Giacomo di Grassi his True arte of defence plainlie teaching by infallable demonstrations, apt figures and perfect rules the manner and forme how a man without other teacher or master may safelie handle all sortes of weapons aswell offensiue as defensiue: vvith a treatise of disceit or falsinge: and with a waie or meane by priuate industrie to obtaine strength, iudgement and actiuitie. First written in Italian by the foresaid author, and Englished by I.G. gentleman.

Title

Giacomo di Grassi his True arte of defence plainlie teaching by infallable demonstrations, apt figures and perfect rules the manner and forme how a man without other teacher or master may safelie handle all sortes of weapons aswell offensiue as defensiue: vvith a treatise of disceit or falsinge: and with a waie or meane by priuate industrie to obtaine strength, iudgement and actiuitie. First written in Italian by the foresaid author, and Englished by I.G. gentleman.

Author

Grassi, Giacomo di.

Publication

Printed at London :: [By G. Shaw?] for I. I[aggard] and are to be sold within Temple Barre at the signe of the Hand and Starre,

1594.

Rights/Permissions

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Subject terms

Swordplay -- Early works to 1800.

Link to this Item

https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A02044.0001.001 content_copy

Cite this Item

"Giacomo di Grassi his True arte of defence plainlie teaching by infallable demonstrations, apt figures and perfect rules the manner and forme how a man without other teacher or master may safelie handle all sortes of weapons aswell offensiue as defensiue: vvith a treatise of disceit or falsinge: and with a waie or meane by priuate industrie to obtaine strength, iudgement and actiuitie. First written in Italian by the foresaid author, and Englished by I.G. gentleman." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A02044.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 2, 2024. content_copy

