There are foure especiall markes to know the Italian fight is imperfect & that the Italian teachers and setters forth of books of Defence, neuer had the per­fection of the true fight.

The first marke is, Yet they per­swade vs that the crosse of the Ra­pier without hilt or gantlet is suffi­cient. they seldome fight in their 2 owne country vnarmed, commonly in this sort, a paire of Gantlettes vpon their hands, and a good shirt of maile vpon their bodies. The secōd marke is, that neither the Italians, nor any [Page 4] of their best scholers do neuer fight, but they are most cōmonly sore hurt, or one or both of them slaine.

The third marke is, they neuer teach their scholers, nor set downe in their bookes anie perfect lengthes of their weapons, without the which no man can by nature or Art against the perfect lēgth fight safe, for being too short, their times are too long, and spaces too wide for their defence, and being too long, they wilbe vpon eue­rie crosse that shall happen to be made, whether it be done by skil or chance, in great danger of death; because the Rapier being too long, the crosse cannot be vndone in due time, but may be done by going backe with the feete; but that time is alwaies too long to answere the time of the hand, therfore euery man ought to haue a weapon according to his owne stature: the tall man must haue his weapon longer then the man of meane stature, or else he hath wrong in his defence, & the man of meane stature must haue his weapon longer then the man of smal stature, or else he hath wrong in his defence; & the man of small stature must beware that he feed not himself with this vaine cōceipt, that he wil haue his wea­pon long, to reach as farre as the tall man, for therin he shal haue great disaduantage, both in making of a strong crosse, and also in vncrossing againe, and in keeping his point from crossing, and when a crosse is made vpon him, to defend himself, or indanger his enemie, or to re­deeme his lost times. Againe Rapiers longer, then is conuenient to accord with the true statures of men, are alwaies too long or too heauie to keepe their bodies in due time from the crosse of the light short sword of per­fect length, the which being made by the skilfull out of any of the foure true times, vpon any of the foure chiefe [Page 5] Actions, by reason of the vncertaintie & great swiftnesse in any of these times, they are in great danger of a blow, or of a thrust in the hand, arme, head, body, or face, & in euerie true crosse in the vncrossing, in great danger of a blow vpon the head, or a full thrust in the bodie or face: and being taken in that time & place, the first mouer in vncrossing speedeth the Rapier man of imperfect lēgth, whether it be too long, too short or too heauie, and go­eth free himselfe by the direction of his gouernours.

The fourth marke is, the crosses of their Rapiers for true defence of their hands are imperfect, for the true cariage of the guardant fight, without the which all fights are imperfect.

Of sixe chiefe causes, that many valiant men thinking themselues by their practises to be skilfull in their weapons, are yet manie times in their fight sore hurt, and manie times slaine by men of small skill, or none at all.

THe first and chiefest cause is, the lacke of the 3 foure Gouernours, without the which it is impossible to fight safe, although a man should practise most painfully and most di­ligently all the daies of his life.

The second cause is, the lacke of knowledge in the due obseruance of the foure Actions, the which we cal bent, spent, lying spent, and drawing backe: these Actions e­uerie man fighteth vpon, whether they be skilfull or vn­skilfull, he that obserueth them is safe, he that obser­ueth thē not, is in cōtinuall danger of euerie thrust that shalbe strongly made against him.

The third cause is, they are vnpractised in the foure true times, neither do they know the true times frō the false: therefore the true choise of their times are most commonly taken by chance, and seldome otherwise.

The fourth cause is, they are vnacquainted out of what fight, or in what maner they are to answer the va­riable fight: and therefore because the variable fight is the most easiest fight of all other, most cōmonly do an­swer the variable fight with the variable fight, which ought neuer to be but in the first distance, or with the short Sword against the long, because if both or one of them shall happen to prese, and that in due time of nei­ther side fight be changed, the distance, by reason of nar­rownesse of space, is broken, the place is won and lost of both sides, then he that thrusteth first, speedeth: if both happen to thrust together, they are both in dāger. These things sometimes by true times, by change of fights, by chance are auoided.

The fift cause is, their weapons are most commonly too long to vncrosse without going backe with the feet.

The sixt cause is, their weapons are most commonly too heauie both to defend and offend in due time, & by these two last causes many valiāt mē haue lost their liues

What is the cause that wisemen in learning or practising their weapons, are deceiued with Italian Fencers.

No fight perfect that is not done in force & true time.THere are foure causes: the first, their schoolmaisters are imperfect: the second is, that whatsoeuer they teach, is both true & false; true in their demōstrations, according with their force & time in gētle play, & in their [Page 7] actions according with true force & time in rough play or fight, false: for exāple, there is as much difference be­twixt these two kind of fights, as there is betwixt the true picture of Sir Beuis of Southampton, & Sir Beuis himself, if he were liuing. The third, none cā iudge of the Craft but the Crafts-man; the vnskilfull, be he neuer so wise, can not truly iudge of his teacher, or skill, the which he lear­neth, being vnskilful himselfe. Lastly, & to confirme for truth all that shal be amisse, not only in this excellēt Sci­ence of Defence, but in all other excellent secrets, most commonly the lye beareth as good a shew of truth, as truth it selfe.

Of the false resolutions and vaine opinions of Rapier-men, and of the danger of death thereby ensuing.

IT is a great question, & especially amōgst 4 the Rapier-men, who hath the vantage of the thruster, or of the warder. Some hold strongly, that the warder hath the vantage: others say, it is most certain that the thru­ster hath the vantage. Now when two do happē to fight, being both of one mind, that the thruster hath the van­tage, they make all shift they can, who shall giue the first thrust: as for example, two Captaines at Southampton e­uen as they were going to take shipping vpon the key, fel at strife, drew their Rapiers, and presently, being despe­rate, hardie or resolute, as they call it, with all force and ouer great speed, ran with their rapiers one at the o­ther, & were both slaine. Now when two of the contrary opinion shall meet and fight, you shall see verie peacea­ble warres betweene them: for they verily thinke that he [Page 8] that first thrusteth is in great danger of his life, there­fore with all speede do put themselues in ward, or Sto­cata, the surest gard of all other, as Vincentio saith, and therevpon they stand sure, saying the one to the other, thrust and thou dare; and saith the other, thrust and thou dare, or strike or thrust and thou dare, saith the o­ther: then saith the other, strike or thrust and thou dare for thy life. These two cunning gentlemen standing long time together, vpon this worthie ward, they both depart in peace, according to the old prouerbe: It is good sleeping in a whole skinne. A gaine if two shall fight, the one of opinion, that he that thrusteth hath the vantage, and the other of opinion, that the warder hath the vantage, then most commonly the thruster being valiant, with all speed thrusteth home, and by reason of the time and swift motion of his hand, they are most commonly with the points of their rapiers, or daggers, or both, one or both of them hurt or slaine; because their spaces of defence in that kind of fight, are too wide in due time to defend, and the place being wonne, the eye of the Patient by the swift motion of the Agents hand, is deceiued. Another resolution they stand sure vpon for their liues, to kill their enemies, in the which they are most commonly slaine themselues: that is this: When they find the point of their enemies rapier out of the right line, they say, they may boldly make home a thrust with a Passata, the which they obserue, and do ac­cordingly: but the other hauing a shorter time with his hand, as nature manie times teacheth him, sodainly tur­neth his wrist, whereby he meeteth the other in his pas­sage iust with the point of his rapier in the face or body. And this false resolution hath cost manie a life.

That the cause that manie are so often slaine, and manie sore hurt in fight with long Rapiers, is not by reason of their dangerous thrusts, nor cunningnesse of that Italienated fight, but in the length and vnweildinesse thereof.

IT is most certaine, that men may with 5 short swords both strike, thrust, false and double, by reason of their distance and nimblenesse thereof, more dangerously then they can with long Rapiers: and yet when two fight with short swordes, hauing true fight, there is no hurt done: neither is it possible in anie reason, that anie hurt should be done betwixt them of either side, and this is well knowne to all such as haue the per­fection of true fight. By this it plainely appeareth, that the cause of the great slaughter, and sundrie hurts done by long Rapiers, consisteth not in long Reach, dange­rous thrustes, nor cunningnesse of the Italian fight, but in the inconuenient length, and vnweildinesse of their long Rapiers: whereby it commonly falleth out, that in all their Actions appertaining to their defence, they are vnable, in due time to performe, and continually in dan­ger of euerie crosse, that shall happen to be made with their rapier blades, which being done, within the halfe rapier; (vnlesse both be of one mind with all speed to de­part, which seldome or neuer hapneth betweene men of valiant disposition,) it is impossible to vncrosse, or get out, or to auoid the stabbes of the Daggers. And this hath falne out manie times amongst valiant men at those weapons.

Of running and standing fast in Rapier fight, the runner hath the vantage.

6 IF two valiant men do fight being both cun­ning in running, & that they both vse the same at one instant, their course is doubled, the place is wonne of both sides, and one or both of them will commonly be slaine or sore hurt: and if one of them shall runne, and the other stand fast vpon the Imbrocata or Stocata, or howsoeuer, the place wilbe at one instant wonne of one side, and gained of the other, and one or both of them wilbe hurt or slaine: if both shall prese hard vpon the guard, he that first thrusteth home in true place, hurteth the other: & if both thrust together, they are both hurt: yet some vantage the runner hath, be­cause he is an vncertaine marke, and in his motion: the other is a certaine marke, and in a dead motion: and by reason thereof manie times the vnskilfull man taketh vantage he knoweth not how, against him that lyeth watching vpon his ward or Stocata guard.

Of striking and thrusting both together.

