Reddit mentions of Master Of Defence: The Works of George Silver

Here are a bunch of books you may be interested in. If you want a good place to start, look at George Silver first, then go from there. He doesn't talk about sword and targe, but he talks about timing and how to move correctly.

http://www.amazon.com/Master-Of-Defence-George-Silver/dp/1581607237/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1DF0FCFNQH8MXDQ3BWGK

http://www.amazon.com/Highland-Swordsmanship-Techniques-Scottish-Swordmasters/dp/1891448153/ref=pd_sim_b_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=146FGG67D9GKR3T2HMCY

http://www.amazon.com/Highland-Martial-Culture-Heritage-Scotland/dp/1581606923/ref=pd_sim_b_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=146FGG67D9GKR3T2HMCY

http://www.amazon.com/Highland-Broadsword-Lessons-Drills-Practices/dp/1581607288/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=146FGG67D9GKR3T2HMCY

http://www.amazon.com/Highland-Knife-Fighting-With-Sgian/dp/1581605668/ref=pd_sim_b_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=146FGG67D9GKR3T2HMCY (just because it's Scottish and nice to know.)

http://www.amazon.com/Broadsword-Singlestick-Quarter-Staff-Walking-Stick-Self-Defense/dp/1449917178/ref=pd_sim_b_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=146FGG67D9GKR3T2HMCY (way late, but may still be useful)

> As close as we could get it, he usually makes replicas for museums, this was an exact copy of a suit from the musee de l'armee in Paris.

Say no more. Good job! Any armour porn?

> We know, we wanted to test the fictional account of a knight, not the real thing and in so far as fiction goes, kite shields are common. :)

Right, that makes sense. Was this for a discussion within a group like the SCA? That would have been interesting to see the outcome from. Do you have any links?

> I could kiss you, thank you!

I highly recommend these manuals (along with Fiore) for HEMA/WMA combat techniques:

http://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Hans_Talhoffer/Complete

http://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Philippo_di_Vadi

http://wiktenauer.com/wiki/Ludwig_VI_von_Eyb

I like George Silver for understanding the medieval mindset when it comes to warfare:

http://wiktenauer.com/wiki/George_Silver


Paul Wagner's work on Silver: http://www.amazon.com/Master-Of-Defence-George-Silver/dp/1581607237/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371540106&sr=8-1&keywords=master+of+defense

I don't agree with everything that is in here, but it's a mostly decent approach to pulling apart Fiore: http://www.amazon.com/Fiore-dei-Liberis-Armizare-Chivalric/dp/0982591179/ref=pd_sim_b_31

Probably the best translation of Vadi: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Veni-Vadi-Vici-Guy-Windsor/dp/9529316860/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

This is probably the best book on the medieval dagger (based on Fiore): http://www.freelanceacademypress.com/MAA1_MedievalDagger.aspx

Silver's Paradoxes of Defence and Bref Instructions. Plenty of versions online, but the most modern transcription from Silver's handwritten manuscript is the book Master of Defence https://www.amazon.com/Master-Defence-Works-George-Silver/dp/1581607237/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=EZ12ZKKE4MNW2QZESYQN and Stephen Hand's English Swordsmanship https://www.amazon.com/English-Swordsmanship-Fight-George-Silver/dp/1891448277 is a superb how-to manual.