noted in diuerse partes of mine owne countrie and in other places of the world great quarrells springing from small causes and many men slayne vppon light occasions Amongest other things I remember that in Liesena a citie of Sclauonia it was once my chance to see a sodaine quarrell and slaughter vpon very small cause betweene two Iialian captaines of great familiaritie and acquaintance There was in the companie a foolish boy belonging vnto one of be Captaines who going carelesly forward approching neere vnto the other captaine began to touch the hilts of his sword wherevpon the captaine lent the boy a little blow to teach him better maners The other Captaine the boies master taking this reprehension of his boy in worse parte than there was cause after some wordes multiplyed began to drawe his sword the other Captaine in like sort betaking himselfe to his rapier did with a thrust run him quite through the bodie who falling downe dead vpon the place receiued the iust reward of his friuolous quarrell And to confesse the plaine truth in this point it is not well done either of men or boyes to touch the weapons of another man that weareth them Neuerthelesse a man ought in all his actions to seeke and endeuour to lieu in peace and good agreement as much as may be with euerie one and especially he that is a Gentleman and conuerseth with men of honorable quality must aboue all others haue a great regard to frame his speech and answeres with such respectiue reuerence that there neuer growe against him anie quarrell vpon a foolish worde or a froward answere as it often hath and daily doth come to passe whereupon follow deadly hatreds cruell murthers and extreame ruines Wherefore I saie and set downe as a most vndoubted truth that it is good for euerie man to be taught and instructed in the Rapier and Dagger not the rather thereby to grow insolent or to commit murther but to be able and ready in a case of iust necessitie to defend himselfe either at the sodaine or vpon defiance and in field assigned for at that time it is too late to looke backe and to intend this studie as many doo who hauing appointed the time and place for fight doe practise some point or other of this arte the which being so lightly learned and in such hast doth afterwards in time of need proue but little helpfull or auailable vnto them But this knowledge doeth more particularly appertayne vnto Gentlemen and souldiers that professe and followe warres for they more than other men will for the credite of their calling and the honor of Armes dispute and determine with the point of the sword all points that passe in controuersie especially amongest themselues who had rather die than not to haue reason and satisfaction for euerie worde of preiudice and disgrace offered vnto them Now in this case I am to exhort and aduise men of all sortes and condition as well the skilfull as the vnskilfull not to bee in anie wise too suspitious nor to catch as they saie at euerie flie that passeth by for in so dooing they purchase to themselues endlesse trouble and enter into actions full of danger and dishonour but rather to shunne as much as they can all occasions of quarrell and not to fight excepte as hath bene sayde vpon a iust cause and in a point of honor And to the end that euerie man may know what to doo and bee able to practise as much as hee knoweth at the request of certaine Centlemen my good friends to make the world witnes of my gratefull minde towards them for the many curtesies which I haue receiued at their handes since my first comming into this Countrie out of those preceptes which I haue learned from the most rare and renowmed professors that haue b n of this Art in my time and out of that experience which I haue obserued in diuerse fraies and fights I haue composed and framed this little worke containing the noble Arte of the Rapier and Dagger the which I haue set downe in manner of a Dialogue c. VINCENTIO SAVIOLO HIS PRACTISE I Haue long and greatly desired my deare friend V. to learne this noble science and especially of you who did put the first weapons into my hands wherefore seeing so good opportunitie is so fitly presented I coulde wishe that wee might spende this time in some discourse concerning the Arte of the Rapier and Dagger to the end that I might thereby both the better retaine the title which I haue alreadie learned and also adde some new lesson thereunto V. Ceâ—tes my louing friend L as wel for that I haue found you to be a man of a noble spirite as in regard of the great loue which I beare vnto you as also to the end that hereafter when time shall serue you may be better knowen vnto sundry Gentlemen my good friends I am content to yeeld vnto your request and therefore demand boldly any thing wherein you desire to bee resolued L. Sir the loue which you beare mee I know to bee exceeding great and therefore haue no doubt that you will fayle me in anie part of your promise for the which fauour I acknowledge my selfe infinitly beholding vnto you I shall desire you therefore according to your iudgement and skill to resolue and instruct mee in such doubts as doo occurre vnto me for I knowe and many noble men and Gentlemen do likewise know that you are exquisitly able not only to resolue vs of anie doubt readily but also to instruct vs in this science perfectly V. Sir I desire nothing more than to please and satisfie you and such other Gentlemen my good friends and therefore you may expounde questions at your pleasure L. From my first yeres I haue liked this noble Art but now doo much more loue it hauing seene such diuersitie of this exercise together with the danger thervnto belonging and since I came to be your scholler plainly perceiued how that a man in one moment may be slaine And therfore I giue God thankes that in some measure hee hath giuen mee the knowledge of this science and I hope through your good helpe to bee more fully informed therein Wherefore I desire you to tell me if there may be giuen anie certaine instruction and firme rule whereby to direct a man to the true knowledge of hereof V. Since my childhoode I haue seene verie many masters the which haue taken great paines in teaching and I haue marked their diuerse manners of playe and indangering wherefore both for the particular contentment pleasure of the Gentlemen my friends and for the general help benefit of many I haue changed fiue or six sundry maner of plaies taught me by diuerse masters and reduced them vnto one by my no little labour and paine and in this will I resolue you and geue you therein so direct a rule and instruction as that therby being my scholler you may attain vnto
redilie thrust him in the face and retire backeward towards his lefte side Againe in that maner of lying you maie charge him towardes his right side and thrust a stoccata at his face betweene his Rapier and Dagger euer remembring that your sword passe by the middest of his Dagger and giue him a riuersa in recoiling backward towards his right side And if you fortune not to hitte him and that he passe vpon his right foote doe you but change your bodie to the lefte side lifting vp your poniard and holding your hand firmelie on your right knee so shal you be master of his swoorde and maie easilie hit him and the more fierce he is the more you shall commaund his weapon and mangle him neither can he strike you either within or without your Dagger or with a dritta or riuersa vpon the legges Againe if you see him holde his dagger with the point turning to his lefte side thrust at his face a riuersa guiding your pointe to enter in the middest of his dagger and soddenlie recoile and if he likewise parte doe as I haue alreadie tolde you winding your bodie well vpon your lefte side if you finde him lying open vse your caricado toward his right side and lye lowe in your warde carrying your bodie on your lefte side bearing your Dagger out at length as I haue taught you in the first warde but let your hand beeing directly with your knee turne with your bodie and in this manner you maie offer a thrust and if hee thrust first beare your dagger readie to defend your selfe and your rapier to offend him But in this be very heedful as I haue often tolde you neither eleuate nor abase your dagger hand nor beare him ouer the one side or the other for if your enemy haue good skill in his weapon and withall a readie hand he may easilie beare his pointe compasse and hurt you or many times feigne a thrust to deceiue you Therefore be alwaies aduised to keepe your hand firme not abasing or lifting vp your pointe or turning your wrist on the one side or other and if he thrust at you you maie well readilie both defend your selfe and offend him Moreouer if he abase his point lie in your lefte foot warde and vse your caricado vpon his right side and if hee thrust either an imbrocca aboue your Dagger or a mandritta at your head remouing his right foot turne readilie your bodie on your right side lifting vp your Dagger and turning your wriste Againe is you finde his pointe farre out charge him in your left foot warde towards his right side and charge him with your Dagger close to his sworde and letting fall your pointe vnder his you maie easilie thrust a stoccata or imbroccata but euer keepe firme your Dagger hand and lift not vp your bodie and in breaking his thrust toward his left side you maie giue him a riuersa either in the brest or on the legs Besides this many more practises there be which with good exercise of body and readines of hand might easilie be effected But because it groweth somewhat late and our discourse hath lasted so long I will take my leaue of you retiring my selfe to dispatch some busines before my going home L. I am infinitely beholding vnto you for these good instructions and to morrow I wil meete you to vnderstand somewhat more for my farther skil and auoiding of idlenes V. God be your guide and to morrow I will expecte you THE FOVRTH DAYES Discourse of single Rapier Entreating how a lefte handed man shall