7 I It is strongly holden of manie, that if in fight they find their enemy to haue more skill then themselues, they presently will continually strike, & thrust iust with him, whereby they will make their fight as good as his, and thereby haue as good aduantage as the other with all his skill: but if their swordes be longer then the other, then their aduantage is great; for it is [Page 11] certaine (say they) that an inch will kill a man: but if their swordes be much longer then the other, then their aduantage is so great, that they wilbe sure by thrusting and striking iust with the other, that they will alwaies hurt him that hath the short sword, and go cleare them­selues, because they will reach him, when he shall not reach them. These men speake like such as talke of Ro­bin Hoode, that neuer shot in his bow; for to strike or thrust iust together with a man of skill, lyeth not in the will of the ignorant, because the skilfull man alwaies fighteth vpon the true times, by the which the vnskilfull is still disappointed of both place and time, and there­fore driuen of necessitie still to watch the other, when & what he will doe; that is, whether he will strike, thrust, or false: if the vnskilfull strike or thrust in the time of fal­sing, therein he neither striketh nor thrusteth iust with the other: he may saie, he hath stroke or thrust be­fore him, but not iust with him, nor to anie good pur­pose; for in the time of falsing, if he strike or thrust, he striketh or thrusteth too short: for in that time he hath neither time nor place to strike home, and as it is said, the vnskilfull man, that will take vpon him to strike or thrust iust with the skilfull, must first behold what the man of skil will doe, and when he will doe it, and ther­fore of necessitie is driuen to suffer the skilfull man to be the first mouer, and entred into his Action, whether it be blow or thrust, the truth therof in reason cannot be denied. Now iudge whether it be possible for an vnskil­full man to strike or thrust iust together with a man of skill; but the skilfull man can most certainly strike and thrust iust together with the vnskilfull, because the vn­skilfull fighteth vpon false times, which being too long [Page 12] to answere the true times, the skilfull fighting vpon the true times, although the vnskilfull be the first mouer, & entred into his Action, whether it be blow or thrust; yet the shortnesse of the true times maketh at the plea­sure of the skilfull a iust meeting together: in perfect fight two neuer strike or thrust together, because they neuer suffer place nor time to performe it.

Two vnskilfull men manie times by chance strike and thruste together, chance vnto them, because they know not what they doe, or how it commeth to passe: but the reasons or causes be these. Sometimes two false times meet & make a iust time together, & sometimes a true time and a false time meeteth and maketh a iust time together, and sometimes two true times meet and make a iust time together. And all this hapneth because the true time and place is vnknowne vnto them.

George Siluer his resolution vpon that hidden or doubt­full question, who hath the aduantage of the Offender or Defender.

8 The aduantage is strongly holden of many to be in the offender, yea in somuch, that if two minding to offend in their fight, it is thought to be in him that first striketh or thrusteth. Others strongly hold opini­on that the warder absolutely hath still the aduātage, but these opinions as they are contrary the one to the other: so are they contrarie to true fight, as may well be seene by these short examples. If the aduantage be in the war­der, then it is not good anie time to strike or thrust: if the aduantage be in the striker or thruster, then were it [Page 13] a friuolous thing to learne to ward, or at anie time to seeke to ward, since in warding lieth disaduantage. Now may it plainly by these examples appeare, that if there be anie perfection in fight, that both sides are deceiued in their opinions, because if the striker or thruster haue the aduantage, then is the warder still in danger of wounds or death. And againe, if the warder hath the aduantage, then is the striker or thruster in as great daunger to defend himselfe against the warder, because the warder from his wards, taketh aduantage of the striker or thruster vpon euerie blow or thrust, that shall be made against him. Then thus I conclude, that if there be perfection in the Science of De­fence, they are all in their opinons deceiued; and that the truth may appeare for the satisfaction of all men, this is my resolution: there is no aduantage absolute­ly, nor disaduantage in striker, thruster, or warder: and there is a great aduantage in the striker thruster & war­der: but in this maner, in the perfection of fight the ad­uantage consisteth in fight betweene partie and partie: that is, whosoeuer winneth or gaineth the place in true pace, space and time, hath the aduantage, whether he be striker, thruster or warder. And that is my re­solution.

Of Spanish fight vvith the Rapier.

THe Spaniard is now thought to be a better 9 man with his Rapier then is the Italian, Frenchman, high Almaine, or anie other countrie man whatsoeuer, because they in their Rapier-fight stand vpon so manie intricate trickes, [Page 14] that in all the course of a mans life it shall be hard to learne them, and if they misse in doing the least of them in their fight, they are in danger of death. But the Spa­niard in his fight, both safely to defend himselfe, and to endanger his enemie, hath but one onely lying, and two wards to learne, wherein a man with small practise in a verie short time may become perfect.

This is the maner of Spanish fight, they stand as braue as they can with their bodies straight vpright, narrow spaced, with their feet continually mouing, as if they were in a dance, holding forth their armes and Ra­piers verie straight against the face or bodies of their e­nemies: & this is the only lying to accomplish that kind of fight. And this note, that as long as any man shall lie in that maner with his arme, and point of his Rapier straight, it shall be impossible for his aduersarie to hurt him, because in that straight holding forth of his arme, which way soeuer a blow shall be made against him, by reason that his Rapier hilt lyeth so farre before him, he hath but a verie litle way to moue, to make his ward per­fect, in this maner. If a blow be made at the right side of the head, a verie litle mouing of the hand with the knuckles vpward defendeth that side of the head or bo­die, and the point being still out straight, greatly endan­gereth the striker: and so likewise, if a blow be made at the left side of the head, a verie small turning of the wrist with the knuckles downward, defendeth that side of the head and bodie, and the point of the Rapier much indangereth the hand, arme, face or bodie of the striker: and if anie thrust be made, the wards, by reason of the indirections in mouing the feet in maner of dauncing, as aforesaid, maketh a perfect ward, and still withall the [Page 15] point greatly endangereth the other. And thus is the Spanish fight perfect: so long as you can keepe that or­der, and soone learned, and therefore to be accounted the best fight with the Rapier of all other. But note how this Spanish fight is perfect, and you shall see no longer then you can keepe your point straight against your aduersarie: as for example, I haue heard the like iest.

There was a cunning Doctor at his first going to sea, being doubtfull that he should be sea-sicke, an old wo­man perceiuing the same, said vnto him: Sir, I pray, be of good comfort, I will teach you a tricke to auoid that doubt; here is a fine pibble stone, if you please to accept it, take it with you, and when you be on ship-bord, put it in your mouth, and as long as you shall keepe the same in your mouth, vpon my credit you shall neuer vo­mit: the Doctor beleeued her, and tooke it thankfully at her hands, and when he was at sea, he began to be sicke, whereupon he presently put the stone in his mouth, & there kept it so long as he possibly could, but through his extreme sicknesse the stone with vomit was cast out of his mouth: then presently he remēbred how the wo­man had mocked him, and yet her words were true.

Euen so a Spaniard hauing his Rapier point put by, may receiue a blow on the head, or a cut ouer the face, hand, or arme, or a thrust in the body or face, and yet his Spanish fight perfect, so long as he can keepe straight the point of his Rapier against the face or body of his aduersarie: which is as easie in that maner of fight to be done, as it was for the Doctor in the extremity of his vomite to keepe the stone in his mouth.

Yet one other pretie iest more, scarce worth the rea­ding, [Page 16] in commendation of outlandish fight. There was an Italian teacher of Defence in my time, who was so excellent in his fight, that he would haue hit anie En­glish man with a thrust, iust vpon any button in his dou­blet, and this was much spoken of.

Also there was another cunning man in catching of wild geese, he would haue made no more ado, when he had heard them crie, as the maner of wildgeese is, flying one after another in rowes, but presently looking vp, would tell them, if there had bene a dosen, sixteene, twē ­tie, or more, he would haue taken euerie one. And this tale was manie times told by men of good credit, and much maruelled at by the hearers: & the man that wold haue taken the wildgeese, was of good credite himselfe: marie they said, indeed he did neuer take anie, but at a­nie time when he had looked vp, and seene them flie in that maner, he would with all his heart haue taken thē, but he could no more tell how to do it, then could the cunning Italian Fencer tell how to hit an Englishman, with a thrust iust vpon any one of his buttons, when he listed.

Illusions for the maintenance of imperfect weapons & false fights, to feare or discourage the vnskilfull in their weapons, from taking a true course or vse, for attaining to the perfect know­ledge of true fight.

10 FIrst, for the Rapier (saith the Italian, or false teacher) I hold it to be a perfect good wea­pō, because the crosse hindreth not to hold the handle in the hand, to thrust both far & straight, & to vse all maner of aduantages in the wards, [Page 17] or sodainly to cast the same at the aduersarie, but with the Sword you are driuen with all the strength of the hand to hold fast the handle. And in the warres I would wish no friend of mine to weare Swords with hilts, be­cause when they are sodainly set vpon, for haste they set their hands vpon their hilts in steed of their handles: in which time it hapneth manie times before they can draw their swords, they are slaine by their enemies. These counterfeit shews are enough to cary the wisest that know not the true fight frō the false, out of the right way. And for Sword and Buckler fight, it is imperfect, because the buckler blindeth the fight, neither would I haue anie man lie aloft with his hand aboue his head, to strike sound blowes: Strong blowes are naught, especially be­ing set aboue the head, And if their weapons were short, as in times past they were, yet they could not thrust safe at bo­dy or face, because in gardant fight they fall ouer, or vnder the perfect crosse of the sword & to strike be­neath the waste, or at the legges, is great disaduan­tage, because the course of the blow to the legs is too far, & therby the head, face, & bo­dy is discouered: and that was the cause in old time, that they did not thrust nor strike at the legs, & not for lacke of skill, as in these daies we imagine. A­gaine, if a man in those daies shold haue fought with a long sword, they would presently haue put him into Cobbes Trauers. because therein all the face and bodie is discouered. Yet I confesse, in old times, when blowes were only vsed with short Swords & bucklers, & back Sword, these kind of fights were good & most mā ­ly, but now in these daies fight is altered. Rapiers are lō ­ger for aduātage thē swords were wōt to be: whē blowes were vsed, men were so simple in their fight, that they thought him to be a coward, that wold make a thrust or strike a blow beneath the girdle. Againe, if their weapōs were short, as in times past they were, yet fight is better looked into in these dayes, than then it was. Who is it in these daies seeth not that the blow cōpasseth round like a wheele, whereby it hath a longer way to go, but the thrust passeth in a straight line, and therefore commeth a nearer way, and done in a shorter time thē is the blow, and is more deadly then is the blow? Therefore there is no wise man that will strike; vnlesse he be wearie of his life. It is certaine, that the point for aduantage euerie way in fight is to be vsed, the blow is vtterly naught, and not to be vsed. He that fighteth vpon the [Page 18] blow especially with a short sword, wilbe sore hurt or slaine. The deuill can say no more for the maintenance of errors.

That a blow commeth continually as neare a way as a thrust, and most commonly nearer, stronger, more swifter, and is sooner done.

11 THe blow, by reasō that it compasseth round like a wheele, A confutation of their errours. whereby it hath a longer way to come, as the Italian Fenser saith, & that the thrust passing in a straight line, commeth a nearer way, and therefore is sooner done then a blow, is not true: these be the proofes.

