rat RAYMOND J. Lorp Cele nenn OMe S EKO CRU CEO ET) Nie te Nev ENTIECES Terms of Use The following is a digital reproduction of an existing historical document. It has been scanned and converted into Portable Document Format (PDF) for the purpose of making it freely available to the public. You are welcome to redistribute unaltered copies of this document via electronic means, You may not, however, alter the document without permission nor profit from its redistribution To download other works in the Collection, and for more information, please visit: www.umass.edu/renaissance/lordPARADOXES OF DEFENCE, WHEREIN IS PROVED THE TRVE grounds of Fight to be in the fhort auncient weapons, and that the thort Sword hath aduantage of the long. Sword orlong Rapier, And the weakenefe and im fedtion of the Rapier-fights difplayed. Together with an Admonition to the noble, ancient , vitorious, valiant, and moft braue nation of Englifhmen, to beware of alle teachers of Defence , and how they forfake their owne naturall fights : with a briefe commendation of the noble fcience or exercifing of By George Siluer Gentleman. LONDON, Printed for Edvvard Blount. ee1,07 ie, RIGHA: HONORABLE, MY SINGVLAR GOOD LORD, ROBERT EARLE OF Effex and Ewe, Earle Marfhall of England, Vif- count Hereford, Lord Ferrersof Chartley, Bourchier and Louaine, Moijter of the Queenes Maier horfe , 8 ‘ofthe Ordenance, Chancellor of the Vnivefie of Cam ‘ridge, Knight ofthe moh robe rder of te Gar- oe of ber gine meh be worable Priny Counfell, Exctne (Right honorable) in this newfangled age, is like lour fafhions , euerie daye a S| change, refembling the Ca- 23] melion, whoaltereth himfelfe SSA intoall colours fzuewhite: fo Fencing changeth into all wards faue the right Thatitisfo,, experience teacheth vs : why itis 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, that flands vpon vncertain A3Tue Evistiz grounds? The mind of managreedie hunter af- ter truth, finding the feemingtruth but chaun- ing, not alwayes one, but alwayes diuerfe, for- fakes the fappofed, tofnd out the affured cer taintie: and fearching euery where faue where it fhould, meetes with all faue what it would. WVho feekes & finds not, feckes in vaine; who feekes invaine, mutt if hewil find feeke againe: and feeke he may againe anid againe, yet all in vaine. VVho feckes not what he would, as he fhould, and where he thould , as in all other things (Right honourable) fo in Fencing: the mind deGrous of truth, huntsafterit,and hating falfhood, flies from it,and therfore hauing mif- fed itonce, itaffayes the fecond time: if then he thriuesnot,he tries anotherway: whe that hath failed headuentures on the third: & if all thefe file him, yet he never faileth to chaunge his weapon, his fight, his ward, by any meanes he may compaffe what he moft affeas: for becaufe men defire to find out a true defence for them- felues in their ight, therefore they feeke it dili- gently, nature hauing taught vs to defend our felues, and Art teaching how : and becaufe we miffe it in one way we chaunge to another. But though Depicarorie. though we often chop and change, turne and returne, from ward toward, from fight to fight, in this vnconftant fearch, yet wee never reft in anie, and that becaufe we neuer find the truth: and therefore weneuer find it, becaufe we neuer ae fecke it in that weap~a where it may be found. jefe are: For , to fecke for a true defence in an vntrue secwnky weapon, is to angle on the earth for fith, and to 2." hunt the fe forHarestruchirancient though fires it feeme an vpflart : our forefathers were wil e though our age account them foolith , valiant tseyeay though we repute them cowardes: they found Aap xt out the true defence for their bodies in thort wernt &- weapons by their wifdome, they defended them iim jgn hia felues and fubdued their enemies, with thofe yuma weapons with their valour. And (Right hono- site rable) ifwe will haue thistrue Defence, we mult mermyfr- fecke itwhere it is,in hort Swords, thort Staues an the halfe Pike , Partifans , Gleues , or fuch like 74/9" weapons of perfeét légths,, not in long Swords, Behar long Rapiers, nor frog pricking Poiniards : for sagtsmr if there be no certain grounds for Defence, why seayp inc. do they