quick and resolute both in iudgement and hande than their enimie is Therefore seeing euery man may hereby knowe what is necessarie for him so to handle it as he may obtaine victorie thereby let him resolue himselfe either to giue it ouer quite or els to handle it as he ought and is required The manner how to handle the Pyke THis renowmed weapon hath beene of diuers diuersly handled in single combat for the manner of vsing it in the warres maketh not at this present for my purpose Therefore it shall not be amisse if speaking of the manner of his vse in these our daies I declare also mine opinion concerning the same There haue beene some who greatly regarding ease little paine would haue the Pike to be borne in the midle Other some more strong of arme but weaker of hart to the end they might be the farther off from hurte accustomed to beare it at the beginning neere the heele or blunt end thereof which two waies in my iudgement are to be refused the one being too daungerous I meane the bearing of it in the middle the other too difficult I mean the bearing it at the blunt end because a man is not able to stande long at his ward neither to defend himselfe strongly nor offend safely considering much of his force is taken away by susteining and bearing it at the said end So that when a forcible blow commeth he hath not sufficient power to beat it off And forasmuch as the Pike is a long straight lyne which hath his motion in the head or beginning thereof which motion be it neuer so small neere the hand is yet verie great at the point it is requisite if he would strike iust and straight when he so holdeth it at the end that he be greatly practised and haue great strength whereby he may be both skilfull able to beare it so iust euen that the point thereof strik or hit there where the hand eie would haue it This is verie hardly accomplished aswel beecause it is a thing impossible to strike by the straight lyne as also for that the armes being weakened with the paize of the Pike do shake and deliuer it vnstedfastly Therefore for the auoyding of these two inconueniences the Pike must be born within an armes length of the said heele or blunt end in which place it is sufficiently distant from hurt it is not borne with much difficultie if the hands be placed an armes lēgth one from another of the which the hinder hand must be stedfast I meane holde the Pike harde and the forehand somewhat loose So that the Pike may shift thorough it to and fro For what cause the Pike maketh greater passage with the point then any other shorter weapon IT is most manifest that the Pike maketh greater passage with his point than any other weapon and the twohand sworde more then the ordinarie sword the sword more then the dagger And among al weapons this is generaly true that the longer the weapon is the greater passage it maketh with the point and the greater blow with the edge Neither doeth this so chaunce because the weapon is more heauie neither because there is applyed more force vnto it in action as most men suppose but rather through a naturall cause which is as followeth If there be two circles the one greater then the other and are moued by one manner of motion the greater shall be more swift then the lesse for being greater in circumference turning round in the same time that the lesse turneth it must needes be that it goeth more swiftly So it commeth to passe that one selfe-same hand may deliuer a greater blow with the two hande sworde than with a single sworde and with a long sworde then one that is shorter and with that then with the dagger And with a Bill a greater blowe then with the two hand sworde and so likewise in all other weapons Wherefore it is most cleere that of edgeblowes that maketh the greater stroke which is deliuered with the longer weapon It remaineth now to be considered how this falleth out in the blowes of the point I saie therefore the blowes of the point are also circuler so that the Pike being verie long maketh the greater circle and by consequence the greater blowe of the point or the greater thrust That the blowes of the point are circuler may be shewed by this reason The arme being as a straight line fixed fast in one parte as for example in the shoulder and mouable in the other as in the hand standing I saye fixed as a straight lyne and the one end mouing from the other shall alwaies moue circulerly So that the arme cannot otherwise moue except when it is bowed and would then make it selfe straight againe the which motion also is doubtfull whether it be straight yea or no. Therfore imagining that on the mouable parte of this arme or straight lyne there be also another thwart lyne to wit a Pike a sworde or any other weapon then the arme mouing carrieth also circulerly with it the said thwart lyne which lyne by how much the longer it is by so much it maketh the greater circle as may be seene in this figure Whereby it is manifest that the Pike the longer it is it frameth the greater circle and consequently is more swifte and therefore maketh the greater passage The like is to be vnderstood of all other weapons which the longer they are being moued by the arme cause the greater edgeblow and