Let two lie in their perfect strengths and readinesse, wherein the blades of their Rapiers by the motion of the body, may not be crossed of either side, the one to strike, and the other to thrust. Then measure the distance or course wherein the hand and hilt passeth to finish the blow of the one, and the thrust of the other, and you shall find them both by measure, in distance all one. And let anie man of iudgement being seene in the ex­ercise of weapons, not being more addicted vnto nouel­ties of fight, then vnto truth it selfe, put in measure, and practise these three fights, variable, open, and guar­dant, and he shall see, that whensoeuer anie man lyeth at the thrust vpon the variable fight, (where of necessitie most commonly he lyeth, or otherwise not possiblie to keepe his Rapier from crossing at the blow & thrust, vp­on the open or gardant fight,) that the blowes & thrustes from these two fightes, come a nearer way, and a more [Page 19] stronger and swifter course then doth the thrust, out of the variable fight. And thus for a generall rule, where­soeuer the Thruster lyeth, or out of what fight soeuer he fighteth, with his Rapier, or Rapier and Dagger, the blow in his course commeth as neare, and nearer, and more swift and stronger then doth the thrust.

Perfect fight standeth vpon both blow and thrust, there­fore the thrust is not onely to be vsed.

THat there is no fight perfect without both 12 blow and thrust: neither is there anie cer­taine rule to be set downe for the vse of the point onely, these be the reasons: This in truth cannot be denied. In fight there are manie motions, with the hand, bodie, and feet, and in euerie motion the place of the hand is alte­red, & because by the motions of the hand, the altering of the places of the hand, the changes of lyings, wards, and breaking of thrustes, the hand will sometimes be in place to strike, some times to thrust, sometimes after a blow to thrust, and sometimes after a thrust to strike, & sometimes in place where you may strike, and cannot thrust without losse of time, and sometimes in place where you may thrust, and cannot strike without losse of time, and sometimes in place where you can neither strike nor thrust, vnlesse you fight vpon both blow and thrust, nor able to defend your selfe by ward or going backe, because your space wilbe too wide, and your di­stance lost. And sometimes when you haue made a thrust, a ward or breaking is taken in such sort with the Dagger or blade of the Sword, that you cā neither thrust againe, nor defend yourselfe vnlesse you do strike, which [Page 20] you may foundly doe, and go free, and sometimes when you strike, a ward wilbe taken in such sort, that you can­not strike againe, nor defend your selfe, vnlesse you thrust, which you may safely doe and goe free. So to conclude, there is no perfection in the true fight, with­out both blow and thrust, nor certaine rule to be set downe for the point onely.

That the blow is more dangerous and deadly in fight, then a thrust, for proofe thereof to be made according with Art, an Englishman holdeth argument against an Italian.

13 WHich is more dangerous or deadly in fight of a blow or a thrust?

This question is not propounded ac­cording to art, because there is no fight perfect without both blow and thrust.

Let it be so, yet opinions are otherwise holden, that the thrust is onely to be vsed, because it commeth a nea­rer way, and is more dangerous and deadly, for these reasons: first the blow compasseth round like a wheele, but the thrust passeth in a straight line, therfore the blow by reason of the compasse, hath a longer way to go then the thrust, & is therefore longer in doing, but the thrust passeth in a straight line, therfore hath shorter way to go thē hath the blow, & is therfore done in a shorter time, & is therfore much better then the blow, & more dange­rous and deadly, because if a thrust do hit the face or bo­die, it indangereth life, and most commonly death en­sueth: but if the blow hit the bodie, it is not so dāgerous.

Let your opiniōs be what they wil, but that the thrust cōmeth a nearer way; & is sooner done then the blow, is not true: & for proofe thereof reade the twelfth Paradox. And now will I set downe probable reasons, The blow more dangerous then the thrust. that the blow is better then the thrust, and more dangerous and deadly. First, the blow commeth as neare a way, & most cōmonly nearer then doth the thrust, & is therfore done in a shorter time then is the thrust: therfore in respect of time, wherupon stādeth the perfection of fight, the blow is much better then the thrust. Againe, the force of the thrust passeth straight, therefore any crosse being indi­rectly made, the force of a child may put it by: but the force of a blow passeth indirectly, therefore must be di­rectly warded in the counterchecke of his force: which cānot be done but by the cōuenient strength of a man, & with true crosse in true time, or else wil not safely defēd him: and is therfore much better, & more dāgerous thē the thrust, and againe, the thrust being made through the hand, arme, or leg, or in many places of the body and face, are not deadly, neither are they maimes, or losse of limmes or life, neither is he much hindred for the time in his fight, as long as the bloud is hot: for example.

I haue knowne a Gētlemā hurt in Rapier fight, in nine or ten places through the bodie, armes, and legges, and yet hath continued in his fight, & afterward hath slaine the other, The blow cutteth off the hand, the arme, the leg, and sometimes the head. and come home and hath bene cured of all his woūds without maime, & is yet liuing. But the blow be­ing strōgly made, taketh somtimes cleane away the hand from the arme, hath manie times bene seene. Againe, a full blow vpon the head or face with a short sharpe Sword, is most commonly death. A full blow vpon the [Page 22] necke, shoulder, arme, or legge, indangereth life, cut­teth off the veines, muscles, and sinewes, perisheth the bones: these wounds made by the blow, in respect of perfect healing, are the losse of limmes, or maimes in­curable for euer.

And yet more for the blow: a ful blow vpon the head, face, arme, leg, or legs, is death, or the partie so woun­ded in the mercie of him that shall so wound him. For what man shall be able long in fight to stand vp, either to reuenge, or defend himselfe, hauing the veines, mu­scles, and sinewes of his hand, arme, or leg cleane cut a­sunder? or being dismembred by such wound vpon the face or head, but shall be enforced therby, and through the losse of bloud, He that giueth the first wound with a strong blow, commaun­deth the life of the other. the other a litle dallying with him, to yeeld himself, or leaue his life in his mercie?

And for plainer deciding this cōtrouersie betweene the blow and the thrust, consider this short note. The blow commeth manie wayes, the thrust doth not so. The blow commeth a nearer way then a thrust most com­monly, and is therefore sooner done. The blow requi­reth the strength of a man to be warded; but the thrust may be put by, by the force of a child. A blow vpon the hand, arme, or legge is a maime incurable; but a thrust in the hand, arme, or legge is to be recouered. The blow hath manie parts to wound, and in euerie of them commaundeth the life; but the thrust hath but a few, as the bodie or face, and not in euerie part of them neither.

Of the difference betwixt the true fight & the false: wher­in consisteth (the Principles being had with the di­rection of the foure Gouernors) the whole perfection of fight with all ma­ner of weapons.

THe true fights be these: whatsoeuer is 14 done with the hand before the foot or feet is true fight. The false fights be these: whatsoeuer is done with the foot or feet before the hand, is false, because the hand is swifter then the foot, the foot or feet being a slower mouer then the hand: the hand in that maner of fight is tied to the time of the foot or feet, and being tied there­to, hath lost his freedome, and is made thereby as slow in his motions as the foot or feet: and therfore that fight is false.

Of euill orders or customes in our English Fēce-schooles, & of the old or ancient teaching of weapons, & things very necessarie to be continued for the auoiding of er­rors, and reuining and continuance of our ancient vveapons, and most victo­rious fight againe.

THere is in my opiniō in our Fence-schooles 15 an euill order or custome in these dayes v­sed, the which, if it might stand with the good liking of our Maisters of Defence, I thinke it necessarie to be left: for as long as it is vsed, it shall be hard to make a good Scholler. [Page 24] That is this, at the single Sword, Sword and Dagger, & Sword and Buckler, they forbid the thrust, & at the sin­gle Rapier, and Rapier & Dagger, they forbid the blow. Either they are both together best, or the thrust altoge­ther best, or the blow altogether best. If the thrust be best, why do we not vse it at the single Sword, Sword & Dagger, & Sword and Buckler. If the blow be best, why do we not vse it at the single Rapier, Rapier & Poinyard? But knowing by the Art of Armes, that no fight is per­fect without both blow and thrust, why do we not vse and teach both blow and thrust? But howsoeuer this we dayly see, that whē two meet in fight, whether they haue skill or none, vnlesse such as haue tied thēselues to that boyish, Italian, weake, imperfect fight, they both strike and thrust, and how shall he then do, that being much taught in schoole, neuer learned to strike, nor how to defend a strong blow? & how shall he thē do, that being brought vp in Fēce-schoole, that neuer learned to thrust with the single Sword, Sword and Dagger, and Sword and Buckler, nor how at these weapōs to breake a thrust? Surely, I thinke a downe right fellow, that neuer came in schoole, vsing such skill as nature yeeldeth out of his courage, strength, and agilitie, with good downe right blowes and thrusts among, as shall best frame in his hands, shold put one of these imperfect schollers great­ly to his shifts. Besides, there are now in these dayes no gripes, closes, wrestlings, striking with the hilts, dag­gers, or bucklers, vsed in Fence-schooles. Our plough­men by nature wil do all these things with great strēgth & agility: but the Schooleman is altogether vnacquain­ted with these things. He being fast tyed to such school­play as he hath learned, hath lost thereby the benefite [Page 25] of nature, and the plowman is now by nature without art a farre better man then he. Therefore in my opinion, as long as we barre anie maner of play in schoole, we shall hardly make a good scholler: there is no maner of teaching comparable to the old ancient teaching, that is, first their quarters, then their wardes, blowes, thrusts, and breaking of thrustes, then their Closes and Gripes, striking with the hilts, Daggers, Bucklers, Wrastlings, striking with the foote or knee in the Coddes, and all these are safely defended in learning perfectly of the Gripes. And this is the ancient teaching, In the warres there is no obser­uation of Stocca­tas, Imbro [...]uas, times, nor an­swers. the perfectest & most best teaching; and without this teaching, there shall neuer scholler be made able, doe his vttermost, nor fight safe. Againe their swordes in schooles are too long by almost halfe a foote to vncrosse, without going backe with the feete, within distance or perfectly to strike or thrust within the halfe or quarter sword. And in seruing of the Prince, when men do meet together in publique fight, are vtterly naught and vnseruiceable. The best lengthes for perfect teaching of the true fight to be vsed and continued in Fence schooles, Long weapons imperfect. to accord with the true statures of all men, are these. The blade to be a yard and an inch for meane statures, and for men of tall statures, a yard and three or foure inches, and no more. And I would haue the Rapier continued in schooles, alwaies readie for such as shall thinke them­selues cunning, or shall haue delight to play with that imperfect weapon. Prouided alwaies, that the Schoole-maister or Vsher play with him with his short Sword, plying him with all maner of fight according to the true art: this being continued the truth shall flourish, the lye shalbe beaten downe, and all nations not ha­uing [Page 26] the true science, shall come with all gladnesse to the valiant and most braue English maisters of Defence to learne the true fight for their defence.

