The Noble and Worthy Science of Defense, Chapter 12 · Fighting move 53 – Fighting move 56
The guard for the Sword and Dagger, the which for ſureneſſe wee will call the Caſtle-guard.
I Might heare in this place diſcribe many wardes or guards, at the Sword and Dagger, as the Looke-ward, the Iron-ward, the Hanging-ward, the Croſſe-ward, three high guards, the Low-guard, the Broad-ward. I will a little touch them all, or the moſt part of them with words, although not with pictures, but in the next Impreſſion more at large, both with words and with pictures.
But now chiefly at this time I will proceed only with this Caſtle-guard, or Back-ſword-guard according to the picture, for with the skil of this one guard thou maiſt ſafely encounter againſt any man, which vſeth any other of the foreſaid guards, for this one guard being perfectly learned thou maiſt defend thy ſelfe with great aduantage.
Now for the manner of the framing thy ſelfe into this guard, thou muſt beare out the hilt of thy ſword a foote from thy body, ſo low as the pocket of thy hoſe, and right out from thy thigh, and thy Dagger out right at the armes end, and thy Dagger hilt euen with thy left cheeke, but barely looking ouer the vpper part of thy Dagger hilt, and the points of both thy Sword and Dagger a little bowing each to the other, and cloſe aboue, but open thy hilts ſo broad below as thou maiſt ſee cleerely thy enemie betwixt them both, as at Rapier and Dagger before is diſcribed, for both at Rapier and Dagger, the guards are both verie neere alike, but onelyonly for the carriage of thy Rapier hand and foote, a little neerer thy body then at Sword and Dagger, the reaſons are, and ſhall be made plaine vntounto thee, as in reading thou ſhalt finde it, for both at Rapier and Dagger, and at Sword and Dagger, a man ſhould bee prepared as well at the one, as the other to defend a thruſt in fight ſo well as a blow, and except the Rapier point be borne ſome thing high, he is not ready to defend a blow, as by this guard thus being placed, as aforeſaid, thy Sword onelyonly being borne out againſt the blow, will defend all thy right-ſide, both thy head, and downe to thy knee, without mooning him, but if thy enemie doe charge thee with a blow at thy left-ſide, whether he ſtrike to thy head or ſide, then beare both thy Sword and thy Dagger ouer thy body, towards thy left-ſide, and withall I doe aduiſe thee to hauehave a care to carry both the hilt and point leuell, euen as thou lieſt in thy guard, for if thou carry thy hilt of thy Sword ouer thy body towards thy left-ſide, and turne thy point Back-ward, then both at Sword and Dagger, and at Rapier and Dagger, thy head is endangered, for then thou haſt but a ſingle ward for thy head, I meane thy Dagger onelyonly, and that is no ſure defence for the head, if thy practiſe were neuer ſo much, but both being borne together, according vntounto the Backe-ſword rule, thou ſhalt defend both thy head and body downe to thy knee very ſtrongly, and thy legge muſt ſaue himſelfe by a quick pulling vp of thy foote.
Likewiſe at Sword and Dagger, you may ſet your feete a foote diſtance one right before the other,Thy weapons thus placed thou ſhalt find thy body gatded like a priſoner betwixt to keepers, thy ſword to guard thy right-ſide, and thy dagger the left. the other which I doe not allow of at Rapier and Dagger, alſo you muſt keepe the point of your Sword on the in-ſide of your Dagger, and halfe a foote higher then your Dagger point, eſpecially if you play at the blunt, but in ſight as at Rapier and Dagger, then you muſt ſo exerciſe your foote, thatyou may pluck him vp nimbly againſt eueryevery blow that commeth, otherwiſe if you doe keepe them ſo neare as my direction is at Rapier and Dagger, then is your foote ſure without plucking of him vp; beare your head vpright, bowing rather to the right-ſholder, then to the left, but not forward at any weapon, but your body bowing forward, and keepe your points cloſe together, and your Sword point on the inſide of your Dagger point (as before-ſaide) and the hilt of your Dagger from your left cheeke, right at the armes end, without bowing of your elbow ioynt, and your Dagger point ſloping, or bowing towards your right ſide, looking with both your eies betwixt your weapons, looke not ouer your weapons with neither of your eies at anie hand; your weapons placed, and your bodie ſetled (as aforeſaide) then ſhall you finde no part of your bodie diſcouered or vnguarded, but onlie your left ſide from the Dagner arme downewards, and that you muſt hauehave a care vntounto, and defend it in this manner.