teach i? ifthere be, why haue they notte, found it? Not becaufe itis not : to fay fo, were "fit togainefay the truth : but becaufe iti Aq enrte fey ard eset ‘anteTus Eristis taine in thofe weapons which they teach. To proue this, I haue fet forth thefe my Paradoxes, different I confeffe from the maine current of our outlandith teachers, but agreeing Iam well affured to the truth and tendingas I hope tothe honor of our Englith 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 fonnes, haue forfaken our forefathers vertues with their wea- pons,and haue lufted like men ficke ofaftrange ague, after the ftrange vices and deuifes of Ita~ lian, French and Spanith Fencers, litle remem- bring, that thefe Apith toyes could not free Rome from Brennius facke, nor Fraunce from King Henrie the fifthisconqueft. Tothisdefire to find out truth the daughter oftime, begotten of Bellona I was alfo moued , that byit I might remoue the great loffe of our Englith gallants, which we daily faffer by thefe imperfeét fights, wherein none vndertake the combat, be his caufeneuerfo good, his cining neuer fo much, his ftrength and agilitie neuer fo great, but his vertu was tied to frtone appie man, apple ale, Depicaroriz. doale , kill of be killed is the dreadfull iffue of this diuellith imperfeét fight. If that man were nowaliue, which beat the Maifter for the fcho- lers fault, becaufe he had no better inftruéted him , thefe Italian Fencers could not efcape his cenfure , who teach vs Offence, not Defence, and to fight , as Diogenes {cholers were taught to daunce, to bring their liues toan end by Art. WVas 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? VVas Achilles a run-away, who ware that well tempered armour, or are we defperat, who care for nothing but to fight,andlearnlike the Pigmeys, to fight with bodkins, or weapons of like defence? Isit valour for a man to go na- ked againft his enemic? why then did the La- cedemonians punifh him as defperate, whom they rewarded for his vallour with a Lawrell crowne? But that which is moft bamefull, they 151» 0t teach mé to butcher one another here at home 7@r/.ar# in peaceywherewith they cannot hurt theirene-%/ Ri mies abrode in warre. For, your Honour well forr Send. 1 knowes, that when the battels are ioyned, and ti. a%eir. come to the charge, there is no roome for them Sra/=,,,Tue Eristie fineledy, to drawe their Bird-{pits, and when they haue suis dette them, what can they doe with them? can they “ih toa pierce his Corflet with the point? can they vn- ierateegh.” lace his Helmet, vnbuckle his Armour, hew a- fn ay funder their Pikes witha Stocata,a rewer/a,a Dritta, sabe lie a Stramafonor other fuch like tépeftuous termes? efrertt’ no, thele toyes are fit for children, not for men, foatatel” for ftragling boyes of the Campe , to murder ‘mfg zit poultrie, not for men of Honour to triethe bat srevabn _tellwith their foes, Thus I have (right Honora- Avie fue ble) for the trial of the truth, betweene the fhort iGNecaeh, Sword and the long Rapier, for the fauing of the Sujet" tues of our Englith gallants , who are fent to Hee cerane death by their ncertsine fights, & for * abandoning of that mifchicuous and imperfeet weapon,which ferues to killourfriéds in peace, but cannot much hurtour foes inwarre haue I at this time giuen forth thefe Paradoxes to the view of the world. And becaufe I knowe fuch ftraunge opinions had need of ftout defence, I humbly craue your Honorable proteétion , a8 one in whom the true nobility of ourvidorious Aunceftors hath taken vp his refidence. It will fate to the reft of your Honours moft noble ¢- plements , to maintaine the defence of their weapons Depicatory. weapons whofe vertues you poffeffe. It agrees with your Honourable difpofition , to receiue with Quourwhat is prefented withloue. It fort with your Lordthips high authority , to weigh with Feafon, what is fit for marfhallmen, Itisan viuall point of your Honor , whichwinnes your Lord(hip loue in your countrey , to defend the truth inwhomfocuer: and it addeth a fupply to that which your Lordthip haue of late begun to your vnfpeakeable honor and our ineftima- ble benefite, to reduce the wearing of fwordes with hilts ouer the hands,to the Romane difei- 1 fe/me pline,no