Selected quad for the lemma: hand_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
hand_n	left_a	pike_n	right_a	29,797	5	9.3372	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12246	Paradoxes of defence wherein is proued the true grounds of fight to be in the short auncient weapons, and that the short sword hath aduantage of the long sword or long rapier. And the weakenesse and imperfection of the rapier-fights displayed. Together with an admonition to the noble, ancient, victorious, valiant, and most braue nation of Englishmen, to beware of false teachers of defence, and how they forsake their owne naturall fights: with a briefe commendation of the noble science or exercising of armes. By George Siluer Gentleman.	Silver, George, fl. 1599.	1599 (1599)	STC 22554; ESTC S117412	47,315	86

dagger drawn as you see this picture keeping out straight your dagger arme drawing backe your sword as far as conueniently you can not opening the elbow ioynt of your sword arme and looke what you can draw within your dagger that is the iust length of your sword to be made according to your owne stature AS I haue here made a figuratiue demonstration to know the perfect length of the Sword as afore is sayd so haue I in the page folowing for the plainer vnderstanding of the Reader set foorth a forme of standing to know the lengths of the short Staffe halfe Pike Forest Bill Partisan and Gleue or such like weapons of aduantage as shall also best fit the statures of all men The perfect length of your two hand sword is the blade to be the length of the blade of your single sword To know the perfect length of your short staffe or half Pike Forrest bil Partisan or Gleue or such like weapons of vantage and perfect lengths you shall stand vpright holding the staffe vpright close by your body with your left hād reaching with your right hand your staffe as high as you can and then allow to that length a space to set both your hands when you come to sight wherein you may conueniently strike thrust and ward that is the iust length to be made according to your stature And this note that these lengths will commonly fall out to be eight or nine foot long and will 〈◊〉 although not iust the statures of all men without any hindrance at all vnto them in their fight because in any weapon wherin the hands may be remoued and at libertie to make the weapon lōger or shorter in fight at his pleasure a foot of the staffe behind the backmost hand doth ●o harme And wherfore these weapons ought to be of the lengths aforesaid and no shorter these are the reasons If they should be shorter then the long staffe Morris Pike and such like weapons ouer and aboue the perfect length should haue great vantage against them because he may come boldly and safe without anie gard or ward to the place where he may thrust home and at euery thrust put him in danger of his life but if these weapons be of their perfect lengths then can the long staffe the Morris Pike or anie other longer weapon ly no where in true space but shall be still within compasse of the crosse to crosse and vncrosse wherby he may safely passe home to the place where he may strike or thrust him that hath the long weapon in the head face or body at his pleasure Of the lengths of the Battel axe Halbard or blacke Bill or such like vveapons of weight appertaining vnto gard or battell IN anie of these weapons there needeth no iust length but commonly they are or ought to be fiue or sixe foot long may not well be vsed much longer because of their weights and being weapons for the warres or battell when men are ioyned close together may thrust strike sound blowes with great force both strong and quicke and finally for the iust lengths of all other shorter or longer weapons to be gouerned with both hands there is none neither is there anie certaine lengthes in anie maner of weapons to be vsed with one hand ouer or vnder the iust length of the single sword Thus endeth the length of weapons Of the vantages of weapons in their kinds places times both in priuate and publike fight FIrst I will begin with the worst weapon an imperfect and insufficient weapon and not worth the speaking of but now being highly esteemed therefore not to be left vnremembred that is the single Rapier and Rapier and Poiniard The single Sword hath the vantage against the single Rapier The Sword and Dagger hath the vantage against the Rapier and Poiniard The Sword Target hath aduātage against the Sword and Dagger or Rapier and Poiniard The Sword and Buckler hath aduantage against the Sword and Target the Sword and Dagger or Rapier and Poiniard The two hand Sword hath the vantage against the Sword and Target the Sword and Buckler the Sword and Dagger or Rapier and Poiniard The Battel-axe the Halbard the Blacke-bill or such like weapons of weight appertaining vnto guard or battell are all one in fight and haue aduantage against the two hand Sword the Sword and Buckler the Sword and Target the Sword dagger or the Rapier Poiniard The short staffe or halfe Pike Forrest-bill Partisan or Gleue or such like weapons of perfect length haue the vantage against the Battel-axe the Halbard the Blacke-bill the two hand sword the Sword and Target and are too hard for two Swords and Daggers or two Rapiers and Poiniards with Gantlets and for the long staffe and Morris Pike The long Staffe Morris Pike or Iauelin or such like weapons