Contents

• title page
• To the Right Honorable my L. Borrow Lord Gouernor of the Breil, and Knight of the most ho∣norable order of the Garter, T. C. wisheth con∣tinuall Honor, worthines of mind, and learned knowledg, with increas of worldlie Fame, & hea∣uenlie felicitie.
• The Authors Epistle vnto diuers Noble men and Gentle-men.
• The Author, to the Reader.
• An Aduertisement to the curteous reader.
• table of contents
• treatise
  • The true Art of Defence exactlie teachinge the manner how to handle wea∣pons safelie, aswel offensiue as defen∣siue, With a Treatise of Disceit or Falsing, And with a mean or waie how a man may practise of himselfe to gett Strength, Iudgement, and Actiuitie.
    • The meanes how to obtain Iudgement.
    • The diuision of the Art.
    • Of the Sword.
      • The diuision of the sword.
      • subsection
      • subsection
      • Of the Agreement of the Foot and Hand.
      • Of wardes
        • The high ward.
        • The broad ward.
        • The low Ward.
      • The manner how to strike.
      • VVhen it is better to strike with the edge.
    • The meanes to defend
    • The methode which shalbe vsed in handling the Chapters following.
      • The hurt of the high warde at single Rapier.
      • The defence of the thrust of the high warde at single Rapier.
      • The hurt of the broad warde at single Rapier.
      • The Defence of the broad VVard at single Rapier.
      • The hurt of the Lowe warde at single Rapier.
      • The Defence of the Lowe warde at single Rapier.
    • The Rapier and Dagger.
      • Of the Wardes.
      • How to defend with the Dagger.
      • The offence of the High warde at Rapier and Dagger.
      • Of the defence of high VVarde at Rapier and Dagger.
      • The hurt of the broad ward: at Rapier and Dagger.
      • The defence of the broad warde at Rapier and Dagger.
      • The hurt of the lowe warde at Rapier and dagger.
      • The defence of the lowe warde at Rapier & Dagger.
    • The Rapier and Cloake.
      • The manner how to handle the Cloake.
      • An Aduertisement concerning the warding and wrapping of the Cloake.
      • The hurt of the high ward at Rapier and Cloke
      • The defence of the thrust, right and reuersed blowes of the high warde at Rapier and Cloake.
      • The hurt of the broad warde, at Rapier and Cloake.
      • The defence of the broad warde, at Rapier and Cloake.
      • Of the hurt of the lowe warde, at Rapier and Cloake.
      • Of the defence of the lowe VVarde at Rapier and Cloak.
    • section
      • Of the Sworde and Buckler.
      • Of the Forme of the Buckler.
      • The manner how to handle the Buckler.
      • Of the hurt of the high warde at Sword & Buckler.
      • Of the defence of the high warde at Sworde & Buckler.
      • Of the hurt of the broad VVarde, at Sworde and Buckler.
      • The defence of the broad warde at Sword and Buckler.
      • The hurt of the lowe warde at Sworde and Buckler.
      • The defence of the lowe warde, at Sword & buckler.
    • section
      • Of the Sworde & Target, called the Square Target.
      • The manner how to holde the square Target.
      • The hurt of the high warde, at Sworde & square Target.
      • The defence of the high warde, as Sworde & square Target.
      • The hurt of the broad warde, at Sworde and square Target.
      • The defence of the broad warde, at Sworde and Square Target.
      • Of the hurt of the lowe warde, at Sworde and Square Target.
      • Of the defence of the high warde at Sworde and square Target.
    • Of the Sword and rounde Target.
      • Of the maner how to holde the round Target.
      • The hurt of the high warde, at sworde and round Target.
      • The defence of the high warde, at Sword & round Target.
      • The hurt of the broad warde, at Sworde & round Target.
      • The defence of the broad warde, at Sword & round Target.
      • The hurt of the lowe warde, at Sword & round Target.
      • Of the defence of the lowe warde, at Sword and round Target.
    • Of the Case of Rapyers.
      • The manner how to handle two Rapiers.
      • Of the high ward at two Rapiers.
      • Of the hurt of the broad warde at the two Rapyers.
      • Of the defence of the broad ward at the two Rapyers.
      • Of the hurt of the low ward at the two Rapyers.
      • Of the defence of the low ward at the two Rapyers.
    • Of the Two hand Sword.
      • Of the maner how to handle the Two hand Sword, in single combat.
      • Of the defence of the high ward, at the two hand sword.
      • Of the hurt of the low ward, at the two hand sworde.
      • The defence of the low warde, at the two hand sword.
    • Of the weapons of the Staffe, namely, the Bill, the Partisan, the Holbert, and the Iauelin.
      • Of the Partesan.
      • Of Bill against Bill, Holberd against Holberd, or Holberd against Bill.
      • How to strike with the Holberd.
      • Of the defence of the heele, or blunt ende of the Holberd.
      • Of the hurt and ward of the Iauelyn.
      • Of the defence of the thrustes of the Iauelyn.
      • Of the Partisan.
    • Of the Pike
      • The manner how to handle the Pyke.
      • For what cause the Pike maketh greater passage with the point then any other shorter weapon.
      • Of the wardes of the Pike.
      • Of the maner how to strike in the said wardes.
      • Of the defence of the wardes.
  • THE Second Part intreatinge of De∣ceites and Falsinges of Blowes and Thrustes.
    • Deceits or Falsings of the single Sword, or single Rapier
      • Generall aduertisementes concerning the defences.
      • Of sword and dagger, or Rapier and dagger.
      • Of Sword and Cloke, or Rapier and Cloke.
      • Of Sword and buckler, square Target and round Target.
      • An aduertisement concerning the defences of the false of the round Target.
      • Of the falses of the two Swordes: or Rapiers.
      • An aduertisement concerning the defences of the two Swordes, or Rapiers.
      • Of the two hand sword
      • The Defences of the two Hand sword.
      • Of the Partesan, Bil, Iauelin and Holberde.
      • Of the Pike.
      • The defences of the deceites of the weapons of the Staffe.
    • How a man by priuat practise may obtain strength of bodie therby
      • Of the exercise and strength of the armes.