CAVENDISH

The Truth of the Sword

I have transcribed and modernised the swordsmanship text of William

Cavendish, Marquis of Newcastle. With special thanks to Gordon
Hamilton for his cooperation and support.

Although I have made modernisations to some of the spellings and

inserted more punctuation than Cavendish, I have tried to keep this to
the minimum so as not to colour the work with my own interpretation
more than necessary. Where I have been unsure of a word, I have
indicated this to allow us to go back and correct in time. The text
comes in two parts - Cavendish's introduction, and the main technical
body of text.

If you share this, please credit David Rawlings or the London

Longsword Academy. I hope you find the text interesting and useful.

Cavendish’s Introduction

Transcribed and modernised by David Rawlings

With special thanks to Gordon Hamilton

4
This is the front piece for the sword or book of weapons.

Here for the duke's well-ordered what to do

But Hercules Brave fought yet against too
Truth a clear flame divine shines like bright day
Falsehood a misleading fire from truth's way Wisdom
things justly ways with eagle sight Folly most
Buzzard like thinks wrong is right knowledge
demonstrates that none can deny it Bold ignorance
opposes scorns to try- it.
And simple nature innocent here lies
Till art and she shake hands so both made wise
5
To my dearly beloved sons Charles
The lord Viscount Mansfield &
Lord Henry Cavendish

Dear sons
I desire you to read this work of the truth of the sword as nothing
indeed fitter for gentlemen next the serving of god for it upholds your
honour which is much more than your lives & secures your lives
withal.
Indeed if not the only yet I dare say the highest and fittest
profession for a gentleman
a swordsman for all other professions confess it by yielding
and giving obedience to the sword
Therefore I desire you will seriously study it as as the thing
that concerns you most & not only the theory but the practical
for it is not talk or know but to act it virtue consists
In action and in practice is all in everything
Or else why should not the multiplicity of students in moral
philosophy and history
come out of their studies perfect states men
But we by daily experience see most if not all are far from it little
knowing the world for all their reading and it is merely
for want of practice and therefore practice this wherein the art so
much consists
First know & then practice & when you are perfect I would have
you lay it by for a rainy day
for a duel is a great misfortune to any man as the courageous
and gallant old La Abowe said
Therefore take heed of offering injuries that your quarrels may
be the better
nor would I have you take any
yet not so apprehensive or thin skinned to be inflamed with
every spark that will die off itself therefore I would not see dry
gunpowder to be blown up with every heat to venture a life upon
neither.

6
Divinity or morality will suffer duels
But long custom has made it now the gentleman's law and
should you not
follow it you would be over thrown at
the bar of honour and lose the title of reputation-therefore take heed of
the occasion
but when there is no remedy be sure to do it (h?)some & to the purpose
that you may not be troubled everyday-and my hearty prayers
Shall be that you may never have cause to use your swords in private
duels but
ever be forward to draw them for our gallant king your master
& mine as your
father has done for the king his father
And so the great god of all our universe bless
you
Your most affectionate & truly loving father
W Newcastle

7
The honour of the sword
The greatest princes take it for their greatest
honour to be held swords men & they reason
for they grace not the sword so much as the sword
graces them for kings can hardly increase
their dominions without it nor indeed well keep their
own without the sword,
For many princes that have been falsely bred upon the downy beds of
peace and pleasure have either lost or barter at the losing
of their kingdoms for the want of
being swordsmen-when private men that have been active
and bred to the sword have raised them
selves to be princes so an great advantage
is it to be bred in the schools of Mars for the total
affairs in this world but say some
flatterers What has a king have to do with private duels
or skill at his weapon to be a cudgel player
or fencer, they are above it, it is very true kings have less
use of it than other men but these quarter
witted givers and parasites which courts want not or
some whose profession is not the sword yet will be
talking these men must too know that many times
kings and princes
have challenged kings and princes at the head of armies to end
the difference in a single duel to avoid
the effusion of more blood for example thus I believe
those kings would have been glad of all the skill in the
world could they have purchased it
but it above their gold and cannot be bought but by
study & practice-besides but the case
some mad man(men?) should meet a king in a forest alone
having lost his followers & standing
and draw upon him skill would not do his alibi
any hurt then-or a traitor entice him out alone
or set upon him to kill him skill would do his
alibi no hurt there neither
most of the emperors took delight & thought
it an honour to them to be skilful at their
weapon & the bravest man that

