96:
387:, stretching forward the back hand as far as possible. Longer thrusts were delivered with a full step forward with the back leg accompanying the back hand. It was recommended that when delivering a blow that at the end of it the back leg and foot should be compassed about so as to fall roughly into a line with the front foot and the point of the weapon. The same circling round of the back leg was applied to parries also. Singularly among the three authors, Swetnam recommends preference of thrusting over striking. Silver and Wylde describe striking and thrusting as equally valid attacks.
32:
350:
1517:
297:
402:" and several other tales, the quarterstaff is the weapon in hand as the two engage in a duel, as the Tinker was apparently sent to bring Robin Hood to justice at the hands of the Sheriff of Nottingham. This implies that the quarterstaff was in use before and during the 16th to 18th centuries, as the tale of Robin Hood is mostly written of during that time frame.
379:
the 14th to 16th century writings of
Johannes Liechtenauer and Paulus Hector Mair, the quarterstaff is held with the back hand a hand's breadth from the butt end of the staff, and the other hand up to the middle of the staff. This is likely because of the transition of techniques from quarterstaves to polearms in Mair's compendium.
390:
The position with one hand held at the quarter and the other at the middle of the staff is not found in these early modern manuals, but it is described in the quarterstaff manuals published in the late 19th century, e.g. McCarthy (1883): "both hands should be 2.5 feet (76 cm) apart, and the same
205:
hardwood (as opposed to a staff of lower quality made from conventionally sawn lumber or from a tree branch). English longbows were traditionally made from staves of yew or ash that were split into quarters. If the longbow was not in use, the 'quarter stave' could also be used as a weapon in the form
382:
Of these the low guard is considered the central guard. Blows were primarily delivered downwards either directly or at angles. Parries of blows to the legs were done either by lifting the leg away from the line of attack or by thrusting one end of the staff into the ground and releasing the foremost
378:
There is some variation as to the proper way to hold a quarterstaff. According to the 16th to 18th century writings of Silver, Swetnam and Wylde, the quarterstaff is held with the back hand at the butt end of the staff and the other hand about 1 to 1.5 feet (30 to 46 cm) above it. According to
239:
The oldest surviving
English work giving technical information on staff combat dates from the 15th century – it is a brief listing of "strokes of the 2-hand staff", which shares terminology with the preceding "strokes of the 2-hand sword" in the same manuscript.
221:, in support of its explanation of the "quarter" in origin referring to the way the staff was made, points to an early attestation of the term, dated to 1590, "Plodding through Aldersgate, all armed as I was, with a quarter Ashe staffe on my shoulder."
278:
An informal tradition (or sporadic series of revivals) based on the late 19th century style persisted in
England throughout the early to mid 20th century, being particularly associated with military and fencing exhibitions and with the
270:
A modified version of quarterstaff fencing, employing bamboo or ash staves and protective equipment adapted from fencing, boxing, and cricket was revived as a sport in some London fencing schools and at the
227:, an English fencer who wrote two books (1599, 1605) including lengthy sections on staff fighting does not use the term "quarterstaff", but instead calls it a "short staff" (as opposed to the "long staff").
192:
with a length in excess of 10 to 12 feet (3.0 to 3.7 m). The height of the staff should be around the same as the user plus their hand set upright on their head (approximately 8 inches (20 cm)).
263:. Richard Peeke, in 1625, and Zachary Wylde, in 1711, refer to the quarterstaff as a national English weapon. By the 18th century the weapon became popularly associated with gladiatorial
383:
hand which was in danger of being struck. Thrusts (called "darts" by Wylde) were often performed with the release of the forward hand and a step with the forward leg like a
231:, writing in 1615, distinguishes between the "quarterstaff" of 7 or 8 feet (2.1 or 2.4 m) in length and the "long staff" of 11 or 12 feet (3.4 or 3.7 m).
209:
The possibility that the name derives from the way the staff is held, the right hand grasping it one-quarter of the distance from the lower end, is suggested in
275:
Military
Training School during the later 19th century. Works on this style were published by Thomas McCarthy and by Allanson-Winn and Phillips-Wolley.
201:
The name "quarterstaff" is first attested in the mid-16th century. The "quarter" possibly refers to the means of production, the staff being made from
761:
Broadsword and
Singlestick - with Chapters on Quarter-staff, Bayonet, Cudgel, Shillalah, Walking Stick, Umbrella and other Weapons of Self Defence;
687:
1324:
756:
822:
591:
551:
852:
725:
256:. Silver, Swetnam, and Wylde all agreed that the staff was among the best, if not the very best, of all hand weapons.
