George Silver's Brief Instructions Upon My Paradoxes Of Defence

Unpublished, dated: 1599

Transcribed by Jonathan Miller.
NB. This version has not yet been proof-read.
This page contains all the modern 'corrections' to spelling and meaning that I incorporated into the original Matthey manuscript. It may be that I have made mistakes, and I welcome comments/corrections, please send them to enquiries @ sirwilliamhope.org .
Each ground is bookmarked, for example Chapter 4, ground 2 may be linked to in this manner:
http://www.sirwilliamhope.org/Library/Silver/SilverModern.php#Cap4.2
This page is written in unicode; some letters may not show up correctly in your browser. Page numbers are preserved as comments in the html source.

Use of this work is freely granted subject to the conditions of this Creative Commons Licence.

---

Brief Instructions Upon My Paradoxes Of Defence

for the true handling of all Manner of weapons together with the four grounds & the four governors which governors are left out in my paradoxes without the knowledge of which no Man can fight safe

By George Silver Gentleman

[1599]

[Sloane MS. No 376.]

To The Reader.

For as much as in my paradoxes of Defence I have admonished Men to take heed of false teachers of Defence, yet once again in these my brief instructions I do the like, because Diverse have written books treating of the noble science of Defence, rather showing men thereby how to be slain than to defend themselves from the Danger of their enemies, as we may daily see to the great grief & overthrow of many brave gentlemen & gallant of our ever victorious nation of great Britain, And therefore for the great love & Care that I have for the well Doing & preservation of my Countrymen, seeing their Daily ruins & overthrow of Diverse gallant gent: & others which trust only to that Imperfect fight of that Rapier, yes although they Daily see their own overthrows & slaughter thereby, yet because they are trained up therein, they think & do fully persuade themselves that there is no fight so excellent & whereas amongst diverse other their opinions that leadeth them to this erroneous one of the chiefest is, because there be so many slain with these weapons & therefore they hold them so excellent but these things do chiefly happen, first because their fight is Imperfect for that they use neither the perfect grounds of true fight, neither yet the 4 governors without which no man can fight safe, neither do they use such other rules which are required in the right use of perfect defence, and also their weapons for the most part being of an Imperfect length, must of necessity make an Imperfect Defence because they Cannot vse them in due time & place, for had these valourous minded men the right perfection of the true fight with the short sword, & also of other weapons of perfect length, I know that men would come safer out of the field from such bloody bankets & that such would be their perfections therein, that it would save many 100 mens lives. But how should men learn perfection out of such rules as are nothing else but very Imperfection itself. And as it is not fit for a man which desires the clear light of the Day to go down into the bottom of a deep & Dark Dungeon, believing to find it there, so is it as Impossible for men to find the perfect knowledge of this noble science whereas in all their teachings everything is attempted & acted upon Imperfect rules, for there is but one truth in all things, which I wish very heartily were taught & practised here amongst us, & that those Imperfect & murderous kind of false fights might be by them abolished. Leave now to quaff & gulp any Longer of that filthy briny puddle, seeing you may now drink of that fresh& clear spring.

O that men for their Defence would but give their mind to practise the true fight indeed, & learn to bear true British wards for their defence, which if they had it in perfect practise, I speak it of my own knowledge that those Imperfect Italian Devices with rapier & poniard would be clean cast aside & of no account of all such as blind affections do not lead beyond the bonds of reason. Therfore for the very zealous & unfeigned love that I bear unto your high & royal person my Countrymen pitting their causes that so many brave men should be daily murdered, & spoiled for want of true knowledge of this noble science & not as some Imagine to be, only the excellence of the rapier fight, & whereas my paradoxes of defence is to the most sort as a dark riddle in many things there set down, therefore there upon whereby they may the better attain to the truth of this science & laying open here all such things as was something Intricate for them to understand in my paradoxes & therefore that I have the full perfection & knowledge of the perfect use of all manner of weapons, it Doth embolden me herein to write for the better Instruction of the Unskilful.

And I have added to these my brief Instructions certaine necessary admonitions which I wish every man not only to know, but also to observe & follow, Chiefly all such as are desirous to enter into the right usage & knowledge of their weapons, & also I have thought it good to Annexe here unto my paradoxes of Defence because in these my brief Instructions, I have referred the reader to diverse rules therein set down.

This have I written for an Infallible truth & a note of remembrance to our gallant gent: & others of our brave minded Nation of great Britain, which bear a mind to defend themselves & to win honour in the field by their Actions of arms & single Combats.

And know that I write not this for vainglory, but out of An entire love that I owe unto my native Countrymen, as one who laments their Losses, sorry that so great an error should be so Carefully nourished as a serpent in their bosoms to their utter confusion, as of long time have been seen, whereas if they would but seek the truth herein they were easily abolished, therefore follow the truth & fly Ignorance.

And consider that learning hath no greater enemy than Ignorance, neither can the unskilful ever Judge the truth of my art to them unknown, beware of rash Judgement & accept my labours as thankfully as I bestow them willingly, censure me Justly, let no man Despise my work herein Causeless, & so I refer myself to the censure of such as are skilful herein & so I commit you to the protection of the almighty Jehovah.

yours in all love & friendly Affection,
George Syluer.

Admonitions
To The Gentlemen &
Brave Gallants Of Great
Britain Against Quarrels &
Brawls Written By George Siluer.
Gent.

Whereas I have declared in my paradoxes of defence of the false teaching of the noble science of defence used here by the Italian fencers willing men therein to take heed how they trusted there unto with sufficient reasons & proofs why.

And whereas there was a book written by Vincentio an Italian teacher whose ill-using practises & unskilful teaching were such that it hath cost the lives of many of our brave gentlemen & gallants, the uncertainty of whose false teaching doth yet remain to the daily murdering & overthrow of many, for he & the rest of them did not teach Defence but offence, as it doth plainly appear by those that follow the same Imperfect fight according to their teaching or instructions by the orders from them preceeding, for be they actors that follow them never so perfect or skilful therein one or both of them are either sore hurt of slain in their Encounters & fights, & if they allege that we use it not rightly according to the perfection thereof, & therefore cannot defend ourselves, to which I answer if themselves had had any perfection therin, & that their teaching had been a truth, themselves would not have been beaten & slain in their fights, & using of their weapons, as they were.

And therfore I prove where a man by their teaching can not be safe in his defence following their own ground of fight then is their teaching offence & not defence, for in true fight against the best no hurt can be done. And if both have the full perfection of true fight, then one will not be able to hurt the other at what perfect weapon so ever.

For it cannot be said that if a man go to the field & cannot be sure to defend him self in fight & to come safe home, if God be not against him whether he fight with a man of skill of no skill it may not be said that such a man is Master of the Noble science of defence, or that he hath the perfection of true fight; for if both have the perfection of their weapons, if by any Device, one should be able to hurt the other, there were no perfection in the fight of weapons, & this firmly hold in your mind for a general rule, to be the hayth & perfection of the true handling of all manner of weapons.

And also whereas that said Vincentio in that same book hath written discourse of honour & honorable quarrels making many reasons to prove means & wayes to enter the field &combat, both for the lie & other disgraces, all which diabolical devices tendeth only to villany & destruction as hurting, Maiming & Murdering or killing.

Animating the minds of young gentlemen & gallants to follow those rules to maintain their honour & credits, but the end thereof for the most part is either killing or hanging or both to their utter undoing & great grief of themselves, amp; their friends, but then too late to call it again they consider not the time & place that we live in, nor do not thoroughly look into the danger of the law until it be too late, & for that in diverse other countries in these things they have a larger scope than we have in these our days.

Therefore it behoveth us not upon every abuse offered whereby our blood shall be Inflamed, or our choler kindled presently with the sword of with the stab, or by force of Arms to seek Revenge, which is the proper nature of wild beasts in their rage so to do, being void of the use of reason, which thing should not be in Men of discretion so much to Degenerate, but he that will not endure an Injury, but will seek revenge, then he ought to do it by Civil Order & proof, by good & wholesome laws, which are ordained for such Causes, which is a thing far more fit & requested in a place of so Civil a government as we live in, than is the other, & who so followeth these my Admonitions shall be accounted as valiant a Man as he that fights & far wiser. for I see no reason why a Man should adventure his life & esftate upon every trifle, but should rather put up diverse abuses offerd unto him, because it is agreeable both to the Laws of god & our Country.

Why should not words be Answered with words again, but if a Man by his enemy be charged with blows then may he Lawfully seek the best means to defend himself, & In such a Case I hold it fit to use his skill & to show his force by his Deeds, yet so, that his dealing be not with full Rigour to the others confusion if possible it may be eschewed.

Also take heed how you appoint the field with your Enemy publicly because our Laws do not permit it, neither appoint to meet him in private sort lest you wounding him he accuse you of felony saying you have robbed him &c. Or he may lay company closely to Murder you & then to report he did it himself valiantly in the field.

Also take heed of thine Enemy's Stratagems,lest he find Means to make you to look aside upon something, of cause you to shew whether you have on a privvy Coat, & so when you Look from him, he hurt or kill you.

Take not arms upon every light occasion, let not one friend upon a word or a trifle violate another but let each man zealously embrace friendship, & turn not familiarity into strangeness, kindness into malice, nor love into hatred, nourish not these strange & unnatural Alterations.

Do not wickedly resolve one to seek the other's overthrow, do not confirm to end thy Malice by fight because for the most part that endeth by Death.

Consider when these things were most used in former Ages they sought not so much by envy the ruin & destruction one of another. they never took trial by sword but in defence of Innocence to maintain blotless honour.

Do not upon Every trifle make an Action of revenge, or of Defiance.

Go not into the field with thy friend at his Entreaty to take his part but first know the manner of the quarrell how Justly or unjustly it grow, & do not therein maintain wrong against right, but examine the cause of the controversy, & if there be reason for his rage to lead him to that mortal resolution.

Yet be the cause never so Just, go not with him neither further nor suffer him to fight if possible it may by any means be otherwise ended & will him not to enter into so dangerous an action, but leave it until necessity requires it.

And this I hold to be the best Course for it is foolishness & endless trouble to cast a stone at every Dog that barks at you. this noble science is not to cause one man to abuse another injurously but to use it in their necessities to defend them in their Just Causes & to Maintain thier honour & Credits.

