfelues toge-
ther: that being done, noskil with Rapiers auaileth^they
preiently grapple fafl their hilts , wrifts, armes , bodies
or neckes, as in luflring, wraflling, or ftriuing together,
they may bed find for their aduantages : wherby it moft
commonly falleth out, that he that is the bed wraftler^
or ftrongefl man (if neither of them can wraflle) ouer-
conmieth, wrefting by ftrength , or fine skill in wraft*
ling, the Rapier from his aduerfarie , or cafting him fro
him, either to the ground, or to fuch diftance, that he
may by reafon therof, vfe the edge or point of his rapier,
to (trike or thrufl him , leaning him dead or aliue at his
mercie. But if but one of thefe valiant men fhall feeke to
run into the clofe , and that the other fhall vfe his skill
in trauerfing of his ground , or otherwife by flanding
vpon his gard ox Stocatayfzrdi , to take all maner of adua-
tages at his coming, yet all auaileth him not, becaufe the
Rapiers being long, the crofling of the blades cannot
be auoided : that being made , the opprefTor runneth
fafler forwards then can the defendant backwards , and
fo are brought together, as in the firfl affault they were,
& euerie a£tion therein accordingly performed.
Of the Rapier and Poiniard-fight betwixt valiant
men^ hauing both skill.
I F two valiant men do fight at Rapier and Poi-
fniard hauing both skill, one or both of them
^^^^ ^ will prefently prefTe hard to winne the place,
wherein in his iudgement he may thrufl home. If both
be
Paradoxes of Defence. 49
be of one mind , the time is doubled in winning the
fame : whereby it commeth to pafle , that then he that
firft thrufteth,endangereth,killeth or hurteth the other:
and if they both thruft together , as they may do by the
equall time of their feet , then they are mo(i common-
ly both flaine , or both hurt. And this is well knowne
vnto all men of skill , that the place being once gotten,
there is neither iudgement, fpace, pace, nor time, either
by wards with their Rapier blades, or by breaking with
their Poiniards , or flying backe , that can preferue or
defend them . But if but one of them will feeke to win
by paflTage, hard prefllng, or otherwife the place, whcrin
in his iudgement he may thruft home , it is impoflible
for the other to denie him the fame , becaufe the length
of the Rapiers winneth him the croflie ; the crofl^ being
taken, the place is had ; the place being had, he that firft
thruftcth,nrft fpeedeth : if both thruft together, they are
both in danger : the prefently followeth (vnleflTe it pleaie
God otherwife to haue it) the ftabs with their daggers,
wherein there lieth no defence.
Of the long Rapier & Poiniard-fight betweene two valiant
meny the one hauing skily the other none : that he that
hath no skill hath the vantage.
jHen two valiant men flial fight with log 33
Rapiers and Poiniards , the one hauing
I skill , and the other none, he that hath no
skill moft commoly proueth himfclf the
better ma, for thefe caufes or reafbns fol-
lowing. Firft the skilfuU man as knowing the other to
haue no skill , or finding it to be fo by his (hape or
50 George Siker bis
maner of comming towardes him , will prcfcntly yecld
to take the aduantage of his comming , or elie with all
fpeed put himfelfe into his fhort ward , to be readie at
his comming to make out a flrong Stocata (as the Itali--
ans call itr) the other knowing his imperfection in
fight , afTureth himfelfe there can be no great good for
him to (land long out at the point, prefently redoubleth
or reuiueth his fpirits with perfed refolution , to make
fhort workc, couragioufly with ibme ofFcnfiuc aftion ,
fuch as nature (hall beft yeeld vnto him,flieth in with all
force and agllitie : the skilfuU man (landeth watching to
take fuch aduantages as his fchoolemaifter hath taught
him , in the which time , manie times it falleth out , he is
taught a new time,euen by an vnskilfull man that neuer
fought before , is fore hurt or flaine : and if it happen
they both miflc in their offenfiue adions , then by rea-
fon thereof, and of the imperfeft length of their Ra-
piers, they come to flabbingwith their Poiniards, wher-
in there lyeth no defence , becaufe diftance being bro-
ken, iudgement faileth , time is loft,and their eies (by the
fwift motions of their handes) are deceiued.
Of the long Jingle Rapier fir Rapier and Poiniard-fight be--
tweenetwo vnskilfull men being valiant.
Hen two vnskilfull men ( being valiant )
(hall fight with long fingle Rapiers , there
is leflc danger in that kind of fight, by rea-
fon of their diflance in conuenient length,
waight,and vnweildineflfe, then is with fhort Rapiers:
whereby it commeth to pafle, that what hurt fhall hap-
pen to be done , if anie with the edge or point of their
Rapiers
Paradoxes of Defence. 5 1
Rapiers is done in a moment , and prefently will grap-
ple and wraftle together, wherin mod commonly the
ftrongeft or beft Wraftler ouercommeth, and the like
fight falleth out betweene them , at the long Rapier and
Poiniard , but much more deadly , becaufe in ftead of
Clofe and Wraftling, they fall moft commonly to dab-
bing with their Poiniardes«
Of the imperfeBhn and infufficiencie of Rapiers in gene--
rall^ of what length foeuer they be.
F two fight with long Rapiers , vpon euerie Ln^fJ^g'
Crofle made within the halfe Rapier, if they with their Dag-
haue Poiniardes, they moft commonly ^^^^^^^J^l^^^
each other, which cannot be auoided , because the Kz-fiace,MdthrM'
piers being long, the Crofle cannot be vndone of either A^^ ^^^t^r
fide , without going backe with their feete , the which ^ucklrfthedrci-
likewife in due time cannot be done , becaufe the }MXidLferencenfh9th
is more fwifter then the feete,and the feete more fwifter jJ^'dJSf "^^
in their courfe forwardes then backwardes, neither c^n fped,hecaMfe
the Croflfe be preuented , becauie the point of neceflitie their Spaces 9/
lyeth too farre ofl^in his oflFcnce,or ellc within compaffe ^^^^^J^^^^
of the true time of the hand and bodie, by reafon of his the Hm of the
impcrfeft length: and fo by the like reafons, if two fight ^f^^,^ ^^
with long fingle Rapiers , vpon euerie Croflfe made /l^^^^/^^'j^
therewith, within the hdfe Rapier, the Clofe cannot be inthatSftanee
auoided, wherby it commeth to paflTe moft common- ^^^^f/'^
ly , that the ftrongeft man or beft WraflJer ouercom- The feete in
meth . Now if two do fight with fliort Rapiers, or Ra- ^^^^^^j^-^'J'^
piers of conuenient length , fuch Rapiers be inconueni- m^^.aCoLs
ent and infuflicient alfo for lacke of an hilt to defend the mtefirthea-
hand and head from the blow; for no eie (in making a ^^^^^^^
Ha
5 2 George Siluer his
pcrfcd ward for the head , to defend a blow, can dtf-
cerne to take the fame within three or foure inches ,
wherby it may as well and a^ often fall vpon the hand, as
vpontne blade of the Rapier. Againe,the hilt as well &r-
ueth to defend the head as the hand , and is a more fure
and ftrong ward , then is the blade of the Rapier. And
further, vnderfland this for truth, that in gardant and o-
pen fight , the hand without an hilt lieth open to moft
blowes that (halbe ftroken by the Agent, out of the gar-
dant or open fight , becaufe in the true cariage of the
gardant fight, the hand mufl lie aboue the head, in fuch
ftraightnes and narrownes of fi>ace, that which way foe-
uer the Agent fhall flrike or tnrufl at the head , face, or
bodie, the remouing of two or foure inches fhall faue
all. And now fbmewhat more for the fhortneffc or con-
uenient length of Rapiers.
Rapiers hauing no hilts to defend the head, the Ra-
pier-man is driuen of neceflitie to lie at the variable
fight or low ward,and being there he can neither defend
in due time , head , face , nor bodie from the blowes or
thrufles of him, that fhall fight out of the gardant or o-
pen fight, but is continually in great danger of the A-
gent,for thefe caufes following. Firfl, becaufe his fpace
is too wide to defend his head from blow or thrufl. Se-
condly his Pace flanding vpon that fight , wilbe of ne-
ceflitie too great or too narrow:if too narrow,too weak:
if too large,his weight and number of his feet , are too
great to endanger him,that is vpon his gardant or open
fight.
Of
Paradoxes of Defence. 53
OftheimperfeBimandinJuffickncieofthefightofthe
Jingle Rapier y Rapier and Poiniard ^Ra-
pier and Buckler ^ Rapier and
Chke f and Rapier and
Gloueofmaile.
fHc Rapier fight , whether it be fingle or ac- 36
|Copanied with Poiniard, Buckler, cloke, or
^loue of male, is ftill by reaibn of the infuf-
iciencie or imperfedtion of the Rapier , an
imperfe<% fight : vnperfedt inftruments can make no
perfedt muficke, neither can vnperfedt weapons make
perfedt fight : let the men that handle them haue
all the knowledge that may be in all maner of weapons,
yea the full height, or per^dion, and true habite by his
great labour and induitry,euen as it were naturally efFe-
ded in him , yet if the weapons that they (hall fight
withall be imperfe£t or infufficient to periorme what-
fbeuer appertaineth vnto true fight , as concerning the
perfedion of their fafetie , it auaileth them nothing.
What (hall we then 6y for the Rapier? Is the Rapier
an imperfe£t or infufficient weapon to perfourme
whatibeuer appertaineth vnto the true fight? Yea:
Wherefore ? Becaufe vnto the true fight there apper-
taineth foure fights, Gardant fight. Open fight. Varia-
ble fight , and Clofe fight : without all foure of thefe
fights it is impoilible to fight iafe: but the Rapier for
lacke of an hilt is an vnperfe£t weapon, and therefore
infufficient to fight iafe vpon thefe foure fights , the
reafons are alreadie fet downe in the Paradoxe be-
fore, but it is inferred to loofe the benefit of two of the
H3
54 Getrge Si/uer his
beft fights, gardant and open fight,and to flie from the,
and truft only vnto variable fight, and clofe fight. Now
hauing proued through the imperfedtion or infufficien-
cie of the Rapier, the imperfedtion of the Rapier fight,
it remaineth that I fpeake of the reft of the weapons, or
inftruments appertaining vnto Rapier fight.
The Rapier and Poiniard fight, the Rapier & Buckler
fight, the Rapier and cloke fight,& the Rapier & gloue
of male fight: all thefe fights by reafon of the imperfe-
6tion of the Rapier, and Rapier fight, are all alio imper*
it& fights .* and for proofe of the vncertaintie and im*
pofiibilities of fafetie in any of thefe fights , thus it ftan-
deth. Thefe fights depend altogether vpo variable fight
and clofe fight : in anie of thefe fights it is impoffible in
true fpace of Offence to keepe the blades of their Ra-
piers from crofiing, or fro breaking with the Poiniards,
buckler, cloke, or breaking or catching with the gloue
of male; becaufe in anie of thefe two nghts, the Agent
hath flill in true fpace the blade of the Patients Rapier
to worke vpon. Thefe things by letters cannot be made
more plaine , neither is it vnknowne to the skilful! , or
in fight by anie meanes to be auoided , the weapon
being too farre in true fpace to be wrought vpon, the
place cannot be denied , do the patient Agent what he
can for his life to the contrarie^either by blowes,thrufts,
fidfing,or doubling of thrufts,going backe, indirections,
or turnings of the body, or what elfe foeuer may in the
higheft touch of wit or flrength , or agilitie of bodie be
deuifed or done,to keepe out the Agent: but flill the A-
gent by narrowneffe of fpace bringeth himfelf by ftrog
gard to the place, where being brought,it is as impofli-
ble to fight fafe, as it is for two defperate men fet toge-
ther
Paradoxes of Defence. 5 5
ther being both blind;becaufe in the true place (wonne
in Rapier or variable fight) their eyes by the fwift mo-
tions of their hands are deceiued , the crofTes in that
fight are falfe, their diftance, iudgements and times are
loft,either to oflFend in fafetie, or fafely to defend them-
felues: and thefe reafons, rules, or grounds of the feates
of armes are infallible and inuincible.
Now, 6 you Italian teachers of Defence , where are
your Stocatas^ Imbrocatas ^Mandritas ^PuntaSj & Puynta
reuerfaSyStramifonSyPaJfataSjCarricados^Amazzas^ Scln-
cartatasjtc playing with your bodies , rcmouing with
your feet a litle afide,circle wife winding of your bodies, -
making of three times with your feet together , marking
with one eye the motion of the aduerfary,&with the o-
ther eye the aduatage of thrufting? What is become of
all thefe iugling gambalds , Apifli deuifes, with all the
reft of your fquint-eyed trickes , when as through your
deepe ftudies, long pra£tifes,& apt bodies, both flrong
& agilious, you haue attained to the height of all thefe
thingsFWhat then auaileth it you, when you (hal come
to fight for your Hues with a man of skill ?you fhall haue
neither time,nor place,in due time to performe any one
of them , nor gardant nor open fight fafely to keep out
a man of skill,a man of no skill, or fcholler of your owne
teaching, fi-om the true place, the place of fafetie , the
place ofvncertaintie or mifchiefe , the place of wounds
or death,but are there inforced to ftand in that mifchie-
uous, vncertaine, dangerous, and mofl deadly place, as
two men hauine loft in part their chiefeft fences, moft
furiouily with their rapiers or poiniards , wounding or
flaying each other.
Thus endeth the imperfed fights of the rapier with
56 George Siluer bis
all maner of weapons or inftruments thereto ap pertai*
ningjWith their imperfcdlions, through the true grouds
and rules of the Art of armes,truly difplayed &brought
to light.
All laud be vnto the Almighty God.
That the reafons vfed by the Italian Fencers in commen-
ding thevfe of the Rapier and Poiniard^ becauje it
maketh peace ^ maketh againft
themfelues.
JT hath bin commonly held , that fince the
> Italians hauc taught the Rapier fight, by
'reafon of the dangerous vfe thei;of,it hatn
fbred great ciuilitie amongft our Engliih
Thiriorefiw ^^^1^5^^ nation , they will not now giue the lye, nor
frayes^ ^Mi m$re with luch foule ipeeches abuie themielues , therefore
luhuM^^lnM^ there are fewer frayes in thefe times then were wont to
werethen. be/it Cannot be denied but this is true,that we are more
circumipedt of our words, and more fearefuU to fight,
then heretofore we haue bene. But whereof commeth
it ? Is it from this,that the Rapier maketh peace in our
minds; or from hence,that it is not fb fufiicient defence
for our bodies in our fight? He that will fight when he is
armed , will not fight when he is naked : is it therefore
good to go naked to keepe peace ? he that would fight
with his Sword and Buckler, or Sword and Dagger,be-
ing weapons of true defence, will not fight with his Ra-
pier and Poiniard , wherein no true defence or fight is
perfe<ft:are thefe infufiicict weapos therfore the better,
becaufe not being fuflicict to dercdvs in fight, they force
vs vnto peace ? What elfe is it, but to fay, it is good for
fubiefls
Paradoxes of Defence. ^j
fubieds to be poore, that they may not go to law: or to
lacke munition, that they may not fight, nor go to the
warres : and to conclude, what more followeth through
theimperfedworkesof thefe Italian peacemakers ?They
haue made many a ftrong man in his fight weake, many
a valiant man fearefull, manie a worthie man trufting to
their imperfed fight, hath bene flaine, and manie of our
deiperate boyes and young youthes, to become in that
Rapier-fight, as good men as £fr^/^^yeeldeth, and the
talleft men in this land, in that fight as verie boyes as
they and no better.This good haue the Italian teachers
of Ofi^ence done vs, they haue transformed our boyes in-
to men, and our men into boyes, our ftrong men into
weakenefife, our valiant men doubtfull, and manie wor-
thie men refoluing themfelues vpon their falfe refblu-
tions, haue moft wilfully in the field, with their Rapiers
ended their Hues. Ana laftly, haue left to remaine a-
mongft vs after their deathes, theie inconueniences be-
hind them, falfe Fence-bookes, imperfe£k weapons, falfe
fightes, and euill cuftomes , whereby for lacke of vfe and
prafHfe in perfedt weapons and true fight, we are difa-
bled for the feruice of our Prince, defence of our coun-
trey, and fiifetie of our lines in priuate fight.
Hhat the short Sword hath the aduantage againft
the long Sword or long Rapier.
Hereas for the moft part opinions are 38
generally holden, that the long Sword,
or lone Rapier, hath the vantage in fight
againft the fhort Sword, which the Itali-^
an teachers of Dcfence,by their falfe de-
58 George Siluer his
monftratios haue brought vs to beleeue.I haue thought
good that the truth may appeare which hath the van-
tage, to adde my hclpc vnto the reaibns they vfc in their
owne behalfe, for that yet I could ncuer heare them
make a found reaibn for the fame.Theie are the reaibns.
Thefireaf9ns Firft with my long Rapier, I will put my felfe into my
arevfidky the ^^^^ q^ Stocata^ holding my hilt backe by the outfide of
my right thigh, keeping in ihort the point of my Rapier,
ib as he that hath the fliort Sword, fhall not be able to
reach the point of my Rapier, to make his ward or
Croile witn his Dagger, Buckler, Sword, or Cloke,
without ftepping in of his foote, the which time is too
long to anfwere the time of the hand, by reafon of my
diftance. I can there ftand fafe without danger of blow
or thruft, playing the Patients part : if you ftrike or thruft
you do it too (hort, by reafon of my diftance: if you feek
to come nearer, you muft do it with the time of your
foote, in the which time I may fafely thruft home: if in
that diftance you breake it not, you are flaine: if you do
breake it, yet you do me no harme, by reaibn of my di-
ftance, and I may ftand faft and thruft againe, or flie
backe at my pleafure : fo haue you put your ielfe in dan-
ger of your life, and hauing hardly efcaped, are driuen a-
gaine to begin a new bought, as at the firft you did. A-
gaine, if I pleaie, I can be the oppreflbur, keeping the
i&me gard, and my point in ihort as I did before, and
preffing ftrongly by putting in by litle and litle of my
feete, vntill the place with my foote be gotten, wherein
(in my iudgement) I may thruft home, the which I may
boldly and iafely do, without refpedt of anie ward at all,
by reaibn of my diftance, in which time of my comming
he muft ftrike, thruft, ward, or go backe: if he go backe,
it
'Paradoxes of Defence. 59
it is a great dilgrace : if he ftrike or thruft, it is too fliort :
if he (land to defend, the place being alreadie gotten ,
where I may thruft home, the thruft being verie quicke
& ftrongly made, flich is the force and fwiftnefle there-
of, that it is impoflible by nature or art, for anie man to
breake one thruft of an hundred. Thefc reafbns in my o-
pinion may fuffice to confirme the wife, that there is
no queftion to be made, but that the long Rapier hath
the aduantaee aeainft the fhort Sword.
Sir you haue pretily handled your diicourfe, concer- the itaLm rea-
ning the vantages of the long Rapier againft the fhovt fans.
