- •The Authors Epiſtle unto divers Noble men and Gentle-men.
- •The Author, to the Reader
- •The meanes how to obtain Judgement.
- •The division of the Art
- •Of the Sword.
- •The division of the Sword
- •That everie blow of the point of the sword striketh circulerly and how he that striketh with the point, striketh streight.
- •Of wards
- •The high ward.
- •The broad ward.
- •The low Ward.
- •The hurt of the high warde at single Rapier.
- •The defence of the thrust of the high warde at Single Rapier
- •The hurt of the broad warde at Single Rapier.
- •The Defence of the broad Ward at Single Rapier.
- •The hurt of the Lowe warde at Single Rapier.
- •The Defence of the Lowe warde at Single Rapier.
- •The Rapier and Dagger.
- •The offence of the High warde at Rapier and Dagger.
- •Of the defence of high Warde at Rapier and Dagger.
- •The hurt of the broad warde at Rapier and Dagger.
- •The defence of the broad warde at Rapier and Dagger.
- •The hurt of the lowe warde at Rapier and dagger.
- •The defence of the lowe warde at Rapier & Dagger.
- •The Rapier and Cloake.
- •The manner how to handle the Cloake.
- •An advertisement concerning the warding and wrapping of the Cloake.
- •The hurt of the high ward at Rapier and Clok
- •The defence of the thrust, right and reversed blowes of the high warde at Rapier and Cloake.
- •The hurt of the broad warde, at Rapier and Cloake.
- •The defence of the broad warde, at Rapier and Cloake.
- •Of the hurt of the lowe warde, at Rapier and Cloake.
- •Of the defence of the lowe Warde at Rapier and Cloak.
- •Of the Sworde and Buckler
- •Of the Forme of the Buckler.
- •The manner how to handle the Buckler.
- •Of the hurt of the high warde at Sword and Buckler.
- •Of the defence of the high warde at Sworde and Buckler
- •Of the hurt of the broad Warde, at Sworde and Buckler.
- •The defence of the lowe warde, at Sword & buckler.
- •Of the Sworde & Target, called the Square Target.
- •The manner how to holde the Square Target.
- •The hurt of the high warde, at Sworde & Square Target.
- •The defence of the broad warde, at Sworde and Square Target.
- •Of the hurt of the lowe warde, at Sworde and Square Target.
- •Of the defence of the high warde, at Sworde and Square Target.
- •Of the Sworde & rounde Target.
- •Of the maner how to holde the round Target.
- •The hurt of the high warde, at sworde and round Target.
- •The defence of the high ward, at Sword & round Target.
- •The hurt of the broad warde, at Sworde & round Target.
- •The defence of the broad warde, at Sword & round Target.
- •The hurt of the lowe warde, at Sword & round Target.
- •Of the defence of the lowe warde, at Sword and round Target.
- •Of the Case of Rapyers
- •The manner how to handle two Rapiers
- •Of the high ward at two Rapiers
- •The defense of the high warde, &c.
- •Of the hurt of the broad ward at the two Rapyers
- •Of the defense of the broad ward at two Rapyers
- •Of the hurt of the low ward at the two Rapyers
- •Of the defense of the low ward at the two Rapyers
- •Of the two hand Sword
- •Of the maner how to handle the Two hand Sword, in single combat
- •Of the defense of the high ward, at the two hand sword
- •Of the hurt of the low ward at the two hand sworde
- •The defense of the low warde, at the two hand sword
- •Of the weapons of the Staffe, namely, the Bill, the Partisan, the Holbert, and the Javelin.
- •Of the Partesan.
- •Of Bill against Bill, Holberd against Holberd, or Holberd against Bill.
- •How to strike with the Holberd.
- •Of the defence of the heele, or blunt ende of the Holberd.
- •Of the hurt and ward of the Javelyn.
- •Of the defence of the thrustes of the Javelyn.
- •The manner how to handle the Pyke
- •For what cause the Pike maketh greater passage with the point than any other shorter weapon.
- •Of the wardes of the Pike.
- •Of the maner how to strike in the said wardes.
- •Of the defence of the wardes.
- •The Second Part intreatinge of Deceites and Falsinges of Blowes and Thrusts
The defence of the lowe warde at Rapier & Dagger.
A
Lthough in the defence of blowes in eche warde, there is great conſideration & heede to be taken: yet in this eſpecially is required a farr more excellent iudgement and readines in action. For this warde doth oppoſe it ſelfe againſt all others. And the greater part of blowes which are of importance, proceed from this warde.
