The hurt of the broad warde at Rapier and Dagger.

I

N each weapon and warde, I have layde downe as a generall precept, that no man ought, (either for the procuring of any advantage, either for ſtriking the enimie more readily) deliver blowes of the edge, And in like ſorte, I have ſaide, that eaſily and with ſmall danger, one may be ſtrooken under any ſuch blowe: which precepts, as in each time and place, they ougth to be obſerved: ſo in this warde principally they may not be forgotten. For a man may not without great diſcommoditie and loſse of time, ſtrike with any edgeblowe, as he ſtandeth at this warde.

It reſteth therefore, that the thruſt be onely uſed, which ought to be delivered with the encreaſe of the foote forwards, alwaies regarding before it be given, if it be poſsible) to beate awaie the point of the enimies ſworde with the Dagger.

The defence of the broad warde at Rapier and Dagger.

His thruſt alſo as well as the other may be warded after three ſortes, to wit: with the Dagger only, with the ſword only, and with both ioyned together. But for a mans defence in any of theſe waies, it is good to ſtande at the lowe warde. And when he wardeth with the dagger only, he muſt make a ſlope pace, and finding the enimies ſworde, with his ſaid dagger, diſcharge a thruſt underneath with the increaſe of a ſtraight pace.

And when he wardeth with the ſworde onely (which is the beſt of any other, both to ſtrike the enimie, and defend himſelfe) he muſt oppoſe the edge of his ſworde againſt the enimies, and drive a thruſt at his face, fetching a compaſse with his hinderfoote, both for the lengthning of the thruſt, and aſsuring of himſelfe.

It is poſsible to withſtand the thruſt with the ſworde and dagger ioyned together: but is is ſo diſcommodious and ſo rediculous a waie, that I leave to ſpeake thereof, as of a waye nothing ſafe to be practiſed.

The hurt of the lowe warde at Rapier and dagger.

N each warde, when one ſtandeth bearing the poynt of the ſworde towards the enimie, it doth much diſadvantage him to ſtrike with the edge. And if in any ſorte it be lawfull ſo to do, it is, when he ſtandeth at the lowe warde: For it is commodious, and there is ſpent but little time in the beſtowing of an edgeblowe betweene thruſtes. Or, the rather to trie the enimie, there may be delivered an edgeblow from the wriſt of the hand, in the which as there is ſpent little time, ſo the poynt is carried but a litle out of the ſtraight lyne, ſo that the enimie may very hardly enter to ſtrike under either of theſe blowes. But it is better, not to uſe them, reſolving rather to diſcharge thruſt after thruſt, then any edgeblowe.

This warde may (as the high ward) be framed after two ſortes, to wit: with the right foote behinde, and the ſame foote before: but that with the right foote behind, is uſed rather to expect the enimie that to ſtrike firſt. For although it carrieth great force by reaſon that the ſworde is farre off from hurting, and before it hitteth home, it ſpendes much time, yet the hurt thereof may eaſily be warded, either with the weapon, or by retyring a pace. I will ſpeake of that onely which is framed with the right foote before. And in this, one may ſtrike two waies, to wit: either within or without: By (Within) I underſtand, when his ſworde is borne betweene the enimies ſword & dagger. By (Without) I meane, when any one of them is borne in the middle againſt the other.

When one findeth himſelfe within, at the halfe of the enimies ſword, the poynt whereof, is directed to ſtrike at the right ſide, he muſt verie ſwiftly encreaſe a ſlope pace, and in a manner ſtraight, to the ende he may approch the neerer his enimie, and therewithall ſuddenly barring the enimies ſworde in the middle with his owne ſworde and dagger, encreaſe a ſtraight pace, and deliver a trhuſt.

This may be done after another plainer waie, and that is: when he ſtandeth at the halfe ſworde, to beat the enimies ſwordes point out of the ſtraight lyne on that ſide which ſhalbe moſt commodious, and in that lyne encreaſing his foote forwards to drive a forcible thruſt, at the enimiew face or breſt.

But ſtanding without, he maie (with the encreaſe of his foote forwards) give a thruſt at the face, which the enimie of neceſsitie muſt defend with his ſword: but therein the ſword and the poynt thereof is commonly carried out of the ſtraight line, in which caſe he may (with the encreaſe of a ſlope pace) turne a reverſe at the legges, and then preſently ſomething withdrawing his ſworde, deliver a thruſt underneath with the encreaſe of a ſtraight pace.

He may alſo after a ſecond manner, give a right edgeblow from the wriſt, as ſhort and ſtrong as is poſsible, not ſo much pretending to ſtrike as to finde the enimies ſworde: And it being ſuddenly found hee muſt with the encreaſe of a ſlope or crooked pace, lift up his hand and drive a thruſt downwards, with the increaſe of a ſtraight pace.

After a thride ſort alſo, he may ſtrike, and that is to deliver the foreſaid blowe from the wriſt, and having met with the enimies ſworde, to make preſently a ſlope pace, and ſtaie the ſworde with his dagger, and then nimbly recovering his owne ſworde, to thruſt underneath with the increaſe of a ſtraight pace.

Theſe be ſufficient, concerning that which may be done in this warde with the ſworde both within and without, at leaſt, for ſo much as may be done by true Arte.