_Of Measure_.
Time, Swiftness, and Justness, without the Knowledge of Measure, would
be in vain, Thrusts from afar being of no Use, and from near, dangerous;
and the other Motions shou'd also be at a certain Distance, in order not
only to be ready for the Time, but also to take Advantage of the
Disorder of the Enemy. The Measure is taken from you to the Enemy, and
from the Enemy to you: The first is easier known, as well because it is
naturally so, as by the Custom of your Lunge, which being, in regard of
yourself, always the same, makes it easier by Practice: The Measure from
the Enemy to you is difficult, from the Difference in Persons whose
Stature, Activity, or Swords, are not always alike; and tho' the Height
shou'd be the same, the Arms, Thighs and Legs are not proportionable;
besides there are big Men that have short Arms, and little Men that have
long Arms. It is likewise so in regard to the Clift; some being longer
in the Fork than others; and though two Men shou'd in that Particular be
alike, if one of them has shorter Legs than the other, he will reach
farther, because his Thighs are longer, and in the Lunge, only one of
the Legs contributes to it's Length, the other making a Line almost
perpendicular, whereas the two Thighs making a strait Line, contribute
equally to the Extention.
The Difference in Suppleness, also makes a Difference in the Extention;
a Man who has the Freedom of his Shoulders and Hips, going farther than
one that has them constrain'd. It may also happen that two Men of like
Proportion and Freedom of Parts, may not have an equal Extention, by
their being taught differently; some Masters teaching to keep the Body
upright, the Wrist raised, or too much on one Side, and the Left-foot
first; whereas the Body shou'd lean a little forward, without raising
or carrying the Hand to one Side, farther than to keep the Body
covered, and the Left-foot shou'd lye down on the Edge; this Situation
gives a greater Length than the other.
The different Lengths of Swords sometimes make it difficult to know the
Measure, and makes it impossible to fix it by Rule, as several Masters
have pretended: Some of them say that the Measure is just, when the
Points cross each other a Foot; others, with as little Reason, wou'd
have the Middle of your Blade touch the Point of the Adversary's; but
what gives a true Knowledge of the Measure is frequent Exercise,
accompanied with a good Judgment, pushing often _Quart_ and _Tierce_
with different Foils, and being pushed at by different Persons.
The Extention is taken from the Left-foot, which is the Centre, to the
Button of the Foil.
I did design, in this Place, to treat of Time, and of a regular Way of
pushing in Lessons, from the Beginning to the End of one Year, according
to the Disposition of Scholars; but after I had finished it, I thought
that my Fellow-Brethren would perhaps take it ill that I should
prescribe Lessons to their Scholars, by which, instead of gaining their
good Opinion, I might incur the Accusation of being more busy than
knowing.