English Champions: James "The First" Figg

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id...ce=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

It is interesting that this seems to list Figg as a swordfighter, not a boxer (like Broughton), in this, which unless a forgery, is the writings of Godfrey which I thought most of the info on Figg went back to. It also seems odd that he was 3rd mentioned, while Broughton was the first boxer mentioned, though maybe I'm overthinking things.

Edit: I'll add in what he said about Fig. Interestingly the first he mentions is Timothy Buck
From A Treatise Upon the Useful Science of Defence By Capt. John Godfrey 1747

TIMOTHY BUCK was a most solid Master, it was apparent in his Performances, even when grown decrepid, and his old Age could not hide his uncommon Judgement, He was the Pillar of the Art, and all his Followers, who excelled, built upon him.​

It then speaks on another master, Mr Millar, but I'll skip to Figg
From A Treatise Upon the Useful Science of Defence By Capt. John Godfrey 1747

FIG was the Atlas of the Sword, and may he remain the gladiating Statue ! In him, Strength, Resolution, and unparallel'd Judgement conspired to form a matchless Master. There was a Majesty shone in his Countenance, and blazed in all his Actions, beyond all I ever saw. His right Leg bold and firm, and his left which could hardly ever be disturbed, gave him the surprising Advantage already proved, and struck his Adversary with Despair and Panic. He had that peculiar way of stepping in, I spoke of, in a Parry ; he knew his Arm and it’s just time of moving, put a firm Faith in that, and . never let his Adversary escape his Parry. He was just as much a greater MASTER, than any other I ever saw, as he was a greater Judge of Time and Measure.
​

 

Derby Mercury - Thursday 22 October 1730
Yesterday the invincible Mr. James Figg fought at this Amphitheatre, Mr. Holmes, an Irishman, who keep an Inn at Yaul near Waterford in Ireland, and came into England on purpose to fight this Champion, when Mr. Figg (fighting with his usual Bravery and Judgement (ar the second Bout cut him over the left Wrist to the Bone, in so desperate a manner that he was disabled and went off the Stage; this being the Two Hundered and Seventy - first Prize Mr Fig has Fought, and was never conquer'd. We Therefore beg leave to incert the following Lines in Honour of this British Heroe.

FIGG's Triumphant: Or, Hibernia's Defeat.

Inspir'd with generous Thist of Martial Fam,
Figg's early Years presag'd his future Name;
As Hannibal, e'regrown to Manhood's Bloom,
Swore in his Blood fell Enmity with Rome,
Like Ardor did our Infant Hero Grace,
Like Dire Aversion to th' Hibernian Race:
Long in successful Fight both Champions view'd,

Their Oath accomplish'd, and their Foes subdu'd;
But hereth illustious Parrallel must end,
And Africk's Warrior to Britania's bend,
Events unequal their last Fights attend;
The former loses what he earn'd before,
The latter closes all his past with on grand Triumph more.

Another Gladiator of the Establishment seeing his Countryman Defeated, made the following Speech upon the Stage.

I Felix Maguire from the City of Dublin, finding the Rising Sun of my Native Country's Glory setting on Britannia's Orb, am fully determin'd to disspiate the melancholly Cloud hanging over Hibernia's drooping Head, by inviting Edward Sutton the Kentish Hero to Meet me upon this Stage on the 21st of this Instant to fight, other-wise forfeit the Box. And calls to Remembrance the Song of an old Author, who sings,

Not Man, nor Sword I dread; but Winter's Frost,
Unless I fight, more than I'm worth will cost.​

The Kentish Hero's ANSWER
I will not fail to meet him, and as I find him to be a Son of the Muses as well as Mars, therefore to shew him I can pass a Bill of Exchange, I answer him as Ben Johnson did the Highwayman

Wer't thou Great Holmes, or the revived Ghost
Of famous B---k, my courage is not lost;
For know, base Slave, that I am one of those,
Can fight a Man as well in Verse as Prose:
And when thou'r dead, write this upon thy Hearse,
Here lies a Swordsmanthat was slain in Verse.​

NB Great wagers have been laid on both side, but the Victor can't be known till next Week.


Some bits were hard to read towards the end, and I may have gotten some letters wrong

 

Figg died on Dec 7, 1734, not Dec 8. "On Saturd. morn. the 7th inst.", per Reliquiæ Hearnianæ (1857; vol. 2, p. 852).

 

Derby Mercury - Thursday 01 June 1732
On Tuesday there was a Tryal in the Court of King's Bench at Westminister, Between Mr. Warwick and Mr. Smith, Sheriffs Officers, Plaintiffs, and Mr. Figg, the famous Prize Fighter, Defendant, the Jury gave the Plantiffs 100l. Damage.
Afterwards a Tryal was had, in which said Mr. Figg was Plaintiff, and said Warwick and Smith Defendants, for a Trespass, in unlawfully entering his House; in which Case the Jury gave Mr. Figg 100l. Damage.