greater passage with the point Of the wardes of the Pike IN mine opinion if a man would either strike or defend with the Pike he may not otherwise vse it then by framing of two wardes in one of which he shal strike the bodie from the middle vpwards this I will terme the low warde the other shall strike the bodie from the middle downwards shal be called the high ward Neither shal they be so termed for any other cause then for that it is verie necessarie for him that striketh first to beat off the enimies Pike then to deliuer his owne But yet it should breed great inconuenience there would be two much time spent if finding it good comodious to strike in the lowe warde he would first beat off the enimies weapon then shift from the lowe to the high warde For that cause I will frame the high warde which shal bee when one beareth his armes high the point of the Pike low And the low warde is when the armes are low the point of the Pike high There is another warde which would be framed as a meane betweene these two that is when the Pike is borne directly towards the enimie And it falleth out that it is most sure long when it is opposed against any of the other two aforesaid because then a man is in case both to beat off the weapon to enter therewithall with
man the grace to be able to lift vp his minde from the earth and by searching to finde out the causes thereof and to imparte them to those who are lesse willing to take any paines therein it would come to passe that the one parte of men as Lordes and Masters should beare rule and the other parte as vyle slaues wrapped in perpetuall darknesse should suffer and lead a life vnworthie the condition of man Wherefore in mine opinion it standes with great reason that a man participate that vnto others which he hath searched and found out by his great studie trauaile And therefore I being euen from my childhood greatly delighted in the handling of weapons after I had spent much time in the exercise thereof was desyrous to see and beholde the most excellent and expert masters of this Arte whome I haue generally marked to teach after diuers wayes much differing one from another as though this misterie were destitute of order rule or depended onely vpon imagination or on the deuise of him who professeth the same Or as though it were a matter impossible to find out in this honourable exercise as well as in all other Artes and Sciences one onely good and true way whereby a man may attaine to the intire knowledge of as much as may be practised with the weapon not depending altogether vpon his owne head or learning one blowe to day of one master on the morowe of another thereby busying himselfe about perticulars the knowledge whereof is infinite therefore impossible Whereupon being forced through a certaine honest desire which I beare to helpe others I gaue my selfe wholy to the contemplation thereof hoping that at the length I shoulde finde out the true principles and groundes of this Arte and reduce the confused and infinite number of blowes into a compendious summe and certaine order The which principles being but fewe and therefore easie to be knowen and borne away without doubt in small time and little trauaile will open a most large entrance to the vnderstanding of all that which is contained in this Arte. Neither was I in this frustrate at all of my expectation For in conclusion after much deliberation I haue found out this Arte from the which onely dependeth the knowledge of all that which a man may performe with a weapon in his hand and not onely with those weapons which are found out in these our dayes but also with those that shall be inuented in time to come Considering this Arte is grounded vpon Offence and Defence both the which are practised in the straight and circuler lynes for that a man may not otherwise either strike or defend And because I purpose to teach how to handle the Weapon as orderly and plainly as is possible I haue first of all layd down the principles or groundes of all the Arte calling them Aduertisements the which being of their owne nature verie well knowen to all those that are in their perfect wittes I haue done no other then barely declared them vvithout rendring any further reason as being a thing superfluous These principles being declared I haue next handled those things vvhich are and be of themselues Simple then ascending vp to those that are Compound I shewe that vvhich may be generally done in the handling of all Weapons And because in teaching of Artes and Sciences Things are more to be esteemed of than VVordes therefore I vvould not choose in the handling hereof a copious and sounding kinde of speach but rather that vvhich is more briefe and familiar Which maner of speach as in a small bundle it containeth diuers weightie things so it craueth a slowe and discreete Reader who will soft and faire pearce into the verie Marrowe thereof For this cause I beseech the gentle Reader to shewe himselfe such a one in the reading of this my present worke assuring him selfe by so reading it to reape great profite and honour thereby Not doubting but that he who is sufficientlie furnished with this knowledge and hath his bodie