The grounds or Principles of true fight with all maner of weapons.

16 FIrst Iudgement, Lyings, Distance, Directi­on, Pase, Space, Place, Time, Indirecti­on, Motion, Action, generall and conti­nuall Motion, Progression, Regression, Trauersing, and Treading of groundes, Blowes, Thrustes, Faulses, Doubles, Slipes, Wardes, breakings of Thrusts, Closings, Gripes, & Wrastlings, Guardant fight, Open fight, Variable fight, and Close fight, and foure Gouernours.

The wardes of all maner of weapons.

17 AL single weapons haue foure wardes, and all double weapons haue eight wardes. The single sword hath two with the point vp, and two with the point downe. The Staffe and all maner of weapons to be v­sed with both handes haue the like.

The Sword and Buckler, and Sword and Dagger are double weapons, and haue eight wardes, two with the point vp, and two with the point downe, and two for the legges with the point downe, the point to be caried for both sides of the legges, with the knuckles downe­ward, and two wardes with the Dagger or Buckler for the head. The Fo [...]est bill is a double weapon by reason [Page 27] of the head, and therefore hath eight wardes, foure with the Staffe, foure with the head, foure of them to be vsed as with the staffe, and the other foure with the head, the one vp, the other downe, and the other sidewaies.

The names and numbers of times appertaining vnto fight both true and false.

THere are eight times, whereof foure are 18 true, and foure are false: the true times be these.

The time of the hand.

The time of the hand and bodie.

The time of the hand, bodie and foote.

The time of the hand, bodie and feete.

The false times be these.

The time of the foote.

The time of the foote and bodie.

The time of the foote, bodie and hand.

The time of the feete, bodie and hand.

Thus haue I thought good to separate and make knowne the true times from the false, with the true wardes thereto belonging, that thereby the rather in practising of weapons, a true course may be taken for the auoiding of errours and euill customes, and speedie attaining of good habit or perfect being in the true vse and knowledge of all maner of weapons.

Of the length of weapons, and how euerie man may fit him­selfe in the perfect length of his weapon, accor­ding to his owne stature, with briefe rea­sons wherefore they ought to be so.

19 TO know the perfect length of your Sword, you shall stand with your sword and dagger drawn, as you see this picture, keeping out straight your dagger arme, drawing backe your sword as far as conueniently you can, not opening the elbow ioynt of your sword arme: and looke what you can draw within your dagger, that is the iust length of your sword, to be made according to your owne stature.

If the sword be longer, you can hardly vncrosse without going backe with your feet. If shorter, thē you can hard­ly make a true crosse without putting in of your feet, the which times are too long to answer the time of the hand. The like reasons for the short staffe, half Pike, Forrest bill, Par­tisan, or Gleue, or such like weapons of perfect length.

AS I haue here made a figuratiue demon­stration, to know the perfect length of the Sword, as afore is sayd; so haue I in the page fo­lowing, for the plainer vnderstanding of the Reader, set foorth a forme of standing, to know the lengths of the short Staffe, halfe Pike, Fo­rest Bill, Partisan and Gleue, or such like weapons of aduantage, as shall also best fit the statures of all men.

The perfect length of your two hand sword is, the blade to be the length of the blade of your single sword.

To know the perfect length of your short staffe, or half Pike, Forrest bil, Partisan, or Gleue, or such like wea­pons of vantage and perfect lengths, you shall stand vp­right, holding the staffe vpright close by your body, with your left hād, reaching with your right hand your staffe as high as you can, and then allow to that length a space to set both your hands, when you come to sight, where­in you may conueniently strike, thrust, and ward, & that is the iust length to be made according to your stature. And this note, that these lengths will commonly fall out to be eight or nine foot long, and will [...], although not iust, the statures of all men, without any hindrance at all vnto them in their fight, because in any weapon wherin the hands may be remoued, and at libertie, to make the weapon lōger or shorter in fight at his pleasure, a foot of the staffe behind the backmost hand doth [...]o harme. And wherfore these weapons ought to be of the lengths aforesaid, and no shorter, these are the reasons: If they should be shorter, then the long staffe, Morris Pike, and such like weapons ouer and aboue the perfect length, should haue great vantage against them because he may come boldly and safe without anie gard or ward, to the place where he may thrust home, and at euery thrust put him in danger of his life: but if these weapons be of their perfect lengths, then can the long staffe, the Morris Pike, or anie other longer weapon ly no where in true space, but shall be still within compasse of the crosse, to crosse and vncrosse, wherby he may safely passe home to the place, where he may strike or thrust him that hath the long weapon, in the head, face, or body at his pleasure.

Of the lengths of the Battel axe, Halbard, or blacke Bill, or such like vveapons of weight, appertaining vnto gard or battell.

20 IN anie of these weapons there needeth no iust length, but commonly they are, or ought to be fiue or sixe foot long, & may not well be vsed much longer, because of their weights: and being weapons for the warres or battell, when men are ioyned close together, may thrust, & strike sound blowes, with great force both strong and quicke: and finally for the iust lengths of all other shorter or longer weapons to be gouerned with both hands, there is none: neither is there anie certaine lengthes in anie maner of weapons to be vsed with one hand, ouer or vnder the iust length of the single sword.

Of the vantages of weapons in their kinds, places, & times, both in priuate and publike fight.

21 FIrst I will begin with the worst weapon, an imperfect and insufficient weapon, and not worth the speaking of; but now being highly esteemed, therefore not to be left vnremembred; that is, the single Rapier, and Rapier and Poiniard.

The single Sword hath the vantage against the sin­gle Rapier.

The Sword and Dagger hath the vantage against the Rapier and Poiniard.

The Sword & Target hath aduātage against the Sword and Dagger, or Rapier and Poiniard.

The Sword and Buckler hath aduantage against the Sword and Target, the Sword and Dagger, or Rapier and Poiniard.

The two hand Sword, hath the vantage against the Sword and Target, the Sword and Buckler, the Sword and Dagger, or Rapier and Poiniard.

The Battel-axe, the Halbard, the Blacke-bill, or such like weapons of weight, appertaining vnto guard or bat­tell, are all one in fight, and haue aduantage against the two hand Sword, the Sword and Buckler, the Sword and Target, the Sword & dagger, or the Rapier & Poiniard.

The short staffe or halfe Pike, Forrest-bill, Partisan, or Gleue, or such like weapons of perfect length, haue the vantage against the Battel-axe, the Halbard, the Blacke-bill, the two hand sword, the Sword and Target, and are too hard for two Swords and Daggers, or two Rapiers and Poiniards with Gantlets, and for the long staffe and Morris Pike.

The long Staffe, Morris Pike, or Iauelin, or such like weapons aboue the perfect length, haue aduantage a­gainst all maner of weapons, the short staffe, Welch hooke, Partisan, or Gleue, or such like weapons of van­tage excepted: yet too weake for two Swords and Dag­gers or two Swords and Bucklers, or two Rapiers and Poiniards with Gantlets, because they are too long to thrust, strike, and turne speedily: and by reason of the large distance, one of the Sword and Dagger-men will get behind him.

The Welch hooke or Forrest bill, hath aduantage a­gainst all maner of weapons whatsoeuer.

Yet vnderstand, that in battels, and where varietie of weapons be, amongst multitudes of men and horses the Sword and Target, the two hand Sword, the Battel-axe, the Blacke-bill, and Halbard, are better weapons, and more dangerous in their offence and forces, then is the Sword and Buckler, short staffe, long staffe, or Forrest bill. The Sword and Target leadeth vpon Shot, and in troupes defendeth thrusts and blowes giuen by battel-axe, Halbards, Blacke-bill, or two hand swords, far bet­ter then can the Sword and Buckler.

The Morris Pike defendeth the battell from both horse and man, much better then can the short staffe, long staffe, or Forrest bill. Againe, the Battel-axe, the Halbard, the Blacke bill, the two hand sword, and Sword & Target, amongst armed men and troopes, when men are come together, by reason of their weights, short­nesse, and great forces, do much more offend the ene­mie, & are then much better weapons, then is the short staffe, the long Staffe, or Forrest bill.

Of the insufficiencie and disaduantages of the Rapiers fight in Battell.

22 FOr the single Rapier, or Rapier & Poiniard, they are imperfect & insufficient weapons: and especially in the seruice of the Prince, when men shall ioyne together, what ser­uice can a souldier do with a Rapier, a chil­dish toy wherwith a man can do nothing but thrust, nor that neither, by reason of the length, and in euerie mo­uing when blowes are a dealing, for lacke of a hilt is in daunger to haue his hand or arme cut off, or his head [Page 33] clouen. And for Wardes and Gripes, they haue none, neither can any of these fine Rapier men, for lacke of vse, tell howe to strike a sound blow.

Of the vantages and sufficiencie of the short Sword fight in battell.

THe short Sword, and Sword and Dagger, 23 are perfect good weapons, and especially in seruice of the Prince. What a braue wea­pon is a short sharpe light Sword, to carie, to draw, to be nimble withall, to strike, to cut, to thrust both strong and quicke. And what a goodly defence is a strong single hilt, when men are clustering and hurling together, especially where varietie of weapons be, in their motions to defend the hand, head, face, and bo­dies, from blowes, that shalbe giuen sometimes with Swordes, sometimes with two handed Swordes, battell Axe, Halbardes, or blacke Billes, and sometimes men shalbe so neare together, that they shall haue no space, scarce to vse the blades of their Swordes belowe their wastes, then their hilts (their handes being aloft) defen­deth from the blowes, their handes, armes, heads, faces, and bodies: then they lay on, hauing the vse of blowes and Gripes, by force of their armes with their hilts, strong blowes, at the head, face, armes, bodies, and shoulders, and manie times in hurling together, scope is giuen to turne downe their points, with violent thrusts at their faces, and bodies, by reason of the shortnesse of their blades, to the mightie annoyance, discomfort, and great destruction of their enimies. One valiant man with a Sword in his hand, will doe better seruice, then ten Italians, or Italienated with the Rapiers.