Therefore fly all rashness, pride, & doing of Injury all foul faults & errors herein, presume not on this, & thereby to think it lawful to offer Injury to Any, think not yourself Invincible, but consider that often a very wretch hath killed a tall man, but he that hath humanity, the more skilful he is in this noble science, the more humble, modest, & Virtuous he should shew himself both in speech & Action, no liar, no vaunter nor quarreller, for these are the causes of Wounds, Dishonour & Death.

If you talk with great men of honourable quality with such chiefly have regard to frame your speeches & Answer so reverent, that a foolish word, or forward Answer give no occasion of offence for often they breed Deadly hatred, Cruel murders & extreme ruins &c.

Ever shun all occasions of quarrels, but martial men chiefly generals & great commanders should be excellent skilful in the noble science of defence, thereby to be able to answer quarrels, Combats & Challenges in Defence of their prince & Country.

Vale.

Brief Instructions upon my paradoxes of Defence for the trye handling of all Manner of weapons together with the four grounds & the four governors which governors are left out in my paradoxes without the knowledge of which no Man can fight safe.

Cap. I
The four grounds or principals of that true fight at all manner of Weapons are these 4, viz.

• 1. Judgement
• 2. Distance
• 3. Time
• 4. Place.

The reason whereof these 4 grounds or principles be the first & chiefest, are the following, because through Judgement, you keep your distance, through Distance you take your Time, through Time you safely win or gain the Place of your adversary, the Place being won or gained you have time safely either to strike, thrust, ward, close, grip, slip or go back, in the which time your enemy is disappointed to hurt you, or to defend himself, by reason that he has lost his true Place, the reason that he has lost his True place is by the length of Time through the number of his feet to which he is of necessity Driven to that would-be Agent.

The 4 governors are those that follow.

• 1.

  The first governor is Judgement which is to know when your Adversary can reach you, & when not, & when you can do the like to him, & to know by the goodness or badness of his lying, what he can do, & when & how he can perform it.

• 2.

  The second gouernor is Measure. Measure is the better to know how to make your space true to defend yourself, or to offend your enemy.

• 3.
  4.

  The third & fourth governors is a twofold mind when you press in on your enemy, for as you have a mind to go forward, so you must have at that instant a mind to fly backward upon any action that shall be offered or done by your adversary.

Certain general rules which must be observed in that perfect use of all kinds of weapons

Cap. 2.

• 1.

  First when you come into the field to encounter with your Enemy, observe well the scope, Eveness & uneveness of your ground, put yourself in readiness with your weapon, before your enemy Come within distance, set the sun in his face traverse if possible you can still remembering your governors.

• 2.

  Let all your lying be such as shall best like yourself. ever considering out what fight your Enemy chargeth you, but be sure to keep your distance, so that neither head, Arms, hands, body, nor legs be within his reach, but that he must first of necessity put in his foot“Put in his foot,” i.e. advance. [Matthey] or feet, at which time you have the Choice of 3 Actions by the which you may endanger him & go free yourself.

  • 1.

    The first is to strike or thrust at him, at that instant when he have gained you the place“To wyn or gayne the place;” i.e.to come within striking distance. [Matthey] by his coming in “His cominge in.” It must be remembered that in Silver's time the lunge was unknown, at least to English fencers, & the only movement of the feet were “passes” and “traverses,” which with “slips” constituted a great part of the defence as well as of the attack.
    “Passes” were steps either forwards or backwards and the “traverses” were steps in a lateral direction. “Slips” were little short sfteps either lateral or backwards. These movements were also much used in feints of the attack. [Matthey]

  • 2.

    The second is to ward, & After to strike of thrust from that, remembering your governors

  • 3.

    The third is to slip a little back & to strike or thrust after him

  but ever remember that in the first motion of your Adversary toward you, that you slide a little back so shall you be prepared in due time to perform any of the 3 Actions Aforesaid, by disappointing him of his true place, whereby you shall safely defend yourself & endanger him.

  Remember also that if through fear or policy, he strike or thust short, & therewith go back, or not go back, follow him upon your twofold governors, so shall your ward & slip be performed in like manner as before, & yourself still be safe.

• 3.

  Keep your distance & suffer not your adversary to win or gain the place of you, for if he shall so do, he may endanger to hurt or kill you.

  Know that the place is, when one may strike or thrust home without putting in of his foot.

  It may be objected against thys last ground, that men do often strike & thrust at the half sword, & yet the same is perfectly defended, wher to ansfwer that that defence is perfectly made by reason that the warder hath his true space before the striker or thruster is in his force or entered into his action.

  Therefore always do prevent both blow & thrust, the blow by true space, & the thrust by narrow space “Space” is the distance which the sword blade has to traverse in changing from one position to another: thus from “medium” to “quarte” or “tierce” would be a “narrow space,” while from “tierce” to “septime” or from “feconde” to “quarte” would be a very “wyde space.” [Matthey] that is true crossing it before the same come into their full force, otherwise the hand of the Agent being as swift as the hand of the patient, the hand of the Agent beinge the first mover, must of necessity strike of thrust that part of the patient which shall be struck or thrust at because the time of that hand to the time of the hand, being of like swiftness the first mover hath the advantage.

• 4.

  When your enemy shall press upon you, he will be Open in one place or other, both at single & double weapon, or at the least he will be too weake in his ward upon such pressing, then strike or thrust at such open or weakest part that you shall find nearest.

• 5.

  When you attempt to win the place, do it upon guard, remembering your governors, but when he presseth upon you & gains you The place, then strike of thrust at him in his coming inA time hit of thrust [Matthey].

  Or if he shall stryke or thrust at you, then Ward it, & strike of thrust at him from your ward, & fly back Instantly according to your governorsParry and Riposte. Silver is very careful to emphasise the necessity of “flying backe,” i.e. getting away, immediately after an attack, whether it be successful or otherwise [Matthey], so shall you escape safely, for that the first Motion of the feet forward, wherebyyour regression will be more swift, than his course in progression to Annoy you, the reason is, that in the first motion of his progression his Number & Weight is greater then yours are, in your first motion of your regression, nevertheless all men know that the continual course of the feet forward is more swift than the Continual Course of the feet backwards.

• 6.

  If your enemy lie in variable fight, & strike or thrust at youTime hits & thrusts. [Matthey] then be sure to keep your Distance & strike or thrust at such open part of him as are nearest unto you, viz, at the hand, Arm, head, or leg of himm, & go back withal,

• 7.

  If 2 men fight at variable fight. & if within disftance, they must both be hurt, for in such fight they Cannot make a true Cross, nor have time truly to Judge, by reason that the swift motion of the hand, being a swifter mover, than the eye Deceives the eye, at what weapon soever you shall fight withal, as in my paradoxes of defence in the chapter thereof doth appear.

• 8.

  Look to the grip of your Enemy,The “grype” is the seizing of the sword-hilt with the left hand, – for this purpose a “guanto da presa,” or gripping gauntlet with the palm protected with fine mail, was sometimes used. [Matthey] & upon his slip take such a ward as shall best fit your hand, from which ward strike or thrust, still remembering your governors,

• 9.

  If you can Indirect your enemyTo “indirect” is to either manœuvre or force him from the true line of direction. [Matthey] at any kind of weapon, then you have the advantage, because he must move his feet to direct himself Again, & you in the mean time may stike or thrust at him, & fly out fast, before he can offer anything at you, his time will be so long.

• 10.

  When you shall Ward blow of thrust, made at your right or left part, with any kind of weapon, remember to Draw your hind foot a little circularly,A Demi-volte. [Matthey] from that prte to which the fame shall be made, whereby you shall make your defence the more perfect, & shall stand the more Apt to strike or thust from it.

A declaraton of all the 4 general fights to be used with the sword at double of single, long or short, & with Certain particular rules to them Annexed.

Cap. 3.

• 1.

  Open fight is to Carry your hand & hilt aloftThe “Guardia alta” of Marozzo & “Terza guardia” of Viggiani. [Matthey] above your head, either with point upright, or point backwards which is best, yet use that which you shall find most apt, to strike, thrust, or ward.

• 2.

  Guardant fight A “hanging” guard. [Matthey] in general is of 2 sorts, the first is true guardant“True gardant” is a High Prime. [Matthey] fight, which is either perfect or Imperfect.

  The perfect is to carry your hand & hilt above your head with your point down towards your left knee, with your sword blade somewhat near your body, not bearing out your point, but rather declining in a little towards your said knee, that your enemy cross not your pointCommand [Matthey] & so hurt you, stand bolt upright in this fight, & if he offer to press in then bear your head & body a little backward.

  The ImperfectTo stand with the body leaning forward is an “imperfect” position. [Matthey] is when you bear your hand & sword hilt perfect height above your head, as aforesaid but leaning or stooping forward with your body & thereby your space will be too Wide on both sides to defend the blow struck at the feft side of your head or too wide to defend a thrust from the right side of the body,

  Also it is Imperfect, if you bear your hand & hilt as aforesaid, bearing your point too far out from your kneee, so that your enemy May Cros, of strike Aside your point, & thereby endanger you,

  The second is bastard guardant“Bastard gardant” is a kind of high seconde, but more central. [Matthey] fight which is to Carry your hand & hilt below your head, breast high or lower with your point downward toward your left foot, this bastard guardant ward is not to be used in fight, except it be to Cross your enemy's Ward at his coming in to take the grip of him of such other advantage, as in diverse places or the sword fight is set forth.

• 3.

  Close fight is when you Cros at the half sword either above at forehand ward“Forehand ward” is a medium guard. [Matthey] that is with point high, & hand & hilt low, or at true or bastard guardant ward with both your points down.

  Close is all manner of fights wherein you have made a true Crose at the half sword with your space very narrow & not Crost, is also close fight.

• 4.

  Variable fight is all other manner of lying not here before spoken of, where of these 4 that follow are the chiefest of them.The Italian terms were imperfectly understood in England at the end of the XVIth century, & Silver has evidently misconstrued them. [Matthey]

  • (1.)

    Stocata:“Quinta guardia” of Capo Ferro. [Matthey] which is to lie with your right leg forward, with your sword or rapier hilt back on the outside of your right thigh with your point forward to ward your enemy, with your dagger in your other hand extending your hand towards the point of your rapier, holding your dagger with the point upright with narrow space between your rapier blade, & the nails of your dagger hand, keeping your rapier poiint back behind your dagger hand if possible,

    “Prima guardia” of Capo Ferro, “Guardia alta” of Alfieri, & “Guardia di becha possa” of Marozzo. [Matthey] Or he may lie wide below under his dagger with his rapier point down towards his enemy's foot, or with his point forth without his dagger.

