Paradoxes of defence wherein is proued the true 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.

A BRIEFE NOTE OF THREE ITA∣lian Teachers of Offence.

* 1.1THere were three Italian Teachers of Of∣fence in my time. The first was Signior Rocko: the second was Ieronimo, that was Signior Rocko his boy, that taught Gen∣tlemen in the Blacke-Fryers, as Vsher for his maister in steed of a man. The third was Vincentio. This Signior Rocko came into England about some thir∣tie yeares past: he taught the Noblemen & Gentlemen of the Court; he caused some of them to weare leaden soales in their shoes, the better to bring them to nimble∣nesse of feet in their fight. He disbursed a great summe of mony for the lease of a faire house in VVarwicke lane, which he called his Colledge, for he thought it great disgrace for him to keepe a Fence-schoole, he being then thought to be the onely famous Maister of the Art of armes in the whole world. He caused to be fairely drawne and set round about his Schoole all the Noble∣mens and Gentlemens armes that were his Schollers, and hanging right vnder their armes their Rapiers, dag∣gers, gloues of male and gantlets. Also, he had benches and stooles, the roome being verie large, for Gentlemē to sit round about his Schoole to behold his teaching. He taught none commonly vnder twentie, fortie, fifty, or an hundred pounds. And because all things should be verie necessary for the Noblemē & gentlemē, he had

in his schoole a large square table, with a greene car∣pet, done round with a verie brode rich fringe of gold, alwaies standing vpon it a verie faire Standish couered with Crimson Veluet, with inke, pens, pin-dust, and sealing waxe, and quiers of verie excellent fine paper gilded, readie for the Noblemen & Gentlemen (vpon occasion) to write their letters, being then desirous to follow their fight, to send their men to dispatch their businesse. And to know how the time passed, he had in one corner of his schoole a Clocke, with a verie faire large Diall, he had within that schoole, a roome the which was called his priuie schoole, with manie wea∣pons therein, where he did teach his schollers his secret fight, after he had perfectly taught them their rules. He was verie much beloued in the Court.

There was one Austen Bagger, a verie tall gentle∣man of his handes, not standing much vpon his skill, but carying the valiant hart of an Englishman, vpon a time being merrie amongst his friendes, said he would go fight with Signior Rocco, presently went to Signior Rocco his house in the Blackefriers, 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 takest vpon thee to hit anie Englishman with a thrust vpon anie button, thou that takest vpon thee to come ouer the seas, to teach the valiant Noblemen and Gentlemen of England to fight, thou cowardly fellow come out of thy house if thou dare for thy life, I am come to fight with thee. Signior Rocco looking out at a window, perceiuing him in the street to stand readie with his Sword and Buckler, with his two hand Sword drawne, with all speed ran into the street, and manfully

let flie at Austen Bagger, who most brauely defended himselfe, and presently closed with him, and stroke vp his heeles, and cut him ouer the breech, and trode vpon him, and most grieuously hurt him vnder his feet: yet in the end Austen of his good nature gaue him his life, and there left him. This was the first and last fight that euer Signior Rocco made, sauing 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 against his Ra∣pier, as was his two hand Sword against Austen Bag∣gers Sword and Buckler, therefore for that fray he was to be excused.

Then came in Vincentio and Ieronimo, they taught Rapier-fight at the Court, at London, and in the coun∣trey, by the space of seauen or eight yeares or therea∣bouts. These two Italian Fencers, especially Ʋincentio, said that Englishmen were strong men, but had no cun∣ning, and they would go backe too much in their fight, which was great disgrace vnto them. Vpon these words of disgrace against Englishmen, my brother Toby Siluer and my selfe, made challenge against them both, to play with them at the single Rapier, Rapier and Dagger, the single Dagger, the single 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 faster backe then he ought, of Englishman or Ita∣lian, shold be in danger to breake his necke off the Scaf∣fold. We caused to that effect, fiue or sixe score Bils of challenge to be printed, and set vp from Southwarke to the Tower, and from thence through London vnto West∣minster,

we were at the place with all these weapons at the time apointed, within a bow shot of their Fence schoole: many gentlemen of good accompt, caried ma∣nie of the bils of chalenge vnto them, telling them that now the Siluers were at the place appointed, with all their weapons, looking for them, and a multitude of people there to behold the fight, saying vnto them, now come and go with vs (you shall take no wrong) or else you are shamed for euer. Do the gentlemen what they could, these gallants would not come to the place of triall. I verily thinke their cowardly feare to answere this chalenge, had vtterly shamed them indeed, had not the maisters of Defence of London, within two or three daies after, bene drinking of bottell Ale hard by Ʋin∣centios schoole, in a Hall where the Italians must of ne∣cessitie passe through to go to their schoole: and as they were comming by, the maisters of Defence did pray them to drinke with them, but the Italians being verie cowardly, were afraide, and presently drew their Ra∣piers: there was a pretie wench standing by, that loued the Italians, she ran with outcrie into the street, helpe, helpe, the Italians are like to be slaine: the people with all speede came running into the house, and with their Cappes and such things as they could get, parted the fraie, for the English maisters of Defence, meant no∣thing lesse then to foile their handes vpon these two faint-harted fellowes. The next morning after, all the Court was filled, that the Italian teachers of Fence had beaten all the maisters of Defence in London, who set v∣pon them in a house together. This wan the Italian Fen∣cers their credit againe, and thereby got much, still con∣tinuing their false teaching to the end of their liues.

