Cut & Thrust

Period Manuals

A number of fencing manuals written by masters throughout the period in which we study that cover cut & thrust are available online. We have started to collect period manuals from around the Internet in hopes to further advance the science of our fighting.

Vincentio Saviolo

Vincentio Saviolo, an Italian born fencing master, was considered one of the great Elizabethan masters. Saviolo wrote the first book on fencing in english, Vincentio Saviolo his Practise.

Ridolfo Capo Ferro

Ridolfo Capo Ferro was an Italian fencing master. His published work, Great Representation of the Art and Use of Fencing was published in 1610. Capo Ferro's work is concidered to be one of the finest works on fencing ever published. Of course, as the man in black tells us, Thibault cancels out Capo Ferro.

George Silver

George Silver was an Englishman who advocated against the use of rapier, instead to focus on a style of fighting that he declared was more useful for defence both on the street, as well as the battlefield. Silver is best known for his two works, Paradoxes of Defense published in 1599, and Brief Instructions on my Paradoxes of Defence published some time afterwards.

Giovanni Dall'Agocchie

Giovanni Dall'Agocchie was an Italian fencing master, publishing his work Opera Necessaria, in 1572. Dall'Agocchie teaches cut & thrust, even after it has gone out of style with many other Italian masters at the time of his publication.

Achille Marozzo

Achille Marozzo was an Italian fencing master, published his work Opera Nova dell'arte delle armi, in 1536. Marozzo studied many forms, including all of the forms we concider "normal" in the SCA, in addition to others.

Giacomo di Grassi

Giacomo di Grassi was an Italian fencing master. di Grassi first published his work His True Arte of Defense in 1570, which was then translated into english by his students in 1594.

Nicoletto Giganti

Nicoletto Giganti was an Italian fencing master. Giganti is best known for fully describing the lunge. His work, Teatro ,was published in 1606. (Note, this work is in Italian, but much can be learned from the study of his woodcuts.)

Salvator Fabris

Salvator Fabris was an Italian fencing master. Fabris worked as a fencing master around Europe before publishing his work, Lo Schermo, overo Scienza dArme, in 1606.