336:
75:
53:
20:
46:
1558:
456:
213:. While this interpretation may have given rise to such positions in 19th-century manuals, it probably arose by
1543:
318:
367:
in his martial arts compendium of the mid-16th century, details techniques of fighting with the staff in the
314:
95:
1317:
1548:
538:
Joseph
Swetnam, "The Schoole of the Noble and Worthy Science of Defence". London: Nicholas Okre, 1617.
210:
188:, or spike at one or both ends. The term "short staff" compares this to the "long staff" based on the
399:
218:
749:
368:
40:
771:
762:
398:. In ballads and tales of the famed yeoman, the quarterstaff is often mentioned. For example, in "
1310:
307:
789:
509:
1393:
845:
57:
611:
431:
248:
and the two-handed sword are based on the same method. Later authors on the subject included
625:
1357:
1045:
102:
663:
8:
1522:
1453:
174:
1271:
484:
421:
372:
364:
260:
780:
597:
1553:
1516:
1463:
1411:
1035:
910:
838:
721:
214:
1075:
1468:
244:(1599) explains techniques of short-staff combat and states that the use of other
1489:
1030:
995:
555:
384:
548:
1333:
1226:
1115:
1010:
808:
426:
411:
249:
228:
202:
1537:
1416:
1362:
1236:
1156:
1040:
1025:
990:
980:
895:
890:
813:
801:
796:
734:
639:
436:
349:
264:
253:
241:
224:
189:
1211:
1201:
1005:
940:
920:
600:
on 2018-05-28 – via The Exiles - Company of
Medieval Martial Artists.
1426:
1504:
1494:
1484:
1421:
1266:
1181:
1015:
915:
358:
354:
1251:
1171:
1130:
1125:
1105:
1085:
905:
900:
395:
321: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
184:
from 6 to 9 feet (1.8 to 2.7 m) long, sometimes with a metal tip,
1388:
1281:
823:
The
English Master of Defence or, the Gentleman's A-la-mode Accomplish
593:
The
English Master of Defence or, the Gentleman's A-la-mode Accomplish
259:
During the 16th century quarterstaves were favoured as weapons by the
1405:
1206:
1196:
1065:
1020:
975:
960:
875:
280:
272:
296:
1431:
1276:
1241:
1221:
1216:
1100:
965:
950:
930:
925:
885:
781:
The Manly Art of
Quarter-staff: Origins of a Victorian Combat Sport
245:
181:
1437:
1399:
1458:
1352:
1302:
1191:
1186:
1166:
1110:
1070:
1060:
1050:
985:
970:
935:
861:
185:
170:
125:
1367:
1261:
1256:
1176:
1161:
1135:
1120:
1095:
1080:
955:
880:
618:
567:
565:
115:
1383:
1347:
1286:
1246:
1231:
1151:
1090:
1000:
688:"The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood - Robin Hood and Tinker"
562:
416:
1291:
945:
830:
766:". London : George Bell & Sons. 1st edition, 1898.
394:
The quarterstaff is also mentioned in England's legend of
19:
This article is about the weapon. For the video game, see
479:
173:, which was especially prominent in England during the
814:
The Schoole of the Noble and Worthy Science of Defence
180:
The term is generally accepted to refer to a shaft of
534:
532:
530:
753:". London : W. Swan Sonnenschein and Co., 1883.
604:
718:Tools of War: History of Weapons in Medieval Times
527:
585:
583:
581:
1535:
640:"Paradoxes of Defence, by George Silver (1599)"
578:
573:Bref Instructions Upon my Paradoxes of Defence
357:fighting with Quarterstaffs as illustrated by
1318:
846:
1325:
1311:
853:
839:
337:Learn how and when to remove this message
76:Learn how and when to remove this message
348:
103:Old English Sports, Pastimes and Customs
39:This article includes a list of general
1536:
715:
286:
1306:
834:
589:
502:
473:
319:adding citations to reliable sources
290:
25:
790:A Brief History of the Quarterstaff
13:
1332:
596:. Tork: John White. Archived from
45:it lacks sufficient corresponding
14:
1570:
750:Quarter-staff: A Practical Manual
457:"Picking the Correct Weapon Size"
21:Quarterstaff: The Tomb of Setmoth
1515:
295:
94:
30:
817:". London: Nicholas Okre, 1617.