8
-Ever yet was known the great Julius
Caesar (word scribbled out) extraordinarily skilful at his
weapon
as well as in horseman ship so there needs
no more arguments then (than) naming him or a better
precedent for all succeeding emperors kings &
princes to follow-Therefore (subjects?) through the
greatest lord have no privilege to
do the meanest gentleman wrong but that
gentleman may call him justly to an account
for the greatest lord is but a gentleman and
if he give not a private gentleman satisfaction
he will have the dishonour of it- for a gentleman
that lives off his self has no obligation to his lord
more than his civility to him purchases for (title?)
great office or estate if a gentleman emulation then to
be his slave having referred
no civility or courtesy from him therefore the
greatest subject may have use of skill at
his weapon sometimes therefore I do wish he
would understand it for his own sake
when many despise skill saying how many skilful
men have been killed by their ignorance. Tis true such
chances come sometimes but
skill to boot must have advantage nay
did he never learn but practice often with several
hands his own natural ways what he thinks best
that practice will have great
advantage of one that never practises (let?) his
courage be what it will-But the difference
of skill is when they are in fear of fighting for
then every man has not only courage
for himself but a (superfluity?) to serve the
whole parish besides but when he is to fight
the parish (may) {PARTLY CROSSED OUT) perish if they have
no courage of their own for then he
finds he has use of all he has for himself
& as a gallant gentleman told me & Henry Monering great
duellists
in his youth that had been often in the field for himself and as
a second to others
that he never knew either by himself or others but
that everyone with all his skill in the world when
they were to fight their enemies to
have none therefore despise not the skill of the sword.

9
Put the case that a rough strong country clown
set upon a gentleman and that clown fight lustily
if the (gentleman?) have no skill it will go hard with him
or that the clown close he will be too hard for him with
strength therefore true skill will do the gentleman no
hurt- I wish any that has a private duel
to avoid passion if choler or anger as much as fear
for all passion distempers ones understanding & judgement
& makes him unfit to execute anything right & as
it ought to be when being himself & not over heated
or burning with passion will make him see clearly what
to do for I knew a gentleman that had but small skill that
with his temper did ever hurt his adversary on the other
side I would not have him
too cool for that may run into fear but acting diligent
and watchful to take his just opportunity & lose no time but
watch as a cat does a mouse for his advantage &
never to be malicious, envious or vengeful but merely for
honour sake still full of generosity the gentleman's second
religion-since now it is a la mode- and
further I would never have you revile your enemy
but either in language or message or by letter always as if it
was courting your mistress for base language
is for base people & not for gentlemen besides the
loss will be yours & the not his for if you say he (his?) is base a
coward & the son of a whore if he has the
better of you then what a base fellow has go the
better of you then are you & how much
(disgraced?) if you get the better of such a poor fellow it is
no honour to you but still you sit down with
the loss let your fortune be what it will for you
have so much (spoiled?) with your tongue as your sword
cannot make it good so still speak all the honour of your
enemy that can be so (civil?) for so if you have the worse
it is less difference to you
& if you have the better a great evil (deal?) of (?) it to
(know?)
to you for tis not the tongue kills it is the sword
& you may fight as Rome & well if not better with good
words as with bad & one is en cavalier & the other is for
rascally route-Some words
cannot be taken without blow nor a blow
without blood- I will not enter as a casuist in
duel how many sorts of lies there are or a cudgel
to be put in his hands that has /refused a former blow to
strike the other for his satisfaction will not enter into those
niceties of disputes but leave them to the (logicians?) of
the sword but only say this