plaie with one that is right handed Luke AFfter your departure yesterdaie in the after-noone I was in an honorable place wher vpon occasion of some ielousie of loue of certaine gentlewomē two gentlemen of the companie fell at words and from words to deeds but they were not suffered at that time to proceede to any further action neuertheles they gaue their faithes the next morning to trie it with their weapons and so accordinglie they met and brauely perfourmed their combate in the execution whereof I tooke great pleasure to be a beholder not that I had anie delight to see them kill one another but for another cause and that was to see by experience the truth of that which I haue heard manie affirme and seeing there is so good an opportunity offered I wil entreat you hauing troubled you in a greater matter that you will assoyle me certaine doubtes which I shall demaund of you and make me rightly vnderstand them whereby I shall remaine greatly bound vnto you V. I praie you tell me what were these gentlemen which fought and whether anie of them be hurt after be bolde to declare to me your doubtes and I will not faile to resolue you the best I can L. Sir I doubt not of your curtesie which I haue found you alwaies willing to shewe to euerie man but cheefely to your freends but to tell you the truth I haue forgot the gentlemens names but this I can well saie that in the handling of their weapons they behaued themselues very manfullie neither of them receiuing any wound for they were both very quicke with the rapier to offend and with their daggers to defend but the greatest reason that led me to be present there was to see how well they managed their weapons one of them being right handed and the other left handed because I know many of opinion that the left handed haue great aduantage of the right yet I see both doe their vttermost this morning without any hurt of either partie and in beholding both the one and the other diligently I could not discerne anie iot of aduantage betweene them therefore you shall doe me great fauour if you discourse vnto me whether the left hand can haue any aduantage of the right or the right of the lefte withall instructing me both how to defende my selfe from such a one and how to offend him V. Of this question I haue heard many times much reasoning and many there are indeede which so think but beleeue me the left hand hath no aduantage of the right hand nor the right of the lefte no otherwise than you your selfe finde your owne aduantage L. Tell me therfore if you would teach a left hand how would you begin V. I would teach him first with the single rapier making him to stand with his left foote forwardes and that his heele should be right against the middle part of his right foote I would put my selfe with my right foot forward as I told you before concerning the single rapier I would that the scholler should hold his sword our at length that the point thereof bee directlie at my face and that he holde his swoord-hand as it were in a line from his bodie outwards of my sword towards my right side passing withal with his left foot towards my left side putting his rapier vnder mine and to giue me an imbroccata in the
the Princes and gentlemen that followed the Emperour to his own deserts and not to the good will that they sawe the Emperour bare him that hee laughed al men to scorn thinking none able to encounter with him Whereuppon hee obtained leaue of the Emperour that proclaimation shoulde bee made that if any one in all that Citie being so ful of people would wrestle with him hee would challenge him which being published euery man was sorelye afraide of his hugenes strength and eager countenance Insomuch that none could be found that durst vndertake that match saue the Duke of Mantuaes Brother called Rodomont who though he was but of an ordinary stature yet was he both very strong and nimble withall and as it was credibly thought all his brest was wholy made of one bone he was very valiant and by reporte could break at one course seauen staues tyed together insomuch that if he had not had a good horse he should break his backe but for many rash enterprises he was bannished from all tylt-yardes and iusting This Rodomont seeing that no man else durste vndertake to bee matched in wrestling with the proude boasting Moore notwithstanding that his brother the Duke and the rest of his kinred vsed all meanes to disswade him would neuerthelesse himselfe wrestle with him to make it knowen vnto all the worlde that he would not suffer so beastlie a creature to staine the honor of Italian Gentlemen and to giue the Emperour who was a stranger occasion to laugh at the Italians seeing them put downe by a monstrous Moore Rodomont therefore buckling with the Moore in presence of the Emperour and all the Princes behaued himselfe in such sort that the Moore could not foyle him with any fall insomuch that hee was brought only to touch the ground with one knee howbeit the Moore strained himselfe to the vttermost strength and so the night drawing on after they had tryed their force a long time the Emperour caused them to cease till next daye at which time Rodomont came to meete the Moore againe with great courage and hauing now had good triall of his strength and knowing what he was able to doe as soone as he sawe fitte opportunitie nimblye tooke the Moore about the middle and clasped him hard against his owne brest holding him so vntill he perceiued him to be breathlesse and then letting him slippe out of his armes the Moore fell down dead so heauilie that the whole place shaked as if some steeple had beene cast downe which Rodomont perceiuing presentlye got from the whole company and taking poste horsse fled fearing least the Emperour should haue doone him some displeasure but hee wente not about it considering that the challenge was publiquelye proclaimed by his owne leaue and authoritie Howbeit hee was greeued for the losse of his stout Moore One example more will I recount concerning insolencye especiallye because this Rodomont of whome I spake was an actor in the tragedie It happened that the Duke of Mantua and his brother Rodomont being in the same Emperour Charles his Court about certain affaires of their owne they on a time walked in a great chamber expecting that the Emperour should send for them when his Maiestie were at leasure into which chamber at the same time came a certain Spanish Captaine who without any greeting or salutation came by them and brauely walked euen betweene the Duke and his brother nothing respecting the greatnes of that prince and so braued them three or foure times wherewith Rodomont being greatlye offended with the discurtesie of this proud and insolent Captain went to a window which he perceiued to be open and staying til the captaine came that way tooke him by the coller with one hand and putting the other vnder his breeche thrust him out at the windowe and brake his necke Wherevpon he fled from the Court with all speede he could But the Emperour being enformed of the matter blamed not Rodomont considering the Spanishe Captaine had so insolently behaued himselfe to Rodomonts brother the Duke of Mantua It were an endlesse thing for me to rehearse all the examples that I haue heard concerning this vice of insolencie which are infinite and happen dayly in all countries by reason of the little regarde that is had in the bringing vp of yong men and so I will only exhorte euery man to take heed least him selfe fall into like follie I will not omit to speake of a certaine vice and parte not to be vsed by a gentleman seeing it proceedeth of meere cowardise which is when a man hauing fallen out with one or other and wanting courage to deale with him in single fight procureth base and cowardlie meanes by the help of some of his freends with whom he plotteth how they may circumuent his enemy And so watching him at some time or other will draw vpon him as if hee had mette him by chaunce who thinking vpon no villanie without any suspition at all likewise draweth to defende himselfe as a man ought to doe which when the other plotters espie standing a far off drawe neere as strangers to them both and vnwilling any hurt should be done on either side whereas they most traiterouslie will either themselues impart a thrust by the way or so strike his weapon that his enemy may take occasion to hurt him which villanie for I thinke no term bad inough to expresse it by you may escape if you take heede when any one draweth vpon you that none else come neere you willing them to retire with protestation that you will take them as your enemies if they doe not for by reason that you knowe them not they cannot but like of your protestation if they meane you no euill seeing that you not knowing thē can not assure your self of their good affection towards you and care of your safegarde Therfore in any case at such time as you shal happen to be enforced to defende your selfe on the sodaine let no man come neere you for it is very dangerous and I speake this because I haue seene the like doone verye often and found it confirmed by great experience And to saye some thing of parting I will by the way declare thus much That hee that will parte two that are fighting must go betwixt thē both hauing great regarde that he nether hindreth one more then the other nor suffereth the one more to endanger his enemie than the other and if more come to parte then one they must deuide themselues and some come on one side and some on the other taking great heede that neither of them be any way either preiudiced or fauoured wherefore I doe not mislike with the great Duke of Florence his opinion who vpon paine of great forfeiture forbad all men to parte those that should fight for hee would haue them suffered to fight til they parted themselues and if any one chaunced to be hurt they should blame themselues seeing they were the onelye cause thereof If the
