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cause_n	good_a	great_a	time_n	5,928	5	3.4202	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02044	Giacomo di Grassi his True arte of defence plainlie teaching by infallable demonstrations, apt figures and perfect rules the manner and forme how a man without other teacher or master may safelie handle all sortes of weapons aswell offensiue as defensiue: vvith a treatise of disceit or falsinge: and with a waie or meane by priuate industrie to obtaine strength, iudgement and actiuitie. First written in Italian by the foresaid author, and Englished by I.G. gentleman.; Ragione di adoprar sicuramente l'arme. English	Grassi, Giacomo di.; Churchyard, Thomas, 1520?-1604.; I. G., Gentleman.	1594 (1594)	STC 12190; ESTC S103388	94,439	180

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

in the lowe warde He may also in this warde with the said increase of the right foote deliuer 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 reuerse 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 vse either the saide reuerse 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 giue 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 shal be 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 The Defence of the broad VVard at single Rapier IF a man would defend himselfe from the blowes of the foresaide broad warde it is good that he stande against the enimie in the lowe warde for whilest he is so opposite in the same warde the enimie may neither easily enter neither commodiously defend himselfe So that he which is in the lowe warde may very easily withstand the downright blow and the reuerse by giuing a thrust for that he shall hit him first And if he would onely oppose his sworde and not strike also therewithall he must encounter the enimies sword with the edge of his owne and turning the same edge fetch a reuerse striking at the face of the enimie And as he so turneth his hand and edge of his sworde it shal be good that he carrie his forefoote a halfe crooked or slope pace towards his right side staying himselfe in the broad warde For defence of the reuerse it is to be marked when the enimie lifteth vp the point of the Rapier out of the straight lyne because then of force he fetcheth a compasse And whilest he so doth a man must make a straight pace forwardes and with his left hande take holdfast of the sworde hande of the enimie and incontinently wound him with a thrust vnderneath alreadie prepared Now the verie same defence is to be vsed against the thrust vnderneath which is against the right edgeblow Neither is there any other difference between these two defences but that whilest the right blowe fetcheth his compas a man may giue a thrust and hit home first For the thrust vnderneath must onely of necessitie be warded because cōming in the straight lyne it ministreth no aduantage or time to hit home first The hurt of the Lowe warde at single Rapier A Man may in like maner in this ward as in others deliuer a thrust a right blowe and a reuerse but the true and principall effect of this warde is to expect the enimie aswell for that a man beareth him-selfe without warinesse as also because it is apt and readie to defende all blowes either high or lowe For being in the middle it is as easily somewhat lifted vp as something borne downe So that when one standeth in this warde he may not as for his aduantage be the first that shall giue either the down-right blowe or the reuerse for both the one and the other departing out of the straight lyne are deadly because they giue time to the enimie to enter nimbly with a thrust The thrust therefore may be only vsed when one meaneth to strike first and it is practised either within or with out alwaies regarding in either of the waies so to beare and place his arme that he haue no neede before he thrust to drawe backe the same And if the enimie warde it by the trauerse or crosse motion of his Rapier as many vse to do then he ought to encrease a straight pace and lift vp his sword hand holding the point thereof downwards betwixt the enimies arme and his bodie with the encrease of a straight pace to deliuer a thrust And this manner of thrust doth easily speede because it increaseth continually in the straight lyne in such sort that the enimie can do no other then giue backe and especially when it is done without for then the sworde is safe from the trauerse motion of the other sworde The Defence of the Lowe warde at single Rapier BEcause both the down-right blowe and the reuerse are varie easily defended in this warde I will not stand to speake of any other then of the thrust restraining my selfe thereunto The which thrust if at the first it be not withstoode may proue verie mortall deadly Therefore when this thrust is giuen within it must be beaten inwardes with the edge of the Rapier requiring the turne of the hand also inwards and the compasse of the hinder foote so farre towards the right side as the hande goeth towardes the right side And the enimie shall no sooner haue deliuered the thrust and he found the sword but he ought to turne his hand and with a reuerse to cut the enimies face carying alwaies his forefoote on that side where his hand goeth If the enimies thrust come outwardes then it is necessarie that with the turne of his hand he beat it outwards with the edge of his sword encreasing in the same instant one slope pace by meanes whereof he deliuereth his bodie from hurt And therewithall encreasing another straight pace and deliuering his thrust alreadie prepared he doth most safely hurt the enimie The Rapier and Dagger HAuing as briefely as I might possibly finished all that which might be saide of true knowledge of single Rapier it seemeth conuenient that comming from the simple to the compound I handle those weapons first which from the Rapier forwards are either most simple or least compound And especially those which nowe adayes are most vsed and in the which men are most exercised the which weapons are the Rapier Dagger accompanied togither and are a great encrease and furtherance both in striking and defending Wherefore it is first to be considered that with these and the like weapons a man may practise that most desired and renowmed manner of skirmishing which is saide to strike and defend both in one time which is thought to be impossible to be done with the single Rapier and yet in truth it is not so For there are some kinde of blows in the defence of which one may also strike as in the blowes of the edge downe right and reuersed both high and lowe and other high blowes which here are not spoken of Wherefore seing with these weapons a man may verie commodiously both strike and defend for that the one is a great helpe to the other it is to bee remembred that because these weapons are two and the one of lesser quantitie then the other to eache one bee allotted that part both of defendinge and strikinge which it is best hable to support So