11
So that although it seems extraordinary courage or
desperations when it is well examined it rather
looks like cowardice for if anyone of 8: or 10: have
a misfortune all the rest are saved and further
what satisfaction is it to the injured person
to have another man kill another man that never did either of them
wrong no it is on one particular revenge upon the party that did one
wrong with his own hands upon him & not another man's hands upon
another man that never did him hurt besides what reason is it for
seconds to fight that never did one another wrong or ever saw one an
other before to fight therefore
in my opinion since it is against the first ordinance of seconds & so
much reason for it & none against it certainly seconds should not
fight.
Then that the challenger should come to parts of the
(hove?) to the challenged to the assault him because he calls
him thither this way of the truth of the sword which
shall hereafter show you will not stand upon those punctilious with
him for it always assaults whether challenger or
challenged which is manly noble & like a gentle-man now I must put
you in mind that the gentle-man's profession is a sword man- and if
the challenged which ought to appoint the weapon that is a sword
what length he pleases but if he appoint a pistol or pistols or sword &
pistol(s?) many soldiers & gallant sword men are absolutely
& clear of (opinion?) that the challenger may honourably
& justly refuse it as a weapon that gentle men do not carry about
them for they are not called pistol men but sword men & why else
should a gentle man carry
always a sword by his side but that he is to use it & that
it is sufficient to defend his honour & vindicate his reputation the
sword upon all occasions at all times either in the wars horse-back
though a gentle-man uses pistols in the wars
yet is not thought fit by swords-men in duel either
a foot or a horseback-no more than cavaliers should
fight single duels a horse-back with carabines because they
use them
in the wars-the same might be said of musketeers if they
sally out to duel it with muskets, or gentle-men with pikes
to do the same or sergeants with their
halberds-or two cannoneers to fight a duel with
single cannon, the reason is all no & indeed no reason for for
any of them but the sword for a gentle-man is called by no other
title but a sword-man & that aught still
to be the gentle-man's weapon & no other for single duels
& it is the most desperate weapon for this there no escaping of it
when the other misses & then there is and end of it
but some may say he has not so much skill at his weapon

12
And therefore chooses it tis supposed always that a
gentle-man that wears a sword knows how to use
it or else he should take to the profession of the
gown & that were a better excuse-for then the other
may say he has no skill at the pistol &
so they may shake hands & be friends-But you
will say that he that is challenged to
chose tis true as I told you before but he is bounded to the
sword or sword & dagger that is always such
as a gentle-man ordinarily uses & wears about & no other
which
is the sword-Except he be comes off his hands if
lame of his legs then a horse-back but with the sword
for the desperateness(this is not disparity is it?) of a pistol is
not such for there is
no knowing sword-man but would take a sword against
a single pistol for his odds but he misses one if he
do hit it is not always mortal which are but in
a few cases & then he's gone for the sword then must
of necessity/kill him-He is very effinate (essinate, I think
“effeminate”) that can
not endure the smell of powder & none so fearful but they
can endure the crack of it too for the report is more than the
thing as in many things more in
this world & what man is there that cannot or will not
endure the whizzing of a bullet too in the air
so common a thing is it as I have seen little boys in an army
do it with delight & laughter making sport
with it nay in a besieged town I have seen women
help to make up breach muskets playing about them
all the while nay little boys & girls making
their clay pies and other sports musket bullets flying about
their ears & great shot lighting on
walls very near them & never amazed with it after
a day of such a thing the custom of so little time making it
nothing to them so it is not so terrible as it is imagined but this
reason methinks should confute anybody that
is certainly there is some difference betwixt a valiant
man & a coward, a gallant man & a child & a pistol makes no
difference but a sword does for a child may kill the bravest man in
the world with a pistol which he
cannot do with the sword so may a coward or a dwarf kill an
Alexander d Lefor or a Hannibal which will
not be killed so with a sword so that a sword is the trial of
valour & the gallant men & pistols for none but
children and cowards for were it not for the sword
& that to distinguish the (gallantry of men certainly
if his courage might be so easily destroyed & by such
unworthy persons I know no man that would be
of the profession or wear a sword by his side for it were
to no purpose but a ridiculous thing-& certainly the
greatest danger is the sword for it is observed by many
historians that there were many more killed in the wars before
guns came up than have been since so tis the sword that
does the execution & that we all know is true at this day

13

To all cavaliers & gentle-men of

the sword.
I would not have named so worthy & honourable
persons in the beginning of my book but that I
know I bring you truth the truth of the sword which
hither to has lain hid from all other persons
both from their pens & the swords that ever pretended any skill at
their weapon- so that hereto they have
but laboured in vain lost all their arrows that they have
shot at their mark & never hit the white as I will plainly
show you in this following book their great errors &
mistakes and then show you the truth of it- I say I know it
for now is a demonstration which cannot be denied which
you shall see plainly
proved in some things there is no truth as in the fashion of
clothes or dancing but as most wares or dances at great courts
which makes the fashion but in the
sword there is an absolute truth & through there is in matter of
truth but right & wrong as one said & why he
should not bite as well of the right as of the wrong
he saw no reason for it. It seems he did not well consider
it since there is but one right & all the rest so many wrongs and
why truth is so often missed I wonder not at it
since truth lies in a little compass & in a narrow room
and therefore may easily be missed-but some will say
he was never the truth then another put the case he
 were within a hair breadth of it & missed it he is
as much not in the truth as he that is a hundred miles off
and truth lying in so narrow a room how can you blame people
to be over the short & wide besides in many things truth is
dark & hid obscurely & we so
when the white is apparent & perspicuous & much
within the reach of out bow yet how many arrows
misses it & very few hits it has sent misses the butt tis no
wonder
to have truth missed-The truth of the sword hither to has
been like the philosopher's stone many pretending to have it
but all failed yet-But here you shall have
the true elixir of weapons of wounding your enemy
with safety to your self- but will just say has
all the world missed it till now I can never believe it these
people does not examine the matter well & gives
upon authority which proves nothing- and some
again will think this a tedious business for them & in mere
laziness, would rather fumble at it any ways than

