CHAP. I. Treateth of things that must be knowne before we proceede to the subject it selfe .

FIrst of all we are to know that the Rapier is divided into two parts , namely into the Prime and the Secunde .

The Prime is measured from ●he Hilt to the midst of the Rapier , and being the strongest part , is consequently t● be made onely use of in putting by thrus● or blowes .

The Secunde is taken from the midst 〈◊〉 the Rapier to the point , and being th● weakest of the Rapier is therefore onely 〈◊〉 be used in offending or making of thrusts ▪

As for the posture or the carriage of th● body and ●or making of thy thrusts at thi● adversary , observe with mee these rul● following .

Thy Rapier thou must hold with a be●●ded arme , so that the point of thy Rapi●● bee lineally answerable to thine elbow .

Thy left hand thou art to hold over th● left eye to put by a suddain thrust witha●● which by chance at eyther of thine ey● might be directed .

Thou art only to shew thy right side , 〈◊〉 if thou dost consider with thy selfe , th●● wilt finde it onely advantagious to the● when thou standest upon thy defence , 〈◊〉 it will be something hard for thine adve●●sary to hit thee I must needs confesse , b● if thou meanest to offend thine adversar● it is a small advantage to thee or none 〈◊〉 all ; for first of all , thy thrust thou can●● n●● make with such a force , when thou sta●●dest altogether with a halfe body , as whe● thou shewest something of thy breast ▪ 〈◊〉 ●hen besides , when thou makest a thrust at ●hine adversary stepping forwards with thy right leg towards him thou commest ●o stand with a halfe body , and then if hee did ayme at that part of thy breast which thou didst shew he will misse it , if thou lost but thrust at the selfe same instant his ●hrust approacheth , therefore every discreete Teacher and judicious Master ought ●o leave that free to his Schollers , being ●hat it is a thing of no great moment .

Thy left legge must be something ben●ed , and thy right legge too , but not altogether so much as thy left legge , upon which all the weight of thy body must ●ie .

Thy feete they must be placed not very ●arre from one another , that thou mayst make a long thrust upon any occasion , and ●hey must bee placed like a great Roman 〈◊〉 upwards , or an I turned backward , just ●s in dauncing , that thou mayst have the greater strength in thy left thigh to re●all thy body suddenly when thou hast per●ormed thy thrust .

When thou wilt make a thrust , then ●●retch out thy right arme , and step for●ard with thy right foot and let them ●oth goe together at one and the selfe same ●ime , and when thou steppest forward with thy right foote , but doe not stirre thy left foote ; the weight of thy body must wholly lye upon thy right thigh , as soone as thou hast performed thy thrust , instantly recall thy body againe , so that the weight of thy body come to rest upon thy left thigh againe ( as it did before thou made thy thrust ) not recalling thy right legge , with which thou didst formerly step forwards , but , in the meane while thou bindest him after thy thrust remove by little and little thy left legge towards thy right legge , for thus doing thou canst thrust home at thine adversary againe as soone as thou hast occasion .

Thy thrust thou must make close to thine adversaries Rapier , as if thou wouldest strike fire out of his weapon , which i● thou dost not doe , you will both be hurt i● neither of you have skill ; if one of yo● have but skill , and knoweth to observe this then hee onely will bee endangered tha● doth not thrust close to his adversaries Rapier .

Yet this is not all , but thou must likewise thrust close to the Secunde or weakest part of his Rapier , with thy Prime o● strongest part of thy Rapier , for if thou canst doe that , he cannot put thee by .

When thou dost thrust at thine adversary without , over his right arme , thou must doe it with a Secunde . When thou makest a thrust at thine adversary within , ●hou art to doe it with a Quarte .

Ever when thou hast made a thrust at ●hine adversary , stringere him on the same ●ide thou didest thrust , in the recalling of ●hy body , not removing thy point from his ; for else he may wound thee too upon ●hy comming off .

CHAP. II. The forreigne termes of Art , that doe occurre in this Treatise , are unfolded .

STringering is the touching of thine adversaries point with thy point , which thou art to doe upon any occasion , that ●hou mayst secure thy selfe on eyther side from a thrust , which commonly is termed ●inding .

To Cavere , is to turne thy point under ●hine adversaries Rapier on the other side , when thou art bound , or he doth thrust at ●hee .

Tempo is , that thou takest heed never to make a thrust or blow at thine adversarie , without thou hast a faire opportunity to hit , or requisite measure , that he be within thy reach .

Mensure is the distance betwixt thee and thine adversary , whereof thou art to judge ( if thou canst reach him or no ) before thou thrustest , that thou mayst not offend in vaine .

