The Noble and Worthy Science of Defense, Chapter 12 · Fighting move 1 – Fighting move 3
The true guard for the defence, either of blowe, or thruſt, with Rapier and Dagger, or Sword and Dagger.
KEepe thy rapier hand ſo low as the pocket of thy hoſe at the armes end, without bowing the elbow ioynt, and keepe the hilt of thy dagger right with thy left cheeke, and the poynt ſomething ſtooping toward the right ſhoulder, and beare him out ſtiffe at the armes end, without bowing thine elbow ioynt likewiſe, and the poynt of thy Rapier two inches within the point of thy dagger, neyther higher, nor lower; but if the point of thy rapier be two or three inches ſhort of touching thy dagger, it is no matter, but if they ioyne it is good; likewiſe, keepe both your points ſo high as you may ſee your enemy cleerely with both your eies, betwixt your rapier and dagger, and bowing your head ſomthing toward the right ſhoulder, and your body bowing forwards, and both thy ſhoulders, the one ſo neere thine enemie as the other, and the thombe of thy rapier hand, not vponupon thy rapier, according vntounto the vſuall faſhion of the vulgar ſort, but vponupon the naile of thy fore-finger, which will locke thine hand the ſtronger about the handle of thy rapier, and the heele of thy right foote ſhould ioyne cloſe to the middle ioynt of the great toe of thy left foote, according to this Picture, yet regard chiefly the words rather then the Picture.
Carrie the edge of thy rapier vpward, and downeward, for then thou ſhalt defend a blow vponupon the edge of thy rapier, by bearing thy rapier after the rule of the Backe-ſword, for this is the ſtrongeſt and the ſureſt carriage of him.
But now it is but a vaine thing to goe about to practiſe after my direction, except thou vnderſtand my meaning, and follow my counſell, as by words ſo plaine as I can, I hauehave ſet downe, both before and after: for if thou obſerue one thing, and not an other, it will profit thee but little, as thus: if thou place thy weapons in order; and then, if thy hand, foote, or body be out of order, then it will be to ſmall purpoſe to proceed in thy practiſe: againe, if thou frame thy bodie right, and thy weapons, and thy hand, and thy foote; yet if thou do not obſerue a true diſtance withall, then thy practiſe will be little auaileable to thee: wherefore at the firſt beginning of thy practiſe, take a good aduiſement, and be perfect by often reading of this Booke, ſo to beginne well; for if thou haſt beene vſed to ſet thy feete abroad in thy former practiſe, as moſt men doe, then it will be hard for thee to leaue thy old wont.
Now, if thou wilt breake thy ſelfe of that faſhion and practiſe after my rules, then will I ſhew thee by and by; for when thou haſt my faſhion, thou mayeſt goe to thine owne againe when thou wilt, if in triall thou finde it better.
The beſt way to bring thy feete to a ſure ſtanding, both for defence and offence, is when thou doſt practiſe with thy friend or companion; at the firſt get thy backe to the wall, and let him that playeth with thee ſtand about twelue foote diſtance, and ſet thy left heele cloſe to the wall, and thy right foote heele to the great ioynt of the left foote great toe, and when thou intendeſt to offend thy enemy, either with blow or thruſt, then ſteppe forth with thy right foote, and hand together, but keepe thy left foote faſt moared like an anchor, to plucke home thy body and thy right foote into his place and diſtance againe; vſe this faſhion but three or foure times, and it will bring thee to a true ſtanding with thy foote, and it will be as eaſie to thee as any other way; whereas if thou practiſe in a large roome without any ſtoppe to ſet thy foot againſt, then will thy left foote be alwayes creeping away, ſo that although thou wouldeſt refraine the ſetting abroad of thy feet, yet thou canſt not, eſpecially if thou haſt been vſed to ſet them abroad heretofore.
Now your bodie and weapons being thus placed as aforeſaid, if your enemie ſtrike a blow at you, either with ſword or rapier, beare your rapier againſt the blow, ſo well as your dagger according vntounto the rule of the Backe-ſword, for in taking the blow double you ſhall the more ſurely defend your head, if the blowe doe chaunce to light neare the point of your dagger, for if you truſt to your dagger onelie, the blow may hap to glance ouer the point of your dagger, and endanger your head, and hauing defended the blow double (as aforeſaid) preſently turne downe the point of your rapier towards your enemies thigh, or anie part of your enemies bodie, as you liſt your ſelfe; and with your thruſt ſteppe forth alſo with your foote and hand together, and ſo making a quicke anſwer, you may endanger your enemie in what place you will your ſelfe, before hee recouer his guard and diſtance againe, and alwaies ſet your rapier foot right before the other, and ſo neare the one to the other as you can; and if thou be right handed then thy right foote muſt bee formoſt, if left handed, then thy left foote, and ſtanding thus in thy guard, looke for thy aduantage, I meane where thine enemie lieth moſt vngarded; but firſt thou muſt be perfect in the knowledge of the true and perfect guard thy ſelfe, ſo ſhalt thou know the better where thine enemie lieth open, then thou muſt ſteppe foorth with thy fore foot, and hand together, to offend thine enemie in ſuch a place as thou findeſt vnguarded; but ſo ſoone as thou haſt preſented thy thruſt, whether thou hit or miſſe, fall backe againe to recouer thy guard and diſtance ſo ſoone as thou canſt, but ſtand alwayes faſt on thine hindermoſt foote, I meane whether thou ſtrike or thruſt, and then ſhalt thou recouer thy guard; and hauing recouered thy weapons in their right place, then thou muſt alſo trauerſe thy ground ſo leiſurably, that thou mayeſt be ſure to hauehave one foote firme on good ground before thou pluckeſt vp the other; for elſe, going faſt about, thou mayeſt quickly be downe if the ground be not euen. Alſo hauehave a ſpeciall care that thou be not too buſie in making of play, though choller or ſtomacke prouoke thee thereunto. Furthermore, in ſtanding in thy guard, thou muſt keepe thy thighes cloſe together, and the knee of thy fore legge bowing back-ward rather then forward, but thy bodie bowing forward; for the more thou holloweſt thy bodie, the better, and with leſſe danger ſhalt thou breake thine enemies thruſt, before it cometh neare to endanger thy bodie; and when thou breakeſt a thruſt, thou muſt but let fall the point of thy dagger, but not thy dagger arme, for ſome will throw their dagger arme backe behinde them when they breake a thruſt; he that ſo doth cannot defend a ſecond thruſt if his enemy ſhould charge him againe ſodainely.
