Of the hurt of the lowe warde, at Sworde and Square Target.

T

Here are manie blowes to be beſtowed, ſtanding at the lowe warde, all which I eſteeme as vaine & to no purpoſe, conſidering the manifold and abundant defence of the Target. Therefore I will reſtraine my ſelfe unto two onely which are verie ſtrong and hardly to be warded. And they are two thruſtes, the one within, the other without, with the right foote both before and behinde.

When one findeth himſelfe within, with his right foote before, and ſo neere his enimie, that by the increaſe of a left pace, he may with the right ſide of his Target, beate awaie the enimies ſworde in the middle thereof, then he ought nimblie to encreaſe that lefte pace, and (cloſing in the enimies ſworde between his Target and his owne ſworde) to deliver a forcible thruſt at the thighes, with the encreaſe of a pace of the right foote. He may alſo do the verie ſelfeſame when he findeth himſelfe to ſtande with his right foote behinde, but then he muſt farther increaſe a pace of the right foote firſt, and then continuing ſtill force his ſworde and paces directly onwards, if he hit not the enimie as he would at the firſt.

But if it chaunce that he finde himſelfe without, then he muſt (having firſt found out fit opportunitie to beate off the enimies ſworde with his Target) encreaſe a elft pace, and placing the high ſide of his Target under the enimies ſworde and his owne ſworde upon it, cloſing it i n, in the middle, encreaſe a pace of the right foote, and diſcharge a forcible thruſt, at the breſt or face. And he may do the ſelfe ſame, when he ſtandeth with the right foote behind.

Of the defence of the high warde, at Sworde and Square Target.

F

Or the warding of thoſe two thruſtes of the lowe warde, it is neceſsarie, that a man ſtande at the ſame warde. And as the enimie commeth reſolutely determined to thruſt within, he muſt as ſoone, or more redily then he, encreaſe a left pace, and with the right ſide of his Target cloſe in the enimies ſword, between it and his own ſworde, and then to enter perforce, & thruſt either betweene the two Targets or els under them, with the increaſe of a pace of the right foote.

But if the enimie come without, he muſt encreaſe the ſelfe ſame ſlope pace, & with the right ſide of his Target beat off the point of the enimies ſword, & then thruſt either above, either beneath, as in that occaſion it ſhal be moſt for his advantage with the increaſe of the pace of the right foote. And when in conſideration of the aboundant defence of the Target, he may neither increaſe his paces, nor deliver a thruſt, he muſt ſettle himſelfe in the lowe warde with the right foote behinde, which ward I will largely handle in the treatiſe of deceite or falſing, being as it were his proper place, here ending the true handling of the ſword and ſquare Target.

Of the Sworde & rounde Target.

T

He round Target would require a long & moſt exquiſite conſideration becauſe it is of cerculer forme, moſt capable, and moſt perfect of all others. But for that my purpoſe in this my worke, is to write that only which I know doth appertaine to this Arte, giving leave to every man to buſie him ſelfe in his owne profeſsion. And leaving a great part of this conſideration to the Mathematicians & Hiſtoriographers to reaſon of his divers qualities or paſsions, either who was inventor thereof, either, whether it be a weapon of antiquitie, or of this our age, And comming to diſcourſe of that, wherein it profiteth in this our time, (being a weapon ſogreatly honoured and eſtemed of Princes, Lords, & Gentlemen, that beſids thuſe thereof in their affairs, as wel by day as by night, they alſo keepe their houſes richly decked and beautified therewith,) And conſidering onely that thing, in the round Target, among al other weapons which may either profite or hurt in the handling thereof, I ſaie, that the ſaid round Target hath beene diverſely holden, borne and uſed, by divers men in divers ages, as well as the other ſquare Target, and other weapons of defence, as well as of offence. And there want not alſo men in our time, who to the intent they be not wearied, beare it leaning on their thigh as though that in this exerciſe (in which only travaile and paines are availeable,) a man ſhould onelie care for reſt and quietneſse. For by meanes of theſe two, ſtrength and activitie, (partes in the exerciſe of weapons, both important and neceſsarie) are obtained and gotten.

Other ſome, holding their whole Arme bowed togeither, have carried it altogeither flat againſt their bodie, not regarding either to warde their bellie, or utterlie to loſe the ſight of the enimie, but will at any hande ſtand (as they thinke) ſafe behind it, as behinde a wal, not knowing what a matter of weight it is, both to ſee the enimie, and worke other effects, which, (by ſo holding it) may not be brought to paſse.