practise So that skill to euery reasonable man is something a friend But when it is entertained by one naturally of a good temper it can by no meanes fall vnder any of their Obiections that dispise it for such a man brings no more fury nor lesse assurance with him into the Field then the Schoole and therefore will haue as much aduantage of an ignorant man in fight as there is difference betweene them in practise To exemplifie this you may read of one Coranso a Noble man who from two and twenty Duelloes returned Conquerour Being demanded the reason by some that considered the equalitie of his aduersaries in shew and the vncertaine chances of the field hee answered Strength Length Courage Temper and Cunning. So he concluded Nature in Art and attributed the managing of those parts hee was borne with to the abilitie of those hee was taught Since therefore that the Science of Defence is vnderstood to be a profession of vse it followes to examine the defects of Teachers and to resolue vpon the worth of the knowledge which followes immediately after our Definition The Definition of the Science of Defence with the parts thereto required THE Science of Defence is an Art Geometricall wherewith the body is guarded with a single or double weapon from wrong of the Offender or the greatest disaduantage of his Offence The Parts thereto required are Strength and Iudgement Vnder Strength are comprehended swiftnesse of motion and quicknesse of Eye where abilitie is without perfection of these it is but a supply of defects drawne from the Iudiciall part or Iudgement Vnder Iudgement fall the considerations of Time Place and Distance It hath seemed to many that there is no certainty in this Science which granted it must lose his tytle in whose behalfe wee cannot but with great reason auerre that as the body is punctuall so it hath a iust circumference in the hands and feet which to defence and safeguard thereof runne in an equall line which extended with strength in a iust proportion make the body the same as the Poynt is in Circle vntoucht or impossible to be violated To them that obiect Example against Knowledge in that none or few haue euer attained this height of assurance I can make no other answere then argue from their owne Schoole and say that none or few in disputation euer gaue satisfaction without some doubt therefore Logicke is no Art of true disputing True it is all Arts and Sciences haue their iust and absolute bound to which though in the speculatiue part or Theorie many haue arriued none euer did in practise Since as in those of words many subtilties and nimble inuentions oppresse and wrest the best expositions so in those of exercise of the body the inequalitie of place as the slipping of ground dazeling of sight many times disorder the best and surest way of Defence and Knowledge Wherefore though by the weaknesse of mans casuall nature wee can promise to our Scholler no positiue securitie yet the imperfection in the learner makes the Art no whit lesse certaine or singular To those that reiect the Science because they cannot promise themselues supreame excellence is to reiect the study of Physicke because hee cannot be a Galen or a Paracelsus or if any shall from the fall of some man of the sword as our word men tearme them by the vnskilfull arme of some rude assailer contemne our instruction I would haue such a youth turne Muletor because Ventidius that rubd Asses came to be Consull and Valerius Cato the Grammarian became a hackney-man Fortune not Science herein is to be blamed Notwithstanding that the excellence of this Science may not want Example I cannot forget the memorable perfection of the two Romanes Bythus and Bacchus who hauing fought eighteene seuerall Combats or Duelloes returned both without hurt and at the last were both at one Passage runne through and slaine leauing no place to Iudgement that could giue preeminence to eyther wherevpon it became a Prouerbe in Trials of equalitie Bâ—thus contra Bacchum But I haue digrest too farre In magnis rebus voluisse sat est In high matters it shall suffice to sit in Phabus Chayre though wee cannot runne his full dayes iourney wherefore wee returne againe to handle the parts deriued which make to approue our Definition the Eye and the Foote That which wee call Strength is not onely a Bucke-beating abilitie of the arme for the point to which all vse of weapon is now with great reason reduced is not so blunt but small force makes it enter neither in Longe or Passage is the force required so much as shift of body to which the