Prize Playing
Encyclopedia
A Prize Playing was a test of martial skill popular in Renaissance England
with the London
-based Corporation of Masters of the Noble Science of Defence
.
It involved several dozen bouts against continually refreshing opponents, with little or no rest in between.
This practice was revived after a fashion in the late 17th century in the form of "Prize Fights", whence the term prizefighting for modern professional boxing
.
of the school. Notices called Bills of Challenge were posted of the event and a wooden scaffolding was erected in a public square. A good number of formalities were observed and at one time rules were endorsed by the Crown. On the appointed day and time, following a procession
of drums and flags the Player was paraded to the raised scaffold with much fanfare
. The public gathered close to watch, cheer, and throw coins onto the platform; the student would end up making a profit at the end of the day from this. Prize events also attracted new students—from which the Company earned the major part of its income.
At the start, a senior Master would declare the name of the Player, the rank being sought, and then announce “The first bout to be at [whichever weapon]”. Bouts were fought using 'blunts'
(dulled and rounded weapons) and played to a number of 'hits' rather than to a 'victory'. The term “play” at the time referred to competing or practice sparring
, as opposed to a life and death fight. Although not real, the fights were not displays or exhibitions
. They were free-sparring practices just earnest enough to properly evaluate the Player and not arranged as public spectacle. The contact was limited, but it was at full speed. The bouts could sometimes be bloody, but never lethal. No armor was used and blows were limited to above the waist, but even the bare head and hands were targets. Only a few instances are recorded of students failing their Prize, with none ever being killed. Interestingly, the student had to pay for the travel expenses of 'answerers' (opponents) coming from outside of London (all Masters within 36 miles were required to attend).
Two bouts had to be played with a number of different weapons against as few as four and as many as ten opponents each. To Play their Prize, a student might face in a single afternoon an average total of sixty bouts or more. These were all against more senior opponents, with little rest in between. The job of the answerers was not to break or beat the Player but to seriously test them. The 'Prize' meant promotion and the respect and acceptance of one's peers.
The fight itself consisted of those traditional English
weapons as taught in the “Schole” and dating back to the early Middle Ages. For the challenged Scholar, the weapons to be judged on were fixed at Longsword
and Backsword
. For the Free Scholar, there was a choice of any three weapons (usually longsword, backsword, and sword
& buckler
). For the Provost
, there was a choice of any four weapons (usually the same as the Free Scholar but also including at least one polearm). Provosts playing for their “Master's Prize” would face an agonizing ten bouts with eight weapons each, including single dagger
, quarterstaff
, and two-handed sword. Among the other weapons sometimes played were Morris-pike
, flail
, sword & dagger, and sword & gauntlet. Starting around 1580, the rapier
and rapier & dagger were included.
Once all the bouts were over, judgment of passage was made by the four senior Masters. A victorious prizer might be declared “a well-tryd and sufficient man with divers weapons”. After collecting thrown change, the Player was escorted back to the school, again with great fanfare, took his oath
, paid his fees, and did much drinking (which he was also expected to pay for). The whole event might even last two days.
Eventually, pugilism was added to the shows and it became so popular that weapons were finally dropped from the contests altogether.
This is the origin of today's modern boxing
“prizefights”.
reconstruction groups engage in Prize Plays.
Organizations that test senior students in Prize Plays include The Company of Maisters http://www.maisters.demon.co.uk/index.htm, The Chicago Swordplay Guild
http://www.chicagoswordplayguild.com/c/, True Edge Academy of Swordsmanship http://trueedgeacademy.com/index.html, and The Association for Renaissance Martial Arts
(ARMA)http://www.thearma.org. Modern organizations may use variant rules and structures in their Prize Playings. For instance senior level ARMA members can achieve the Senior Free Scholar ranking for each weapon type through separate prize plays http://www.thearma.org/RANKING.htm, and bouts within an ARMA prize play are played to 'victor' instead of counted blows and bouts are against opponents of all skill levels.