his hand he is not bound to goe any further It is sometime seene that one asking another a thing as a man should saye hast not thou saide such wordes wa st thou not such a day in such a place in stead of answere yea or no it is answered by a lye of all such and such like I doe not intend to mencion or remember being to great a labor to gather them together for that they are woorth no more A lye giuen wtout cause than as he that had lost his girdle sayd that whosoeuer had taken awaie the same lyed Or he that heard another breake winde behinde sayd if you speak to me sir you lie in your throate To these I will ioyne others as vaine and foolish whereof I will giue examples I say to you A lye giuen aâ—ter an ill sorte like to lyke whosoeuer you bee that hee is an whoremonger and hee then not giue them one word but another daie with aduantage of weapon or companie will tell me that I lyed The other beeing himselfe lykewise iniuried wil make no answere and afterwards out of audience will saie vnto the giuer of the iniurie that hee lyed or will publish a cartell full of giuing the lie These I saie and such lyke are of no woorth for that they are not giuen like Gentlemen or Caualiers In disgrace giuen and receiued in the presence of others with out aduantage there must no aduantage bee sought in the answering of them but vnto the iniuries presently giuen present answere must bee made To those a farre off giuen farre they are to be answered and such as are writ written answeres are allowed Neither must that lye be called lawfull which is giuen with more aduantage than the iniury was giueÌ„ because no respect ought to withdrawe me to answere him who doeth iniurie or hurt so that he be not armed or so accompanied that I answering him hee might doo me wrong in oddes of weapon in such maner iniuring me I ought not vnsaie my worde in seeking my aduauntage yet it is certaine that if anie person I hauing meanes to doo supersticery and wrong should charge me with infamy I ought not to staie from giuing him the lie therefore for so is my dementie or lie lawfull Neither can he alledge that my challenge therein was supersticery the fault being to be giuen by him who sawe me so aduantaged vnder him would come to outrage me But Gentlemen out of this case must obserue that the lie or dementie ought to be giuen in more honest manner than the iniuries are done And if that one far off thee haue spoken ill of thee thou straight maist giue him the ly maist write to him that he lieth in his throat and so likewise present And if he haue written anie thing in preiudâ—ce of thy reputation thou by writing maist answere him and very honorably thou maist also giue it him present And seeing now mention is made of writing to him who farre of speaketh ill of another I will adde this that I know that of some it is said that whosoeuer is the first that writeth he is accounted Chalenger which opinion is in no sort to be allowed for the Challenger is he that moueth the quarrell and he offereth the quarrell that giueth the iniurie whether it be by worde or deede present or farre off and for that the other shall not preiudice the matter with the maner of writing the writing first or last is no matter at all But I haue seene it disputed amongest the wisest sorte of Gentlemen that cartelles of dementies or giuing the lie beeing heere and there cast abroad euery one did defend for themselues to bee the first that published pretending amongest themselues that he who was the first that wrote hast the best aduantage And because wee haue spoken of supersticerie which is not onely considered in respect of the aduantage of weapons or of persons but for respect of priuiledged places or the sight of the prince where it is not lawfull for one that he maye freely shewe his griefe Heere one may aske me what hee ought to do if in the presence of the Prince one will giue mee outragious wordes An answere in the view of the Prince To this I will alwaies thus aunswere that neither he ought to let passe the repulse by the lye nor the Prince ought at all to take it in disdaine for hee ought rather to bee tollerated that giueth another a repulse of an iniurie then he who doth it and hee that beareth that in his presence an iniurie should be done me of a greater reason ought to beare that I defende the same but yet so and with such reuerence must he answer the same by aduenture as the same may seeme full of modestie And this I will now saye that so much the more I holde my selfe bound to answere by how much that I know that he that did me iniurie is accounted of the Prince before whom I may be accused but heerein I prescribe no lawe to any body but onely shewe mine opinion which whosoeuer followeth shall doe honorably and for his reputation whom it shall not like to followe let custome stand in stead of lawe And now turne to saye that Princes ought more patiently comparte the discharge then the charge that another hath giuen in his presence A conclusion touching the Challenger and the Defender and of the wresting and returning back of the lye or Dementie TO come to the ende of this Treatise of Dementies or giuing the lie and to conclude the question of the Challenger the Defendant seeing alreadie wee haue determined that hee to whome the lie is giuen for repulse of an iniurie he is properly the Defendant To the ende that more cleere contentment therein may be giuen we are verie diligently to examine the lawfull dementies of lies and by this examination remember our selues if it be conuenient of those things which before wee haue treated of and of their manner and principally of the proper nature of the Lie the which is to put backe the iniurie and when it doth not this office it becommeth of it selfe an iniurie and with another lie the same may be repelled and vpon this consideration I saie that the Lie maie be giuen in the affirmatiue and so vppon the negatiue and sometime it falleth out that vpon the affirmatiue it cannot be giuen and sometime vppon the negatiue it hath no place and so consequentlye both heere and there beeing giuen it maie bee wreasted and sent backe and yet it may bee giuen both in the affirmation and negation in the same quarrell without that it may bee subiecte to anie repulse of either of the parties And heere of each my opinion I will giue an example The Lie lawfully giuen vpon the affirmatiue is such as before wee haue set downe more than in one manner One sayth of another that he is a rebell vnto his Lorde he who
giue lybertie to infamous persons to require the Combat as men desirous and willing to beholde others in fight as if it were at the baiting of a bull or some other wilde beast whose successours imitating theyr predecessours haue brought these thinges to this passe as generallye it is holden that whosoeuer hee bee that receiueth the Lie bee it vppon whatsoeuer occasion hee is presentlie bounde to discharge himselfe thereof onely by his swoorde and not by anye other meanes Which disorder beeing thus farre proceeded ought no doubt to bee carefully redressed that Gentlemen maye bee reduced from theyr erronious opinion by the selfe same waie and means that they fell first into it And to the ende that men maye bee rightly perswaded The Lie doth not leade a man to fight I saie that the Lye is not the thing that induceth fight but the occasion whereupon it was giuen and if there were no proofe of the defect whereof a man is blamed that hee can in no sorte binde the other to fight because the regarde ought to bee to the qualitie of the iniurie and not to the Lie But I am sure some will account this opinion newly vpstart to whome I aunswere their custome and opinion is farre more newe and that mine is rather to bee proued auncient because no law can bee found that commandeth a man for the receiuing of the Lie to fall presentlie to fight but all those lawes whereon the Combat hath beene graunted haue expreslie reiected the occasions amongest which no mention is made of the Lie and this is the true and auncient custome approoued by the lawes of the Lombardes and by the institutions of the Emperours And if a man ought presently to fight vpon the Lie it is vaine that the Lombards and other Princes after them haue taken paines to set downe the particular causes for which a man ought to fight and those also for which it is not lawfull to fight so as I conclude that in all cases a man ought with greate iudgement and circumspection behaue himselfe wisely For what causes Combats ought to bee graunted SO greatly different is our custome now a daies from the orders laws of the first institutors of Duello as if a man shoulde go about to reduce them into particular cases it were not onely a trouble to some but a verie impossible thing for which cause I will onely treate of that which I shall iudge meetest by a generall rule to bee obserued and include all combats vnder two heads First then The causes of Duello I iudge it not meet that a man should hazard himselfe in the perill of death but for such a cause as deserueth it so as if a man be accused of such a defect as deserue to bee punished with death in this case Combate might bee graunted Againe because that in an honourable person his honor ought to be preferred before his life if it happeÌ„ him to haue such a defect laid against him as in respect thereof he were by lawe to be accounted dishonorable and should therefore be disgraced before the tribunall seate vpon such a quarrell my opinion is that hee is not to be denied to iustifie himself by weapons prouided alwaies that hee be not able by lawe to cleere himselfe thereof And except a quarrell be comprehended vnder one of these two sortes I doe not see how any man can by reason or with his honor either graunt or accompanye an other to the fight Moreouer The dutie of gentlemenâ— such Gentlemen as doe counsaile or accompany a man ought to be iudges of the quarrell for vnto them it belongeth cheefely to knowe if the quarrell deserue triall by armes or no if the person be suspected of the defect laide against him and if there be presumption