The defence of the thrust of the high warde at Single Rapier

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Ll the furie in ſtriking before ſpoken of, is utterly fruſtrated, when, as here it may be ſeene, a man withſtandeth and incountereth the firſt thruſt. For the defence whereof it is needfull that he ſtand at the lowe ward, and as the thruſt cometh, that he encounter it without, with the edge of the ſword, and increaſe a ſlope pace forward, with the hinder foote at the verie ſame time, by which pace he moveth out of the ſtraight line, and paſſeth on the right ſide of the enemie. And he muſt remember to beare always the poynt of the ſword toward the enemie: So that the enemie in comming forwardes, ether runneth himſelf onthe ſword, which may eaſely happen, and ſo much the rather, when he commeth reſolutelie determined to ſtrike, or elſe if he come not ſo farre forwardes that he encountereth the ſword, yet he may be ſafelie ſtroken, with the encreaſe of a ſtraight pace: to which pace, having ſuddenly ioyned a ſlope pace, a man muſt returne and increaſe againe though the enemie were ſtrooken at the firſt increaſe of that pace: For if at the firſt ſtroak and increaſe, the enemie were not hit in the eye, it ſhall be to ſmall purpoſe. Therefore as ſoone as he hath uſed the crooked or ſlope pace, he muſt preſentlie encreaſe an other ſtraight pace, the which doth ſo much gather upon the enemie, that is he would ſtrike him in the breſt, he may thruſt his ſword up to the hiltes.

Now for the loftie edge-blowes, both right and reverſed, the rules aforeſaide may ſuffice: To witte, the edge-blowe ſectheth a compaſſe. The blowe of the poynt or thruſt is the ſhorteſt, & in this blowe, he that is neareſt hitteth ſooneſt: So then he muſt thruſt under any of theſe edgeblowes. And farther, for aſmuch as it is naturallie given to everie man to defend himſelfe, he may encounter the right edge-blowe after an otherwaie, and that is, to encounter it with the edge of his ſworde, and preſentlie, to drive there withall a foote, towardes the right ſide behinde, to the ende, that the thruſt may be lengthned and his bodie thereby covered, conſidering he ſhall then ſtand right behinde his ſword.

This manner of defence, may ſerve to warde all right blows of the edg, delivered from the high ward, and it is the beſt waie of all other, becauſe it doth not onely warde, but alſo in one and the ſelfeſame time, both ſtrike and defend ſafely.

This manner of thruſt is called the reverſed thruſt. But if one would warde areverſe, he muſt oppoſe the edge of his ſword without, and therewithall increaſe a ſlope pace, & then deliver a thruſt with the increaſe of a ſtraight or right pace. And this may ſuffice for all that which may be uſed againſt a loftie, reverſed, edgeblowe, as farfoorth as a man endevoureth to oppoſe himſelfe againſt the weapon. And this is the verie ſame alſo which may be uſed for the warding of the thruſt.

The hurt of the broad warde at Single Rapier.

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He moſt ſure, moſt true & principall blowe that may be uſed in this warde is the thruſt underhand, ſo that a man draw his left foote neere his right foote, and then diſcharge it with the increaſe of the ſaide foote, and ſettle himſelfe in the lowe warde.

He may alſo in this warde with the ſaid increaſe of the right foote, deliver a right edgeblowe from the wriſt of the hand, and ſtay himſelfe in the low warde. And perchaunce he may (although with great daunger) beſtowe alſo a reverſe: yet conſidering he ſhall do it out of the ſtraight lyne, in the which onely he ſtriketh ſafely, I do not thinke it good, that he uſe either the ſaide reverſe, either the ſaide right blowe except it be verie ſeldom, & for the ſame cauſe, aſſuring himſelfe in the blow of the poynt, or thruſt, the which he ſhall not give, except it be verie commodious, or that he be forced of neceſſitie, conſidering this thruſt doth not onely eaſily and commodiouſly defend, but alſo, at one inſtant, ſafely ſtrike, and offend, as ſhalbe ſhewed in the defence of this warde. That therefore which he may ſafely do, in this warde, is to expect and watch for the enimies comming.