Time, Swiftness, and Justness, without the Knowledge of Measure, would be in vain, Thrusts from afar being of no Use, and from near, dangerous; and the other Motions shou’d also be at a certain Distance, in order not only to be ready for the Time, but also to take Advantage of the Disorder of the Enemy.  The Measure is taken from you to the Enemy, and from the Enemy to you:  The first is easier known, as well because it is naturally so, as by the Custom of your Lunge, which being, in regard of yourself, always the same, makes it easier by Practice:  The Measure from the Enemy to you is difficult, from the Difference in Persons whose Stature, Activity, or Swords, are not always alike; and tho’ the Height shou’d be the same, the Arms, Thighs and Legs are not proportionable; besides there are big Men that have short Arms, and little Men that have long Arms.  It is likewise so in regard to the Clift; some being longer in the Fork than others; and though two Men shou’d in that Particular be alike, if one of them has shorter Legs than the other, he will reach farther, because his Thighs are longer, and in the Lunge, only one of the Legs contributes to it’s Length, the other making a Line almost perpendicular, whereas the two Thighs making a strait Line, contribute equally to the Extention.

The Difference in Suppleness, also makes a Difference in the Extention; a Man who has the Freedom of his Shoulders and Hips, going farther than one that has them constrain’d.  It may also happen that two Men of like Proportion and Freedom of Parts, may not have an equal Extention, by their being taught differently; some Masters teaching to keep the Body upright, the Wrist raised, or too much on one Side, and the Left-foot first; whereas the Body shou’d lean a little forward, without raising or carrying the Hand to one Side, farther than to keep the Body covered, and the Left-foot shou’d lye down on the Edge; this Situation gives a greater Length than the other.

The different Lengths of Swords sometimes make it difficult to know the Measure, and makes it impossible to fix it by Rule, as several Masters have pretended:  Some of them say that the Measure is just, when the Points cross each other a Foot; others, with as little Reason, wou’d have the Middle of your Blade touch the Point of the Adversary’s; but what gives a true Knowledge of the Measure is frequent Exercise, accompanied with a good Judgment, pushing often Quart and Tierce with different Foils, and being pushed at by different Persons.

The Extention is taken from the Left-foot, which is the Centre, to the Button of the Foil.

I did design, in this Place, to treat of Time, and of a regular Way of pushing in Lessons, from the Beginning to the End of one Year, according to the Disposition of Scholars; but after I had finished it, I thought that my Fellow-Brethren would perhaps take it ill that I should prescribe Lessons to their Scholars, by which, instead of gaining their good Opinion, I might incur the Accusation of being more busy than knowing.