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
with the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based Corporation of Masters of the Noble Science of Defence
Company of Masters
The Company of Maisters of the Science of Defence was an organisation formed in England during the reign of Henry VIII to regulate the teaching of the Arte of Defense or fencing, using a range of weapons, including the rapier, quarterstaff, and, most notably, the broadsword.This school of fencing...
.
It involved several dozen bouts against continually refreshing opponents, with little or no rest in between.
This practice was revived after a fashion in the late 17th century in the form of "Prize Fights", whence the term prizefighting for modern professional boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
.
Renaissance Prize Playings
The time and place for a Prize Playing was determined by the four Ancient MastersCompany of Masters
The Company of Maisters of the Science of Defence was an organisation formed in England during the reign of Henry VIII to regulate the teaching of the Arte of Defense or fencing, using a range of weapons, including the rapier, quarterstaff, and, most notably, the broadsword.This school of fencing...
of the school. Notices called Bills of Challenge were posted of the event and a wooden scaffolding was erected in a public square. A good number of formalities were observed and at one time rules were endorsed by the Crown. On the appointed day and time, following a procession
Procession
A procession is an organized body of people advancing in a formal or ceremonial manner.-Procession elements:...
of drums and flags the Player was paraded to the raised scaffold with much fanfare
Fanfare
A Fanfare is a relatively short piece of music that is typically played by trumpets and other brass instruments often accompanied by percussion...
. The public gathered close to watch, cheer, and throw coins onto the platform; the student would end up making a profit at the end of the day from this. Prize events also attracted new students—from which the Company earned the major part of its income.
At the start, a senior Master would declare the name of the Player, the rank being sought, and then announce “The first bout to be at [whichever weapon]”. Bouts were fought using 'blunts'
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
(dulled and rounded weapons) and played to a number of 'hits' rather than to a 'victory'. The term “play” at the time referred to competing or practice sparring
Sparring
Sparring is a form of training common to many martial arts. Although the precise form varies, it is essentially relatively 'free-form' fighting, with enough rules, customs, or agreements to make injuries unlikely...
, as opposed to a life and death fight. Although not real, the fights were not displays or exhibitions
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
. They were free-sparring practices just earnest enough to properly evaluate the Player and not arranged as public spectacle. The contact was limited, but it was at full speed. The bouts could sometimes be bloody, but never lethal. No armor was used and blows were limited to above the waist, but even the bare head and hands were targets. Only a few instances are recorded of students failing their Prize, with none ever being killed. Interestingly, the student had to pay for the travel expenses of 'answerers' (opponents) coming from outside of London (all Masters within 36 miles were required to attend).
Two bouts had to be played with a number of different weapons against as few as four and as many as ten opponents each. To Play their Prize, a student might face in a single afternoon an average total of sixty bouts or more. These were all against more senior opponents, with little rest in between. The job of the answerers was not to break or beat the Player but to seriously test them. The 'Prize' meant promotion and the respect and acceptance of one's peers.
The fight itself consisted of those traditional English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
weapons as taught in the “Schole” and dating back to the early Middle Ages. For the challenged Scholar, the weapons to be judged on were fixed at Longsword
Longsword
The longsword is a type of European sword designed for two-handed use, current during the late medieval and Renaissance periods, approximately 1350 to 1550 .Longswords have long cruciform hilts with grips over 10 to 15 cm length The longsword (of which stems the variation called the bastard...
and Backsword
Backsword
A backsword is a sword with a blade on one edge, or an "edge-and-a-quarter." The back of the sword is often the thickest part of the blade and acts to support and strengthen it....
. For the Free Scholar, there was a choice of any three weapons (usually longsword, backsword, and sword
Side-sword
The spada da lato or "side-sword" is the Italian term for the type of sword popular during the late 16th century, corresponding to the Spanish espada ropera....
& buckler
Buckler
A buckler is a small shield, 15 to 45 cm in diameter, gripped in the fist; it was generally used as a companion weapon in hand-to-hand combat during the Medieval and Renaissance, as its size made it poor protection against missile weapons but useful in deflecting the blow of...
