[lit-ideas] Re: Martis Defensio/Offesnsio: The Shield and the Arrow
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:46:47 EST
"Here's a question for someone will good access to a complete OED, something
I don't have at present: why, or perhaps more accurately, how was it that
the word in English for the thing that surrounds a field, yard or garden and
the genteel play of swords both came to be called "fencing"? Do they have
things in common or is this a coincidence?"
While no coincidence, and the OED allows for 'fence' being
short for both _defense_ and _offense_. Although in fencing a field (as
opposed to fencing the sword) I cannot see,
nor Helm will?, I cannot see how that can be offensive. (But trust him to
find a Spartan argument to the contrary)
The OED's entry is not a tidy neat one, and for all its historical
principles, the organisations of senses is pretty messy. They have the sense
of use of
sword with cites, as coming -- SEMANTICALLY? -- before the use of fence as
in field-protection. But the cites testify that the SECOND use (of fence qua
verb I'm speaking here), i.e. the field-related one dates from the 1400s, and
the first use they give for fence v. to use the sword is Shakespeare.
Good luck, illustrate the talk well, and keep us posted!
Cheers,
JL
----
fence, from DEFENCE (apeth. cf. 'lure' apeth of 'veLOUR')
as noun:
1330 R. BRUNNE Chron. Wace (Rolls) 8638 en Octa studied in his ought: To
stonde to fens auailled nought. 1375 BARBOUR Bruce xx. 384 That for default
of fenss so was To-fruschit in-to placis ser. c1430 Syr Tryam. 551 He stode
at fence ageyne them. a1400-50 Alexander 4753 For nouthire fondis he to flee
ne na fens made. c1500 Felon Sowe Rokeby in Whitaker Craven (1878) 569 Yet,
for the fence that he colde make, Scho strake yt fro his hande.
1425 WYNTOUN Cron. IX. xxi. 12 e Hous of fens of Dalwolsy. 1463 Mann. &
Househ. Exp. (1841) 158 Ffusten..ffor to make doblettys off ffence. c1470
HENRY
Wallace v. 1095 No man of fens is left that house within. 1488 Will of
Sharnebourne (Somerset Ho.), Doblette of fence. 1514 Will of R. Peke of Wkd. 4
June, All my cottes of fense of manse body. 1555 Reg. Gild Corp. Christi York
(Surtees) 202 My coote of fenst, and steele cappe. 1664 Flodden F. I. 5 Each
house of fence to fortify.
1533 UDALL Flowres Latine Speaking (1560) 133 Disciplina gladiatoria,
is..the waie of trainyng men in..the schooles that maisters of fence keepe.
1535
in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford 131 Dennys, a poore scholler and a teacher
of fence. 1599 SHAKES. Much Ado V. i. 75 Ile proue it on his body..Despight
his nice fence. 1651 HOBBES Leviath. I. v. 22 Trusting to the false rules of
a master of Fence. 1828 SCOTT F.M. Perth iv, A man must know his fence, or
have a short lease of his life. 1831 Examiner 17/2 He will point his sword
at shadows, and make fence at your cat. 1855 MACAULAY Hist. Eng. IV. 459 A man
of..consummate skill in fence. 1863 MRS. C CLARKE Shaks. Char. iii. 87
Osric..comes to announce..the wager at fence with Laertes.
1634 MILTON Comus 790 Enjoy your..gay rhetoric, That hath so well been
taught her dazzling fence. 1862 MERIVALE Rom. Emp. (1865) V. xliv. 254 Fence
of
tongue was the weapon with which they were to maintain..their honour. 1871
BLACKIE Four Phases i. 79 The Sophists were cunning masters of fence. 1883
Contemp. Rev. June 871 That shrewd critic and experienced professor of
Parliamentary fence.
c1440 Promp. Parv. 155/1 Fence, defence fro enmyes, proteccio, defensio.
1565 JEWEL Repl. Harding 550 It is thought to be the surest fence, &
strongest
warde for that Religion, that they should be keapte stil in ignorance. 1627
MAY Lucan II. 408 His choisest buildings were but fence for cold. 1691 T.
H[ALE] Acc. New Invent. 39 To deliver up his Majesty's Ships to
the..Worm..wholly unprovided of any Fence against them. 1745 De Foe's Eng.
Tradesman
(1841) I. ix. 67 Employment is said to be the best fence against temptation.
1756
NUGENT Montesquieu's Spir. Laws (1758) I. XII. ii. 261 The subject has no
fence to secure his innocence.
Proverb. 1674 N. FAIRFAX Bulk & Selv. 98, I dare be bold to say, 'Tis such
a flail as there can ne're be fence for. 1730 SWIFT Poems, On Stephen Duck
115 The Proverb says; No Fence against a Flail.
c1400 Destr. Troy 7363 He was fully the fens..Of all the tulkes of Troy.