That all maner of double weapons, or weapons to be vsed with both handes, haue aduantage against the sin­gle Rapier or single Sword, there is no question to be made. That the Sword and Buckler hath the vantage a­gainst the Sword and Dagger.

24 THe Dagger is an imperfect ward, al­though borne out straight, to make the Space narrow, whereby by a litle mouing of the hand, may be sufficient to saue both sides of the head, or to breake the thrust from the face or body, yet for lacke of the circumference his hand will lie too high or too low, or too weake, to de­fend both blow and thrust: if he lye straight with narrow space, which is best to breake the thrust, then he lieth too weake, and too lowe to defend his head from a strong blow: if he lye high, that is strong to defend his head, but then his space wilbe too wide to breake the thrust from his bodie. The Dagger serueth well at length to put by a thrust, and at the halfe Sword to crosse the Sword blade, to driue out the Agent, and put him in danger of his life, and safely in anie of these two actions to defend himselfe. But the Buckler, by reason of his cir­cumference and weight, being well caried, defendeth safely in all times and places, whether it be at the point, halfe Sword, the head, bodie, and face, from all maner of blowes and thrustes whatsoeuer, yet I haue heard ma­nie hold opinion, that the Sword and Dagger hath ad­uantage of the Sword and Buckler, at the Close, by rea­son of the length and point of the Dagger: and at the [Page 35] point of the Sword, they can better see to ward then with a Buckler. But I neuer knew anie, that wanne the Close with the Dagger vpon the Sword and Buckler, but did wish himselfe out againe: for distance being bro­ken, iudgement faileth, for lacke of time to iudge, and the eie is deceiued by the swift motion of the hand, and for lacke of true Space with the dagger hand, which can­not be otherwise, for lacke of the circumference to de­fend both blow and thrust, it is impossible for lacke of true Space in iust time, the agent hauing gotten the true place, to defend one thrust or blow of an hundred. And it is most certaine, whosoeuer closeth with Sword and Dagger, against the Sword and Buckler, is in great danger to be slaine. Likewise at the point within di­stance, if he stand to defend both blow and thrust with his Dagger, for lacke of true space and distance, if he had the best eye of anie man, and could see perfectly, which way the thrust or blow commeth, and when it commeth, as it is not to be denied but he may, yet his space being too large, it helpeth him nothing, because one mans hand being as swift as another mans hand, both being within distance, he that striketh or thrusteth, hurteth the warder: the reason is this: the Agent being in the first motion although in his offence, further to go then the warder to defend, yet the warders space being too large, the blow or thrust wilbe performed home, be­fore the warder can come to the true place to defend himselfe, and although the warder doe perfectly see the blow or thrust comming, so shall he see his owne ward so farre from the true place of his defence, that although he doe at that instant time, plainly see the blow or thrust comming, it shalbe impossible for him to recouer the [Page 36] true place of his ward, till he be wounded. But let the warder with the dagger say, that it is not true which I haue said, for as he hath eies to behold the blow or thrust cōming, so hath he as good time to defend himself. Here­in he shal find himself deceiued to; this is the reason: the hand is the swiftest motion, the foot is the slowest, with­out distance the hand is tied to the motion of the feet, wherby the time of the hand is made as slow as the foot, because thereby we redeeme euerie time lost vpon his comming by the slow motion of the foot, & haue time therby to iudge, whē & how he can performe any actiō whatsoeuer, and so haue we the time of the hand to the time of the feet. Now is the hād in his owne course more swifter then the foot or eye, therfore within distance the eye is deceiued, & iudgement is lost; and that is another cause that the warder with the dagger, The eye is decei­ued by the swift motion of the hād. although he haue perfect eyes, is stil within distance deceiued. For proofe that the hand is more swifter then the eye, & thereby de­ceiueth the eyes: let two stand within distance, & let one of thē stand still to defend himself, & let the other florish & false with his hand, and he shall continually with the swift motions of his hand, deceiue the eyes of him that standeth watching to defend himselfe, & shal continual­ly strike him in diuerse places with his hand. Againe, take this for an example, that the eyes by swift motions are deceiued: turne a turne-wheele swift, & you shall not be able to discerne with your best eies how many spokes be in the wheele, no nor whether there be any spokes at all, or whereof the wheele is made, and yet you see when the wheele standeth still there is a large distance betweene euerie spoke. He that will not beleeue that the swift mo­tion of the hand in fight will deceiue the eye, shal stare a­broad [Page 37] with his eyes, & feele himself soundly hurt, before he shall perfectly see how to defend himselfe. So those that trust to their sight, the excellēcy of a good eye, their great cunning, & perfect wards of the daggers, that they can better see to ward then with a buckler, shall euer be deceiued. And whē they be wounded, they say the Agēt was a litle too quicke for them; sometimes they say they bare their dagger a litle too low: sometimes they are thrust vnder the dagger, then they say, they bare it a litle too high: sometimes a thrust being strongly made, they being soundly paid therewith, say, they were a litle too slow, & sometimes they be soundly paid with a thrust, & they thinke they were a litle too quick. The Dagger is an imperfect ward. So they that pra­ctise or thinke to be cunning in the dagger ward, are all the dayes of their liues learning, and are neuer taught.

That the Sword and Buckler hath the vantage against the Sword and Target.

THe Sword & Target together hath but two 25 fights; that is, the variable fight, & the close fight, for the close fight, the nūber of his feet are too many to take against any mā of skill hauing the Sword & buckler, & for the variable fight al­though not so many in number, yet too many to win the place with his foot to strike or thrust home. The sword & buckler-man can out of his variable, opē & gardāt fight, come brauely off & on, false and double, strike & thrust home, & make a true crosse vpon euery occasion at his pleasure: if the Sword & Target mā will flie to his gardāt fight, the bredth of his Target will not suffer it, if to his open fight, thē hath the Sword & Buckler man in effect the sword and Buckler to the single, for in that fight by reason of the bredth, the target can do litle good or none at all.

The short Staffe.

26 NOw for the vantage of the short Staffe a­gainst the Sword and Buckler, Sword & Target, two hand sword, single Sword, Sword and Dagger, or Rapier and Poi­niard, there is no great question to be made in anie of these weapons: whensoeuer anie blow or thrust shall be strongly made with the staffe, they are euer in false place, in the cariage of the wards, for if at a­ny of these sixe weapons he carie his ward high & strōg for his head, as of necessitie he must carie it verie high; otherwise it will be too weake to defend a blow being strongly made at the head, then will his space be too wide, in due time to breake the thrust from his bodie. Againe, if he carie his ward lower, thereby to be in e­quall space for readinesse to breake both blow & thrust, then in that place his ward is too low, and too weake to defend the blow of the staffe: for the blow being strongly made at the head vpon that ward, will beate downe the ward and his head together, and put him in great dan­ger of his life. And here is to be noted, that if he fight well, the staffe-man neuer striketh but at the head, and thrusteth presently vnder at the body: and if a blow be first made, a thrust followeth; & if a thrust be first made, a blow followeth; and in doing of any of them, the one breedeth the other: so that howsoeuer anie of these sixe weapons shall carie his ward strongly to defend the first, he shall be too farre in space to defend the second, whe­ther it be blow or thrust.

Yet againe for the short staffe: the short staffe hath the vantage against the Battel-axe, blacke-bill, or Hal­bard: [Page 38] the short staffe hath the vantage, by reason of the nimblenesse and length: he will strike and thrust freely, and in better and swifter time then can the Battel-axe, Blacke-bill, or Halbard: and by reason of his iudgement, distance and time, fight safe. And this resolue vpon, the short staffe is the best weapon against all maner of wea­pons, the Forrest bill excepted.

Also the short staffe hath aduantage against two Swords and Daggers, or two Rapiers, The short staffe or half Pike hath the aduantage a­gainst two sword and dagger men, or two Rapiers. Poiniards, and Gantlets. Poiniards and Gantlets, the reasons and causes before are for the most part set downe already, the which being well conside­red, you shall plainely see, that whensoeuer anie one of the Sword & Dagger men, or Rapier and Poiniard men shall breake his distance, or suffer the Staffe man to breake his, that man which did first breake his distāce, or suffer the distance to be won against him, is presently in danger of death. And this cānot in reason be denied, be­cause the distance appertaining to the Staffe-man, either to keepe or breake, standeth vpon the mouing of one large space alwayes at the most, both for his offence or safety. The other two in the breach of their distance to offend the Staffe-man, haue alwayes foure paces at the least therin they fall too great in number with their feet, and too short in distance to offend the Staffe-man. Now there resteth no more to be spoken of, but how the Staffe-man shall behaue himself to keepe that distance, that one of the Sword & Dagger men get not behind him, while the other shal busie him before: to do that is very easie, by reason of the smal nūber of his feet, for by a verie small turning of his feet, as it were in the Center point of a wheele, the other two to keepe their distance, are driuen to runne twentie foote for one, as it [Page 40] were vpon the vttermost part or circle of the wheele: all this while the Staffe-man is verie well. Then it com­meth thus to passe, whether they both labour to get be­hind him, or one keepe directly before him whilest the other get behind him, yet before that be brought to passe, they shal either be both before him or iust against both sides of him: at which time soeuer the Staffe-man finding either of them within distance, he presently in making of his play, slayeth with blow or thrust one of thē, or at the least putteth him in great danger of his life. If the Staffe-man take his time, when they are both before him, that is to say, before they come to the half ring, iust against both sides of the Staffe-man, then he that is nearest within distance is slain by blow or thrust, or put in great danger of his life. But if the Sword and Dagger men do keepe their distance vntill they come to the iust halfe ring right against the sides of the Staffe-man, and then breake distance, that man that first brea­keth distance is slaine with blow or thrust, or sore hurt, and in great danger of death: and the Staffe-man in ma­king that play at that instant, must turne with one large pace, the which he may easily do, before the other can get neare enough to offend him, by reason that he hath to make with his feet but one large pace, but the other hath at the least three paces. But if the Sword and Dagger-men will in the time that they be before him, keep their distance in the time of their being vpon the middle part of the outside of the circle, right against both sides of him, & will labor with all heed & diligence to be both or one of thē behind him, that troubleth the Staffe-man nothing at all, for in that very time, when he findeth them past the middle part of the circle, he pre­sently [Page 41] turneth, by the which he shall naturally set him­selfe as it were in a triangle, and both the sword and dagger-men, shall thereby stand both before him in true distance of three paces, from offending of him at the least, as at the first they did. And take this for a true ground, there is no man able to ward a sound blow with the Sword and Dagger, nor Rapier, Poinyard, and Gantlet, being strongly made at the head, with the Staffe, and run in withall, the force of both handes is such, being in his full motion and course, that although the other do carie his ward high and strong with both handes, yet his feete being mouing from the ground, the great force of the blow will strike him with his ward, and all downe flat to ground. But if he stand fast with his feete, he may with both weapons together, strongly defend his head from the blow, but then you are suffici­ently instructed, the thrust being presently made, after the blow full at the bodie, it is impossible in due time to breake it, by reason of the largenesse of his space.