805:". London: Edward Blount, 1599.
680:
656:
632:
306:needs additional citations for
708:
541:
449:
1:
575:". London, 1605. pp. 115–124.
442:
860:
664:"Joseph Swetnam -- Part One"
196:
7:
720:. Vij Books India Pvt Ltd.
489:Online Etymology Dictionary
405:
100:Quarterstaves in use, from
10:
1575:
826:". Tork: John White, 1711.
234:
169:is a traditional European
18:
1513:
1477:
1446:
1376:
1340:
1144:
868:
759:and C. Phillips-Wolley, "
400:Robin Hood and the Tinker
391:distance from each end".
261:London Masters of Defence
219:Oxford English Dictionary
139:
131:
121:
111:
93:
369:German school of fencing
1559:Stick and staff weapons
1523:The Martial Arts Portal
514:Encyclopædia Britannica
211:Encyclopædia Britannica
60:more precise citations.
1394:Kbach Kun Dambong Veng
772:Boy Scout Quarterstaff
692:americanliterature.com
612:"Dobringer Manuscript"
510:"quarterstaff(weapon)"
361:
1544:European martial arts
747:Thomas A. McCarthy, "
716:Ramsey, Syed (2016).
432:Johannes Liechtenauer
352:
252:, Zachary Wylde, and
89:Quarterstaff fighting
1358:Nguni stick-fighting
802:Paradoxes of Defence
742:Paradoxes of Defense
590:Wylde, Zach (1711).
315:improve this article
1454:Bajan stick-licking
757:Allanson-Winn, R.G.
461:Martial Arts Planet
287:Historical practice
175:Early Modern period
90:
1377:Asia & Pacific
775:". c. 1914 - 1920.
554:2011-07-27 at the
422:Paulus Hector Mair
365:Paulus Hector Mair
362:
88:
1549:Medieval polearms
1531:
1530:
1464:Juego del garrote
1300:
1299:
911:Bohemian earspoon
787:Frank Docherty, "
769:Author unknown, "
763:The Quarter-Staff
347:
346:
339:
215:popular etymology
147:
146:
122:Country of origin
86:
85:
78:
1566:
1519:
1327:
1320:
1313:
1304:
1303:
1272:Torimono sandōgu
1076:Scottish halberd
855:
848:
841:
832:
831:
731:
702:
701:
699:
698:
684:
678:
677:
675:
674:
660:
654:
653:
651:
650:
636:
630:
629:
622:
616:
615:
608:
602:
601:
587:
576:
571:George Silver, "
569:
560:
545:
539:
536:
525:
524:
522:
520:
506:
500:
499:
497:
495:
477:
471:
470:
468:
467:
453:
342:
335:
331:
328:
322:
299:
291:
106:, published 1891
98:
91:
87:
81:
74:
70:
67:
61:
56:this article by
47:inline citations
34:
33:
26:
1574:
1573:
1569:
1568:
1567:
1565:
1564:
1563:
1534:
1533:
1532:
1527:
1509:
1490:Canne de combat
1473:
1442:
1372:
1336:
1331:
1301:
1296:
1140:
1046:Plançon à picot
1031:Ox tongue spear
864:
859:
829:
728:
711:
706:
705:
696:
694:
686:
685:
681:
672:
670:
668:www.thearma.org
662:
661:
657:
648:
646:
638:
637:
633:
628:. The Arma.org.