Sword, elpecidly at the firft (hew, and according to
common fence, but for the fubftance and truth of the
true fight, you haue (aid nothing, becaufe for the per-
formance of anie of your allegations, you haue neither
true Pace, Place, Time, nor Space: thefe are the rea-
fons. Your Pace of neceflitie muft be too large, becaufe
otherwife you cannot keepe fafe the point of your long
Rapier, from the CrofTe of the fhort Sword, vnle(re
you will with a narrow Pace keepe backe your hilt fb
farre, that the fpace of your offence wilbc too large or
too long in diftance, and your bodie vnapt to moue and
to thruft both ftrong and quicke in due time, nor aptly
to keepe your diftance, to win the place with your feete,
to thruft home. So now you may plainely fee, if you
haue skill in the art or fcience of Defence, that to per-
forme anie thing which you haue alleadged , you haue
neither true Pace, Place, time nor Space. But
if you will ftand vpon the largeneffe of your Pace, to
keepe backe or faue the point of your long Rapier from
the ward or Croffe of the fhort Sword, or vpon your
Pajatosy in all thefe you haue great difaduantages: and
I 2
^o George Siluer his
thefe are my reafbns: Your number will be too great,
as thus: whenfoeuer you meane out of your large pace
to thruft home, you mufl of neceflitie make foure times
with your feet, and one with your hand, or two times
with your feet, and one with your hand at the lead: and
whenfoeuer you make any of your paflages, the nuber of
your feet are greater then the greatcft of any of thefe
times done out of the large pace : but the patient with his
fliort fword, to auoyd you, or diiappoint you of your
thruft, hath but one time with his root, at or before the
which time, as he in his iudgemet fhall find you in your
motion, hath by the flow and great number of your mo-
tions or times, fufficient time fafely out of all danger to
make himfelfe readie to take his crofle with his fliort
fword.Now Sir, whether you thruft or not thruft, whe-
ther you play the part of an Agent, or Patient, it hel-
peth you nothing, for he that hath the fliort fword hath
foure times or motions againft the long Rapier, name-
ly, bent, fpent, lying fpent, and drawing backe, in all
maner of fights thefe are to be obierued both by the
Patient and Agent. Now note, he that hath the long
Rapier muft of ncccflitie play vpon one of thefe foure
motions, or be Patient, which foeuer he fhall do, he
is ftill in great danger of the croffc of the fhort fword,
becaufe it he be Agent, his number is too great, he
falleth into one of the foure motions, the Patient with
his fhort fword, hauing but the time of the hand, or had
& foot, fafely vpon thefe actions or times taketh his
crofle with the fhort Sword: that being done, he pre-
fently vncrofTeth and ftriketh or thrufleth at his pleafure
him that hath the long Rapier, in the head, face, or bo-
dicNow here is againe to be noted, that when the crofTe
is
Paradoxes of Defence. 6 1
18 made, if he that hath the long Rapier (land faft, he is
wounded prefently in the vncroffing of the (hort iword,
if he ftep or leape backe to iaue hioifelfe , yet the time
of the hand being fwifter then the time of the foot » ouer-
taketh him, with blow or thruft in the arme, hand, head,
face and bodie. Now if he that hath the long Rapier
will be patient & make no play, but lie ftill watching to
make his thruft or Stocata iuit in the coomiing or mo-
uing of the Agents feete with his (hort fword, then he
hath as great difaduantage as he had when he was Pa-
tient ,becaufe the the Agent with his (hort Sword hath
but hand and foot to make his crofle : which is moft fafe-
ly to be done in that time, which we call Bent , and is as
impoilible for the Rapier-man to preuent, as it is for an
vnskilfuU to ftrike or thruft iuft together with a man of
skilL Then thus I conclude, that he that fighteth with a
long Rapier, againft him that fighteth with a (hort
Sword, can do nothing in due time to defend himielfe,
or hurt the other, but is ftill in daunger of his life, or
at the mercie of him that hath the fhort Sword, or
elfe hath no fafe way to hdpe himielie, but onely Cobs c§bs TrMurfi.
Trauerfe. This Cob was a great quareller, and did de*
light in great brauerie to giue fcmle words to his bet-
ters, and would not refuie to go into the field to fight
with any man, and when he came into the fields would
draw his Sword to fight, for he was fure by the cun-
ning of his Trauerfe, not to be hurt by anie man : fi^r
at anie time finding himielfe ouermatdbed would fud-
denly turne his backe and runne away with fiich iwift-
nefie, that it was thought a good horie would icarce
take him . And this when I was a young man, was ve-
rie much fpoken of by many Gentlemen of the Innes of
I3
62 George Siluer his
the Court , and was called Cobs Trauerfe and thofe that
had fccne anic go backe too faft in his fight, would fay,
he did tread Cobs Trauerfe.
George Siluer his militarie riddle j truly fet downe betweene
the PerfeSion and Imperfe£Hon of fight : containing the
handling of the foure fights: wherein true confifietb
the whole fumme and full perfeSion of the
true fight ^ with allmaner of wea-
pons^ with an inuicible
conclufion.
Ardant fight ftayeth , putteth backe, or
beateth gardant nght.
Open fight ftayeth , putteth backe^ or
beateth open fight.
Variable fight anfwercth variable fight
in the firft diftance, and not otherwife, except it be with
the perfect len^;th againft the imperfect.
Clofe fight is beaten by gardant fight.
Variable cloie & gardant fight, beateth gardant fight,
open fight, variable fight, and clofe fight.
Gardant fight in the imperfedtion of the Agent or
Patient, winneth the halfe fword , and preuenteth the
clofe, and whofoeuer firft ventureth the clofe, looieth
it, and is in great danger of death , and not pofiible to
eicape or get out againe without great hurt.
There attendeth moft diligently vpon thefc foure
fights foure ofi^enfiue actions, which we call certaine,
vncertaine, firft, before, iuft, and afterwards : they are
to be performed through iudeement, time, meafure,
number and waight, by whicn all maner of blowes,
thrufts,
Paradoxes of Defence. 63
thriiftSy falfes, doubles, or flips, are preuented, or mou
fafely defended. And thus endeth my riddle.
Now foUoweth the conclufion, that wholbeuer (hall
thinke or find himfelfe in his fight too weake for the A-
gent, or Patient Agent, and therefore, or by reafon of
his drunkennefle, or vnreafonable de4>erateneile fhall
prefe within the halfe Sword, or deferately runne in of
purpofc to giue hurt, or at leaft for taking of one hurt,
to giue another, fhall mod aiTuredly be in great daun-
ger of death or wounds, and the other fhall flill be £de
and go free*
Veritas vincit.
IwritimtMsf
difgrdCi tbediad^
hut t$Jhiw their
impMdit hldwife
and imfmjjUUmcy
in firfirMdnci if
thiirfroftffi9n
A BRIEFE NOTE OF THREE ITA-
Han Teachers of Offence.
Here were three Italian Teachers of Of-
fence in my time . The firft was Signior
Rocio : the fecond was leronimOj that was
Signior Rocko his boy , that taught Gen-
tlemen in the Blacke^-FryerSy as Vftier for
whiM they Win his maifter in fteed of a man.The third was Fincentio.
tf^Jh^^ This Signior Rocko came into England zboMt fome thir-
hriefemtetiupf tie veares paiL* he taught the Noblemen & Gentlemen
he^rememhrmue ^f jji^ Court ; he caufed fome of them to weare leaden
hem^e^/a/i foales in their fhoes, the better to bring them to nimble-
^A nefle of feet in their fight He disburfed a great fumme
of mony for the leafe of a faire houfe in Warwicke lane,
which ne called his Colledge, for he thought it great
difgrace for him to keepe a Fence-fohoole, he being
then thought to be the onely ^unous Maifter of the Art
of armes in the whole world. He cauied to be fiiirely
drawne and fot round about his Schoole all the Noble-
mens and Gentlemens armes that were his SchoUers,
and hanging right vnder their armes their Rapiers, dag-
gers, gloues ofmale and gantlets. Alfo, he had benches
and ftooles, the roome being verie large, for Gentleme
to fit round about his Schoole to behold his teaching.
He taught none commonly vnder twentie, fortie, fifty,
or an hundred pounds. And becaufe all things fhould
be verie necefiary for the Noblemc & gentleme, he had
in
in his ichoole a large fquare table, with a greene car-
pet, done round with a verie brode rich fringe of gold,
alwaies (landing vpon it a verie faire Standifh couered
with Crimibn Veluet, with inke, pens, pin-duft^ and
fealing waxe, and quiers of verie excellent fine paper
gilded, readie for the Noblemen & Gentlemen (vpon
occafion) to write their letters, being then defirous to
follow their fight, to fend their men to difpatch their
bufinefie*And to know how the time pafied, he had in
one comer of his fchoole a Clocke, with a verie faire
large Diall, he had within that fchoole, a roome the
which was called his priuie fchoole, with manie wea-
pons therein, where he did teach his fchoUers his fecret
fight, after he had perfe&ly taught them their rtiles«He
was verie much beloued in the Court*
There was one Aujien Bagger y a verie tall gentle*
man of his handes, not ftanding much vpon his skill,but
carying the valiant hart of an Fngliflunan, vpon a time
being merrie amongft his friendes, faid he would go
fight with Signior Rocco, prefently went to Stgniar
Rocco his houfe in the BlackefrierSj and called to him in
this maner: Signior Rocco ^ thou that art thought to be
the onely cunning man in the world with thy weapon,
thou that takeft vpon thee to hit anie Englifhman with
a thruft vpon anie button, thou that takeft vpon thee to
come ouer the ieas, to teach the valiant Noblemen and
Gentlemen of England to fight, thou cowardly fellow
come out of thy houfe if thou dare for thy life , I am
come to fight with thtt.Signior Rocco looking out at a
window , perceiuing him in the ftreet to ftand readie
with his Sword and Buckler, with his two hand Sword
drawne, with all fpeed ran into the ftreet, and manfully
Iv.
66
let flic at Aufien Bagger^ who moft brauely defended
himfclfe, and prcfently clofed with him, and ftroke vp
his heeles, and cut him ouer the breech, and trode vpon
him, and moft grieuoufly hurt him vnder his feet : yet
in the end Aujien of his good nature gaue him his
life^ and there left hin. This was the firft and laft fight
that euer Signior Rocco made, iauing once at Queene
Hith he drew his Rapier vpon a waterman, where he
was throughly beaten with Oares and Stretchers, but
the oddes of their weapons were as great againft his Ra-
pier, as was his two hand Sword againft Auften Bag^
gers Sword and Buckler, therefore for that fray he was
to be excufed.
Then came in Vincentio and leronimoj they taught
Rapier-fight at the Court, at London ^ and in the coun-
trey, by the fpace of feauen or eight yeares or therea-
bouts^Thefe two Italian Fencers, efpecially Vincentio^
£iid that Englifhmen were ftrong men, but nad no cun-
ning, and they would go backe too much in their fight,
which was great difgrace vnto them. Vpon thefe words
of difgrace againft Englifhmen, my brother Toby Silwr
and my felfe, made challenge againft them both, to play
with tnem at the fingle Rapier, Rapier and Dagger, the
fingle Dagger, the fingle Sword, the Sword and Target,
the Sword and Buckler, & two hand Sword , the StafFe,
battell Axe, and Morris Pike, to be played at the Bell
Sauage vpon the Scaffold, where he that went in his
fight fafter backe then he ought, of Englifhman or Ita-
lian, fhold be in danger to breake his necke off the Scaf-
fold. We caufed to that cfFed, fine or fixe fcore Bils of
challenge to be printed, and fct vp from Southwarke to
the Tower, and from thence through London vnto Weft-
minfier^
^7
mmfter^ we were at the place with all thefe weapons at
the time apointed, within a bow (hot of their Fence
ichoole: many gentlemen of good accompt, caried ma-
nie of the bils of chalenge vnto them, telling them that
now the SUuers were at the place appointed, with all
their weapons, looking for them, and a multitude of
people there to behold the fight, faying vnto them, now
come and go with vs (you fhall take no wrong) or elfe
you are fhamed for euer. Do the gentlemen what they
could, thefe gallants would not come to the place of
triall.I verily thinke their cowardly feare to anfwere this
chalenge, had vtterly fhamed them indeed, had not the
maifters of Defence of London j within two or three
daies after, bene drinking of bottell Ale hard by Vin--
centios ichoole, in a Hall where the Italians muft of ne-
ceflitie pafTe through to go to their ichoole: and as they
were comming by, the maiflers of Defence did pray
them to drinke with them, but the Italians being verie
cowardly, were afraide, and prefently drew their Ra-
piers: there was a pretie wench ibuidmg by, that loued
the Italians 9 fhe ran with ourcrie into the ftreet, helpe,
helpe, the Italians are like to be flaine : the people with
all Ipeede came running into the houfe, and with their
Cappes and fuch things as they could get^ parted the
fraie, for the Englifh maiilers of Defence, meant no-
thing lefie then to foile their handes vpon thefe two
faint-harted?fellowes. The next morning after, all the
Court was filled, that the Italian teachers of Fence had
beaten all the maiflers of Defence in London^ who fet v-
pon them in a houfe togethenThis wan the Italian Fen-
cers their credit againe, and thereby got much,flill con*
tinuing their falie teaching to the end of their lines.
K2
68
This Vineentia proued himfelfe a ftout man not
long before he died, that it might be feene in his life
time he had bene a gallant, and therefore no maruaile
he tooke vpon him fo highly to teach Englifhmen to
fight, and to iet forth bookes of the feates o? Armes. V^
pon a time at fFels in Somerietihire, as he was in great
brauerie amongft manie gentlemen of good accompt,
with great boldnefle he gaue out fpeeches, that he had
bene thus manie yeares in England j and fince the time
of his firft comming, there was not yet one Englifh^
man, that could once touch hiiti at the iingle Rapier, or
Rapier and Dagger. A valiant gentleman being there
amongft the reft, his Englifh hart did rife to heare this
proude boafter, iecretly ftnt a meflenger to one Barthth
hmew Brambk a friend of his, a verie tall man both of
his hands and peiibn, who kept a ichoole of Defence in
the towne, the meflenger by the way made the maifter
of Defence acquainted with the mind of the gentleman
that fent for him, and of all what Vtncentio had faid,this
maifter of Defence prefently came, and amcmgft all the
gentlemen with his cap off, prayed maifter Vincentw^
that he would be pleaied to take a quart of wine of him.
Vtncentio verie fcornefuUy looking vpon him, faid vnto
him. Wherefore fhould you giue me a quart of wine?
Marie Sir, iaid he, becaufe I heare you are a famous man
at your weapon • Then prefently {aid the gentleman
that ient for the maifter of Defence: Maifter Vtncentio^
I pray you bid him welcome, he is a man of your pro^
foflion. My profeflion iaid Fincentioi what is my profei^
fion. Then £ud the gentleman, he is a maifter of the no*
hie fcience of Defence* Why faid maifter FincitiOj God
make him a good man. But the maifter of Defence wold
not
69
not thut leaue him, but prayed him againe he would be
pleafed to take a quart of wine of him^The iaid Vinceth^
I haue no need of thy wine.Then faid the maifter of De-
fence : Sir I haue a ichoole of Defence in the towne, will
it pleafe you to go thither. Thy ichoole, faid maifter
Fincefttioi what fhall I do at thy fchoole? play with me
(fidd the maifter^ at the Rapier and Dagger, if it pleafe
you« Play with thee faid maifler Vincentio} if I play with
thee, I will hit thee i. 2. 3. 4. thrufles in the eie toge-
ther. Then faid the maifler of Defence, if you can do fo,
it is the better for you, and the wor& for me, but furely
I can hardly beleeue that you can hit me: but yet once
againe I hartily pray you good Sir, that you will go to
my fchoole, and play with me. Play with thee faid mai-
fler Vittcentio (verie fcornefuUy?) by Grod me fcome to
play with thee. With that word fcome, the maifler of
Defence was verie much moued, and vp with his great
Englifh fifl, and fboke maifler Fincenth fuch a boxe on
the eare that he fell ouer and ouer, his legges iufl a-
gainfl a Butterie hatch, whereon flood a great blacke
lacke : the maifler of Defence fearing the worfl, againfl
VtMcentia his rifing, catcht the blacke lacke into his
hand, being more then halfe full of Beere. FincentiolU'-
flily flart vp, laying his hand vpon his Dagger, & with
the other hand pointed with his finger, £iyiilg, very well :
I will caufe to lie in the Gaile for this geare, i. 2. 3
4. yeares. And well faid the maifler of Defence » fince
you will drinke no wine, will you pledge me in Beere i I
drinke to all the cowardly knaues in England^ and I
thinke thee to be the veriefl coward of them all : with
that he cafl all the Beere vpon him : notwithflanding
Vincentio hauing nothing but his guilt Rapier, and
K3
70
Dagger about him, and the other for his defence the
blacke lacke, would not at that time fight it out : but the
next day met with the maifter of Defence in the ftreete,
and faid vnto him, you remember how miiuied a me
yefterday, you were to blame^ me be an excellent man,
me teach you how to thruft two foote further then anie
Englifhman, but firft come you with me: then he
brought him to a Mercers (hop, and faid to the Mercer,
let me fee of your befl filken Pointes, the Mercer did
prefently fhew him fbme of feauen groates a dozen,
then he payeth fourteene groates for two dozen, and
faid to the maifler of Defence, there is one dozen for
you, and here is another for me. This was one of the va-
liantefl Fencers that came from beyond the feas, to
teach Englifhmen to fight, and this was one of the man-
liefl frayes, that I haue hard of, that euer he made in
England, wherin he fhewed himfelfe a farre better man
in his life, then in his profefilon he was, for he profefTed
armes, but in his life a better Chriflian. He fet forth in
print a booke for the vfe of the Rapier and Dagger, the
which he called his pradlife, I haue read it ouer ,and be-
caufe I finde therein neither true rule for the perfect
teaching of true fight, not true ground of true fight, nei-
ther fence or reafbn for due proofe thereof. I haue
thought it friuolous to recite any part therin contained:
yet that the truth hereof may appeare, let two me being
wel experienced in the Rapier and Dagger fight, choofe
any of the befl branches in the fame booke, & make trial
with force and agility, without the which the truth be-
tweene the true & faUe fight cannot be knowne, & they
fhall find great imperfections therein. And againe, for
proofe that there is no truth, neither in his rules, grouds
or
71
or Rapier-fight, let triall be made in this maner: Set two "P^^fi^H^fi
vnskilfuU men together at the Rapier and Dagger, be- ^ ^'''^•^^^'*
ing valiant, and you (hall fee, that once in two boutes
there fhall either one or both of them be hurt^Then fet
two skilfuU men together, being valiant at the Rapier
and Dagger, and they fhall do the like.Then fet a skilful
Rapier and Dagger-man the befl that can be had, and a
valiant man hauing no skill together at Rapier & Dag-
ger, and once in two bouts vpon my credit in all the ex-
perience I haue in fight, the vnskilml man, do the other
what he can for his life to the contrarie, fhall hurt him,
and mofl commonly if it were in continuance of fight,
you fhall fee the vnskilfull man to haue the aduantage*
And if I fhould chufe a valiant man for feruice of the
Prince, dr to take part with me or anie friend of mine
in a good quarrell, I would chufe the vnskilfull man, be-
ing vnencombred with falfe fights, becaufe fuch a man
ilandeth fi-ee in his valour with ilrength and agilitie of
bodie, fi-eely taketh the benefit of nature, fighteth mofl
braue, by loofing no oportunitie, either fbundly to hurt
his enemie, or defend himielfe, but the other flanding
for his Defence, vpon his cunning Italian wardes, Poin--
ta reuerfa^ the Imbrocata^ Stocata^ and being fafl tyed vn-
to thefe falfe fightes, flandeth troubled in his wits, and
nature therby racked through the largenefTe or falfe ly-
ings or Spaces, whereby he is in his fight as a man halfe
maimed, loofing the oportunity of times & benefit of
nature, & whereas before being ignorant of thefe falfe
Rapier fightes, flanding in the free libertie of nature
giuen him by god, he was able in the field with his wea-
po to anfwere the valiantefl man in the world, but now
being tied vnto that falfe fickle vncertaine fight, there-
K 4
72
by hath loft in nature his freedomct i8 now become
fcarce halfe a man, and euerie boye in that fight is be-
come as good a man as himfelfe.
lermimo this gallant was valiant, and would fight
indeed, and did, as you (hall heare. He being in a Coch
with a wench that ne loued well, there was one Cheefe^
a verie tall man, in his fight naturall Englifh, for he
fought with his Sword and Dagger, and in Rapier-fight
had no skill at alL This Cheeje hauing a quarrell to le^
ronimOj ouertooke him vpon the way, himfelfe being on
horfebacke, did call to Itronimo^ and bad him come
forth of the Coch or he would fetch him, for he was
come to fight with him. leronimo prefently went forth
of the Coch and drew his Rapier and dagger, put him-
felf into his beft ward or StocatayYihxch ward was taught
by himfelfe and Fincentio^ and by them beft allowed of,
to be the beft ward to ftand vpon in fight for life, either
to aflault the enemie, or ftand and watch his comming,
which ward it fhould feeme he ventured his life vpon,
but howibeuer with all the fine Italienated skill leroni-
mo had, Chee/e with his Sword within two thruftes ran
him into the bodie and flue him. Yet the Italian tea*
chers will fiiy, that an Englifhma cannot thruft ftraight
with a Sword, becauie the hilt will not fiififer him to put
the forefinger ouer the Crofile, nor to put the thumbe
vpon the blade, nor to hold the pummell in the hand,
whereby we are of necefiitie to hold faft the handle in
the hand : by reafon whereof we are driuen to thruft
both compafle and fhort, whereas with the Rapier they
can thruft both ftraight and much further then we can
with the Sword, becaufe of the hilt: and thefe be the rea-
fbns they make againft the Sword.
