T: First and foremost, we ascribe to the pretext of chivalry and honor. Noble people did not manhandle each other, especially in tourney.

Additionally, it would be unsporting and unchivalric in a combat of "arms" to use your hands.

Now if you make reference to the Fetchbuch (which is German), or the English (John Silver), French, or Italian manuals of sword (and other weapons) combat that is a different matter altogether.

You can't take something out of a specific time and place and not put it into perspective as it relates to it's time and place.

15th Century Europe was growing and changing rapidly. Ever increasing populations and nationalistic decay led to increasing lawlessness. The manuals you make reference to, were primarily a response to the time and the developing "civilian" need for defense. Civilian swords were common place in the 15 th century. Manuals of arms were an attempt to codify their practice of arms. For the most part these weren't Infantry manual of arms for massed armies.

Another point is this... they are 15th century manuals. The scope of the SCA is much wider in time span, and a bit more romanticized, as well as more narrowly focused (the Noble tourney as opposed to open warfare.)