Giacomo di Grassi's Case of Rapiers

Greetings,

What appears below is a transcription of Giacomo di Grassi's Case of Rapiers from the 1595 edition of "His True Art of Defence". I have not included the image from the source, but the spelling and punctuation is as close to the original as could possibly be transcribed. Enjoy.

Cheers,

Henry.

Of the Caſe of Rapyers

There are alſo vſed now adaies, aſwell in ſcholles, as in the liſts, two Swordes or Rapiers, admitted, and approued both of Princes and of the profeſſors of this art, for honourable and knightlie weapons, albeit they be not vſed in the warres. Wherefore I ſhall not varie from my purpoſe, if I reaſon alſo of theſe, as faire as is agreeable to to true art. To him that would handle theſe weapons, it is neceſſary that he can aſwell manage the left hand as the right, which thing ſhalbe (if not neceſſarie) yet moſt profitable in euery other kind of weapon. But in theſe principally he is to reſolue himſelfe, that he can do no good, without that kind of nimblenes and dexteritie. For feeing they are two weapons, & yet of one ſelfſame kind, they ought equally and indifferently to be handled, the one performing that which the other doth, & euery of thẽ being apt aſwel to strik as defend. And therefore a man ought to accuſtome his bodie, armes and handes aſwell to ſtrike as defend. And he which is not much practiſed and exerciſede therein, ought not to make profeſsion of this Arte: for he ſhal finde himſelfe to be vtterly deceiued.

The manner how to handle two Rapiers.

It is moſt manifeſt that both theſe weapons may ſtrike in one and the fame time: for there may be deliuered ioyntly togither two downright edge-blowes on high and two beneath: two reuerſes, and two thruſtes, and are ſo rich and plentifull in ſtriking, that it ſeemeth they may be vſed onely to ſtrike. But this ought not to be practiſed, neither may it without great daunger. For all that, whatſoeuer may be done with either of hem, is deuided into ſtriking and defendinge. That this is true, it may be perceiued in the ſingle Sworde, which aſſaieth both to ſtrike and defend. And thoſe who haue taken no ſuch heede, but haue beene bent onely to ſtrike being moued either through coller, either beleeuing, that they had to deale with an ignorant perſon, haue remained therby mightily wounded. Of this, there might be laid downe infinite examples, which I leaue to the entent I may not ſwarue from my purpoſe. I ſaie therefore that of the two Rapiers which are handled, the one muſt be applyed towardes the other to ſtrike, regarding alwaies to vſe that firſt which wardeth, then that which ſtriketh: for firſt a man muſt endeuour to defend himſelfe, and then to ſtrike others.

Of the high ward at two Rapiers.

Preſuppoſing alwaies, that either hand is very well excerciſed, aſwell in ſtriking as in defending, this high ward ſhalbe framed after two waies, which yet in manner is all one. The one with the right foot, the other with the left foot, ſo working continually, that the hinder arme be aloft, the former beneath in maner, as when the lowe warde is framed at the ſingle fword. And as a man ſtriketh, he muſt alwaies maintaine & continue this high warde, which at the two rapiers, is moſt perfect & ſureſt and he may eaſily performe & do it: for whileſt he entereth to giue a high thruſt with his hinder foote, although that foot be behind yet it muſt accompanie the arme vntil it hath finiſhed his thruſt, & ſettled it ſelf in the low ward. The other ſword & hand (which was borne togither with the former foote in the lowe ward) remaining behind by reaſon of the encreaſe of the high thruſt, muſt preſently be lifted vp, & be placed in the ſame high ward.”

            Therefore it is to be noted, that whoſoeuer meaneth to ſhift from this ward & ſtrike, whether it be with his right or left foot, before or behinde, it is requiſite that he ſtand without, & when he would ſtrike, he ſhal firſt proue with his low ſworde, whether he can finde the enimies weapons, & hauing ſuddenly found them, he ſhal nimbly beate them back, and (in a maner) in the ſame inſtant force on a high thruſt, with the increaſe of a pace of the right foot: from the which, if the enimie (for ſauing of himſelfe) ſhal haſtily and directly giue backwards, he ſhal follow him, deliuering preſently the other high thruſt behind, alreadie lifted vp. And this thruſt wil ſafely hit home & ſpeede, becauſe it is not poſsible that one may go faſt backwards, as an other may forwards.

            Farther, aſwel in this ward, as in others, the warde may be framed with the right foote before, & the right arme lifted, & ſo cõtrariwiſe. But becauſe there is ſmal force in this ward both in the feete & handes, which ſtand not comodiouſly either to ſtrike or defend, and ſeeing there is required in the handling of thoſe weapons, great ſtrength and ſtedfaſtnes I haue thought good, not to laie it downe, as to ſmall purpoſe.

The defence of the high warde, &c.