14

Take the pains to know it but believe me noble

cavaliers truth when it is found out is easy & plain so rational
which makes it easy, when you are fully satisfied
in your reason your bodies will soon act it, and when you
learn wrong things & out of your way you take more pains
& travel many a mile further before
you come to your journey's end indeed in all the rest
wherein they pretend skill being out of their way
will never bring them safety to their inns but to their graves
for all the rest of play in the world is chance1
& mere fortune & luck & once being out of the way

1
Original is ‘bechance’.
the more one travels the more he goes out of it still where
this truth of the sword will be your faithful
guide to wound your adversary’s body with safety to your
self-for this truth of the sword to all other pretended skill is
just as an honest man is to a knave the honest man will be
too hard for him- at last for all his tricks
feints & false feigns, Truth & honesty will be too hard
for knaves Which this honest play is & all
other plays but tricks to it which will be beaten by this play-
therefore practice it for truth sake since I
say within two months you may gain it
and much less if you practice it well and most(?) say with the
most aloud until they foam at the mouths
again God of if any hit me should (so lord?) I'll hit him again sounds
if he touch me I'll pay him same if
he hit me he serves his term sounds I’ll lay
any man 2000 of it thus talks the ignorant
& those that only exercise the weapon in a frosty
morning to sweat with it & understand nothing
of it but I would not have you do so but spend
a short time to follow this truth of the sword which is
only in this book- I must commend it to you
for these following benefits---first this truth
of the sword always assaults the adversary which is
noble & gallant then it never stands fencing with little
tricks & courage but boldly & honestly goes on with a
constant advance to master him which never fails if it be
rightly executed
so for your own sakes I desire you to follow this truth of the
sword that was not found out by chance but by
great study & industry for the advantage of the cavaliers
& gentle-men and so leaving it to your own election I make
no doubt of this but this following work will witness with me
how much I am truly the lover of truth &
your most obedient servant
W Newcastle.

15

The true difference of all the ways of skill of the

sword by all nations hither too known
which still is most (crossed out false &) erroneous.

[Crossed out]
The Spanish guard called coda longa that lies at length out
with his sword where what one gets the
adversary if if he be skilful can undo again
so that they may fight an hour by Shrewsbury
clock & not hurt one another Caranza don lewis
Autouio & the moors of Spain pretending
mathematically the sword all the great masters when it is
false for this play is still but equals waiting
for a thrust for he cannot begin but to his loss if
he fight with a knowing man & cannot escape a
close upon equally yet this play is(Yet is excellent in the bind and
very rare for men there has been in Spain but this play is
but an equal.) absolutely the
best play of all the false plays-The French (Are very
rare in their play too quick and
strong) with their staccato with their feints yet hit one another
familiarly quickness or skipping off like squirrels
but if equal quickness an equal too for quickness is not skill-
Tibott the Dutchman (Was an excellent master in his
Way so missed the truth of the sword) missed the question too but
he could never tell how to parry with the
sword-the Italian play puncto (An equal too
though there has been excellent
men in that way) an equal too
And the old English back sword with their slips
false-feigns buttons and quarters as good as any because an
equal too.[end crossed out]
But some swordsmen what say they
despise skill because they would have you think
them all courage to the hilt, when they think for all
that, they have something of skill
beyond the other of if he be too hard for him equal
courage it must be skill by their leaves- they
cannot hide it from knowing men they can
but strike & thrust within the length, and breadth
of one body & use their left hand they have no other
conjuration certainly-But let us see then what it is
they use to despise skill so, that
it is but through receipts of fighting that they have
in the first place reason to stand still watching at his guard and
when the other thrust to thrust with him
which is good & true, -for being equal he that
goes from an equal has the worst which is a maxim that
never fails & it is odd but he hits him but soft what if
the other will stand still too,
they will both stand so till doomsday
could they live to it, & never fight