). For the Provost
Provost (martial arts)
In the London-based "Corporation of Masters of the Noble Science of Defence", or "Company of Masters", Provost was the third of four ranks, the others being Scholar, Free Scholar, and Master. A Free Scholar could not be accredited as a Provost until they have studied under a registered Master for...
, there was a choice of any four weapons (usually the same as the Free Scholar but also including at least one polearm). Provosts playing for their “Master's Prize” would face an agonizing ten bouts with eight weapons each, including single dagger
Dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a sharp point designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon. The design dates to human prehistory, and daggers have been used throughout human experience to the modern day in close combat confrontations...
, quarterstaff
Quarterstaff
A quarterstaff , also short staff or simply staff is a traditional European pole weapon and a technique of stick fighting, especially as in use in England during the Early Modern period....
, and two-handed sword. Among the other weapons sometimes played were Morris-pike
Pike (weapon)
A pike is a pole weapon, a very long thrusting spear used extensively by infantry both for attacks on enemy foot soldiers and as a counter-measure against cavalry assaults. Unlike many similar weapons, the pike is not intended to be thrown. Pikes were used regularly in European warfare from the...
, flail
Flail (weapon)
The flail is a hand weapon derived from the agricultural tool.The handle is attached to the striking part of a weapon by a flexible chain or cord...
, sword & dagger, and sword & gauntlet. Starting around 1580, the rapier
Rapier
A rapier is a slender, sharply pointed sword, ideally used for thrusting attacks, used mainly in Early Modern Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries.-Description:...
and rapier & dagger were included.
Once all the bouts were over, judgment of passage was made by the four senior Masters. A victorious prizer might be declared “a well-tryd and sufficient man with divers weapons”. After collecting thrown change, the Player was escorted back to the school, again with great fanfare, took his oath
Oath
An oath is either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. To swear is to take an oath, to make a solemn vow...
, paid his fees, and did much drinking (which he was also expected to pay for). The whole event might even last two days.
Prize Fights
During the late 17th to mid 18th centuries in England, long after the London schools and true Masters had faded, a revival of Prizing took place. But in these bouts mostly common, unskilled brawlers and street ruffians would fight for money against all challengers. They were also called “prizefighters” in reference to earlier days. Though also using blunted weapons, most of these fights were quite bloody affairs with some ending in deaths. Today, they are often confused with the old Masters and their students Playing the Prize.Eventually, pugilism was added to the shows and it became so popular that weapons were finally dropped from the contests altogether.
This is the origin of today's modern boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
“prizefights”.
Martial arts reconstruction
Many Historical European martial artsHistorical European martial arts
Historical European martial arts is a neologism describing martial arts of European origin, used particularly to refer to arts formerly practised, but having since died out or evolved into very different forms...
reconstruction groups engage in Prize Plays.
Organizations that test senior students in Prize Plays include The Company of Maisters http://www.maisters.demon.co.uk/index.htm, The Chicago Swordplay Guild
Chicago Swordplay Guild
The Chicago Swordplay Guild is a modern school of swordsmanship and Western martial arts, and non-profit organization based in Chicago, IL USA. It provides organized instruction in the serious study and practice of historical European swordplay, with a principal focus on the Italian school of...
http://www.chicagoswordplayguild.com/c/, True Edge Academy of Swordsmanship http://trueedgeacademy.com/index.html, and The Association for Renaissance Martial Arts
Association for Renaissance Martial Arts
Association for Renaissance Martial Arts is an international educational non-profit organization dedicated to the study and practice of historical European martial arts of the 15th to 17th centuries...
(ARMA)http://www.thearma.org. Modern organizations may use variant rules and structures in their Prize Playings. For instance senior level ARMA members can achieve the Senior Free Scholar ranking for each weapon type through separate prize plays http://www.thearma.org/RANKING.htm, and bouts within an ARMA prize play are played to 'victor' instead of counted blows and bouts are against opponents of all skill levels.