[Craig Johnson]

Hello All

I thought it would be interesting and educational if we all endeavored to explore a topic together that would help everyone broaden his or her knowledge of a historical weapon. We have been having a lively discussion on the understanding of what a rapier is here Help -- Info needed on the rapier and I thought it would be a great resource if everyone who was interested contributed some of the historical commentary on the rapier that they have found informative and interesting.

I have over the years collected some tidbits that I have found interesting and I am sure others have as well. I think if we post what we have found from period sources that comment on the rapier and its use we could have a very nice thread that would be an excellent resource. I would suggest we keep the posts to commentary and pictures from the period that illustrate the rapier and its use, maybe start side threads to discuss a particular item so this thread accumulates as an encyclopedia of sorts.

Hope you find it interesting.

Here are a couple of my favorites.

Henry Machyn, diary 1562
“ The viij day of May was a proclamation of the aht (act) of a-ray, and grett ruffes and grett breechys, and that no man to have butt a yerd and a halff of kersey; that no swerd to be butt a yerd and a quarter of length the blad, and dagars butt xij ynche the blad, and that buckelles shall not have long pykes, but of a sysse" [i.e. of assize or of fixed form] Camden Soc. XLII, 1848, p. 281


The above proclamation was Articles for the due execution of the Statutes of Apparell., 6th May 1562

It being forbidden for one to wear “ beyng vnder the degree of a knight, with any gylted spurres, or any damaskyng or gylt sworde, rapyer, or dagger, vppon payne of forfayture of the same, and of imprisonment and fine at the Quenes highnes pleasure for euery such offence, . . . And where as an vsage is crept in, contrary to former orders, of wearing of long Swordes, and Rapyers, sharpened in suche sort, as maye appeare the vsage of them can not tende to defence, whiche ought to be the very meanyng of wearyng of weapons, in times of peace: but to murther, and euident death, when the same shalbe occupyed. Her Maiesties pleasure is, that no man shall after .x. dayes next followyng this Proclamation, weare any Sword, Rapier, or any weapon in theyr steade, passynge the length of one yard & halfe a quarter of blade, at the vttermost: neither any Dagger aboue the length of .xii. inches in blade: neither any Buckler, with a sharpe point, or with any point aboue two ynches of length, vpon payne of forfayting the Sword or Dagger passing the sayd length, & the Buckler made otherwise then is perscribed, to whomsoeuer wil sease vpon it, and the imprysonment of his body, that shalbe found to weare any of them, & to make fine at her Maiesties wyl and pleasure."


Proclamation of 17th March 1557

"The kyng and Quenes most excellente Maiesties, understandinge howe that dyuers naughty and insolent persons, haue nowe of late attempted to make quarelles, ryottes, and frayes, aswell in Churches and Church-yardes, contrary to the lawes and Statutes in that case prouyded, as in sundrye other places, Cities, Townes and Marketes. And for thaccomplishment of their noughty purposes & quarelles, haue caused swordes and Rapyers, to be made of a much greter length, then heretofore hath bene accustomed, or is decent to vse and were. And with ye said weapons, do vse and weare gauntlettes, and vambraces, and bucklers with long pykes in them, contrary to thauncient vsage of this realme, and the lawes and statutes of the same. Whereby dyuers irreuerente and prophane behauyours in the sayd Churches and Church-yardes, and many tymes maymes, hurtes, manslaughters and murders, haue ben of late comytted and done, and much more is lyke to be, yf some remedye be not the soner prouyded in that behalfe.

Theyr hyghnesses myndyng to take away thoccasion of suche mischiefes and disorders, doo streyghtlye charge and commaunde al and singuler theyr Justices of peace, mayers, sheryffes, baylyffes, constables, & other theyr maiesties ministers and officers, that all and singuler the sayd Lawe and Statute, concernynge the fyghtynge and quarelynge in churches and churche-yardes, be duly executed, and that from henceforth no person or persons, of what estate, or condition so euer he or they be, do vse or weare by nyghte or by daye, nor sell any sworde or rapier aboue the length of a yarde and a halfe quarter in the blade at the most, nor any buckler, with more pykes therein then one, and the same not to be sharpe, or aboue .ii. ynches long, or of a broder syse then hath ben most commenly vsed within this Realme, nor vse or weare any gauntlet, or vambrace, nor any other weapon of defence, other than theyr common swordes, rapiers, daggers, and bucklers, according to thauncient vsage and custome of this theyr maiesties Realme; vpon payne of the losse of suche weapons so vsed or worne, contrary to the tenour and effect of this proclamation, and to suffer imprysonment of his or theyr bodyes, and to make fyne at theyr maiesties wyll and pleasure."


This proclamation of 1562 was repeated on the 12th February 1565, that is, 1566 New Style. The mode of enforcement is described in a letter from Lord Talbot to the Earl of Shrewsbury written on 23rd June 1580:

"The French Imbasidore, Mounswer Mouiser ridinge to take the ayer, in his returne came thowrowe Smithfield; and ther, at the bars, was steayed by thos offisers that sitteth to cut sourds, by reason his raper was longer then the statute: He was in a great feaurie, and dreawe his raper; in the meane season my Lord Henry Seamore cam, and so stayed the mattr: Hir Matie is greatlie ofended wth the ofisers, in that they wanted jugement."

and this great quote from a play

“ A master of Arms is more honorable than a Master of Arts for good fighting came before good writing.”
John Marston
The Mountebank’s Masque

Best
Craig