FINIS.
BREF INSTRUCTIONS
VPO MY PRADOXES OF DEFENCE
for the true handling of all Mann<^ of
weapons together w* the fower grownds
& the fower gou'nors w** gouernours
are left out in my pradoxes w^out the
knowledge of w«* no Man can 6ght faf
By George Silver Gentleman
[1599]
[Sloane MS. No. 376.]
TO THE READER.
: Or as much as in my padoxes of Defence I
haue admonyfhed Men to take heede of falfe
teachers of Defence , yet once againe in
thefc mybrcf inftrudtions I do the lyke, be-
caufe Diuers have wryten books treating of
the noble icience of Defence , wherin they rather teach
offence then Defence , rather (hewing men therby how
to be flayne than to defend them felues fro the Dang^ of
their enemys , as we may dayly fe to the great grief &
ouerthrowe of many braue gentlemen & gallent of o^.
ever victorious nation of great brytainei^.And therfore
for the great loue & Care y^ I haue for the well Doing &
p'fjvation of my Countrymen, feeing their Dayly mens
& vtter ou^'throw of Diu" gallant gent: & others w^**
truft only to that Impfy t fyght of y^ Rapior, yeafe al-
though they Deyly fe their owne ou'throwes & (laughs
ter therby , yet becaus they are trayned vp therin, they
thinke & do fully pfwade them felues that ther is no
fight fo excelent & wher as amongft div's other their
oppynyonsy^leadeth them to this errous on of y* cheifeft
is, becaufe ther be fo many flayne w* thefe weapons &
therfore they hold them fe exelent, but^hefe thinges do
h
74 To the Reader.
cheifl3r happen, firft becauie their fyght is Impr^t for
that they vfe nether the prfyt gronds of true iyght,
nether yet the 4 gou'nors w^ut w^^ no man can fight
fiif , nether do they vfe fuch other rules w*^** are required
in the right vfe of prfyt defence, and alio their weapons
for y^ mod prte beinge of an Imprfyt length, muft of
neceilytie make an Imprfyt Defence b'ecau& they Can-
not vie them in due tyme & place, for had thefe valerous
mynded men the right prfe6tion of the true fyght w*
the fliort fword, & alfo ot other weapons of prfyt length,
I know y^ men would com fafFer out of the field firo
fuch bloddye bankets & that fuch would be their prfec-
tions her in, that it would iaue many 100 mens lyues.
But how ihould men leme prfe6tion out of fuch rules
as are nothing els but very Imprfedlio it felf. And as
it is not fyt for a man w^ dcfyreth y* clerc lyght of
the Day to go downe into the bottom of a deepe &
Darke Dungion, belyvinge to fynd it there, ib is it as
Impoflyble for men to fynd the prfyt knowledge of this
noble fcience wher as in all their teachings every thinge
is attempted & adfced vpo Imprfyt rules, for ther is but
one truth in all things, w*^ I wifli very hartely were
taught & pradtyfed hereamongft vs, &y* thofe Imprfyt
& murtherous Kynde of falfe fyghts might be by them
abolyfhed. Leaue now to quatfe gull any Longer of
that fyhhy brynyfti puddle, feeing yo may now drink of
y' frem & clere (prynge,
O that men for their Defence would but geve their
mynde to pradife the true fyght in deed, & lerne to here
true brytifh wards for thire defence, w<* yf they had it
in prfyt praiSyfe, I fpeak it of myne owne knowledge y*
thofe Imprfyt Italyon Devyfes w^ rapyor & ponyard
would
^0 the Reader. 75
would be clene caft afyde & of no account of al fuch as
blind offedlions do not lead beyond the bonds of reafbn.
Therforc for the verye zealous & vnfayncd loue y* I
beare vnto yo' high & royal prfbn my Cuntrymen py tti-
ing their caufes y^ fo many braue men fhould be dayly
murthered, & ipoyled for want of true knowledge of
this noble fcience &: not as ibm Imagyn to be, only y«
excelence of y* rapior fyght, & wher as my padoxes of
defence is to the moft forte as a darke ryddle in many
things ther in fet downe,therfore I have now this fecond
tyme taken fom paynes to write thefe few breef Inftruc-
tions ther vpp5 wher by they may the better attayne to
the truth of this fcyence & laying open here all fuch
things as was fom thinge Intrycat iox them to vnd' (land
in my p'doxes & therfor y* I haue the ful prfeftio &
knowledge of the prfyt vie of all mann' of weapons, it
Doth embolden me here in to wryte for the better In-
ftruaio of the VnfkylfuU.
And I haue added to thefe my breef Inftru6tions
c'taine necefarie admony tions w^ I wifti every man not
only to know but alfo to obf Ve & follow, Chiefly al fuch
as are defyrous to enter into the right vfage & know-
ledge of their weapons, & alfo I haue thought it good
to Annexe here vnto my p'doxes of Defence becaufe in
thefe my bref Inflru6tions, I haue referred y* reader to
div's rules ther in fet down.
This haue I wryten for an Infallible truth & a note of
remembrance to o' gallant gent: & others of o' brave
mynded Nation of great bryttaine, w^ here a mvnde to
defend them felues & to wyn honour in the feeld by
their Actions of armes & fyngle Combats.
And know y^ I write not this for vaineglorie, but out
L2
76 TCo thr ReaiUr.
of An cntyrc louc y* I owe vnto my natyve Cuntxymen,
as on who lamentith their Lofles, forrye y^ fo great an
errour (hould be fo Carefully nory (hed as a Ppant in their
bofoms to theii vtt'confufyo, as of long tyme haue byn
feene^ wher as yf they would but feeke the truth her in
they were eaiyly abolyfhedt therfore follow the truth &
fly Ignorance*
And confyd' y ^ learnyng hath no greater enemye than
Ignorance, netner can the vnfkylfuU euer Judge the
truth of my arte to them unknowen, beware of rafh
Judgment & accept my labours as thankfully as I beflow
them willingly, cenfuer me Juftly, let no man Diipife
my worke herin Caufeles, & (b I refere my felf to the
cenfuer of fuch as are ikylful herin & £> I comy t yo to
the prtedion of the almyghty Jehovah.
yo" in al loue & fryencUy Afl?c6tio,
G£ORG£ SyLUER.
Admonytions
ADMONYTIONS
TO THE GENTLEMEN &
BRAVE GALLANTS OF GREAT
BRITAINE AGAINST QUARRELS &
BRAULES WRITEN BY GEORGE SILUER.
GENT.
[Heras I have declaired in my prdoxes of de-
fence of the falfe teachinge of the noble
fcyence of defence vfed here by the Italyon
fencers willing men therin to take heed how
they trufted ther vnto w^ fufiytient reafons
& profe why.
And wher as ther was a booke wry ten by Vincentio an
Italic teacher whofe yll vfinge pradifes & vnikylfull
teaching were fuch y* it hath coft the lyves of many of
o* brave gentlemen & gallants, the vnc'taintye of whole
falfe teaching doth yet rema3me to y« dayly murthering
& ouer throw of many , for he & the reft ot them did not
teach Defence but offence, as it doth playnlye appere
by thofe y* follow the fame Imprfy t fyght according to
their teaching or inftrudtios by tne oixiers from them
prceedinge, for be the adlors y* follow them neuer fo
prfyt or fkylfiill therin one or both of them are eythef
L3
jS Adtnofiytums.
fore hurt or flainein their Incountrs & fyghts, & yf they
alledge y^ we vfe it not rightly according to y^ prfeftio
therof , & therfore cannot defend o' felues, to w^** I an-
fwer yf themfelues had had any prfedtion therin, & that
their teaching had byn a truth, themfelues would not
have byn beaten & uayne in their fyghts , & vfing of
their weapons^ as they were.
And therfore I proue wher a man by their teaching
can not be faf in his defence following their owne
groundeof fyghtthen is their teaching offence ¬ de-
fence y for in true fyght againft the befl no hurt can be
don • And yf both haue the full prfedion of true fyght ,
then the one will not be able to hurt the other at what
prfyt weapon fo ever.
For it cannot be fayd y^ yf a man go to the feld & can-
not be furetodefend him ielf in fight&tocom faf home,
yf goid be not againfl him whither he fyght w^ a man of
fkvU or no fkil it may not be faid y^ fuch a man is Mafl'
of^the Noble fcyence of defence , or that he hath the
prfeAion of true fyght, for yf both haue the prfedtion of
their weapons » yt by any Device, on fhould be able to
hurt the other , ther were no prfedtion in the fyght of
weapons, & this firmely hold in yo' mynd for a generall
rule , to be the hayth & prfedion of the true handling of
al maner of weapons.
And alfo wheras y* faid Vincentio in y* fame booke
hath written difcours of honour & honourable quarrels
making many reafbns to prve meanes & waves to enter
y^ feeld & cobat , both for the lye & other difgraces, al
w^ diabolicall devyces tendeth only to villayne & dif^
trudtion as hurtynge, Maymynge & Murtheringe or
kyllinge.
Annymating
Admmytions. 79
Annymating y* mynds of yonge gentlemen & gallants
to follow thofe rules to maintaine their honors & credits,
but the end ther of for the moil prte is eyther kyllinge or
hanginge or both to their vtter vndoinge & great gref of
themfelues, & their friends, but then to late to c$dl it a-
gaine. they con^der not the tyme & place that we lyue
in , nor do not throughly looke into the danger of the
lawe til it be to late, & for that in diuers other cuntryes
in theie things they have a larger fcope than we have in
thefe our dayes*
Thcrfore it behoveth vs not upo euery abufe offered
wher by o' bloud fhalbe Inflamed, or o' choler kindled
p'fently w^ the fword or w* the ftabb, or by force of
Armes to feeke Reuenge , w^ is the propre nature of
wild beafts in their rage fo to do , being voyde of the vie
of reafon, w^ thinge fhould not be in Men of difcreatio
fo much to Degenerate, but he y* wil not endure an In-
iurye, but will feeke revenge, then he ought to do it by
Cyvill Order & prof, by good & holfom lawes, w«** arc
ordayned for fuch Caufes, w^'* is a thinge far more fyt &
requifted in a place of fo Cyvell a gou'nment as we lyve
in, then is the other, & who io follow^ theie my Admony-
cions fhalbe accounted as valyent a Man as hey^fyghteth
& farr wyfen for I fee no reafon why a Man fhould
adventure hys lyf & eilate upo every tryfle, but fhould
rather put vp diu's abufes offered vnto him, becaufe it is
agreeable both to the Lawes of god & o' Cuntrye.
Why fhould not words be Anfwered w* words againe,
but yf a Man by his enemye be charged w^ blowes then
may he Lawfully feeke the beft meanes to defend him
feu , & In fuch a Cafe I hold it fyt to vfe his fkyll & to
fhow his force by his Deeds , yet fo , y* his dealynge be
not
8o Admomtians.
not w^ full Rygour to the others confufyon yf poflybli it
may be efchewed.
Alfo take heed how yo appoy nt the field w^ yo'Enemye
publickly becaufe o' Lawes do not prmyt jrt, neyther
appomt to meet hipi in pryvat fort left yo wounding .
him he accufe yo of fellownye faying you have robbed
him &c. Or he may laye companye clofelv to Murther
you & then to report he dyd yt him felf vaiyently in the
feeld.
Alfo take heed of thyne Enemyes Stratagems » left he
fynd Meanes to make yo to looke a fyde vpo fomthing,
or caufe yo to fliew whether yo have on ap'vye Coate,
& fo when yo Looke from him, he hurt or kyll you.
Take not armes vpo euery light occafyon , let not one
fryend vpon a word or a tryfle violate another but let
cch man zealoufly embrace fiyendfliyp , & tume not
famylyaritie into ftrangnes, kyndnes into mallice , nor
loue into hatred , norifh not thefe ftrange & vnnaturall
Alterations.^
Do not wyckedly reiblue one to ieeke the others
ou'throwe,do not confyrme to end thy Mallice by fyght
becaufe for the moft prte y^ endeth by Death.
Confyder when thefe things were moft vfed in former-
Ages they fought not fo much by envye the ruen & dif*
tru&ion on of another , they never tooke tryallby fword
but in defence of Innocencye to maintayne blotleis
honour.
. Do not vpon Euery trjrfle m^e an Adion of revenge,
orof Defyance.
Go not into the fceld w* thy iiyend at his Intrcatyc to
take his prte but firft know y* mann' of y* quarrell how
Juftly or vniuftlyc it grow, & do notthir in maintaine
wronge
Faclimile page of the MS. of '' Bref Inftrutlions."
(Sloane MS. No. 376.)
(Aclual fizc.)
.f- %->S*^^kxj'^^
^-
Aimmytions. 8 1
wrongeagainflijghtybutexamyne the caufe of the con-
travcrcye , & yt ther be rcafon for his rage to lead him
to y* mortall refolution.
Yet be the caufe neuer fo Juft, go not w* him neyther
further nor fufFer him to fight yf poflyble it may by any
meanes be otherwyfe^ended& wyll him not to enter into
fo dangerous an adtion , but leue it till neccefytie re-
quireth it.
And this I hold to be the beft Courfe for it is fool-
ifhnes & endleflc troble to caft a done at euerye Dogge
y^ barks at you • this noble fcyence is not to caufe on
man to abufe another iniurioullye but to vfe it in their
neceflyties to defend them in their Juft Caufes & to
maintaine their honour & Credits.
Therfore flye al rafhnes, pryde, & doynge of Iniurie
all foule faults & errours herin, p'^fume not on this, &
therbye to think it lawful! to oflfer Iniurye to Anye,
think not yo^'felf Invincible , but confyder y* often a
verye wretch hath kylled a taule man, but he y* hath
humanytie, the more skylful he is in this noble fcience,
the more humble, modeft, & V'tuous he fhould fliew
him felf both in fpeech & A6iion, no Iyer, no vaunter
nor quarreller^ for thefe are the cauies ot Wounds, Dif-
honour & Death.
Yf you talke w* great men of honourable qualitie w*
fuch cniefly hauc regarde to frame yo'fpeeches & Anfwer
fo reverent, y* a foolifh word, or froward Anfwer gcvc
no occafyon of offence for often they breed Deadly ha-
tred, Cruell murthers & extreem ruens &c.
Ever fhun al occafyons of quarrels, but marfhall men
cheifiye generals & great comanders fhould be exelent
skylfuU in the noble fcience of defence, therby to be
M
82 Bref InJiruSions.
able to anfwer quarrels, Combats & Chalenges in
fence of their prince & Cuntry.
De-
Vale.
BreflnJlruSHons vp6 f9iy pradoxes of Defence for the
true handfyng of all Mantf of weapons together
vf thefower grownds & thefower goUnors
v^ gouemours are left out in ny
pradoxes vfout the knowledge of
vf" no Man can fight faf.
Cap. I.
The fower grownds or
principls ofy true
fyght at all manner of
iVeapmsarethefe^vix.
I.
2.
3-
4-
judgment
Diftance
Tyme
Place.
He reafon wherof thefe 4 erownds or p'nci-
ples be the fyrft & cheefeft, are the foUow-
inge, becauie through Judgment, yo kepe
yo^ dyftahce, through Diftance yo take yo'
Tyme, through Tyme yo fafly wync or
gayne the Place of yo*^ adu'farie, the Place beinge woon
or gayned yo haue tyme fafly eyther to ftryke, thruft,
ward, cloze, grype, flyp or go back, in the w^ tyme
yo' enemye is di&poynted to hurt yo, or to defend him-
felf, by reafon that he hath loft his true Place, the rea-
fon y^ he hath loft his True place is by the length of
Tyme
Breflnftru&ums. 83
Tyme through the numbs of his feet, to w^^ he is of
necefTy tie Dryven to y^ wilbe Agent.
Hbe ^gmfmrs are thojiy follow.
1 . The fyrft gou'nor is Judgment w^ is to know when
yo' Adverfarie can reach you, & when not, & when yo
can do the lyke to him, a to know by the goodnes or
badnes of his lyinge, what he can do, & when & how
he can p'forme it.
2. The fecond gou>^nor is Meafure. Meafure is the better
to know how to make yo' ipace true to defend ycF felf,
or to offend yo' enemye.
3. The thira & fourth gou'ners is a twyfold mynd when
yo pre& in on yo' enemye, for as yo have a mynd to go
4* forwarde, fo yo muft haue at y^ inftant a mynd to ny
backwarde vpo any action y ^ fhdbe offered or don by y o'
adu'&rie.
