This is a transcription from the second part of di Grassi's (1594) His True Art of Defense. No spelling, punctuation, or grammar has been altered in any way. The only difference is the formatting which has changed due to the difference in width in the original text as compared to the transcription. This has been posted as a public service, anyone who would be interested in a more convenient version is free to contact me with regard to this.
Cheers,
Henry.
Of the falſes of the two Swordes: or Rapiers
THEIS kind of weapons haue ſo great libertie of ſtriking
and warding, and are ſo entermedled the one with the other, as no other ſorte
of weapon is, which I may compare with theis. There may be framed an infinite
cõpanie of wardes with theis weapons, and all of them ſure, except two, which
are framed and borne without, and are theis as followeth.
To bear both ſwords with their
points backward: for this maner of warding, is as if one would of purpoſe cauſe
himſelfe to be ſlaine: or elſe to beare both aloft, which a many may hardlie
ſuſtaine, conſidering the paizes of the ſword are naturally heauie and tend
downewards, ſo that the armes are much cumbred thereby. Therefore from theis
two which are framed without, ſhalbe laide downe, all thoſe which may be founde
and may be framed in the handling of theis weapons: as for example, high
wardes, lowe, wide, latered, diminiſhed, and al thoſe wards which are mixt, as
to frame with one ſworde the high warde, with the other the broad warde, and to
frame the lowe and broad warde, the high and lowe ward, two lowe wardes, and
two broade wardes: but yet theſe laſt two are as painfull as the two high
wardes, and therefore ſhall not be vſed. Moreouer, a man may beare one ſworde
with the poynte forwards, and the other backewards, and may further, verie
eaſely finde out and practiſe diuers other waies, if he conſider in how manie
waies a man may moue his hands, his armes, his feete, and his whole perſon: for
each of theis motions are ſufficient of themſelues, to alter the warde. In all
theis wardes, he may with either hande and ſword, practiſe to falſe againſt the
enemie, ſometimes by fayning, ſometimes by diſcouerie. And this is properlie
belonginge to theis weapons, to wit, to falſe with one, and to ſtrike home,
either with the ſelfe ſame, or with the other weapon: & likewiſe diſcouerwith
the one, and ward with the ſelfe ſame, or with the other, which neuer yet to
this daie was or might be done with any other weapon. For in the handling of
other weapons, that which falceth, doth in like manner ſtrike home, ſo that of
force, there are ſpent two times: for which conſideration men hold opinion,
that falſing is occaſion both of great hurte, and alſo of loſſe of time. But
yet this happeneth not in theſe weapons, which foraſmuch as they are two, and
are of equall power both in ſtriking and defending, may be handled both after
one faſhion. And preſuppoſing alwaies that one is as skilful to handle the one
aſwel as the other, he may diſcharge at ſelfe ſame time two thruſtes, two
edgeblowes, both right & reuerſed.
But if he would exerciſe himſelfe
onelie in ſporte & plaie, he ſhal then continually vſe to ſtrike his enimie
with one, and defend his perſon with the other. Therefore when one dealeth
againſt an enemie that hath two ſwords, one of which maie alwaies encreaſe a
pace, and ſtrike either with a thruſt, or with the edge, from that ſword he muſt
take heede to warde himſelfe, for it is verie forcible, and alwaies bringeth
great daunger and perill with it: The other ſworde which was before, maketh no
increſe of pace and therefore cannot ſtrike more then the defence & ſtrength
of the arme will beare, and that is weake to ſtrike, but yet verie ſtrong to
defend: and the ſelfe ſame accidentes and qualities, which are found to be in
the enimie, are incident alſo to ourſelues. Wherefore when one findes that he ſtandeth
with his right foot before, be it in any warde whatſoeuer, he may falſe with
the forſword and ſtrik home with the ſame, or elſe he may falſe with his hinder
ſword, & ſtrike with the ſelfe ſame: or elſe after a third waie, to wite,
to falſe with the one, and hit home with the other: And this kind of falſe,
doth more properlie beling to the two ſwords then any other, but yet he muſt
take heede and verie well remember that whileſt he falceth with the one, and
would alſo ſtrike home with the ſame, that he beare the other directly oppoſite
againſt the enimie. For whileſt the enimy is bound to warde the falſe, and
homeblowe of the one ſwordm he may come in with the other and ſtrike, if he finde
any place either diſcouered or eaſie to enter: So that bearing this rule
continuallie in remembrance, which is in the fight of two ſwords, to beare
alwaies the one directly againſt the enimie, to the entent to hinder him, that
he reſolue not himſelf to enter, he ſhall indeuour to falſe, ſometimes with the
one, and ſometimes with the other ſword, ſome times a thruſt, ſome times an
edgeblowe, and then to driue it home, either with the ſame ſword that falceth,
or elſe with the other. But in practiſe, and doing all of this, it is required
that he be of deepe iudgement, knowing preſently vpon the falſe, what parte of
the bodie the enimie diſcouereth, increaſing thither, and inueſting the enimie
with that ſword which is moſt nigh to that parte, and with the which he may moſt
ſafelie ſtrike.