thereof But if these thinges be not well iustified and proued the combate ought not to be admitted because that the profe by armes being ordained as a meanes to sift out the truth as in ciuile iudgement where the proofe is reasonable and certaine no man can be put to torture without due information and sufficient witnes much lesse ought it to be doone in the iudgement of weapons which perhaps may fall out to be as little to reason as very doubtfull Againe those Gentlemen are to vnderstand if the quarrell haue been vndertaken heretofore by any of the parties to be proued by lawe or otherwise The quarrell 〈◊〉 sayed at the ciuile law and then whether it be proued or no it is not lawfull afterward to bring it to combat besides they are diligently to consider Ciuile Proâ—â—â— if it may be iustified by any other meanes or no. And if in case it may be done by law weapons are not to be allowed for if by ciuile cause coÌ„trouersies are remitted from one iudge to another as actions more belonging to one then to another much rather is the like to bee doone from the iudgement of armes to ciuile law seeing the inequality is much the greater An oath required and vpon these two last articles these gentlemen ought to take oath of him that demaundeth the fielde and without iustification thereof there is no reason to graunt it to any man which thing is so muche the more to bee obserued by how much it is a common case that men are moued to fight vpon such quarrels as might be ended by ciuile law and whosoeuer is once challenged the fielde it is accompted a shame for him to refuse it in which case the vulgare opinion is that it is not manlynes in a gentleman to stand vpon reasons Moreouer if happilie in cartels there be any mention made that not withstanding he could proue his intent by ciuile testimony yet he inten deth to doe it by weapons this I say is a very great abuse and Gentlemen ought to take oath of infamy that is that they doe not require the fielde maliciouslye or with a minde to infame another but onely for proofe of the truth and this oath hath beene ordeined and put in practise of men long agoe And we must also adde that those gentlemen ought fullye to bee satisfied by oath from theÌ„ that demaund the fielde if that which they pronounce be their true quarrell because many times some men will not stick to determine to themselues one pretence of their fight yet make known to the world another which abuses gentlemen ought diligently to take heed of because many times such malice hath been discouered Touching all such matters whereon anye controuersie or dissencion maye growe men ought specially to beware not to be self-willed but are rather to take counsail and aduise both of their freends and experienced men and if there be cause to iudge this course necessarie in anye matter it ought cheefelye to bee in such cases wherein a mans life and honour is touched for we see that euen the wisest sorte to study and endeuour by all meanes possible to furnish themselues with men experienced
the weapons of defence were both weapons of armes and warre and if so be a man would fight with weapons only of defence the gentlemen should in no case admit it but that they should fight like gentlemen as it hath been many times done Touching the choice of your weapons and of the inequalitie of them The aduantage of the Defen dant and the imperfections of the bodie the Defendant hath great aduantage and it is not without iust cause for seeing hee is both accused and constrained to fight it is great reason that hee should haue all the honest fauour that might be and it is no little honor to him that in case he onely be not ouercome hee is accounted the vanquisher where contrarily the Challenger is to ouercome vnles hee will altogither loose the quarrell whereof there is great reason because to the one it appertaineth to prooue and to the other it is sufficient onely to defend Likewise it is as great a fauour that hee hath to choose the weapons which is also very meete for if a man choose to call me to fight the election of the weapons is mine In this choic it is certain that there is not the liberty giuen as is thought for this parte also as all other partes of duello is grounded vpon reason and if wee will be nyce to see how a man is authorised to make the choyce wise men are of opinion that gentlemen should receiue their sentence of weapons from diuine iudgement if in case the iustification cannot by other meanes be made How to appoint the weapons and if they will haue the benefite of that it is necessary that they abandon all violence and deceite which as Cicero saith are the properties of the Lyon and the Foxe and farre from the nature of man Now if these things should in the whole course of our life be helde and perfourmed much more should they be desired in the sifting out of a truth and in the direction of iudgement And touching violence me thinkes the law hath well prouided by giuing the aduantage of the weapons to the Defendant which if it were not so euerie naughty man would embolden himselfe to make wrong accusations and vrge euerie man of lesse strength to fight perswading himselfe to be able to beate him downe to the ground But seeing the law hath so well prouided against this seeing that deceit as the same Cicero likewise affirmeth is worthie of much hatred it is a commendable thing that it is so For in the choise of weapons it belongeth to vs to make some lawe for the Defendâ—nt which should be such as he should not vse anie deceit in nor graunt such wepons as fit not with the disposition of a mans bodie For albeit a man maie saie that wee are natuly apt in all exercises to vse both handes yet it is manifest that vse dooth ouercome nature to make vs right or left handed And therfore if I shall be knowen to be right handed I cannot force my aduersarie to fight with a weapon for the lefte hande seeing the disposition of my bodie is not such And if I haue no defect in my arme or my thighe or legge I cannot come to fight with vambraces or such lyke harneis for those partes which hinder the bending of the elbow or of the knee for this is an apparent deceit and ought to bee refused in the Combat and the Padrini ought not to admit such weapons If in case I be lame or hurt in one of mine armes or my hands or want an eie I may verie wel appoint my enemie such weapons as maie in lyke sorte bind his legge his arme or his hand or that may hide one of his eies but yet if he bee lame of one arme I maye sure appoint him such armour as may hinder the other that is sound And to conclude if it be lawfull for me to appoint such weapon or armour to mine enemie as may hinder him in the same sort that I am hindred yet I must not hinder him vnlesse my selfe be also hindered as thus If I be blinde of my right eie and he of his left I must not therefore also hinder his right eie for this is not to make equalitie of my wants but to take his whole sight from him Likewise a right handed or left handed man or a man weakned or maimed so of his hand as he cannot well close it or that wanteth a finger whereby hee is not able to holde his weapon in his hand in my opinion is not to be constrained to fight with his imperfect hand but may lawfully and iustly denie the challenge which is also to bee vnderstoode of all other members and lims so as it is requisite that all things be guided with reason and iudgement for both parties that it doo not appeare that that which is done is done for reuenge or to infame another but onely for the iustifieng of the truth Of the time for Duello THe time appointed for Duello hath alwaies bene twixt the rising and setting of the Sunne whosoeuer in that time doth not prooue his intent can neuer after bee admitted the Combat vppon that quarrell And in case the day be spent without any combat it cannot be remited to the daie following without the consent of the Defendant who being challenged for that daye and appearing there hath performed all partes of his honour and dutie vnlesse thorough anie default of his the combat was not attempted and is farre from all matters touching that quarrell But it is not sufficient for the Defendant onely to consent except likewise the Lord that granteth the field do condescend thervnto for hauing once admitted the field in a prefixed daie that being past he is discharged Againe such may the case be as the first daie being gone the combat may bee lawfull on the second daye but without newe conditions in ordinarie course wee are to obserue that which we sayd before Of accidents that happen in the Combat AS I haue alredie begun for to treate of Duello so I doo meane to prosecute it according to our vse now a daies First then after that the Combatters are entered the lists if they haue no further agreement betwixt them which of them so euer shall happen to touche the railes or bounds or shall haue anie part of him out of the lists is not to be accounted neither prisoner or ought he to haue that member cut off but the fight is to continue to the death or flight or til it be forbidden But if any of them go out of the lists he is become prisoner if his horse be wounded or slaine or if anie part of his armour breake he is not to be supplied And if he let fall his weapon out of his hand it is lawfull for the other to wound him vnarmed I saie lawfull in this respect that it is accounted an honour to the other to bid him take vp his weapon and to staie from hurting