is possible from the right side beareth the sword so farre off from the bodie that it seemeth to giue great scope to the enimie to enter albe it in truth it be nothing so For although the hand the handle of the sworde be both farr from the bodie and quite out of the streight line yet the poynt of the sworde from which principallie procedeth the offence is not without the saide lyne For it is borne so bending towarde the left side that it respecteth directlie to strike the enimie and being borne in that sorte it may verie well both strike and defend And when the poynt of the sword is borne out of the streight lyne as the hand and handle is then a man is in daunger to bee hurte caselie by the enimie the which happeneth not when the poynt is bending for in such order it is as a barre and defence to the whole bodie The low Ward THis also from the effect is called the base ward or lock Neither is this name improperlie giuen by the Professors of this Art for that it is more strong sure and commo dious then anie other ward and in the which a man may more easelie strik ward stand therein with lesse paine This ward is framed in the Schools after dyuers fashions either bearing the hand low before the knee either verie much stretched forwardes either betweene both the knees All which fashions if we regard naturall reason and the motions vsed therein are to small purpose for besides that they are all violent and for a small time to be endured they are also such in the which a man may not strike but in two tymes or at the least in one and then verie weakly Wherefore casting all these aside I will frame such a warde as shal be applyed to time to nature and to safetie And it is when one beareth his arme directly downwardes neere his knee but yet without it and his sworde with the point somewhat raysed and bearing towards the left side to the end it may arme and defend that part also in such sort that being borne without violence he may continue long And if he would strike he may in one time forcibly deliuer a great thrust But this he cannot do if he beare his sword directly befor him for then he must ether draw backe his arme when he would strike or els strike in one time but verie weakly This warde therfore must be framed with the arme stretched downwards neere the knee but yet on the outside thereof because after this manner a man standeth safely commodiously and more readie both to strike and defend The manner how to strike WIthout all doubt the thrust is to be preferred before the edgeblowe aswell because it striketh in lesse time as also for that in the saide time it doth more hurt For which consideratiō the Romanes who were victorious in all enterprises did accustome their souldiers of the Legions to thrust onely Alleaging for their reason that the blowes of the edge though they were great yet they are verie fewe that are deadly and that thrustes though litle weake when they enter but iij. fingers in to the bodie are wont to kill Therefore I laye down this for a firme and certaine rule that the thrust doth many times more readily strike and giue the greater blowe against the enimie And to the end a man may thrust it out with the greatest force at the most aduantage and vttermost length that may be he must alwaies remember to carrie his left foote compassing behinde him in such sort that the hinderfoot so compassing may alwaies be in the straight lyne of the hand and sworde as a Diameter in the middest of a Circle And in finishing of the blowe to drawe his hinder-foote a halfe pace forwardes and so by that meanes the blow is longer stronger and the shoulder and side are onely opposite to the enimie and so farre off from him that they may not be strooken and it is not possible for a man to frame a longer blowe than this VVhen it is better to strike with the edge FOr no other cause the edge is preferred before the poynt then for the time the shortnes whereof is so to be esteemed aboue all other things in this Arte that omitting the point and edge it ought to be giuen for the best and chiefe counsell that same to be the better blowe in which a man spendeth least time And therfore when this happeneth and may be done with the edg then the edg is to be preferred before the point the which as occasion serueth shal be further declared When I reasoned of the blow of the point or thurst I said that a man ought to thrust when the point is in the straight line because the blowe is then performed in one time But the edg differeth from the point in that that being out of the strait line it indeuoreth to come in to the same againe Therefore when it hapneth the point to be born either on the right either on the left side either aloft out of the strait line if then on would thrust in the right line he can not performe it but in two times whereas if he would strik with thedg be it right or reuersed or downwards he may do it in one time It shal be also verie commodious rather to strik with the edg when as sometime a man bearinge his sword in the strait line and the enimie ther finding it doth with his hand beat it on this side or that side In which case if he would return it again into the said line of purpose to strik he shal be constrained to doe it whith great violence and much time For these reasons I hold it better to let the sworde swaie to that side whereto the enemie beateth it and to ioin vnto it such force as he may to help the motion and fetching withall a compas to strik with the edg The which blow is so readie strong that thenimie can hardly haue time to withstand it being alredy occupied in beating aside the sword pretending to strik nothing at al expecting that thaduersaries sworde wil strik again either so quickly or with the edge on that side from which it was beaten The Line of the edg is from A to B The line of the point from C. to D. and from D. to E. The meanes to defend THE meanes of defending a blowe giuen either with the edg or point of the sword are three One is when the weapon is opposed to the blow in such sort that the weapon which cometh striking either at the head or at the bodie cannot hit home to the place whereūto it is directed but hindered by some thing or other then set against it be it sword dagger target bil Iauelin or anie thing els which at that instant a man hath in his hand For it chanceth not alwaies to weare or carrie weapons of purpose or ordained to that entent