Now rare or Obs. (replaced by SWORDSMAN). Pl. -men. [f. SWORD sb. + MAN sb.1]
1. A man who uses or fights with a sword; a gladiator; one skilled in, or addicted to, using a sword; spec. one skilled in fencing: = SWORDSMAN 1.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), V. 23. Þat swerdman was i. slawe.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 483/1. Swerde man, or he þat vsythe a swerde, gladiator.
14[?]. Gest of Robyn Hode, clxix. in Child, Ballads (1888), III. 64/2. Thou art one of the best sworde-men That euer yit sawe I.
1500. Ortus Vocab., Gladiator, a swerd mane.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., II. Ad Sect. xii. 58. Peter was the boldest of the twelve, and a good Sword-man.
1652. Nicholas Papers (Camden), 290. It is here said your favourite Dr. Froissard is become of late a quarrelsome sword-man.
1670. Milton, Hist. Eng., IV. Wks. 1851, V. 148. Cuichelm … sent privily Eumerus a hir’d Sword-man to assassin him.
1692. Sir W. Hope, Fencing-Master (ed. 2), 164. I have given you the Directions to make you a Sword-Man.
1728. D. McBane (title), The Expert Sword-Man’s Companion: or the True Art of Self-Defence.
b. A soldier who fights with a sword; one of a body of troops armed with swords; hence, an armed follower.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 16673. The speremen ride, the bowemen schote,… The swordmen smyte & strokes ȝeue.
1422. Yonge, trans. Secr. Secr., 215. In the ryght hande of thyne enemys, the Swerde mene; In the lyfte hande, the Iusters wyth Speris.
1610. Cal. St. Papers Irel. (1874), 416. It is to be wished that the swordmen, not only of Ulster but of Connaught, were transmitted upon this occasion to Swethen or Virginia.
1612. Sir J. Davies, Why Ireland, etc. (1787), 35. They and all their sword-men should clearly relinquish … unto the King … all their lands … which they held in Leinster.
1617. Moryson, Itin., II. 100. Two things remained to settle the Kingdome. First the ridding Ireland of the Swordmen.
1632. Star Chamber Cases (Camden), 113. There were manie accusacions against Hugh Erswicke and his sword-man.
1669–70. R. Montagu, in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 468. The sword men are discontented to hear they are not likely to be employed for a year at least.
2. A man ‘of the sword’; a warrior, military man, fighter, soldier. Also fig.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, II. i. 62. Worthy fellowes, and like to prooue most sinewie sword-men [printed -man].
1621–31. Laud, Serm. (1847), 13. David was a swordman with a witness:—one of the greatest warriors that ever was.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., II. § 26. The Earl of Essex … the most Popular man of the Kingdom, and the Darling of the Swordmen.
1651. Howell, Venice, 188. How much it did misbecom Bishops … who make profession of a life differing from Sword-men, to change the Crosier into Musket rests.
1668. R. L’Estrange, Vis. Quev. (1708), 73. Sword-Men; As Generals of Armies, Captains, Lieutenants, Common Soldiers.
1679. C. Nesse, Antichrist, 39. His sworn swordmen the jesuits.
1708. J. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., I. III. iv. (1710), 190. This … Degree [of Knight Batchelor] … was … bestowed upon Gown-Men, contrary to the nature of the thing (as Degrees in the Universities are sometimes bestowed on Sword-men).
[1900. Morley, Cromwell, V. iv. 413. Such an innovation should be a warning not to vote for swordmen nor for the Protector’s friends.]
Hence Swordmanship = SWORDSMANSHIP.
1781. Cowper, Charity, 509. No skill in swordmanship, however just, Can be secure against a madman’s thrust.