  • Imbrocata: is to lie with your hilt higher then your head, bearing your knuckles upward, & your point depending toward your Enemy's face of breast.

  • Mountanta:“Quarta guardia” of Alfieri. [Matthey] is to Carry your rapier pommel in the palm of your hand resting it on your little finger with your hand below & so mounting it up aloft, & so to come in with a thrust upon your Enemy's face or breast, as out of the Imbrocata.

  • 4.

    Passata: is either to pass with the Stocata, or to carrye your sword or rapier hilt by your right flank, with your point directly against your Enemy's belly, with your left foot forward, extending forth your dagger hand with the point of your dagger forward as you do your sword, with narrow space between your sword & dagger blade, & so to make your passage upon him.

  Also any other kind of variable fight or lying whatsoever a man can devise not here expressed, is contained under this fight.

Of the short single sword fight against the like weapon.

Cap. 4.

The “short syngle sword fight” was a fight with a one-hand sword, and without the assistance of a defensive weapons in the left hand. The “sword dubble” is any kind of single-hand sword assisted by a defensive weapon in the other. [Matthey]

• 1.

  If your enemy lie aloft, either in the open or true guardantA high prime. [Matthey] fight, & then strike at the left side of your head or body your best ward to defend yourself, is to bear it with true guardant ward & if he strike & come in to the close, or to take the grip of you you may then safely take the grip of him as it appears in the chapter of the grip,

• 2.

  but if he do stryke & not come in, then instantly upon your ward, uncross & strike himA direct “riposte.” [Matthey] either on the right or left side of the head, & fly out“Fly out” suggests a lateral movement of the feet, but might also mean a backward one. [Matthey] instantly.

• 3.

  If you bear this with forehand ward, be sure to ward his blow, or keep your distance, otherwise he shall deceive you with every false, still endangering your head, face, hand, Arms, body, & bent knee, with blow or thrust. Therefore keep well your distance, because you can very hardly discern (being within distance), by which side of your sword he will strike, nor at which of those parts aforesaid, because the swift motion of the hand deveives the eye,

• 4.

  If he lie aloft & strike as aforesaid at your head,A similar guard is favoured by some modern Austrian sabre players. [Matthey] you may endanger him if you thrust at his hand, hilt or Arm, turning your knuckles downward,A time thrust in “quarte” at the sword hand. [Matthey] but fly back withal in the instant that you thrust,

• 5.

  If he lie aloft as aforesaid, & strike aloft at the left side of your head, if you will ward his blow with forehand ward, then be sure to keep your distance, except he come so certain that you be sure to ward his blow, at which time if he come in withal, you may endanger him from that ward either by blow, thrust or grip,A “quarte” parry. followed by “riposte” or “grip.” [Matthey]

• 6.

  If he lie aloft & you lie low with your sword inthe variable fight, then if you offer to ward his blow made at your head, with true guardant ward your time will be too long in Due time to make a sure ward, for that it is better to bear it with forehand ward, but be sure t okeep your distance, to make him come in with his feet, whereby his time will be too long to do what he intends.

• 7.

  If 2 Men fight both upon open fight he that first breaketh his distance, if he attempt to strike at the others head, shall be surely struck on the head himself, if the patient Agent strike there at in his Coming in, & slip a little back withal, for that sliding back makes an indirection, whereby your blow Crosses his head, & maketh a true ward for your own,A time hit with “opposition.” [Matthey] this will it be, because of his length of time in his coming in,

• 8.

  Also if 2 fight, it is better for the patient to strike home strongly at the Agent's head, when the said Agent shall press upon him to win the place than to thrust, because the blow of the patient is not only hurtful to the Agent, but it also maketh a true Cross to defend his own head,

• 9.

  If he charge you aloft, out of the open or true guardant fight, if you answer him with the Imperfect guardant fight, with your body leaning forward, your space will be too wide on both sides to make a true ward in due time, & your arm And body will be too near unto him, so that with the bending in of his body with the tyme of hand & foot, he may take the grip of you,

  but if you stand upright in true guardant fight, then he cannot reach to take the grip of you, nor otherwise to offend you if you keep your distance, without putting in of his foot or feet wherein his number will be too great, “Number wilbe to great,” i.e. will have to make too many steps or passes. [Matthey] & so his time will be too long, & you in that time may by putting in of your body take the grip of him, if he press to come in with using only your hand, or hand & foot, & there upon you may strike or thrust with your sword & fly out withal according to your governors, see more of this, in the chapter of the grip.

• 10.

  If he will still press forcibly aloft upon you, Charging you out of the open fight or true guardant, fight, Intending to hurt you in the face of head, or to take the grip of you Against such a one, you must use both guardant & open fight, whereby upon every blow or thrust that he shall make at you, you may from your wards strike or thrust him on the face head or body as it appears more at large in the 5th Chapter of these my Instructions.

• 11.

  If you fight with one that stands only upon his guardant fight or if he seek to come in to you by the same fight, then do you strike & thrust Continually at all manner of open place that shall come nearest unto you, still remembering your governors, so shall he Continually be in danger, & often wounded, & wearied in that kind of fight, & you shall be safe, the reason is, he is a certain mark to you, & you are an uncertain mark to him.

  And further because he ties himself unto one kind of fight only, he shall be wearied for want of Change of lying,A variety of guards to be used in order to prevent fatigue. [Matthey] & you by reason of many changes shall not only still fight at ease, & much more brave, but you have likewise 4 fights to his one, to whit, guardant, open, close, & variable fight, to his guardant only, therefore that fight only is not to be stood upon or used.

• 12.

  But if all this will not serve, & although he hath received Many Wounds, will continually run on to come in, & forcibly break your distance, then may you safely take the grip of him, & hurt him at your pleasure with your sword, as appears in the chapter of the grip, & he can neither hurt nor take the grip of you, because the number of his feet are too many, to bring his hand in place in due time, for such a one ever gives you the place, therefore be sure to take your time herein.

  In the like sort may you do at sword & dagger, or sword & buckler, at such time as I say, that you May take the grip at the single sword fight, you may then instead of the grip, soundly strike him with your buckler on the head or stab him with your dagger In “Sword and Buckler” or “Sword and Dagger” fighting, strike with the defensive weapon instead of gripping, and trip up his heels. [Matthey]& instantly either strike up his heels or fly out, & as he likes that cooling card to his hot brain, so be it,Lonergan, 1771. “syck fyt” (sic fit). [Matthey] so let him come for another.

• 13.

  If 2 fight & that both lie upon the true guardant fight & that one of them will need seek to win the half sword by pressing in, that may you safely do, for upon that fight the half sword may safely be won, but he that first comes in, Must first go out, & that presently, otherwise his guard will be too wide above to defend his head, or if fit for that defence, then will it be too wide underneath to defend that thrust from his body which things the patient Agent The “patient Agent” is the man who stands upon the defensive, the “Agent” being the one who attacks. [Matthey] may do, & fly out safe, & that Agent cannot avoid it, because the moving of his feet makes his ward unequal to defend both parts in due time, but the one or the other will be deceived & in danger, for he being Agent upon his first entrance his time (by reason of that number of his feet), will be too long, so that the patient Agent may first enter into his action, & the Agent must be of force an after doer, & therefore cannot avoid this offence aforesaid.

• 14.

  If he come in to encounter the Close & grip upon the bastard guardant ward, then you May Cross his blade with yours upon the like guardant ward also, & as he comes in with his feet & have gained you the place, you may presently uncross & strike him a sound blow on the head, & fly out instantly, wherein he cannot offend you by reason of his lost time, nor defend himself upon your uncrossing, because his space is too wide whereby his time will be too long in due time to prevent your blow, this may you do safely.

• 15.

  Ifhe come in upon the bastard guardant ward, bearing his hilt lower than his head, or but breast high or lower, then strike him soundly on the head which thing you may easily do, because his space is too wide in due time to ward the same.

• 16.

  If your Enemy charge you upon his Stocata fight, you May lie variable with large Distance & uncertain with your sword & bodye at your pleasure, yet so that you may strike, thrust or Ward, & go forth & back as occasion is, to take the advantage of this coming in, whether he doth it out of the Stocata, or passata, which advantage you shall be sure to have, if you observe this rule & be not too rash in your actions, by reason that the number of his feet will be great,“The number of his feet will be great” – i.e. he will have to make too many steps or “passes.” [Matthey] & also because when those 2 fights are met together, it is hard to Make a true Cross, therefore without Large distance be kept of them, Commonly they are both hurt of slain, because in narrow distance their hands have free Course & are not tied to the time of the foot, by which swift motion of the hand the eye is deceived, as you may read more at large in the cap: of my paradoxes of defence.

  You may also use this fyght against the long sword, or long rapier, single & double,

  Upon this ground som shallow witted fellow may say, the patient must keep large distance then he must be driven to go back still, to which I answer that in the continual motion & traversing of his ground he is to traverse circularly, forwards, backwards, upon the right hand, & upon the left hand, the which traverse This is exactly the traverse recommended by Roworth. [Matthey] is still a certianty to be used within himself, & not to be prevented by the Agent, because the Agent comes one upon an uncertain mark, for when he thinks to be sure of his purpose, the patient is sometimes on the one side, & sometimes on the other side, sometimes too far back, & sometimes too near, so that still the Agent must use the number of his feet which will be too long to answer the hand of the patient Agent, & it cannot be denyed but the patient Agent, by reason of his large distance, stil sees what the Agent does in his coming, but the Agent cannot see what the other does, until the patient Agent be into his Action, therefore too late for him either to hurt the patient or in due time to defend himself, because he enters his action upon the knowledge of the patient, but he knows not what the patient Agent will do until it be too late.

• 17.

  If the Agent say that then he will stand fast upon some sure guard & sometimes moving & traversing his ground, & keep large distance as the patient do, to which I answer, that when 2 men shall meet that have both the perfection of their weapons, against the best no hurt can be done otherwise if by any device one should be able to hurt the other, then were there no perfection in the use of weapons, this perfection of fight being observed, prevents both close fight, & all manner of closes, grips & wrestling & all manner of such other devices whatsoever.

• 18.

