Brief Instructions Upon My Paradoxes of Defence

Book excerpt: George Silver's 'Brief Instructions Upon My Paradoxes of Defence' is considered one of the foremost works in the Western martial arts canon. Conceived as a companion piece to his treatise 'Paradoxes of Defence' (1599); what is so remarkable is that from the start Silver explicitly sets out the theory and mechanics which underpin the Nobel Science of Defence. These principles are then illustrated through techniques for a wide range of weapons, including chapters on short sword, off hand grappling, sword and dagger, sword and buckler, two hand sword, staff, forest bill, pike and dagger fighting. This Scholler's Edition has been designed with the new student in mind and accessibility as its primary concern. Silver's language remains unaltered, but the spelling has been modernised and the work presented with a clear, contemporary layout accompanied by copious footnotes and supplementary material drawn from 'Paradoxes of Defence'. The pocket-sized format makes this volume an invaluable training companion.