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 imperfection of the Rapier-fights displayed Together with an Admonition to the noble ancient victorious 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 ANCHORA SPEI LONDON Printed for Edvvard Blount 1599. HONI SOYT QVY MAL Y PENSE 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 Maiesties 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 honorable Priuy Counsell FENCING Right honorable in this new fangled age is like our fashions euerie daye a change resembling the Camelion who altereth himselfe into all colours saue white so Fencing changeth into all wards saue the right That it is so experience teacheth vs why it is so I doubt not but your wisedome doth conceiue There is nothing permanent that is not true what can be true that is vncertaine how can that be certaine that stands vpon vncertain grounds The mind of man a greedie hunter after truth finding the seeming truth but chaunging not alwayes one but alwayes diuerse forsakes the supposed to find out the assured certaintie and searching euery where saue where it should meetes with all saue what it would VVho seekes finds not seekes in vaine who seekes in vaine must if he wil find seeke againe and seeke he may againe and againe yet all in vaine VVho seekes not what he would as he should and where he should as in all other things Right honourable so in Fencing the mind desirous of truth hunts after it and hating falshood flies from it and therfore hauing missed it once it assayes the second time if then he thriues not he tries another way whē that hath failed he aduentures on the third if all these faile him yet he neuer faileth to chaunge his weapon his fight his ward if by any meanes he may compasse what he most affect for because men desire to find out a true defence for themselues in their fight therefore they seeke it diligently nature hauing taught vs to defend our selues and Art teaching how and because we misse it in one way we chaunge to another But though we often chop and change turne and returne from ward to ward from fight to fight in this vnconstant search yet wee neuer rest in anie and that because we neuer find the truth English maisters of defence are profitable members in the common wealth if they teach with ancient English weapons of true Defence weight and conuenient length within the compasse of the statures and strength of men to command because it maketh them safe bold valiant hardie strong and healthfull and victoriou 〈◊〉 the warres seruice of their Prince defence of their friendes and countrey But the Rapter in reason not to be taught nor suffred to be taught because it maketh men fearefull and vnsafe in single combat and weak vnseruiceable in the warres and therefore we neuer find it because we neuer seeke it in that weapon where it may be found For to seeke for a true defence in an vntrue weapon is to angle on the earth for fish and to hunt in the sea for Hares truth is ancient though it seeme an vpstart our forefathers were wise though our age account them foolish valiant though we repute them cowardes they found out the true defence for their bodies in short weapons by their wisdome they defended them selues and subdued their enemies with those weapons with their valour And Right honorable if we will haue this true Defence we must seeke it where it is in short Swords short Staues the halfe Pike Partisans Gloues or such like weapons of perfect lēgths not in long Swords long Rapiers nor frog pricking Poiniards for if there be no certain grounds for Defence why do they teach it if there be why haue they not found it Not because it is not to say so were to gainesay the truth but because it is not certaine in those weapons which they teach To proue this I haue set forth these my Paradoxes different I confesse from the maine current of our outlandish teachers but agreeing I am well assured to the truth and tending as I hope to the honor of our English nation The reason which moued me to aduenture so great a taske is the desire I haue to bring the truth to light which hath long time lyen hidden in the caue of contempt while we like degenerate sonnes haue forsaken our forefathers vertues with their weapons and haue lusted like men sicke of a strange ague after the strange vices and deuises of Italian French and Spanish Fencers litle remembring that these Apish toyes could not free Rome from Brennius sacke nor Fraunce from King Henrie the fift his conquest To this desire to find out truth the daughter of time begotten of Bellona I was also moued that by it I might remoue the great losse of our English gallants which we daily suffer by these imperfect fights wherein none vndertake the combat be his cause neuer so good his cūning neuer so much his strength and agilitie neuer so great but his vertue was tied to fortune happie man happie doale kill or be killed is the dreadfull issue of this diuellish imperfect fight If that man were now aliue which beat the Maister