Certatne general rules w* mujl be obfyvedmf
prfyt vfe ofal iynde of weapons.
Cap. 2.
Yrfl when you com into the feeld to encounter
w* yo' Enemy, obfyve wel the (cope, Even-
nes & vneunnes of yo' grounde, put yo'felf in
redynesw^yo' weapon, before yo^ enemye Com
w^in diflance, fet the fVnn m his face travers yf poffible
yo can ftill remembrynge yo' gou'nors.
2. Let al yo' lyinge be fucn as fhal beil like yorfelf, euer
confyderinge out what fyght yo^ Enemye cnargedi yo,
but be fure to kepe yo' diftance, fb y^ netner hed, Armes,
M2
84 Bref InfiruSums.
hands, body, nor legges be w^in bys reach^ but y^ he
^^Putinhisfiot,'' muft fyrft of neccffytie put in his toote or feet, at w<*
ue.a value. tyme yo haue the Choyfe of iij Actions by the w^ yo
may endang' him & go free yo'fclf.
^Umufiblu^^^ I. The fyrft is to ftrike or thruft at him, at y^ inftant
mtmhiridtbat m when he haue gayned yo the place by his cominge in
Silver's time the 2. Thc fecond is to Ward, & Aft' to ftrike or thruft from
"^ZZ,.. y;.rem«„bring.y<.'gou'nor.
Engiifif fencers, 3. The thyrd is to ilippe alyttle backe & to ftrike or
W the only move^ thruft after hym.
wr/^*>^'^ but euer remember y* in thc fyrft motion of your
andyraverfes,^ Adverfarye towarde yo, y* yo flyde a lyttle back fo (hall
*$^'^^2»//- y^ ^^ p'pred in due tyme to prforme anye of the iij
tutedagreat Adtions Aforefaid, bv difappointynge him of his true
part of the iU- placc, whereby yo mall iaflye defend yo'felfe & en-
fence as well as of \ t • "^ ' ^ ^
the attack. ^ danger him.
" PajjTes " were remember alfo y* yf through fear or polyfy e, he ftrike
fteps either for- ^^ thruftfhort, & ther w* go back, or not go back, follow
wards or back" -. ' rii^ /•/ifj ti.
wards and the him vpon yo' twofold gou^'nors, 10 Ihall y(f warde &
^'traverfes'' fly pc be prformed in lyke mann' as before , & yo'^felf
wereftepsina (iji k- faf
lateral direaion. *"^ "^ *^^-
^Slips'' were Kepe yo' dyftance & fufFer not yo' adu'farie to wyn ;
^^'ttfZ^nUo ^^ &y^^ the place of you, for yf he fhall fo do, he may
IfackaarL. * endanger to hurt or kyll you.
Thefe movements Know y* the place is, when on may ftrykc or thruft
T/I^ltf ^o^^ wtout puttinge in of h^ foot.
attack. Yt may be obiedted againft thys laft ground, y* men
^'TowynorgayneAo often ftrike & thruft at the half fword & yet the
^cml^i£nfiriL ^"^^ ^^ prfytly defended, where to I anfwer y* that de-
^hg^ftance. ^^ ' fence is prfytly made by reafon y* the warder hath his
true fpace before the ftrykcr or thrufter is in his force
or entred into his a£lion .
Therfore
Bref Intrusions. 85
Thcrfore alwaics do p'vcnt both blow & thruft, the "J'^'"^^
blow by true fpacc, & the thruft by narrow foace y* is fifi^lr^itu
true croffinge it before the fame com into their full force, bastotraverfein
other wyfe the hand of the Agent bein?e as fwyft as y« '^^^^^/^^
hand of the patient, the hand of y^ Agent bemge the gMthtr: thus
fyrft mou', muft of neceflytie ftrike or thruft -f prte offrprn'^mdiim'*
y« patient yi^ ftialbe ftryken or thruft at becaufe the Xi^^^^^'^^m
tyme of y* hand to the ^me of y« hand, beinge of lyke be^'^narrm
fwyftnes the fyrft mou' hath y« aduantage. '^^Z'^^Zm'' t$
When yo' enemy flial prefs vpon you, he wilbe Opeuu^f^Jfl,
in one place or other, both at ^ngal & dubble weapon,/ri>«*V>^**<fr"
or at the leaft he wilbe to weake in his ward vpon fuch J^j^/JX^^ very
p'flinge, then ftrike or thruft at fuch open or weakeft ^^wjieffdceP
prte y' yo (hal fynd neereft:.
When yo attempt to wyn the place, do it vpon gard,
remembringe yo^ gou^^nors, but when he p'ffeth vpo yo
6c gayneth yo The place, then ftrike or thruft at him AHminfr
in his comynge in, ^^ft^
Or yi he ftial ftryke or thruft at yo, then Ward it,
& ftryke or thruft at him from yo* warde, & fly backe ^^T^Y*^
Inftantly accordinge to yo' gou'nors, fo ftiall yo eicape s^t^ruvery
faflie, for that the fyrft Motion of thefeetebackwarderiir/>//tf^
^em-
is more fwyft, then the firft motion of the feet forwarde, ^/j^l'^^fuji .
wher by yo' regreflfyon wilbe more fwyfter, then liv&%gbJke,''u.
courfe in prgre^on to Anoye you, the reafon is, thzt s^^^^f^^y^
in the fyrft motyon of his prgreflyon his Numb' fe^^^'^^i^^^
Waight is greater then yo" are, in yo' firft motyon oi whether it bg '
yo' regreflfyon, neu'thelefs al men knowe that the co--^*^^^-^^'^
tynual courfe of the feet forwarde is more fwyft then ' ^
the Contynuall Courfe of y« feet backwards.
6. yf yo' enemye lye in varyable fyght, & ftryke or ^*^f bits (^
thruft at yo then be fure to kepe yo' Diftance & ftrike ^^^*-^'-
M3
thefebarngpftbe
famrd-MtwUb
tbikfthMdy —
fir tins furffi a
^guswipdd
frefa^'trgrip'
pmggauntlet
with thi palm
proUSedwith
fimmmltwrn
fomitmes ufei.
t9H$her
mswauvrior
fir a him from
thefruiUMi9f
MreMi$n,
ADimi-vbi.
u
86 Bref InJtruBians.
or thruft at fuch open prte of him as are neereft vnto
youy viz, at the hand, Arme, hed, or legg of him, & go
back w^ ally
yf ij men fight at varyable fyght, & yf w^in diftance, 7.
they muft both be hurt, for in fuch fight they Cannot
make a true CrofTe, nor haue tyme trulye to Judge, by
reafon y* the fwyft mo^on of the hand, beinge a fwyfter
moue'y then the eye Decejrveththe eye, at what weapon
ibeuer yo ihal fygnt w^ all, as in my pradoxes of defence
in the chapter therof doth appere.
Looke to the grype of yo' Enemy e, & vpo his flype 8.
take fuch warde as fhal bieft fyt your hand, from w^
warde ftrike or thruft, ftil rememorynge yo' gouemors,
yf yo can Indiredt yo'enemye at any kynde of weapon, 9.
then yo haue the aduantage, becaufe he muft moue his
feet to direA him ielf Againe, & yo in the meane ^me
may ftrike or thruft at him^ & fly out faft, before he
can offer anything at you, his tyme wilbe fb longe.
When you fhdl Ward blow or thruil, made at yo' 10.
right or left prte, w* any kynd of weapon, rememb' to
Draw yo' hynde foot a lyttle c'culcrlye, from that
prte to w^ the fame fhalbe made , wher by yo fhall
make yo' defence the more prfyt, & fhal ftand tne more
Apt to flrike or thruft from y t.
Bref InftruQions. 87
A dtclaratwn of al the \ generall Jyghts to be
vjed nxf the Jhoord at dubble orfyngle^
hnge orjbcrty & nxf Certaine
fticuler rules to them
Annexed.
Cap. 3.
^ Pen fygbt is to Carrye yo^ hand & hylt a loft Thi'^Guardu
laboue yo' hed, cythcr w* poynt vpright, ^^^%f^f^^
I point backwards w^ is bcft, yet vfc that w^^^j^"^/
' yo ihall fynd moft apteft, to ftrike, thruft^ or yigg^m^
ward,
2. Gardant fyght in gen>^all is of ij forts, y« fyrft is true J'^Ung^ng^
gardant fyeht, w<* is cy ther prfyt or Imprfyt. ^^rtgrn-dsm^
The prtyt is to carry yo' hand & hylt aboue yo' hed h 4 High Prmg.
w* yo' poynt doune to wards yo' left knee, w^ yo' iword
blade fbmewhat neer yo' bodye, not bearing out your
poynt, but rather declynynge in a lyttle towards yo'
(aid knee, y^ yo' enemye croie not yo^ poynt & {o hurt Cmmdud.
you, ftand bolt vpright in this fyght, & yf he offer to
prede in then here yo' hed & body a lyttle backwarde.
The Imprfyt is when yo here yo' nand & fword hylt ToftanJwithtin
prfyt ha^th aooue yo' hed, as aforefayd but Icanynge^J^^'J^^^
or iloopinge forwarde w* yo' body & therby yo'4>ace ^^mpgrfia''
wilbe to Wyde on both fyds to defend the blow ibyken /*^»
at the left tyde of yo' hed or to wyde to defend a tnruil
from the ryght fyde of the body,
Alfo it is Imprfyt , yf yo here yo' hand & hylt as
aforefayd, berynge yo' poynt to farr out from yo' vjmc^
fo y* yo' enemy May Crofs, or ftrike Afyde yo' poynt,
& therby endanger you^
The
wariP*is£
meSumguMrd.
88 Bref Inftruahtts.
^Bafiardgar- Thc fecond is baftard gardant fyght w^ is to Cariyc
bithfu^ihu{ 1^^ ^^^ & ^yl' below yo* hcd, brcft hyc or lower w^
nme central, yo' poynt downwarde towarde yo' left foote^this baftard
gardant ward is not to be vied in fyght, ecept it be to
Croffe yo' enemyes Ward at his comynge in to take the
grype of him or fuch other advantage, as in diu^s placs
of y* fword fyght is fet forth.
Clofe fyght is when yo Crols at y* half fword eyther 3.
aboue at forehand ward y^ is w^ poynt hye, & hande &
hylt lowe, or at true or baftard gardant ward w^ both
yo' poynts doun.
Clofe is all mann' of fyghts wherin yo have made a 4.
true Crofe at the half fword w* yo' fpace very narrow
& not Croft, is alfo clofe fyght.
Variable fyght is al other mann' of lyinge not here
'pe^e^^undfr- before fpoken of, wher of thefe 4 that follow are the
ft-dmEngUmd cheefeft of them.
Vvhbtmik Stocata: w^'^ is to lye w^ yo' right legge forwarde, w' (i .)
li sUvtrbM * yo' fword or rapior hylt back on the out fyde oi yo'
/vif^^^'**" right thygh w' yo' poynt forewarde to ward yo' enemy e,
w^ yo' dagg' in yo' other hand extendinge yo' hand to
wards the poynt of yo' rapior, holdinge yo' dagg' w*
y* poynt vpright w* narrow fpace bctweene yo' rapior
blade , & the nayles of yo' dagg' hand , kepynge yo'
rapior poynt back behind yo' dagg' hand yf poflyble.
Or he may lye wyde below vnd' his dag^ w* his
The Italian
terms Wire hn-
ftrnedtbem,
*^^nmta
gnardia^of
Cap0 Ferron
** Prima
gnardia^^ef
Cape Ferrey
*Gm
nardiaa/ta** rapior poynt doun towards his enemyes foote, or w^
his poynt fourth w* out his dagg'.
Imbrocata: is to lye w* yo' hylt hyer then ytf hed,
beringe yo' knuckles vpwarde, & yo' point depending
towarde yo' Enemys face or breft.
Mountanta: is to Carrye yo' rapior pummell in the
palm
e/ J /fieri, W
^Gnardiadi
hecbafeffa^^ef
Marpzze.
^^^narta
gnardia^^of
Aljieri.
BreflnftruBions. 89
palm of yo' hand rcfting it on yo' lyttlcfynger w* yo'
hand belowe & fo movntynge it vp a loft, & fo to com
in w* a thruft vpo yo"^ Enemyes face or breft, as out of
y^Imbrocata.
PafTata; is cythcr to pafe w^ y* Stocata, or to carry c
yo' fword or rapior hylt by yo' right flanke, w^ J^J^'t'^^^^
poynt diredly againft yo' Enemyes belly, w' yo' \th}gi/>^„^^
foote forwarac, extendinge fourth yo' clagg' hand -^^ fight with a $ne-
the poynt of yo^ dagger forwarde as yo do yo' fword, ^^^^Zutthe
w* narrow fpace between yo"^ fword & dagg^ blade, & affiftametf^de-
fb to make yo' pafTage vpon him, "^aJ/^ w^ **
Alfo any other kynd of varyable fyght or lyeinge rhe^'/wn-d
whatfbeuer a man can devife not here expreued, h dubbk'' is mj
cotaynedvnder this fight. W^'f"
affifiedbya
defenfive wtMp$n
Of the Jhortfyngk fword Jyght againft
the lyke weapon.
Cap. 4.
J F yo' enemye lye a loft, cy ther in open or true A high trim.
I gardant fight, & then ftrike at the left fyde of
J yo' hed or body y o' bed ward to defend yo' felf,
^ is to here itw' true gardant ward,& yf he ftrike
& coni in to the cloze, or to take the grypc of you yo
may then My take the grype of him as it appereth in
the chapter ot the grype, Adkea
2. but yf he do ftrike & not com in, then inftantly vpo ^'np^fte:'
yo' ward, vncrofe & ftrike him either on the right or ''fjfj^'^^f'
left fyde of y« hed, & fly out inftantly. mvmJ^}the
3. Yf yo here this w* forhand ward, be fure to ward hisfiet, hut might
blowe, or kepe yo' diftance, otherwyfc he ftiall decue ^^^^ ^ ^^^^-
N you
AfimUarguard
is favoured by
J9me modem
Auftruinfahre
flayers.
A time thruft in
^^quarti** at the
ffoordboHd.
A^quarte^
parry ^followed
by^ripofte^Ur
''gripr
AtimeUtfoitb
^^oppofitionJ^
90 BrefInJiru£iions.
you w* euery falfe, ftil cndangeringc yo' hed, face, hand,
Armcs, bodyc, & bendyngc knee, w* blow or thruft*
Therfore kepe well yo** dyftance, becaufe yo can very
hardly deierne (being w^ in dyftance), by w^ fyde of
ytf" fword he will ftryke, nor at w^^ of thofe prts afore-
layd, becaufe the fwyft motion of y« hand deceyveth
the eye,
yf he lye aloft & ftrike as aforefaid atyo^ head, yo may 4.
endanger him yf yo thruft at his hand, hilt, or Arme,
turninge yo'' knuckles dounwarde, but fly back w^ all in
the inftant y' yo thruft,
yf he lye a loft as aforefaid, & ftrike a loft at the left 5.
fyae of yo'^hed, yf yo wil ward his blow w' forehand ward,
then be fure to kepe yo'diftance, except he com fotf^taine
that yobe fure to ward his blow, at w^^ tyme yf he com
in w^ all, yo may endanger him from y* ward, ey ther by
blow, thruft or grype,
yf he lye a loft & yo lye a lowe w^ yo' fword in the 6.
yaryable fyght, then yf yo oflFer to ward his blow made
at yo' hed, w' true gardant ward yo' tyme wilbe to longe
Due in tyme to make a iiire ward, for that it is bett' to
here it w* forehand ward, but be fure to kepe yo'diftancc,
to make him com in w' his feet, wher by his tyme wilbc
to longe to do y' he intendeth.
yf ij Men fight both vpo open fyght he y^ firft break- 7.
eth his diftance,yf he attempt to ftryke at the others hed,
fhalbe furely ftryken on the hed himielf, yf the patient
Agent ftrike ther at in his Comynge in, & flyp a lyttle
back w' all, for y* flydinge back maketh an indiredtion,
whcrby yo' blow Crofleth his hed, & maketh a true ward
for y o' o wne, this will y t be, becaufe of his length of tyme
in his comynge in,
Alfo
BreflnJIruffions. 91
8. Alio yf ij fyght vpon open fyght, it is better for the
patient to ftrike home ftrongly at the Agents hed, when
the faid Agent (hal prefs vpon him to wyn the place then
to thrnft, becaufe the blow of the patient is not only hurt-
ful to the Agents but it alfo maketh a true Croie to defend
his owne hed,
9. yf he charge y o a loft, out of the open or true gardant
fyght, yf yo anfwer him w* y« Imprfyt gardant fyght, w^
yo"^ body leanynge forwarde, yo^ fpace wilbe to wyde on
both fyde to make a true ward in due tyme, & yo' arme
And body wilbe to neere vnto him, fo that w* the bend-
ing in of his body w* the tyme of hand & foote, he may
take the grype 01 you,
but yf yo (land vpright in true gardant fyght, then he
cannot reach to take the grype of you, nor otherwife to
offend yo yf you kcpe yo' diftance, w'out puttinge in of
his foote or leete wherin his number wilbe to great, & '' Number mih
io his tyme wilbe to longe, & yo in that tyme may by ^^i^^elt'make
puttinge in of yo' body take the grype of him, yf he prefe too many fiefs or
to com in w^ vfing only yo' hand, or nand & foote, & ther ^^^*
vpon yo may ftryke or thruft w^ yo'fword & fly out w^ all
accordinge to yo' governors, ie more of this, in the chap-
ter of the grype.
I o. yf he wil (til prfl!e forcibly a loft vpo you, Charginge
yo out of the open fyght or true gardant fyght, Intendinge
to hurt yo in the face or hed, or to take the grype of yo
Againft fuch a on, you mu(l vfe both gardant & open
fyght, wherby vpon euery blow or thrufl that he fhall
make at you, you may from yo' wards, flrike or thruft
him on the face hed or bodye as it appeareth more at
large in the 5*^ Chapter of thefe my Inftrudtions,
1 1 . yfyofyghtw*oay*ftandeth only vpon his gardant fyght A variety $f
N 2 or
92 Breflnjhu&ians.
f *^^^* ^^ ^^'^^ ^^ yf he feeke to com in to yo by the feme fyght, then do
^r7ventfaHgMi. yoftfike & thruft Contynually at al mann' ot open place
that (hall com neereft vnto you, ftill remembringe yo'
gou'nors, (6 (hall he Contynually be in dang', & often
wounded/^ woyed in that kyndof fyght^ & you (halbe
faf, the reafbn is, he is a c'taine marke to you, & yo are
an vnc^aine marke to hym.
And further becauie he tyeth him felf vnto on kynd of
fyght only, he (halbe wearyed for want of Change of
lyinge, & yo by reafbn of many changes (hal not only
f^ll fyght at eafe, & much more braue, but you haue
lykewyfe iiij fyghts to his ope^ to wy tt, gardant, open,
clofe, & variable fyght, to his gardant only, theifore y^
fight only is not to be flode vpon or vfcd.
But yt althis will not Pue, & although he hath receyved 1 2.