The direct oppoſition & defence of the high warde is the lowe ward, the manner whereof ſhal be ſeen in his proper place. That which principally is to be conſidered (for the lowe warde alſo, in like ſort as the other may be framed after two ſortes) is this, that of neceſſitie a man ſtand with the ſame foote before as the enimie doth, to wit: if he beare the right foot before, to put foorth the right foote alſo, and to endeuour as the enimie doth, to ſtand without, for of both wayes this is of the more aduantage and ſafetie. Finding himſelfe therefore without, in the lowe ward, he muſt not refuſe, but rather ſuffer his ſword to be found and beaten by the enimie: for this doth redowne much more to his own aduantage then to his enimies becauſe the enimie carrieth ſmall force in his low hande wherewith he endeuoureth to finde and beart off the ſword, conſidering it is born to farre off frõ the other: for that which is ſlẽderly vnited, is leffe forcible: whereas ſtanding at the low ward, he bereth both his hands low neere togither and ſufficiently ſtrong. Therfore as ſoone as the enimie hauing beaten back the ſword, ſhal reſolue himſelf to giue a thruſt, he muſt encreaſe a ſlope pace, & with his hinder low ſword, driue the enimies high thruſt outwardes towarde the right ſide, if it chaunce that he were in the low warde with his right foot before, And ſuddenly with the other low ſword behind (which was ſuffered to be beatẽ off by the enimie, becauſe it might turne the more to his diſaduantage: for ſeeing the enimies ſword being ſlenderly vnited, as I haue ſaide before, carried but ſmall force, it was the rather beaten off and diſappointed: So that as ſoone as the ſlope pace is encreaſed, and the ſaide high thruſt warded, before the enimie place his other ſworde alſo in the high warde, hee may with the ſtraight pace of the right foot deliuer a low thruſt continuing ſtill to beate downe the enimies ſworde with his owne lowe ſworde, that is borne before: And this manner of warding is moſt ſafe and ſure: for beſides that it ſtriketh the enimy with the ſlope pace, it doth likewiſe in ſuch fort deliuer the bodie from hurte, that of force the enimie is diſapointed. Neither is there any other ſure waie to warde this high thruſt, being ſo ſtrong, and beſides, hauing ſo great encreaſe of pace.

This manner of defence is moſt ſtrong and ſure, & is done with that ſworde which is fartheſt off. Yet there is another waie, & that is, with the low ſworde before, the which is no leſſe ſtronger and ſure than the other, but yet much ſhorter. For looke in what time the other defendeth, this ſtriketh.

Therefore in the low ward is to be noted, (when the enimie moueth, pretending to beate off the ſword and there withall to enter,) that then the poynt of the ſword before be lifted vpp, keeping the hand ſo ſtedfaſt, that it oppoſe it ſelfe and keepe outwards the enimies high thruſt, and hauing made this barre, to keepe out his weapons, then & in the ſelfſame time, he ſhall encreaſe a ſtraight pace, & with the low ſword behind ſhal ſtrike the enimie in the breſt, to whome it is impoſsible to do any effectual thing, or to auoid the ſaid ſtroke, for that (by meanes of the point of the ſworde lifted vp in maner aforeſaid) both his ſwordes are ſo hindred, that they may not ſafely ſtrike, either with the edge or point.

Of the hurt of the broad warde at the two Rapyers.

            This broad ward, may in the ſelfe ſame maner be framed in two waies, and it may deliuer the ſelf ſame blows, in the one as in the other: This ward is framed with one foote before, and one foote behind, the arme (which is borne on the ſide of the hinder foote) being ſtretched wide & broad outwards. Therfore when one ſtandeth at this ward, and would as ſtrayght and as ſafe a thruſt as is poſſible, he ſhal firſt proue with his low Rapyer, whether he can find the enimies Rapier, which being found, he ſhal turne his fiſt outwards, and force the enimies Rapier ſomuch, that it may do no hurt, and then withall increaſing preſentlie a ſlope pace, ſhall go forewards to ſtrike the enimie in the thigh, with the wide thruſt. He might aſwell alfo thruſt him in the flanke, or in the head, but yet the other thruſt is vſed, becauſe the Rapier, which is directed to the thigh, is in place to hinder the enimies other Rapier to light on the legges.

            And as in the high ward, fo likewiſe in this, he muſt alwaies ſtand without, and hauing deliuered the wide thruſt, he ought preſentlie to widen the other arme, and ſettle himſelfe in the broad ward.

Of the defence of the broad ward at the two Rapyers.

For the defence of the thruſt of the broad ward, it is neceſſarie that a man ſtand at the lowe ward, and there withall diligently obſerue, the mocions of the enimies bodie, how it compaſſeth and paſſeth to and froe, by knowledge and due conſiderations whereof, he may eaſilie defende himſelfe. Yt therefore the right arme be ſtretched out wide, the right foote alſo (being behind) ſhall be in like maner widened, the which, when it increaſeth forwards, ſhall alſo carrie with it the right ſhoulder, voyding alwayes with the left ſide.