Eye must like a faithfull Centinell giue warning and the Feete nimbly giue performance for if the Eye faile in perceiuing opportunitie or the Feete in taking it in vaine is the force of arme on these two then we ground Abilitie to which the Iudgement giues the crowne or conquest Now for Iudgement as wee said before Time must be obserued when Distance where Place how Occasion of Time and Distance may seeme faire to the eye yet the Place may iustly barre it As where open way is giuen to a Passage with aduantage the incertaintie of footing may cast you too forward and disorder your weapon by vnsetled motion Againe Place and Distance may both draw you on yet Time may promise by letting slip that occasion some opener way to greate aduantage for vpon euery sleight â—â—â—ing of the arme it is better to make offer of hurt to that paâ—theâ— our home for such profâ— many times drawes the aduersary to a Guard that neglects a 〈◊〉 of more deadly danger Lastâ— â—mâ— and â—acâ— may both succeed to your wishes yet Distance 〈◊〉 â—ustly checke your resolution 〈…〉 obseruation more then 〈…〉 the Iudgement required which being from our purpose to set downe iâ— figure I referre you to the laborious worke of Gioâ—an de Grasâ— the Italian who handles this â—oâ— aâ— large and hath tooke vp much ground in the expression thereof Thus much for our speculatiue 〈…〉 Science wherein I know 〈◊〉 â—aâ— disagree with me which I could not omit to set downe because it makes to the honour of the worthy Professors of this Science whom I desire the courteous Reader by no meanes to imagine that I am so ignorant to meane where any question is made of their sufficiencie in this Booke for I dare boldly affirme for generall Weapons no Country can afford more able and sufficient professors then this our owne in their performance whose teaching I will not dispraise if it come not within compasse of these following Taxations which by way of Objection and Resolution I presume I haue made apparantly worthy of censure to all indifferent practisers The Defects of the Teachers of â—cience discouered by way 〈…〉 the true vse thereof set downe in the Reâ—tion OBIECTION I. MOst of the common Teachers vse but one forme of play and teach all men alike without
He that dazels much neuer defends well for if you offend when hee 〈◊〉 be can neyther certainly deâ—â—â— himselfe 〈◊〉 offend you Hee thaâ— doth practise many guards is most commonly con◠〈◊〉 none and iâ—â—ight that behooue one most to be constant in a good guard and slow to put out without great aduantage for hee 〈◊〉 offends is thereby the easier 〈◊〉 and if you offend vpon one 〈…〉 his guard offend to the highest part for them you may goe 〈◊〉 of and if you offend to the other parts that lyeth further of your offence is flow and most common past recouery if it doe 〈◊〉 or not for a hapier enters and 〈◊〉 at the â—oyie doth helpe 〈◊〉 offender of againe but rather 〈◊〉 himselfe Principles belonging to Fight STay no longer withâ—◠〈…〉 your enemie then you are offending Offend alwayes vpon the aduerse comming forward In offending goe off with your weapons point straight 〈◊〉 your enemies brest for then you are 〈◊〉 wayes ready to defend your selfe and offend your enemie Many trickes doe too much trouble the minde know 〈◊〉 â—â—e few three defends the whole Rules of Practise THere is but three defences 〈◊〉 single weapon 1 Longe 2 Passage 3 Change backe 〈◊〉 〈…〉 them backe to your guard And likewise three Offences 1 Disorder Longe 2 Disorder Passage 3 Your binding Passage for the Close of aduantage The Dagger helpes the Rapier especially in two things in Offence 1 Passage 2 Crosse-Passage And two in Defence 1 When the Rapier bindes high the Dagger bindes low 2 Or when the Dagger binds high the Rapier bindes low The chiefest way to force a man to good practise for play or fight is to make him maintaine a single weapon against all aduantages First let him learne single Rapier then to maintaine single Rapier against Rapier and Dagger and likewise against Sword and Dagger and lastly to maintaine short Sword against all the aforesaid aduantages I haue concluded my rules of Practise and the whole Booke with the most necessary instruction belongs to this Science and the least obserued in Schooles which is the maintaining of Defects this being the scope and true end of our skill to help the weake wherein the strongest shall also confesse himselfe to want this knowledge if he consider the vse thereof in accidentall quarrels which cannot be denied much to exceede occasions for the field for supposing