To Parere , is to decline , to put by , and to turne off a thrust or blow .

Finda is called in the Italian tongue ● deceit or cousnage , and metaphorically brought into fencing , when I doe as if ● would thrust into one part of thy body● and seeing that thou dost catch after my thrust to put me by , I then recalling my point doe thrust somewhere else , at which place I in the beginning did not ayme , be●fore thou strovest to put me by .

To Passere is when thou doest thrust ● thine adversarie without or within to●wards his brest , and hee doth put by th● thrust upwards , and thou in the mean● while hee lifteth up his arme , bowest th● body , and letting thy point sinke down● into a Secunde under his right arme do● passe behind him .

To thrust Contratempo , is to thrust th● selfe same line thine adversarie do● thrust .

To Battere , is to beat or knocke eyther with the Rapier or foote .

To Voltere is , when thine adversary doth thrust at thee , and thou first parering his thrust , doest just upon the approaching of his thrust turne thy body round about towards thy left side out upon thy right leg , so that thy back commeth towards thine adversary , and thy left legge betweene thy right , and thine adversaries right legge , and thrusteth him with a Quarte at his right breast : But this is a trick altogether full of danger , ●unlesse it be used to avoyd the Passade withall .

CHAP. III. Concerning the Guards .

THere are but foure guards according to the foure wayes thou canst turne thy hand , viz. Prime , Secunde , Tertz and Quarte .

The Prime is when thou houldest thy Rapier in such a manner that the outside side of thy hand doth looke towards thy left side out , and the inside of thy hand looke towards thy right side out . This is subdivided into a straight Prime , when thy point looketh straight forwards , and into a hanging Prime , when thy point doth looke towards the ground .

The Secunde is , when thou holdest thy Rapier in such a sort that the outside of thy hand looketh upwards , and the inside of thy hand towards the ground . This is likewise subdivided into a straight Secunde whenthy point looketh straight forwards ; into a hanging Secunde , when thy point looketh downewards towards the ground , and finally into the middle Secunde , when thou holdest thy Rapier with a Secunde and a bowed arme , so that the point of thy Rapier lookes sheere out towards thy left side .

The Tertz is when thou dost holde thy Rapier in such fashion that the outside of thy hand looks towards thy right side out , and the inside of thy hand towards thy left side out .

This againe is subdivided into the High Tertz when thou holdest thy point upwards yet with bended arme , so that thy hilt equallize thy Right breast in height ; into a middle Tertz , when thou holdest thy weapon with a bent arme that the point lookes straight out forwards , so that the Hilt in height equalize thy waste : And lastly into a low Tertz , when thou holdest thy weapon with a straight arme downewards , so that thy Hilt bee equall to thy knee in height , or a little below .

The Quarte is when thou holdest thy Rapier in such a manner with a bended arme , that the outside of thy hand looke downe towards the ground , but the inside upwards . This is likewise subdivided into a straight Quarte when thy point lookes forwards , and into a hanging Quarte when thou holdest thy Rapier with a Quarte and let the point sinke downe .

CHP. IV. How to make use of all the foure guards , and upon what occasion each of them may bee used , as being different from one another .

THe Prima is onely to bee thrusted at the outside of thine adversaries Rapier over his right arme , and is never to be used within , and is the weakest of all the guards .

CHAP. V. Treateth how to stringere right , and of other things that are to be observed here in stringering .

WHen thou art to play with thin● adversary , and dost intend to offend him , thou must eyther assault him with stringering , or with a contra-posture ( whereof wee will heare in the ninth Chapter following ) besides these two wayes there is none other . Yet stringering is the chiefest , which if thou wilt use , it behooveth thee to be very wary that thou mayst not incurre any hazard ; marke therefore these following Rules .

On what side thine adversarie lieth open there thou art to stringere him , not lying too hard upon his Rapier , because hee may let his point suddenly sinke downe , and then thou following his point downewards dost open thy body too much , that hee may easily turne over his point , and thrust thee without over thy right arme , or within , before thou canst recover thy weapon .

If thine adversary lie open without , thou must stringere him without , if hee lie open within , thou must stringere him within .

Towards that side where thou wilt stringere him , thou must steppe : And if thou meanest to stringere him without , then step with thy right legge towards thy right side , and let thy point looke towards thy right side over his Rapier ▪ If thou makest account to stringere thine adversary within , then thou must step with thy left legge towards thy left side , and let the point of thy Rapier looke over his point towards thy left side out .

If he holdeth his weapon so that hee is open on both sides , it is all one , on which side thou dost stringere him .

If thine adversary will not suffer himselfe to be stringer'd , what thou art to doe .