The short Staffe hath the vantage against the long staffe, and Morris Pike, and the Forrest bill against all maner of weapons.

THe reasons are these. The short Staffe 27 hath the vantage of the long Staffe and Morris Pike in his strength & narrownes of space in his foure wardes of defence. And the Forrest bill hath the vantage of all maner of weapons in his strength and narrownes of space in his eight wardes of defence: and the rather be­cause the Bill hath two wardes for one against the Staffe [Page 42] or Morris Pike, that is to say, foure with the Staffe, and foure with the head, and is more offensiue then is the Staffe or Morris Pike: yet a questiō may be made by the vnskilfull, concerning the fight between the long Staffe and the short, A question. in this sort: Why should not the long Staffe haue aduantage against short Staffe, since that the long Staffe-man, being at libertie with his handes, may make his long Staffe both long and short for his best ad­uantage, when he shall thinke it good, and therefore when he shall find himselfe ouermatched in the length of his Staffe, by the strength of the short Staffe, and nar­rownesse of space in his foure wardes of defence, he can presently by drawing backe of his Staffe in his handes, make his Staffe as short as the others, and so be readie to fight with him at his owne length. Answere. To this I answere, that when the long Staffe-man is driuen there to lye, the length of his Staffe that will lye behind him, will hinder him to strike, thrust, ward, or goe backe in due time. Neither can he turne the contrarie end of his Staffe to keepe out the short Staffe man from the Close, nor safe­ly to defend himselfe at his comming in.

Againe of the vantages of weapons.

28 TAke this for a general rule, all long Staues, Morris Pikes, Forrest bils, Iauelins, or such like long weapons, of what sort soe­uer, being aboue the true lengthes, the shortest haue the aduantage, because they can crosse and vncrosse in shorter time then can the longer: and all maner of short weapons to be vsed with both handes, as stanes, and such like, being vnder the perfect lengthes, [Page 43] the longest haue the aduantage, and all maner of wea­pons to be vsed with one hand, that are aboue the per­fect length of the single Sword, the shortest haue the vantage, and all maner of weapons vnder the iust length of the short Sword, as Fauchions, Skaines, or Hangers, Woodkniues, Daggers, and such like short weapons of imperfect lengthes, the longest haue the aduantage, because the fight of these weapons consist within the halfe or quarter Sword, wherein by the swift motions of their handes, their eyes are deceiued, and in those wea­pons, commonly for their handes lieth no defence. And if two shall fight with staues or Swordes, or what wea­pons soeuer, the one of them hauing his weapon longer then the perfect length, and the other his weapon shor­ter then the perfect length, he that hath the longest hath the vantage, because the shortest can make no true Crosse in true time. The short Staffe or halfe Pike, For­rest bill, Partisan, or Gleue, or such like weapons of perfect length, to be vsed with both handes, haue the aduantage against two Swordes and Daggers, or two Rapiers, Poiniardes, and Gantlets, and against all other weapons whatsoeuer, the Forrest bill excepted.

Againe for the short Staffe or halfe Pike.

THe short Staffe is most commonly the 29 best weapon of all other, although other weapons may be more offensiue, and espe­cially against manie weapons together, by reason of his nimblenesse and swift motions, and is not much inferiour to the Forrest bill, although the Forrest bill be more offensiue, and hath more wardes, because [Page 44] the Staffe is verie vncertaine, but the Bill is a more cer­taine marke, by reason of the breadth of the head, wher­by as the Bill hath aduantage in his wardes in the head, so therefore hath the Staffe the like defence, or rather more, to play vpon the head of the Bill, not onely to make a perfect good ward, but thereby, the rather to cast the Bill out of the right line, whereby the Staffe-man may thrust safe, and endanger the Bill-man: and the ra­ther because therein he is the first mouer, wherin there is great vantage, both in time and force. And if the Bil­man be not very skilfull (all vantages and disaduantages of both sides considered,) the short Staffe will proue the better weapon. Note this. Lastly note this, that long Staues, Mor­ris Pikes, and such like weapons of imperfect lengthes, being to be vsed with both hands, notwithstanding their imperfect lengthes, are perfect weapons to be vsed, the one against the other, and their fightes therein perfect, because in drawing of them backe betwixt their handes, their motions are swifter backewardes, then is the time of the Agents feet forwardes, by the which all their lost times are redeemed: therefore these weapons in their fightes, the one against the other are perfect. And these weapons in the night are the best weapons of all other, and haue great aduantage against the forrest Bill, short Staffe, or anie maner of short weapons whatsoeuer: for these causes, they boldly make home their fightes, and if neede be against desperate men, that will venture themselues to run in, they redeeme their lost times. But the other with shorter weapons for lacke of light, can make no true defence. Thus endeth the vantages of wea­pons.

Questions and answers betweene the Scholler and the Mai­ster, of the vantages and disaduantages betweene a tall man, and a man of meane stature, hauing both the perfect knowledge in their weapons.

WHo hath the aduantage in fight, of a tall 30 man, or a man of meane stature?

The tall man hath the vantage, for these causes: his reach being longer, and weapon vnto his stature accordingly, Tall men haue the vantage against men of meane stature. he hath thereby a shorter course with his feet to win the true place, wher­in by the swift motion of his hand, he may strike or thrust home: in the which time a man of meane stature cannot reach him, & by his large pace, in his true pace in his regression further, setteth himself out of all dan­ger, & these are the vantages that a tall man hath against anie man of shorter reach then himselfe.

What vantage hath a man of meane stature against a tall man?

He hath none: because the true times in fight, and a­ctions accordingly, are to be obserued and done, as well by a tall man, as by a man of meane stature.

Why then if this be true, that tall men haue the van­tage against mē of meane stature, it shold seeme in fight [Page 46] there is no perfection, other then this, when men of like stature, reach, & length of weapon, shall fight together, the which will seldome or neuer happen, but either in the length of their weapons, statures or reaches (if their swords should be of iust length) some difference most commonly there will be in their reaches.

Yes verily, the tall man hath still the vantage, and yet the fight is perfect, although the men that shall happen to fight, shall happē to be vnequall in their statures, rea­ches, or lengths of their weapons.

That can I hardly beleeue, vnlesse you can tell me by Art how to auoid or safely defend my selfe, being but a man of meane stature, against a tall man.

I will tell you: there belongeth vnto this Art of de­fence onely to be vsed with the feet, progression, regres­sion, trauersing, and treading of grounds: in any of these you playing the part of the Patient, or Patient Agent, your feete are swifter in their motions then are the A­gents, because his weight and number of his feet in his comming to win the true place to strike or thrust home, are greater then yours, and therefore the true time is yours to auoid him, or safely to defend your selfe: so the Art is still true, and the tall man hath still the vantage.

Yet I am not fully satisfied herein, because you tell me still that the tall man hath the vantage, and notwith­standing you say the Art is true, wherein then hath the tall man the vantage, when by your Art you can defend your selfe against him.

I will satisfie you therein thus. The tall man hath the vantage, he can maintaine his fight, both by nature and Art, with more ease then can the man of meane sta­ture, because the man of meane stature hath there­by a further course with his feete to passe to the place, wherein he may strike or thrust home, and in winning of that place, is driuen by Art to come garded vn­der his wards to defend himselfe, because in the time of his comming, the tall man may both naturally or artifi­cially strike or thrust home, in the which time, if the mā of meane stature should faile in the least iote of his Art, he should be in great daunger of death or hurt. But the tall man can naturally and safely come to the true place open, without any artificiall wards at all, and therein al­so endanger the other, Foure inuincible aduantages con­sist in a tall man against a man of meane stature. Long reach. Short course. Length of weapō. Large pace. or driue him still to trauerse his ground, with all the artificiall skill that he hath to de­fend himselfe; and all this the tall man doth by reason of his length of weapon, large pace, short course, and long reach, with great safetie, pleasure and ease. And for those causes the tall man hath still the vantage of men of meane stature, and yet notwitstāding the noble Science of Defence most perfect and good.

Of the long single Rapier fight betweene valiant men, ha­uing both skill, he that it the best wrastler, or if nei­ther of them can wrastle, the strongest man most commonly killeth the other, or lea­ueth him at his mercie.

WHen two valiant men of skill at single Ra­pier 31 do fight, one or both of them most cō ­monly standing vpon their strength or skill in wrastling, will presently seeke to run into [Page 48] the close; but hauing both skill, not without speciall care of their gard or crosse, the which they may safely do, by reason of the length of their Rapiers: but hapning both of one mind, the rather do bring themselues toge­ther: that being done, no skil with Rapiers auaileth, they presently grapple fast their hilts, wrists, armes, bodies or neckes, as in lustring, wrastling, or striuing together, they may best find for their aduantages: wherby it most commonly falleth out, that he that is the best wrastler, or strongest man (if neither of them can wrastle) ouer­commeth, wresting by strength, or fine skill in wrast­ling, the Rapier from his aduersarie, or casting him frō him, either to the ground, or to such distance, that he may by reason therof, vse the edge or point of his rapier, to strike or thrust him, leauing him dead or aliue at his mercie. But if but one of these valiant men shall seeke to run into the close, and that the other shall vse his skill in trauersing of his ground, or otherwise by standing vpon his gard or Stocata ward, to take all maner of aduā ­tages at his cōming, yet all auaileth him not, because the Rapiers being long, the crossing of the blades cannot be auoided: that being made, the oppressor runneth faster forwards then can the defendant backwards, and so are brought together, as in the first assault they were, & euerie action therein accordingly performed.

Of the Rapier and Poiniard fight betwixt valiant men, hauing both skill.

