FOR to desceyve the enimie with the cloake, it is necessarie to know how many waies it may serve the turne, and to be skilfull how to fould it orderly about the arme, and how to take advantage by the largenes thereof: and farther to understand how to defend, and how to offend and hinder the enimie therewith, because it fales not out alwaies, that men fight with their cloake wrapped about the arme, and the sword in hand, Therefore it is the parte of a wise man, to knowe also how to handle the cloake after any other manner.
Wherefore one may get the advatage of the cloke, both when it is about his bodie, and when it is folded about his arme: The cloke being about the arme in this maner. When it chaunceth any man to bicker with his enimie, whith whom he is at poynt to joyne, but yet happelie weareth about him at that instant no kind of weapon, whereas his enimie is weaponed, & threatneth him, then by taking both sides of the cloake as neare the coller as is possible, he may draw it over his owne head, and throwe it at his enimies face, who then being intangled and blinded there with, may either be throwen downe, or disfurnished of his weapon very easely by him that is nimble, especially if he have to deale against one that is slow. A man may after an other manner take the advantage of the cloake which the enimie weareth, by taking with one hande both sides thereof, neere the coller: which sides being strongly holden, cause the cloak to be a ginne or snare about the enimes necke, the which ginne being violently haled, and plucked with one hande, he may so forciblie strike him with the other on the face or visage, that he will goe neere hande to breake his necke.
There be manie other waies whereby one may prevaile with the cloake, to the greatest parte whereof, men of meane judgment may easely attaine unto. Therefore when one hath his cloake on his arme, and sword in his hand, the advantage that he getteth therby, besides the warding of blowes, for that hath bene declared in the true arte is, that he may molest his enimie by falsing to fling his cloake, and then to flinge it in deed. But to false the flingyng of the clok is verie daungerous, because it may not be done but in long time. And the verie flinging of the cloake, is as it were a preparation to get the victorie, and is in a manner rather true art then deceit, cosidering it is don by the streyght or some other shorte line: neither for any other cause is this the rather here laide downe, in deceite, then before in true arte, then for that when one overcometh by theis meanes, he seemes not to conquere manfully, because he strikes the enimie before blinded with the cloake, wherefore when one mindeth to flinge his cloake, he may either do it from and with his arme, or else with his sword: and in so doing it is necessarie, that he have not the cloake too much wrapped about his arme: I saie, not above twice, neither to hold it streight or fast with his hande, that thereby he may be the better able when occasion serveth to fling it the more easelie. If therefore he would fling it with his arme, and have it goe with such fury, and make such effect as is required, he must of force joyne to the flinging thereof the increase of a pace, on that side where the cloake is, but first of all he must incounter, either finde, either so ensure the enimies sword, that by the meanes of the increase of that pace it may do no hurte.
And it is requisite in everie occasion, that he finde himselfe to stand without: and when either an edgeblow or a thrust comes, be it above or in the middle, as soone as he hath warded it with his sword, he shall increase a pace and fling his cloake, how soever it be folded, either from the coller, either from any other parte, or else to hale it off from his shoulder, although it bee on his shoulder: and in this order it is easelie throwne, & is thereby the more widned in such sort, that the enimie is the more entangled and snared therewith.
Concerning the flinging of the cloake with the sword, I saie, it may be throwen either with the point, either with the edge: with the poynt when one standeth at the lowe warde with the right foote behinde, and the cloake before: In which case the cloake would be well and thicke doubled and placed on the arme, but not wrapped. And in steed of driving a thrust with the poynt which shalbe hidden behinde the cloake, he shal take the cloake on the poynt of the sworde, and with the increase of a pace, force it at the enimies face. And in this maner the cloake is so forciblie, and so covertly delivered and flinged, that the enimie is neither aware of it, neither can avoyde it, but of force it lighteth on his face, by meanes whereof, he may be stroken at pleasure in any parte of the bodie.
The cloake may be flong or throwen with the edge of the sworde, when one standeth at the lowe warde, with the poynt of the sword turned backewardes, one the left side and the cloake upon it, folded at large upon the arme up to the elbowe: but not fast wrapped about it, and whilest he falseth a reverse, he may take the cloake on the edge of the sword and fling it towards the enimie, and then strike him with such a blow as shal be then most fit for his advantage deliver.
Manie other deceites there might be declared of the cloake, aswell of flinging as of falsing it: but because I thinke these to be sufficient for an example to frame manie other by, I make and ende.