Fencing History and Tales
Introduction | Literary Allusions | Famous Duels and Duellists | Women and CombatFamous Duels and Duellists
Warrell and the Soldier
London April 12, 1667 from the diary of M. de Sorbière
"...went by water to the Bear-Garden, and there happened to sit by
Sir Fretcheville Holles, who is still full of his vainglorious and prophane
talk. Here we saw a prize fought between a soldier and a country fellow,
one Warrell, who promised the least in his looks and smiles in all he
did, that I ever saw, and we were all both deceived and infinitely taken
with him. He did soundly beat the soldier and cut him over the head. Thence
back to White Hall, mightily pleased, all of us, with this sight, and
particularly this fellow as a most extraordinary man for his temper and
evenness in fighting."
This excerpt is taken from Aylward's The English Master of Arms published in 1956 by Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited
