The following roundup represents a group that goes together in my head as Civilian/Self-Defense Martial Arts in the late Renaissance to early-Victorian eras. I chose to keep boxing manuals separate, because they are generally later than these manuals.

Johann Georg Passchen’s Vollstandiges Ring-buch (1659). These other versions are probably based on Eli Steenput’s translation:

• HACA

• AEMMA

Nicolaes Petter’s Clear Instructions to the Excellent Art of Wrestling (1674) (also translated by Eli Steenput). “Teaching how one can defend oneself in all occurrences of violence, and how to counter all grips, pushes, punches etc. Most useful against troublemakers and those seeking to offend others, or that threaten one with a knife.”

• Petter (untranslated, good scans)

Norfolk Wrestling by Charles Layton (The Celebrated Game Chicken) (1830’s)

Zachary Wylde’s Concise Rules of Wrestling, Plainly Demonstrated (1711)

Sir Thomas Parkyns “The Inn-Play or Cornish-Hugg Wrestler” (1727 version)

Donald Walker’s “Defensive Exercises” (1840). I can’t find the full thing online anymore, but here is some of the important sections:

• Walker- wrestling section only, but transcribed and good scans

• Walker- singlestick section only, but again, good scans

[Update- the AHFAA site appears defunct. I'll get around to poping the images up myself one day, in the meantime, contact me directly if you need a copy.]

• Walker- shillelagh section only, but good scans

Here’s some shots from Petter (keep in mind we’re talking 17th century Dutch martial arts here):