If your enemie charge you with a blow, defend your ſelfe, by bearing the edge of your Sword againſt it, and alittle beare your Dagger againſt the blow alſo, onelyonly to giuegive allowance for the yeelding of your Dagger, if the blow ſhould chaunce to light at your head, for your guard ſimply of himſelfe doth defend but a weake blow; if you ſtand ſtocke ſtill at your gard as a wriſt blow a droppe or a mite, which commeth with ſmall force, though they come with more ſpeed then any other blow, your guard will defend without moouing your weapons. Now other blowes which ſhall come with greater force, conſume more time, and doe fetch a greater compaſſe, inſomuch as their force is greater, you ſhal perceiue them the plainer, to which ſide the blow will come, and if to the right ſide, then ſwarue both wepons againſt the blow, and if to the left ſide, do likewiſe (keeping vp the point of your ſword, for that will defend from the head downe to the knee, and the knee and leg which you ſtand formoſt vponupon, you muſt defend by plucking them vp, and your ſword will defend the hind moſt legge, if the blow ſhould chance to reach ſo farre, by taking it neere the hilt, vponupon the edge of your backe-ſword, as aforeſaid, for if you put downe the point of your ſword to ſaue your legge, then you leaue your head and your face vnguarded; for when you ſee your enemie charge you with a blow, there is no rule to be ſhewen to know where the blow will light, vntill it doe light: but this aſſure your ſelfe, the blow muſt hauehave a lighting place; for when the ſword is vp, where he will fall there is no rule to be ſhewen, for when the blow is charged, it commeth ſo ſwift and lighteth where the ſtriker thinketh good; wherefore arme your ſelfe to defend euerie place, whether it commeth aboue or below; for if you turne downe the point of your ſword before-hand, thinking the blow will light at your legge, for ſo you muſt doe it you will defend him with your ſword, otherwiſe you cannot be downe quicke enough, for the blow will paſſe more ſpeedier then the turning of a hand; wherefore I wiſh you to ſaue your legge by plucking of him vp, and open not your head, in hope to ſaue your legge, and ſo ſaue neither of them, for the head is the principall place that your enemie will ſtrike at; therefore keepe your points alwaies vpright, and in their place, according to my direction following the firſt Picture; and likewiſe as heere I hauehave deſcribed it, for it is not enough to know the place of your weapons, but alwaies to continue them in their place, except it be at the verie inſtant time of your defence, and offence: but if you make play to offend your enemie, recouer your weapons into your guard ſpeedily againe whether you hit or miſſe: Now in ſtriking thy blow, let not thy Sword ſwing vnderunder thine arme by oue-ſtriking thy blowe, but winde him vp preſently into his place againe; alwaie keepe the points cloſe, and defend the blow double: for ſo doing the point of your ſword will be a great ſtrengthening vntounto your Dagger, for hee that doth truſt to defend a blow with the Dagger onelyonly, may be deceiued, if his cunning were neuer ſo good; for if the blow ſhould light nere the point of your Dagger, by reaſon of the ſharpeneſſe and weakeneſſe of the Dagger, it may glide ouer, and hit him that is skilfull, if his cunning were neuer ſo good: likewiſe, the blow may hit him vnderunder the Daggerarme, which truſteth to the Dagger, except hee vſe the defence of his backe-ſword, for which both together a weake man, yea, a boy may defend a ſtrong man with both, for no man is able to charge a blow with one hand, if his force were neuer ſo great, but one that is verie weake and skilful of the Back-ſword, may defend himſelfe double (as aforeſaid) for he that chargeth with one hand, a verie wretch is able to defend with both, hauing skill and practiſe in all faſhions, for when one cannot hit thee, yet another whoſe faſhion thou art vnacquainted with may hit thee, but being experienced in many weapons, and in many guards, and practiſing with many men, then if thou hauehave an occaſion to anſwer any one which thou neuer ſaweſt before, thou wilt preſently call to minde, that hee can but ſtrike and thruſt: therefore being prepared before hand, then ſo ſoone as thou ſeeſt his gard and charge, thou knoweſt thy defence.
