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Page:DiGraſsi his true Arte of Defence (Giacomo di Grassi) 1594.pdf/9

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An Aduertisement to the curteous reader.

GOod Reader, before thou enter into the discourse of the hidden knowledge of this honourable excerise of the weapon now layd open and manifested by the Author of this worke, & in such perfectnes translated out of the Italian tongue, as all or most of the marshal mynded gentlemen of England cannot but commend, and no one person of indifferent iudgement can iustly be offended with, seeing that whatsoeuer herein is discoursed, tendeth to no other vse, but the defence of mans life and reputation: I thought good to aduertise thee that in some places of this booke by reason of the aequiuocation of certaine Italian wordes, the weapons may doubtfully be construed in English. Therefore sometimes fynding this worde Sworde generally vsed, I take it to haue beene the better translated, if in steede thereof the Rapier had beene inserted: a weapon more vsuall for Gentlemens wearing, and fittest for causes of offence and defence: Besides that, in Italie where Rapier and Dagger is commonly worne and vsed, the Sworde (if it be not an arming Sworde) is not spoken of. Yet would I not the sence so strictly to be construed, that the vse of so honourable a weapon be vtterly