English martial arts, as part of the pantheon of European systems, is no exception to this rule. Space does not permit the listing of every weapon ever used by English/European martial artists. However, some of the main ones traditionally used in English martial arts are:

The list of weapons above is by no means comprehensive, the variety in use was truly astounding. It should be pointed out that a large percentage of such weapons were common to many peoples. However, as people of common or similar heritage began to develop cultures unique to themselves so differences in weapon usage developed. Although it has to be said that the various schools of martial arts that eventually developed retained much that was common to all. Similar parallels can be seen in karate or kung fu systems, for example, which have certain distinct methods which mark them out as unique but still share things common to all.

The Company of Maisters concerns itself with weapons and/or methods used in foot combat as obviously mounted warriors either used different weapons or used common weapons in a different manner. For example, spear or sword fighting from horseback would obviously be somewhat different to doing it on foot. Further distinctions have to be made between weapons which were best suited to the tactics of group/squadron fighting, such as the long pike and those which were used individually. Individual use covered both single-combat and warfare, since even large battles often broke down into hundreds of individual fights.

It is worth noting that some nations had such a fondness of, and skill in using, specific weapons that they shared the name of the weapon. The Franks were renowned for using a small throwing axe known as the Francisca. The Saxons for their part were famed for using the Seax, a blade weapon/tool that varied in length between that of knife and sword.

Some Definitions
The backsword was so named because it only had one cutting edge. The non-cutting edge (the back of the blade) was much thicker than the cutting edge thus creating a wedge type shape which was said to increase the weapons cutting capacity.

The bastard sword, is said to be so named because it falls in size between the broadsword and the two-hand sword (i.e. it doesn't have a family of its own). In combat this sword could be wielded single-handed but the grip was long enough to get a partial grip on it with the other hand. For this reason they are also known as hand-and-a-half swords. However, it must be pointed out that there is some confusion over the exact classification of this sword because there are those who think that the bastard sword and the hand-and-a-half sword were in fact two distinct types. Further confusion is added by the fact that some authorities believe that the bastard sword was really the so called war-sword/sword of war.

Buckler, it has become a matter of convenience to classify the buckler as a round shield with a single grip. The definition is a convenient one to use but the reader should be aware that the ancients were not so pedantic about such definitions and used the term indifferently. The name itself (buckler) is a corruption of the Old French word bocler meaning boss, which refers to the boss at the centre of the shield. In the same light, it has become a matter of convenience to consider shields to be defined by virtue of having two grips/loops.

Billhook, a pole arm with a metal head the cutting edge of which was concave. Their use was similar to that of the Chinese kwando/kuantoh, although their appearances were not exactly similar. The billhook was the mainstay of English infantry forces for centuries and was capable not only of killing mail/armour clad opponents but also of killing horses, an important factor when facing cavalry forces. Billhooks came in a large variety of shapes and dimensions.

Threshalls, this was the nickname for corn flails used by farmers to thresh their corn. Similar in appearance to, but much larger than, nunchakus (they could be up to six or seven feet long). They were formidable weapons and were often used in warfare, military versions would often have spikes at the end of the striking arm (the swingle).

Cudgel (shortstick), This term is used for convenience since the term cudgel can be applied to any club type weapon. Although clubs were used on the battlefield they were only likely to have been resorted to by the poorest of peasants. The cudgel as used by the Company of Maisters is a stick roughly of walking stick proportions which, apart from being a useful weapon for civilian self-defence was also used as a training medium for the backsword. Indeed, using the stick became known as backswording. Backswording contests were at one time very popular at fairs and revels (there is a superb, contemporary description of backswording in Tom Brown's Schooldays). Such contests were won by 'breaking' an opponent's head. This actually meant to produce a wound of at least an inch in length from which blood could be seen flowing. There is a tendency for some people to interchange the terms singlestick and backsword (as in the stick). This should be resisted at all costs since the singlestick was a medium for learning the use of the smallsword/post renaissance cut and thrust weapon. Whereas the 'cudgel' was, as stated, for learning the use of the backsword/broadsword.

Shortstaff/Longstaff. The shortstaff eventually became known as the quarterstaff but it is worth reminding ourselves that the English (in common with others) also used a weapon known as the longstaff. The shortstaff could vary in length between 6 feet to 9 feet whilst the longstaff would be around twelve feet in length. The English shortstaff fighting system was a composite of quarter-staffing and half-staffing. The former took its name from the fact that a quarter of the length of the staff was held between the hands with the tip of the weapon pointing directly at the opponent. The latter from the fact that half the length of the staff was held between the hands, with the hands being held equidistant from each end of the staff. Half-staffing, because the staff was held at right-angles to the body, was for close-in fighting, whereas quarter-staffing was used to fight at longer range .

Pitchfork, a typical peasants' weapon which needs no introduction. It is worth noting that there were military versions of this weapon, some of which had a prong protruding at right angles from the base of the tines.

Maul, this was the old English name for the mallet. A utility agricultural tool, it was often faced with lead. One historical reference describes an English knight, named Billefort, using a maul weighing twenty-five pounds when fighting, in 1315, a combat against French knights. The maul was a popular secondary weapon of English longbowman brought into use when hand-to-hand fighting occurred.