proporcionably exercised thereunto shall far surmount anie other although he be indewed with equal force and swiftnes Moreouer because this art is a principal member of the Militarte profession vvhich alltogether vvith learning is the ornament of all the World Therefore it ought not to be exercised in Braules and Fraies as men commonlie practise in euerie shire but as honorable Knights ought to reserue themselues exercise it for the aduantage of their Cuntry the honour of vveomen and conqueringe of Hostes and armies An Aduertisement to the curteous reader GOod Reader before thou enter into the discourse of the hidden knowledge of this honourable excerise of the weapon now layd open and manifested by the Author of this worke in such perfectnes translated out of the Italian tongue as all or most of the marshal mynded gentlemen of England cannot but commend and no one person of indifferent iudgement can iustly be offended with seeing that whatsoeuer herein is discoursed tendeth to no other vse but the defence of mans life and reputation I thought good to aduertise thee that in some places of this booke by reason of the aequiuocation of certaine Italian wordes the weapons may doubtfully be construed in English Therefore sometimes fynding this worde Sworde generally vsed I take it to haue beene the better translated if in steede thereof the Rapier had beene inserted a weapon more vsuall for Gentlemens wearing and fittest for causes of offence and defence Besides that in Italie where Rapier and Dagger is commonly worne and vsed the Sworde if it be not an arming Sworde is not spoken of Yet would I not the sence so strictly to be construed that the vse of so honourable a weapon be vtterly reiected but so redd as by the right and perfect vnderstanding of the one thy iudgement may som what be augmented in managing of the other Knowing right well that as the practise and vse of the first is commendable amongst them so the second cannot so farre be condemned but that the wearing thereof may well commend a man of valour and reputation amongst vs. The Sworde and Buckler fight was long while allowed in England and yet practise in all sortes of weapons is prais-worthie but now being layd downe the sworde but with Seruing-men is not much regarded and the Rapier fight generally allowed as a wapon because most perilous therefore most feared and thereupon priuate quarrels and common frayes soonest shunned But this peece of work gentle Reader is so gallantly set out in euery point and parcell the obscurest secrets of the handling of the weapon so clerely vnfolded and the perfect demeaning of the bodie vpon all and sudden occasions so learnedly discoursed as will glad the vnder stander thereof sound to the glory of all good Masters of Defence because their Arte is herein so honoured and their knowledge which some men count infinite in so singuler a science drawen into such Grounds and Principles as
and lighting The order I say which I will obserue shal be to laie downe euery warde their blowes and defences but principally of the poynt then of the edge if neede require The hurt of the high warde at single Rapier THE truest and surest blowe that may be giuen when a man lyeth at the high warde is the thrust aboue hande aswell for that it is in the straight lyne as also because it naturally stayeth it selfe in the lowe warde So that from the beginning to the ending of this blowe there is neuer any time giuen to the enimie to enter by reason that the point standeth alwayes directly against him But in the discharging of this blowe a man must remember to drawe his left foote neere his right foote and then to encrease forwardes with the right foote deliuer it as forcibly as he may staying him selfe in the lowe warde True it is that he may also deliuer a right and reuersed edgeblowe at the head or els strike downwardes from the wrist of the hand but because he is notable to turne his wrist in so small a compasse in the discharge of an edgeblowe either high or lowe but that the poynt of the sworde will be out of the straight lyne by the length of a sworde in the which before it returne the enimie hath sufficient time to strike Therefore I would not counsell any man to vse them either alone or both togither But yet betweene two thrustes they may be verie well vsed togither by continuing the one after the other though they be voyded vntill the last thrust the which doth safely rest it selfe in the lowe ward The vse of them is on this manner When one hauing discharged a thrust from the high warde perceiueth that it doth not hurt because it was voyded by the enimies sworde he must turne a right edgeblowe from the wrist athwart the enimies head fetching a compasse with his foote behind him toward the rightside to the ende the blowe may be the longer which is the longest blowe of all others But if the enimie voide this in like case which is very difficult then he must suddenly turne the reuerse from his elbowe encreasing therewithall a slope pace with the hinder foote And it is to be noted that in deliuering a reuerse the slope pace is in a manner alwaies to be vsed to the ende he may go foorth of the straight lyne in the which if he