di Grassi's Rapier and Cloak - The Second Part

Greetings,

This is an unusual case, as  there is a second part to the most recent blog which has been posted on di Grassi's Rapier and Cloak. Many people who read about di Grassi's Rapier and Cloak either only read the first part found in his manual or read on the second part. In order to understand the proper and complete operation of the use of the cloak it is necessary to have both. Thus what is presented below is di Grassi's information about the use of the cloak from "The Second Part intreatinge of Deceites and Falfinges of Blowes and Thruftes".

As with the previous presentations of period works, all of the spelling and punctuation has been kept as it was in the original. All of the previous mentions of the conditions of the previous presentations of di Grassi's work thus also apply to this one. Enjoy.

Cheers,

Henry.

Of Sword and Cloke, or Rapier and Cloke

For to diſceyue the enimie with the cloake, it is neceſſarie to know how many waies in may ſerue the turne, and to be skilfull how to fould it orderly about the arm, and how to take aduantage by the largenes thereof: and farther to vnderſtand how to defend, and how to offend and hinder the enimie therewith, becauſe it fales not out alwaies, that men fight with their cloake wrapped about the arm, and the ſword in hand, Therefore it is the parte of a wiſe man, to knowe alſo how to handle the cloake after any other manner.

            Wherefore one may get the aduãntage of the cloke, both when it is about his bodie, and when it is folded about his arme: The cloke being about the arme in this maner. When it chaunceth any man to bicker with his enimie, with whom he as at poynt to ioyne, but yet happelie weareth about him at that inſtant no kind of weapon, whereas his enimie is weaponed, & threateneth him, then by taking both ſides of the cloake as neare the coller as is poſsible, he may draw it ouer his owne head, and throwe it at his enimies face, who then being intanglerd and blinded therewith, may either be throwen downe, or disfurniſhed of his weapon very eaſely by him that is nimble, eſpecially if he haue to deale againſt one that is ſlow. A man may after an other manner take the aduantage of the cloake which the enimie weareth, by taking with one hande both ſides thereof, neere the coller; which ſides being ſtrongly holden, cauſe the cloak to be a ginne or ſnare about the enimies necke, the which ginne being violently haled, and plucked with one hande, he may fo forciblie ſtrike him with the other on the face or viſage, that he will goe neere hande to breake his necke.

            There be manie other waies whereby one may preuaile with the cloake, to the greateſt parte whereof, men of meane iudgement may eaſely attaine vnto. Therefore when one hath his cloake on his arme, and ſword in his hand, the aduantage that he getteth thereby, beſides warding of blowes, for that hath bene declared in the true arte is, that he may moleſt his enimie by falſing to fling his cloake, and then to flinge it in deed. But to falſe the flingyng of the clok is verie daungerous, becauſe it may not be done but in long time. And the verie flinging of the cloake, is as it were a preparation to get the victorie, and is in a manner rather true art then deceit, cõſidering it is don by the [ſtrenght] ſtreyght or ſome other ſhorte line: neither for any other cauſe is this the rather here laide downe, in deceite, then before in true arte, then for that when one ouercometh by theis meanes, he ſeemes not to conquere manfully, becauſe he ſtrikes the enimie before blinded with the cloake, wherefore when one mindeth to flinge his cloake, he may either do it from and with his arme, or elſe with his ſword: and in ſo doing it is neceſſarie, that he haue not the cloake too much wrapped about his arme: I ſaie, not aboue twice, neither to hold it ſtreight of faſt with his hande, that thereby he may be the better able when occaſion ſerueth to fling it the more eaſelie. If therefore he would fling it with his arme, and haue it goe with ſuch fury, and make ſuch effect as is required, he muſt of force ioyne to the flinging thereof the increaſe of a pace, on that ſide where the cloake is, but firſt of all he muſt incounter, either finde, either ſo enſure the enimies ſword, that by the meanes of the increaſe of that pace it may do no hurte.

            And it is requiſite in euerie occaſion, that he finde himfelſe to ſtand without: and when either an edgeblow or a thruſt comes, be it aboue or in the middle, as ſoone as he hath warded it with his ſword, he ſhall increaſe a pace and fling his cloake, how ſoeuer it be folded, either from the coller, either from any other parte, or elſe to hale it off from his ſhoulder, although it bee on his ſhoulder: and in this order it is eaſelie throwne, & is thereby the more widned in ſuch ſort, that the enimie is more entangled and ſnared therewith.

            Concerning he flinging of the cloake with the ſword, I ſaie, it may be throwen either with the point, either with the edge: with the poynt when one ſtandeth at the lowe warde with the right foote behinde, an the cloake before: In which caſe the cloake would be well and thicke doubled and placed on the arme, but not wrapped. And in ſteed of driuing a thruſt with the poynt which ſhalbe hidden behinde the cloake, he ſhal take the cloake on the poynt of the ſworde, and with the increaſe of a pace, force it at the enimies face. And in this manner the cloake is ſo forciblie, and ſo couertly deliuered and flinged, that the enimie is neither a ware of it, neither can avoyde it, but of force it lighteth on his face, by meanes whereof, he may be ſtroken at pleaſure in any parte of the bodie.

            The cloake may be flong or throwen with the edge of the ſworde, when one ſtandeth at the lowe warde, with the poynt of the ſword turned backewardes, one the left ſide and the cloake vpon it, folded at large vpon he arme vp to the elbowe: but not faſt wrapped about it, and whileſt he falſeth a reuerſe, he may take the cloake on the edge of the ſword and fling it towards the enimie, and then ſtrike him with ſuch a blow as ſhal be then moſt fit for his aduantage deliuer.

            Manie other deceites there might be declared of the cloake, aſwell of flinging as of falſing: but becauſe I thinke theſe to be ſuſſicient for an example to frame manie other by, I make an ende.