- •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.
- •The broad ward.
- •The low Ward.
- •Of wards
- •The high 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 defense of the high warde, &c.
T
He direct oppoſition and defenſe of the high warde is the lowe ward, the manner whereof ſhal be ſeen in his proper place. That which principally is to be conſidered (for the lowe warde alſo, in like ſort as the other may be framed after two ſorts) is this, that of neceſsity a man ſtand with the ſame foote before as the enemie doth, to wit: if he beare the right foot before, to put foorth the right foote alſo, and to endevour as the enemie doth, to ſtand without, for of both wayes that is of the more advantage and ſafetie. Finding himſelfe therefore without, in the lowe ward, he muſt not refuſe, but rather ſuffer his ſword to be found and beaten by the enemie: for this does redowne much more to his advantage then to his enemies becauſe the enemie carrieth ſmall force in his low hande wherewith he endeavoreth to find and beat off the ſword, conſidering it is borne to farre off from the other: for that which is ſlenderly united, is leſse forcible: whereas ſtanding at the low ward, he bereth both his hands low neere togither and ſufficiently ſtrong. Therefore as ſoone as the enemie having beaten back the ſword, ſhal reſolve himſelf to give a thruſt, he muſt encreaſe a ſlope pace, & with his hinder low ſword, drive the enemies high thruſt outwardes towarde the right ſide, if it chaunce that he were in the low warde with his right foot before, And ſuddenly with the other low ſword behind (which was ſuffered to be beaten off by the enemie, becauſe it might turne the more to his diſadvantage: for ſeeing the enemies ſword being ſlenderly united, as I have ſaide before, carried but ſmall force, it was the rather beaten off and diſappointed: So that as ſoon as the ſlope pace is encreaſed, and the ſaide high thruſt warded, before the enemie place his other ſworde alſo in the high warde, hee may with the ſtraight pace of the right foot deliver a low thruſt continuing ſtill to beate down the enemies ſworde with his owne lowe ſworde, that is borne before. And this manner of warding is moſt ſafe and ſure: for beſides that it ſtriketh the enemie with the ſlope pace, it does likewiſe in ſuch ſort deliver the body from hurte, that of force the enemie is diſapointed. Neither is there any other ſure way to warde this high thruſt, being ſo ſtrong, and beſides, having ſo great encreaſe of pace.
This manner of defenſe is moſt ſtrong and ſure, & is done with that ſworde which is fartheſt off. Yet there is another waie, & that is, with the low ſworde before, the which is no leſse ſtronger and ſure than the other, but yet much ſhorter. For looke in what time the other defendeth, this ſtriketh.
Therefore in the low ward it is to be noted, (when the enemie moveth, pretending to beate off the ſword and there withall to enter,) that then the poynt of the ſword be lifted upp, keeping the hand ſo ſtedfaſt, that it oppoſe itſelfe and keepe outwards the enemies high thruſt, and having made this barre, to keepe out his weapons, then & in the ſelfſame time, he ſhall encreaſe a ſtraight pace, & with the low ſword behind ſhal ſtrike the enemie in the breſt, to whome it is impoſsible to do any effectual thing, or to avoid the ſaid ſtroke, for that (by meanes of the point of the ſworde lifted up in the maner aforeſaid) both his ſwordes are ſo hindred, that they may not ſafely ſtrike, either with the edge or point.