Manv Wounds^ wyl ccmtynually run on to com in, &
forcibly breake yo'dyftance, then may you fafHy take the
grype of him,& hurt him at yo^pleaiurew^ yo' fword, as
appeareth in the chapter of the grype, & he can nether
hurt nor take y^ gfype of yo, becauie the numb' of his
feet are to man^r^ to oringe his hand in place in due tyme^
for fuch a on ever geueth yo the place^ therfore befure to
take yo' tyme herin.
^* "^lu^^^*^ ' In the lyke fort may yo do at fword & dagg', or fword
^Swo^/mJ & buckler, at fuch tyme as I lay, y* yo Mave take the
Dagger^ fight' grype at the fyngle fword fyght, yo may then infteed
^th!d[fen^T ^^^^ gTP^' foundly ftryke him w^yo' buckler on the hed
wia^n%ftead9f<>^ ft^bb him w^ yo'dagg' & inflantly eyther ftryke vp his
grtptjMg^itndtrif heeles or fly out, & as he lyketh y^ coolinge card to his
t!t^'^\ I ^^*>r^^'^<^»fy<^'^fyt,fo let him com for another.
ul^Sr^^ * y^^J ^^^' & that both lye vpo the true gardant fyght 1 3.
fit). 6b that one of them will neede feek to'wyn the half fword
by
Faciimile page of the MS. of" Bref Inftru6lions."
(Adual fizc.)
I
^MtfiMMilWM
r;;;..L ..::::iaiit
1 ' "0\, >7!)
BreflnfiruBims. 93
by preffinge in, y* may yo faflye do, for vpo y' i^ght the
half fworde may fafflye be woon,but hey^ firftcometh in^
Muft fyrft go out, & y^prfently, otherwife his gard wilbe
to wyde aboue to defend his hed^ or yf fyt for y^ defence,
then wil it be to wyde vnd>^neath to defend y^ thruft fro
his body w^ things the patient Agent may ad, & % out Tht "^pgtUnt
fiif, & y^ Agent cannot avoyd it, becaufe the faloving ^^^^^iJ^J^^
his feet maketh his ward vnequali to defend both prts in m#« tht dtfei^
due tyme, but the one or the other wilbe diiceived:& in-^f.'^"^^'*'"
dangcr,forhe being Agent vpon hisfirftentrancehistyme JJ^bf ^^ ^^
(by reafon of y^ numb' of his feet) j-wilbe to longe,ib y^ y*
patient Agent may firft entdr into his adion,& the Agent
muft be of force an after doer, & therfore cannote avoyde
this offence afore&id. • . i. ,
14. yf he com in to encounter the Cloze & grype^vpo y*
baftard gardant ward, then yo Maye Crefle hisi)iade w^
yo" vpo the lyke gardant ward alio^ ficas he cometh in
w^ his feet & haue gayned yo the place, yo may iffcntly
vncrofle & ftryke him a found bio we on y^ heO| & fly
out inftantly, wher in he cannot offend yo by reafon of
his loft tyme, nor defend him felf vpoil yto«vnoroffing,
becaufe his fpace is to wyde wherly his tyme wilbe to
longe in due tyme to prventyo'^ blowe, thi^may yo do
fafly. • ? I. f' n
15. yf he CO in vpon the baflard gardant ward,) bearing
his hylt lower than.his hed; or^>ut breft hyc^or lower,
then ftrik him fbundly on the hed w«^'thinge.yo may
eafylye do, becaufe his fpaCe is to wyde in 'due tyme to
ward the fkme. < . : -.k , ,
1 6. yf yo' Enemy charge you vpo his Stocata fyght, yo
May ly variable w* large Difbaiicc & vnc'taine w* yo^
fword & bodye at yo' pleafurc, yet lb y^ yomay ftryte,
N 3 thruft
94 BreflnJhuBitms.
thruft or Ward, & go forth & back as occafion is, to take
y* advantage of this comyngc in, whether he doth it out
of the Stocata, or paflata^ w^** advantage yo fhalbe furc
to haue, yf yo obfrue this rule & be not to rafh in yo'
li^Xt^ifr^^^^^^^^* by reafon y* y« numb' of his feet wilbe great, &
^ilt^'^j. ^ alio becaufc when thofe ij fyghts are met together, it is
bewiUbwif hard to Make a true Croffe, therfore w*out Large dyf-
/!J?i'« J^//* da'^ce be kept of them. Commonly they are boA hurt
or ilayne, becaufe in narrow diftance their hands haue
free Courie & are not tyed to the tyme of y* foote, by
w^ fwyft motion of the hand the eye is deceyved, as yo
mav read more at large in the cap: of my prdoxes
ofaefence.
You may alio vie this fyght, againit the longe iword,.
or longe rapior, fyngle & dubble,
vpon this ground fom ihallow wyttcd fellow may fay,
yf the patient muil keep large diilance then he muil be
drjrven to goback ilyll, to w^ I anfwer y^ in the con-
VHi if exaaiy tynnuall motion & travers of his ground nc is to travers
tAi traverfi circuler wyib, forwards, backwardB, vpo the right hand,
7j7^i & vpo the left hand, the w<^*» travers is ilill a certaintye
tobe vfed w*in him ielf,¬ to be p'vented by y* Agent,
becauie the Agent cometh one vpo an vnc'taine marke,
for when he thinketh to be fure of his purpoie, the
patient is fomtymes on the on fyde, & fom tymes on y*
other fyde, ibmtymes to far back, & fomtymes to neere,
fo v^ ilil the Agent muil vfe the numb' of his feet w^^
wilbe to longe to anfwer y* hand of y* patient Agent,
& it cannot be denyed but the patient Agent by reafon
of his large diilance, ftil feeth what y« Agent doth in
his comyng, but the Agent cannot fe what the other
doth, til the patient Agent be into his A6tion, therfore
to
BreflnJiruSHons. 95
to late for him eyther to hurt the patient, or in due
tyme to defend him felf , becauie he entreth his adio
vpo y« knowledge of the patient , but he know* not
what y« patient Agent will do til it be to late.
17, yf the Agent fay y* then he wil ftand faft vpon fom
fure gard & fomtymes moving & trav'fing his ground^
& kepe large diftance as y« patient do, to w^^ I anlwer,
y* when ij men fhal meete y* haue both the prfc6lion
of their weapons, againft the beft no hurt canbe don,
other wife yf by any devifc on fhould be able to hurt
the other, then werthcr no prfeftion in y* vfeofweapons,
this prfeftion of fyght being obfrved , p^venteth both
clofe fyght, & al mann'' of clozes, grype & wreftling &
al mann' of fuch other devics what fo euer.
18, Alfo yf he charge yo vpo his Stocata, or any other
lying aft' y* fafhion, w* his poynt low & large paced,
then lye yo a loft w* yo"" hand & hylt aboue yo' bed ,
eyther true gardant, or vpo the open fight, then he can-
not reach yo yf yo kepe yo' diflance w*out putting in
of his foot or feet, but yo may reach him w* the tyme
of yo' hand, or w* the tyme of your hand & body, or
of nand, body & foot, becauie he hath al redy put in
his body w4n yo' reach & haue gayned yo the place,
& y5 are at ly oertye & w^out his reach , til he put in
his foot or feete, w^ tyme is to longe to anfwer the tyme
of yo' hand, & his (pace to wyde in that place to make
a ward in due tyme to defend his bed, Armes & hande,
one of w*^^ wilbe alwaies w' in yo' reach.
note ftil in this y^ yo' weapons be both fhort of y«
Equal & convenient length of y« fhort fword.
19, vf out of his varyablc fyght he ftrike at y* right or
left fyde of the hed or body, then yo' beft ward is to
here
96 BreflnJiruSHtms.
p^rHis 9/ bcrc it w- fcM^c hand wjird^othcrwife yo' fpice wilbe to
"Ift^'^^n wydc&tQfartomakcyo'wardinduttymc.
f«*^ ^' Yf he lye variable aft' the mann' of the paflata then 20.
yf yo lye a loft as is aboue faid, yo haue the Advantage,
becaufehe y^ lyeth yaryable cannot reach home, at hed
hand or anne, w^ut putting in of his foote or feet, &
therfore it cannot be denyed, but y* he y^playeth aloft,
hath ftil the tyme of the hand to the ^me of y^ foot^
w5^ fight beinge truly, handled is aduantage invincible.
Yf he lye variable vpo the Imbrocata, then make a 21.
narrow ipace wj yo' poynt vpwarde, fie fi>dainly yf yo
can Crofe his poynt w^ yo' blade put afyde his poynt
ftrongly w* yo' fword & ftrik or thrift at him ^ fit fly
out inftantly, euer remepibring yo' gouemors y^ he de-
ceve yo not in taking of his poynt.
yf he ftrike,or thruft at yo' lege or lower prte out of 22.
From this it any iyght, he ftial not be able to reach the fame vnlefs
7Sv^s^^% y^ ft^iii large paced w^ bendinge knee, or vnlefe he com
hfees Wire very in w^ his foote pr feetc, the w^^ yf he fhal {o do, then
RttUhnt. yo may flrik or thrufl at his arme or vpper prte for
J Hme hit or then he putteth them into the place gayning yo the
thru^ 4t thoarm pi^ce whcrby you may flrike home vpo him & he
' cannot reach yo. .
but yf he ftaiid large paced w^ bendinge knee then
wyn the place fie fbike home freely at his knee, fie fly
backthcrw^
yf he com to the clofe fight w* yo fie y* yo are both 23.
crofl aloft at y* half fword w* both yo' points vpwards,
FordhUfrejkre then yf he com in w^ all in his Croffing here flrongly
in "^ tierce'' iU yo' hand fie hylt ou' his wrifl, clofe by his hylt putting
^haifjmord.'' \^ ^^^^ ^^ ^ backfyde of his hand fie hylt p'fllnge doune
his hand & hylt flrongly fie fbdainly, in yo' entring in,
ficfo
Bref InJiruSHattS. 97
& fo thruft yo' hylt in his face , or ftrike him vpo y* Recmmended
hcd w* j' fword, & ftrike vp his heelcs, & fly out, Lonergan^ 1771.
24* yf yo are both fo croft at y* baftard gardant ward, &
yf he then preis in , then take the grype of him as is
(hewed in jr* chapter of y^ gTyp^>
Or w* yo' left hand or arme, ftrike his fword blade Beating tu
ftrongly & fodainly towarde yo' left fyde by w<^^ meanes-^?'^''^ imajwitb
yo are uncrolt, & he is difcou'ed, then may yo thruft uft band.
him in the body w^ yo' fword & fly out inftantly, w^
thinge he cannot avoyd, nether can ne offend yo
Or being fo croft, yo may fodainly vncrofe & ftrike An alternative.
him vpo the bed & fly out inftantly w<^** thinge yo may
fafly do & go out free.
25. yf yo be both croft at y« half fword w* hys poynt vp
& yo' poynt doune in the true gardant ward, then yf
he prefe to com in, then eyther take y« grype of him, Again tbe
as in the chapter of the grype , or w^ yo' left hand or i^^^^J^JV. *{^^
arme, ftrike out his fword blade towards yo' left fyde as beaHng tbe
afore£iid, & fo yo may thruft him in the body w* yof/mrd off.
fword & fly out inftantly.
26. Do yo neuer attempt to cloze or com to y« grype at
thefe weapons vnlefs it be vpo the flow motio or diforder
of yo' enemye,
but yf he will cloze w* you, then yo may take the Wbenbeen^
grype of him fafly at his comynge in, for he y^ firft by ]^^^» "^^'>''
ftronge prefHng in adventureth the cloze loofeth it, &
is in great danger, by reafon y^ the numb' of his feet
are to great, wherby his tyme wilbe to longe, in due
tyme to anfwer the hand of y« patient Agent, as in the
chapter of the grype doth plainly appere,
27. Alwaies remembring yf yo fyght vpo the variable
fight y^ yo ward vpo forehand ward, ptberwife yo' fpace
O wilbe
98 Bref InftruSlions.
wilbe to wyde in due tyme to make a true gardant ward,
to defend yo'felf.
yf yo fyght vpo open fyght, or true gardant fyght, 28.
neuer ward vpo forehand ward for then yo' ipace wilbe
to wvde alib^ in due tyme to make a fureward,
yi he lye aloft w* his poynt towarde you , aft"" the 29.
mann' of the Imbrocata, then make yo' fpace narrow w^
yo' point upwarde & put by his poynt , & ftrike or
thrufl as aforeiaid but be fure herin to kepe yo' diftance,
y^ he deceue you not in taking of his poynt.
^ Parrying^ and
•• Rifofting.*'
J parry in
^Mghturce*'
with /?/ ripofies.
\
J parry of
^^ prim^^ with
its ripoftes.
Ofdhfs aduantages f you may take byftrykinge
friytf warae at y fijocrd fyght.
Cap. 5.
F yo' enemy ftrike at the right fyde of yo' bed, i .
yo lyinge true gardant , then put yo' hilt a
little doune, Mounting yo' poynt, fo that yo'
blade May CrofTe a thwart yo' face, fo (hal yo
make A true ward for the right fyde of yC hed,from
the w^^ ward yo may inftantly ftrike him on the ryght
or left fyde of the hed, or to turne doune yo' poynt, &
thruft him in the bodye, or you may ftrike him on the
left fyde of the body , or on the out fyde of his left
thygh. ^
Or yo may ftrike him on the out fyde of the right
thygh, on of thofe he cannot avoyd yf he fly not back
inftantly vpo his blowe , becaufe he know^ not w*^** of
thefe the patient Agent wil do.
Yf yo lye vpo yo' true gardant ward , & he fbrike 2.
at the left fyde of^yo' hed, yohaue the choyfefrom yo'
ward to ftrike him from yt, on the right or left fyde of
the
Bref Injiru&ions. 99
the hcd, or to tume doune yo^ poynt, & thruft him in
the bodyc , or yo May ftrykc him on the out fydc of
the rieht or left thygh , for the reafon aboue fayde in
the laft rule, except he fly out inftantly vpo his blowe.
Yf he charge yo vpon the open or true gardant fyght,
yf yo wil aniwer him w* the lyke, then kepeyo^diftance,
& let yo^ gatheringe be all waies in y^ fyght to warde
his right fyde fo fhal yo w* yo' fword choake vp any
blowe that he can make at yo, from the w^*^ ward yo
May ftryke him on the right or left fyde of y« hed, or
thruft him in the bodye.
but yf he thruft at your face or body, then yo may
out of yo' gardant fight break it doun warde w* yjof ^ }^^fi f^rrUd
fword bering yo' poynt ftrongly towarde yo' right fyde, ^/econde,** and
from the vf^ breaking of his thruft yo may likwife ftrike it^ rifgftes.
him fro the right or left fyde of y^ hed, or thruft him
in the bodye.
Yf yo meet w^on y* cannot ftrike fro his warde, vpo
fuch a on yo may both dubble & faulfe & fo deceue
him, but yf he be skylful yo muft not do fo, becaufe he
wilbe ftil fo vnc'taine in his traverfe that he will ftyll
p'vent you of tyme & place , fo y^ when yo think to 7^ ^duhhk''^
dubble & falfe, yo fhal gayne him the place & ther vpo ^* " f'*'^/^-'*„
he wilbe before yo in his aflion^ & in yo' comynge he ^^^«j^/»
will ftil endanger yo,
yf yo fyght vpo the variable fyght, & that yo receue Afarrj of
a blow w* forehand ward, made at the right fyde of yo' 'll'^^l^'^^
hed or body, yo haue y« choife of viij ofFenciue Adtions
fro y* ward, the firft to ftryke him on the right fyde,
eyther on the hed fhould', or thygh, or to thruft him
in the body, or to ftryke him on the left fyde either on
the hed fhold' or thygh, or to thruft him in the body,
O 2 the
243646B
I oo Bref InftruBions.
Parry 0/^ thc lykc may yo do yf he ftrikc eu"^ at yo*^ left fyde, as
fuarte. .^ abouc faid, yi yo here it w* fore hand ward.
In this forehand ward kepe yo' diftance, & take heed 6.
y* he dcceyue yo not w* the dounright blowe at yo' hed
out of his open fyght, for being w* in diftance y* fwift
motion of y« hand May deceue yo' eye, becaufe yo know
not by w^*^ fyde of yo' iword his blow wil com
Alio fc y' he deceue yo not vpo any falfe oflFeryngc to 7.
ftryke at tne on lyde, & when therby yo haue turned yo'
poynt a^de, then to (Irike on the other fyde, but yf yo
kepe dinance yo are free from y*, therfore flyll in all
yo' anions rememb' y gou'nors
yf he wil do nothinge but thruft, Anfwer him as it 8.
is fct doune in the 16*^ ground of y* fhort Iword fyght
& alfo in div"* places of the 8^ chapt'.
How to engage Alfo confyder yf he lye at the thruft vpon y* ftocata, 9.
with a man who qj. paflata, & yo haue no waye to avoyde him, except
yo can Croflc his fword blade w* yo», & fo Indirect his
poynt, therfore kepe narrow ipace vpo his poynt, &
kepe well yo' diftance in vfing yo' travers.
but yf he put forth his poynt fo y' yo may Crofe it
w* fore hand ward, for yf yo wacth for his thruft then
lye vpo forehand ward w' poynt alittle vp. yf he lye w^
his poynt Mounted, & yf yo fyngle yo' thruft vpo the
out fyde of yo' fword to warde yo' right fyde, or back
of yo' fword hand, ftrike or here his poynt out towarde
yo' right fyde, & ther vpon putting forward yo' body
& left foote Circuler wyfe to warde his right fyde yo
May ftrike him vpo his fword Arme, hed, fiice or bodye.
J ^demvolte'' Or yf yo take it on the Infyde of yo' fword blade to
after a parry of ^arde yo' left fyde then w^ yo' fword put by his poynt
quarte. ftrongly & fodainly towarde yo' left fyde, drawing
yo'
Bref InftruStions. i o i
yo' left footc Circulcr wyfc back behind the hecle of
yo' right footc, & ftrike him on the infyde of his fword
tiand or Armc or on the hcd, face, or body, & fly out
accordinge to yo*^ gou'nors
This May yo vfc againft y« Iword & dagg^ longe or
fhort, or rapior & ponyard, or fword & buckler.
I o. Alio remcmb' yf he haue a longe fword, & yo a (hort
Iword, cuer to Make ycF foace fo narrow, y* yo may
alwaies break his thrufi before y^ be in force yf poflible
yo may, & alfo to kepe large diftance whether he charge
yo out of the Stocata, paffata, or Imbrocata &c,
of this yomay fe more at large in the 8^^ chapter.
The manrf of Cert aim gryps & Clozes to be
vfid at f fyngle Jhort Jwordfyght &c.
Cap. 6.
|F he ftrike aloft at the left fyde of yo' hed, and
run in w* all to take the Cloze or grype of
you, then ward it gardant, & enter in w* yo'
left fyde puting in yo' left hand, on the infyde
of his fword Arme, neere his hylte, bering yo' hand ou'
his Arme, & Wrape in his hand &iwordevnd'yo' Arme,
as he Cometh in, Wrefling his hand & fword clofe to
your bodye turninge back yo' right fyde from him, fo
fhal he not be able to reach yo' fword, but yo fliall ftyll
haue it at lybertve to ftryke or thruft him & endanger
the breakinge of his Arme, or the takinge away of his
fword by y* grype.