Derby Mercury - Thursday 12 December 1734
On Sunday died of a Lethargy the famous Mr. Figg, the most eminent Prize-fighter of this Age

 

1734-12-09 The Daily Advertiser (London, England) (page 1)
On Saturday Morning died Mr. James Figg, the famous Prize-Fighter, at his House in Oxford-Road.


Dec 9, 1734 was Monday, so Saturday was Dec 7.

 

1719-06-20 The Original Weekly Journal (London, England) (page 1461)
At the Boarded-House in Marybone Fields: On Wednesday next, being the 24th of June, 1719, will be perform'd a Tryal of Skill, by two Masters.

I William Broadmead, lately Serjeant of Dragoons, born at Silverton near Exon in Devonshire, Master of the Noble Science of Defence, and have fought many good Masters in England and Ireland, hearing of the Character of this Brave and Bold Master James Figg, Master of the said Science, to be one of the best Masters in England, do invite him to exercise the usual Weapons with me for 20 Guineas, although I never fought in London, nor never seen him fight.

I James Figg, from Thame in Oxfordshire, Master of the said Science, never thought to mount the Stage any more, but hearing of the Character of this bold Master, will not refuse to fight him at the Time and Place appointed, for 20 Guaineas above-mention'd, and do not doubt but to give him, and the Spectators, Satisfaction as usual.

N. B. Each Master finds his own Weapons, and him that giveth most Cuts shall have the 20 Guineas.

 

1719-08-22 The Original Weekly Journal (London, England) (page 1515)
At the Boarded-House in Marybone-Fields; On Wednesday, being the 26th of August, 1719, will be perform'd a Tryal of Skill.

Whereas I Richard Stinson, (commonly known by the Name of Gray Lock) from Dublin in Ireland, Master of the Noble Science of Defence, having a Difference upon the Stage with Mr. James Figg, and his insisting upon the Wound he received to be very foul, do therefore Invite him to fight me for the whole House, and to mount the Stage without Seconds.

I James Figg, Master of the said Science, from Thame in Oxfordshire, who fought the said Stinson, one Bout, and received a Wound, which I do still insist upon to be very foul, and a Report spread abroad, by many People, that I was dead of the said Wound, will therefore (God willing) meet him at the Place and Time appointed, to let him know that I have Life enough in me still to give him sufficient Satisfaction, and to fight upon no other Terms than for the whole House, and without Seconds.

The Doors will be open at Three, and the Masters mount at Six.

 

1719-09-05 The Original Weekly Journal (London, England) (page 1527)
At the Old Bear-Garden in Hockley in the Hole, on Tuesday being the 8th of September, 1719, will be perform'd a Tryal of Skill.

A John Magasse, commonly call'd by the Name of the bold Indian, Master of the noble Science of Defence, who have fought several Masters since I came to England, and have come off with Honour with every Master, as not to be bear, do, at the Request of several Persons of Quality, invite Mr. Figg, knowing him to be one of the best Masters in the three Kingdoms, to meet me and exercise the usual Weapons fought on the stage.

I James Figg, from Thame in Oxfordshire, Master of the said Science, did think to mount the Stage no more, but being desir'd, by several Persons of Quality, and Citizens of London, to fight this bold Indian Champion, who was never beat, will not fail, God willing, to meet him at the Place and Time appointed, this being the first time I ever mounted the Stage in this Place.

The Doors will be open at Three, and the Masters mount at Five.

 

1719-09-19 The Original Weekly Journal (London, England) (page 1539)
At the Old Bear-Garden in Hockley in the Hole, on Tuesday being the 22d of September, 1719, will be perform'd a Tryal of Skill, by two Masters of the Noble Science of Defence.

I John Magassy, commonly call'd by the Name of the bold Indian, Master of the noble Science of Defence, who lately fought Mr. Figg, do invite him once more to fight me in Holland Shirt, Holland Drawers, Thread Stockings, and Pumps, for the whole House, and he that gives the most Cuts to have all the Money in the Boxes, at the usual Weapons fought on the Stage.

I James Figg, from Thame in Oxfordshire, Master of the said Science of Defence, did think that I had given him sufficient Satisfaction as before, will not fail (God willing) to meet this bold Indian-Champion, on the Terms abovemention'd.

The Doors will be open at Three, and the Masters mount at Five, by reason of the Days being short.