32 IF two valiant men do fight at Rapier and Poi­niard hauing both skill, one or both of them will presently presse hard to winne the place, wherein in his iudgement he may thrust home. If both [Page 49] be of one mind, the time is doubled in winning the same: whereby it commeth to passe, that then he that first thrusteth, endangereth, killeth or hurteth the other: and if they both thrust together, as they may do by the equall time of their feet, then they are most common­ly both slaine, or both hurt. And this is well knowne vnto all men of skill, that the place being once gotten, there is neither iudgement, space, pace, nor time, either by wards with their Rapier blades, or by breaking with their Poiniards, or flying backe, that can preserue or defend them. But if but one of them will seeke to win by passage, hard pressing, or otherwise the place, wherin in his judgement he may thrust home, it is impossible for the other to denie him the same, because the length of the Rapiers winneth him the crosse; the crosse being taken, the place is had; the place being had, he that first thrusteth, first speedeth: if both thrust together, they are both in danger: thē presently followeth (vnlesse it please God otherwise to haue it) the stabs with their daggers, wherein there lieth no defence.

Of the long Rapier & Poiniard-fight betweene two valiant men, the one hauing skil, the other none: that he that hath no skill hath the vantage.

WHen two valiant men shal fight with lōg 33 Rapiers and Poiniards, the one hauing skill, and the other none, he that hath no skill most commōly proueth himself the better mā, for these causes or reasons fol­lowing. First the skilfull man as knowing the other to haue no skill, or finding it to be so by his shape or [Page 50] maner of comming towardes him, will presently yeeld to take the aduantage of his comming, or else with all speed put himselfe into his short ward, to be readie at his comming to make out a strong Stocata (as the Itali­ans call it) the other knowing his imperfection in fight, assureth himselfe there can be no great good for him to stand long out at the point, presently redoubleth or reuiueth his spirits with perfect resolution, to make short worke, couragiously with some offensiue action, such as nature shall best yeeld vnto him, flieth in with all force and agilitie, the skilfull man standeth watching to take such aduantages as his schoolemaister hath taught him, in the which time, manie times it falleth out, he is taught a new time, euen by an vnskilfull man that neuer fought before, is sore hurt or slaine: and if it happen they both misse in their offensiue actions, then by rea­son thereof, and of the imperfect length of their Ra­piers, they come to stabbing with their Poiniards, wher­in there lyeth no defence, because distance being bro­ken, iudgement faileth, time is lost, and their eies (by the swift motions of their handes) are deceiued.

Of the long single Rapier, or Rapier and Poiniard-fight be­tweene two vnskilfull men being valiant.

34 WHen two vnskilfull men (being valiant) shall fight with long single Rapiers, there is lesse danger in that kind of fight, by rea­son of their distance in conuenient length, waight, and vnweildinesse, then is with short Rapiers, whereby it commeth to passe, that what hurt shall hap­pen to be done, if anie with the edge or point of their [Page 51] Rapiers is done in a moment, and presently will grap­ple and wrastle together, wherin most commonly the strongest or best Wrastler ouercommeth, and the like fight falleth out betweene them, at the long Rapier and Poiniard, but much more deadly, because in stead of Close and Wrastling, they fall most commonly to stab­bing with their Poiniardes.

Of the imperfection and insufficiencie of Rapiers in gene­rall, of what length soeuer they be.

IF two fight with long Rapiers, If they stand v­pon breaking with their Dag­gers, he that first winneth the place, and thru­steth home, hur­teth the other for lacke of the circū ­ference: if both thrust together, they are both sped, because their Spaces of Defence are too wide to answere the time of the hand, and by the swift motion thereof, the eye in that distance is by the same de­ceiued. The feete in their course, but not in the first motion, alwaies note for the a­uoiding of great errours. vpon euerie Crosse made within the halfe Rapier, if they haue Poiniardes, they most commonly stabbe each other, which cannot be auoided, because the Ra­piers being long, the Crosse cannot be vndone of either side, without going backe with their feete, the which likewise in due time cannot be done, because the hand is more swifter then the feete, and the feete more swifter in their course forwardes then backwardes, neither can the Crosse be preuented, because the point of necessitie lyeth too farre off in his offence, or else within compasse of the true time of the hand and bodie, by reason of his imperfect length, and so by the like reasons, if two fight with long single Rapiers, vpon euerie Crosse made therewith, within the halfe Rapier, the Close cannot be auoided, wherby it commeth to passe, most common­ly, that the strongest man or best Wrastler, ouercom­meth. Now if two do fight with short Rapiers, or Ra­piers of conuenient length, such Rapiers be inconueni­ent and insufficient also for lacke of an hilt to defend the hand and head from the blow; for no eie (in making a [Page 52] perfect ward for the head, to defend a blow, can dis­cerne to take the same within three or foure inches, wherby it may as well and as often fall vpon the hand, as vpon the blade of the Rapier. Againe, the hilt as well ser­ueth to defend the head as the hand, and is a more sure and strong ward, then is the blade of the Rapier. And further, vnderstand this for truth, that in gardant and o­pen fight, the hand without an hilt lieth open to most blowes that shalbe stroken by the Agent, out of the gar­dant or open fight, because in the true cariage of the gardant fight, the hand must lie aboue the head, in such straightnes and narrownes of space, that which way soe­uer the Agent shall strike or thrust at the head, face, or bodie, the remouing of two or foure inches shall saue all. And now some what more for the shortnesse or con­uenient length of Rapiers.

Rapiers hauing no hilts to defend the head, the Ra­pier-man is driuen of necessitie to lie at the variable fight or low ward, and being there he can neither defend in due time, head, face, nor bodie from the blowes or thrustes of him, that shall fight out of the gardant or o­pen fight, but is continually in great danger of the A­gent, for these causes following. First, because his space is too wide to defend his head from blow or thrust. Se­condly his Pace standing vpon that fight, wilbe of ne­cessitie too great or too narrow: if too narrow, too weak: if too large, his weight and number of his feet, are too great to endanger him, that is vpon his gardant or open fight.

Of the imperfection and insufficiencie of the fight of the single Rapier, Rapier and Poiniard, Ra­pier and Buckler, Rapier and Cloke, and Rapier and Gloue of maile.

THe Rapier fight, whether it be single or ac­cōpanied 36 with Poiniard, Buckler, cloke, or gloue of male, is still by reason of the insuf­ficiencie or imperfection of the Rapier, an imperfect fight: vnperfect instruments can make no perfect musicke, neither can vnperfect weapons make perfect fight: let the men that handle them haue all the knowledge that may be in all maner of weapons, yea the full height, or perfection, and true habite by his great labour and industry, euen as it were naturally effe­cted in him, yet if the weapons that they shall fight withall be imperfect or insufficient to performe what­soeuer appertaineth vnto true fight, as concerning the perfection of their safetie, it auaileth them nothing. What shall we then say for the Rapier? Is the Rapier an imperfect or insufficient weapon to perfourme whatsoeuer appertaineth vnto the true fight? Yea: Wherefore? Because vnto the true fight there apper­taineth foure fights, Gardant fight, Open fight, Varia­ble fight, and Close fight: without all foure of these fights it is impossible to fight safe: but the Rapier for lacke of an hilt is an vnperfect weapon, and therefore insufficient to fight safe vpon these foure fights, the reasons are alreadie set downe in the Paradoxe be­fore, but it is inferred to loose the benefit of two of the [Page 54] best fights, gardant and open fight, and to flie from thē, and trust only vnto variable fight, and close fight. Now hauing proued through the imperfection or insufficien­cie of the Rapier, the imperfection of the Rapier fight, it remaineth that I speake of the rest of the weapons, or instruments appertaining vnto Rapier fight.

The Rapier and Poiniard fight, the Rapier & Buckler fight, the Rapier and cloke fight, & the Rapier & gloue of male fight: all these fights by reason of the imperfe­ction of the Rapier, and Rapier fight, are all also imper­fect fights: and for proofe of the vncertaintie and im­possibilities of safetie in any of these fights, thus it stan­deth. These fights depend altogether vpō variable fight and close fight: in anie of these fights it is impossible in true space of Offence to keepe the blades of their Ra­piers from crossing, or frō breaking with the Poiniards, buckler, cloke, or breaking or catching with the gloue of male; because in anie of these two fights, the Agent hath still in true space the blade of the Patients Rapier to worke vpon. These things by letters cannot be made more plaine, neither is it vnknowne to the skilfull, or in fight by anie meanes to be auoided, the weapon being too farre in true space to be wrought vpon, the place cannot be denied, do the patient Agent what he can for his life to the contrarie, either by blowes, thrusts, falsing, or doubling of thrusts, going backe, indirections, or turnings of the body, or what else soeuer may in the highest touch of wit or strength, or agilitie of bodie be deuised or done, to keepe out the Agent: but still the A­gent by narrownesse of space bringeth himself by strōg gard to the place, where being brought, it is as impossi­ble to fight safe, as as it is for two desperate men set toge­ther [Page 55] being both blind, because in the the true place (won in Rapier or variable fight) their eyes by the swift mo­tions of their hands are deceiued, the crosses in that fight are false, their distance, iudgements and times are lost, either to offend in safetie, or safely to defend them­selues: and these reasons, rules, or grounds of the feates of armes are infallible and inuincible.

Now, ô you Italian teachers of Defence, where are your Stocatas, Imbrocatas, Mandritas, Puntas, & Puynta reuersas, Stramisons, Passatas, Carricados, Amazzas, & In­cartatas, & playing with your bodies, remouing with your feet a litle aside, circle wise winding of your bodies, making of three times with your feet together, marking with one eye the motion of the aduersary, & with the o­ther eye the aduātage of thrusting? What is become of all these iugling gambalds, Apish deuises, with all the rest of your squint-eyed trickes? when as through your deepe studies, long practises, & apt bodies, both strong & agilious, you haue attained to the height of all these things. What then auaileth it you, when you shal come to fight for your liues with a man of skill, you shall haue neither time, nor place, in due time to performe any one of them. Nor gardant nor open fight safely to keep out a man of skill, a man of no skill, or scholler of your owne teaching, from the true place, the place of safetie, the place of vncertaintie or mischiefe, the place of wounds or death, but are there inforced to stand in that mischie­uous, vncertaine, dangerous, and most deadly place, as two men hauing lost in part their chiefest sences, most furiously with their rapiers or poiniards, wounding or slaying each other.

