Now rare or Obs. One skilled in sword-play; chiefly, a gladiator; also, a fencer.
14[?]. Nom., in Wr.-Wülcker, 696/37. Hic gladiator, a swerdplaer.
1538. Elyot, Addit., Bustuarij, sworde players, whiche went before the ded corpsis whan they were borne to be burned.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 115. Settinge them in order of battell after his swoordeplayers fasshion.
1586. J. Hooker, Hist. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 27/1. The plaie or game of swordplaiers or maisters of defense.
1608. Willet, Hexapla Exod., 640. A Romane Emperour is said to haue seene in his smaragd the sword players as they did fight.
1627. [see sword-fight, SWORD sb. 6 a].
1671. Milton, Samson, 1323. Have they not Sword-players, and ev’ry sort Of Gymnic Artists?
1693. Dryden, Juvenal, iv. (1697), 71. In a Prize of Sword-Players, when one of the Fencers had the other at his Mercy, the Vanquish’d Party implor’d the Clemency of the Spectators.
1823. Scott, Quentin D., xxxv. ‘Nay!’ said the Countess,… ‘Would you hold me out as a prize to the best sword-player?’
So † Sword-playing = SWORD-PLAY 1 b.
14[?]. Lat.-Eng. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 586/35. Gladiatura, a swerdpleyynge, or bokeler pleyynge.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, xx. (1592), 315. Justs,… Swordplayings, Wrestlings, buffetings.