 

1720-03-26 The Original Weekly Journal (London, England) (page 1700)
At the desire of several Persons of Quality, and Others,
At the Board House in Marybone-Fields, on Wednesday the 16th of March, 1720, was to have been fought a Tryal of Skill, between John Parkes from Coventry, and James Figg from Thame in Oxfordshire, Masters of the noble Science of Defence; but the Day being so very cold that the Gentlemen desired it might be put of till Wednesday the 30th instant, where the above named, Masters will not fail at the Time and Place appointed, to give a general Satisfaction to all Spectators.

N. B. They never design'd to have fought any more but the Sword has been so much a bur'd by pretended Masters, and Gentlemen deciev'd and have not seen the truth of it, which was the Occasion of this Battle; but for the future they will prevent all such coming on the Stage.

The Doors will be open at Three, and the Masters mount at Five.

 

1720-04-09 The Original Weekly Journal (London, England) (page 1713)
At the Boarded-House in Marybone-Fields, on Wednesday next, being the 13th of April, 1720, will be perform'd a Tryal of Skill.

I Thomas Ellmer from Dublin in Ireland, Master of the Noble Science of Defence, who have fought most of the best Masters in England, as Mr. Buck, Mr. Parkes, and several Others, which have been noted, and hearing of the great Character and Bravery of Mr. Figg, do invite him to meet me and exercise the usual Weapons fought on the Stage.

I James Figg from Thame in Oxfordshire, Master of the said Science, which is well known never refus'd the best of Masters that ever yet fought, will not fail (God willing) to meet this bold Inviter, at the Time and Place appointed, and don't doubt but to give as sufficient Proof of my Judgment, as I did on Wednesday last; and each Master finds his own Weapons.

The Doors will be open at Three, and the Master mount at Five.

 

1724-04-21 The Daily Post (London, England) (page 1)
At the usual Place, at Hockney in the Hole, to Morrow the 22d of April, will be perform'd a Tryal of Skill by two of the most celebrated Masters of the Science of Defence that are now, or have been known in Europe, the famous Mr. PERKINS, Taylor, from Dublin in Ireland, and Mr. JAMES FIGG of Oxfordshire. The former of which having flourish'd in those Parts with equal Honour and Applause, as Mr. James Figg has in these; so that there is likely to be another strange Phenomenon, or Eclipse, which was not prognosticated by our Astrologers, but it is not yet known whether it will be Total.

 

1724-04-28 The Daily Post (London, England) (page 1)
At the usual Place at Hockley in the Hole, on Wednesday next, being the 29th inst. will be perform'd a Trial of Skill by the following Masters.

Whereas I Robert Carter of the City of London, Master of the Noble Science of Defence, having by Ocular Demonstration found, that our Nation doth afford as good Proficients of the Sword as any other; and for a Specimen of the same, did Invite the Famous Mr. Figg, at the Conclusion of his last Encounter, as the only Person capable of exhibiting A trial thereof; Accordingly, I do hereby Re-invite the said Mr. Figg, that all Encouragers of the Science may be sensible of my Allegations, to meet me as above, and Exercise the usual weapons fought on the Stage.

I James Figg, from Thame in Oxfordshire, Master of the said Science, being not insensible of the Truth of Mr. Carter's Assertions having had the like Demonstration of him, as he of others; as aslo hearing of his advantageous Improvements, as has not only exceeded all he has experienced of late, but has likewise Equaliz'd him with any, will not fail to meet the said Mr. Carter as above, in order to give him an Opportunity of exerting his utmost Endeavours; and for my own Part shall, as I have always hitherto, do the like, not to recede from my usual Custom, and to give all Spectators intire Satisfaction.

N. B. The Doors will be open at Three, and Masters mount at Six precisely.

 

1724-05-12 The Daily Post (London, England) (page 2)
At the usual Place at Hockley in the Hole, to-morrow being Wednesday, the 13th Inst. will be perform'd a Trial of Skill by the following Masters. Whereas I, Christopher Perkins, from Dublin, Master of the Noble Science of Defence, having since my last Encounter with Mr. Figg, heard several Reflections concerning the same, which proceeding from People not weighing the many Disadvantages a Person coming so remote might lie under, being prepossest with the superlative invincible Character of the said Mr. Figg; but since my last Experience, that all may be undeceived who may imagine me incapable of equalizing him in the Judgment of the Sword, I do once more Invite him to meet me as above, and Exercise the usual Weapons fought on the Stage. I James Figg from Thame in Oxfordshire, Master of the said Science, finding that Mr. Perkins, by his Discourse, has either found out some Deficiency in my Judgment, or kept some of his own in f??? for me, or may be both, will not fail once more to give him an Opportunity of exerting the utmost of his Skill, by meeting him as above, assuring him, that I shall put so much of mine in Execution, as shall give a final Determination to all Disputes for the future, and which, I hope, at the same time will be to the satisfaction of all Spectators. N. B. The Doors will be open at Three, and the Masters mount at Six precisely.