Of the maner how to holde the round Target.

I

F a man would ſo beare the rounde Target, that it may cover the whole bodie, and yet nothing hinder him from ſeeing his enimie, which is a matter of great importance, it is requiſite, that he beare it towardes the enimie, not with the convexe or outward parte thereof, altogither equall, plaine or even, neither to holde his arme ſo bowed, that in his elbowe there be made (if not a ſharpe yet) at leaſt a ſtraight corner. For beſides that (by ſo holding it) it wearieth the arme: it likewiſe ſo hindereth the ſight, that if hee would ſee his enimie from the breſt downwardes, of neceſsitie he muſt either abaſe his Target, or beare his head ſo peeping forwardes, that it may be ſooner hurt than the Target may come to warde it. And farther it ſo defendeth, that onely ſo much of the bodie is warded, as the Target is bigg, or little more, becauſe it cannot more then the halfe arme, from the elbowe to the ſhoulder, which is verie little, as everie man knoweth or may perceive: So that the head ſhal be warded with great paine, and the thighes ſhal altogether remaine diſcovered, in ſuch ſort, that to ſave the bellie, he ſhal leave all the reſt of the bodie in ieopardie. Therefore, if he would ſo holde the ſaid Target, that it may well defend all that part of the bodie, which is from the knee upwardes, and that he maie ſee his enimie, it is requiſite that he beare his arme, if not right, yet at leaſt bowed ſo little, that in the elbowe there be framed ſo blunt an angle or corner, that his eyebeames paſsing neere that part of the circumference of the Target, which is neere his hande, may ſee his enimie from the head to the foot. And by holding the ſaide convexe parte in this manner, it ſhall warde all the left ſide, and the circumference neere the hande ſhall with the leaſt motion defend all the right ſide, the head and the thighes. And in this maner he ſhall keepe his enimie in ſight & defend all that parte of the body, which is allotted unto the ſaid Target. Therefore the ſaid Target ſhall be born, th arme in a manner ſo ſtreight towards the left ſide, that the eyeſight may paſse to beholde the enimie without mooving, for this onely occaſion, either the head, or the Target.

The hurt of the high warde, at sworde and round Target.

B

Ecauſe the round Target containeth in it moſt great & ſure defence, therefore ought not any edgeblowe which may eaſily warded with the ſingle ſword without the helpe of the Target be delivered. Thruſtes alſo enter verie difficultlie to ſtrike the bodie, becauſe the Target, by meanes of the leſt motion that is, ſeemeth to be, as it were a wall before the bodie. And to thruſt at the legge is no ſure plaie. That which remaineth to be done is, to thruſt forcibly with the ſworde: and when one perceiveth, that the point therof is entred within the circumference of the enimies Target, it is neceſsary that he encreaſe a left pace, and with the circumference of his owne Target, to beat off the enimies ſworde and Target, to the end, it ſuffer the thruſt ſo given of force to enter in. And (having ſo beaten & entred) to continue on the thruſt in the ſtraight lyne, with the encreaſe of a pace of the right foote.

When he findeth himſelfe in the high ward, he ſhal encreaſe a halfe pace with the hinderfoote, gathering upon the enimie, as neere as he may without danger. And being ſo nigh that he may drive his ſword within the circumference, then as ſoone as he perceiveth his ſworde to be within it, (his arme being ſtretched out at the uttermoſt length) he ought ſuddenly to encreaſe a left pace, beating off with the circumference of his owne Target, the enimies Target: and with the increaſe of a pace of th right foote, to cauſe his thruſt to enter perforce. This alſo he may practiſe when the enimie endevoureth, to withſtand the entrace of the thruſt, when it is alreadie paſt, within the circumference of his Target.

But if the enimie (as it may fall out) ward this thruſt not with that parte of the circumference, which is neere his hand, but with that which is above it (by meanes whereof his target diſcovereth his eyes) then he may verie commodiouſly, encreaſing his paces as aforeſaid, recover his thruſt above, and force it underneath, with the increaſe of a pace of the right foote. And this is a more ſure waie of thruſting than any other.