obseruing time the first offerer is in danger to be slain or wounded in the coūter time especially if he thrust resolutelye but if you be skilfull and not the other then may you gain time and measure and so hit him sauing your selfe then the more furiouslie your enemie commeth on the more he runneth headlong vpon his owne danger Some are of opinion that they can hit him that shall hit them first but such as haue neuer fought or if by chance in one fight they haue beene so fortunate let them not thinke that Summer is come because one swallow is seene Mee thinketh more commendable for a man to defend himselfe and not offend his enemie than to hurt his enemie and bee wounded himselfe for when you shall perceiue the danger that insueth by euery assault without time and measure you wil change your opinion arid some others there are that hold it a shame for a man to retire L. In deede it is accounted disgracefull to giue ground because therein a man seemeth to feare his enemie V. There is difference betweene retiring orderly and running backward for to hit and retire is not discommendable though the other be shamefull hee that holdes the contrarie vnderstandeth little the danger of weapons L. And I praie you what good doth retiring V. If you be assaulted on the sodain your enemy hauing gained time and measure so that you are in euident danger to bee slaine had you rather die than retire a foot L. Some are resolute rather to die than yeelde an inch V. But if such knew they should bee slaine that so small a matter would saue their liues I doubt not but they would retire with both feete rather then faile Many talke as they haue heard and not as they know whereupon I will recite a Combate perfourmed by a great Captaine called Signior Ascanio della Cornia L. Truly I haue heard of one such but I know not whether it were he that was a master of the Campe in that great armie of Don Iohn d'Austria against the Turke V He was the very same but to come to the matter touching the opinion of the ignorant this Captaine being entred the listes against his aduersarie in the presence of many Princes and great men which listes enuironing the circuit appointed for the Combate and being touched by either of them the same person is helde vanquished as if he had beene driuen out was very furiouslye charged by his enemie and sought at the first onely to saue himselfe by retiring which the other perceiuing began to scoffe at him bidding him beware of the listes wherewithall the Captaine espying aduantage made a resolute stoccata cleane through his bodye and so slew him now whether of these think you wonne most honour L. In my iudgement Ascanio who entertained the furie of his aduersarye till in discretion hee found oportunitie to execute his purpose V. I am glad to heare you of that opinion for wee see the like in martiall policye where oftentimes retraites are made of purpose to drawe the enemye either into some imboscata or place of aduantage and such as are most insolent and presumptuous are easiest drawne into those plots who runne headlong on their death like beastes In like sorte hee that vnderstandeth the true vse of his weapons will suffer his aduersarye in his rashnes vntill he finde time and aduantage safely to annoy him And sithens I haue begun to speake of combates I wil recite one other perfourmed in Piemont in the time of Charles the 5. betweene two Italians and two Spaniards as I haue heard it deliuered by diuers Gentlemen present at the action A Spanish Captaine more braue in shew then valorous in deede to insinuate himselfe with the Emperour began in scornfull sorte to finde fault with other nations and among the rest with Italians where the Spaniard had neuer had foote of ground if the Italians themselues had not beene made instruments of their owne conqueste but to let that passe this Spaniard hauing in woords disgraced the Italian nation it came to the Italians eares whereupon two Italians the one of Padua and the other of Vicenza wrote a cartell vnto the Spaniard which was carried by him of Vicenza who finding the Spaniard accompanied with diuers Gentlemen deliuered him the cartell which he receiued saying that hee would go to his Chamber and read it whereunto the Vicentine replyed that he should read it ere hee departed and that it was a cartel Which the Spaniard hauing read in presence of the whole companye asked the Vicentine whether he or his fellow would maintaine the cartell to whome the Vicentine answered that the woords repeated in the cartell was a lye and that hee was present to auouch it wherewithall hee offered to draw foorth his sworde and so the Spaniard and his companion accepted the combat against the two Italians of which matter the Emperour hauing aduertisement conceiued displeasure against the presumption of the Spaniard and so place of combate was prepared in presence of many great personages the combatters being entered the listes one of the Italians who were both in their shirts onely rent of the lefte sleeue of his shirt which the Spaniard beholding saide hee needed not take so muche paine for he meant to haue cut of his arm sleeue and all to whom the Padouan replyed that he meant to haue cut of the Spaniards head firste and therefore prepared his arme for the purpose wherwithall they encountred all very furiouslye so that the Vicentine was first wounded who crying out to his fellow that he was hurt the Padouan comforted him with hope of better successe to come and began warely to keep his garde but the Spaniards presuming on the victorie charged them so much the harder without regarde till at length the Padouan finding his time with a resolute stoccata ranne the one through the bodie and with a sodaine riuersa cut the others neck almost quite in sunder and so they were both slaine together I haue induced these examples for two causes the one for that many contemne this art and make no account therof and the other because there are some so insolent as they seek nothing but to sowe discension between frendes and allies which if they were restrained it might saue the liues of many men for as wee see in the last example there wanted not much to haue caused a generall mutiny between the Spaniard the Italian through the insolencie of the Spaniard if the Emperour had not drawne the matter to a shorter triall by forbidding any one to offer the first blow amongst them vpon paine of death pronouncing the Italians victors that had acquited themselues in so honourable sorte Therefore you may see how dangerous the company of these quarrelsome persons is who doe lesse harme with their swordes then with their tungs for as the Italian prouerbe is La lingua non ha osso ma fa rompere il dosso that is the tung
it is no meruayle if diuers persons giuing themselues wholye to the bent of their owne indiscretion and wante of iudgement esteeme of thinges cleane contrarye to their nature and qualitye For if a man frame himselfe to leade a ciuill and temperate course of life some will saie hee is a foole if hee be not quarrell-some hee is a cowarde if no gamester hee is of base education if no blasphemer an hipocrite if neither whore-monger nor baude hee is neither man nor courteous but altogether ignorant of the rules of humanity and good fellowship A lamentable state is that where men are so misled by ignorance and selfe loue as thus to ouersmoothe and colour their vices and imperfections with the names of vertues and to thinke any action currant that is doone by them and authorysed by their vnresistable swaye and distempered appetites What is become of the gentilitie and inbredde courtesie of auncient noble Gentlemen where is the magnanimitye of the honourable Knightes of fore-going times whose vertues as they are recorded in histories wherin we read of them so ought to haue beene lefte to their posteritye that in them we might see the image now forgotten of auncient true Nobilitye But since all thinges fall to decaye it is no meruaile though vertue I speake with all due reuetence and fauour bee not found but in few for surelye there be many in whome nothing remaineth but the bare tytle of nobilitye in that they be Gentlemen borne who in their manners wholy degenerate from their auncestors and make no account either of honour or dishonour giuing themselues to such pleasures as their vnbrideled appetite leadeth them vnto Neither can I ascribe any reason to this their slyding from vertue vnto vice contrarie to the course taken by their honourable auncestours but this that whereas while their fathers liued their bringing vp was committed to tutors of good government and discretion their parentes beeing dead they withdrawe themselues from their vertuous kinde of life leauing and reiecting the sage counsailes of their instructors and cleaning to their owne deuises To whom if they amend not and take a better course will lighten shame and destruction Wherfore by way of aduise I wish all men to auoid euill companie which for the most part is the cause of great and infinite losse as well of honor and life as of goods and possessions and to followe vertue bearing themselues with a sweet and curteous carriage towards euery man by which course they shall gaine commendation and credite and shall be esteemed of all men and auoiding all such occasions of dislike as may be offered obtaine a good and honorable reputation Doth not God forbid a priuate man to kill his neighbour as it is manifested in sacred scriptures against Caine to whome God saide that the bloud of Abel his brother cryed from the earth for vengeance against him shewing therby that he abhorreth murder and wil reuenge it in due time Moreouer he created vs naked without anie thing naturally giuen vs wherwith to offend or hurt wheras other creatures haue some of them hornes others clawes others strong and sharpe teeth and others poyson And thus were we created of almightie God to to the end we might liue in peace and brotherlye concorde as the sonnes of God and not as the children of the Deuill who are the inuentours that found out the vse of weapons therewith to offend their neighbours and to maintaine the authoritie of their father the Deuill who was a murderer from the beginning and taketh pleasure in the destruction of men raising discention between families cities prouinces and kingdoms Vpon which occasion the necessary vse of armes hath gotten such credit in the worlde as Kings and Princes haue nobilitated some with the name of Knights for their excellencie therein which name is made noble and that vpon great reason