The reaſons of this guard.
FIrſt, the points of your weapons being cloſed, your enemy cannot offend you with a wriſt blow, which otherwiſe may be ſtrucke to your face betwixt your points: likewiſe, there is a falling thruſt that may hit any man which lies open with his points by following it into his face or breaſt, and thruſting it home withall: alſo, if you carrie your rapier point vnderunder your dagger, your own rapier may hinder you, for by turning downe of your daggar point, to defend the bodie from your enemies point, according vntounto the firſt of the foure defenſible waies, as hereafter followeth: then your owne dagger may hit your owne rapier, and ſo your rapier will be as it were a ſtumbling blocke, ſo that you cannot diſcharge your enemies thruſt cleane from your bodie; and alſo by ſtriking your dagger vponupon your rapier wilbe a hindrance vntounto you, that you cannot make a quicke anſwer, by chopping out your point preſently vponupon your defence: for if you hauehave anie hindrance at all, then your chiefe time of offence is ſpent, for before you can recouer your rapier, your enemie will hauehave recouered his guard, and he being in his guard your proffer of offence is in vaine: for if you will hit your enemie, your offence and defence muſt be done all with one motion, whereas if you continue a ſpace betwixt your defence and your offence, then is your beſt time of offence ſpent, for when your enemie chargeth you, either with blow or thruſt, at that verie inſtant time, his face, his rapier, arme, ſhoulder, knee, and legge are all diſcouered, and lie open, except the oppreſſour be verie cunning in recouering his guard haſtily againe, or he may defend himſelfe with his dagger, if he beare him ſtiffely out at the armes end, for in your offence the dagger hand ſhould be borne out ſo farre as the rapier hand goeth, which muſt be done by practiſe and great carefulneſſe; for many when they doe make their aſſault, they will put out their rapier, and plucke in their dagger, thereby endangering themſelues greatly: for except that the dagger arme bee kept ſtraight, and borne out ſtiffe, it is hard to defend either blow or thruſt.
A thruſt may be defended foure waies.
THe firſt is with the dagger, onelie by turning of the point downe, and turning thy hand-wriſt about withall, without bowing the elbow ioynt of thy dagger arme, but onelie turning thy dagger round, making as it were a round circle, and ſo preſently bring vp the point of thy dagger in his place againe.
Now the ſecond defence is with the dagger likewiſe, but then you muſt beare the hilt of your dagger ſo lowe as your girdle-ſteed, and the point more vpright then is deſcribed in the firſt picture, and in your defence of a thruſt, you muſt beare your dagger hand ſtiffe ouer your bodie, without letting fall the point but ſtill keeping him vpright.
The third waie to breake a thruſt, is, with the ſingle rapier; this defence will defend all thy bodie from a thruſt againſt a rapier and a dagger; and likewiſe it is a ſure defence for thine hand, if thou hauehave not a cloſe hilted dagger, when thy enemie doth proffer a thruſt, plucke in thy dagger hand, and put out thy rapier arme, and beare him ouer thy bodie, the point bowing toward thy left ſide, breaking the thruſt with the edge of thy rapier, keeping thy point vpright: but when I come to the ſingle rapier, then you ſhall ſee it more at large.
The fourth way is to defend a thruſt with both your weapons together, and that you may doe three maner of waies, either with the points of both your weapons vpwards, or both downeward, vpward you may frame your ſelfe into two gards, the firſt is according as I hauehave deſcribed afore, the points being cloſe according to the picture, ſo carrie them both away together againſt your enemies thruſt breaking towards your left ſide; the other high guard is to put your rapier on the out-ſide of your dagger, and with your dagger make a croſſe, as it were, by ioyning him in the middeſt of your rapier, ſo high as your breaſt, and your dagger hilt in his vſuall place, and to defend your thruſt, turne downe the point of your rapier ſodainely, and force him downe with your dagger, by letting them fall both together: this way you may defend a thruſt before it come within three foot of your bodie; and this way defendeth the thruſt of a ſtaffe, hauing but onelie a rapier and dagger, as you ſhall heare more when I come to the ſtaffe: for it is good to be prouided with the beſt way, if a ſodaine occaſion be offered: and for the blow of a ſtaffe, you may verie eaſily defend with a Rapier and Dagger, by bearing him double; and ſo hauing defended the blow, goe in haſtily vponupon him, for there is no ſtanding out long againſt a ſtaffe, and ſo likewiſe vponupon defence of a thruſt you muſt be verie nimble in your going in within the point of his ſtaffe, I mean ſo ſoone as your enemies thruſt is paſſed vnderunder your Rapier arme, for that way the thruſt of the ſtaffe ſhould goe.