An advertisement concerning the warding and wrapping of the Cloake.

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Here are two waies (in theſe daies) to wrappe the Cloake, the one is, when one having leaſure taketh the Cloake by the cape or coller, and ſo fouldeth it once or twice about his arme: The other is, as often times it falleth out, when letting the Cloke fall downe from the ſhoulder, it is happelie taken by one ſide, & ſo is turned once or twice about the arme.

Nowe as concerning ſtriking, a man ought in the handling of theſe weapons as he would ſtrike, firſt to increaſe and carrie the one foote neere to the other, and then farther to increaſe a halfe, not a whole pace, as in other weapons: For at theſe weapons, it is daungerous leaſt (making a whole pace) he entangle his foote or feete in the Cloake and fall downe therewith. And this muſt be taken heede of, in the firſt and ſecond foulding, but principallie in the ſecond, becauſe in it the Cloake is longer, and therefore doth more eaſilie touch the earth & intangle his feet: In the firſt fold, although the cloak touch not the earth, becauſe the arme doth orderlie beare it, yet by reaſon of werines, the arme falleth & cauſeth the foreſaid effect.

The hurt of the high ward at Rapier and Clok

N theſe maner of weapons, aſin others, I will frame three wardes: The firſt by the foreſaid reaſons, ſhall be the high warde, which in theſe kind of wepons more then in anie other deſerve the name of a ward. For the Rapier (ſomething bending) wardeth as farre as the clok hand, and the clokhand down to the middle legg: ſoe that in this ward a man is warded from the top of the head down to the foot.

Therefore ſtanding at this warde, whether it be with the right foote before or behinde, he may deliver a thruſt with the encreaſe of a halfe pace forwards, ſtaying himſelfe in the lowe warde.

The right edgeblowe ought to be delivered from the wriſt without any motion of the feete, reſting in the lowe warde: but in delivering of the reverſe, it is neceſsarie to fetch a whole pace, and in a manner ſtraight. If the enimie warde it with his ſworde, then the encounter of the enimies ſworde, muſt be ſtayed ſuddenly with the Cloake-hand in the firſt part thereof, and a thruſt be delivered underneath, with the encreaſe of a ſtraight pace.

The defence of the thrust, right and reversed blowes of the high warde at Rapier and Cloake.

Or the better avoyding of the hurts which proceede from the high warde: it is neceſsarie to ſtande at the lowe warde, in the which the thruſt is to be warded iiii. manner of waies, to wit: either with the ſingle ſworde within and without, either with the ſingle Cloake within and without. If with the ſingle ſword within, it is requiſite to fetch a compas with the foot backwards on the right ſide. In like caſe to turne the bodie the ſame waie, to the intent, to carrie it out of the ſtraight lyne (in which the blowe commeth) and to drive a reverſed thruſt at the face, the which thruſt in ſuch order delivered is the longeſt that is, and ſuch a one, as thereby the hurt is not onely voyded, but alſo at the ſelfe ſame time, the enimie is ſtroken in the face, If it chaunce, that the ſworde be encountred without then it is not onely profitable but alſo neceſsarie, to ſtep forwardes and with the Cloake to encounter the enimies ſworde in the firſt parte thereof. And recovering his owne ſworde, to diſcharge a thruſt underneath with the encreaſe of the right foote. And although it be laide down for a rule, not to uſe a whole pace in handling of the Cloake, this ought to be underſtoode in ſtriking, in the which (whileſt one endevoureth to ſtrike with his ſworde) it may be forgetting the Cloake, his arme may fall, by meanes whereof he may ſtumble againſt it: but in warding, it doth not ſo happen. For nature being carefull to defende her ſelfe (at every litle danger) lifteth up both her armes, yea, although they be oppreſsed with waight and burden.

Wherefore it is not to be feared, that in warding this thruſt, the hand will be drawen downe by the waight of the Cloake.

The ſame wardes and defences may be uſed with the ſingle Cloake, in the which, one muſt likewiſe ſtrike, with the encreaſe of the right foote. This manner of warding is not verie ſure, and therefore it requireth great activitie and deepe iudgement, conſidering he ought to beare his Cloake and arme ſtretched out before him, & to make when the enimies ſwords poynt ſhall paſse within the Cloakhand one handful or litle more: and not to ſuffer it to paſse farther, but to beat it off, and encreaſing to diſcharge a thruſt underneath, with the encreaſe of a pace with the right foote. But as I have ſaide, this manner of warding hath litle certaintie and great perill in it, and yet it ſtriketh well, if it be done in ſhort time.

The right edgeblowe may in like manner be warded with the ſingle ſworde or cloake: but when it cometh aloft, it ſhall not be commodious to encounter it with the ſingle cloake, for by that meanes the eyes blinde themſelves. How much this importeth, let others iudge. But, when the ſaide right blowe commeth in a manner lowe, ſo that it may well be warded, keeping the enimie in ſight, then the cloake is to be oppoſed, with the encreaſe of the left pace, & preſently thereupon, a thruſt to be diſcharged, with the encreaſe of a right pace.

When one oppoſeth the ſingle ſworde againſt the right blowe, he muſt drive a thruſt at the face, & fetch a compas with his hinder foote, cutting the face with the ſaide thruſt and ſtaie himſelfe in the broad ward. The ſelfe ſame muſt be done, when he defendeth him ſelfe with both together, to wit, with the ſword and cloake.

Againſt the reverſed blowe, the ſefle ſame manner is uſed in warding to wit, either with the one, or with the other, either with both ioyned together.

With the cloake, by the encreaſe of a pace, and by encountring the enimies ſworde, as farre forwards as is poſsible, that thereby it may be done the more comodiouſly, delivering a thruſt therewithall underneath, with the encreaſe of a pace of the right foot.

With the ſingle Rapier, the ſame defence may ſuffice, which is layde downe in the treatiſe of the ſingle Rapier, and that is, to diſcharge a thruſt at the enimies thigh, the which withſtandeth the full of the reverſed blowe.

Nowe, if one would defend himſelfe with both theſe weapons ioyned togither, he muſt encreaſe a pace with the right foot, & ſtaying the enimies ſword with his cloke, recover his owne ſworde nimbly, and then diliver a thruſt with the encreaſe of a pace of the right foote.