for such men as haue purchased nobilitie by conquering kingdomes for their Princes more respecting their honour and countries good then any other thing and esteeming lesse of life then of death in regarde of preseruing that honor vnblotted which belongeth to Knights ought not in any wise to be destitute of high reward In so much that armes being doubled by so many valorous men it were a great shame for one of noble of-spring not to be able to speake of armes and to discourse of the causes of Combats not to know how to discerne the nature and qualitie of wordes and accidents which induce men to challenges not to bee acquainted with the manner of sending cartels and challenges and how fitlye to answere the same and in a word not to haue so much experience in these affaires as to accorde the parties challenging and challenged bringing them from their hostile threates to louing embracementes and of quarreling foes to become louing freends al causes of disconcontent beeing taken away on either side The ignorance wherof hath in these times bred great mischeefe for many thinke that an iniurie being offred in deed or worde the matter may not with their credits be taken vp before they haue fought not regarding if they bee iniuried indeed that they ought first to examine what hee is that hath doone it and vpon what occasion hee might doe it if in woorde what qualitie the person is that spake iniuriously and whether hee deserue an answer or no. For a man beeing carried away with chollor or wine maye chaunce to vtter that for which his fury being past he will be willing to make any satisfaction wherfore it were fondly done by him that would fight vpon euery worde Neither can I be induced to thinke that there is any iniury which is not accompanied with villanie for which with due satisfaction all cause of fighting may not be taken away But if the iniurie be such that either murder be committed by trecherie or rape or such like villanies then is it necessarye to proceede in revenging it as in due place I will more largely declare In the meane time I thinke it necessary to set foorth some considerations of circumstance belonging to this subiect of quarrels not because I take vpon me to teach or correct any man for that belongeth not to me but onlye by way of aduertisement to warne gentlemen to auoide all dangerous occasions growing for want of fore-sight And firste considering the little vnderstanding and small discretion of manye with the dayly danger which such men runne into by indiscretion it is fitte for a man to consider his owne estate for if hee bee a Gentleman borne hee ought euen for that respect with great regarde abstayne from any acte whatsoeuer whereby his woorthye calling may be stayned hee ought to embrace myldenes and curtesie as one that hath a hart of fleshe not of stone more enclyned to clemencye then to crueltye to the ende his conuersation bee acceptable by reason of his sweete and louing behauiour he must also be in minde magnanimous not base or abiecte as one ill borne
like were vsed in all places I thinke we should not haue so muche quarrelling by halfe as wee daylye see among Gentlemen for surely manye will be verye readye vpon no occasion to drawe vpon a man onely because he knoweth that he shall not be suffered to fight Some others there be who to wreake themselues vpon their enemies will doe it by a thirde meanes by giftes or promises perswading some needy fellow to picke a quarrell with their enemy whom either the poore fellow hurteth or killeth and so encurreth danger of death or at the least is hurte or maimed himself Therfore I could wish euery man to meddle with his own quarrels only neither reuenging his own wrong by another nor wreaking other mens iniuries by himselfe vnlesse he haue good reason to the coatrarie as in diuers cases a man may honestlie and honorably both intreat others to reuenge his wrongs and be also intreted of others There be also some gentlemen so carelesse that beeing in companye with honest gentlemen thinke that whatsoeuer follie they commit the companye will be ready to defend them and so will either scoffe or gybe with them that passe by or vse some knauishe tricke toward some one that is not of their companye or fall a quarrelling with one or other whom they think good and so hauing set manye together by the eares they are the first that will runne awaye or hide themselues in some corner till all be done By my counsel therfore shall no man be so fond as to backe anye or take parte with any that are so void of discretion or gouernment Like vnto these you shall see others who will inuite their freends to some dinner or pastime abroad onely to serue their turnes in reuenging their wronges hauing plotted meanes for the execution thereof wherby many times much harme hath beene doone sufficient to cause any man to beware of falling into like inconueniences All which I haue heere sayde because I haue my selfe had experience thereof And these bee the things whereof quarrelles proceede which beginning but betweene two or three somtime are so farre increased that whole families are wrapped in quarrels and broils which oftentimes are not ended without great hurt bloudshed Euerie man ought therefore to know how to behaue himselfe in these cases and not to presume vpon his owne skil or knowledge but to learne how he ought to proceed in matters of combats or quarrelles For a man maie dayly learne more than he knoweth especially they that want experience seeing it is a matter seldome seene that he shall be able to know what is good that hath not had some triall of that which is euill According to a verse of Petrarke Euerie one must learne to his cost which saying pertaineth especially to young men who for the most parte can neuer learne to gouern themselues aright vntill such time as they haue had experience of some mishappe or other concerning either their goods life or credite But as nothing is so daungerous but maie bee preuented so in this pointe that men take good heed and arme themselues with the sure shield of sound counsell and aduice that they may easily auoide such errors as I haue in these my aduertisements discouered and made knowen for their profit commoditie A Discourse most necessarie for all Gentlemen that haue in regarde their honors touching the giuing and receiuing of the Lie wherevpon the Duello the Combats in diuers sortes doth insue many other inconueniences for lack only of the true knowledge of honor and the contrarie the right vnderstanding of wordes which heere is plainly set downe beginning thus A RVLE AND ORDER concerning the Challenger and Defender ALL iniuries are reduced to two kindes and are either by wordes or deedes In the first he that offereth the iniurie ought to bee the Challenger in the later hee that is iniuried Example Caius sayth to Seius that hee is a traitour vnto which Seius aunswereth by giuing the lie whereuppon ensueth that the charge of the Combat falleth on Caius because hee is to maintaine what hee sayd and therefore to challenge Seius Now when an iniurie is offered by deede then do they proceed in this manner Caius striketh Seius giueth him a boxe on the eare or some other waie hurteth him by some violent meanes Wherewith Seius offended saith vnto Caius that hee hath vsed violence towardes him or that hee hath dealt iniuriouslie with him or that hee hath abused him or some such manner of saying Wherevnto Caius aunswereth Thou lyest whereby Seius is forced to challenge Caius and to compell him to fight to maintaine the iniurie which hee had offered him The summe of all therefore is in these cases of honour that hee vnto whome the lie is wrongfullie giuen ought to challenge him that offereth that dishonour and by the swoorde to proue himselfe no lyer There bee manie that delighting to finde faulte with that which is sette downe by others bee it neuer so truely and exactly perfourmed will in this case also seeke to ouerthrowe the rules which I haue aboue alleadged concerning Challenging and Defending opposing manye Argumentes and obiections which I thinke friuolous to trouble the Reader withall and therefore wy1l neyther rehearse them heâ—re nor spâ—nde so much labour in vaine as to aunswere them considering that men but of meane capacitie will bee able to discerne and iudge of the small reason that they are grounded vppon For who is ther that seeth not howbeit some men finer witted than endued with valour and courage will by multiplication of speeches giue cause of greater offence and therby giue the other occasion to challenge the combat rather than to do it themselues Yet that notwithstanding the true and perfect manner of proceeding in cases of honour is that whosoeuer offereth iniurie by deede as striking beating or otherwise hurting anie man ought presently without anie further debate or questioning to be challenged to the Combat vnlesse hee refuse the same by making satisfaction for the offence or offered iniurie And in iniuries offered by worde no respect ought to bee had of all the wordes which by aunsweres and replies are multiplied as when one saith Thou lyest the other answereth with the same wordes and the first replieth with thou liest also and so maie perchaunce make a fraie with wordes only which foolish and childish manner of proceeding cannot but bee misliked of by Gentlemen of reputation but to whom so euer the lie is vniustlye and wrongfully giuen vnto him shall it belong to become Challenger by Armes to maintaine what he spake or did whervpon the lie was giuen him What the reason is that the partie vnto whom the lie is giuen ought to become Challenger and of the nature of Lies SOme men maruell why that hee vnto whome the lie is giuen ought rather to challenge the Combat than hee that is called a traitor or a villaine or by some other iniurious name seeing that it woulde