for the scholers fault because he had no better instructed him these Italian Fencers could not escape his censure who teach vs Offence not Defence and to fight as Diogenes scholers were taught to daunce to bring their liues to an end by Art VVas Aiax a coward because he fought with a seuen foulded Buckler or are we mad to go naked into the field to trie our fortunes not our vertues VVas Achilles a run-away who ware that well tempered armour or are we desperat 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 naked against his enemie why then did the Lacedemonians punish him as desperate whom they rewarded for his vallour with a Lawrell crowne But that which is most shamefull To this it will be obiected that in the warres we vse few Rapiers or none at all but short Swords To that I answere Those are insufficient also for that they haue no hilts whereby they are insufficient in their defence and especially for the hād which being stroken although with averie smal blow most commonly is the losse of a mā because the force of his hand
vnskilful himselfe Lastly to confirme for truth all that shal be amisse not only in this excellēt Science of Defence but in all other excellent secrets most commonly the lye beareth as good a shew of truth as truth it selfe Of the false resolutions and vaine opinions of Rapier-men and of the danger of death thereby ensuing IT is a great question especially amōgst the Rapier-men who hath the vantage of the thruster or of the warder Some hold strongly that the warder hath the vantage others say it is most certain that the thruster hath the vantage Now when two do happē to fight being both of one mind that the thruster hath the vantage they make all shift they can who shall giue the first thrust as for example two Captaines at Southampton euen as they were going to take shipping vpon the key fel at strife drew their Rapiers and presently being desperate hardie or resolute as they call it with all force and ouer great speed ran with their rapiers one at the other were both slaine Now when two of the contrary opinion shall meet and fight you shall see verie peaceable warres betweene them for they verily thinke that he that first thrusteth is in great danger of his life therefore with all speede do put themselues in ward or Stocata the surest gard of all other as Vincentio saith and therevpon they stand sure saying the one to the other thrust and thou dare and saith the other thrust and thou dare or strike or thrust and thou dare saith the other then saith the other strike or thrust and thou dare for thy life These two cunning gentlemen standing long time together vpon this worthie ward they both depart in peace according to the old prouerbe It is good sleeping in a whole skinne A gaine if two shall fight the one of opinion that he that thrusteth hath the vantage and the other of opinion that the warder hath the vantage then most commonly the thruster being valiant with all speed thrusteth home and by reason of the time and swift motion of his hand they are most commonly with the points of their rapiers or daggers or both one or both of them hurt or slaine because their spaces 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 swift motion of the Agents hand is deceiued Another resolution they stand sure vpon for their liues to kill their enemies in the which they are most commonly slaine themselues that is this When they find the point of their enemies rapier out of the right line they say they may boldly make home a thrust with a Passata the which they obserue and do accordingly but the other hauing a shorter time with his hand as nature manie times teacheth him sodainly turneth his wrist whereby he meeteth the other in his passage iust with the point of his rapier in the face or body And this false resolution hath cost manie a life That the cause that manie are so often slaine and manie sore hurt in fight with long Rapiers is not by reason of their dangerous thrusts nor cunningnesse of that Italienated fight but in the length and vnweildinesse thereof IT is most certaine that men may with short swords both strike thrust false and double by reason of their distance and nimblenesse thereof more dangerously then they can with long Rapiers and yet when two fight with short swordes hauing true fight there is no hurt done neither is it possible in anie reason that anie hurt should be done betwixt them of either side and this is well knowne to all such as haue the perfection of true fight By this it plainely appeareth that the cause of the great slaughter and sundrie hurts done by long Rapiers consisteth not in long Reach dangerous thrustes nor cunningnesse of the Italian fight but in the inconuenient length and vnweildinesse of their long Rapiers whereby it commonly falleth out that in all their Actions appertaining to their defence they are vnable in due time to performe and continually in danger of euerie crosse that shall happen to be made with their rapier blades