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5 Moreouer, we might from all the aforesaid places haue a yeerely returne, inhabiting for our staple some conuenient place of America, about Sierra Neuada, or some other part, whereas it shal seeme best for the shortning of the voyage.
If the Adversary makes a Thrust, with shortning or drawing back his Arm, or leaving his Body open; you must defend with the Left Hand, and lunge strait on him, unless you had rather parry with the Sword, making use of the Opposition of the Hand, and closing the Measure, as I just now observed.
Most young Beginners endeavour to hit at any Rate, instead of practising what would be beneficial to them, but instead of deceiving others they deceive themselves, by practising less how to form themselves and push according to Rule, than how to spoil their Bodies, and destroy the Solidity of the Principles: Some use themselves to push with the Wrist only, without the Foot, which is dangerous, by reason of the too great Measure; others with as little Reason, and as much Danger, place themselves without binding the Blade, and thrust under the Wrist; in the one the Situation of the Guard is good for nothing, and in the other there is no Defence if the Adversary thrusts at that time: Others deceive by making a Time or Motion when they are placed, but the pushing at the Wall requires only the Justness and Swiftness of the Thrust; others put themselves very near baulking the Measure, which may be done four Ways, tho' the Left-foot may be in it's proper Place, and kept firm in the Thrust; the first is done by marking or bringing forward the Point of the Left-foot, keeping it a little in, then advancing the Heel, which gives more Measure; secondly, by keeping back the Body on a Lunge, you deceive the Measure and hit by abandoning it forward, which gives it a greater Extention, thirdly, by raising or carrying the Wrist too high, or too much to one Side, which shortning the Thrust, makes it believed that you are out of Reach, but according to the Rule and Line you are too much in Reach; fourthly, some take Measure by holding the Thumb on the Body of the Guard, and when they have a mind to hit they hold it on the Middle of the Handle, with the Pommel in the Hand, which also gives a greater Length.
Nay, this Humour of shortning our Language had once run so far, that some of our celebrated Authors, among whom we may reckon Sir Roger E Estrange in particular, began to prune their Words of all superfluous Letters, as they termed them, in order to adjust the Spelling to the Pronunciation; which would have confounded all our Etymologies, and have quite destroyed our Tongue.
And a precise order to pricke the sea card, together with certaine infallible rules for the shortning of any discouery, to know at the first entring of any fret whether it lie open to the Ocean more wayes then one, how farre soeuer the sea stretcheth itself into the land.
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