624:
623:
619:
610:
609:
605:
588:
579:
570:
563:
556:Wayback Machine
546:
542:
537:
528:
518:
516:
508:
507:
503:
493:
491:
483:
478:
474:
465:
463:
455:
454:
450:
445:
408:
353:Robin Hood and
343:
332:
326:
323:
312:
300:
289:
237:
199:
107:
82:
71:
65:
62:
52:Please help to
51:
35:
31:
24:
17:
16:Type of polearm
12:
11:
5:
1572:
1562:
1561:
1556:
1551:
1546:
1529:
1528:
1514:
1511:
1510:
1508:
1507:
1502:
1497:
1492:
1487:
1481:
1479:
1475:
1474:
1472:
1471:
1466:
1461:
1456:
1450:
1448:
1444:
1443:
1441:
1440:
1434:
1429:
1424:
1419:
1414:
1408:
1402:
1396:
1391:
1386:
1380:
1378:
1374:
1373:
1371:
1370:
1365:
1360:
1355:
1350:
1344:
1342:
1338:
1337:
1334:Stick-fighting
1330:
1329:
1322:
1315:
1307:
1298:
1297:
1295:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1274:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1148:
1146:
1142:
1141:
1139:
1138:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1116:Viking halberd
1113:
1108:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1078:
1073:
1068:
1063:
1058:
1053:
1048:
1043:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1018:
1013:
1011:Lucerne hammer
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
983:
978:
973:
968:
963:
958:
953:
948:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
918:
913:
908:
903:
898:
893:
888:
883:
878:
872:
870:
866:
865:
858:
857:
850:
843:
835:
828:
827:
818:
809:Joseph Swetnam
806:
794:
785:
776:
767:
754:
745:
732:
727:978-9386019813
726:
712:
710:
707:
704:
703:
679:
655:
631:
617:
614:. TheArma.org.
603:
577:
561:
540:
526:
501:
485:"quarterstaff"
472:
447:
446:
444:
441:
440:
439:
434:
429:
427:Joseph Swetnam
424:
419:
414:
412:Stick fighting
407:
404:
345:
344:
303:
301:
294:
288:
285:
250:Joseph Swetnam
236:
233:
229:Joseph Swetnam
198:
195:
145:
144:
141:
137:
136:
133:
129:
128:
123:
119:
118:
113:
109:
108:
99:
84:
83:
38:
36:
29:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1571:
1560:
1557:
1555:
1552:
1550:
1547:
1545:
1542:
1541:
1539:
1526:
1525:
1524:
1518:
1512:
1506:
1503:
1501:
1498:
1496:
1493:
1491:
1488:
1486:
1483:
1482:
1480:
1476:
1470:
1469:Juego de maní
1467:
1465:
1462:
1460:
1457:
1455:
1452:
1451:
1449:
1445:
1439:
1435:
1433:
1430:
1428:
1425:
1423:
1420:
1418:
1417:Kalaripayattu
1415:
1413:
1412:Krabi–krabong
1409:
1407:
1403:
1401:
1397:
1395:
1392:
1390:
1387:
1385:
1382:
1381:
1379:
1375:
1369:
1366:
1364:
1363:Nuba fighting
1361:
1359:
1356:
1354:
1351:
1349:
1346:
1345:
1343:
1339:
1335:
1328:
1323:
1321:
1316:
1314:
1309:
1308:
1305:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1233:
1230:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1157:Bambu runcing
1155:
1153:
1150:
1149:
1147:
1143:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1107:
1104:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1079:
1077:
1074:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1064:
1062:
1059:
1057:
1054:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1026:Military fork
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
991:Jeddart staff
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
934:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
897:
894:
892:
891:Bec de corbin
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
873:
871:
867:
863:
856:
851:
849:
844:
842:
837:
836:
833:
825:
824:
820:Zach Wylde, "
819:
816:
815:
810:
807:
804:
803:
798:
797:George Silver
795:
792:
791:
786:
783:
782:
777:
774:
773:
768:
765:
764:
758:
755:
752:
751:
746:
743:
739:
736:
733:
729:
723:
719:
714:
713:
693:
689:
683:
669:
665:
659:
645:
641:
635:
627:
626:"Mair Manual"
621:
613:
607:
599:
595:
594:
586:
584:
582:
574:
568:
566:
558:
557:
553:
550:
544:
535:
533:
531:
515:
511:
505:
490:
486:
481:
476:
462:
458:
452:
448:
438:
437:George Silver
435:
433:
430:
428:
425:
423:
420:
418:
415:
413:
410:
409:
403:
401:
397:
392:
388:
386:
385:fencing lunge
380:
376:
374:
370:
366:
360:
356:
351:
341:
338:
330:
320:
316:
310:
309:
304:This section
302:
298:
293:
292:
284:
282:
276:
274:
268:
266:
265:prize playing
262:
257:
255:
254:Donald McBane
251:
247:
243:
242:George Silver
232:
230:
226:
225:George Silver
222:
220:
216:
212:
207:
206:of a staff.