which being done within the halfe rapier vnlesse both be of one mind with all speed to depart which seldome or neuer hapneth betweene men of valiant disposition it is impossible to vncrosse or get out or to auoid the stabbes of the Daggers And this hath falne out manie times amongst valiant men at those weapons Of running and standing fast in Rapier fight the runner hath the vantage IF two valiant men do fight being both cunning in running that they both vse the same at one instant their course is doubled the place is wonne of both sides and one or both of them will commonly be slaine or sore hurt and if one of them shall runne and the other stand fast vpon the Imbrocata or Stocata or howsoeuer the place wil be at one instant wonne of one side and gained of the other and one or both of them wil be hurt or slaine if both shall prese hard vpon the guard he that first thrusteth home in true place hurteth the other if both thrust together they are both hurt yet some vantage the runner hath because he is an vncertaine marke and in his motion the other is a certaine marke and in a dead motion and by reason thereof manie times the vnskilfull man taketh vantage he knoweth not how against him that lyeth watching vpon his ward or Stocata guard Of striking and thrusting both together I It is strongly holden of manie that if in fight they find their enemy to haue more skill then themselues they presently will continually strike thrust iust 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 swordes be longer then the other then their aduantage is great for it is certaine say they that an inch will kill a man but if their swordes be much longer then the other then their aduantage is so great that they wil be sure by thrusting and striking iust with the other that they will alwaies hurt him that hath the short sword and go cleare themselues because they will reach him when he shall not reach them These men speake like such as talke of Robin Hoode that neuer shot in his bow for to strike or thrust iust together with a man of skill lyeth not in the will of the ignorant because the skilfull man alwaies fighteth vpon the true times by the which the vnskilfull is still disappointed of both place and time and therefore driuen of necessitie still to watch the other when what he will doe that is whether he will strike thrust or false if the vnskilfull strike or thrust in the time of falsing therein he neither striketh nor thrusteth iust with the other he may saie he hath stroke or
thrust before him but not iust with him nor to anie good purpose for in the time of falsing if he strike or thrust he striketh or thrusteth too short for in that time he hath neither time nor place to strike home and as it is said the vnskilfull man that will take vpon him to strike or thrust iust with the skilfull must first behold what the man of skil will doe and when he will doe it and therfore of necessitie is driuen to suffer the skilfull man to be the first mouer and entred into his Action whether it be blow or thrust the truth therof in reason cannot be denied Now iudge whether it be possible for an vnskilfull man to strike or thrust iust together with a man of skill but the skilfull man can most certainly strike and thrust iust together with the vnskilfull because the vnskilfull fighteth vpon false times which being too long to answere the true times the skilfull fighting vpon the true times although the vnskilfull be the first mouer entred into his Action whether it be blow or thrust yet the shortnesse of the true times maketh at the pleasure of the skilfull a iust meeting together in perfect fight two neuer strike or thrust together because they neuer suffer place nor time to performe it Two vnskilfull men manie times by chance strike and thruste together chance vnto them because they know not what they doe or how it commeth to passe but the reasons or causes be these Sometimes two false times meet make a iust time together sometimes a true time and a false time meeteth and maketh a iust time together and sometimes two true times meet and make a iust time together And all this hapneth because the true time and place is vnknowne vnto them George Siluer his resolution vpon that hidden or doubtfull question who hath the aduantage of the Offender or Defender The aduantage is strongly holden of many to be in the offender yea in somuch that if two minding to offend in their fight it is thought to be in him that first striketh or thrusteth Others strongly hold opinion that the warder absolutely hath still the aduātage but these opinions as they are contrary the one to the other so are they contrarie to true fight as may well be seene by these short examples If the aduantage be in the warder then it is not good anie time to strike or thrust if the aduantage be in the striker or thruster then were it a friuolous thing to learne to ward or at anie time to seeke to ward since in warding lieth disaduantage Now may it plainly by these examples