2. Yf yo are both Croft in Clofe fyght vpon the baftard
gardant ward alowe, yo May put yo' left hand on the
out fyde of his fword at the back of his hand, neere or
O 3 at
1 02 Bref InftruBions.
at the hylte of his fword Arme & take him on the iniyde
of y* arme w* yo' hand, aboue his elbowe is beft, & draw
him in towarde y o ftrongly^ wreftinge his knuckles doun-
warde & his elbowe vpwarde fo may yo endang'to break
his arme, or cafl him doune, or to wreft his fword out
of his hand, & go free yo' felf.
in like fort vpo this kynd of cloze, yo may clape yo' 3.
left hand vpo the wrift of his (word arme, holding it
ftrongly & ther w* thnift him hard from yo, & p'fently
yo may thruft him in the body w* yo' fword for in y^
Inftant he can nether ward, ftrike, nor thruft,
yf he ftrike home at the left fyde of yo' hed, & ther 4.
w' all com in to take the cloze or grype of your hilt
or fword arme w^ his left hand , firft ward his blow
gardant, & be fure to put in yo' left hand und' yo' fword
& take hold on the out fyde of his left hand, Arme or
flcve, putting yo' hand vnder the wrift of his Arme w^
the toppe of yo' fing" vpwarde, & yo' thumb & knuckles
dounwarde, then pluck him ftrongly towarde yo' left
fyde, fo ftijd yo indirect his feet turning hys left ftiould'
towarde yo, vpo w^ inftant yo Maye ftrike or thruft
him w^ yo' fword & fly out laf, for his feet being in-
directed, although he hath his fword at lyberty, yet
ftial he not be able to Make any offencyve fight againft
yo becaufe his tyme wilbe to longe to dired his feet
againe to vfe his fword in due tyme.
Alfo yf he attempt the cloze or grype w^ you vpon 5.
his baftard gardant ward, then croife his fword w^ the
lyke ward, & as he cometh in w^ his feet you haue the
tyme of yo' hand & bodye, wherby w^ yo' left hand or
Arme yo May put by his fword blade, w^ thinge you
muft fodainly & ftrongly do, cafting it towarde yo' left
fyde
Bref InJiruStions. i o 3
iyde, fo may yo vncroflc & thruft him in y« body w^ yo'
fword & fly out inftantlyc, for yf yo ftay thcr he wil
direct his fword againe & endanger yo, this may fafly
be don, or y May vncroflTe & turne yo' poynt vp, & ftrike
him on the hed, & fly out inftantly.
6. Yf he prefle in to the half fword vpo a forehand ward,
then ftrike a found blow at the left fyde of his hed
turnyng ftrongely yo' hand & hylt prefling doun his
fword hand & arme ftrongly, & flrike yo' hilt full in
his face, beringe yo' hilt ftrongly vpo him, for yo' hand
beinge vpp'moft yo haue the aduantage in y* grype, for
fb May yo breake his face w' yo' hylt, & ftrike vp his
heels w^ yo' left foote, and throwe him a great fall, al
this May fafly be don by reafbn y^ he is weake in his
comynge in by y^ moving of his feet, & yo repell him
in y« fulnes of yo' ftrength, as appeareth in the Chapter
of jr* fhort fingle fword fyght, in the 23"* grownde of
the fame,
7. remember that yo neu' attempt the Cloze nor grype
but looke to his flyppe, Confyder what is faid in the 8^
gen'all rule in the Second Chapter, & alfo in the 26^
groufid of the fyngle fword fyght in the 4*^ Chapter.
Of the Jhort fword & dagger fyght
Againji the lyke Weapon.
Cap. 7.
[BSRVE at thefe weapons the form' rules, de-
• fend w* yo' fword & not w* yo' dagg', yet yo
I may crofs his fword w* yo' dagg', yf yo may
conveniently reach the fame therw*, w^ out
puttinge in of yo' foote, only by bendinge in of yo' body,
other
I04 Bref InftruSlions.
other wyfe yo' tymc wilbe to longe, & his tyme wilbc
fufficient to difplace his owne, fo y* yo flial not hyt it
w* yo' dagg% &.ib he may make a thruft vpon yo/this
tyme y* I hcre.Meane, of puttinge by of his fword is,
When he lyeth out ipent w^ his ^ord poynt towardc
you, & not elfe, w^ thinge yf yo can do w'out puttinge
in of yo^ foote, then yo may vfe yo^ dagg*^, & ftrike
ftrongly & fodainly e his fword poynt ther w* vp, or doune,
to indired the fame, that don, inftantly ther w^ ftrike or
thruft at him w^ yo' fword,
Alfo yo may put by his fword blade w* ytf" dagg' When 2.
yo' iwords are Croft, eyther aboue at forehand ward, or
belowe at the baftard gardant ward & ther w^ inftantly
ftirike or thruft w^ yo' fword & fly out accordinge to yo'
gou'nors, of this yo may fee more at large in -f Chapter
of thefyngle fword fyght in the 24^ ground of the fame.
Alio yf he be fo foolehardye to com to the cloze, 3.
then yo may gard w* yo' fword & ftabb w^ yo' dagg',
& fly out faf, w^ thinge yo may do becaufe his tyme is
to longe by the numb' of hisfeet,&yohauebutthefwyft
tyme of yo' hand to ufe, & he cannot ftabb til he haue
ietted in his ittvt^ & fo his tyme is to late to endang' yo,
or to defend himfelf.
Know y^ yf yo defend yo'felf w' yo' dagger in other 4.
fort than is aforefaid, yo fhalbe endang' to be hurt,
becaufe the fpace of y o' dagg' wilbe ftill to wyde to
defend both blow & tnruft for lacke of Circomrcrence
as y^ buckler hath,
Alfo note when yo defend blow & thruft w* yo' fword 5.
yo haue a neerer courfe to oflfend yo'enemyew^yo' fword
then when yo ward w^ yo' dagg', for then y o may for the
moft prte from yo' warde ftrike or thruft nim.
Yo
Faciimile page of the MS. of" Bref Inftruftions."
fAdual fize.)
yX (jO^*-^ ^^4^.
I ^.^ £«,J^ ^j^ (^/f;Ji^6c^^^,.^9\_
V
%U^,
,vj^'.^.w<//'^y>U-f%J- .
ir-^.t^ty^ '^
/w*ji4 J- ^^ X ^ 4s-^ f*2r* ^i/^ ^^ '*^**'
• "t^^ "^ -'' TT / — •#• *^^t
-i...
Bref Inftru&itms. 105
6. Yo muft ncythcr Cloze nor com to the grypc at
thefe weapons, vnlefe it be by the flow motyon or dif-
ordour of yo' adv'farie, yet yf he attempt y* Cloze, or
to com to the grype w^ y5, then yo may My Cloze &
hurt him w' yo' dagg' or buckler & go free yo' felf ,
but fly out according to yo' gou'nors & ther by yo flial
put him from his attempted Cloze, but fe yo ftay not
at any tyme w^in diftance, but in due tyme fly back
or hazard to be hurt, becaufe y« fwyft motion of the
hand being w4n diftance will deceue the eye, wher
by yo (hall not be able to Judge in due tyme to make
a true ward , of this yo may fe more in the chapter of
the back fword fyght in the 1 2**^ ground of the fame.
7. yf he extend forth his dagg' hand yo may make yo'
fyght at the fame, remembring to kepe diftance & to
fly back according to yo' gou'nors.
Every fight & ward w^ thefe weapons, made out of
any kynd of fyght, muft be made & don according as
is taught in the back fword fyght, but only y* the
dagg' muft be vfed as is aboufaid, in fteed of the grype.
8. yf he lye bent vpo his Stocata w* his fworde or
rapior poynt behind his dagg' fo y^ yo cannot reach the
fame w*out putting in of yo' foote, then make al yo*
fight at his dagg' hand, euer remembring yo' gou'nors,
& then yf he draw in his dagg' hand, fo that yo may
Crofe his fworde blade w* yo'*, then make narrow
fpace vpo him w* yb' poynt & fodainly & ftrongely
ftryke or here his poynt towarde his right fyde , in-
dyredting the fame, & inftantly ftrike or thruft him
on the hed, face, Arme, or body, & fly back ther w*
out of diftance ftil remembring yo' gou'nors.
9. yf he lye fpent vpo his variable fyght then kepe yo'
P diftance
1 06 Bref InJiruSions.
diftance & make yo' ipacc narrow vpo him, til yo may
Croffc his fword or rapior point w^ yo"^ fword poynt,
whcr vpon, yo having won or gayned the place, ftrike
or thruft inftantly.
yf he lye bent or fpcnt vpo the Imbrocata here vp 10.
yo^ point, & make yo^ fpace narrow & do the lyke.
Of the Jhort Jword & dagger fyght againji the longe
Jword & dagger or longe rapior & poinard.
Cap. 8.
|F yo haue the (hort fword & dagg', defend i.
w^ yo' fword & not w* yo' dagg', except yo
haue a gautlet or hylt vpo yo' dagger hand,
then yo may ward vpo forehand ward, voon
the dubble w* the poynt of yo' fword towarde his face.
Lye not aloft w^ yo' fhort iword yf he lye alowe 2.
variable on the Stocata or passata &c, for then your
fpace wilbe to wyde to make a true Crofe in due tyme,
or to farr in his courfe to make yo' fpace narrow, the
w** fpace take heede yo make very narrow, yea, fo y*
yf it touch his blade, it is better.
I fay make yo' fpace narrow vntil yo can crofe his 3.
fword blade ftrongly & fodainly, fb flial you put by his
point out of the right lyne, & inftantly flrike or thrufl,
& flyp back according to yo' gou'nors.
but take heede unlefs yo can furely & fafly crofe go
not in, but although yo can fb crofe , & ther vpon yo
enter in, ftay not by yt but fly out according to yo'
gou'nors,
yf w^ his longe fword or rapior he charge you aloft 4.
out of his open or true gardant fyght ftrykyng at the
right
Bref Injirudlions. 1 07
right fydc of yo^ hed, yf yo hauc a gautlet or clofe hylt
vpon yo*^ dagg*^ hand then ward it dubble w^ forehand
ward , Bering yo^ iword hylt to warde yo' right fliould%
w^ yo"^ knuckles upwarde & yo' fword poynt to warde
the right fyde of his breft or (holder, crofling yo' dagger
on yo' fword blade refting yt ther on vpon y* hyer
fyde of yo' iword beringe yo' hylts clofe together w*
yo' dagger hilt a little behind yo' fword hilt bering
both yo' hands right out together fpent or verye neere
ipent when yo ward his blowe , Meetinge him fo vpon
yo' ward that his blow may light at yo' half fword or
w4n, fb that his blade may flyde from yo' fword & reft
on yo' dagg' , at w^ inftant tyme thruft forth yo' poynt
at his breft & fly out inftantly , fb fhal yo cotynually
endanger him & go faf yo' felr.
Yf he ftrike a loft at the left fyde of yo' hed, ward
as aforefaid, bering yo' fword hilt towarde yo' left
fhould' w' yo' knuckles doun warde, & yo' fword poynt
towarde the left fyde of his breft or (hold' , bowing yo'
body & hed a little forewarde towarde him, & re-
memb' to here yo' warde on both fyds y* he ftrike y"
not vpon the hed , then vpo his blow meet his fword
as is aforefaid w^ yo' dagger croft ou' yo' fword blade
as before, & when his fword by reafon of his blowe
vpon yo' fword fhal flyde doune & reft vpon yo' dagger,
then fodainly caft his fword blade out to warde yo'
left fyde w^ yo' dagger, to indiredt his point, & ther
w* thruft at his breft fro yo' ward & fly out inftantly,
the like may you do yf his fword glance out fro yo'*,
vpo his blowe.
al this may fefly be don w* y* fhort fword & clofe
hylted dagger or gautlet
P 2 Stay
1 08 Bref InftruStions.
Stay not w* in diftance of the longc fword or rapior 6.
w* yo' fhort fword, nor fufFer him to wyn the place of
you, but cythcr Crofc his fword, or make yo' fpace
veryc narrow to crofe it before his blow or thruft be
in force, yet keping yo^ diftance wher by he (hall
ftrike or thruft at nothing, & fo he fhalbe fubie6t to the
tyme of yo' hand againft the tyme of his feet.
Kepe diftance & lye as yo thinke beft for yo*^ eafe & 7.
fafty, yet fo y* yo may ftrike, thruft, or ward, & when
yo find his poynt Certaine, then make yof fpace nar-
row & crofe his fword, fo fhal yo be the firft mou', &
enter firft into yo' a6tion, & he beinge an aft' doer, is
not able to avoyd yo' Crofc, nor narrow ipace, nor any
fuch offence as fhalbe put in execution againft hym.
havinge Croft his longe fword or rapior w^ yo' fhort 8.
fword blade, & put his poynt out of the ftrait lyne by
force then ftrike or thruft at him w* yo' fword & fly
out inftantly accordinge to v' gou'nors.
Stand not vpo gardant fyght only, for fo he will 9.
greatlye endanger yo out of his other fyghts becaufc
yo haue made yo' felf a c'taine marke to him, for in
contynuynge in y* fyght only yo fhal not only weary
yo' felf, but do alfo exclude vo'felf fro the benyfyt of
the Open, variable, & clofe fyghts, & fo fhal he naue
four fyghts to yo' one, as yo may fe in the Chapter of
the fhort fyngle fword fyght in the 1 5*** ground therof.
Yf he lye in Open or true gardant fyght, then yo 10.
may vpon yo' open & gardant fight fafly bringe yo'
felf to the half fword, & then you may thruft him in
the body , vnder his gard or fword when he bereth it
gardant, becaufc he is weak in his garde, but fly out
inftantly, & he cannot bringe in his point to hurt yo
except
Bref InJiruSiums. 1 09
except he go back w^ his foote or feet, w^ tyme is to
longe to anfwer the fwyft tyme of the hand.
yf he put doune his fword lower to defend y* thruft
then will his hed be open, fo y^yo may ftrike him on
the hed ou*^ ouer his fword & fly out ther wS w^*^
thinge he cannot defend, becaufe his fpace is to wyde
to put vp his blade in due tyme to make a true ward
for the fame.
II. Underftand y* the whole fom of the long rapior
fyght is eyther upon the Stocata, Paflata, Imbrocata,
or Mountanta, al thefe, and al the reft of their devycs
you may fafly prevent by kepinge yo' diftance, becaufe
therby you mal ftil dreue him to vfe the tyme of his
feet, wherby yo fhal ftil p'^vent him of y^ true place,
& therfore he cannot in due tyme make any of thefe
fyghts ofFencive vpon you by reafon y' the number of
his feet will ftill be to great , fo y* he ftial ftil vfe the
flow tyme of his feet to the fwyft tyme of yo' hand,
& therfore yo may fafly defend yo' felf & offend him.
Now you plainly fc how to p'vent al thefe , but for
the betP example note this, wher as I fay by kepeinge
of diftance fom may obieft y* then the rapior man will
com in by degrees w* fuch warde as Ihall beft lyke him,
& dryve back the fword man contynually, to whome
I anfwer, y* can he not do, by reafon y^ y* fword mans
travers is made Cculer wyfe, fo y* the rapior man in
his comyng hath no place to carrye the poynt of his
rapior, in due tyme to make home his fyght, but y*
ftil his rapior wil lye w* in the compafe of the tyme
of the fword mans hand, to make a true croffe vpon
him, the w^^ crofe beinge made w* force he may fafly
vncrofe, & hurt the rapior man in the Arme, hed,
P 3 face
no Bref InftruSions.
face or body, w* blow or thruft, & fly out faf before
he flial haue tyme to direct his poynt againe to make
his thruft vpo y« fword man.
Yf y* rapior man lye vpon the ftocata, firft make yo*" i2.
fpace narrow w* ytf* fhort iword, & take heed y' he
ftrike not doune yo"^ fworde poynt w^ his dagger & fo
Jump in & hurt you w' the thruft of his longe rapior,
w*^^ thing he may do becaufe he haue comaunded
your fword, & fo yo are left open & difcov'^ed & left
onlye vnto the vnc^taine ward of yo"" dagg^ w^^ ward
is to fyngle for a man to venter his lyf on, w^^ yf yo
myflfe to prforme Neuer fo lyttle yo are hurt or flaine.
To p'vent this danger yo muft remember your 1 3,
gou'^nors, & p'fently vpon nis leaft motion be fure of
yo"" diftance, & yo' narrow fpace , then do as follow^
Yf he lye vpo his ftocata, w' his rapior point w' in 14.
or behind his dagg*^ hand out ftrait, then lye yo vari-
able in Meafure w* yo' right foote before & yo' fword
poynt out direftly forth w* ytf* fpace very narrow as
neere his rapior poynt as yo may, betwixt his rapior
poynt & his dagger hand, from w^** yo may fodainly
w* a wrift blow, lyft vp yo' poynt & ftrike him on the
out fyde or in fyde of his dagg' hand, & fly out w' all ,
then make yo' fpace narrow as before, then yf he thruft
home at yo, yo are redy p'pred for hys thruft, or yo
may thrufl: at his dagger nand, do w^^ yo ftial thinke
beft, but yo' blow muft be but only by moving of yo'
wrift, for yf yo lyft vp yo' hand and Arme to fetch a
large blowe then yo' tyme wilbe to longe, & yo' fpace
to wyde in due tyme to make a true ward to defend
yo' felf from his thruft , fo fliall yo hurt him although
he haue a gantlet therone, for yo' thruft wil run vp
between
Bref InftruBums. 1 1 1
between his fing**, & yo"^ blow wil cut of the fyng" of
his gantlet, for he cannot defend himfelf from on blow
or thruft of 20, by reafon that yo haue the place to
reach home at his hand, & for y' caufe he cannot
p'vent it,nether can he rech home to you w'out putting
in of his foot or feet, becaufe his diftance is to large,
but upon eu^ blow or thrufl y* yo make at his hand
flypp back a little, fo (hal yo ftill vpo eu' blow or
thruft y* yo make at him, be out of his reach,
but yf vpon yo*" blow or thruft he wil enter in w^
his foote or feet to make home his ftocata or thruft
vpo you, then by reafoo of yo"^ flydynge back, you
(halbe prepared in due tyme to make a prfyt ward to
defend yo^'felf w* yo*^ fworde,
Therfore euer refped his rapior poynte & remember
to make & kepe narrow ipace vpon it w' yo' fword
poynt, that yo may be fure to break his thruft before
it be in ful force,
15, Yf he thruft at yo' hyer prts w* his poynt a lyttle
mounted, then make narrow yo' Ipace w* yo' poynt
vpon his, yf yo Crofe his blade on the infyde between
his rapior & his dagg', yf he prefi in then fro yo' crofe
beat or here backe his poynt ftrongly towarde his right
fyde, and havinge indirefted his poynt, ftrike him on
the infyde of the rapior or dagg' hand or Arme, or on
the hed, face, or body, & fly out inftantly.