Thus endeth the imperfect fights of the rapier with [Page 56] all maner of weapons or instruments thereto appertai­ning, with their imperfections, through the true groūds and rules of the Art of armes, truly displayed & brought to light.

All laud be vnto the Almighty God.

That the reasons vsed by the Italian Fencers in commen­ding the vse of the Rapier and Poiniard, because it maketh peace, maketh against themselues.

37 IT hath bin commonly held, that since the Italians haue taught the Rapier fight, by reason of the dangerous vse therof, it hath bred great ciuilitie amongst our English nation, There are few frayes, but more valiant Gentlemē slaine now then were the [...]. they will not now giue the lye, nor with such foule speeches abuse themselues, therefore there are fewer frayes in these times then were wont to be: it cannot be denied but this is true, that we are more circumspect of our words, and more fearefull to fight, then heretofore we haue bene. But whereof commeth it? Is it from this, that the Rapier maketh peace in our minds; or from hence, that it is not so sufficient defence for our bodies in our fight? He that will fight when he is armed, will not fight when he is naked: is it therefore good to go naked to keepe peace? he that would fight with his Sword and Buckler, or Sword and Dagger, be­ing weapons of true defence, will not fight with his Ra­pier and Poiniard, wherein no true defence or fight is perfect: are these insufficiēt weapōs therfore the better, because not being sufficiēt to defēd vs in fight, they force vs vnto peace? What else is it, but to say, it is good for [Page 57] subiects to be poore, that they may not go to law: or to lacke emunition, that they may not fight, nor go to the warres: and to conclude, what more followeth through the imperfect workes of these Italian peacemakers? They haue made many a strong man in his fight weake, many a valiant man fearefull, manie a worthie man trusting to their imperfect fight, hath bene slaine, and manie of our desperate boyes and young youthes, to become in that Rapier-fight, as good men as England yeeldeth, and the tallest men in this land, in that fight as verie boyes as they and no better. This good haue the Italian teachers of Offence done vs, they haue transformed our boyes in­to men, and our men into boyes, our strong men into weakenesse, our valiant men doubtfull, and manie wor­thie men resoluing themselues vpon their false resolu­tions, haue most wilfully in the field, with their Rapiers ended their liues. And lastly, haue left to remaine a­mongst vs after their deathes, these inconueniences be­hind them, false Fence-bookes, imperfect weapons, false fightes, and euill customes, whereby for lacke of vse and practise in perfect weapons and true fight, we are disa­bled for the seruice of our Prince, defence of our coun­trey, and safetie of our liues in priuate fight.

That the short Sword hath the aduantage against the long Sword or long Rapier.

WHereas for the most part opinions are 38 generally holden, that the long Sword, or long Rapier, hath the vantage in fight against the short Sword, which the Itali­an teachers of Defence, by their false de­monstratiōs [Page 58] haue brought vs to beleeue. I haue thought good that the truth may appeare which hath the van­tage, to adde my helpe vnto the reasons they vse in their owne behalfe, for that yet I could neuer heare them make a sound reason for the same. These are the reasons. First with my long Rapier, These reasons are vsed by the Italians. I will put my selfe into my gard or Stocata, holding my hilt backe by the outside of my right thigh, keeping in short the point of my Rapier, so as he that hath the short Sword, shall not be able to reach the point of my Rapier, to make his ward or Crosse with his Dagger, Buckler, Sword, or Cloke, without stepping in of his foote, the which time is too long to answere the time of the hand, by reason of my distance. I can there stand safe without danger of blow or thrust, playing the Patients part: if you strike or thrust you do it too short, by reason of my distance: if you seek to come nearer, you must do it with the time of your foote, in the which time I may safely thrust home: if in that distance you breake it not, you are slaine: if you do breake it, yet you do me no harme, by reason of my di­stance, and I may stand fast and thrust againe; or flie backe at my pleasure: so haue you put your selfe in dan­ger of your life, and hauing hardly escaped, are driuen a­gaine to begin a new bought, as at the first you did. A­gaine, if I please, I can be the oppressour, keeping the same gard, and my point in short as I did before, and pressing strongly by putting in by litle and litle of my feete, vntill the place with my foote be gotten, wherein (in my iudgement) I may thrust home, the which I may boldly and safely do, without respect of anie ward at all, by reason of my distance, in which time of my comming he must strike, thrust, ward, or go backe: if he go backe, [Page 59] it is a great disgrace: if he strike or thrust, it is too short: if he stand to defend, the place being alreadie gotten, where I may thrust home, the thrust being verie quicke & strongly made, such is the force and swiftnesse there­of, that it is impossible by nature or art, for anie man to breake one thrust of an hundred. These reasons in my o­pinion may suffice to confirme the wise, that there is no question to be made, but that the long Rapier hath the aduantage against the short Sword.

Sir you hue pretily handled your discourse, A confutation of the Italians rea­son. concer­ning the vantages of the long Rapier against the short Sword, especially at the first shew, and according to common sence, but for the substance and truth of the true fight, you haue said nothing, because for the per­formance of anie of your allegations, you haue neither true Pace, Place, Time, nor Space: these are the rea­sons. Your Pace of necessitie must be too large, because otherwise you cannot keepe safe the point of your long Rapier, from the Crosse of the short Sword, vnlesse you will with a narrow Pace keepe backe your hilt so farre, that the space of your offence wilbe too large or too long in distance, and your bodie vnapt to moue and to thrust strong and quicke in due time, nor aptly to keepe your distance, to win the place with your feete, to thrust home. So now you may plainely see, if you have skill in the art or science of Defence, that to per­forme anie thing which you haue alleadged, you haue neither true Pace, Place, time nor Space. But if you will stand vpon the largenesse of your Pace, to keepe backe or saue the point of your long Rapier from the ward or Crosse of the short Sword, or vpon your Passatos, in all these you haue great disaduantages: and [Page 60] these are my reasons: Your number will be too great, as thus: whensoeuer you meane out of your large pace to thrust home, you must of necessitie make foure times with your feet, and one with your hand, or two times with your feet, and one with your hand at the least: and whensoeuer you make any of your passages, the nūber of your feet are greater then the greatest of any of these times done out of the large pace: but the patient with his short sword, to auoyd you, or disappoint you of your thrust, hath but one time with his foot, at or before the which time, as he in his iudgemēt shall find you in your motion, hath by the slow and great number of your mo­tions or times, sufficient time safely out of all danger to make himselfe readie to take his crosse with his short sword. Now Sir, whether you thrust or not thrust, whe­ther you play the part of an Agent, or Patient, it hel­peth you nothing, for he that hath the short sword hath foure times or motions against the long Rapier, name­ly, bent, spent, lying spent, and drawing backe, in all maner of fights these are to be obserued both by the Patient and Agent. Now note, he that hath the long Rapier must of necessitie play vpon one of these foure motions, or be Patient, which soeuer he shall do, he is still in great danger of the crosse of the short sword, because if he be Agent, his number is too great, he falleth into one of the foure motions, the Patient with his short sword, hauing but the time of the hand, or hād & foot, safely vpon these actions or times taketh his crosse with the short Sword: that being done, he pre­sently vncrosseth and striketh or thrusteth at his pleasure him that hath the long Rapier, in the head, face, or bo­die. Now here is againe to be noted, that when the crosse [Page 61] is made, if he that hath the long Rapier stand fast, he is wounded presently in the vncrossing of the short sword, if he step or leape backe to saue himselfe, yet the time of the hand being swifter then the time of the foot, ouer­taketh him, with blow or thrust in the arme, hand, head, face and bodie. Now if he that hath the long Rapier will be patient & make no play, but lie still watching to make his thrust or Stocata iust in the comming or mo­uing of the Agents feete with his short sword, then he hath as great disaduantage as he had when he was Pa­tient, because thē the Agent with his short Sword hath but hand and foot to make his crosse: which is most safe­ly to be done in that time, which we call Bent, and is as impossible for the Rapier-man to preuent, as it is for an vnskilfull to strike or thrust iust together with a man of skill. Then thus I conclude, that he that fighteth with a long Rapier, against him that fighteth with a short Sword, can do nothing in due time to defend himselfe, or hurt the other, but is still in daunger of his life, or at the mercie of him that hath the short Sword, or else hath no safe way to helpe himselfe, Cobs Trauerse. but onely Cobs Trauerse. This Cob was a great quareller, and did de­light in great brauerie to giue foule words to his bet­ters, and would not refuse to go into the field to fight with any man, and when he came into the field, would draw his Sword to fight, for he was sure by the cun­ning of his Trauerse, not to be hurt by anie man: for at anie time finding himselfe ouermatched would sud­denly turne his backe and runne away with such swift­nesse, that it was thought a good horse would scarce take him. And this when I was a young man, was ve­rie much spoken of by many Gentlemen of the Innes of [Page 62] the Court, and was called Cobs Trauerse and those that had seene anie go backe too fast in his fight, would say, he did tread Cobs Trauerse.

George Siluer his militarie riddle, truly set downe betweene the Perfection and Imperfection of fight: containing the handling of the foure fights: wherein true consisteth the whole summe and full perfection of the true fight, with all maner of wea­pons, with an inuicible conclusion.

GArdant fight stayeth, putteth backe, or beateth gardant fight.

Open fight stayeth, putteth backe, or beateth open fight.

Variable fight answereth variable fight in the first distance, and not otherwise, except it be with the perfect length against the imperfect.

Close fight is beaten by gardant fight.

Variable close & gardant fight, beateth gardant fight, open fight, variable fight, and close fight.

Gardant fight in the imperfection of the Agent or Patient, winneth the halfe sword, and preuenteth the close, and whosoeuer first ventureth the close, looseth it, and is in great danger of death, and not possible to escape or get out againe without great hurt.

There attendeth most diligently vpon these foure fights foure offensiue actions, which we call certaine, vncertaine, first, before, iust, and afterwards: they are to be performed through iudgement, time, measure, number and waight, by which all maner of blowes, [Page 63] thrusts, falses, doubles, or slips, are preuented, or most safely defended. And thus endeth my riddle.

Now followeth the conclusion, that whosoeuer shall thinke or find himselfe in his fight too weake for the A­gent, or Patient Agent, and therefore, or by reason of his drunkennesse, or vnreasonable desperatenesse shall prese within the halfe Sword, or deserately runne in of purpose to giue hurt, or at least for taking of one hurt, to giue another, shall most assuredly be in great daun­ger of death or wounds, and the other shall still be safe and go free.