204:
194:
191:
187:
183:
178:
176:
172:
168:
164:
160:
159:quarterstaves
156:
155:quarterstaffs
152:
142:
140:Olympic sport
138:
134:
130:
127:
124:
120:
117:
114:
110:
105:
104:
97:
92:
80:
77:
69:
59:
55:
49:
48:
42:
37:
28:
27:
22:
1521:
1520:
1500:Quarterstaff
1499:
1056:Quarterstaff
1055:
1006:Lochaber axe
921:Brogit staff
821:
812:
800:
788:
779:
778:Tony Wolf, "
770:
760:
748:
741:
737:
717:
695:. Retrieved
691:
682:
671:. Retrieved
667:
658:
647:. Retrieved
643:
634:
620:
606:
598:the original
592:
572:
549:Cotton Titus
547:
543:
517:. Retrieved
513:
504:
492:. Retrieved
488:
475:
464:. Retrieved
460:
451:
393:
389:
381:
377:
363:
333:
324:
313:Please help
308:verification
305:
277:
269:
258:
238:
223:
208:
200:
179:
166:
162:
158:
154:
151:quarterstaff
150:
148:
101:
72:
63:
44:
1505:Singlestick
1495:Jogo do pau
1485:Bataireacht
1422:Lathi khela
1182:Fangtian ji
1016:Man catcher
916:Brandistock
709:Works cited
644:www.pbm.com
519:December 6,
494:October 25,
373:Renaissance
359:Louis Rhead
355:Little John
203:quartersawn
163:short staff
58:introducing
1538:Categories
1252:Sodegarami
1172:Dagger-axe
1131:Welsh hook
1126:War scythe
1106:Swordstaff
1086:Sparth axe
906:Boar spear
901:Bear spear
735:Silver, G.
697:2018-10-15
673:2018-10-15
649:2018-10-15
466:2018-11-10
443:References
396:Robin Hood
283:movement.
165:or simply
66:April 2009
41:references
1427:Mau rākau
1207:Kama-yari
1197:Hoko yari
1066:Rhomphaia
1021:Menaulion
976:Half pike
961:Goedendag
876:Ahlspiess
327:July 2011
281:Boy Scout
273:Aldershot
197:Etymology
1554:Polearms
1447:Americas
1432:Silambam
1277:Trishula
1242:Sasumata
1222:Naginata
1217:Nagamaki
1101:Spontoon
1036:Partisan
966:Guisarme
951:Fauchard
931:Dane axe
926:Corseque
886:Bardiche
869:European
862:Polearms
740:. 1599.
552:Archived
406:See also
246:polearms
182:hardwood
161:), also
153:(plural
116:Weaponry
1459:Calinda
1389:Bōjutsu
1353:Istunka
1282:Tsukubō
1192:Guandao
1187:Gichang
1167:Bisento
1111:Trident
1071:Sarissa
1061:Ranseur
1051:Pollaxe
986:Javelin
971:Halberd
936:Doloire
371:of the
235:History
186:ferrule
171:polearm
135:unknown
132:Creator
126:England
54:improve
1478:Europe
1436:
1410:
1404:
1398:
1368:Tahtib
1341:Africa
1262:Sumpit
1257:Sovnya
1177:Dangpa
1162:Barcha
1136:Xyston
1121:Voulge
1096:Spetum
1081:Sovnya
996:Kontos
956:Glaive
881:Atgeir
724:
217:. The
43:, but
1438:Tanbō
1400:Hanbō
1384:Arnis
1348:Dambe
1287:Woldo
1267:Tabar
1247:Sibat
1237:Qiang
1232:Podao
1152:Arbir
1145:Asian
1091:Spear
1001:Lance
981:Hasta
167:staff
112:Focus
1406:Jōdō
1292:Yari
1227:Ngao
1212:Kudi
1041:Pike
946:Falx
941:Dory
896:Bill
722:ISBN
521:2010
496:2010
190:pike
811:, "
799:, "
480:OED
317:by
157:or
1540::
1202:Ji
793:".
784:".
690:.
666:.
642:.
580:^
564:^
529:^
512:.
487:.
482:;
459:.
417:Bō
375:.
267:.
177:.
149:A
143:No
1326:e
1319:t
1312:v
854:e
847:t
840:v
744:.
738:c
730:.
700:.
676:.
652:.
559:.
523:.
498:.
469:.
340:)
334:(
329:)
325:(
311:.
79:)
73:(
68:)
64:(
50:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
