Of the weapons of the Staffe, namely, the Bill, the Partisan, the Holbert, and the Javelin.

Ecauſe it may ſeeme ſtrange unto many, that I have here placed theſe iiii ſortes of weapons together, as though I woulde frame but one only waie for the handling of all, although they differ in forme, from which form is gathered their difference in uſe. Therefore, foraſmuch as I am of opinion, that all of them may be handled in manner after one waye, it ſhall not be amiſse, if I declare the reaſon thereof, ſpeaking firſt of every one ſeverally by it ſelfe, and then generally of all togither, holding and maintaining alwaies for my concluſion, that the ſkill of handling of them, helpeth a man to the knowledge of all the reſt, for as much as concerneth true Arte.

Of the Partesan.

C

Omming therefore to the Parteſan, as unto the plaineſt, and as unto that, whereupon all the reſt depend, omitting to ſhewe who was the inventer thereof, as being to ſmall purpoſe: I ſaie, that it was found out to no other end, then for that the foot men in the warres, might be able with them to hurt thoſe horſemen (whome they might not reach with their ſwords) aſwell with their point as with their edge. Further, weapons which are to be caſt, or ſprong forth at the length of the arme, are for the moſt part deceitfull, by meanes whereof, they might hurt aſwell the Archers on horſebacke, as other horſemen.

Therefore, theſe Parteſans were made bigg and of great paize, and of perfect good ſteele, to the end they might breake the maile and devyde the Iron.

And that this is true, it is to be ſeene in the auncient weapons of this ſort, which are great and ſo well tempered, that they are of force to cut any other Iron. Afterwardes, as men had conſidered, that as this weapon was only to ſtrike, it might in ſome part thereof, have aſwell ſomething to warde withall, whereby it might be ſaid to be a perfect weapon, they deviſed to add unto it two crookes or forkes, by the which, that blow might be warded, which parting from the point and continuing downe along the ſtaffe, would come to hurt the perſon. And theſe forkes, or (I may ſaie) theſe defences were by ſome men placed on that part of the Iron, which next adioyneth to the ſtaffe, making them crooked & ſharp, & a handfull long, & for the moſt part, with the pointes toward the enimie, to the end that they might ſerve not only to defend, but alſo to ſtrike. And to the end, the bigneſse and weight of the Parteſan, (which ought to be apt and commodious to be handled) might not be encreaſed, they diminiſhed part of the Iron thereof, and gave the ſame to the forkes or defences: And by that meanes they framed another weapon called a Iavelin which (becauſe the broadnes, and happily the weight and paize thereof is diminiſhed) is not very forcible to ſtrike with the edge, but all his power conſiſteth in there thruſtes. Otherſome afterwards would not that theſe defences ſhould be placed at the lower-moſt part of the Iron, but in the middle thereof. And theſe men bearing great reſpect to the blowes of the edge, left the Iron which ſhould ſerve for the defence behinde, in his bredth and waight, adioyning thereunto in the oppoſite parte of the right edge, a moſt ſharpe point of Iron, to the end, that what way ſoever it were moved, it might ſtrike and hurt. But if any man obiect & ſaie: if the ſaid point of Iron were put there in reſpect of ſtriking, they might alſo as well have left there an edge, which being longer would ſtrike more eaſily. I anſwere, that the blowes of the falſe (that is to ſaye, the hinder or backe edge of the weapon) are verie weake, and the point doth ſtrike and hurt more eaſily then the edge. And therefore it was requiſite that there be facilitie where there was weaknes. Theſe men by theſe meanes framed the auncient weapon called the Holberd, out of the which, men of our age have dirived & made another kind of Holberd & Bill. And theſe baring alſo reſpect to ſome one profitable thing or other, did maintaine the defence, and encreaſe the hurting or offence. The reſpect was, that as they diſcourſed & pondred with themſelves, at length they verie warily perceived that a man with weapon in his hand, might make ſixe motions, that is to ſaie, one towards the head, one towards the feete, one towardes the right ſide, one towards the left, one forwards & towards the enimie, the other backward & toward him ſelfe. Of all the which, five of them might verie well ſtrike, & the laſt might neither ſtrike nor defend. Ther fore providing that this laſt motion alſo ſhould not be idle & unprofitable, they added a hook with the point turned towards the handle, with the which one might verie eaſily teare armour, & draw perforce men from their horſes. Thoſe, who framed the middle or meane Holbert, would that the ſaid hooke ſhould be placed in the ſafe or backer edge. And thoſe that deviſed the Bill, would have it on the right edge, leaving the edge ſo long that the hook might not altogether hinder the blow of the edge, but rather (to the end the edg might make the greater effect) they would that the hooke ſhuld beare and edg & be cutting in every part therof. Where I gather, that the Bil is the moſt perfect weapon of all others, becauſe it ſtriketh & hurteth in every of theſe ſixe motions, & his defences both cut & prick: which the new kind of Holbert doth not perform, being framed after the ſaid faſhion, & rather for lightnes aptnes & braverie, then for that it carrieth any great profit with it: for the edge is not ſo apt to ſtrike, & the point thereof is ſo weake, that hitting any hard thing, either it boweth or breaketh: neither is it much regarded in the warres, the Harquebuſh & the Pike being now adaies the ſtrength of all armyes.