Now (as I hauehave ſaid before) you muſt be carefull in your defence, and ſo ſoone as you come within the reach of your enemie, prepare your ſelfe into your guard, to defend euerie part both from blowe and thruſt, defending the blow with the Backe-ſword ſo low as your knee, and the point helping to ſtrengthen the point of your Dagger: then if your enemie charge you with a blowe, you muſt not prepare to ſtrike with him; for ſo you may be hurt, and then ſay afterward, I thought hee would hauehave ſtrucke at mine head, and ſo neuer reckon vponupon your ſide nor your legge, or if you ſhould thinke he would hauehave ſtrucke at your legge, and ſo neuer regard your head: But I ſay you muſt not deale vponupon thought, but vponupon a ſure guard, and it is not ſufficient, to know your guard of defence, but you muſt keepe him, for if your enemie hauehave once hit you for want of keeping your guard, it will be too late for you to remember your defence afterwards, therefore looke to it afore the blow doth light; or if you fight at Rapier and Dagger, you muſt looke for both blow and thruſt, for your enemie may ſtrike with his Rapier, and hit you if you do not looke for a blow, and when you are hit, it is too late to ſay, I thought he would not hauehave ſtrucke with his Rapier. Againe, at Sword and Dagger, it may be your enemie will thruſt, and you muſt not ſay, I thought he would not thruſt, for euerie one will, in a quarrell, do what his affection leadeth him beſt vntounto, except he alter his affection by practiſe.
Heere followeth the chiefeſt blowes at Sword and Dagger, and the maner how to performe them.
NOw for thy beſt aduantage, in as plaine maner, as by words I can expreſſe them, amongſt many other blowes, wee will heere obſerue theſe three: the firſt, a wriſt blow, a halfe blow, and a quarter blow; euerie one of theſe muſt bee vſed in their time and place (as this) ſometimes with a wriſt blow, thou maieſt ſpeed thine enemie when thou canſt not hit him with a halfe blow, nor with a quarter blow, becauſe there is in the deliuering of either of the two laſt blowes, more time ſpent, for euerie blow exceedeth each other, in force, and in quickeneſſe; this wriſt blow will hit thine enemie either head or face, if his points lie anie thing open, or on either ſide of his head, if he doe looke ouer either of his weapons: for although he doe ſee it comming neuer ſo plaine, yet he cannot preuent it, if hee had Argus eies, if his weapons be but an inch too lowe, but if your enemie doe lie more open, then you may charge him with a halfe blow, or a full quarter blow▪ but the quarter blow ſerueth beſt for the legge. If thine enemie doe incroach or gather in vponupon thee, then ſtrike downe to his legge and beare vp thy Dagger ouer thy head, with the point ſomething ſloping towards thy right ſhoulder, for ſo thy Dagger will ſaue thy head, and the point of thy Sword will hit him on the legge in his owne comming, and the vpper part of thy Sword will defend thine owne legge, if he charge thee in thine owne aſſault; but ſo ſoone as thou haſt ſtricken thy blow, recouer thy guard haſtily againe: the quarter blowe doth fetch a compaſſe about the head, that although hee come ſtrong, it is not ſo quick as many other: now there is a waſhing blowe, which the vnskilfull do vſe much, and with that blow thou maieſt hit thy enemie vnderunder the Dagger arme, if he be not skilfull, with his Back-ſword, for there is no other defence for it, but the Backe-ſword onelie.
Then there is a whirling blow, & that is after thou haſt weft thy Sword, or flouriſhed him ouer thine head twice or thrice, thou mayeſt deliuer thy blowe, either to the head or legge, or to what place thou ſeeſt moſt for thine aduantage, for it is ſuch an vncertaine blow, that he muſt be a good player that defendeth it.
Alſo there is a backe blow which is to be made two waies, the one is a plaine Dunſtable way, that is, to fetch thy ſword frō off thy left ſhoulder, & ſo to ſtrike it to the right ſide of thy enimies head, or to the outſide of his right leg, but the cunningeſt way is to bow thy Sword-elbow ioynt, & with thy knuckles vpward, and thy Sword hilt ſo high as your eare, and then by turning of your ſword hand wriſt, bend, or proffer the point of thy Sword with a blow towards your enemies Dagger eare, but preſently turning your wriſt, bringing the middeſt of your Sword cloſe ouer the crowne of thy head, and with a compaſſe blow, ſtriking it home to his Sword eare, or to the outſide of his legge: I cannot with wordes make this blowe ſo plaine as I would, for I would gladly the ignorant ſhould vnderſtand it, for of all the blowes of true play, this is the beſt, for you may likewiſe faine it vntounto the out-ſide of your enemies head, and ſtrike it home to the other, or vntounto his ſide.
Here followeth the falſe play at Sword and Dagger.
IF your enemie be in this guard, as I hauehave heere deſcribed by falſe play, you may cauſe him to open his guard, but if he lie vponupon any other guard, then you neede not to falſifie, for you may hit him with true play.