appeare that if there be anie perfection in fight that both sides are deceiued in their opinions because if the striker or thruster haue the aduantage then is the warder still in danger of wounds or death And againe if the warder hath the aduantage then is the striker or thruster in as great daunger to defend himselfe against the warder because the warder from his wards taketh aduantage of the striker or thruster vpon euerie blow or thrust that shall be made against him Then thus I conclude that if there be perfection in the Science of Defence they are all in their opinons deceiued and that the truth may appeare for the satisfaction of all men this is my resolution there is no aduantage absolutely nor disaduantage in striker thruster or warder and there is a great aduantage in the striker thruster warder but in this maner in the perfection of fight the aduantage consisteth in fight betweene partie and partie that is whosoeuer winneth or gaineth the place in true pace space and time hath the aduantage whether he be striker thruster or warder And that is my resolution Of Spanish fight vvith the Rapier THe Spaniard is now thought to be a better man with his Rapier then is the Italian Frenchman high Almaine or anie other countrie man whatsoeuer because they in their Rapier-fight stand vpon so manie intricate trickes that in all the course of a mans life it shall be hard to learne them and if they misse in doing the least of them in their fight they are in danger of death But the Spaniard in his fight both safely to defend himselfe and to endanger his enemie hath but one onely lying and two wards to learne wherein a man with small practise in a verie short time may become perfect This is the maner of Spanish fight they stand as braue as they can with their bodies straight vpright narrow spaced with their feet continually mouing as if they were in a dance holding forth their armes and Rapiers verie straight against the face or bodies of their enemies this is the only lying to accomplish that kind of fight And this note that as long as any man shall lie in that maner with his arme and point of his Rapier straight it shall be impossible for his aduersarie to hurt him because in that straight holding forth of his arme which way soeuer a blow shall be made against him by reason that his Rapier hilt lyeth so farre before him he hath but a verie litle way to moue to make his ward perfect in this maner If a blow be made at the right side of the head a verie litle mouing of the hand with the knuckles vpward defendeth that side of the head or bodie and the point being still out straight greatly endangereth the striker and so likewise if a blow be made at the left side of the head a verie small turning of the wrist with the knuckles downward defendeth that side of the head and bodie and the point of the Rapier much indangereth the hand arme face or bodie of the striker and if anie thrust be made the wards by reason of the indirections in mouing the feet in maner of dauncing as aforesaid maketh a perfect ward and still withall the point greatly endangereth the other And thus is the Spanish fight perfect so long as you can keepe that order and soone learned and therefore to be accounted the best fight with the Rapier of all other But note how this Spanish fight is perfect and you shall see no longer then you can keepe your point straight against your aduersarie as for example I haue heard the like iest There was a cunning Doctor at his first going to sea being doubtfull that he should be sea-sicke an old woman perceiuing the same said vnto him Sir I pray be of good comfort I will teach you a tricke to auoid that doubt here is a fine pibble stone if you please to accept it take it with you and when you be on ship-bord put it in your mouth and as long as you shall keepe the same in your mouth vpon my credit you shall neuer vomit the Doctor beleeued her and tooke it thankfully at her hands and when he was at sea he began to be sicke whereupon he presently put the stone in his mouth there kept
That the short Sword hath the aduantage against the long Sword or long Rapier WHereas for the most part opinions are generally holden that the long Sword or long Rapier hath the vantage in fight against the short Sword which the Italian teachers of Defence by their false demonstratiōs haue brought vs to beleeue I haue thought good that the truth may appeare which hath the vantage to adde my helpe vnto the reasons they vse in their owne behalfe for that yet I could neuer heare them make a sound reason for the same These are the reasons First with my long Rapier These reasons are vsed by the Italians I will put my selfe into my gard or Stocata holding my hilt backe by the outside of my right thigh keeping in short the point of my Rapier so as he that hath the short Sword shall not be able to reach the point of my Rapier to make his ward or Crosse with his Dagger Buckler Sword or Cloke without stepping in of his foote the which time