A bibliography of English military books up to 1642 and of ...
A bibliography of English military books up to 1642 and of ...
A bibliography of English military books up to 1642 and of ...
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fedt Rules the manner <strong>and</strong> forme how a man without other<br />
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may safelie h<strong>and</strong>le all sortes <strong>of</strong> Weapons<br />
|<br />
Teacher or |<br />
Master<br />
aswell <strong>of</strong>Fensiue as defensiue :<br />
or Falsinge : And with a waie or<br />
|<br />
|<br />
With<br />
a Treatise Of Disceit<br />
|<br />
meane by priuate Industrie<br />
<strong>to</strong> obtaine<br />
|<br />
Strength, Judgement <strong>and</strong> A6liuitie.<br />
| |<br />
First written in Italian by the fore-<br />
|<br />
said Author, And <strong>English</strong>ed<br />
by I. G. gentleman. Printed at London<br />
| for I. L <strong>and</strong><br />
I<br />
are <strong>to</strong> be sold<br />
\<br />
within Temple Barre at the Signe <strong>of</strong> the H<strong>and</strong><br />
|<br />
<strong>and</strong> Starre<br />
\ 1594.<br />
|<br />
Quar<strong>to</strong>.<br />
Collation. Tp., IFi.—Ded. <strong>to</strong> Lord Borrow, subs. Thomas Churchyard,<br />
ir2.—Author's Ded. <strong>and</strong> Pref., 113-4.— "Advertisement" <strong>to</strong> the Reader,<br />
iriri-2.—20 woodcut ills.—R.H., varied.—No pag.—Sigs. in 4% H, HIT<br />
(2 ff.), A-R2, Aa-Ee. Very rare.<br />
Copies. B.M. ; Ashburnham ; Bod,<br />
Contents. Di Grassi was employed in Treviso as a fencing master. He<br />
had intended, he says in his Ep. Ded., <strong>to</strong> write a treatise on the use <strong>of</strong> arms<br />
on horseback, but I am not aware that he aftually did so. This translation<br />
was the first book printed in Engl<strong>and</strong> on the Art <strong>of</strong> Defence. The unknown<br />
writer <strong>of</strong> the " advertisement " states that fighting with the sword <strong>and</strong><br />
buckler had been lately discontinued in Engl<strong>and</strong>, the sword being not much<br />
regarded save by serving-men. The rapier was generally used instead, being<br />
a weapon more feared, because most perilous. The following is a summary<br />
<strong>of</strong> the contents as given on 111122 : The single Rapier, or single Sworde.<br />
The rapier <strong>and</strong> dagger, etc. The rapier <strong>and</strong> Cloak, etc. The sword <strong>and</strong><br />
buckler. The sword <strong>and</strong> square target. The sword <strong>and</strong> round target. The<br />
case <strong>of</strong> rapiers. The two-h<strong>and</strong>ed sword. The weapons <strong>of</strong> the staff, as the<br />
bill, partisan, halberd, javelin. Part II. is on "Falsing," l.e.^ on delivering<br />
blows <strong>and</strong> thrusts, intended, not <strong>to</strong> hit home, but <strong>to</strong> put an opponent <strong>of</strong>f his<br />
guard.<br />
The greater number <strong>of</strong> <strong>books</strong> on the sword, especially <strong>of</strong> the Spanish, are<br />
extremely rare ; for as text-<strong>books</strong> on an art necessary for all gentlemen, they<br />
were in continual use, <strong>and</strong> the impressions were soon bought <strong>up</strong> <strong>and</strong> thumbed<br />
<strong>to</strong> pieces.^<br />
Of many <strong>of</strong> those mentioned by bibliographers there are now no<br />
copies in existence, <strong>and</strong> they are known only by notices in later authors.<br />
This has been the fate <strong>of</strong> the works <strong>of</strong> Jaime Pons de Perpignan, Pedro de<br />
la Torre, <strong>and</strong> Francisco Roman among the Spaniards, <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> Moccio (i 509)<br />
<strong>and</strong> Luca (1500-1532) among the Italians; the writings <strong>of</strong> others again<br />
remain <strong>to</strong> this day in MS. Marozzi's is thus the earliest book <strong>of</strong> fence ex-<br />
*<br />
Enrique de Leguina's "Libro de Esgrima," Madrid, 1891, 8°.<br />
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