longer then they might draw them vn~ siudfir thr. der their armes, or ouer their fhoulders. In all amine? orany of thefe refpeéts, I reft affured that your “i mv Lordthip vvill vouchfafe to receiue wvith fauor i, and maintaine vvith honour thefe Paradoxes of tery bat mine, which ifthey be throuded vnder fo fafe a ttt a fhield, I will not doubt but to maintaine with yarfeedne reafon amongft the wife, and proue it by pra- slept Gife vpon the ignorant, that there is no certaine defence in the Rapier, and that thereis great aduantage in the short Sword againft the long Rapier, or all maner of Rapiers in generall,, of what length foeuer. And that the fhort StaffeTue Erist. Depicarorie. hath the vauntage againft the long Staffe of twelue, foureteene, fixteene or eighteene foote long, or of what length foeuer. And againfttwo men wvith their Swordes and Daggers, or two Rapiers, Poiniards & Gantlets, or each of them acafe of Rapiers : vvhich 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 againftvvhat man foeuer it fhall ftand wvith your Lordthips good liking to appoint. And fo I humbly com- mend this booke to your Lordthips wviledome to perufe, and your Honour to the Higheft to proteé in all health and happineffe novve and cuer. ‘Your Honors in all dutie, George Siluer. AN AN ADMONITION TO THE NOBLE, ANCIENT, VICTORIOVS, VALIANT, AND MOST BRAVE NATION OF eMoLIsHuER, ‘Borge Siluer having the perfeét1 jnomledge of all mance of weapdn ‘and being experiéced in all maner ‘of fights, thereby perceiuing the great’ abutes by the Italian Tea TGS chers of Offence done vnto them, the great errors, inconveniences, & falle refolutions ‘they haue brought them into, haue inforced me, even of pitie of their moft lamentable wounds and flaughters, & as I verily thinke itmy bounden datie, with all love and hamilitie to ad- monifh them to take heed, how they fubmit them- {elues into the hands of Italian teachers of Defence, oF ffraungers whatfocuer; and to beware how they forfake or fufpett their owne naturall fight, that they may by calling off of thefe Italianated, weake, fantaticall, and oft diuellih and impefe® fights and by eter: fing of their owne ancient weapons, be reftor atchieue vnto their natural, and moft manly and vi rious fight againe, the dint and force whereof manie B2 An Admoniton braue nations have both felt and feared. Our plough. men haue mightily prevailed again(t them, a8 alfo a guint Maiftes of Defence both in Schooles and coun. tries, that have taken vpon thé 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 ont of his fence trickes with od downe right blowes, I will make him forget his Hence trickes Iwill warrant him, I fpeake not again Maifters of Defence indeed, they are to be honoured, nor againft the Science, it is noble, and in mine opi be preferred next to Diuinitie for as Diuinitie pre- ferueth the foule from hell and the divell, fo doth this noble Science defend the bodie from wounds & flaugh- ter, And moreouer, the exercfing of weapon puteth away aches, griefes, and difeafes, it increafeth firength, and tharpneth the wits, it giveth a perfeét iudgement, it expelleth melancholy, cholericke and euill conceits, it keepeth a man in breath, perfeét health, and Tonglife. Its vntobim that hath the perfeGion there- of, a molt friendly and comfortable companion when he is alone, having 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 3s much as this noble and moft mightie n tion of Englithmen, of their good natures, are alwayes moft louing, verie credulous, & ready to cherith & pro- te€t ftragers: yet that through their good natures they neuer more by ftrangers or falfe teachers may be decei~ An Admonition, rangers thall take vpon them to come hither to teach. this noble & mott valiant, & viétorious nation to fight, that firft, before they learne of them, they caufe a if cient triall of them to be made, whether the excellencie of their skill be fach as they profeffe or no, the triall to be very requifite & reafonable, euen fuch as I my felfe would be contented withall, if I fhould take vpon me to go in their countrie to teach their nation to fight. And thisis the trill: they fhall play with fuch weapos asthey profeffe to teach withall, three bouts apeece with