L’Exercice Des Armes - Le Perche du Coudray - c.1740?

[Rob]

The original was printed 1676, but with a second edition around 1740, hence its inclusion here. There is some confusion about the date of publication, discussed on this site

Due to some issues, I've updated the link. however, if it continues to cause a problem, I can upload the PDF.

http://cdp.upm.es/view/action/singleViewer.do?dvs=1316099670959~135&locale=en_GB&VIEWER_URL=/view/action/singleViewer.do?&DELIVERY_RULE_ID=4&search_terms=coudray&adjacency=N&application=DIGITOOL-3&frameId=1&usePid1=true&usePid2=true

[Reinier]

To confuse matters more, I came across a Dutch paper on the site of the Dutch Army museum (published in Armamentaria, ISSN 0168-1672, vol. 5 (1970), pag. 9-30), in which it is claimed that the 1676 edition is a second edition, and the first edition was in 1605. This date is also mentioned on this French website here: http://www.elaa.ch/portfolio/articles/e ... itres.html . However, no sources or arguments are given for that date.
There are some webpages that mention 1635 as well. No evidence for those dates appears to be given.

The arguments given in the link you posted make a lot of sense to me. It would be nice to know if there is a reason 1605 is given as a date, though.

[Max C.]

Egerton Castle was the first to mention 1635 it seems, never heard 1605 though, but both make no sense since La Perche talks about parry-riposte fencing which is a later 17th century development and no one can find a 1635 edition let alone a 1605. The 1676 date is much more probable since there is a a La Perche among the masters approving La Touche treaty in 1670.

[Reinier]

If the above link doesn't work, try this:
http://cdp.upm.es/R/?object_id=411877&f ... -jump-full

[Rob]

Should be noted that Dancie (1623) mentions a Duperche as a great fencer. Of course, they would be entirely different people,but it could denote a family.