aboue the perfect length haue aduantage against all maner of weapons the short staffe Welch hooke Partisan or Gleue or such like weapons of vantage excepted yet too weake for two Swords and Daggers or two Swords and Bucklers or two Rapiers and Poiniards with Gantlets because they are too long to thrust strike and turne speedily and by reason of the large distance one of the Sword and Dagger-men will get behind him The Welch hooke or Forrest bill hath aduantage against all maner of weapons whatsoeuer Yet vnderstand that in battels and where varietie of weapons be amongst multitudes of men and horses the Sword and Target the two hand Sword the Battel-axe the Blacke-bill and Halbard are better weapons and more dangerous in their offence and forces then is the Sword and Buckler short staffe long staffe or Forrest bill The Sword and Target leadeth vpon Shot and in troupes defendeth thrusts and blowes giuen by battel-axe Halbards Blacke-bill or two hand swords far better then can the Sword and Buckler The Morris Pike defendeth the battell from both horse and man much better then can the short staffe long staffe or Forrest bill Againe the Battel-axe the Halbard the Blacke bill the two hand sword and Sword Target amongst armed men and troopes when men are come together by reason of their weights shortnesse and great forces do much more offend the enemie are then much better weapons then is the short staffe the long Staffe or Forrest bill Of the insufficiencie and disaduantages of the Rapiers fight in Battell FOr the single Rapier or Rapier Poiniard they are imperfect insufficient weapons and especially in the seruice of the Prince when men shall ioyne together what seruice can a souldier do with a Rapier a childish toy wherwith a man can do nothing but thrust nor that neither by reason of the length and in euerie mouing when blowes are a dealing for lacke of a hilt is in daunger to haue his hand or arme cut off or his head clouen And for Wardes and Gripes they haue none neither can any of these fine Rapier men

vnskilful himselfe Lastly to confirme for truth all that shal be amisse not only in this excellēt Science of Defence but in all other excellent secrets most commonly the lye beareth as good a shew of truth as truth it selfe Of the false resolutions and vaine opinions of Rapier-men and of the danger of death thereby ensuing IT is a great question especially amōgst the Rapier-men who hath the vantage of the thruster or of the warder Some hold strongly that the warder hath the vantage others say it is most certain that the thruster hath the vantage Now when two do happē to fight being both of one mind that the thruster hath the vantage they make all shift they can who shall giue the first thrust as for example two Captaines at Southampton euen as they were going to take shipping vpon the key fel at strife drew their Rapiers and presently being desperate hardie or resolute as they call it with all force and ouer great speed ran with their rapiers one at the other were both slaine Now when two of the contrary opinion shall meet and fight you shall see verie peaceable warres betweene them for they verily thinke that he that first thrusteth is in great danger of his life therefore with all speede do put themselues in ward or Stocata the surest gard of all other as Vincentio saith and therevpon they stand sure saying the one to the other thrust and thou dare and saith the other thrust and thou dare or strike or thrust and thou dare saith the other then saith the other strike or thrust and thou dare for thy life These two cunning gentlemen standing long time together vpon this worthie ward they both depart in peace according to the old prouerbe It is good sleeping in a whole skinne A gaine if two shall fight the one of opinion that he that thrusteth hath the vantage and the other of opinion that the warder hath the vantage then most commonly the thruster being valiant with all speed thrusteth home and by reason of the time and swift motion of his hand they are most commonly with the points of their rapiers or daggers or both one or both of them hurt or slaine because their spaces of defence in that kind of fight are too wide in due time to defend and the place being wonne the eye of the Patient by the swift motion of the Agents hand is deceiued Another resolution they stand sure vpon for their liues to kill their enemies in the which they are most commonly slaine themselues that is this When they find the point of their enemies rapier out of the right line they say they may boldly make home a thrust with a Passata the which they obserue and do accordingly but the other hauing a shorter time with his hand as nature manie times teacheth him sodainly turneth his wrist whereby he meeteth the other in his passage iust with the point of his rapier in the face or body And this false resolution hath cost manie a life That the cause that manie are so often slaine and manie sore hurt in fight with long Rapiers is not by reason of their dangerous thrusts nor cunningnesse of that Italienated fight but in the length and vnweildinesse thereof IT is most certaine that men may with short swords both strike thrust false and double by reason of their distance and nimblenesse thereof more dangerously then they can with long Rapiers and yet when two fight with short swordes hauing true fight there is no hurt done neither