himselfe incident to sodaine on-sets how is hee prouided with his wearing weapon being for the most part a single Rapier or short Sword to defend himselfe from the aduantage of a Sword and Dagger Rapier and Dagger or Halberd whereas by practise against this vnequall opposition as in the Chapter before prescribed he shall finde himselfe enabled not onely for defence in this extremity but also may offend his aduersarie as I haue seene vpon the publique Stage a single Rapier most shamefully foyle both Halberd and halfe Pike To adde to this supply of defect I would haue a man wanting one hand or one eye by practise to helpe his imperfection or being lame in both armes with his feete and shift of body to cleare that defect all cunning in this Art consisting more in feete then hands Further should one be lame in feet hauing eyes and armes I would haue him practise those Weapons and Guards may best perfect his condition being neyther able to pursue nor retyre This I could expresse being a man my selfe defectiue but that act and demonstration not words must make this apparant wherein I referre my selfe to iudicious tryall concluding with an Answere to one Obiection that will arise from meanest vnderstanding being this Why should so few of our Fencers ariue to this knowledge or to no more height of doing then this discouery of their defects hath manifested I answere these two conditions must concurre to make a Fencer absolute Art and Nature now for Art examine the equalitie of those Vshers our Masters brings vp you shall finde most of them Butchers Byt-makers Shooe-makers or Truncke-makers men envred to the hide rather able to bear blowes then auoyd them Whence wee see a Gentleman or Artist who can reduce knowledge vnto rule in small time out-goes his Teacher hauing both Hands Art and Nature his Schoole-master wanting one and many times both of them Not that this my taxation reacheth to all Masters of Defence for I haue seene some whom I must confesse to be both knowing and able who detest our commonly applauded rude and buffeting play whose Iudgements will be as far from deprauing mee or my worke as I shall be from the least enuy towards them whom I confesse much worthy of esteeme and reward FINIS
THE Priuate Schoole of Defence OR THE DEFECTS of Publique Teachers exactly discouered by way of Obiection and Resolution TOGETHER VVith the true practise of the Science set downe in iudicious Rules and Obseruances in a Method neuer before expressed By G. H. Gent. LONDON Printed for Iohn Helme and are to be sould at his Shop in S. Dunstanes Church-yard in Fleetstreet 1614. TO THE HOPE OF GREAT Brittaine Prince CHARLES PRaise is the end of all Arts the perfection of Praise is onely in Eminence which begets Example and Admiration Seeing then great Prince your Birth giues you the best priuiledge to expresse the worthinesse of Vertue I see not but her followers eyther in Art or Action should necessarily flie to your High Patronage This consideration makes my low deserts looke vpward which in this at least will merit your view that the Science of Defence not vnworthily stiled Noble if eyther truely practised or rightly vnderstood was neuer before in our Language brought to any Method The Professors thereof being so ignorant that they could rather doe then make demonstration or reduce their doing to any certaintie of principle Many are the imputations laid vpon this Art for such I dare now affirme it the chiefe whereof is the increasing our bloudy and irreligious Duels which if the name of this Science being called of Defence will not auoyd yet the most licentious age of the Romanes shall sufficiently cleare No History of those times making mention of any Duello or single fight to the losse of any Noble Person in that State or disreputation of the publique Iustice Yet that this kinde of battell was knowne and in some cases approued amongst the Romanes The Hiperduels betweene the Curatij and the Horatij and that famous Duell betweene Torquatus and the French-man apparantly speake It is not then the publique profession of this Science nor the multiplicitie of Professors that increase these desperate assassinations for Knowledge begets Wisedome and Wisedome by how much it participates of skill with Discretion misdoubteth the same in another and concludes safety as the summe of her abilitie This is manifest in the Italians the first inuenters of Foyle-weapon and the cunningst Practisers where notwithstanding these single Combats are rather reported then seene and yet in ruder Countries as Poland