Beſides, every man doth naturally more accuſtom himſelf to ſtaie and repoſe himſelfe in it, than in any other. Neither is it (as I beleeve) for any other cauſe, then that he knoweth, by ſo bearing himſelfe, he may eaſilie both ſtrike and defend. And becauſe in this warde, as I have before ſaide, in the hurt or offence thereof, it is more commodious to ſtrike with the edge than in any other warde, albeit, it is not there given for counſell to be good to uſe it. But yet becauſe it may eaſily happen, there ſhall be here layde downe ſome defence for it: calling this principle before any other to remembrance, (He that is neareſt, hitteth ſooneſt,) to the ende, that knowing what way either ſworde maketh, each man may reſolve himſelfe to deliver a thruſt under an edge blowe, by the which is prevented the fall of the ſaide blowe.
But becauſe none, but ſuch as are endued with deepe iudgement, great activitie, and ſtout courage, do or may ſafely put this in practiſe: And to the end alſo, that thoſe, who accuſtom to defend every blow, perfourming that in two times which might aſwell be done in one, may reſt ſatiſfied: I will laye downe the defence of the edgeblow.
Therefore, whenſoever edgeblows are given, they are either right or reverſed, high or low.
Againſt the right high blowe, either the onely dagger is to be oppoſed, either the ſworde and Dagger both together. When the onely dagger is uſed, then a ſtraight pace muſt be encreaſed, & the dagger handle lifted up to encounter the enimies ſword in the weakeſt parte thereof, & being ſuddenly found a ſtraight pace is to be encreaſed, and a thruſt underneath (alreadie prepared) to be diſcharged. But if the ſword and dagger be both together oppoſed, they both muſt be lifted up, and as ſoone as the blowe is encountred, the enimies face is to be cut by diſcharging a reverſe, with the onely turne of the hand, reſting & ſtaying it ſelfe in the brode warde.
The right blowe, given beneath, or belowe, muſt be warded after no other manner, then by driving a thruſt at the enimies thigh, which thruſt is to this purpoſe, that it hitteth home ſafely under that blow, and farther is a let, or barre, to the enimies ſword, ſo that it maie not light on the legges, conſidering that in the diſcharge of the ſaide thruſt, the hinder foote muſt neceſsarily go compaſsing towardes the right ſide behinde.
Reverſes alſo, are either high or low. If high: they may be warded with the dagger onely, therewithall diſcharging a thruſt underneath, with the encreaſe of a ſtraight pace, as ſoone as the dagger hath met with the enimies ſworde. Either, they may be warded with the ſworde onely encreaſing a ſtraight pace with the left foote, therewithall diſcharging a thruſt (alreadie lifted up in the warde) with the encreaſe of a ſtraight pace of the right legge. And this manner of warding, is more according to Arte, becauſe it hath beene ſaide, That all blowes on the left ſide, are to be warded with the dagger onely.
The reverſe blowe would be warded with giving a thruſt which ſafely hitteth, and hindreth the ſworde to light on the legges. This blowe alſo, may be warded after other and divers manners, which ſhalbe declared in the treatiſe of Diſceit: for this is not their proper place.
There is great regarde to be taken in warding of thruſtes, to wit: to be are the bodie out of the ſtraight lyne, becauſe this is the ſafeſt waie that may be found to voide them, becauſe it verie difficult to meete with them, when they come barred and cloſed in, and are forciblie diſcharged. For when a thruſt commeth within (at the verie time that the enimie ſtriketh) hee ought to encreaſe a ſlope pace, enſuring himſelf of the enimies ſword with his dagger, and then to diſcharge a thruſt with the increaſe of a ſtraight pace.
The thruſt without is warded after the firſt maner, to wit, when the enimie ſtriketh, to encreaſe a ſlope pace (whereby the bodie voideth danger) & to give a thruſt with the encreaſe of a ſtraight pace. In this order one may warde himſelfe from other wayes of ſtryking.
In like caſe, when the enimie (onely to trye and provoke) doth deliver an edgeblowe from the wriſt of the hande: let every man be adviſed, as ſoone as the blowe is delivered, to encreaſe a ſlope pace, and deliver a thruſt with the encreaſe of a ſtraight pace, before the enimie (after his blowe given) do determine to diſcharge any more. This may ſuffice, for the handling of the Rapier and Dagger truely, with advantage.