and is required at his hand to proue the truth of his speech but hauing called me traitor I should answere him thou art the traitor and hee afterwarde subioyne thou lyest now the case of Challenger will come vpon me because he dooth not staye himselfe vpon the firste iniurye but answereth to that I saide to him and now to me there remaineth no more meanes to binde him to the proofe beeing alreadie with the lye giuen me made Challenger Neither can it be saide that that answere thou art the traitor hath so much the force of a repulse as of an iniury for that the repulse standeth in the negatiue and if the negatiue haue not the force of a lye it chargeth not and that being answered Traitor the iniurie with a lye may be put back lawfullie that although it be true that an iniurie once wrested will not permit any more writing it is to be vnderstoode that there is great difference betweene the wresting repulse with the wresting I say to thee that thou saiest of me but with the repulse I giue thee not that blame that thou giuest me but onely doe free my selfe thereof charging thee with no blame at all but with the dutie to prooue that thou hast saide and that that which I say should be so if one should say that I am a theefe and I should answere him that he lyeth this shal be tearmed iniurie and not wrested but repelled and if to one of these lyes which we haue shewed before which haue the nature of an iniurye an answere should be made to them by another lie this shal be called wresting And this is a true resolution and so to be approued and followed according to the stile and order of Gentlemen and Caualiers And that which I haue saide of rewarded iniuries I saye the same of the redoubled that hee must not bee tearmed Challenger by the multiplication of iniuries but must be ruled by the lye hauing saide to you before that about question of words the proofe of the lawes are appointed to the iniuryer and not to the iniured true it is that when neither of the one side nor the other the lye is hee shall not remayne without some blame to whome the same was firste spoken how manye or great soeuer they be Nor that is not to bee taken for good aduise which is set downe by some writer that if I should call another Traitor and he shoulde answere that I am a Traitor a Theefe a robber by the high way I shoulde subioyne I will prooue it to thee with my weapon that I am neither Traitor Theefe nor robber by the high waye but that thou art the traitor thy selfe What a foolish enterprise shall this be of mine that hauing the meanes to make me Defendant will make my selfe Challenger Quarrels must be simple and offer my selfe to the proofe Besides what an ill kinde of proceeding should mine be to come to the determining of so many quarrels with one battaile or combat the same not being to be granted for diuers things together for it may come to passe in the one they maye be true in the other false and so fight for the one with reason and the other without about which those that will forme quarrels ought to be wel aduised and if they be not rightly framed the Lord before hee giueth licence for the fielde must reforme them or at the least prouide that when the gentlemen or caualieres bee conducted thither that their godfathers in capitulating giue them a conuenient forme That straightwaies vpon the Lye you must not take armes NOw if in the discourse about the lyes which we haue made it is concluded that the lyed which is he that hath the lie giuen to him is to be Challēger we doe not say therefore that is to be vnderstoode that presently for the lye a man should runne to his weapon for the triall of the sworde being doubtfull The sword and ciuile proofe and the ciuile certaine the ciuile is that way by which euery man of reckoning and reputation ought to iustifie himselfe For he ought to be esteemed honorablest who with certain proofe approueth his honor then the other that with an incertaine testimonie doth think to answere his reputation But I see amongst Gentlemen to be noted such an abuse that they thinke themselues to haue committed villanye to attempt any other meanes than by the sworde wherein how much they deceiue themselues which thinke so I will say nothing else at this present but that the ciuile profe is the profe of reason fightting but the proofe of force and that reason is proper vnto man and force of wilde beastes Leauing the ciuile proofe and taking the armes we leaue that which is conuenient for men to haue recourse to that which is belonging to brute beastes which peraduenture Gentlemen would not doe very often if they vnderstoode wel their dutie and when they would wel consider that it is no lesse the parte of a Caualier to know to put vp well his sworde then well to drawe it out Those therefore which think they haue the lye duly giuen them ought if they haue meanes by the way of reason to proue their saying they ought by the same I say proue it and not follow the other way of armes if thereto they be not constrained by necessitie and so as they could not by any other meanes iustifie themselues Those other which are offended for that they haue not the lye duelye giuen them those maye wrest the same or by some meanes lightly reproue it Of the forme of Cartels or Letters of Defiance WHen Cartels are to be made they must be written with the greatest breuity that may be possible framing the quarrell with certaine proper and simple wordes and specifying whether the cause was by woord or deed you must come to the particulars of the same shewing well the persons the thing the times and places which doe appertaine to the plaine declaration thereof so that one maye well resolue to the answere for the Duello being a forme of iudgement as in the ciuile criminall and in action of iniury a particular setting downe is required no lesse can be saide of the iudgement belonging to Gentlemen and Caualiers theirs being of no lesse force And he that shal be Challenger shall call his partie aduersarie to the field hee that shal be the Defendant shall ioyne thereto his lye And in such manner of writing the least eloquence and copie of woordes that maye be must be vsed but with naked and cleere speeche must knit vp the conclusion And this I say principally of the Defendant which with superfluous speeche most commonlye confound themselues and in that they are not content to haue repelled the iniurie with the lye and will set downe the field and saye that they will defend their saying with their weapon which thinges are not onelye superfluous but dangerous because when one hath giuen the lawfull lye
spyes doe remayne with the enemy or haue become spies on both sides or such as hauing taken oath or haue not serued out their full pay do runne to the enemie or not hauing taken oath doe go to the enemie at such time as both parties are in armes for this fact is of the nature of treason because that thou making semblance to bee in my fauour and I trusting thee when time is that I stand most in neede of thee thou becommest a rebell against me Moreouer such are to be denyed the fielde as in battaile haue abandoned their leaders or ensignes or either by night or day shall haue forsaken the gard of the enemye or Prince that was committed vnto him To these we may also adde freebooters and all such as for any military disorder are banished Likewise all theeues robbers ruffians tauerne hunters excommunicate persons hereticks vsurers and all other persons not liuing as a Gentleman or a Souldier and in conclusion all such as are defamed for anye defecte and are not allowed for witnessses in Ciuile lawe are comprehended in this number And of these I saye that not onelye they are to bee refused vpon challenging another man but all honourable persons or Gentlemen should abandon their companye and whosoeuer should fight with them should iniurie himselfe making himselfe equall with dishonourable persons But it is very meete that hee that will refuse another vpon his infamye should be sure that the other is faultie thereof or that it is so apparant as hee cannot deny it for otherwise he should turne the quarrell vpon his owne backe and then shal be forced to proue it And as it is not lawfull for such manner of men aboue recited to challenge another so if they be once challenged aduantage cannot be taken against them of in famie nor is it meete to accept a mans excuse that should say he knew it not before for whosoeuer will challenge another ought aduisedly to consider that he bindeth himselfe to such matter as hee must not repent himselfe of But I do not include in this that if after the challenge he should commit any infamous act whether he were Challenger or Defendant he should not yet be refused Moreouer if an honourable person should challenge a defamed person or contrarywise he being challenged by a base person should accept of the challenge which is not onely an act of priuate interest but a preiudice to the degree of gentrye in this case it is the office of the Lord of the field not to suffer this combate to proceede nor to graunt them letters of combat Touching those that doe not answere or doe not appeare in the field WHen a man is challenged to the fielde he is to answere by wepons and not by words vnles the challenger bee such as with reason he is to be refused prouided alwaies that a man cannot by ciuile lawe defend himself that the quarrel deserue combate But where these respects want whosoeuer being challenged doth not answer or without cause dooth not accept the letters of the fielde or accepting them not hauing a sufficient excuse doth not appeare is to be reputed dishonourable in euerye man of woorths iudgement and the challenger at a conuenient time is to appeare in the fielde to vse the accustomed solemnities For the day before the combat the Padrino is to come before the Lord of the fielde and tell him that his champion is come to proue his quarrell and for that cause hee as his procurator doth appeare to see if the contrarie party be come and if he intend to capitulate or bring to passe that they may be in the greater readines against the next day protesting that his Champion is in readines