should deliuer it he may easily be strooken Hauing vsed this pace reuerse whether it hit or not the sworde in the same instant is something to be drawen or slyded which drawing is profitable in this that in giuing the reuerse it doth both cause the weapon to cut and make the greater blowe Wherefore it is to be vnderstoode that all edgeblowes ought so to be deliuered that they may cut for being directly giuen without any drawing they cause but a small hurt Comming therefore to my purpose I say that as soone as he hath so drawen his sworde he ought with the straight pace of the right foote discharge a thrust vnderneath being already prepared the whrich thrust is so strong both for the aptnes thereof and encrease of the pace that it pearceth through any impediment withstanding it And all these blowes beginning from the thrust aboue hand till the ende of the thrust vnderneath being roundly deliuered one after another with such swiftnes as is required are in a manner not to be warded Besides they haue so great increase of pace that it is not almost possible for the enimie to retyre so much backwarde as these encrease vpon him forward The defence of the thrust of the high warde at single Rapier ALL the furie in striking before spoken of is vtterly frustrated when as here it may be seene a man withstandeth and incountreth the first thrust For the defence whereof it is needefull that he stand at the lowe warde and as the thrust cōmeth that he encounter it without with the edge of the sword and increase a slope pace forward with the hin der foote at the verie same time by which pace he moueth out of the streight line and passeth on the right side of the enimie And he must remember to beare alwaies the poynt of the sword toward the enimie So that the enimie in comming forwardes ether runneth himselfe on the 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 encountreth the sword yet he may be safelie stroken with the encrease of a streight pace to which pace hauing suddenly ioyned a slope pace a man must returne and increase againe though the enimie were strooken at the first increase of that pace For if at the first stroak and increase the enimie were not hit in the eye it shall be to small purpose Therefore as soone as he hath vsed the croked or slope pace he must presentlie encrease an other streight pace the which doth so much gather vpon the enimie that if he would strike him in the brest he may thrust his sword vp to the hiltes Now for the loftie edge-blowes both right and reuersed the rules aforesaide may suffice To witte the edge-blowe fectheth 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 vnder any of these edgeblowes And farther for asmuch as it is naturallie giuen to euerie man to defend himselfe he may encounter the right edge-blowe after an other waie and that is to encounter it with the edge of his sworde and presentlie to driue there withall a thrust at the enimies face and to compasse his hinderfoote towardes the right side behinde to the ende that the thrust may be lengthned and his bodie thereby couered considering he shall then stand right behinde his sword This manner of defence may serue to warde all right blows of the edg deliuered 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 reuersed thrust But if one would warde a reuerse he must oppose the edge of his sword without and therewithall increase a slope pace then deliuer a thrust with the increase of a straight or right pace And this may suffice for all that which may be vsed against a loftie reuersed edgeblowe as farfoorth as a man endeuoureth to oppose himselfe against the weapon And this is the verie same also which may be vsed for the warding of the thrust The hurt of the broad warde at single Rapier THe most sure most true principall blowe that may be vsed in this warde is the thrust vnderhand 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
foresaid slope pace the bodie is moued out of the straight lyne so that the enimie may not so commodiously strike with his hinder sword but that he shal be first stricken on the face or on the armes Wherefore let euery man resolue himselfe as soone as he hath encountred the enimies sword with his owne foresworde that he step in and strike with his hinder sworde Neither let him stand in feare of the enimies hinder sworde for either it cannot hurt because the bodie is voyded as I haue saide or els if it may it must presently prouide to stand to his defence and thereto is so bound that it may do no manner of hurte Of the two hand sword FOr the deceites falses of the two hande sworde there is no more regarde to be taken in the handling thereof single that is one to one then there is when it is vsed among manie onelie this end is to be purposed to witte to moue and handle with all nimblenesse and dexterity aswel the edge as the poynt fetching those great circuler and vnruly compassinges therewith as his fourme greatnesse and manner of holding requireth Nether ought a man so much to regard to fetch a small or great compasse or to strike more with the point then with the edg but must beliue onely that the victorie consisteth in the nimble and actiue guiding thereof anie manner