And the ſelfe ſame muſt be conſidered, & practiſed, when he ſtandeth at this ward, the contrarie way. That therefore which he muſt doe, for the defence of him ſelfe, ſhalbe to voide that part of his bodie, which may be hurt by the enimies wide and broad thruſt, and to oppoſe himſelfe againſt that part of his enimie, which commeth forwards pretending to ſtrike: And this he ſhall doe, at what time the enimie (finding the ſword) would come forwards in his thruſt. And in the ſelfe fame time, (aſſuring himſelf with his own low ſword) ſhall increaſe a ſlope pace, thereby inueſting and incountring that part of the enimie, which came ſſtriking, and with the which he framed the broad ward. Neither can it be ſafe ſtriking at any other place, for either, he ſhall find nothing to incounter, by meanes of the mocion of the bodie, or els if he do not oppoſe himſelfe againft that ſhoulder of the enimie which carrieth the hurt, he is in hazard to be ſtroken by the enimies broad thruſt.

Of the hurt of the low ward at the two Rapyers.

            The low ward ſhall be framed after two waies, the one with the right foote before, the other with the left, and each of them may ſtrike, either within, either without. The way which ſtriketh within, hath one blow, the way which ſtriketh without hath two, and in all, they are ſixe. I will lay downe but three, becauſe they differ not from the other three, but onelie in the hand and foote, which muſt be placed before, ſo that they are the ſelfe ſame, for I haue alreadie preſuppoſed, that he who taketh vpon him to handle theſe weapons, can aſwell vſe the one hand, as he can the other. He may therefore finde himſelfe to ſtand with his right foote before and within, (I vnderſtand by within, when he beareth one of his ſwordes betwene both his enimies ſwordes, and likewiſe when the enimie carieth one of his, betwene the other two. Yt is likewiſe true, that this alſo may be ſaid within, to witt, when both weapons are borne in the middle betweene the other two. But I ſuppoſe no man ſo fooliſh, who handling theſe weapons, will ſuffer both his ſwordes to be without, being a verie vnſure ward whereof I leaue to ſpeake.

            That therefore, which he is to do, (finding himſelfe with both his rapiers below, & within, with his right foote before, after the ſaid firſt way of being within) ſhalbe, that marking when he may cloſe in the enimies Rapier, betwene the which the enimies rapier ſhall be ſo ſhut in and barred, that it may do no hurt, and one of the two Rapiers, that is to ſay, the right Rapier ſhall paſſe under the enimies rapier, and thruſt ſafelie. And his other Rapier albeit, it may thruſt directly, yet (for the better ſauing of himſelfe, from the enimies other Rapier that is at libertie) he ſhall beare it ſomewhat abaſing his hand, with the point vpwardes, the which point ſhall ſauegarde him, from the enimies ſaid Rapier, although this laſt note, be ſuperfluous. For ſeeing the enimie muſt ward himſelfe from the thruſt that hurteth him, he hath no leaſure, nor happilie mindeth to ſtrike, but onely to defend himſelfe, either by voyding his bodie, or els by ſome other ſhift, which he ſhall then find out.

            The waie of warding without, may ftrike directlie after two waies: The firſt, by beating off the enimies Rapier, with his owne that is before, and by deliuering a thruſt, either at the breſt or head, with the Rapier that is behinde, increaſing therwithall a ſlope pace, and ſetling himſelfe in the low ward, with his left foote before.

            The ſecond is, by taking opportunitie, which he may do, if he be nimble. And he ought with the increaſe of a ſlope pace, to driue the point of his former Rapyer directlie towards the enimie, and aboue the enimies Rapier. And his other owne rapier, which before the increaſe was behind, he muſt force on, under the enimies rapier. And thus, not giuing over, theſe two thruſtes muſt be ſtronglie and nimblie driuen towards the enimie, by meanes whereof being ouertaken, the enimie hath no other remedie to ſafe himſelfe, then to retire backe: for he may not come forwardes, but he muſt runne himſelfe vpon the weapons, and that he will not doe. So then, the enimie retiring himſelfe may be followed, as farre as the increaſe of the right foote will beare, then, ſetling in the low ward.

Of the defence of the low ward at the two Rapyers.

            Al three thruſts of the low ward, by ſtanding at the ſame ward, may eaſilie be warded, and that after one maner. If a man remember firſt to void his bodie from hurt, by the increaſe of a pace, that is verie ſlope, or crooked, either before the enimie commeth thruſting, either as ſoone as he moueth himſelfe for the fame purpoſe, or if he be actiue and nimble to trauerſe, and in defending himſelfe to ſtrike the enimie.

            Therfore when any of the ſame three thruſts come, and before he perceiueth his Rapier to be cloſed, and barred in, he ſhall moue a ſlope pace, to th’entent to auoid himſelfe from hurt, and with his Rapier, which is at libertie, he ſhall go forwards and deliuer a thruſt at the enimies face, which thruſt, doth ſurelie ſpeede, if he be reſolute to enter.