is it possible in anie reason that anie hurt should be done betwixt them of either side and this is well knowne to all such as haue the perfection of true fight By this it plainely appeareth that the cause of the great slaughter and sundrie hurts done by long Rapiers consisteth not in long Reach dangerous thrustes nor cunningnesse of the Italian fight but in the inconuenient length and vnweildinesse of their long Rapiers whereby it commonly falleth out that in all their Actions appertaining to their defence they are vnable in due time to performe and continually in danger of euerie crosse that shall happen to be made with their rapier blades which being done within the halfe rapier vnlesse both be of one mind with all speed to depart which seldome or neuer hapneth betweene men of valiant disposition it is impossible to vncrosse or get out or to auoid the stabbes of the Daggers And this hath falne out manie times amongst valiant men at those weapons Of running and standing fast in Rapier fight the runner hath the vantage IF two valiant men do fight being both cunning in running that they both vse the same at one instant their course is doubled the place is wonne of both sides and one or both of them will commonly be slaine or sore hurt and if one of them shall runne and the other stand fast vpon the Imbrocata or Stocata or howsoeuer the place wil be at one instant wonne of one side and gained of the other and one or both of them wil be hurt or slaine if both shall prese hard vpon the guard he that first thrusteth home in true place hurteth the other if both thrust together they are both hurt yet some vantage the runner hath because he is an vncertaine marke and in his motion the other is a certaine marke and in a dead motion and by reason thereof manie times the vnskilfull man taketh vantage he knoweth not how against him that lyeth watching vpon his ward or Stocata guard Of striking and thrusting both together I It is strongly holden of manie that if in fight they find their enemy to haue more skill then themselues they presently will continually strike thrust iust with him whereby they will make their fight as good as his and thereby haue as good aduantage as the other with all his skill but if their swordes be longer then the other then their aduantage is great for it is certaine say they that an inch will kill a man but if their swordes be much longer then the other then their aduantage is so great that they wil be sure by thrusting and striking iust with the other that they will alwaies hurt him that hath the short sword and go cleare themselues because they will reach him when he shall not reach them These men speake like such as talke of Robin Hoode that neuer shot in his bow for to strike or thrust iust together with a man of skill lyeth not in the will of the ignorant because the skilfull man alwaies fighteth vpon the true times by the which the vnskilfull is still disappointed of both place and time and therefore driuen of necessitie still to watch the other when what he will doe that is whether he will strike thrust or false if the vnskilfull strike or thrust in the time of falsing therein he neither striketh nor thrusteth iust with the other he may saie he hath stroke or

thrust before him but not iust with him nor to anie good purpose for in the time of falsing if he strike or thrust he striketh or thrusteth too short for in that time he hath neither time nor place to strike home and as it is said the vnskilfull man that will take vpon him to strike or thrust iust with the skilfull must first behold what the man of skil will doe and when he will doe it and therfore of necessitie is driuen to suffer the skilfull man to be the first mouer and entred into his Action whether it be blow or thrust the truth therof in reason cannot be denied Now iudge whether it be possible for an vnskilfull man to strike or thrust iust together with a man of skill but the skilfull man can most certainly strike and thrust iust together with the vnskilfull because the vnskilfull fighteth vpon false times which being too long to answere the true times the skilfull fighting vpon the true times although the vnskilfull be the first mouer entred into his Action whether it be blow or thrust yet the shortnesse of the true times maketh at the pleasure of the skilfull a iust meeting together in perfect fight two neuer strike or thrust together because they neuer suffer place nor time to performe it Two vnskilfull men manie times by chance strike and thruste together chance vnto them because they know not what they doe or how it commeth to passe but the reasons or causes be these Sometimes two false times meet make a iust time together sometimes a true time and a false time meeteth and maketh a iust time together and sometimes two true times meet and make a iust time together And all this hapneth because the true time and place is vnknowne vnto them George Siluer his resolution vpon that hidden or doubtfull question who hath the aduantage of the Offender or Defender The aduantage is strongly holden of many to be in the offender yea in somuch that if two minding to offend in their fight it is thought to be in him that first striketh or thrusteth Others strongly hold opinion that the warder absolutely hath still the aduātage but these opinions as they are contrary the one to the other so are they contrarie to