  Alsfo if he charge you upon his Stocata, or any other lying after that fashion, with his point low & large paced, then lie you aloft your hand & hilt above your head, either true guardant, or upon the open fight, then he cannot reach you if you keep your distance without putting in his foot or feet, but you may reach him with the time of your hand & body, or of hand, body & foot, because he has already put in his body within your reach & have gained you the place, & you are at liberty & without his reach, until he put in his foot or feet, which time is too long to answer the time of your hand, & his space is too wide in that place to make a ward in due time to defend his head, Arms & hand, one of which will be alwaies within your reach.

  note still in this that your weapons be both short of the Equal & convenient length of the short sword.

• 19.

  If out of his variable fight he strike at the right or left side of the head or body, then your best ward is to bear it with forehand wardParries of “tierce” and of “quarte.” [Matthey], otherwise your space will be too wide & too far to make your ward in due time.

• 20.

  If he lie variable after the manner of the passata then if you lie aloft as is above said, you have the Advantage, because he that lies variable cannot reach home, at head hand or arm, without putting in his foot of feet, & therefore it cannot be denyed, but that he that playeth aloft, hath stil the time of the hand to the time of the foot, which fight being truly handled is advantage invincible.

• 21.

  If he lie variable upon the Imbrocata, then make a narrow space with your point upward, & suddenly if you can Cross his point with your blade put aside his point strongly with your sword & strike or thrust at him, & fly out instantly, ever remembering your governors that he decieve you not in taking of his point.

• 22.

  If he strike or thrust at your leg or lower part out of any fight, he shall not be able to reach the same unless you stand large paced with bendinge knee,From this it appears that in Silver's time the knees were very little bent. [Matthey] of unless he come in with his foot or feet, the which he shall so do, then you may strike or thrust at his arm or upper partA time hit or thrust at the arm or upper parts. [Matthey] for then he puts them into the place gaining you the place whereby you may strike home upon him & he cannot reach you.

  But if he stand large paced with bending knee then win the place & strike home freely at his knee, & fly back therewith

• 23.

  If he come to the close fight with you & that you are both crossed aloft at the half sword with both your points upwards, then if he come in withal in his Crossing bear strongly your hand & hilt over his wrist,Forcible pressure in “tierce” at “half-sword.” [Matthey] close by his hilt putting it over at the back side of his hand & hilt pressing down his hand & hilt strongly & suddenly, in your entering in, & so thrust your hilt in his face, of strike him upon the head sword, & strike up his heels, & fly out,Recommended also by Lonergan, 1771. [Matthey]

• 24.

  If you are both so crossed at the bastard guardant ward, & if he then press in, then take the grip of him as is shown in the chapter of the grip,

  Or with your left hand or arm, strike his sword blade strongly & suddenly toward your left sideBeating the sword away with the gauntleted left hand. [Matthey] by which means you are uncrossed, & he is discovered, then may you thrust him in the body with your sword & fly out instantly, which thing he cannot avoid, neither can he offend you

  Or being so crost, you may suddenly uncross & strike him upon the head & fly out instantlyAn alternative. [Matthey] which thing you may safely do & go out free.

• 25.

  If you be both crossed at the half sword with his point up & your point down in the true guardant ward, then if he press to come in, then either take the grip of him, as in the chapter of the grip, or with your left hand or arm, strike out his sword blade towards your left side as aforesaid, & so you may thrust him in the body with your sword & fly out instantly.Again the alternatives of “gripping” and beating the sword off. [Matthey]

• 26.

  Do you never attempt to close or come to the grip at these weapons unlessit be upon the slow motion or disorder of your enemy,

  but if he will close with you, then you may take the grip of himWhen he encloses, “grip” him. [Matthey] safely at his coming in, for he that first by strong pressing in adventures the close loses it, & is in great danger, by reason that the number of his feet are too great, wherby his time will be too long, in due time to answer the hand of the patient Agent, as in the chapter of the grip doth plainly appear,

• 27.

  Alwaies remembering if you fight upon the variable fight that you ward upon forehand ward, otherwise your space will be too wide in due time to make a true guardant ward, to defend yourself.

• 28.

  If you fight upon open fight, or true guardant fight, never ward upon forehand ward for then your space will be too wide also, in due time to make a sure ward,

• 29.

  If he lie aloft with his point toward you, after the manner of the Imbrocata, then make your space narrow with your point upward & put by his point, & strike or thrust as aforesaid but be sure herein to keep your distance, that he deceive you not in taking of his point.

Of diverse advantages that you may take by striking from your ward at the sword fight.

Cap. 5.

“Parrying” and “Riposting.” [Matthey]

• 1.

  If your enemy strike at the right side of your head, you lying true guardant, then put your hilt a little down, Mounting your point, so that your blade May Cross across your face,A parry in “high tierce” with its ripostes. [Matthey] so shall you make A true ward for the right side of your head, from the which ward you may instantly strike him on the right or left side of the head, or to turn down your point, & thrust him in the body, or you may strike him on the left side of the body, or on the outside of the body, or on the outside of his left thigh.

  Or you may strike him on the outside of the right thigh, one of those he cannot avoid if he fly not back instantly upon his blow, because he knows not which of these the patient Agent will do.

• 2.

  If you lie upon your true guardant ward, & he strike at the left side of your head,A parry of “prime” with its ripostes. [Matthey] you have the choice from your ward to strike him from that, on the right or left side of the head, or to turn down your point, & thrust him in the body, or you May strike him on the outside of the right or left thigh, for the reason above said in the last rule, except he fly out instantly upon his blow.

• 3.

  If he charge you upon the open or true guardant fight, if you will answer him with the like, then keep your distance, & let your gathering be always in that fight toward his right side so shall you with your sword choke up any blow that he can make at you, from the which ward you May strike him on the right or left side of the head, or thrust him in the body.

  but if he thrust at your face or body, then you may out of your guardant fight break it downward with your sword A thrust parried with the “seconde,” and its ripostes. [Matthey] bearing your point strongly toward your right side, from the which breaking of his thrust you may likewise strike him from the right or left side of the head, or thrust him in the body.

• 4.

  If you meet with one that cannot strike from his ward, upon such a one you may both double & false & so deceive him, but if he be skilful you must not do so, because he will be still so uncertain in his traverse that he will still prevent you of time & place, so that when you think to double & false,To “dubble” = to “remise.” To “faulse” = to “feint.” [Matthey] you shall gainhim the place & thereupon he will be before you in his action, & in your coming he will still endanger you,

• 5.

  If you fight upon the variable fight, & that you receive a blow with forehand ward, made at the right side of your head or body,A parry of “tierce” with its ripostes. [Matthey] you have the choice of 4 offensive Actions from that ward, the first to strike him on the right side, either on the head shoulder, or thigh, or to thrust him in the body, or to strike him on the left side either on the head shoulder or thigh, or to thrust him in the body, the like may you do if he strike ever at your left side, as is above said, if you bear it with forehand ward.Parry of “quarte.” [Matthey]

• 6.

  In this forehand ward keep your distance, & take heed that he decive you not with the downright blow at your head out of his open fight, for being within distance the swift motion of the hand May decive your eye, because you know not by which side of your sword his blow will come

• 7.

  Also see that he deceive you not upon any false offering to strike at the one side, & when thereby you have turned your point aside, then to strike on the other side, but if you keep distance you are free from that, therefor still in all your actions remember your governors

• 8.

  If he will do nothing but thrust, Answer him as it is set down in the 16^th ground of the short sword fight & also in divrs places of the 8^th chapter.

• 9.

  Also consider if he lie at the thrust upon the stocata, or passata, How to engage with a man who uses point. [Matthey] & you have no way to avoid him, except you can Cross his sword blade with yours, & so Indirect his point, therefore keep well your distance in using your traverse.

  but if he put forth his point so that you may Cross it with forehand ward, for if you watch for his thrust tehn lie upon forehand ward with point a little up. If he lie with his point Mounted, & if you single your thrust upon the outside of your sword hand, strike or bear his point out toward your right side, & thereupon putting forward your body & left foot Circularly toward his right side you May strike him upon his sword Arm, head, face or body.

  Or if you take it on the Inside of your sword put by his point strongly & suddenly toward your left side, drawing your left foot Circularly back behind the heel of your right foot, A “demivolte” after a parry of “quarte.” [Matthey] & strike him on the inside of his sword hand or Arm or on the head, face, or body, & fly out according to your governors

  This May you use against the sword & dagger long or short, or rapier & poniard, or sword & buckler.

• 10.

  Also remember if he have a long sword, & you a short sword, ever to Make your space so narrow, that you may always break his thrust before that be in force if possible you may, & also to keep large distance whether he charge you out of the Stocata, passata, or Imbrocata &c, of this you may see more at large in the 8^{th chapter}.

The manner of Certain grips & Closes to be used at the single short sword fight &c.

Cap. 6.

• 1.

  If he strike aloft at the left side of your head, and run in withal to take the Close or grip of you, then ward it guardant, & enter in with your left side putting in your left hand, on the inside of his sword Arm, near his hilt, bearing your hand over his Arm, & Wrap in his hand &sword under your Arm, as he comes in, Wresting his hand & sword close to your body turning back your right side from him, so shall he not be able to reach your sword, but you shall still have it at liberty to strike or thrust him & endanger the breaking of his Arm, or the taking away of his sword by that grip.

• 2.

  If you are both Crossed in Close fight upon the bastard guardant ward low, you May put your left hand on the outside of his sword at the back of his hand, near, or at the hilt of his sword Arm & take him on the inside of that arm with your hand, above his elbow is best, & draw him in toward you strongly, wresting his knuckles downward & his elbow upward so may you endanger to break his arm, or cast him down or to wrest his sword out of his hand, & go free yourself.

• 3.

  In like sort upon this kind of close, you may clap your left hand upon the wrist of his sword arme, holding it strongly & therewith thrust him hard from you, & presently you may thrust him in the body with your sword for in that Instant he can neither ward, strike, nor thrust,

• 4.

  If he strike home at the left side of your head, & therewithall come in to take the close or grip of your hilt of sword arm with his left hand, first ward his blow guardant, & be sure to put in your left hand under your sword & take hold on the outside of his left hand, Arm or sleeve, putting your hand under the wrist of his Arm with the top of your fingrs upward, & your thumb & knuckles downward, then pluck him strongly toward your left side, so shall you indirect his feet turning his left shoulder towards you, upon which instant you May strike or thrust him with your sword & fly out safe, for his feet being indirected, although he has his sword at liberty, yet shall he not be able to Make any offensive fight against you because his time will be too long to direct his feet again to use his sword in due time.