Hereby it may be gathered, that with the Parteſan a man may ſtrike with the point & edge in ſuch motions: with the Iavelin, with the point onely & in ſuch motions as it may: with the Holberd and Bill, both with the point and edge, in ſixe motions. But becauſe theſe weapons for the moſt part are exerciſed, and uſed to enter through divers Pikes & other weapons, and to breake and diſorder the battell raye, to which ende, and purpoſe, if it be uſed, then that manner of mannaging and handling is verie onvenient which is practiſed now adaies, and thus it is. The Parteſan, Holberd, and Bill (but not the Iavelin, being in this caſe nothing effectuall becauſe it hath ſmall force in the edge) muſt be borne in the middle of the ſtaffe, with the heele thereof before, and verie lowe, and the point neere a mans head. And with the ſaid heele, or halfe ſtaffe underneath, from the handle downwardes, he muſt warde and beat off the pointes and thruſtes of the Pikes and other weapons, and having made waie, muſt enter with the encreaſe of a pace of the hinder foote, and in the ſame inſtant, let fall his weapon as forcibly as he maie, and ſtrike with the edge athward the Pikes. This kinde of blowe is ſo ſtrong (being delivered as it ought, conſidering it commeth from above downwardes, and the weapon of it ſelfe is verie heavie) that it will cut aſunder not onely Pikes, but alſo any other forcible impediment. In theſe affaires the Iavelin is not uſed, bicauſe it worketh no ſuch effect. But when one is conſtrained to uſe it, he ought neither to beat off, neither to warde with the ſtaffe, but altogether with the Iron and his defences, remembring, as ſoone as he hath beaten off & made waie of entrance, to thruſt onely: for to handle it in delivering of edge blowes prevaileth not, conſidering the ſmall force it carrieth in that maner of ſtriking. And as among all the foreſaide iiii. weapons, the Iavelin in this kinde of ſkirmiſh, is leaſt profitable, ſo the Parteſan is moſt excellent & commodious, for having no other defence, it is provided in the ſtaffe, and is moſt forcible, to cut the Pikes by meanes of his heavines and waight, and the rather, becauſe it is unfurniſhed and voide of other things, which in this caſe might let and hinder the edge blow. Therefore the Parteſan ſhalbe uſed (as in his owne proper qualitie) to enter among the Pikes, and cut them a ſunder, and other weapons alſo partlie for that cauſe, and partlie to ſkirmiſh ſingle, one to one. Which although it be not ordinarily accuſtomed, yet nevertheleſse, becauſe both this, and the reſt of the weapons, may be handled in ſingle combate, and do containe in them, aſwell offence, as defence, Farther, to the end, the wiſe and diſcreete (happening to be in ſuch affaires) may be ſkilfull to determin with themſelves, what they may and ought to doe: I will ſhew my opinion what may be done with theſe weapons in ſingle combat, reaſoning iointly of the Iavelin, Bill, and Holberd, becauſe there is but a ſmal difference in the Iavelin, And the Bill, and the Holberd, are in a maner all one, and the verie ſelfe ſame.