🚀 go-pugleaf

shick@europa.eng.gtefsd.com (steve hick) writes:

I wrote:
  In many ways, SCA fence as I've experienced it, is closer to a 
  period model than SCA fighting.  This may be that, being so late 
  period, we do have many good manuscripts and illustrations that 
  we can imitate.  It certainly appears that literate means were not used 
  to teach swordplay in period, or that none of the European 
  written works survive. 

Strykar answered:
  False, false, false.  There exists almost 100 manuals of fencing prior to 
  1500 in manuscript-THAT WE KNOW OF, with more being discovered all the time.  
  There are some 60 or so of GERMAN style alone.  There are 100 or so manuals 
  of Italian fening PRINTED between 1500 and 1600.  

Thank you!  Those manuals that you described, do they portray rapier style
duelling and swordfighting, or a martial art more like the heavy list
style that we do?

And, if they do describe tournament style martial arts, how well does our
recreation compare to them?  The argument that I'm making, should be clear.
I'm not arguing that our fencing is a superlative simulation of period
rapier dueling.  What I would argue is that our heavy list fighting is
no better.  Do any of the facts you are aware of, Strykar, support this?

(I might further make the argument that given the level of documentation,
our rapier dueling may turn out to be more authenticable, and eventually
more authentic, but I haven't done enough reading, thinking or talking
with people to be sure.)

	Tibor (and thanks again for the response)
--
Mark Schuldenfrei (schuldy@progress.com)
[I'm just showin' you my opinions: this ain't a gift]