• 5.

  Also if he attempt the close or grip with you upon his bastard guardant ward, then cross his sword with the like ward, & as he comes in with his feet you have the time of your hand & body, whereby with your left hand or Arm you May put by his sword blade, which thing you must suddenly & strongly do, casting it toward your left side so may you uncross & thrust him in the body with your sword & fly out instantly, for if you stay there he will direct his sword again & endanger you, this may safely be done, or you May uncross & turn your point up, & strike him on the head, & fly out instantly.

• 6.

  If he press in to the half sword upon a forehand ward, then strike a sound blow at the left side of his head turning strongly your hand & hilt pressing down his sword hand & arm strongly, & strike your hilt full in his face, bearing your hilt strongly upon him, for your hand being uppermost you have the advantage in that grip, for so May you break his face with your hilt, & strike up his heels with your left foot, and throw him a great fall, all this May safely be done by reason that he is weak in his coming in by that moving of his feet, & you repel him in the fullness of your strength, as appears in the Chapter of the short single sword fight, in the 23^rd ground of the same,

• 7.

  remember that you never attempt the Close nor grip but look to his slip, Consider what is said in the 8^th generall rule in the Second Chapter, & also in the 26^th ground of the syngle sword fight in the 4^th Chapter.

Of the short sword & dagger fight Against the lyke Weapon.

Cap. 7.

• 1.

  Observe at these weapons the former rules, defend with your sword & not with your dagger, yet you may cross his sword with your dagger, if you may conveniently reach the same therewith, without putting in of your foot, only by bending in of your body, otherwise your time will be too long, & this time will be sufficient to displace his own, so that you shall not hit it with your dagger, & so he may make a thrust upon you, this time that I here Mean, of putting by of his sword is, When he lies out spent with his sword point toward you, & not else, which thing if you can do without putting in of your foot, then you may use your dagger, & strike strongly & suddenly his sword point therewith strike or thrust at him with your sword,

• 2.

  Also you may put by his sword blade with your dagger When your swords are Crossed, either above at forehand ward, or below at the bastard guardant ward & therewith instantly strike or thrust with your sword & fly out according to your governors, of this you may see more at large in the Chapter of the syngle sword fight in the 24^th ground of the same.

• 3.

  Also yf he be so foolhardy to come to the close, then you may guard with your sword & stab with your dagger, & fly out safe, which thing you may do because his time is too longe by the number of his feet, & you have but the swift time of your hand to use, & he cannot stab til he have set in his feet, & so his tyme is too late to endanger you, or to defend himself.

• 4.

  Know that yf you defend yourself with yur dagger in other sort than is aforesaid, you shall be in danger to be hurt, because the space of your dagger will be still to wide to defend both blow & thrust for lack of Circumference as the buckler has.

• 5.

  Also note when you defend blow & thrust with your sword you have a nearer course to offend your enemy with your sword then when you ward with your dagger, for then you may for the most part from your ward strike or thrust him.

• 6.

  Yõ must neither Close nor come to the grip at these weapons, unless it be by the slow motion or disorder of your adversary, yet yf he attempt the Close, or to come to the grip with you, then you may safely Close & hurt him with your dagger or buckler & go free yourself, but fly out according to your governors & thereby you shall put him from his attempted Close, but see you stay not at any time within distance, but in due time fly back or hazard to be hurt, because the swift motion of the hand being within distance will deceive the eye, whereby you shall not be able to Judge in due time to make a true ward, of this you may see in the chapter of the back sword fight in the 12^th ground of the same.

• 7.

  If he extend forth his dagger hand you may make your fight at the same, remembering to keep distance & to fly back according to your governors.

  Every fight & ward with these weapons, made out of any kind of fight, must be made & done according as is taught in the back sword fight, but only that the dagger must be used as is above said, instead of the grip.

• 8.

  If he lie bent upon his Stocata with his sword or rapier point behind his dagger so that you cannot reach the same without putting in of your foot, then make all your fight at his dagger hand, ever remembering your governors, & then if he draw in his dagger hand, so that you may Cross his sword blade with yours, then make narrow space upon him with your point & suddenly & strongly strike or bear his point towards his right side, indirecting the same, & instantly strike or thrust him on the head, face, Arm, or body, & fly back therewith out of distance still remembering your governors.

• 9.

  If he lies spent upon his variable fight then keep your distance & make your space narrow upon him, til you may Cross his sword or rapier point with your sword point, whereupon, you having won or gained the place, strike or thrust instantly.

• 10.

  If he lies bent or spent upon the Imbrocata bear up your point, & make your space narrow & do the like.

Of the short sword & dagger fight against the long sword & dagger or long rapier & poinard.

Cap. 8.

• 1.

  If you have the short sword & dagger, defend with your sword & not with your dagger, except you have a gauntlet or hilt upon your dagger hand, then you may ward upon the double with the point of your sword towards his face.

• 2.

  Lie not aloft with your short sword if he lies low variable on the Stocata or passata &c, for then space will be too wide to make a true Cross in due time, or too far in his course to make your space narrow, the which space take heed you make very narrow, yea, so that if it touch his blade, it is better.

• 3.

  I say make your space narrow until you can cross his sword blade strongly & suddenly, so shall you put by his point out of the right line, & instantly strike or thrust, & slip back according to your governors,

  but take heed unless you can surely & safely cross go not in, but although you can so cross, & thereupon you enter in, stay not by it but fly out according to your governors,

• 4.

  If with his long sword or rapier he charge you aloft out of his open or true guardant fight striking at the right syde of your head, if you have a gauntlet or close hilt upon your dagger hand then ward it double with forehand ward, bearing your sword hilt toward your right shoulder, with your knuckles upwards & your sword point towards the right side of his breast or shoulder, crossing your dagger on your sword blade resting that there on upon the higher side of your sword bearing your hilts close together with your dagger hilt a little behind your sword hilt bearing both your hands right out together spent or very near spent when you ward his blow, Meeting him so upon your ward that his blow may light at your half sword or within, so that his blade may slide from your sword & rest on your dagger, at which instant time thrust forth your point at his breast & fly out instantly, so shall you continually endanger him & go safe yourself.

• 5.

  If he strike aloft at the left side of your head, ward as aforesaid, bearing your knuckles downward, & your sword point towards the left side of his breast or shoulder, bowing your body & head a little forward towards him, & remember to bear your ward on both sides that he strike you not upon the head, then upon his blow meet his sword as is aforesaid with your dagger crossed over your sword blade as before, & when his sword by reason of his blow upon your sword shall slide down & resft upon your dagger, then suddenly cast his sword blade out towards your left side with your dagger, to indirect his point, & therewith thrust at his breast from your ward & fly out instantly, the like may you do if his sword glance out from yours, upon his blow.

  All this may safely be done with the short sword & close hilted dagger or gauntlet

• 6.

  Stay not within distance of the long sword or rapier with your short sword, nor suffer him to win the place of you, but either Cross his sword, or make your space very narrow to crose it before his blow or thrust be in force, yet keeping your distance whereby be shall strike or thrust at nothing, & so he shall be subject to the time of your hand against the time of his feet.

• 7.

  Keep distance & lie as you think best for your ease & safty, yet so that you may strike, thrust, or ward, & when you find his point Certain, then make your space narrow & cross his sword, so shall you be the first mover, & enter first into your action, & he being an after doer, is not able to avoid your Cross, nor narrow space, nor any such offence as shall be put in execution against him

• 8.

  Having Crossed his long sword or rapier with your short sword blade, & put his point out of the straight line by force then strike or thrust at him with your sword & fly out instantly according to y governors.

• 9.

  Stand not upon guardant fyght only, for so he will greatly endanger you out of his other fights because you have made yourself a certain mark to him, for in continuing in that fight only you shall not only weary yourself, but do also exclude yourself from the benefit of the Open, variable, & close fights, & so shall he have four fights to your one, as you may see in the Chapter of the short single sword fight in the 15^th ground thereof

• 10.

  If he lies in Open or true guardant fight, then you may upon your open & guardant fight safely bring your self to the half sword, & then you may thrust him in the body, vnder his guard or sword when he bears it guardant, because he is weak in his guard, but fly out instantly, & he cannot bring in his point to hurt you except he go back with his foote or feet, which time is too long to answer the swift time of the hand.

  If he put down his sword lower to defend that thrust then will his head be open, so that you may strike him on the head over his sword & fly out therewith, which thing he cannot defend, because his space is too wide to put up his blade in due time to make a true ward foo the same.

• 11.

  Understand that the whole sum if the long rapier fight is either upon the Stocata, Passata, Imbrocata, or Mountanta, all these, and all the rest of their devices you may safely prevent by keeping your distance, because thereby you shall still drive him to use the time of his feet, whereby you shall still prevent him of the true place, & therefore he cannot in due time make any of these fights offensive upon you by reason that the number of his feet will still be too great, so that he shall still use the slow time of his feet to the swift time of your hand, & therefore you may safely defend your self & offend him,

  Now you may plainly see how to prevent all these, but for the better example note this, whereas I say by keeping of distance some may object that then the rapier man will come in by degrees with such ward as shall best like him, & drive back the sword man continually, to whom I answer, that can he not do, by reason that the sword mans traverse is made circularly, so that the rapier man in his coming hath no place to carry the point of his rapier, in due time to make home his fight, but that still his rapier will lie within the compass of the time of the sword mans hand, to make a true cross upon him, the which cross being made with force he may safely uncross, & hurt the rapier man in the Arm, head, face or body, with blow or thrust, & fly out safe before he shall have time to direct his point again to make his thrust upon the sword man.

• 12.

  If the rapier man lies upon the stocata, first make your space narrow with your short sword, & take heed that he strike not down your sword point with his dagger & so Jump in & hurt you with the thrust of his long rapier, which thing he may do because he have commanded your sword, & so you are left open & discovered & left only unto the uncertain ward of your dagger, which ward is too single for a man to venture his life on, which if you miss to perform Never so little you are hurt or slain.

• 13.

  To prevent this danger you must remember your governors, & presently upon his least motion be sure of your distance, & your narrow space, then do as followeth.

• 14.