16
So this skill is but the watching the folly of an other
man- and if he be as wise then there is no hurt done for
he depends not of himself but of an
other besides if he be challenger by the law of arms he
ought to assault 7 then his skill is nothing
but for the next receipt take a good sword & use two
hands being stronger than one & that puts
out skill say they it is true as it is stronger so it is
shorter it beats thrusts & blows indeed & so will
anything, because motion is weak & doing from an
equal which he is always at-first
he's disadvantaged when he has struck the sword away &
lengthens with one arm the enemy's sword
comes again having equal time/or if he hit I can hit too at the
same time being longer than his two hands (me?) too hard for
him if I will use my left hand as a dagger but if he do so too
then it is an equal
hit for hit,- but thirdly & lastly dividing
valour into three parts like a tent which I now
preach of is scorning art or skill but to run at
him as hard as he can drive most desperately soft it
is not so desperate good (or?) but the most safe thing
next cuffing that can be cudgel
play more desperate for one's head may be broke
therefore running at one another puts it by
why then there is room with a great angle to go
in at when a man may
safely enter & there a close the desperateness is for fear
of the point & so running at him the other thrusts and he
puts it by that ran at him
then there's a fair opportunity to close again
if I am too strong then I have the reputation, if he I
am safe for he dares as well be hanged
as kill me hanged that he thinks of & thus
a man is safe with desperate reputation this is
the best receipt of valour of the three for some fighters put
their hands to it thus is it proven like good
doctors of the sword thus you have all the ways of
skill in fighting of all nations, for all are comprehended
in these that I have formerly named to you
which are all erroneous (crossed out: and false) The Truth of
The Sword shall follow.

17

My advice upon this following demonstration of

the sword

This demonstration is to convert the infidels &

unbelievers that think there is no truth in the skill of
the sword- and had they faith in it
this following demonstration is to destroy that
faith by knowledge to convert their belief into know
which nothing but a mathematical demonstration can do
& that you shall see perfectly proved that is
mathematically-but some will say
must one fight mathematically I say yes that to fight with
reason is likelier to vanquish the enemy in the approved truth of the
sword than to fight by chance & without reason for
reason
certainly is the best guide in all things & truth is so sweet &
pleasant to the understanding as it is more facile much &
easier to be learned than for rules that does not satisfy one's
understanding doubting those still are false as indeed they are so this
demonstration of the truth of the sword is only to convince
those that speak against it for their swearing or loose ovation
talk will not nor cannot overthrow a demonstration being
the best argument, indeed not to be disputed against no more
than right principles that all mankind agree in as that
three & two is five or that any man's little finger is less than his
body that is that a part is less that the whole so you
see the reason why it was brought into a demonstration to prove the
truth of it more than to learn you the play therefore if the A:B:C: of
the mathematics be too troublesome to you
 turn over those leaves & fall to the following discourse which will be
most easy by(use?) the figures that are presented to you & the
discourse that is made upon those figures that
it is impossible you should miss or mistake anything & then
your practice to your knowledge will make you most perfect for I
have taken all the care that was possible to make it plain
easy and short-give me leave here to speak a little for myself &
in my own behalf- some will say he is very peremptory as if he
could not err he should have spoke more modestly of himself
for such finical fault finders & detractors I must tell them know
that it is easier to find fault with anything than to mend it and
they
will find when they examine it-we have no need
of the church of weapons several councils
to condemn false reason but the chair of reason and truth and so darkens
it and hides it in the greatest and highest mysteries. What then in things
in this world and especially in weapons, where every man thinks it a
disgrace to him (self) if he knows not as much as another man but
thinks he has a sufficient provision of skill still about him, or else he
must confess himself not so good a man as another, which he will never
do. But rather condemn any man he thinks has more than confess
himself ignorant, and (he) will fly to his courage or anything rather than
yield, by still finding faults and little quarter witted givings (in this
context I feel “givings” means quarter witted contributions to the
argument), and all because he wears a sword, and that sword must be as
good as any man's, because he can strike and thrust with it and defend
sometimes.

Which he may as well say because he can play salangers(?) round of the
lute he plays (just) as well as (a) gotier (guitarra?). Or because he can
twang the strings and neither tune or play it.

Therefore he can play as well as any man a very good and sufficient
argument, because nature teaches him to defend himself and offend his
enemy.

Therefore this is very good reason again because nature has given him
fingers and can sew, therefore he must be a good tailor, but it may be
after seven years apprenticing he will prove but a butcher shall all
trades in the world be seven years at least in learning and many
professions much more, and shall the truth of the sword be borne with
him I hardly believe it since so many have so many years taken so much
pains and so much study in the skill of weapons and never yet attained
the truth of it.

