Chinese martial artists call the staff “the grandfather of all weapons”. When we study our historical fighting manuals the old British masters seem to absolutely agree when it comes to our own Quarterstaff.

But why? Who trained with it? And how do you use a Quarterstaff?

What’s a Quarterstaff?

A wooden staff 7-9 feet long would be called a “short staff”, a “long staff” being anything longer ^[1]. The best were made from Ash ^[2], and we have a few theories on the name:

• One Victorian writer thought “Quarterstaff” referred to the way it was held^[3]

• A “quarter blow” used to mean a powerful swinging attack the staff could have been known for^[4]

• Making a Quarterstaff involves “Quartering” an ash tree into 4 parts. This is probably the simplest explanation.

Once you learned how to use the Quarterstaff you understood how to use all the pole-arms of the Isles ^[1][5]:

• Spear

• Javelin

• Partisan

• Glaive

• Half pike

• Bayonet

• Battle axe

• Halberd

• English bill

• Welsh hook

The last few had some extra tricks to learn but not bad for one little stick. Plenty of masters couldn’t praise it enough. Zach Wylde in 1711 writes “For a man that rightly understands it, may bid defiance and laugh at any other weapon”^[6].

He goes on to say that Quarterstaff techniques are basically a fusion of Broadsword and Smallsword (the cutting and thrusting swords of the day). There’s an element of truth to that depending on the historical manual you’re studying.

Who trained with the Quarterstaff?

Anyone! Everyone!

From Thomas Barratt the stage gladiator called “old chopping block” teaching wandering woodsmen and gamekeepers“He taught the use of the broad sword for the army, and the quarter staff for park keepers, woodmen and others”^[7]…

To Gentleman George Hale who recommended everyone study “single Rapier and Quarter-staffe “ to complete their martial arts education^[8].

It was more commonly carried than the sword if we go by court records. In Nottinghamshire between 1485 and 1558 the staff was used in 53 out of 103 reported murders. The sword? Only 9^[9].

Running a business? Better keep your staff handy. In the reign of Henry VIII inn owner Long Meg of Winchester had to challenge a dine and dash customer to “take that staffe and have a bout with me for thy breakfast”^[9].

In the 15^thC a Mr. Austin Bagger the Waterman was attacked by an angry rapier wielding passenger. Austin remembers his lessons and the customer gets “thoroughly beaten with oars”^[9].

An essential skill for the small businessman it seems.

How do you use a quarterstaff?

We know what it looks like, we know how important it was, so how do you use it?

It depends who you ask.

The first instructions we get are from an anonymous 15^thC manual in a manuscript “Cotton MS Titus A xxv”^[10]. It’s…well let me give you an excerpt:

“And thanne iij quarteres And a rownde and ii rakes in þe rownes iij quarteres closed A j rounde war hym your armes be hynde han ij hawkes for þe wrong syde”

Yea. Attempts have been made to modernise the instructions but we’ll never know for sure how accurate the results are.

The next instructions we get are easier to follow. George Silver in the 16^thC shows us some fundamentals^[1]:

• Guards that would be known as the point up “low ward” and the point down “high ward” (shown in the pictures below)

• The thrust double (thrusting with both hands on the staff) and the thrust single (letting go with the forward hand for a longer ranged thrust)

• Stronger than your opponent? Strike aside his staff then attack

• Weaker than your opponent? When he swings at you pull back to avoid the attack then strike back (give em the “slip”)