is too long to answere the time of the hand by reason of my distance I can there stand safe without danger of blow or thrust playing the Patients part if you strike or thrust you do it too short by reason of my distance if you seek to come nearer you must do it with the time of your foote in the which time I may safely thrust home if in that distance you breake it not you are slaine if you do breake it yet you do me no harme by reason of my distance and I may stand fast and thrust againe or flie backe at my pleasure so haue you put your selfe in danger of your life and hauing hardly escaped are driuen againe to begin a new bought as at the first you did Againe if I please I can be the oppressour keeping the same gard and my point in short as I did before and pressing strongly by putting in by litle and litle of my feete vntill the place with my foote be gotten wherein in my iudgement I may thrust home the which I may boldly and safely do without respect of anie ward at all by reason of my distance in which time of my comming he must strike thrust ward or go backe if he go backe it is a great disgrace if he strike or thrust it is too short if he stand to defend the place being alreadie gotten where I may thrust home the thrust being verie quicke strongly made such is the force and swiftnesse thereof that it is impossible by nature or art for anie man to breake one thrust of an hundred These reasons in my opinion may suffice to confirme the wise that there is no question to be made but that the long Rapier hath the aduantage against the short Sword Sir you hue pretily handled your discourse A confutation of the Italians reason concerning the vantages of the long Rapier against the short Sword especially at the first shew and according to common sence but for the substance and truth of the true fight you haue said nothing because for the performance of anie of your allegations you haue neither true Pace Place Time nor Space these are the reasons Your Pace of necessitie must be too large because otherwise you cannot keepe safe the point of your long Rapier from the Crosse of the short Sword vnlesse you will with a narrow Pace keepe backe your hilt so farre that the space of your offence wil be too large or too long in distance and your bodie vnapt to moue and to thrust strong and quicke in due time nor aptly to keepe your distance to win the place with your feete to thrust home So now you may plainely see if you have skill in the art or science of Defence that to performe anie thing which you haue alleadged you haue neither true Pace Place time nor Space But if you will stand vpon the largenesse of your Pace to keepe backe or saue the point of your long Rapier from the ward or Crosse of the short Sword or vpon your Passatos in all these you haue great disaduantages and these are my reasons Your number will be too great as thus whensoeuer you meane out of your large pace to thrust home you must of necessitie make foure times with your feet and one with your hand or two times with your feet and one with your hand at the least and whensoeuer you make any of your passages the nūber of your feet are greater then the greatest of any of these times done out of the large pace but the patient with his short sword to auoyd you or disappoint you of your thrust hath but one time with his foot at or before the which time as he in his iudgemēt shall find you in your motion hath by the slow and great number of your motions or times sufficient time safely out of all danger to make himselfe readie to take his crosse with his short sword Now Sir whether you thrust or not thrust whether you play the part of an Agent or Patient it helpeth you nothing for he that hath the short sword hath foure times or motions against the long Rapier namely bent spent lying spent and drawing backe in all maner of fights these are to be obserued both by the Patient and Agent Now note he that hath the long Rapier must of necessitie play vpon one of these foure motions or be Patient which soeuer he shall do he is still in great danger of the crosse of the short sword because if he be Agent his number is too great he falleth into one of the foure motions the Patient with his short sword hauing but the time of the hand or hād foot safely vpon these actions or times taketh his crosse with the short Sword that being done he presently vncrosseth and striketh or thrusteth at his pleasure him that hath the long Rapier in the head face or bodie Now here is againe to be noted that when the crosse is made if he that hath the long Rapier stand fast he is wounded presently in the vncrossing of the short sword if he step or leape backe to saue himselfe yet the time of the hand being swifter then the time of the foot ouertaketh him with blow or thrust in the arme hand head face and bodie Now if he that hath the long Rapier will be patient make no play but lie still watching to make his thrust or Stocata iust in the comming or mouing of the Agents feete with his short sword then he hath as great disaduantage as he had when he was Patient because thē the Agent with his short Sword hath but hand and foot to make his crosse which is most safely to be done in that time which we call Bent and is as impossible for the Rapier-man to preuent as it is for an vnskilfull to strike or thrust iust together with a man of skill Then thus I conclude that he that fighteth with a long Rapier against