of waie Therefore there may be framed manie wards of al the which beinge a thinge superfluous to reason of I will handle onely sixe of them which are most commodius and vsuall wherof the first may be called the high warde the second the broad warde the third the low warde from which there springeth all other three towardes the other side making sixein all The high warde is framed by bearing the sworde and arms lifted vp on high and wide from the body with the poynt of sword turned towardes that parte as that arme is whose hand is placed by the crosse that is to saie if the right hand shal be at the crosse the right foote befoore to beare also the sword with his poynt towardes that side There is an other hie warde opposite to this that is without mouing the feete at all to turne the poynt towardes the other side that is towardes the left side and to crosse the armes And it is to be noted that in this high warde be it on what side it wil the sword is to be borne with the poynt turned downewardes The second is the broad warde must be framed with the armes widened from the body not high but straight And from this springeth and is framed an other broad warde turned towards the other side by crossing of the armes The third is the lowe warde and in this the sword would be borne with the poynt some what vppwardes And this warde hath his opposite or contrarie by turning the sword on the other side and crossing the armes There may be framed manie other wardes As for example to beare the sword on high with the poynt backewardes to the entent to driue a downe right or cleauing edge-blowe or else to beare it lowe with the poynt backwardes to the entēt to driue it from beneath vpwards But in theese wardes falses are to small purpose And if there be any one of them worth the vsing it should be the false of an edgeblowe the which at the two hand sworde is not to be vsed at all because there is much time lost considering that immediatlie after the false he must strike home with an edgeblow For it is not commodius at the two hand sword to false an edgeblowe deliuer home a thrust because the waight or swing of the sword in deliuering an edge-blowe transporteth the arms beyond their strength so that they may verie difficultlie withhold the blow to such purpose that they may be able as it were in that instant to deliuer a thrust Therefore the false that should be vsed at the two hand sword ought alwaies to be framed with a thrust and then an edgeblow right or reuersed to be deliuered or else to false a high thrust and deliuer it beneath or else where But yet if one would needes false an edgeblowe let him do it with the false edge of the sword then turning it in full circle to deliuer home the edgeblowe and in striking alwaies to encrease a pace But when this false of the backe or false edge is practised the armes being crossed that presentlie after the false one would deliuer home a reuerse then he must encrease a left pace And when he findeth in himself any other warde his hands not being crossed then if he would step forwards to strike he must encrease a pace with the right foote And if in any of theese wardes he would false a thrust which is the best that may be vsed at the two hand sword he must obserue the verie same notes and rules concerning encreasing of the pace Further the thrust is falsed and the edge-blowe deliuered home at the two hand sword for no other cause or consideration then for that the saide edgeblowe is farre more forcible then the thrust For the two hand sword is long by meanes whereof in the deliuerie of the edgeblow it maketh a great circle And moreouer it is so weightie that verie litle and small strength maketh forceth the blow to goe with great violence But for as much as the striking with the edge is verie daungerous cōsidering it spendeth much time and especially in the great compassing of the two hand sworde vnder which time warie actiue persons may with sword or other wepon giue a thrust Therefore for the avoiding of this dāger he must before he determin with himself to strik with the edg first driue on a thrust rather resolut then falsed and as farr forwardes as both armes will stretch In doing of the which he shal force the enimie to retire so much that he may easely therevpon deliuer his edgeblowe with the encrease of a pace nothing douting that the enimy wil strike home first with a thrust Therefore when one standeth at the high warde on either side he must false a thrust encrease a pace deliuering there withal such an edgeblowe as shal be most commodius to serue his turne either right or reuersed And further may practise the like in the broad and lowe wardes in either of the which it is more easye to false the said thrust then in the other And it is to be considered when the edgeblow after the falced thrust is by a slope voided that he suffer not his arms and sword by reason of the waight or swinge thereof to be so farr transported beyonde his strength that the sword light ether on the groūd or that he be forced thereby to discouer all that parte of his bodie which is before Therefore the best remedie is as soone as he shal perceiue that he hath deliuered his blowe in vaine