Or you may vpon his p'ffinge in w* his thruft Slypp
yo' poynt doune as he cometh in , & put vp yo' hylt
& ward it gardant, & ther w' from that ward caft out
his poynt, & fodainly ftrike him in one of the placs
aforefaid,& fly out inftantly e remembringeyo'gou'nors.
1 6. Yf he lye raft & do not com in , then ftrike & thruft
at
1 1 2 Bref InftruSions.
at his dagg' hand, w^ yo^ wrift blow and flypp back
ther w* euery tymc
but yf he lye faft & beat doune yo' poynt w' his 17.
dagger, & then thruft at you from nis Stocata then
turne vp yo"" hilt w' yo' knuckles vpwarde & yo' nayles
dounwarde, takinge his blade vpo the backfyde of
yo" towarde yo"^ left fyde & here it gardant towarde y^
fyde, & fo may yo offend him as before is faid vpo y*
ward.
The lyke may yo do vpon him yf he lye out w' his 18.
poynt, when yo haue croft y« lame w' yo", & ftrike it
to eyther fyde, & fo indired his poynt, and then ftrike
or thruft & fly out.
The lyke muft yo do, yi he lye with his point 19.
direftly towarde yo"" bellye
but yf yo crofe his poynt fo mounted or dyredt as 20.
abouefaid, vpo y« out fyde of yo' fword w* his poynt
a little hyer than yo^ hylt, fo y^ you may crofe his
blade , then yf he tnruft ouer yo' blade fyngle uncrofl-
ing the fame, then may you break it w^ yo' forehand
ward out towarde yo' right fyde , & yf he com in ther
w^ then ftrike him on the out fyde of his rapior hand
or Arme, or on the hed or face, & fly out ther w'
but yf he thruft in ouer yo' fword as abouefaid '& 2i.
prefs in his blade ftrongly dubble w* the helpe of his
dagger, then put doune yo' poynt & turne vp yo' hylt
gardant, fo fhal yo fafly defend it beringe it gardant
out towarde yo' left fyde & from yt ftrike him in be-
tween his rapior and dagger in on of the forefaid
places, & fly out,
but yf from this crofe he flypp his poynt doune to
thruft vnd' yo' fword, then ftrike doune his poynt to-
warde
Bref InfiruSfims. 113
wardc his left foote ^ ther w' ftrike hiin on the out
^de of his rapior hand or arme, hed, face, or body, &
ny out inftantly, according to yo' gou^nors.
Alio yo may vpon this of nis poynt doune*, then
turne yo' poynt fhort ouer his blade in yo' ftcpp-
vnge back, & put yo* poynt doime in the infyde of
nis blade tumynge vp yo' hilt gardant as aforeiaid, &
then yf he thruft at yo, • here it gardant towarde yo'
left iyde, & then haue yoii the fame ofienciue blowes
& thrufts agdnft him as' is abouefidd vpo 3^^ fame
ward.
22, Yf he lye aft' the Stocata w^ his poynt doun« to-
warde yo' foote, then crofe his blade on y« out fyde,
& yf he turne his pioynt ou' yo* blade to make his
thruft vpon you, then turne vp yo' hilt & here it gar-
dant as aboue&id, bering it out towarde yo' left fyde,
& fro y^ ward offend him as is abouefaid
23, Alfo in this fyght take heed y* he thruft yo not. in
the fword hand or arme, therfore euer refpeft to draw
it back in due tyme, remembring therin yo' twofold
gou'nor , in yo' comyng in, to make yo' crofe or narrow
fpace.
24. Yf at fword & dagger or buckler he ftrike in at the
out fyde of yo' right legge ward it w^ the back of yo'
fword, carrying yo' poynt doune holding yo' knuckles
dounwarde & yo' Nayles upwarde, bering yo' fword
out ftrongly towarde yo' right iyde, vpon w^° ward yo
may ftrike him on the out fyde of the left legge, or
thruft him in y« thigh or belly
25. The lyke may yo do yf he ftrik at yo' other fyde, yf
yo ward his blowe w* the edge of yo' fword yo' hand
& knuckles as aforefaid, cafting out his fword blade
Q^ towarde
1 1 4 Bref InftruQvms.
towarde yo' left fyde, this may be vfed at fliort or
longe fword fyght.
you muft neuer vfc any fyght againft the longe a6.
rapior & dagg' w^ yo' fliort fword but variable fyght,
becaufe yo"" ^ace wilbe to wyde, & yo' time to longe,
to defend or offend in due tyme.
Alfo yo mud vie large diuance euer, becaufe out of 27.
y* fyght yo can hardly make a true crole becaufe being
w* in diftance y« eye is deceived to do it in due tymc
rememb' in putting forth yo' fword point to make 28*
yo' fpace narrow, when he lyeth vpo his flocata, or
any thrufl, yo mufl hold y« handle thereof as it were
a longft yo' hand, refling the pomell thereof in the
hollow prte of the mydl of the heele of yo' hand to-
warde the wrifl, & the former prte of the handle mufl
be holden betwixt the fore fynger & thumbe, wk)ut
the Myddle Joynt of the fore fynger towarde the topp
ther of, holding y* fynger fomethinge flrait out gryp-
ing round yo' handle w* yo' other iij fingers, & laying
yo' thumbe ftrait out vpo the handle, fb y* yo' thumbe
lye al alonge vpon y* fame, fo fhal yo lay yo' point
out flrait towarde his, the better to be able to prforme
this adtio prfytly, for yf yo grype yo' handle clofe
ou'thwart in yo' hand, then can yo not lay yo' poynt
fh^t vpon his to make yo' fpace narrow , but y* yo'
poynt wil flil lye to wyde to doe the feme in due tyme,
& this is the befl way to hold yo' fword in al kinde of
variable fyght
but vpo yo' gardant or open fyght then hold it w* 29^
ful gryping it in yo' hand, & not laying yo' thumb
alonge y« handle, as fom vfe, then fhal you neuer be
able flfongly to ward a ftronge blowe.
This
Bref InftruSiions. 1 1 5
30, This hauc I written out of mync entyre loue y' I
bcre to my country men, wilshing them yet once
againe to follow the truth , & to fly the vaine Imprfyt
rapior fight, the betP to faue thenifelues from wounds
& flawghter , for who fo attayneth to the p'fedtio of
this true fyght w^^ I haue here fet forth in thefe my
bref Inilrudtions, & alfo in my pradoxes of defence ,
fhal not only defend them felues, but fhal ther by
bring thofe that fyght vpo that Imprfyt fyght of v«
rapior vnd"" their mercye , or elfe put tnem in Cobbs
travers, where of yo may read in the 38 Chapter of
my pradoxes afore^id.
Of y /word & Buckler Jyght^
Cap. 9.
JWORD & Buckler fight, & fword & dagg'
fyght are al one, faving y* yo may fafly de-
fend both blowe & thruft, fyngle w^ yo'
buckler only, & in likefort yo may fafly
ward both blowes & thrufts dubble , y^ is w* fword &
buckler together \^^ is great aduantage againft y*
fword & dagg', &c, & is the fureft fight of al fliort
weapons.
Of the two hand fuoord fight againfi f like weapon.
Cap. 10.
(iHESE weapons are to be vfed in fight as the
ftiort ftaf , yf both play vpo dubble & fyngle
hand, at the ij hand fword, the long fword
hath the advantage yf the waight ther of
be not to heavye for his ftrength y* hath it, but yf
Q^ both
1 1 6 Bref InfiruBvim.
both play only vpon dubble hand^ then his blade w^
is of covenycnt length agreeing w^ his ftature y^ hath
it, w^ is according with the length of the meaifure of
his fyngle fwordbhde^ hath the advantage of y* iword
y* is to long for y« ftature of the contrarye prtye, be-
caufe he can croie & vncrofe, ftrike & thruft, cloze
& grjTpe in fhorter tyme than the other can.
Of the Jhort ftafjygbty being ofcdvenient lengthy againft
y like weapon.
Cap. II.
(HE fhort ftaf hath iiij wards, y^ is ij w^ y^
poiat vp, & ij w* the poynt doune.
At thefe weapons euer lye fb that y5 may i .
be able to thruft fyngle & dubble, & to ward ,
ftrike, or thruft in due tyme , fo flial yo^ enemye , yiF
he fyght only vpo dubble hand be driuen of neceffitie,
feeking to wyn the place, to gayne yo the place wher
by yo may fsmy hurt him, & go free yo' felf by reafon
ot yo"^ difltance , & when 3^0 ftial fceke to wyn the place
vpon him he ftial not be able to gaine the place vpon
you, nor to kepe the place fro you wher by he ftial
eyther be hurt, or in great danger of hurt, bv reafon
of yo*" large reach, true place & diftance, yo""nght be-
ing truly handled keeping it felf from Cloze & grype.
And in like fort flial it be betweene two, v^^ fhal 2.
play vpon the beft, y* is, yf they play both dubble &
fyngle handed.
yf yo fynd yo' felf to ftrong for yo' adu'farie in any 3.
mann' of ward, whether the ^me be aboue or belowe ,
put by his ftaf w^ force, & then ftrike or thruft from it,
but
Facfimile page of the MS. of ^* Brcf Inftruftions."
(Actual foe.)
I
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^d^\ri f^'^^l^ i^^^'' , ^ : , ,
\
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C?f TB^ 'JtT n^ £^ ^« ^, „^ V^^ ""^/^
Bref InftruBions. 1 1 7
4* but yf yo fynd him to ftrong for yo vpo hys blowes
from a loft, K) y* yo can hardly here them vpon yo^
ward, then when he ftryketh in a loft at yo' hed, &
by hys maine ftrength would beat doune yo>^ flaf, & fo
geue yo a hurt before yo ihalbe able to com againe
into yo' ward,
Agatnft ftich a on giuc the flypp in this fort , fo-
dainly dray back the hycr prte cf yo' body a lyttle &r
yo' for moft foote w^all, & flyp in the poynt of yo'
ftaf vnd' his flaf, & thruft iingle at him, & flv out w^
all , (6 fhal you be fure to hvt him & go out free,
5, yf he lye a loft w^ his naf , then lye yo w* your
hind' hand alowe, w* yo' poynt vptowards his ftaf
making yo' fpace narrow becaufe yo may crofe hys
ftaf to ward his blow before it com in ful force , &
then ftrongly & fodainlye indireft his poynt, & fo
thruft at him fyngle , the w^^ yo may do before he can
remoue his feet , by reafbn of the fwyftnes of yo' hand
& ifly out ther w^, do this for both iyds of y« hed yf
caulc require jrt, £) fhal yo faue both yo' hed, body,
and al prts, for yo' vpp' prts are garded, & yo' lower
prts to farr out of his reach*
6. yf he lye a lowe w* his poynt doune , then lye yo
w* yo'pc^nt doune alio, w' yor fbrmoft hand lowe &
yo' hind' moft hand hye, ib y* yS may crofe his ftaf,
& do in al things as is before faid in* the other
J. yf he lye vp6 the thruft then lye yo w* ytf fpace
narrow lying vp or doune w* yo' poynt in fuch fort as
you may crofe his* ftaf ^ & therby yo fhal be able to
put or beat by his thruft before it be in fill force, &
then flrike or thruft, eiaier remembring yo' gouemors.
yf vpon this any wil obied y^ yf this ^oetrue^ then it
0^3 is
1 1 8 Bref LiftruBums.
is in vaine to flrike, or thrufl, becaufe he y^ doth it
is flil in danger, this doubt is anfwered in the fhort
fingle fword fight, in the 1 2*** ground thereof
Yf yo' adu''&rie ilrike a loft at any fyde of yo' hed 8.
or body, ward it w^ yo' point vp & making yo^ (pace
fo narrow y* yo may crofe his ftaf before it com in ftil
force bearing or beating doune his blow ftrongly, back
againe towards y' fyde y* he flxyketh in at you , & out
of y* ward, then Inflantly^ eyther (hike fro y^ ward,
turning back yo"^ ftaf, & ftrike him on y* fyde of the
hed y^ is next yo' ftaf.
Or lyft vp yo"^ ftaf againe, & {o ftrike him on the
hed or bodv, or thruft at his body dubble or fyngle,
as yo may nnd yo* beft aduantage ever in holding ytf
ftat, let ther be fuch convenient fpace between yo^
hands, wher in you flial fynd yo' felf apteft to ward,
ftrike or thruft to yo' beft lyking
Yf yo play w^ yo' ftaf w* yo' left hand before & yo' 9.
right hand back behind, as many men do fynd them
felues moft apteft when y' hand is before, & yf yo'
aduer£irie vpo his blowe com in to take the cloze of
you, when yo fynd his ftaf croft w^ yo» neere his
hand then fodainlye flyp vp yo* right hand clofe to
the hind' fyde of yo' formoft hand, & p'fently loofing
yo' for muft hand & put it vnd' your owne ftaf, &
then crofe or put by his ftaf ther w* & w^ yo' hand
take hold of his ftaf in fuch fort y* yo' lyttle fyng' be
towards the poynt of his ftaf, & yo' thumb & fore
fing' towards his hands , & p'fently w^ yo' right hand
mount y* point of yo' owne ftar cafting the point
thereof back ouer yo' right ftiold', w^ yo' knuckles
doun wards, &; yo' nayles vp wards, & fo ft abb him in
the
Bref InfiruBions. 119
the body or face w* the hind' end of y' ftaf , but be
fure to uabb him at his comyng in, whether yo catch
his ftaf or not , for fomtymes his ftaf will lye fo farr
out y^ vpon his comyng in yo cannot reacn it, then
catch y* arme in his com)aige in w^ he ftial firft put
forth w* in yo"^ reach, but be fure to ftabb, for his ftaf
can do yo no hurt, and having io don, yf yo fynd yd'
felf to ftrong for him, ftrike vp his heeles^ yf to weaJce
fly out.
ID, The like muft yo do yf yo play w^ yo' right hand
before, & yo' left hand back behind, but y^ yo neede
not to flyde forth yo' left hand, becauie yo' right hand
is in the right place of yo' ftaf alredye to vfe in y*
a6tion» but then yo muft difplace yo' left hand to take
hold of his ftaf, or the grype as is a forefaid, & to vie
the ftabb as is aboue faid,
11. yf both lye a loft as aforefaid, & play w^y* left hand
before, yf ne ftrike at the Ryght fyde of yo' hed or
body then muft yo crofe his ftaf before his blow be in
fill force, by making yo' fpace narrow, & then ftrike
it ftrongly back againe towards his left fyde, & from
y* ward yo may turne backyo' ftaf & ftrike him back-
wards ther w* on the left tyde of the hed, or lyft vp
yo' ftaf & ftrike him on the right or left fyde of the
hed, body, or arme, or thruft him in the body, the
lyke blowes or thrufts may you make at him whether
he ftrike or thruft, having put by his ftaf, remembring
yo* gou'nors.
The like ord' muft yo vfe in playing with the right
hand before,
12. but yf he thruft at yo cotynually then euer have a
fpeciall care to cofyder, whether he lye a loft or be-
lowe.
I20 BrrfhifiruBians.
lowe^ & do continually thrufl at yo ther from, then
looke that yo eucr lye to y^yo make yo' i^ce fo narrow
vpon him, y* yo be fure to crofc his ftaf w* yo", & put
it before it be in full force, and fro y* ward, thruft at
him fyngle or dubble as yo fynd it beilt & yf he re-
memb' not to fly back at y^ inuant when he thrufteth
it wilbe to late for him to avoyd any thruft y^ yo fhal
make at him.
Of the flicrt ftaffyght againji the longefiaf.
Cap. 12.
F yo haue a (laf of the covenient length i.
againft a ftaf of longer length than is cove-
nient then make yo' ^ace narrow, & ieeke
UQt to offend vntil yo haue ftrongly & fwyftly
t by his point the w^^ yo flial w^ eafc accomplifh,
y reafon of yo' narrow ipace & ytf force , then ftrike
or thruft as yo fhal thinke beft.
This fhort ftaf .fight againft v* longe ftaf is don in 2.
the fiune fort that fhort ftaf fignt to fhort ftaf is don,
but y^ the man w* the fhort ftaf muft alwaies rememb'
to kepe a narrow fpace vpon y* long flaf , whcr fo
euer tne longe ftaf flial lye, Hye or lowe, cotinually
make yo' fpace narrow vpo him, fb fhal yo be fure yf
he ftrike or thruft at yo, to take the fame before it be
into his full force & by reafon y' yo' force is more w*
yo' fhort ftaf than his can be at the poynt of his longe
ftaf, yo fhal caft his ftaf fo farr out of y« ftreit lyne w*
yo' fhort ftaf, y' yo may fafly enter in w* yo' reet, &
ftrike or thruft home at him.
Yet this p'^fent fhift he hath at y* inftant, he may 3.
flypp
V.
Bref InftruSHons. 121
ilypp back his ftaf in his hands, w^ tyme is iwyfter
then vo"' feet in comynge forwarde, wher by he wil
haue nis ftaf as fhort as yo", yet by reafon y* at y« firft
yo caft his ftaf fo farr out of the right lyne, that yo
had tyme to enter in w* yo*^ feet, yo fhaJ then be fo
neere him, y^ yo may make narrow ipace vpo him
againe, fo y* he fhal naue no tyme to Hyp forwarde
his ftaf agayne in his former place, nor to go back w*
his feet, & fo to recou' the hind' end of his ftaf againe,
becaufo yf he flyp forth his ftaf to ftrike or thruft at
yoq, that may yo fafly defend becauie of your narrow
ipace vpo him, & ther w* al yo may ftrike or thruft
him fro yo' warde, eyther at fyngle or dubble,
4. but yt he wil go back w* his feet thinking by y*
meanes to recou' the whole length of hys ftaf againe,
y* can he not do in covenyent tyme because the tyme
of yo' hand is fwyft' than y« tyme of his feet, by reafon
wherof yo may ftrike or tnruft him in his goyng back.
5. Againe it is to be remembred in y* tyme y* y5 keepe
him at y^ bay, vpo the drawing in of his ftaf, the hind'
end therof lying fo farr back behind him wilbe fo
trobblefom vnto him, that he can make no prfyt fight
againft yo & comonly in his drawing in of his ftaf it
wilbe to ftiort to make true fight against you, nether
to ofiFend yo nor defend him felf.
6. yf he attempt the Cloze w* yo then ftabb him w^
the hind' end of yo' ftaf as is faid in y« fyght of y« ij
fliort ftaves of covenyent length, in the 9^ ground
therof
Note. Rememb' y* at Morris pyke , forreft byll ,
longe ftaf & two hand fword, y* yo Ive in fuch fort
vp5 yo' wards v^ yo may both ward, nrike, & thruft,
R both
122 Bref InJlruSHons.
both dubble & fynglc, & then rcturne to yo' former
wards flyps & lyinge againe & then arc yo as y5 wcr
before
The like fight is to be vfed w* y* Javelen, prtyfon,
halbard, black byll, battle Axe, gleve, half pyke &c.