  If he lie upon his stocata, with his rapier point within or behind his dagger hand out straight, then lie you variable in Measure with your right foot before & your sword point out directly forth with your space very narrow as near his rapier point as you may, betwixt his rapier point & his dagger hand, from which you may suddenly with a wrist blow, lift up your point & strike him on the outside or inside of his dagger hand, & fly out with all, then make your space narrow as before, then if he thrust home at you, you are ready prepared for his thrust, or you may thrust at his dagger hand, do which you shall think best, but your blow must be but only by moving of your wrist, for if you lift up your hand and Arm to fetch a large blow then your time will be too long, & your space too wide in due time to make a true ward to defend your self from his thrust, so shall you hurt him although he have a gauntlet on, for your thrust will run up between his fing, & your blow will cut offthe fingers of his gauntlet, for he cannot defend himself from on blow or thrust of 20, by reason that you have the place to reach home at his hand, & for that cause he cannot present it, neither can he reach home to you without putting in of his foot or feet, because his distance is too large, but upon every blow or thrust that you make at his hand slip back a little, so shall you still upon every blow or thrust that you make at him, be out of his reach,

  but if upon your blow or thrust he will enter in with his foot or feet to make home his stocata or thrust upon you, then by reason of your sliding back, you shall be prepared in due time to make a perfect ward to defend yourself with your sword.

  Therefore ever respect his rapier point & remember to make & keep narrow space upon it with your sword point, that you may be sure to break his thrust before it be in full force.

• 15.

  If he thrust at your higher parts with his point a little mounted, then make narrow your space with your point upon his, if you Cross his blade on the insyde between his rapier & his dagger, if he presses in then from your cross beat or bear back his point strongly towards his right side, and having indirected his point, strike him on the inside of the rapier or dagger hand or Arm, or on the head, face, or body, & fly out instantly,

  Or you may upon his pressing in with his thrust Slip your point down as he comes in, & put up your hilt & ward it guardant, & therewith from that ward cast out his point & suddenly strike him in one of the places aforesaid, & fly out instantly remembering your governors.

• 16.

  If he lies fast & do not come in, then strike & thrust at his dagger hand, with your wrist blow and slip back therewith every time

• 17.

  but if he lies fast & beat down your point with his dagger, & then thrust at you from his Stocata then turn up your hilt with your knuckles upward & your nails downward, taking his blade upon the back side of yours toward your left side & bear it guardant towards that side, & so may you offend him as before is said upon that ward.

• 18.

  The like may you do upon him if he lies out with his point, when you have crossed the same with yours, & strike it to either side, & so indirect his point, and then strike or thrust & fly out.

• 19.

  The like must you do, if he lies with his point directly toward your belly

• 20.

  but if you cross his point so mounted or direct as above said, upon the outside of your sword with his point a little higher than your hilt, so that you may cross his blade, then if he thrust over your blade single uncrossing the same, then may you break it with your forehand ward out towards your right side, & yf he comes in therewith, then strike him on the outside of his rapier hand or Arm, or on the head or face, & fly out therewith

• 21.

  but if he thrust in over your sword as above said & presses in his blade strongly double with the help of his dagger, then put down your point & turn up your hilt guardant, so shall you safely defend it bearing it guardant out towards your left side & from it strike him in between his rapier and dagger in one of the foresaid places, & fly out,

  but if from this cross he slips his point down to thrust under your sword, then strike down his point towards his left foot & therewith strike him on the outside of his rapier hand or arm, head, face, or body, & fly out instantly according to your governors.

  Also you may upon this of his point down, then turn your point short over his blade in your stepping back, & put your point down in the inside of his blade turning up your hilt guardant as aforesaid, & then if he thrust at you, bear it guardant towards your left side, & then have you the same offensive blows & thrusts against him as is abovesaid upon the same ward.

• 22.

  If he lies after the Stocata with his point down towards your foot, then cross his blade on the outside, & if he turns his point over your hilt & bear it guardant as abovesaid, bearing it out towards your left side, & from that ward offend him as abovesaid

• 23.

  Also in this fight take heed that he thrust you not in the sword hand or arm, therefore ever respect to draw it back in due time, remembering therein your twofold governor, in your coming in, to make your cross or narrow space.

• 24.

  If at sword & dagger or buckler he strike in at the outside of your right leg ward it with the back of your sword, carrying your point down holding your knuckles downward & your Nails upward, bearing your sword out strongly toward your right side, upon which ward you may strike him on the outside of the left leg, or thrust him in the thigh or belly

• 25.

  The like may you do if he strike at your other side, if you ward his blow with the edge of your sword your hand & knuckles as aforesaid, casting out his sword blade towards your left side, this may be used at short or long sword fight.

• 26.

  you must neuer use any fight against the long rapier & dagger with your short sword but variable fight, because your space will be too wide, amp; your time too long, to defend of offend in due time.

• 27.

  Also you must use large distance ever, because out of that fight you can hardly make a true cross because being within distance the eye is deceived to do it in due time

• 28.

  remember in putting forth your sword point to make your space narrow, when he lies upon his stocata, or any thrust, you must hold the handle thereof as it were along your hand, resting teh pommel thereof in the hollow part of the middle of the heel of your hand toward the wrist, & the former part of the handle must be held betwixt the forefinger & thumb, without the Middle Joint of the forefinger toward the top thereof, holding that finger somewhat straight out gripping round your handle with your other 3 fingers, & laying your thumb straight out upon the handle, so that your thumb lies all along upon the same, so shall you lay your point out straight towards his, the better to be able to perform this action perfectly, for yf you grip your handle close ouerthwart in your hand, then can you not lay your point straight upon his to make your space narrow, but that your point will still lie too wide to do the same in due time, & this is the best way to hold your sword in all kinds of variable fight

• 29.

  but upon your guardant or open fight then hold it with full gripping it in your hand, & not laying your thumb along the handle, as some use, then shall you never be able strongly to ward a strong blow.

• 30.

  This have I written out of my entire love that I bear to my countrymen, wishing them yet once again to follow the truth, & to fly the vain Imperfect rapier fight, the better to save themselves from wounds & slaughter, for who so attains to the perfection of this true fight which I have here set forth in these my Brief Instructions, & also in my paradoxes of defence, shall not only defend themselves, but shall thereby bring those that fight upon that Imperfect fight of the rapier under their mercy, or else put them in Cobbs traverse, whereof you may read in the 38 Chapter of my paradoxes aforesaid.

Of the sword & Buckler fight,

Cap. 9.

Sword & Buckler fight, & sword & dagger fight are all one, saving that you safely defend both blow & thrust, single with your buckler only, & in likesort you may safely ward both blows & thrusts dubble, that is with sword & buckler together which is great advantage against the sword & dagger, &c, & is the surest sight of all short weapons.

Of the two hand sword fight against the like weapon.

Cap. 10.

These weapons are to be used in fight as the short staf, yf both play upon dubble & syngle hand, at the two hand sword, the long sword hath the advantage if the weight thereof be not too heavy for his strength that has it, but if both play only upon dubble hand, then his blade which is of convenient length agreeing with his stature that hath it, which is according with the length of the measure of his single swordblade, hath the advantage of the sword that is too long for the stature of the contrary party, because he can cross & uncross, strike & thrust, close & grip in shorter time than the other can.

Of the fhort staff fight, being of convenient length, against the like weapon.

Cap. 11.

The short staff has four wards, that is two with the point up, & two with the point down,

• 1.

  At these weapons ever lie so that you may be able to thrust single & double, & to ward, strike, or thrust in due time, so shall your enemy, if he fight only upon double hand be driven of necessity, seeking to win the place, to gain you the place whereby you may safely hurt him, & go free your self by reason of your distance, & when you shall seek to win the place upon him he shall not be able to gain the place upon you, nor to keep the place from you whereby he shall either be hurt, or in great danger of hurt, by reason of your large reach, true place & distance, your fight being truly handled keeping itself from Close & grip.

• 2.

  And in like sort shall it be between two, which shall play upon the best, that is, if they play both double & single handed.

• 3.

  If you find yourself too strong for your adversary in any manner of ward, whether the same be above or below, put by his staff with force, & then strike or thrust from it,

• 4.

  but if you find him too strong for you upon his blows from aloft, so that you can hardly bear them upon your ward, then when he strikes in aloft at your head, & by his main strength would beat down your staff, & so give you a hurt before you shall be able to come again into your ward,

  Against such a one give the slip in this sort, suddenly draw back the higher part of your body a little & your foremost foot withall, & slip in the point of your staff under his staff, & thrust single at him, & fly out withall, so shall you be sure to hit him & go out free,

• 5.

  If he lies aloft with his staff, then lie you with your hind hand low, with your point upwards his staff making your space narrow because you may cross his staff to ward his blow before it comes in full force, & then strongly & suddenly indirect his point, & so thrust at him single, the which you may do before he can remove his feet, by reason of the swiftness of your hand & fly out therewith do this for both sides of the head if cause require it, so shall you save both your head, body, and all parts, for your upper parts are guarded, & your lower parts too far out of his reach.

• 6.

  If he lies low with his point down, then lie you with your point down, with your foremost hand low & your hind most hand high, for so that you may cross his staff, & do in all things as is before said in the other

• 7.

  If he lies upon the thrust then lie you with your space narrow lying up or down with your point in such sort as you may cross his staff, & thereby you shall be able to put by or beat by this thrust before it be in full force, & then strike or thrust, ever remembering your governors.

  If upon this any will object that if this be true, then it is in vain to strike, or thrust, because he that does it is still in danger, this doubt is answered in the short single sword fight, in the 12^th ground thereof

• 8.

  If your adversary strike aloft at any side of your head or body, ward it with your point up & making your space so narrow that you may cross his staff before it come in full force bearing or beating down his blow strongly, back again towards that side that he strikes in at you, & out of that ward, then Instantly, either strike from that ward, turning back your staff, & strike him on that side of the head that is next your staff,

  Or lift up your staff again, & so strike him on the head or body, or thrust at his body double or single, as you may find your best advantage ever in holding your staff, let there be such convenient space between your hands, wherein you shall find yourself aptest to ward, strike or thrust to your best liking

• 9.