there is one dozen for you and here is another for me This was one of the valiantest Fencers that came from beyond the seas to teach Englishmen to fight and this was one of the manliest frayes that I haue hard of that euer he made in England wherin he shewed himselfe a farre better man in his life then in his profession he was for he professed armes but in his life a better Christian He set forth in print a booke for the vse of the Rapier and Dagger the which he called his practise I haue read it ouer and because I finde therein neither true rule for the perfect teaching of true fight nor true ground of true fight neither sence or reason for due proofe thereof I haue thought it friuolous to recite any part therin contained yet that the truth hereof may appeare let two mē being wel experienced in the Rapier and Dagger fight choose any of the best branches in the same booke make trial with force and agility without the which the truth betweene the true false fight cannot be knowne they shall find great imperfections therein And againe for proofe that there is no truth neither in his rules groūds or Rapier-fight let triall be made in this maner Proofes against the Rapier fight Set two vnskilfull men together at the Rapier and Dagger being valiant and you shall see that once in two boutes there shall either one or both of them be hurt Then set two skilfull men together being valiant at the Rapier and Dagger and they shall do the like Then set a skilful Rapier and Dagger-man the best that can be had and a valiant man hauing no skill together at Rapier Dagger and once in two bouts vpon my credit in all the experience I haue in fight the vnskilful man do the other what he can for his life to the contrarie shall hurt him and most commonly if it were in continuance of fight you shall see the vnskilfull man to haue the aduantage And if I should chuse a valiant man for seruice of the Prince or to take part with me or anie friend of mine in a good quarrell I would chuse the vnskilfull man being vnencombred with false fights because such a man standeth free in his valour with strength and agilitie of bodie freely taketh the benefit of nature fighteth most braue by loosing no oportunitie either soundly to hurt his enemie or defend himselfe but the other standing for his Defence vpon his cunning Italian wardes Pointa reuersa the Imbrocata Stocata and being fast tyed vnto these false fightes standeth troubled in his wits and nature therby racked through the largenesse or false lyings or Spaces whereby he is in his fight as a man halfe maimed loosing the oportunity of times benefit of nature whereas before being ignorant of these false Rapier fightes standing in the free libertie of nature giuen him by god he was able in the field with his weapō to answere the valiantest man in the world but now being tied vnto that false fickle vncertaine fight thereby hath lost in nature his freedome is now become scarce halfe a man and euerie boye in that fight is become as good a man as himselfe Ieronimo this gallant was valiant and would fight indeed and did as you shall heare He being in a Coch with a wench that he loued well there was one Cheese a verie tall man in his fight naturall English for he fought with his Sword and Dagger and in Rapier-fight had no skill at all This Cheese hauing a quarrell to Ieronimo ouertooke him vpon the way himselfe being on horsebacke did call to Ieronimo and bad him come forth of the Coch or he would fetch him for he was come to fight with him Ieronimo presently went forth of the Coch and drew his Rapier and dagger put himself into his best ward or Stocata which ward was taught by himselfe and Vincentio and by them best allowed of to be the best ward to stand vpon in fight for life either to assault the enemie or stand and watch his comming which ward it should seeme he ventured his life vpon but howsoeuer with all the fine Italienated skill Ieronimo had Cheese with his Sword within two thrustes ran him into the bodie and slue him Yet the Italian teachers will say that an Englishmā cannot thrust straight with a Sword because the hilt will not suffer him to put the forefinger ouer the Crosse nor to put the thumbe vpon the blade nor to hold the pummell in the hand whereby we are of necessitie to hold fast the handle in the hand by reason whereof we are driuen to thrust both compasse and short whereas with the Rapier they can thrust both straight and much further then we can with the Sword because of the hilt and these be the reasons they make against the Sword FINIS