The hurt of the high warde, at Sworde & Square Target.

Anie Deceites, Falſes, and Wardes, may bee practiſed in the handling of theſe weapons: All which I reſerve to the treatiſe of Deceite or falſing, as unto his proper

place, framing likewiſe in this as in all the reſt, three ordinarie wardes, upon which, all the reſt depend, and againſt which they may be oppoſed.

Standing at this high warde, and pretending to ſtrike the enimie, it is firſt of all to be provided, that one ſteale a falſe pace from behinde, and then diſcharge a thruſt above hande, with the increaſe of an other half pace forwards, which being warded by the enimie with his Target onely, not moving his bodie, he may then increaſe a ſtraight pace of the left foote, & (ſomewhat lifting up his hand, and abaſing the poynt of his ſworde) force a thruſt from above downwards betweene the Target & bodie of the enimie, with the encreaſe of a pace of the right foote: the which thruſt will ſfaely ſpeede the enimie, if his bodie be not firſt voided. The ſelfe ſame thruſt may be delivered in this high ward, ſtanding with the right foote behind.

The defence of the high warde, at Sworde & Square Target.

He foreſaid thruſt may eaſily be warded, if in the verie time that it commeth it be encountred with the high poynt of the Target, but with that ſide which bendeth towardes the right hand. And as ſoone as the enimies ſworde is come one handfull within the Target, it muſt be ſtrongly beaten off by the Target towardes the right hand, increaſing the ſame inſtant a left pace. Then with as great an increaſe of a pace of the right foote as may be poſsible, a thruſt underneath moſt be given, already prepared, becauſe a man ought to ſtand at the lowe warde for the warding of the thruſt abovehand.

The hurt of the broad warde, at Sworde and Square Target.

I

N this warde likewiſe, the enimie may be inveſted on the poynt of the ſworde, by going forwardes as ſtraightly as is poſsible, and by ſtriking quickly before the enimie. For the Target (whoſe charge is onely to defend) is ſo great, that it may eaſily warde all edgeblowes, & thoſe chiefly which come from the knee upwardes. Farther, when a blowe is pretended to be delivered, it is manifeſtly, that a thruſt doth enter by a more narrowe ſtraight than any edgeblowe doth. And therefore, when one woulde ſtrike the enimie ſtanding at the locke or lowe warde, he muſt remember that he approch as neere him as he may be poſsible: and being ſo neere, that with his Target put forth one handfull more forwards, he may beate awaie the enimies ſworde, then by ſo beating of it, he ſhal encreaſe a left pace, and preſently after it, with the increaſe of a pace of the right foote, deliver him a thruſt, if it ſo chaunce that at the firſt encounter he ſtrake him not ſtrongly.

The defence of the broad warde, at Sworde and Square Target.

S

Tanding at the lowe ward, one may warde and defend the thruſt of the broad warde, divers waies, among all which, there is one waie, verie eaſie and ſure and thus it is.

For the defence of this thruſt, it is neceſsarie, that he ſtande at the lowe warde, his ſword and arme being in their proper place: and that with his Target ſomething ſtretched out from his bodie, he provoke the enimie, who being determined in himſelfe, and comming reſolutely to give a thruſt, hee then ought with the increaſe of a pace of the right foote, to ſtrike the enimie with a lowe thruſt, underneath both his owne and his enimies Target.