1552 Godly Prayers in Liturg. Serv. Q. Eliz. (1847) 248 O Lord Jesus Christ,
the only stay and fence of our mortal state.
c1440 Promp. Parv. 155/1 Fence, or defence of closynge (clothynge, P.).
1548 UDALL, etc. Erasm. Par. Luke x. 4, I send you forth naked, wythout
weapon
or fense. 1671 GREW Anat. Plants (1682) I. ii. 17 The Skin is the Fence of
the Cortical Body. 1697 DRYDEN Virg. Georg. II. 483 A hilly Heap of Stones
above to lay, And press the Plants with Sherds of Potters Clay. This Fence
against immod'rate Rain they found. 1700 S. L. tr. Fryke's Voy. E. Ind. 183
[The
river] is a mighty Fence to the City Odia. 1727 SWIFT Gulliver IV. iv. 278
My whole body wanted a fence against heat and cold. 1814 SCOTT Ld. of Isles
III. xix, Deer-hides o'er them cast, Made a rude fence against the blast.
1838 THIRLWALL Greece II. 278 They hastily formed a high fence out of the
wrecks round the fleet.
fig. 1732 T. LEDIARD Sethos II, Strangers would not believe there was a
sufficient fence against crimes. 1860 PUSEY Min. Proph. 311 They sin, who
first
remove the skin..or outward tender fences of God's graces.
qua verb:
1598 SHAKES. Merry W. II. iii. 14 Alas sir, I cannot fence. 1684 R. H.
School Recreat. 57 Defending your self from the Thrusts or Blows of those you
Fence with. 1737 FIELDING Hist. Reg. III. Wks. 1882 X. 225, I do a warrior! I
never learnt to fence. 1779 SHERIDAN Critic III. Wks. 1873 II. 181 Captain,
thou hast fenced well! 1829 LYTTON Disowned 147, I hope you both fence and
shoot well.
---
1435 Nottingham Rec. II. 355 Thay to fens it [Est Croft] ham selfe at
thayre awne coste. 1494 FABYAN Chron. VII. 466 Ye Englysshe hoste..was
myghtely
fensyd with wood and tryes. 1535 COVERDALE Ezek. xxxvi. 35 The..broken
downe cities, are now stronge and fensed agayne. 1583 STANYHURST Æneis II.
(Arb.)
54 Whate forte were best to be fenced? 1611 BIBLE Isa. v. 2 Hee fenced it,
and gathered out the stones thereof. 1631 T. MAY tr. Barclay's Mirrour of
Mindes ii. 39 The lands of priuate men..were fenced with ditches. 1650 FULLER
Pisgah III. ii. 317 The roofs were flat and fenced with battlements. 1719 DE
FOE Crusoe (1840) I. x. 173 Well fenced either with hedge or pale. 1793
Trans. Soc. Encourag. Arts IV. 4 Which are all fenced with a good stone wall.
1832 LYTTON Eugene A. I. i. 3 The greater part of them fenced also from the
un~frequented road a little spot.
absol. 1892 Midland News 4 Mar. 6 We must fence more, and we shall
be..independent of herds.
fig. 1683 BURNET tr. More's Utopia (1685) 110 The Minds of the Utopians,
when fenced with a Love for Learning. 1763-5 CHURCHILL Poems, Conference, Thy
writings so well fenc'd in Law. 1841 MYERS Cath. Th. IV. §26. 306 The Jews
were..fenced against communion with them. 1843 H. ROGERS Ess. (1860) III. 46
Vincentius..takes care..to fence his proposition with..limitations. 1870
EMERSON Soc. & Solit., Bks. Wks. (Bohn) III. 77 The men themselves were..fenced
by etiquette.
1535 COVERDALE 2 Chron. xiv. 7 Let vs buylde vp these cities, and fense
them rounde aboute with walles. 1611 BIBLE Job xix. 8 Hee hath fenced vp my
way. 1615 G. SANDYS Trav. 100 Which makes the countrey people to fence in
those places. 1667 MILTON P.L. IV. 697 On either side Acanthus..Fenc'd up the
verdant wall. 1697 W. DAMPIER Voy. I. viii. 222 These leaves are fenced round
with strong Prickles above an inch long. 1713 STEELE Englishman No. 3. 15
His Property is fenced about with Laws and Privileges. 1822 ‘B. CORNWALL’
Poems, Let. Boccaccio v, Her dwelling was Fenced round by trees. 1869 R. B.
SMYTH Goldfields of Victoria 610 Fencing in a Claim, making a drive round the
boundaries of an alluvial claim to secure the wash-dirt. 1877 E. R. CONDER
Bas. Faith viii. 349 It will be difficult to fence in securely on the side of
Pantheism.
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