Monsieur L'Abbat was an early 18th century tutor of fencing and sword fighting, who instructed many students in France with the techniques contained in this guidebook. Discussing techniques, tactics, stances, and movements essential for the skilled swordsman, L'Abbat treats the pivotal motions with great attention. With the aid of pictorial examples alongside, we learn how to assume a good battle stance, how to lunge or thrust in attack or defend with a parry or riposte. The finer points of conduct during a sword fight are given much attention, with L'Abbat relating experiences with other masters of the craft. Monsieur L'Abbat lived at the time the culture of the musketeers was at its height. Emblematic of French bonhomie and martial prowess, these soldiers were expected to gain mastery of both the musket firearm and the thin, lengthy sabre. Many would hone their techniques with both weapons for years in special military barracks.

Camillo Agrippa's widely influential "Treatise on the Science of Arms" was a turning point in the history of fencing. The author - an engineer by trade and not a professional master of arms - was able to radically re-imagine teaching the art of fencing. Agrippa's treatise is the fundamental text of Western swordsmanship. Just as earlier swordsmanship can be better understood from Agrippa's critiques, so too was his book the starting point for the rapier era. Every other treatise of the early-modern period had to deal explicitly or implicitly with Agrippa's startling transformation of the art and science of self-defense with the sword. Likewise, all of the fundamental ideas that are still used today - distance, time, line, blade opposition, counterattacks and countertime - are expressed in this paradigm-shifting treatise. This is a work that should be on the bookshelf of anyone interested in the history, practice or teaching of fencing. His treatise was also a microcosm of sixteenth-century thought. It examines the art, reduces it to its very principles, and reconstructs it according to a way of thinking that incorporated new concepts of art, science and philosophy. Contained within this handy volume are concrete examples of a new questioning of received wisdom and a turn toward empirical proofs, hallmarks of the Enlightenment. The treatise also presents evidence for a redefinition of elite masculinity in the wake of the military revolution of the sixteenth century. At the same time, is offers suggestive clues to the place of the hermetic tradition in the early-modern intellectual life and its implications for the origins of modern science. Camillo Agrippa's "Treatise on the Science of Arms" was first published in Rome in 1553 by the papal printer Antonio Blado. The original treatise was illustrated with 67 engravings that belong to the peak of Renaissance design. They are reproduced here in full. "Mondschein has at last made available to English-speaking readers one of the most important texts in the history of European martial arts. Agrippa marks a turning point in the intellectual history of these arts.... Mondschein's introduction to his work helps the reader understand Agrippa - and the martial practices themselves - as pivotal agents in the evolving cultural and intellectual systems of the sixteenth century. Above all, Mondschein's translation is refreshingly clean and idiomatic, rendering the systematic clarity of the Italian original into equally clear modern English - evidence of the author's familiarity with modern fencing and understanding of the physical realities that his author is trying to express. Mondschein's contextualization of his topic points the way for future scholarly exploration, and his translation will doubtless be valued by both students of cultural history and practitioners of modern sword arts." - Dr. Jeffrey L. Forgeng, Paul S. Morgan Curator -Higgins Armory Museum, Adj. Assoc. Prof. of Humanities, Worcester Polytechnic Institute First English translation. Hardcover, 234 pages, 67 illustrations, introduction, bibliography, glossary, appendix, index."

NINE LEVELS, EASY TO EXPERT This book stands apart from other staff training manuals. While most titles focus on forms and twirling, The Art and Science of Staff Fighting emphasizes the dynamics of combat. The author draws on thirty years of martial experience, presenting the best of both Eastern and Western traditions. Joe Varady lays out a comprehensive course of study in nine levels, from beginner to expert. He guides readers through such fundamentals as stances, striking, blocking, and footwork. In advanced lessons, readers learn disarming techniques, groundwork, and facing multiple opponents. But this book is not just for staff enthusiasts. Even those unfamiliar with martial arts can adapt these techniques, increasing their skill and confidence in defending themselves. "Our environment is usually full of improvised weapons," Varady writes. "Staff fighting techniques can be effectively applied in a self-defense situation using a walking stick, coatrack, curtain rod, floor lamp, hockey stick, fallen tree branch, broom, mop, shovel, or rake." Equipped with this knowledge, readers will begin to realize that, in one way or another, they are nearly always armed and capable of defending themselves. This book features: Nine levels of instruction, progressing from easy to expert Over 600 photos with motion arrows A "nondenominational" approach to staff, utilizing the best of Eastern and Western arts A comprehensive, methodical approach to building staff skills If you are already a student of the staff, these lessons will not conflict with your katas or current style. Instead, they will augment your techniques, broadening your options. Whether you are an experienced staff fighter or a layman seeking practical techniques for self-defense, The Art and Science of Staff Fighting will help you develop the skills you need.