c. nothing more common which I impute wholy to a daring Ignorance Neyther had this knowledge of Defence if iustly taxt with any so wicked effects been graced with so many Authentick priuiledges in all well gouerned States nor the Professors thereof had receiued such honor and respect insomuch that amongst the Romanes some of them had their Statues erected as Plutarch witnesseth These Reasons if my iudgement faile not forcing the same First Necessitie at home as a Remedie to an vnauoyded Disease in opposing sodaine assaults which from Caine pleading Antiquitie will not now lose their plantation And since Innocence is no protection against murtherous intents God and Nature tollerate this Defence The second is Publique good abroad for auoyding bloud if the state of a War should require a single Tryall which howsoeuer was presumption in Goliah was true valor in Dauid the imitation of this example hath beene frequent in great Persons in forraigne and memorable in our owne Country as betweene Edmund surnamed Ironside and King Canute to a happy issue Neyther can I forget an offer in the same kinde made in more late yeeres betweene Frances the first King of France and Charles the fift Emperour though without effect The last Reason is Commendable and profitable Exercise First no other recreation carries so generall imployment both of body and minde as this doth for here the Feete labour equally with the Hands the Eye and the Iudgement walke together and for the profit it leads to as much vse in making the person ready and daring to the warre as Horsemanship begets dexteritie for the shocke The Schoole of our priuate Practise being the same to the Battell that the Muze is to the Troope for with what confidence shall hee goe on vpon many that hath no knowledge to giue him hope of safety from one Pardon my tedious discourse most Excellent Prince if it be a Crime not Error but Zeale offends for how can I choose but speake much of Armes to you whom wee all expect the most Heroyicke Professor and Defender of the same to which your future abilitie in your high Atchieuements if my poore endeuours may giue the least furtherance as I promise my selfe much herein I returne from your Acceptance loaden with full reward and happiest expectance whom no second respect could induce to the vndertaking this so difficult a Labour which my Person shall in your command in all humble seruice be euer at attendance to make good resting The most deuoted Seruant to you and your Princely Vertues G. H. Gent. THE Priuate Schoole of Defence THE INDVCTION SOme hold opinion that Skill auayleth little or nothing in fight and therefore so soone as they shall see this Title will cast away the Discourse as an vnprofitable Argument Hee that is the most obstinate enemie to himselfe in reiecting the benefit of skill must needes confesse it no vaine Exercise if the aptnesse and facilitie be onely thought on to which the actiue practise of it brings the body and enables it for enduring in fight But to the point of materiall vse Of such mens vnderstandings I would know how comes it then that an ignorant handler of a Weapon meeting vvith an ordinarie Professor of Defence at Foyles can neyther certainely giue offence nor auoid it They will answere mee that at blunt a man comes boldly on and is not troubled with any such considerations as at sharpe must of necessitie disorder his remembrance and put him out of fight To that thus All rules indeed must admit some exceptions heat or cold may some-what distract a fighter heate in casting him too forwardly vpon a danger coldnesse in not preparing him to follow an aduantage of offence yet these come neuer wholy to preiudice the vse of skill for speaking of such an heate as alwayes fals vpon this perill wee must not vnderstand it to be simply that heat needfully belonging to courage for then it is an orderly Vertue and loseth no strength eyther borne with it or taught it but it must be forced vp into much anger which seldome happens in the Defendant for whose cause onely wee professe teaching before it can turne a man into that weaknesse Where it doth happen it is a kinde of madnesse which for the time loseth all reason as much as that part of skill and shall good aduice be altogether neglected because a madde man is vncapable of it Then touching Coldnes though it be brought downe into the very basenesse of Feare in one yet it is impossible to make Skill vtterly of no vse to him For the gesture of the body vpon such a danger will naturally fall into those motions that it hath got by