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Paradoxes of Defence (George Silver)
| Paradoxes of Defense | |
|---|---|
 Title page of the first edition | |
| Full title | Paradoxes of defence, wherein is proved the true grounds of fight to be in the short auncient weapons, and the short sword hath the advantage of the long sword or long rapier, and the weakness and imperfection of the rapier fight displayed. |
| Author(s) | George Silver |
| Dedicated to | Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex |
| Place of origin | London, England |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Fencing manual |
| Publisher | Richard Field (for Edward Blount) |
| Publication date | 1599 |
| Pages | 72 |
| Treatise scans |
B&W photocopy (1599)
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Paradoxes of Defence is an English fencing manual written by George Silver and printed in 1599. It was written as a reaction to the foreign fencing masters that had begun teaching in England during Silver's time, and seeks to explain why their teachings were flawed and inferior to the native English fencing traditions that Silver espoused. He wrote a second volume entitled Brief Instructions upon My Paradoxes of Defence which outlined his preferred method of fencing according to the English style, but for unknown reasons it was never published.
Contents
Publication History
Paradoxes of Defense was published in London, England by Edward Blount in 1599. A presentation manuscript was prepared for the earl, which is preserved as Additional MS 34192. Paradoxes was reprinted in 1898 in a new edition that incorporated Silver's Brief Instructions upon My Paradoxes of Defense, edited by Cyril G. R. Matthey and published by George Bell and Sons.
Contents
| A3r - A6v | Dedication To the Right Honorable Robert, Earle of Essex |
|---|---|
| 1 - 3 | An Admonition to the Noble, Ancient, Victorious, Valiant, and Most Brave Nation of Englishmen |
| 3 - 12 | Issues with claimed Swordmasters |
| 12 - 26 | The Acquisition of Skill |
| 26 - 27 | The Principles of Fighting |
| 27 - 44 | Of Weapons and Vantages |
| 45 - 47 | Questions and Answers between the Scholar and the Master |
| 47 - 56 | Of Skilled Men and Valiant Men |
| 56 - 62 | Of Rapiers and Poniards |
| 62 - 63 | Conclusions |
| 64 - 72 | A Brief Note on Three Italian Teachers of Offense |
Gallery
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Additional Resources
- Di Grasso, Giacomo; George Silver and Vincentio Saviolo (1972). Three Elizabethan Fencing Manuals. Ed. by James Louis Jackson. Scholars Facsimilies & Reprint. ISBN 978-0820111070.
- Pendragon, Joshua (2012). "Masters, Fencers, and Collectors: George Silver's Paradozes of Defence and the Lost Fencing Library of Arsène Vigeant." The Noble Art of the Sword: Fashion and Fencing in Renaissance Europe: 236-245. London: Paul Horborton Publishing. ISBN 978-0-900785-43-6.
- Silver, George (1898). The Works of George Silver. Ed. by Cyril G. R. Matthey. London: George Bell and Sons.
- Wagner, Paul (2008). Master Of Defence: The Works of George Silver. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press. ISBN 978-1581607239.
References
Copyright and License Summary
For further information, including transcription and translation notes, see the discussion page.
| Work | Author(s) | Source | License |
|---|---|---|---|
| Images |  |
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| Transcription | Early English Books Online | Index:Paradoxes of Defense (George Silver).pdf |  |