and is to beseeche the Lord of the fielde to cause enquirye to bee made if either hee or some bodye for him be present and that if there be no notice of his comming he will make open proclamation that whosoeuer is there for the contrarye parte should appeare for if hee doe not appeare it shall proceede against him as one contumacious and that hath fayled of his dutye which the Lord of the field is not to denye the other and on the day appointed hee is to appeare in the lists at a conuenient hower where his Padrino offering him to the Lord and shewing that his Champion is come to fight is to make a newe instance for a new proclamation touching the quarrell which hee is likewise to doe at noone and at the euening and withall shall make shewe of his armour and of his horse wherewith he came furnished to fight whereby hee shall haue cause to accuse his aduersarye of contumacye and to demaund that his Champion bee admitted to run the fielde and to bee pronounced victor and that the other bee condemned of contumacy of failing and vanquished in the quarrell And that hee pronounced vanquisher maye vse such tearmes against him as by the order of gentrye is permitted all which thinges the Lord ought to graunt him and the Gentleman shall go about the fielde three times with an honourable pompe of his Horse and armour and sound of Trumpet and shall carrye with him the letters which being done hee maye likewise carrye the portraiture of his aduersarye And whatsoeuer hath beene saide of the Challenger may the Defendant in like case doe What is to be doone vpon the alleadging of any impediment for not appearing in the fielde WE are now to consider what course is to be taken if any gentleman do not appear in the fielde at the appointed time nor doe not prooue a lawfull impediment that hindered him in which case I affirme that first if the impediment happen at such time as notice might bee giuen thereof before the contrarye party should appeare himselfe to the fielde it is then to be admitted vpon defraying the others charge and paines and vpon the iustification to him of his lawfull excuse offering himselfe also at conuenient time to procure a new field and to satisfie any losse which the contrarye party should suffer by meanes of prolonging of time But if this let should fall out so suddenly as in no sorte there could any knowledge be giuen of it before the very day appointed yet is the excuse to bee approued so as the impediment be lawfull and then is hee likewise to defraie the charges of him that appeared for if I make agreement with thee to meete thee on such a daye at such a place and for such a cause and I be there present and thou bee hindered whereby I am put to a new charge there is no reason that thy commoditie should returne a discommodetie and a losse to me But excuses of lawfull impedement should be great infirmities tempestes or waters that maye stoppe passage the warre of a mans countrie or Prince or against infidels and such like accidents which any indifferent iudge may think lawful Imprisonment also is a lawful excuse vnles it be such as a
VINCENTIO SAVIOLO his Practise Jn two Bookes The first intreating of the vse of the Rapier and Dagger The second of Honor and honorable Quarrels LONDON Printed by IOHN WOLFE 1595. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY singular good Lord Robert Earle of Essex and Ewe Viscount Hereford Lord Ferrers of Chartley Bourghchier and Louain Master of the Queenes Maiesties horse Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and one of her Highnesse most honorable Priuie Councell HAuing of late right Honorable compiled this simple Discourse of managing wepons and dealing in honorable Quarrels which I esteeme an Introduction to Martiall affayres I haue thought good to dedicate the same vnto your Honor as vnto him whose bountie most bindeth me whose valour inforceth all soldiers to acknowledge you the English Achilles whose fauouring good literature celebrateth your name for the students Mecenas whose benigne potection and prouision for strangers maketh you reported off as theyr safe sanctuary This work I must needs confesse is farre vnworthie your Lordships view in regard eyther of method or substance and being much vnperfecter than it shoulde haue beene if I had had copie of English to haue expressed my meaning as I would But I humbly beseech your good Lordship to accept this Booke howsoeuer it be as a new yeeres gifte proceeding from a minde most dutifully affected towards you that wisheth and prayeth that your Honour may inioy many good and prosperous yeres and is presented by him that is and will be readie euerie yere daie and houre to liue and die at your Lordships foot to do you seruice Your Honors in all dutifulnes Vincentio Sauiolo TO THE READER THE meanes whereby men from time to time haue bene preferred euen to the highest degrees of greatnes and dignitie haue euer bene and are of two sortes Armes and Letters weapons bookes as may most plainly bee proued out of antique and moderne histories Let it not seeme strange vnto anie man that I haue placed Armes before Letters for in truth I haue found by obseruing the course of times and by comparing the occurrents of former ages with those which haue fallen out and followed as it were by succession in later yeeres that the first Princes and patrones of people did obtaine their titles and dominions by force of Armes and that afterwards learning vertue did as it were by degrees grow and succeede for the making and establishing of good orders customes and lawes amongest them And then did common-wealths begin first to flourish when their Princes were like Minerua whom the Poets fained to bee the goddesse not onely of studies but also of Armes inspiring wit into schollers and fauoring those that follow warres Wherefore knowing that such men as endeuour themselues to attaine vnto the excellencie of anie art or science are worthie both of praise and preferment because they seeke for that onely true nobilitie which is in deede much more to be accounted of than birth and parentage I haue beene induced for the satisfaction of such and other like noble spirites desirous to imploie either their studies in the profession or their liues in the practise of the arte militarie to bestowe my paines in the writing of this Treatise concerning the Art exercise and manneging of the Rapier and Dagger together with the ordering and mouing of the bodie in those actions A thing I confesse in shewe the least peece and practise as a man might saie of the arte Militarie but in verie deed to most important excellent and noble practise thereof For when I consider with myselfe how some Authors doo write that hunting hauking wrastling c. are things in some sort belonging vnto Militarie profession for that men thereby doo both make their bodies strong and actiue and also learne to marke the scituation of hils woods lakes and vallies together with the crooked and turning courses of riuers It seemeth vnto mee that I may with farre greater reason saie that the Arte and exercise of the Rapier and Dagger is much more rare and excellent than anie other Militarie exercise of the bodie because there is very great and necessarie vse thereof not onely in generall warres but also in particular combats many other accidents where a man hauing the perfect knowledge and practise of this arte although but small of stature and weake of strength may with a little remouing of his foot a sodain turning of his hand a slight declining of his bodie subdue and ouercome the fierce brauing pride of tall and strong bodies Moreuer it doth many times come to passe that discords and quarrels arise amongest souldiers and Gentlemen of honor account the which when they cannot be accorded compounded by lawe learning and perswasion must bee determined and the truth thereof tried by armes and combat And therefore he that is wise carefull of his safetie and prouident against danger will be at all times stored and furnished with this honorable vrgent necessity and instant shortnes of time he shal be constrained to expose himselfe vnto euident danger Wherefore vpon these occasions and also for that I haue bin thereunto requested by sundrie Gentlemen my good friendes I haue endeuoured to expresse in this discourse and to make plain by pictures all the skill and knowledge which I haue in this art Exhorting all men of good mindes and noble spirites to learne and purchase the same not to the end to abuse it in insolencies and iniuries but to vse it in cases of necessitie for the defence of iust causes and to the maintenance of the honour of themselues and others For whosoeur will followe this profession must flie from rashnes pride and iniurie and not fall into that foule falt and error which many men incurre who feeling themselues to be strong of bodie and expert in this science presuming thereupon thinke that the may lawfully offer outrage and iniury vnto anie man and with crosse and grosse tearmes and behauiour prouoke euerie man to fight as though they were the onely heirs of Mars more inuincible than Achilles not remembring how it hath oftentimes happened that a little wretched man of stature by skill and reason hath ouercome a vast mightie man of person and ouerthrowen the vnweldie masse and burthen of his bodie vpon the face of his kind liberall mother the earth This manner of proceeding and behauiour doth plainely shew that these men although peraduenture they haue learned the vse of the weapon haue not yet beene fufficiently instructed in the Arte of Armes For by the rule and precept of this Art men are taught by how much they are resolute in courage and skilful of the vse of the same weapon by so much the more to shew themselues virtuous humble and modest both in speech action and not to be liers vanters or quarrellers for those which in this sort demeane themselues notwithstanding their skill or courage do commonly carry away wounds and dishonor and sometimes death I haue seene and