true fight as may well be seene by these short examples If the aduantage be in the warder then it is not good anie time to strike or thrust if the aduantage be in the striker or thruster then were it a friuolous thing to learne to ward or at anie time to seeke to ward since in warding lieth disaduantage Now may it plainly by these examples appeare that if there be anie perfection in fight that both sides are deceiued in their opinions because if the striker or thruster haue the aduantage then is the warder still in danger of wounds or death And againe if the warder hath the aduantage then is the striker or thruster in as great daunger to defend himselfe against the warder because the warder from his wards taketh aduantage of the striker or thruster vpon euerie blow or thrust that shall be made against him Then thus I conclude that if there be perfection in the Science of Defence they are all in their opinons deceiued and that the truth may appeare for the satisfaction of all men this is my resolution there is no aduantage absolutely nor disaduantage in striker thruster or warder and there is a great aduantage in the striker thruster warder but in this maner in the perfection of fight the aduantage consisteth in fight betweene partie and partie that is whosoeuer winneth or gaineth the place in true pace space and time hath the aduantage whether he be striker thruster or warder And that is my resolution Of Spanish fight vvith the Rapier THe Spaniard is now thought to be a better man with his Rapier then is the Italian Frenchman high Almaine or anie other countrie man whatsoeuer because they in their Rapier-fight stand vpon so manie intricate trickes that in all the course of a mans life it shall be hard to learne them and if they misse in doing the least of them in their fight they are in danger of death But the Spaniard in his fight both safely to defend himselfe and to endanger his enemie hath but one onely lying and two wards to learne wherein a man with small practise in a verie short time may become perfect This is the maner of Spanish fight they stand as braue as they can with their bodies straight vpright narrow spaced with their feet continually mouing as if they were in a dance holding forth their armes and Rapiers verie straight against the face or bodies of their enemies this is the only lying to accomplish that kind of fight And this note that as long as any man shall lie in that maner with his arme and point of his Rapier straight it shall be impossible for his aduersarie to hurt him because in that straight holding forth of his arme which way soeuer a blow shall be made against him by reason that his Rapier hilt lyeth so farre before him he hath but a verie litle way to moue to make his ward perfect in this maner If a blow be made at the right side of the head a verie litle mouing of the hand with the knuckles vpward defendeth that side of the head or bodie and the point being still out straight greatly endangereth the striker and so likewise if a blow be made at the left side of the head a verie small turning of the wrist with the knuckles downward defendeth that side of the head and bodie and the point of the Rapier much indangereth the hand arme face or bodie of the striker and if anie thrust be made the wards by reason of the indirections in mouing the feet in maner of dauncing as aforesaid maketh a perfect ward and still withall the point greatly endangereth the other And thus is the Spanish fight perfect so long as you can keepe that order and soone learned and therefore to be accounted the best fight with the Rapier of all other But note how this Spanish fight is perfect and you shall see no longer then you can keepe your point straight against your aduersarie as for example I haue heard the like iest There was a cunning Doctor at his first going to sea being doubtfull that he should be sea-sicke an old woman perceiuing the same said vnto him Sir I pray be of good comfort I will teach you a tricke to auoid that doubt here is a fine pibble stone if you please to accept it take it with you and when you be on ship-bord put it in your mouth and as long as you shall keepe the same in your mouth vpon my credit you shall neuer vomit the Doctor beleeued her and tooke it thankfully at her hands and when he was at sea he began to be sicke whereupon he presently put the stone in his mouth there kept

it so long as he possibly could but through his extreme sicknesse the stone with vomit was cast out of his mouth then presently he remēbred how the woman had mocked him and yet her words were true Euen so a Spaniard hauing his Rapier point put by may receiue a blow on the head or a cut ouer the face hand or arme or a thrust in the body or face and yet his Spanish fight perfect so long as he can keepe straight the point of his Rapier against the face or body of his aduersarie which is as easie in that maner of fight to be done as it was for the Doctor in the extremity of his vomite to keepe the stone in his mouth Yet one other pretie iest more scarce worth the reading in commendation of outlandish fight There was an Italian teacher of Defence in my time who was so excellent in his fight that he would haue hit anie English man with a thrust iust vpon any button in his doublet and this was much spoken of Also there was another cunning man in catching of wild geese he would haue made no more