Rapier and cut & thrust

[Kirksey_Dave]

Hello all!

Though my interest in RMA is not new, I mostly have leaned toward learning longsword. Recently, after a curious purchase involving Thibault, my interest in the rapier has been increasing. I was wondering if anyone has a good suggestion for a treatise out there that would be good for beginners, and I already have the Clements Renaissance manual.

I also have a growing interest in the cut and thrust and was wondering what books out there I should look into for that as well.

Tank you for your time
Dave Kirksey

[Sal Bertucci]

Di grassi is a good manual to start with in that range b/c even though it is really a manual for a C&T type sword, the system is so thrust-centric that it could very easily translate to rapier. (Indeed, in the later English translation they just swapped the word "rapier" for "sword".)

[Kirksey_Dave]

Thanks again. You always are quick to respond and for that I am grateful. I am currently looking into the Di Grassi. I have Masters of Medieval and Renaissance Martial arts and there is something on it in that book ( as you probably know). That with the plates on the website should be a good help. Just out of curiosity though, do you know of any translations out there I can buy?

[Sal Bertucci]

What can I say, I spend too much time at my desk far too often.

I don't know of any Di Grassi for sale, but we have the "Englished" version in the members area. On other C&T I know a Henry St. Ditier(sp) book came out recently from Paladin. There are several different Rapier manuals available to buy as well.

[Stacy Clifford]

This is a good place to look, they have both the Italian (1570) and English (1594) versions of Di Grassi here:

http://www.umass.edu/renaissance/lord/collection.html

[Vincent Le Chevalier]

As for rapier you might want to look into Fabris, which has been translated in English and published:
http://www.chivalrybookshelf.com/titles/fabris/artofdueling.htm
It is interesting to have along Thibault, because the methods and the tactics are quite different. So with both you have a good idea of the variance that can be found in rapier...

[Kirksey_Dave]

Excellent link! Thank you very much for all the input. I have been reading di Grassi (well, Mr. Clement's essay in Masters of Medieval and Renaissance Martial Arts). I have found that, when reading the old English, it is best not to think about the letters and just keep reading. The words will make sense that way. Thanks again and I will continue to read up on things as I wait the response to my application.

[Allen Johnson]

Can't go wrong with Capo Ferro either.

[Matt Bryant]

I am a fan of Swetnam's rapier.

http://www.thearma.org/Manuals/swetnam.htm

[John Couch]

Can't go wrong with Capo Ferro either.

"I find that Thibault cancels out Capo Ferro, don't you?"

[John Farthing]

Can't go wrong with Capo Ferro either.

"I find that Thibault cancels out Capo Ferro, don't you?"

"Unless the enemy has studied his Agrippa.... Which I have."

[John Couch]

Can't go wrong with Capo Ferro either.

"I find that Thibault cancels out Capo Ferro, don't you?"

"Unless the enemy has studied his Agrippa.... Which I have."

And even though I tried Bonneti's Defense and am somewhat ambidextrous, I will endeavor to get used to disappointment