  If you play with your staff with your left hand before & your right hand back behind, as many men do find themselves most aptest when that hand is before, & if your adversary upon his blow come in to take the close of you, when you find his staff crossed with yours near his hand then suddenly slip up your right hand close to the hinder side of your foremost hand, & presently loosing your foremost hand & put it under your own staff, & then cross or put by his staff therewith & with your hand take hold of his staff in such sort that your little finger be towards the point of his staff , & your thumb & forefinger towards his hands, & presently with your right hand mount the point of your own staff casting the point thereof back ouer your right shoulder, your knuckles downwards, & your nails upwards, & so stab him in the body or face with the hinder end of the staff, but be sure to stab him at his coming in, whether you catch his staff or not, for sometimes his staff will lie so far out that upon his coming in you cannot reach it, then catch that arm in his coming in which he shall first put forth within your reach, but be sure to stab, for his staff can do you no hurt, and having so done, if you find your self too strong for him, strike up his heels, if too weak fly out.

• 10.

  The like must you do if you play with your right hand before, & your left hand back behind, but that you need not to slide forth your left hand, because your right hand is in the right place of your staff already to use in that action, but then you must displace your left hand to take hold of his staff, or the grip as is aforesaid, & to use the stab as is above said,

• 11.

  if both lie aloft as aforesaid, & play with the left hand before, if he strike at the Right side of your head or body then must you cross his staff before his blow be in full force, by making your space narrow, & then strike it strongly back again towards his left side, & from that ward you may turn back your staff & strike him backwards therewith on the left side of the head, or lift up your staff & strike him on the right or left side of the head, body, or arm, or thrust him in the body, the like blows or thrusts may you make at him whether he strike or thrust, having put by his staff, remembering your governors.

  The like order must you use in playing with the right hand before,

• 12.

  but if he thrust at you continually then ever have a special care to consider, whether he lies aloft or below, & do continually thrust at you there from, then look that you ever lie so that you make your space so narrow upon him, that you be sure to cross his staff with yours, & put it before it be in full force, and from that ward, thrust at him single or double as you find it best, & if he remember not to fly back at that instant when he thrusts it will be too late for him to avoid any thrust that you shall make at him,

Of the fhort staff fight against the long staff.

Cap. 12.

• 1.

  If you have a staff of longer length than is convenient then make your space narrow, & seeke not to offend until you have strongly & swiftly put by his point the which you shall with ease accomplish, by reason of your narrow space & your force, then strike or thrust as you shall think best.

• 2.

  This short staff fight against the long staff is done in the same sort that short staff fight to short staff is done, but that the man with the short staff must always remember to keep a narrow space upon the long staff, wheresoever the long staff shall lie, High or low, continually make your space narrow upon, so shal you be sure if he strike or thrust at you, to take the same before it be into his full force, & by reason that your force is more with your short staff than his can be at the point of his long staff, you shall cast his staff so far out of the straight line with your short staff, that you may safely enter in with your feet, & strike or thrust home at him.

• 3.

  Yet this present shift he hath at that instant, he may slip back his staff in his hands, which time is swifter than your feet in coming forward, whereby he will have his staff as short as yours, yet by reason that at the first you cast his staff so far out of the right line, that you had time to enter in with your feet, you shall then be so near him, that you may make narrow space upon him again, so that he shall have no time to slip forward his staff again in his former place, nor to go back with his feet, & so to recover the hinder end of his staff again, because if he slip forth his staff to strike or thrust at you, that may you safely defend because of your narrow space upon him, & therewithal you may strike or thrust him from your ward, either at single or double,

• 4.

  but if he will go back with his feet thinking by that meanes to recover the whole length of his staff again, that can he not do in convenient time because the time of your hand is swifter than the time of his feet, by reason wherof you may strike or thrust him in his going back.

• 5.

  Again it is to be remembered in that time that you keep him at that bay, upon the drawing in of his staff, the hinder end thereof lying so far back behind him will be so troublesome unto him, that he can make no perfect fight against you & commonly in his drawing in of his staff it will be too short to make true fight against you, neither to offend you nor defend himself.

• 6.

  If he attempt the Close with you then stab him with the back end of your staff as is said in the fight of the two short staves of convenient length, in the 9^th ground thereof.

  Note. Remember that at Morris pyke, forrest bill, long staff & two hand sword, that you lie in such sort upon your wards that you may both ward, strike, & thrust, both double & single, & then return to your former wards slips & lying again & then are you as you were before

  The like fight is to be used with the Javelin, partisan, halberd, black bill. battle Axe, glaive half pike &c.

Of the fight of the forrest bill against the like weapon & against the staff.

Cap. 13.

• 1.

  The forrest bill has the fight of the staff but that it has four wards more with the head of the bill, that is one to bear it upwards, another to beat it downwards so that the carriage of your bill head be with the edge neither up

  The other two wards are one to cast his bill head towards the right side, the other towards the left side.

  And upon either one of these wards of catches run up to his hands with the head of your bill & then by reason that you haveput his staff out of the right line, you may catch at his head neck arm or legs &c with the edge of your bill, & hook or pluck him strongly to you & fly out withall.

• 2.

  If you cast his staff so far out that your bill slides not up to his hands, then you may safely run in sliding your hands within one yard of the head of your bill, & so with your bill in one hand take him by the leg with the blade of your bill & pluck him to you & with your other hand defend yourself from his grips if he offer to grip with you.

• 3.

  If you fight bill to bill do the like in all respects as with the staff in your fight, for your bill fight & staff fight is all one, but only for the defence & offence with the head of the ill, & where the staff man upon the close if he use the stab with the butt end of his staff, the bill man at that time is to use the catch at he leg with the edge of his bill, as in the second ground above is said.

• 4.

  Remember ever in all your fight with this weapon to make your space narrow whether it be against the staff or bill so that whatsoever he shall do against you, you shall still make your ward before he be in his full force to offend you.

• 5.

  Also if you can reach within the head of your bill then sodainly with the head of your bill snatch his bill head strongly towards you, & therewithal indirect his bill head & forcibly run up your bill head to his hands, so have you the like advantage as abovesaid, whereas I spoke of running up towards his hands.

• 6.

  If he lies low with his bill head then if you can put your bill head in over the head of his bill & strongly put down his bill staff with your bill head, bearing it flat, then you may presently run up your bill head single handed to his hands, & fly out therewith, so shall you hurt him in the hand & go free yourself.

• 7.

  The like may you do with your bill against the short staff if you can press it down in the like sort, but if he has a long staff then run vp double handed with both hands upon your bill, which thing you may safely do because you are in your strength & have taken him in the weak part of his staff.

• 8.

  If he lies high with his bill head then put up your bill head under his & cast his bill out to that side that you shall find fittest, so have you the advantage to thrust or hook at him & fly out.

  Or if you cast his bill far out of the right line then run in & take him by the leg with the edge of your bill, as is said in the 2^nd ground of this chapter.

• 9.

  Yf you ward his blow with your bill staff within your bill head, then answer him as with the short staff.

  Note that as the bill mans advantage is to take the staff with the head of the bill so the staff man by reason that the head of the bill is a fair mark has the advantage of him in the casting aside of the head of the bill with his staff or beating that aside, the which if the bill man look not very well into it the staf man thereupon will take all manner of advantages of the staff fight against him.

Of the fight of the morris pike against the like weapon.

Cap. 14.

“The Chapter on the Morris pike is unique, as no other work speaks of parries with that weapon.” – W. London [London]

• 1.

  If you fight with your enemy having both morris pikes with both points of your pikes forwards, low upon the ground, holding the butt end of the pike in one hand single with knuckles upwards & the thumb underneath, with the thumb & forefinger towards your face & the little finger towards the point of the pike, bearing the butt end of the pike from the one side to the other right before the face, then lie you with your arm & your body open with your hand to the right side with your knuckles Downwards & your nails upwards.

  Or you may lie in that sort, with your hand over to the left side with your knuckles upwards & your nails Downwards, whereby all your body will be Open. If then he shall suddenly raise up the point of his pike with his other hand & come to thrust at you, then in the Mounting of his point or his coming in suddenly toss up the point or your pike with your hand syngle & so thrust him in the legs with your pike & fly out therewith.

  Or else you May stand upon your ward & Not toss up your pike's point but break his thrust by crossing the point of his pike with the Midst of your pike by casting up your hand, with the butt end of your pike above your head, & so bearing over his point with your staff, to the other side as for example,

• 2.

  If you lie with your hand spent towards the left side of your body, then suddenly bear his point over strongly towards your right side.

  If you lie with your hand spent towards your right side then bear his point towards your left side, & thereupon gather up your pike with your other hand & thrust at him & fly out.

  If he continues his fight with his point above, & you lie with your pike breast high & higher with your hand & point so, that you may Make your thrust at his face or body with your point Directly towards his face, holding your pike with both your hands on your staf your hinder hand with your knuckles upwards & your foremost hand with your knuckles downwards & there shaking your pike & falsing at his face with your point as Near his face as you may, then suddenly Make out your thrust single handed at his face & fly back withall, which thrust he can hardly break one of 20 by reason that you have make your space so narrow upon his guard, so that you being first in your action he will still be too late in his defence to defend himself.

• 4.

  but note while you lie falsing to Deceive him look well to your legs that he in the Meantime toss not up the point of his pike single handed & hurt you therewith in the shyness.

• 5.

  If he lies so with his point up a loft as you do then Make your space Narrow Mounting your point a little & cross his pike with yours & strongly and suddenly cast his point out of the right line and thrust home from the same single or double as you find your best advantage, & fly out therewith

  Or you may run in when you have cast out his point sliding both your hands on your staff til you come within 3 quarters of a yard of the head of your pike & stab him therewith with one hand & with your other hand keep him off from the grip.

• 6.

  Now if he be a man of skill, notwithstanding the Making of that fault in suffering you to do so yet this help he hath, as you aer coming in he will suddenly draw in his pike point & fly back withall, then have you no help but to fly out instantly to the middle of your pike & from thence backto the end & then are you as at the first beginning of your fight you were.

• 7.

  If you find that he lies far out of the right line with his point or that you can so far Indirect the same then cast your pike out of your hands, crose over upon the midst of his pike, by which means you shall entangle his pike, then while he doth strive to get his pike at liberty, run you in suddenly drawing your Dagger & strike or stab at him.

• 8.

  Then if he have the perfection of this fight as well as you, he will be as ready with his daggr as you are with yours, then must you fight it out at the single daggr fight as is shown in the 15^th Cap: then he that hath not the perfection of that fight goes to wrack.

• 9.

  And here note that in all the course of my teaching of these my brief Instructions if both parties have teh full perfection of the true fight then the one will not be able to hurt thother at what perfect weapon so ever.