three of the beft Englith Maifters of Defence, & three bouts apeece with three vnskilfal valiant men, and three bouts # apeece with three refolute men halfdrunke. Then ifthey can defend théfelues againft thefe maifters of Defence, and hurt, and go free from the reft, then are they to be honored, cherifhed, and allowed for perfeét good tea- thers what countrey men focuer they be: biti ofanie of thefe they take foile, then are they imperfeét in their profeffion, their fight is falfe, & they are falfe tea chers, deceiuers and murtherers, and to be punifhed ac- cordingly, yet no worfe punithment vnto them I with, then fuch asin their trail they thall find, There are foure efpciall markes to know the ltalian fight is imper felt. & that the Italian teachers and fetters “Porth of beaks of Defence, neuer had the fore Sfetlion of the true fight. he frft marke is, they feldome fight in their 2 Jowne country wnarmed, commonly in this PekStore, x paire oF Gantlettes vpon their hands, wt carpe fach as thal find in themfelues a difpofition or defie to iy ort That ct atloeee their bodies, areas lee their weapons of them that fom heneforth + "The fed marke i that nether the Lalians nor any fos A ran the he uued, once againe I am moft humbly to admonith the, orGeorge Siluer his or their beft Ghoters do never fight, but they are moft cSmonly fore hurt, or one or both of them flaine, ‘The third marke is, they neuer teach their fcholers, not fet downe in their bookes anie perfeét lengthes of their weapons, without the which no mancan by nature or Art againft the perfect legth fight fafe, for being too ‘hort, their times are too long, and fpaces too wide for theie defence, and being to long, they wilbe ypon eve- tie croffe 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 there ofthe hand therfore every man ought to have a weapon according to his owne ftature: the tall man muft haue his weapon longer then the man of meane ature, or elfe he hath wrong in his defence, é the man of meane ftature muft have his weapon longer then the man of final ftature, or else he hath wrong in his defence; & the man of final lature muft beware that he feed not himifelf with this vaine céceipt, that he wilhaue hiswea- pon long, to reach as arre as the tall man, for therin he thal haue great difaduantae, both in making of a flrong ‘coffe, and alfo in vncroffing againe, and in keeping his point from croffing, and when a croffe is made vpon him, to defend him@lf, or indanger his enemie, or to re- decme his loft 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 in due time from the croffe of the light thort fword of per~ fet length, the which being made by the skilfull out of any ofthe four re times, vpon any ofthe fare chiefe i Paradoxes of Defence. Aion, by renfon ofthe mettle great fvifinele in any of thete times, they are in great danger of a blow, or of athruft in the hand, arme, head, body, or face, &in euerie true croffe in the vncroffing, in great danger of 2 blow vpon the head, or a fall thrutt in the bodie or face: and being taken in that time & place, the firft mouer in -ncroffing speedeth the Rapier man of imperfeét legth, whether it be too long, too fhort or too heauie, and go- eth free himfelfe by the dire¢tion of his gouernours. The fourth marke is, the croffes of their Rapiers for true defence of their hands are imperfett, for the true cariage of the guardant fight, without the which all fights are imperfeét, Of fixe chiefe canpes, that many valiant men thinking ‘themfelues by their prattifes to be skilfull in their secpont are yet mani times in their ight fore iurt, and manie times laine Snall shih o wae? EVER firft and chiefett caule is, the lacke of the 3 FO) fSefoure Gouernours, without the which it is GSpimpotible to fight fafe, although a man fthould praétife moft painfully and moft di- ligently all the daies of his life. "The fecond cax(eis, the lacke of knowledgein thedue obferuance of the foute Aétions, the which we cal bent, Ipen, ing fpent, and drawing backe: thee AGtons e- uerie man fighteth vpon, whether they be skilfull or vn- skilfull, he that obferueth them is fafe, he that obfer- tueth thé not, is in cotinuall danger of euerie thruft that fhalbe ftrongly made againft him. Bs