This makes me so earnest and positive in it, because I know it and how
hardly men are brought to the truth, and truth is truth and will ever be
found (to be) so. And because I have only found it out, I must in
modesty not say so truly that modesty belongs rather to a simpering
waiting gentlewoman than to a man of truth. But all truths should not be
spoke in a pretty modest proverb, and in good in some things but not in
this, but should I not by all the ways in the world both prove it and tell
you so you would hardly practice it, and I am not like a country man,
that will tell you that his capon is fat if it were not his truly, if it be fat it
is fa, let it be whole capon- it will but this play I must tell you is a cock
of the came of fighting and certainly it being true it is not the less true
in being mine, neither will I say it were true if it were not mine, for then
I should lie, but boldly say say it is the full truth and the only truth.

But some would say “would you have a gentleman (be) a fencer?” I say
no, that is to teach for school money, to be a mercenary.. But being the
gentleman's profession the sword I am sure he can not be too skilful in
his calling.
But if it be not fit for a gentleman to be skilful in anything then let this
go amongst the rest though it is the most useful and then let that
gentleman fight and be killed like a fine ignorant gentleman, and there
is an end to him, and an end as Ben Jonson said “by tis good, and if you
like't, you may” and end with this to leave it to your own election.

The Next must be the mathematical demon of the sword

A discourse upon the truth of the sword , expressed by the following
figures.

Here you will see for your better information and instructions these
following figures of the truth of the sword. Where using weapon by this
truth beats single weapon clearly. Whether the adversary has his sword
in his right or left hand, with yours in your right hand or in your left
hand, or whichever side he plays to your right side or left side, or uses
his left hand or a longsword against a short sword, or your short sword
against a long one, or against one who plays with two hand upon his
sword, or alters form one one hand to two hands or two hands to one
hand, or changes the sword fast form one hand to the other.
And so your single weapon against rapier, or your single weapon
against single dagger whether his dagger be in his right or left hand. So
your single sword against sword and buckler or against sword and
target or sword and gauntlet, or against rapier and close, or against a
case of rapiers.
Or still your single sword against two handed sword, pike, half pike
quarter staff or long staff, or against halberd, partisan, brown bill or
welsh hook (let them use all manner of blows whatsoever or putting the
sword over).
All these weapons you shall see plainly by this method of truth of the
sword, that the single sword shall beat them all, with great reason,
facility and truth. Here also I will show you how a dagger by this
method shall beat any sword, pike halberd or partisan or any two
handed weapons - these you will see plainly expressed by the following
figures as plainly as it is possible for figures to do but that can not
absolutely be perfect so that those figures must be helped by the
instruction off writing. for here you must understand, let them talk what
they will off the optics shadowing and shorting, that a painter has no
more butt a flat to draw his figures on whether paper, parchment, wall,
wood or canvas and he has no more nor can doe more but what that can
allow him, which is but straight high and low, that is straight up or
down. For no more he has or can have, so that this method off the truth
of the sword is too hard for his skill- for he can draw nothing in the air
that doth not touch the paper either from it of one side or through it, and
so from it of the other side which is impossible to draw upon nothing or
the air, which is as good as nothing to him because his lines will not
make any impression there. You are to understand besides that what the
figures are right in the body that they are wrong in the sword and so
what is right in the sword is wrong in the body. This in some cases
which is impossible to help for the reasons i have shown you
But being all you can have from the painter therefore I hope you will be
contented with it because impossibilities can not be done.
So what the pencil fails in the pen must help and the practise of the
sword make the execution.
So one with another i will fully satisfy all gallant and rational
gentlemen because more can not be done in any of them and more than
can be wise men will not look for and it is only to those I write last,

For though anything may be painted on a plain where the lines meet in a
point there to draw it though it be right painting it would bee false
fencing, just contrary to the truth many times and so far from the thing
itself and so unlike it as many could ever guess towards it what it
should be (for to keep the length of the sword it can be but straight high
or low, that is up or down) therefore I have helped it as well as I can to
bring it to the truth of the eye.
But you must be pleased to understand before you find fault with so
many and such a multiplicity of figures- that a painter can not make
them alive and quick. And since they cannot stir of necessity there must
be many figures. For quick motions or one motion or else the scholar
would learn little by the figures, nay would never understand how it
were done or could possible guess at it and therefore he will pardon it
because he could not understand this method without it.