And it is to be conſidered, that it
is a verie ſtrong & ſhort waie of ſtriking, to falſe with the fore ſworde
either a thruſt or an edgeblowe, and to falſe them not once or twice, but
diuers times, now alofte, now beneath, ſometimes with a thruſt, ſome times with
an edgeblowe, to the entent, to blinde and occupie the enimies both ſwords, and
at the laſt when fit occaſiõ ſerueth, to ſtrike it home with the hinder ſworde:
but yet alwaies with the encreaſe of pace. The falce which may be practiſed
with the hinder ſword, is vnprofitable being made without the motion of a pace,
for it is ſo ſhorte that it is to no purpoſe. Therefore it cannot buſie the
enemies ſwordes in ſuch manner, that it may force him either to diſcouer or diſorder
his bodie. From whence it may be gathered, that after this falſe of the hinder ſword,
it is not ſure plaie to ſtrike either with theſelfe ſame hinder ſword, or elſe
with the fore ſword, becauſe the enimie was neither in any parte diſcouered or
troubled. The beſt thing therefore that may be don, if one would falſe with the
hinderſword, is, to driue either a thruſt or an edgeblow, reſolutelie ſtriking
with the encreaſe of a pace, and as the enimie moueth to defend him ſelfe, to ſtrike
with the ſame ſworde, in ſome place that is diſcouered: For he cannot ſtrike
with the other ſword, for that by meanes of the encreaſe of the hinder ſword,
that ſword which was before, remaineth now behinde, So that it may not ſtrike,
except it encreaſe of pace, and to encreaſe againe, were to ſpende much time.
Therefore when one endeuoreth with the encreaſe of a place to force his ſword
within, he ſhall aſſaie to ſtrike it home, with the ſelfe ſame ſword becauſe as
I haue before ſaid, to ſtrike with the other were to long. Wherefore I wil laie
downe this for a rule, in the handling of theis weapons, that if a man falſe
with the foreſword, he may alſo ſtrik home with the ſame, or elſe with the other,
ſo that he increaſe a pace. And if he falſe with the hinder ſword, he ſhall preſently,
and reſolutely force the blow home with the ſame ſword, but yet with the increaſe
of a pace: but if he doe not fullie deliuer it, he ſhall againe procure
immediatly to ſtrike home with the ſelfe ſame ſword, either with a thruſt, or
edgeblowe, be it high or lowe, as at that inſtant ſhall be moſt commodius to ſerue
the turne.
An Aduertiſement concerning the
defences of the two Swordes, or Rapiers.
IN ſport or plaie
one may ſtande euerie waie againſt the enimie, to witte, if the enimie be on
high, to ſettle himſelfe at his warde, lowe or broad. But it is more gallant to
beehold and more commodius indeed to place himſelf againſt thenimy in the very ſelf
ſame manner as he findeth him, with the ſelfſame foote before, and in the very ſame
ſite that he is in, either high or lowe. For ſtanding in ſuch manner, the
enimie may hardly endeuour with his falſe, to troble or buſie both ſwords. And
moreouer it muſt be conſidered, that the fore ſworde is that which wardeth both
falſes, and reſolute blowes, the which it doth verie eaſily perfourme: For it
be borne aloft, then by bending of the point down, it defendeth that part of
the bodie, to which it is turned. Remembring therefore theſe rules, which are,
to ſtand euery way as the enimie doth, & to warde his falſes or blowes
come: then as ſoone as he hath warded them with the fore-ſworde, he ſhall
encreaſe a ſlope pace, & with the hinder ſworde deliuer either a thruſt at ſome
diſcouered place, either a right blowe with the edge at the legges, or els
(which is better) ſhall fetch a reuerſe, either athwart the face, or els
athwart the armes, and this blowe doth moſt eaſily ſpeede: for the enimies
fore-ſworde is occupied, and his hinder ſworde cannot come to oppoſe it ſelfe
againſt this blowe: neither may it ſo eaſily ſtrike, becauſe (by encreaſe of
the foreſaid ſlope pace) the bodie is moued out of the ſtraight lyne, ſo that
the enimie may not ſo commodiouſly ſtrike with his hinder ſword, but that he ſhalbe
firſt ſtricken on the face or on the armes.
Wherefore, let euery man reſolue himſelfe,
(as ſoone as he hath encountred the enimies ſword with his owne foreſworde)
that he ſtep in and ſtrike with his hinderſworde. Neither, let him ſtand in
feare of the enimies hinder ſworde: for either it cannot hurt becauſe the bodie
is voyded (as I haue ſaide,) or els, if it may, it muſt preſently prouide to ſtand
to his defence, and thereto is ſo bound, that it may do no manner of hurte.