If you would hit your enemie on the right ſide of the head, then ſtrike a blow to his foote, but ſtrike it ſomewhat ſhort, then preſently bring it with a back blow to his right eare, the which wil be vnguarded, by reaſon of the carrying his Sword to ſaue his left ſide, if hee be not the better grounded with experience.
And if you would hit him on the ſide of his head, then thruſt a full thruſt at his bellie, turning your knuckles inward, and hee will put downe his Dagger to defend it, but then, ſo ſoone as you hauehave offered your thruſt, preſently bring vp your Sword cloſe vp by the out-ſide of his Dagger elbow, and with a wriſt blow ſtrike him on the eare or head, keeping your knunckles inward, till the blow be deliuered: with this blow you may hit a good Player, but indeed it is not a very ſtrong blow. Now to hit thy enemie in the foote, is to thruſt two or three thruſts ſhort at his face, and then fall it downe to the legge or the foote with a blow, for the feare of the daungering of his face with a thruſt will make him forget his legge.
Another way is to ſtrike a backe blow ſtrongly to his Sword eare, and preſently fall it downe to his foote, for hee ſeeing it come to his head, not one in twentie, but will wincke, and before he open his eies againe, you may hit him vponupon his foote or legge.
But the chiefeſt blow of all for the legge, is to lift vp the heele of your Sword hand higher then your head, and tip in the point ouer your enemies Sword, as though you would hit him in the right eie, but preſently bring downe your Sword with a full blowe to the in-ſide of his legge, for this blow in offering aloft loft, will ſure make him winke and deceiue a skilfull man, and if in the lifting vp of your Sword, you ſay, Beware your foote, it will ſerue to him, that you go about to hit him on the head, ſo hee will lift vp his weapons to ſaue the head, but this blow being cunningly deliuered commeth downe to the legge, with ſuch celeritie and violence, that hee cannot preuent it, except hee hath beene vſed to it with much practiſe, but it ſeldome miſſeth if it be cunningly deliuered.
Yet there is another deceitfull blow for the legge or foote, that is, to ſtrike a backe blow to the ſword care (as before-ſaide) ſtepping out your foote with our blow alittle, and ſee that your blow reach but to his Sword, it is enough, but haſtily plucke backe your foote, and your Sword in their place, and prouide to charge him with a blow to the foote, as hee cōmeth in to anſwer your firſt blow: now in ſtriking at his legge, be alittle before hand; for as he maketh a motion of lifting vp his Sword to charge you, ſtep in with the ſame motion, and in falling your point to his legge, you ſaue your owne legge, if he do ſtrike at your legge, then the Dagger muſt at ſuch a time, defend your head ſingle, which you may very well doe, if you beare him alittle the higher, but withall, turne the Dagger point downe towardes the right ſhoulder.
Alſo, you may deceiue ſome, with caſting your eies downe, and looking to his foote, and preſently ſtrike it home to his head, for with your eie you may deceiue him which is not perfect in this deceit.
Certaine reaſons why thou maiſt not ſtrike with thy weapon in fight.
THe firſt danger is deſcribed following the firſt picture in this booke, and in this manner, the defend or is to take the blow double, or on the Back-ſword onelyonly, and then preſently to charge him againe with the point, with the which the defender may hit the ſtriker in the face, breſt or thigh, as he will himſelfe, the like may be done with a ſtaffe, firſt, defend the blow, and anſwere quick with a thruſt.
The next danger, if it be with a ſword, is this, thou maiſt breake or bow him, or he may ſlip out of the hilts, any of theſe dangers may happen at the very firſt blow that thou ſtrikeſt, and if it be a ſtaffe it may likewiſe be broken, or the pike may flie out, and then thou art not aſſured whether thy enemy vponupon ſuch an occaſion will take the aduantage vponupon thee, if ſuch a chance doe fall out, therefore beware of ſtriking.
An other hazard by ſtriking is vntounto the ſtriker, if his enemie the defender doe but ſlippe his blow by a little with-drawing of his body backe, euen as hee ſeeth the blow come, and ſo I ſay by a little withdrawing the body, and alſo by plucking in his weapons, he that ſtriketh the blow will ouer-ſway his body beyond the compaſſe of true defence, and ſo the blow being paſt, charge him preſently with a thruſt, for he that ſtriketh his blow will carrie his body in a manner round, ſo that the blow be not defended, but let ſlippe, as aforeſaid, and then you may hit him in the backe, either with a blow or thruſt, if you take your opportunity in making a quicke anſwere, as more at large of this ſlight I hauehave ſhewen in the falſe play at each weapon, alſo diuers reaſons here and there in this booke, concerning the diſaduantage of a blow.