Of the defence of the heele, or blunt ende of the Holberd.

F

Or the defence of the aboveſaid two blowes, it is requiſite as I have alreadie ſaid, that a man ſtand with the contrarie foote before, to that, of the enimies. And as the enimie (after the faſtning of the weapons) endevoreth to lift them upp, (being well awares therof) he ought to recover his Holberd by the increaſe of a pace, and ſtrike with the heele at the enimies thigh or bellie, and then chaunging his handes, he ſhall deliver an edge b low, without any other retyring of him ſelfe, or moving of his hands, The which blow ſhall lightlie ſpeede, being nimblie delivered. And when it ſpeedeth not, yet, it will ſafelie ward the edge blow, which the enimie ſhall give. And this may ſuffice for aſmuch as concerneth the blowes of the Holberd in ſingle combat, wherein there is anie difficultie to be found, the which, a man muſt ſeeke to avoide by all meanes, eſpeciallye endevouryng by all poſsible wayes to deliver thruſtes, without tying or intangling of his weapon. But although the enimies weapon may not be tyed to any preſcript law or order, (for he alſo uſeth, all the pollicie he may to avoid daunger) yet theſe blowes with their faſtnings are laid downe, becauſe I preſuppoſe, that who ſo is ſkilfull to ſtrike, notwithſtanding theſe difficulties, will be much more adventrous, in ſtriking when he ſhall find little, or nothing to hinder him, As for example, when in fight he meetheth with a weapon of the Staffe of the ſelfeſame, or of a greater length, but yet, void of hookes or forkes: For ſeeing his owne weapon, is onlie hable to hooke, and drive outwards the enimies weapon, he may ſavelie deliver an edge blow, with the increaſe of a pace, being ſure, that he may not be ſtroken againe, but onelie with a thruſt, which the enimie may not deliver, but of force, muſt either retyre his ſtaffe, either his feete, under which time, an edge blow may be delivered without daunger.

Of the hurt and ward of the Javelyn.

He ſelfe ſame ward, ſhalbe framed with the Iavelyn, as with the Holberd. And becauſe, of neceſsitie, the weapons will be intangled, I ſay, the verie ſame thruſts ſhal be given therwith, as are delivered with the Holberd. But becauſe the edge of the Iavelyn is weake, and the pacing which is made when the weapons are faſtned, is onelie profitable for the giving of the edge blow: Therfore in handling of the Iaveling, this intangling or faſtning is by al means poſsible to be avoided. But when a man is to ſtrike his enimie, let him firſt prove, to beat off his Iavelyn, and then to force on a thruſt, in this maner.

Finding the enimies Iavelyn to be within, (by within, I underſtand, when the Iavelyn is betweene the enimies armes, or againſt them) then he muſt force it outwards, and drive a thruſt with his owne Iavelyn, at the length of the ſtaffe (without moving of his feete) at the enimies face. Finding it without, he ought to beat it backwards, and increaſing a pace, to launch out the Iavelyn at the enimies face, at the length of the ſtaffe and arme, immediatlie retyring his pace, & hand, and afterwards ſettle himſelfe in the ſame low ward.