• 10.

  But if a Man that has the perfection of fight shall fight with one that has it not then must that unskilful man go to wrack & the other go free.

Of the single Dager fight against the like weapon.

Cap: 15.

• 1.

  First know that to this weapon there belongs no Wards nor gryps but against such a one as is foolhardy & will suffer himself to have a full stab in the face or body to hazard the giving of Another, then against him you may use your left hand in throwing him aside or strike up his heels aftr you have stabbed him.

• 2.

  In this daggr fight, you must use continual motion so shall he not be able to put you to the close of grip, because your continual motion disappoints him of his true place, & the more fierce he is in running in, the sooner he gains you the place, whereby he is wounded, & you not anything the rather endangered.

• 3.

  The mannr of handling your continual motion is this, keep out of distance & strike or thrust at his hand, Arme, face or body, that shall press upon you, & if he defend blow or thrust with his daggr make your blow or thrust at his hand.

• 4.

  If he comes in with his left leg forwards or with the right, do you strike at that part as soon as it shall be within your reach, remembering that you use continual motion in your progression & regression according to your twofold governors.

• 5.

  Although the daggr fight be thought a very dangerous fight by reason of the shortness & singleness thereof, yet the fight thereof being handled as is aforesaid, is as safe & as defensive as is the fight of any other weapon, this ends my brief.

Finis.

Sundry kinds of play or fight. Thornborow

• 1.

  Uncertain variable

• 2.

  syngle

• 3.

  guardant

3 different kinds of fight

• 1.

  that forces or presses on

• 2.

  he that goes back with some blow or thrust

• 3.

  he that stands to his wards or passato

with an Imperfect

• 1.

  Against him that presses the, naked play is best because he uses his foot, the open lofty play the hand.

• 2.

  the 2^nd is best followed with the variable & uncertain handling else should you be a mark to your enemy & too slow in motion.

• 3.

  the 3^rd must be encountered with the guardant play wherein you shall try him at the B sword or how he can escape the parting blow or thrust.

  When you gather keep your place & space equal & only be a patient & remembr that the guardant play brings you safely in & keeps your enemy out.

  Know this order of play else the best may be deceived, to be used against all these differences & bring the goodness thereof in suspicion, for all these plays are good in their kind, time & occasion offered by diversity of play, but not one of them to be continually used & played upon as a perfection against every assault.

• 1.

  In the naked play you must set yourself upright with your feet in a small space, observing the place of your hand where you may stike or thrust most quickly & readily & so tke the time of him that presses on (using the time of his feet) with your blow or thrust where he is most open.

• 1.

  In the variable play, you drive him to his shifts changing yourself into sundry kinds of blows thrusts & lyings, which you must not stay upon,

• 2.

  seeking to cross him still in his plays as you may, whereby you shall force him to fly, or else to stand to the proof of his B sword play.

• 3.

  the guardant play is to be used against the blow, thrust & passata that comes within danger of hurt, for treading the right way & keeping your place & hand in space & strength you cannot lose the time to defend from either of those offers.

these Judged of in reason & known by some practise will make you deal safely against all sorts, skilful or unskilful, so that fear or Anger hinder not your Knowledge.

Of Times.

The time of the

• hand
• foot
• hand & foot
• foot & hand. naught

Of place space, strength & time.

• 1.

  the time of the hand is when you strike from a ward stand in place to strike.

• 2.

  the time of the foot is when you step forward to strike or when you gather towards your own right side.

• 3.

  the time of the hand & foot is when you tread y ground in course to strike rather than pressing forwards, or when you slide back or go back, your hand & foot being then of equal agility.

• 4.

  the time of the foot & hand is when you handle your guardant play using then a slow motiõ in both.

  there is but 1 good way to gather upon your enemy, guardant. All other are dangerous & subject to the blow on the head or thrust on the body.

for no way can ward both but as aforesaid.

your hand & feet in good play must go together, whether it be in quick or slow motion.

In gathering forwards or towardss your right side your hand falls from your place, space, & strength & so falls our the loss of time.

when you gather & suffer govern your fight, defend only. when you do, be single, or not fixed towards on any lying but also the quickness of your hand in its proper place carried,

In breaking the thrust when you lie aloft single or guardant & space your arm somewhat bowing in warding the blow, have respect to your place of hand & strength, your arm straight. this course in your time is best performed, the one of these with your hand aloft your point down the other your hand in place your more high your space les curious.

II 93re

time is chiefly to be observed in both actions upon which (place space) waits.

Upon these 3 the 4 following, upon these 4 the first 3, upon these the later 3.

to hurt or defend, a time in both is to be observed to the furtherance of which place is to be gotten, without which time will be too long to perform that which is intended, the space is to be noted between 2 opposites & in respect of touching, or in regard of saving as also for preserving of time, by the small way it hath either to the body, or putting by the weapon.

the next 4 must be used together to perform the other 3 rules, for the hand being nimble & quick of itself may else be hindered in the want of any of these, the weapon must be framed & inlined to serve the agility of the hand either in hurting or defending.

4

the body upright or leaning to the weapon, that it hinder not the dispositiõ of the other 2 the foot answerable to them plying the hand & ward all in straight space, the w with hand high the point down, the arm straight out as ready for both actions.

the way under the w withdrawing the body from harm, the motiõ slow that the actiõ of the hand be not hindered.

the rest are the dispositions of the placed displaced handlings

Slowfoot: swift hand: quick foot: slow hand.

tread: stride: follow: fall away:

When you seek to offend blow or thrust, your place of hand is lost, the way to redeem it is to slyde back under your lofty ward as aforesaid always that your adversary lies aloft ready to strike or thrust or use his hand only,

if you would offend him that lies low upon the thrust then when you displace your weapon from aloft you may after your blow at head or arm or nearest place, stand & thrust before you go back because he is out of place & space & cannot cross, & thereby loses his time to annoy you & you may thrust & retire for a new assault.

this is not so sound,

In striking or thrusting never hinder your hand with putting forth your foot but keep the place thereof until you have offended with the one only the bending of your body very little forward may suffice, else you lose a double time, one in setting forth your foot the other in recovering your lost place of your foot both to the loss of time & your purpose.

Strike: thrust: ward: break:

the double offence is in striking & thrusting.

the 3 fold defence in

• warding the blow
• breaking or putting by the thrust
• sliding back under your hanging ward.

Win the place: stand fast, strike home offend, defend, & go safe.

All under play is beaten with most agile, single & the lofty the lofty with the guardant, His when with his foot he seek the low lying is out of place to offend defend or not so for lack of time space & crossing, if he lies out with his longer weapõ it is put by from aloft, who has place time & reach of body & arm all with the cross.

93 re the reading the enterlyyinge of other things thereto adjoining.

the lofty naked play is beaten with the ward because of Cross space time to Defend, the lofty naked single loose play serves to win the Time of the low & double play.

the bent guardant requires your arm straight high & out the point down towards (93 re II wel) the body & foot that way inclined.

Open fight is to carry your & hilt aloft above your head either weth point

• upright
• backwards. which is best

• 1.

  because it falls best to the guardant ward

• 2.

  yet use that which you find aptest to

  • strike

  • thrust

  • ward

Of the short single sword against the like weapon being both of a length.

If

• 1.

  your enemy lie in open or true guardant fight

  • 1.

    Answer him in the same fight is best but keep your distance

  • 2.

    let your gatherings in be ever towards his right side that your sword may choke up all his blows made at you before it be in force & from your ward instantly uncrose & strike him on the head or other open place, or thrust him in the body & instantly fly out

  • If he strike at the

    • 1.

      left side of your head or body ward it true guardant ward

      • 1.

        take it not with forehand w except you be sure to ward it if you do w it so if he comes in withall, then from that w

        • thrust
        • strike
        • grip
        remembering your governors, & strike from yith w at the head &c.or thrust at the body.

      • 2.

        if withal he

        • 1.

          press in to close then take the grip of him.

        • 2.

          come not in then instantly uncross & strike him on the head & fly out.

      • 2.

        right side of your head or body ward then put down your hilt a little &

        • 1.

          mount your point so that your blade be cast out with his towards your right shoulder & that will truly ward the right side of your head

          from which w either

          • strike instantly that ye left side of his
            • head
            • body
            • thigh
            or outside of his right thigh & fly back instantly, one of these he cannot avoid.

        • 3.

          head you lying below in variable fight thrust at his hand or arm by erecting your point with your knuckles downwards & fly out instantly.

• 2.

  he thrust at your face or body, then beat it downwards with your sword guardant bearing your point strongly towards your right side & suddenly strike him on the head or thrust him in the body & fly out suddenly.

• you lie in open or true guardant fight

  • 1.

    forceably press on you with that fight intending to hurt you in the face or hed, or to take the grip of you, Against him use both open & guardant fight so shall you upon every blow or thrust made at you from your wards strike or thrust him on the face head or body & fly out instantly.

  • 2.

    & you lye below in variable fight then offer not to ward the blow made at your head with true guardant ward

    • 1.

      but with forehand ward & be sure to keep your distance to make him come in with his feet or foot & that will disappoint his time & place.

    • 2.

      your

      • time will be too long
      • space is too wide
      in due time to do it.

  • 3.

    Answer him not with the

    • bastard
    • Imperfect
    guardant fight with your body bowing forwards there your
    • 1.

      space will be too wide on both sides to make a true ward in due time.

    • 2.

      arm & body will be open too near him so that with bending in of his body with the time of the hand or hand & foot he may either thrust your body or take the gripe of you.

  • 3.

    both fight upõ open fight

    • 1.

      he that first breaketh his distance & do attempt to strike at the other's head shall be surely struck on the head himself if the other strike thereat in his coming in, and slip back withal, for that maketh an Indirection whereby your blow crosses his head & maketh an true ward for your own.

    • 2.

      it is better for the patient to strike home strongly at the agents head if the agent press upon him to win the place, than to thrust, for the cs last abovesaid.

  • 4.

    you fight upon open or true guardant fight never ward upõ forehand ward for your space will be too wide in due time to make a true ward.

  • he lye aloft with his point towards you after the manner of the Imbrocata then make your space narrow with your point upwards, therewith put by his point & strike or thrust as aforesaid at any open place by be sure herein to keep your distance

    • 1.

      & fly out presently

    • 2.

      that he deceive you not in the taking his point.