Giacomo di Grassi, "His True Arte of Defence...", 1594
Courtesy of Leuven University Press, email: for more information on obtaining "En Garde! A Selection from the Corble Collection" CD |
The treatise is comprised of 99 images, including front and back covers and a couple dozen illustrations, probably wood cuts. The weapons covered in his treatise include sword, spear and two-handed sword and the pike. He details the principles behind thrusts across all weapons, favouring the thrust over all other forms of attacks by any of the weapons examined. Di Grassi uses several illustrations to describe footwork and angles of attack to ensure success in piercing the body of the opponent.
Any desire to publish this material elsewhere or for profit must be pre-approved by UB München. However, the manuscript is available on the CD in digitized form. Click on the image for more information on ordering the Corble Collection CD. The colour images are courtesy of K.U.Leuven, Universiteitsbibliotheek.
Notice: Click here for details on registering with AEMMA and obtaining your Online Library electronic card.
- The Author's Epistle unto divers Noble men and Gentlemen
- (1) The True Arte of Defense
- (2) Of the Sword
- (3) Of Paces
- (4) Of Striking, Of Defending
- (4.1) The Manner How to Strike
- (4.2) When is it Better to Strike with the Edge
- (4.3) The Means to Defend
- (5) The Method Which Shall be used in Handling the Chapters Following
- (6) The Single Rapier
- (6.1) The Hurt of the High Ward at Single Rapier
- (6.2) The Defense of the Thrust of the High Ward at Single Rapier
- (6.3) The Hurt of the Broad ward at Single Rapier
- (6.4) The Defense of the Broad Ward at Single Rapier
- (6.5) The Hurt of the Low Ward at Single Rapier
- (6.6) The Defense of the Low Ward at Single Rapier
- (7) The Rapier and Dagger
- (7.1) Of the Wards
- (7.2) How to Defend with the Dagger
- (7.3) The Offense of the High Ward at Rapier and Dagger
- (7.4) The Defense of the High Ward at Rapier and Dagger
- (7.5) The Hurt of the Broad Ward at Rapier and Dagger
- (7.6) The Defense of the Broad Ward at Rapier and Dagger
- (7.7) The Hurt of the Low Ward at Rapier and Dagger
- (7.8) The Defense of the Low Ward at Rapier and Dagger
- (8) The Rapier and Cloak
- (8.1) The Manner How to Handle the Cloak
- (8.2) An Advertisement Concerning the Wrapping and Warding of the Cloak
- (8.3) The Hurt of the High Ward at Rapier and Cloak
- (8.4) The Defense of the Thrust, Right and Reversed Blows of the High Ward at Rapier and Cloak
- (8.5) The Hurt of the Broad Ward at Rapier and Cloak
- (8.6) The Defense of the Broad Ward at Rapier and Cloak
- (8.7) Of the Hurt of the Low Ward at Rapier and Cloak
- (8.8) Of the Defense of the Low Ward at Rapier and Cloak
- (9) Of the Sword and Buckler
- (9.1) Of the Form of the Buckler
- (9.2) The Manner How to Handle the Buckler
- (9.3) Of the Hurt of the High Ward at Sword and Buckler
- (9.4) Of the Defense of the High Ward at Sword and Buckler
- (9.5) Of the Hurt of the Broad Ward at Sword and Buckler
- (9.6) Of the Defense of the Broad Ward at Sword and Buckler
- (9.7) Of the Hurt of the Low Ward at Sword and Buckler
- (9.8) Of the Defense of the Low Ward at Sword and Buckler
- (10) Of the Sword and Target, called the Square Target
- (10.1) The Manner How to Hold the Square Square Target
- (10.2) The Hurt of the High Ward at the Sword and Square Target
- (10.3) The Defense of the High Ward at the Sword and SquareTarget
- (10.4) The Hurt of the Broad Ward at the Sword and Square Target
- (10.5) The Defense of the Broad Ward at the Sword and Square Target
- (10.6) The Hurt of the Low Ward at the Sword and Square Target
- (10.7) The Defense of the Low Ward at the Sword and Square Target
- (11) Of the Sword and Round Target
- (11.1) On the Manner How to Hold the Round Target
- (11.2) The Hurt of the High Ward at Sword and Round Target
- (11.3) The Defense of the High Ward at Sword and Round Target
- (11.4) The Hurt of the Broad Ward at Sword and Round Target
- (11.5) The Defense of the Broad Ward at Sword and Round Target
- (11.6) The Hurt of the Low Ward at Sword and Round Target
- (11.7) The Defense of the Low Ward at Sword and Round Target
- (12) Of the Case of Rapiers
- (12.1) The Manner How to Handle Two Rapiers
- (12.2) Of the High Ward at Two Rapiers
- (12.3) The Defense of the High Ward at Two Rapiers
- (12.4) Of the Hurt of the Broad Ward at Two Rapiers
- (12.5) Of the Defense of the Broad Ward at Two Rapiers
- (12.6) Of the Hurt of the Low Ward at Two Rapiers
- (12.7) Of the Defense of the Low Ward at Two Rapiers
- (13) Of the Two Hand Sword
- (13.1) Of the Manner How to Handle the Two Hand Sword in Single Combat
- (13.2) Of the Defense of the High Ward at Two Hand Sword
- (13.3) Of the Hurt of the Low Ward at the Two Hand Sword
- (13.4) Of the Defense of the Low Ward at the Two Hand Sword
- (14) Of the weapons of the Staff, namely the Bill, the Partisan, the Halberd, and the Javelin
- (14.1) Of the Partisan
- (14.2) Of Bill against Bill, Halberd against Halberd, or Halberd against Bill
- (14.3) How to Strike with the Halberd
- (14.4) Of the Defense of the Heel, or Blunt End of the Halberd
- (14.5) Of the Hurt and Ward of the Javelin
- (14.6) Of the Defense of the Thrusts of the Javelin
- (14.7) Of the Partisan
- (14.8) Of the Pike
Courtesy of Leuven University Press, email: for more information on obtaining "En Garde! A Selection from the Corble Collection" CD |
- The Second Part entreating of Deceits and Falsings
- (1) Of Blows and Thrusts
- (1.1) Deceits or Falsings of the single Sword, or single Rapier
- (1.2) General Advertisements concerning the defenses
- (1.3) Of Sword and Dagger, or Rapier and Dagger
- (1.4) Of Sword and Cloak, or Rapier and Cloak
- (2) Falsing of Blows, Of Sword and buckler, square Target, and round Target
- An Advertisement concerning the defenses of the false of the round Target
- (2.1) Of the Falses of the two Swords: or Rapiers
- An Advertisement concerning the defenses of the two Swords: or Rapiers
- (2.2) Falsing of Blows, Of the Two Hand Sword
- (2.3) The Defense of the Two Hand Sword
- (2.4) Of the Partisan, Bill, Javelin, and Halberd
- (2.5) Of the Pike
- (2.6) The Defenses of the Deceits of the Weapons of the Staff
- (3) How a man by private practice can obtain strength of body thereby