Fighter Practice: A weekly Demo

Poem of the Pell

Fighter Practice: A Weekly Demo

Over the years that I have been associated with the SCA, both in Meridies and
other kingdoms, I have had many opportunities to attend various fighter practices.
Through the years I had always believed that fighter practices were merely for
fighters to conduct weekly training. Visiting four different kingdoms, I have
had the chance to see the true nature of fighter practice : a weekly demo.

We as members are given a weekly opportunity to display to the mundane world
that which is a passion to us. We are watched constantly when ever we practice
in the public eye, and we usually do not take advantage of that. We exist in our
own social world, conducting our weekly practices and meetings which the public
sits by watching intently. We are generally a few feet away from our spectators,
but do not reach a hand to them to include them in our world.

Perhaps instead, we could take the time to put our best face forward, coming
out in full strength, and garb as we would for an event or special demonstration.

Although the predominant meaning of fighter practice is the conducting of SCA
related martial activities, there is so much more of our world that we exclude
from this public display. We do not show our other faces, but instead rely on
this one display to intice the public to join us at events and demos. Our
fighter practices are weekly demos that give us a chance to display all the
various things that are important all of us.
I urge all of us to take advantage of this opportunity and show the mundane
public the beauties of our society. We live the dream, they are only exposed
to it at certain times and it falls on us to show as much of that dream as we can.

Iain mac Griogair

Poem of the Pell

Practice at the pell (a man-sized stake of wood used as a target for
swordpractice) has long been used by SCA fighters for practice, as it will
soon be used here in Insula Draconis (just as soon as we get all of
thatwood in my garden chopped up and assembled!). This form of training goes
back as far the days of the Roman legions, and was used throughout the
middle ages. Young knights or men-at-arms were first trained at this pell,
under the supervision of an older, more experienced fighter.

This poem, written in the early fifteenth century, sheds some light on the
use of the pell. Interesting points to note are the mention in lines 6-9 that
the practice shield and mace are to be of double weight, a technique that
many SCA fighters have found to be very good for training. It also emphasizes
the importance of this form of practice in 12-14, where it says that no man
"is seyn prevaile" in battle who has not spent time practicing at the pell.
Take heed squires and novice fighters, to the wisdom of the past!
Poem of the Pell Cotton Library: Titus A, xxiii fol 6 and 7
(early 15th century)

Of fight the disciplyne and exercise,
Was this. To have a pale or pile upright (pell)
Of mannys light, thus writeth old and wise, (man's height)
Therewith a bacheler, or a yong knyght,
Shal first be taught to stonde and lerne to fight
And fanne of double wight tak him his shelde, (practice shield)
Of double wight a mace of tre to welde. (wood)

This fanne and mace whiche either doubil wigt
Of shelde, and swayed in conflicte, or bataile,
Shal exercise as well swordmen, as knyghtes,
And noe man, as they sayn, is seyn prevaile,
In field, or in castell, though he assayle,
That with the pile, nethe first grete exercise, (hath not)
Thus writeth werrouris olde and wyse. (warriors)

Have eche his pile or pale upfixed fast
And as it were uppon his mortal foe:
With mightyness and weapon most be cast
To fight stonge, that he ne skape him fro.
On hym with shield, and sword avised so,
That thou be cloos, and Preste thy foe to smyte, (ready)
Lest of thyne own dethe thou be to wite.

Empeche his head, his face, have at his gorge (attack, throat)
Beare at the brest, or sperne him on the side,
With myghte knyghtly poost ene as Seynt George (power)
Lepe o thy foe; look if he dare abide;
Will he not flee? wounde him; make wounds wide
Hew of his honde, his legge, his theys, his armys,
It is the Turk, though he be sleyn, noon harm is.