be it neuer so great, may with the onely Dagger be sustained and defended, when a man doth boldly encounter it towards the hand.
It is therefore to be knowen, that in the handling of these two weapons one may with lesse danger giue a blowe with the edge then at the single Rapier: For albeit the poynt of the Rapier be moued out of the straight lyne: yet for all that there is not free power giuen to the enimie to strike, considering there is an other weapon contrariwise prepared to defend: but this doth not so fall out at the single Rapier, which bearing it selfe farre off when it striketh with the edge, doth present & giue the meanes to the enimie to hit home first. And yet for all that, I would counsell no man, either in this or in any other sort of weapon to accustome himselfe to giue blowes with the edge: for that he may vnder them be most easily strooken by a thrust.
Of the Wardes.
IN the handling of these weapons, men vse to frame manie wardes, all which, because many of them carrie no reason, for that they are ether out of the streight line, either vnder them a man maie easelie bee stroken, I wil cast aside as impertinent to my purpose, & restrain my self vnto those three with the which a man may safelie strike & defend, wherunto all the rest maie be reduced.
How to defend with the Dagger.
I Haue said elswhere that the left side of the person is that part which the dagger ought to defend, that is
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