ado when he had heard them crie as the maner of wildgeese is flying one after another in rowes but presently looking vp would tell them if there had bene a dosen sixteene twētie or more he would haue taken euerie one And this tale was manie times told by men of good credit and much maruelled at by the hearers the man that wold haue taken the wildgeese was of good credite himselfe marie they said indeed he did neuer take anie but at anie time when he had looked vp and seene them flie in that maner he would with all his heart haue taken thē but he could no more tell how to do it then could the cunning Italian Fencer tell how to hit an Englishman with a thrust iust vpon any one of his buttons when he listed Illusions for the maintenance of imperfect weapons false fights to feare or discourage the vnskilfull in their weapons from taking a true course or vse for attaining to the perfect knowledge of true fight FIrst for the Rapier saith the Italian or false teacher I hold it to be a perfect good weapō because the crosse hindreth not to hold the handle in the hand to thrust both far straight to vse all maner of aduantages in the wards or sodainly to cast the same at the aduersarie but with the Sword you are driuen with all the strength of the hand to hold fast the handle And in the warres I would wish no friend of mine to weare Swords with hilts because when they are sodainly set vpon for haste they set their hands vpon their hilts in steed of their handles in which time it hapneth manie times before they can draw their swords they are slaine by their enemies These counterfeit shews are enough to cary the wisest that know not the true fight frō the false out of the right way And for Sword and Buckler fight it is imperfect because the buckler blindeth the fight neither would I haue anie man lie aloft with his hand aboue his head to strike sound blowes Strong blowes are naught especially being set aboue the head And if their weapons were short as in times past they were yet they could not thrust safe at body or face because in gardant fight they fall ouer or vnder the perfect crosse of the sword to strike beneath the waste or at the legges is great disaduantage because the course of the blow to the legs is too far therby the head face body is discouered and that was the cause in old time that they did not thrust nor strike at the legs not for lacke of skill as in these daies we imagine Againe if a man in those daies shold haue fought with a long sword they would presently haue put him into Cobbes Trauers because therein all the face and bodie is discouered Yet I confesse in old times when blowes were only vsed with short Swords bucklers back Sword these kind of fights were good most māly but now in these daies fight is altered Rapiers are lōger for aduātage thē swords were wōt to be whē blowes were vsed men were so simple in their fight that they thought him to be a coward that wold make a thrust or strike a blow beneath the girdle Againe if their weapōs were short as in times past they were yet fight is better looked into in these dayes than then it was Who is it in these daies seeth not that the blow cōpasseth round like a wheele whereby it hath a longer way to go but the thrust passeth in a straight line and therefore commeth a nearer way and done in a shorter time thē is the blow and is more deadly then is the blow Therefore there is no wise man that will strike vnlesse he be wearie of his life It is certaine that the point for aduantage euerie way in fight is to be vsed the blow is vtterly naught and not to be vsed He that fighteth vpon the blow especially with a short sword wil be sore hurt or slaine The deuill can say no more for the maintenance of errors That a blow commeth continually as neare a way as a thrust and most commonly nearer stronger more swifter and is sooner done THe blow by reasō that it compasseth round like a wheele A confutation of their errours whereby it hath a longer way to come as the Italian Fenser saith that the thrust passing in a straight line commeth a nearer way and therefore is sooner done then a blow is not true these be the proofes Let two lie in their perfect strengths and readinesse wherein the blades of their Rapiers by the motion of the body may not be crossed of either side the one to strike and the other to thrust Then measure the distance or course wherein the hand and hilt passeth to finish the blow of the one and the thrust of the other and you shall find them both by measure in distance all one And let anie man of iudgement being seene in the exercise of weapons not being more addicted vnto nouelties of fight then vnto truth it selfe put in measure and practise these three fights variable open and guardant and he shall see that whensoeuer anie man lyeth at the thrust vpon the variable fight where of necessitie most commonly he lyeth or otherwise not possiblie to keepe his Rapier from crossing at the blow thrust vpon the open or gardant fight that the blowes thrustes from these two fightes come a nearer way and a more stronger and swifter course then doth the thrust out of the variable fight And thus for a generall rule wheresoeuer the Thruster lyeth or out of what fight soeuer he fighteth with his Rapier or Rapier and Dagger the blow in his course commeth as neare and nearer and more swift and stronger then doth the thrust Perfect fight standeth vpon