This Ʋincentio proued himselfe a stout man not long before he died, that it might be seene in his life time he had bene a gallant, and therefore no maruaile he tooke vpon him so highly to teach Englishmen to fight, and to set forth bookes of the feates of Armes. V∣pon a time at Wels in Somersetshire, as he was in great brauerie amongst manie gentlemen of good accompt, with great boldnesse he gaue out speeches, that he had bene thus manie yeares in England, and since the time of his first comming, there was not yet one English∣man, that could once touch him at the single Rapier, or Rapier and Dagger. A valiant gentleman being there amongst the rest, his English hart did rise to heare this proude boaster, secretly sent a messenger to one Bartho∣lomew Bramble a friend of his, a verie tall man both of his hands and person, who kept a schoole of Defence in the towne, the messenger by the way made the maister of Defence acquainted with the mind of the gentleman that sent for him, and of all what Ʋincentio had said, this maister of Defence presently came, and amongst all the gentlemen with his cap off, prayed maister Vincentio, that he would be pleased to take a quart of wine of him. Ʋincentio verie scornefully looking vpon him, said vnto him. Wherefore should you giue me a quart of wine? Marie Sir, said he, because I heare you are a famous man at your weapon. Then presently said the gentleman that sent for the maister of Defence: Maister Vincentio, I pray you bid him welcome, he is a man of your pro∣fession. My profession said Vincentio? what is my profes∣sion. Then said the gentleman, he is a maister of the no∣ble science of Defence. Why said maister Vincētio, God make him a good man. But the maister of Defence wold

not thus leaue him, but pryaed him againe he would be pleased to take a quart of wine of him. Thē said Vincētio, I haue no need of thy wine. Then said the maister of De∣fence: Sir I haue a schoole of Defence in the towne, will it please you to go thither. Thy schoole, said maister Vincentio? what shall I do at thy schoole? play with me (said the maister) at the Rapier and Dagger, if it please you. Play with thee said maister Vincentio? if I play with thee, I will hit thee 1. 2. 3. 4. thrustes in the eie toge∣ther. Then said the maister of Defence, if you can do so, it is the better for you, and the worse for me, but surely 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 schoole, and play with me. Play with thee said mai∣ster Vincentio (verie scornefully?) by God me scorne to play with thee. With that word scorne, the maister of Defence was verie much moued, and vp with his great English fist, and stroke maister Vincentio such a boxe on the eare that he fell ouer and ouer, his legges iust a∣gainst a Butterie hatch, whereon stood a great blacke Iacke: the maister of Defence fearing the worst, against Ʋincentio his rising, catcht the blacke Iacke into his hand, being more then halfe full of Beere. Vincentio lu∣stily start vp, laying his hand vpon his Dagger, & with the other hand pointed with his finger, saying, very well: I will cause to lie in the Gaile for this geare, 1. 2. 3 4. yeares. And well said the maister of Defence, since you will drinke no wine, will you pledge me in Beere? I drinke to all the cowardly knaues in England, and I thinke thee to be the veriest coward of them all: with that he cast all the Beere vpon him: notwithstanding Vincentio hauing nothing but his guilt Rapier, and

Dagger about him, and the other for his defence the blacke Iacke, would not at that time fight it out: but the next day met with the maister of Defence in the streete, and said vnto him, you remember how misused a me yesterday, you were to blame, me be an excellent man, me teach you how to thrust two foote further then anie Englishman, but first come you with me: then he brought him to a Mercers shop, and said to the Mercer, let me see of your best silken Pointes, the Mercer did presently shew him some of seauen groates a dozen, then he payeth fourteene groates for two dozen, and said to the maister of Defence, there is one dozen for you, and here is another for me. This was one of the va∣liantest Fencers that came from beyond the seas, to teach Englishmen to fight, and this was one of the man∣liest 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 be∣cause I finde therein neither true rule for the perfect teaching of true fight, nor true ground of true fight, nei∣ther 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 be∣tweene 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:* 1.2 Set two vnskilfull men together at the Rapier and Dagger, be∣ing 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 & Dag∣ger, and once in two bouts vpon my credit in all the ex∣perience 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, be∣ing 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, Poin∣ta reuersa, the Imbrocata, Stocata, and being fast tyed vn∣to these false fightes, standeth troubled in his wits, and nature therby racked through the largenesse or false ly∣ings 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 wea∣pō to answere the valiantest man in the world, but now being tied vnto that false fickle vncertaine fight, there∣by

hath lost in nature his freedome, is now become scarce halfe a man, and euerie boye in that fight is be∣come 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 Ie∣ronimo, 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 him∣self 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 Ieroni∣mo had, Cheese with his Sword within two thrustes ran him into the bodie and slue him. Yet the Italian tea∣chers 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 rea∣sons they make against the Sword.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  I write not this to disgrace the dead, but to shew their impudēt boldnesse and insufficiency in performance of their profession when they were liuing: that from henceforth this briefe note may be a remembrance and warning to beware of had I wist.
• * 1.2

  Proofes against the Rapier fight.