Off the fight oftheforrefi byll againfi
the like weapon & againfi thefiaf.
Cap: 13,
^HE forreft byl haue the fyght of the ftaf but i.
y' it hath iiij wards more w* the hed of the
byll, y* is one to here it vpwards, another to
beat it dounwards fo y* the carrage of yo^
byll hed be w^ the edge neyther vp nor doune but
fyde wyfe.
The other ij wards are on to cast his byl hed towards
the ryght fyde, thother towards y* left fyde.
And vpon ei' on of thefe wards or catches run vp to
his hands w* the hed of yo^ byll & then by reafon y*
yo haue put his ftaf out of y* right lyne, yo may catch
at his hed neck arme or leggs &c w^ y^ edge of yo'^
byll, & hook or pluck him ftrongly to you & fly out
w^all.
Yf yo caft his ftaf fo farr out y* yo' byll flyde not 2.
vp to his hands, then yo may fafly run in flyding yo"^
hands w4n one yard of y* hed of yo"^ byll, & fo w^ ytf
byl in one hand take him by y* legg w* the blade of
yo' byll & pluck him to vo & w* yo' other hand defend
yo' felf from his gryps yr he offer to grype w* you.
Yf you fight byll to byll do the like in al refbe6ts 3.
as w^ y« ftaf in yo' fyght, for yo' byll fight & ftaf tyght
is
Bref Inftr unions. 1 2 3
is al one, but only for the defence & offence w^ the hed
of y« byll, & whcr y« ftaf man vpo the cloze yf he vfe
y« ftabb w* the butt end of his ftaf, the byll man at y^
tyme is to vfe y« catch at his legg w* y« edge of his
byll, as in v« fecond ground above is faid.
4. Rememo' euer in al yo' fyght w^ this weapon to
make yo' fpace narrow whether it be againft the ftaf
or byll fb y* what fo euer he fhal do againft you, yo
fhal ftill make yo^ ward before he be in his ful force
to offend you.
5. Alfo yf yo can reach w*in the hed of his byll w^ the
hed of yo' byll then fbdainly w* the hed of yo' byll
fiiach his byll hed ftrongly towards you, & therw^l
indire6t his byl hed & forcibly run vp yo' byl hed to
his hands^ fb haue yo the lyke advantage as abouefaid,
wheras I fpake of runyng vp towards his hands.
6. Yf he lye alowe w* his byl hed then yf yo can put
yo' byll hed in ou' the hed of his bylle & ftronglye put
doune his byl ftaf w* yo' byl hed, bearinge it flat, then
yo may p'fently run vp yo' byll hed Angle handed to
his hands & fly out therw*, fo ftial yo hurt him in y«
hand & go free yo'felf.
7. The like may yo do w^ yo' byll againft the fhort
ftaf yf yo can prels it doune in y* lyke fort, but yf he haue
a longe ftaf then run vp dubble handed w^ both hands
vpon yo' byll, w«^ thyngc yo may My do becaufe yo
are in yo' ftrength & haue taken him in the weak prte
of his ftaf.
8. Yf he lye hyc w* his byll hed then put vp yo' byll
hed und' his & caft his byll out to y^ iyde y^ yo fhal
fynd fytteft, io haue yo the aduantage to thruft or hook
at him & fly out.
R 2 Or
124 Bref InJlruBims.
Or yf yo call his byl fair out of the right lyne then
ran in & take him by the legg w* y* edge of ytf byll,
as is faid in the 2*^ ground of this chapter.
Yf yo ward his blow w* yo'' byll ftaf w4n yo'^ byll 9.
hed, then anfwer him as w* y* fhort ftaf.
Note y^ as the byl mans aduantage is to tak the ftaf
w* y* hed of y« byll fo the ftaf man by reason y* y« hed
of y« byll is a faire mark hath y* aduantage of him in
y« cafting afyde of the hed of the byll w* his ftaf or
beating y^ afyde, the w^ yf y* byll man looke not very
well into it the ftaf man ther vpon wil take al mann' of
aduantages of y^ ftaf fyght againft him.
" The Chapter
9n tbi Morris
pike is unique^
as no other
work /peaks
of parries with
that weapon,** —
rr» Li0nd9n*
Of the fyght ofy morris pyke againjl
the lyke weapon.
Cap: 14.
F yo fight w* yo' enemy having both morris i.
pyks w* both poynts of yo*^ pyks forwards,
alowe upon y* ground, holding the butt end
of the pyke in one hand fyngle w^ knuckles
vpwards & the tnumb undrneth, w^ the thumbe &
forefing"^ towards yo' face & the lyttle fynger towards
the poynt of y* pyke, bering the butt end of the pyke
fi-o the one fyde to y* other right before the face, then
lye yo w* yo' arme fpent & yo' body open w* yo' hand
to y^ right fyde w^ yo' knuckles Dounwards & yo' nailes
vpwards.
Or yo may lye in y^ fort, w* yo' hand over to the
left fyde w* yo' knuckles vpwards & yo' navies Doun-
wards, wherby al yo' body wilbe Open, yf tnen he fhal
fodainlye rayfe vp the point of his pyke w* his other
hand
Bref InftruBions. 1 2 5
hand & com to thruft at yo, then in the Mountinge of
his poynt or his coynge in fodainlye tofle vp the poynt
of yo' pyke w^ yo' hand fyngle & fo thruft him in the
leggs w^ yo' pyke & fly out therw^
Or els you May ftand vpo yo' ward & Not tofle vp
yo' pykes poynt but breake his thruft by croflynge the
poynt of his pyke w* the Mydds of yo' pyke by cafting
vp yo' hand, w* the butt end of yo' pyke aboue yo' hed,
& fo bering ouer hys point w^ yo' ftaf, to the other fydc
as for example,
2. Yf yo lye w* yo' hand Ipent towards the left fyde of
yo' bodye, then fodainlye here his poynt ouer ftrongly
towards ytf right fyde.
Yf yo lye w* ytf hand fpent towards yo' right fyde
then here his poynt towards yo' left fyde, & ther vpon
gather vp yo' pyke w* ytf other hand & thruft at him
& fly out.
Yf he cotynew his fyght w^ his point aboue, & yo
lye w* yo' pyke breft hye & hyer w* your hand & point
fo, y^ yo may Make yo' thruft at his face or body w*
yo' poynt Dire6Uy towards his face, holding yo' pyke
w^ both your hands on yo' flaf yo' hinder hand w^ yo'
knuckles vpwards & yo' formuu hand w^ yo' knuckles
dounwards & ther fhaking yo' pyke & faulting at his
face w* yo' poynt as Neere his face as you may, then
fodainlye Make out yo' thruft fyngle handed at his face
& fly backe w^all, w«^ thruft he can hardly breake one
of 20 by reafbn y^ yo haue made yo' fpace fo narrow
vpon his gard, fo y^ yo beinge firft in yo' action he
wil ftil be to late in his defence to defend himfelf.
4. but note while yo lye faulfinge to Deceve him looke
well toyo' leggs y^ he in the Meane tyme tofTe not vp the
R 3 poynt
126 Bref InfiruBions.
poynt of his pyke fyngle handed & hurt yo therw^ in
y« fhvnes.
Yr he lye fo w^ his poynt vp a loft as you do then 5.
Make yo' ipace Narrow M ountinge yo' point a lyttle &
crofe his pyke w* yo" & ftronglye and fodainly caft his
poynt out of the right lyne and thrufl whome from the
fame fyngle or dubble as you fynd yo' heft aduantage,
& fly out therw^
Or JO may run in when yo haue caft out his poynt
ilydinge both yo' hands on yo' ftaf til yo com w^in iij
quarters of a yard of the hed of yo' pyke & ftabb him
therw* w* one hand & w* yo' other hand kepe him of
from y* grype.
Now yf he be a man of fkyll, notw^ftandinge "f 6.
Making of y^ faulte in fufFering you to do io yet this
help he hatn, as yo are comynge in he will fodainlye
draw in his pyke poynt & fly back w^all, then haue yo
no helpe but to fly out inftantly to the myddle of yo'
pyke & from thence backe to y* end & then are yo as at
the firft begynnynge of yo' fyght yo were.
Yf you fynd y* he lye farr out of y* right lyne w* 7.
his poynt or y^ vo can fo farr Indirect y« fame then caft
yo' pyke out ox yo' hands » crofe over vpon the myds
of his pyke, by w^^ meanes yo fhal entangle his pyke,
then wnile he doth ftryve to get his pyke at lybcrtye,
run you in fodainlye drawing yo' Dagg' & ftrike or
ftabb at him.
Then yf he haue the prfe6lion of this fyght as well 8.
as you, he wilbe as reddy w^ his dagg' as yo are w* yo'",
then muft yo fyght it out at the fyngle dagg' fyght as
is fhewed in the 1 5^** Cap : then he y^ hath not the
prfe^on of y^ fyght gow^ to wracke.
And
Bref InftruBions. 127
9^ And here note y^ in al the courfc of my teachinge
of thefe mv breef Inftrudions yf both the prtyes hauc
the ful prfedtion of y« true fyght then the on will not
be able to hurt thother at what prfyt weapon fo euer.
10.' But yf a Man y^ haue the prfedtion of fight fhal
fight w* on y* haue it not then muft y^ vnfkylful man
go to wrack & thother goe free.
Of the Jingle Dagger Jyght agatnji the fyke weapon.
Cap: 15.
IIRST know y^ to this weapon ther belongeth
no Wards nor gryps but agatnfi: fuch a one
as is foolehardy & will fufifer himfelf to haue
a ful ftabb in the face or bodye to hazard
the geving of Another, then againft him yo may vfe
yo' left hand in throwinge him afyde or ftrike vp his
heeles aft' yo haue ftab^ him.
2. In this dagg' fyght, yo muft vfe cotynual motion fo
fhal he not be able to put yo to y* cloze or grype, be-
cauie yo** contynuall motion difappointeth him of his
true place, & the more ferce he is in runynge in, the
foon' he gayneth you the place, wherby he is wounded,
& yo not any thing the rather endangered.
3. The mann' of handling yo' cotynuall motion is this,
kepe out of diftance & ftrik or thruft at his hand, Arme,
face or body, y* fhal prefs vpon yo, & yf he defend
blow or thruft w^ his dagg' make yo blow or thruft at
his hand.
4. Yf he com in w* his left legg forewards or w^ the
right, do you ftrike at y^ prte as foone as it fhalbe
w*in yo' reach , remembring y^ yo vfe contynual motion
in
128 Bref InJiruBions.
in yC prgreffion & regreffyon according to yo' twyfold
gou'nors.
Although the dagg' fyght be thought a veryc dan- 5.
gerous fyght by reafon of y« fhortnes & fynglenes
therof , yet the fight therof being handled as is afore-
faid, is as faf & as defencive as is the fight of any other
weapon , this endeth my breef Inftru^ons.
Finis.
Sundry
i; L
K-v^
1-^7^1 **
*>f.
^f;r5^JM
Facfimilc Table of "Open Fight" in the MS. of
" Bref Inftruftions."
(Rt^adjufted on folding table followin!2: page 134.)
r
\f^
. ..^ ^.
" '(
1 V
r'-
..:.7
■I.L
it
L
w^anlmp^fitward
& out of y* way.
Sundry kinds of play or fight. Thornborow.
1 Unc'taine variable
2 fyngle
3 gardant.
iij different kinds of fight.
1 y* forccth or p^ffeth on
2 he y^ goeth back w^ Ibm blow or
thruft
3 he y^ (landeth to his wards or
paflato
1. Againft him y^ p'^fleth y% naked play is beft bees
he ufeth his foote, y« open lofty play y* hand.
2. y« 2°^ is beft followed w* y* variable & vnc'tainc
handling els fhould yo be a ma^ke to yo*" enemy & too
flow in motion.
3. y* 3*^ muft be incountred w* y gardant play
wherin you fhal try him at y* B fword or how he can
efcape y* prting blow or thruft.
When yo gather kepe yo' place & ipace equal &
only be a patient & rememb'^ y* y* gardant play bring-
eth yo fafly in & keps yo' enemy out.
Know tnis ord' of play els y* beft may be deceaved,
to be ufed againft al thefe differencs & bring y* good-
S nes
130 Bref InftruSions.
nes thcrof in fufpitio^ for al thefc plaies arc good in
their kynd, tyme & occafio ofFered by div'^fitic of play,
but not on of them to be continually a&d & played
vpon as a p>'fe£tio againft euery aflkdc
1. In y" naked play yo muft fet yo^elf Toright w^
yo' feet in aihiale (pace, obf'^ving y* place ot yo' hand
wher yo may ftrike or thruft moft quickly & redely
& fo take y* tyme of him y* p^'flTeth on (vfing y* tyme
of his feet) w* yo' blowe or thruft whcr he is moft
open.
!• In y* variable play, yo dryve him to his fhyfts
changing yo'fclf into fundry kynds of blowes thrufts &
lyings, w^^ yo muft not ftay upon,
2. feeking to + him ftU in his playes as yo may,
wherby yo ftial force him to fly, or els to ftand to y*
proof of nis B fword play*
3. the gardant play is to be vfed againft y* blowe,
thruft & paflata y^ cometh w^in dang' of hurt, for
treading y* right way & keping yo' place & hand in
fpace & ftrength you cannot loofe y^ tyme to defend
fro either of thoie offers.
thefe Judged of in reafbn & known by fom pradife
wil make yo deale iafly againft al £)rts, ikilful or vn*
fkilful, fo y^ feare or Ang' hinder not yo' Knowledgje;
I. The tyme of y*
OfTymes.
[hand
fbote
hand ic foot
ibot U hand, naught
Of
Bref InfiruEHons. 1 3 1
Of place fpace. ftrength & tyme.
1. y* tyme of y* hand is when yo ftrikc fro a w"* or
(land in place to flrike.
2. the tyme of y* foot is when yo ftep forward to
ftrike or when yo gather towarde yo' own right fyde.
3. y* tyme of y* hand & foot is when yo tread yo'
ground in courfe to ftrike rather than p'fSng forwards,
or when yo Hide back or go back, yo' hand & foot
being then of equal agillitie.
4. y* tyme of y* foot & hand is when yo handle
yo' gardant play vfing then a ilowe motio in both,
ther is but i good way to gather vpo yo' enemy,
gardant Al other are dangerous & fubied: to y* blowe
on y* hed or thruft on y* body.
for no way can ward both but as aforf^.
yo' hand & feet in good play muft go together,
whether it be in quick orilow motion.
In gathering forwards or taw'*^ yo' right fyde yo^
hand falleth fro yo' place, ipace, & ftrength & fo
fiilleth out y* lofe of tyme.
when yo gather & fufFer y* gou'ne yo' fight, defend
only, when yo do, be fingle, or not fixed towards on
any Ijring, but alfo y* quickncs of yo' hand in its p'p'
place carried,
In .breaking y* thruft when yo lye aloft fingle ot
gardant & fpace yC arme fomwhat bowing in ward*
ing y* blowe, haue refpedt to yo' place of hand &
ftrength, yo' arme ftrait this cour& in yo' tyme is
beft p'formed, the on of thcfc w^ yo' hand aloft yo'
point downe thother yo' band in place yo' more high
yo' fpace lefs curious.
S 2 Dubble
II
93"
4
D
132
Dubblei (fence
tyme
place
[fpace
hand
Bref InfiruBions.
defence treble
ward
arme, weapo
body
foote
true fingle
Strait
Manifeft
way
flow motio
Dubblc (fals
fpatious
obfcure.
tyme is cheefly to be obf^ved in both adions vpo
^ ( $«: ) --"*•
Upon thefe 3 y* 4 following, vpon thefe 4 y* firft
3, upon thefe y* later 3,
to hurt or defend, a tyme in both is to be obPved
to y* furtherance of w^^ place is to be gotten, w'out w^**
tyme wilbe to long to p'form y* w^ is intended, 3^ fpace
is to be noted betwene ij oppofits & in refpeft of
touching, or in regard of faving as alfo for prfving of
tyme, by y* fmale way it hath either to y* body, or
puting by y* weapon,
the next 4 muft be vfed together to p'^forme thother
iij rules, for y* hand being nymble & quick of itfelf
may els be hindered in y* want of any of thefe, the
weapon muft be framed & inclyned to srve y* agilitie
of y* hand eyther in hurting or defending.
the body vpright or leanyng to y* weapon, y* it
hind^ not y* di^ofitio of thother ij the foot anfwerable
to them plying y* hand & ward al in ftrait foace, y' w"^
w* hand high w* y* point downe, the arme ftrait out as
redy for both actions,
the
Bref InJiruStions. 1 3 3
the way vnd' y* w'** w^ rawing y* body from harmes,
the motioflowe y*y*adtio of y* hand be not hindered.
the reft are y* dilpofitions of y* placed dilplaccd
handlings
Slowfoot : fwift hand : quick foot : flow hand.
tread : ftride : follow : falaway :
When yo feek to oiFend w^ blow or thruft, yo' place of
hand is loft, y* way to redeeme it is to flyde back vnd'
yo' lofty ward as aforefd alwaies y* yo' adu'farie lye
aloft redy to ftrike or thruft or vfe his hand only,
yf yo would offend him y^ lyeth lowe vpo y* thruft
then when yo difplace yo' weapon fro aloft yo may
aft' yo' blow at hed or arme or neereft place, ftand &
thruft before yo go backe becaufe he is out of place &
(pace & cannot +, & therby loofeth his tyme to annoy
yo & yo may thruft & retyre for a new aflfault.
this not fo fownd.
In ftriking or thrufting neu' hind' yo' hand w* puting
forth yo' foote but kepe y* place therof til yo haue of-
fended w* y* one only y* bending of yo' body very
little foreward may fuffide , els yo loofe a dubble tyme,
on in fetting forth yo' foot thother in recou'ing yo'
loft place of yo' fot both to y* lofs of tyme & yo'
purpofte.
Strike : thruft : ward : breake :
the dubble offence is in ftriking & thrufting.
'warding y* blow
- breaking or puting bye y* thruft
.flyding back vnd' yo' hanging ward,
wyn y* place : ftand faft, ftrike home
offend, defend, & go faf.
S3 al
the iij fold
defence in
134 Brtf InJiruBums.
al vnd^play is beaten w'moft agil, fingle & y* lofty
the lofty w^ y* gardant. His when w' his foot he
feeke y* low lying is out of place to'
ofend defend or not fo for lack of tyme
fpace & croffing, yf he lye out w^ his
long"" weapo it is put bye fro aloft, who
hath place tyme & reach of body &
arme al w* y* +.
93 re y* reading
y* enterlyyinge
of other things
therto adioyn-
ing-
the lofty naked play is beaten w^ y* ward bees of j ^^ace j-
to Defend, y* lofty naked fingle loofc play f^vcth to win
y* Tyme oi y* lowe & dtibble play.
the bent gardant requiretfa yo' arme flralt high &
out y* point down towards (93 re II wel) y* body &
foote y' way inclyncd*
.J
CRISWICK FKSSS :— CHARLBS WHITTINGMAM AND CO.
TooKs courr, cmamcksy lamb, lomdom.
4
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