If thine adversary shakes the point of his Rapier from one side to another , because thou shalt not stringere him , make a halfe thrust at him as it were a Finda or falsifying , thus thou doest force him to come to thy Rapier and put by thy thrust ; when he now hath parered thy thrust and is come to thy Rapier , then cavere instantly to the other side of his Rapier where he is open , and stringere him ; when thou hast attained to thy purpose , then follow his Rapier close , according to the 13. Chapt● following .

How to avoyd thine adversaries Stringering .

If thine adversary doth meane to stringere thee eyther without or within , then before he doth touch thy Rapier , lift th● point of thy Rapier over his , and thru●● him either with a Quarte if hee doth prosecute thy Rapier without , or without over his arme with a Secunde , if hee doth prosecute thy Rapier within .

As for Example ,

If thine adversary doth make account to stringere thee without , then lift the point of thy Rapier towards thy right side over his point , and thrust him with a Quarte at the inside of thy Rapier close to the Secunde or weakest part of his weapon .

If hee make a count to stringere thee within , then before hee doth touch thy point with his weapon , lift the point of thy Rapier over his point towards thy left side , and thrust him at the outside of his Rapier with a Secunde at his right breast .

Thou canst likewise avoid stringering with Cavering ; namely , when thine adversary will stringere thee without ▪ then before hee doth touch thy point , cavere or turne thy point from thy left side towards thy right side under his Rapier , and thrust him with a Quarte within at his right breast close to his Secunde or weakest part of his Rapier .

When he will stringere thee within , then turne the point of thy Rapier from thy right side towards thy left side under his Rapier , before he doth touch thy point , and thrust with a Secunde at the outside of his weapon at his right breast .

Else canst thou avoid stringering likewise with making of Finda's , namely , when he will stringere thee without , then before hee doth touch thy Rapier , make a Finda at him within , as if thou didst meane to thrust at him within with a Quarte , as soone as he doth catch after thy thrust towards his left side with his Rapier , then recalling thy point thrust him at the outside of his Rapier over his right arme with a Secunde , at his right breast .

When he will stringere thee within , then before hee doth touch thy Rapier within , make a Finda at him without , as if thou didst intend to thrust over his right arme ; as soone as he doth catch after that , thrust towards his right side , then turne thy point under his Rapier , and thrust him at the inside of his weapon with a Quarte at his right breast .

How thou shalt make thy selfe loose againe when thou art stringered .

If thine adversary hath stringered thee without , then let the point of thy Rapier by degrees sinke downewards , if he then doth follow thy point with his point , Cavere instantly from thy left side towards thy right side under his Rapier , and battiering him first at the inside of his Rapier , thrust with a Quarte at his right breast at the inside of his Rapier .

Or when he followeth thy Rapier without , when thou dost let thy point sinke , then lift the point of thy Rapier from thy left side towards thy right side , over the point of his Rapier , and thrust him with a Quarte at the inside of his Rapier at his right breast .

But if hee will not follow thy Rapier downewards when thou lettest thy point sinke , but makes a thrust at thee , then thrust Secunde Contra-tempo , or at the comming of his thrust at one and the selfesame time , at the outside of his Rapier at his right breast , or else Quarte contra-tempo at the inside of his weapon at his right breast .

If thine adversary hath stringered thee without , then cavere from thy left side towards thy right side under his Rapier , but slowly , and cavering turne thy hand into ● Secunde , then thou art open within yet ●oose from his Rapier , if he then maketh a thrust at thee within , then battiering him first at the inside of his Rapier , thrust him with a Quarte within at his right breast .

But if he doth follow thy Rapier within towards his left side out , then cavere from thy right side towards thy left side under his Rapier , and thrust him with a Secunde without over his right arme , at his right breast .

Or when he doth follow thy point towards his left side with the point of his Rapier , so that thou art not in danger of his point , then let thy point sinke downe under his Rapier , and stepping in Passere him with a Secunde at the inside of his weapon .

If thine adversary hath stringered thee without , then retire , stepping onely backward with thy left legge , in so much that the weight of thy body come wholly to ●ie upon thy left thigh , and when thou steppest backe with thy left legge , draw thine arme to thee in a Secunde bowed , that the point of thy Rapier looke quite out towards thy left side , as soone as hee commeth to stringere thee againe , then cavere from thy left side towards thy right side under his Rapier , and thrust him with a Quarte within at his right breast .

Or when thou hast thus retired , and he commeth to stringere thee againe without , then thrust him over the Secunde or weakest part of his Rapier , with thy Prime or strongest part of thy weapon at the outside of his weapon , over his right arme at his right breast .