Chapter 2

In order to know the Distance of the Lunge, the Right Knee being bent, must form a perpendicular Line with the Point of the Foot; if the Foot were not so forward, the Heel would be off the Ground, and the Body would have less Strength, and if it were carried farther the Body could not easily bend it self, and consequently could not extend so far; moreover, it would want Strength, being at too great a Distance from the perpendicular Line of the Foot and Leg, which are its Support, and its Recovery would be more difficult.

The Foot should fall firm without lifting it too high, that the Soal of the Sandal, or Pump, may give a smart Sound, which not only looks better and animates more, but also makes the Foot firm, and in a Condition to answer the Swiftness of the Wrist.

Care must be taken not to carry the Point of the Foot inward or outward, because the Knee bending accordingly, as part of the Thigh, goes out of the Line of the Sword, and consequently, of the Line of Defence, besides 'tis very disagreeable to the Sight.

The Feet sometimes slip in the Lunge, the Right Foot sliding forward, or the Left backward; the first is occasioned by carrying out the Foot before the Knee is bent, whereas when the Knee brings it forward, it must fall flat and firm; the other proceeds from the Want of a sufficient Support on the Left Foot.

The Head should follow the Figure of the Body; when this is upright, that should be so to; when the Body leans, the Head must lean; when you push within, you must look at your Adversary on the Outside of your Arm, which is done without turning the Head, by the Opposition of the Hand only.

That every Thrust may carry with it it's due Extent and Strength, the Opposition of the Sword, the true placing of the Body, and a Facility of recovering; you are to observe that the two first are for Offence, and the others for Defence.

Every Thrust must have it's just Length, and carry with it a good Air, a regular Situation, Vigour, and a due Extension; _See the 2d. plate_.

_Of recovering in_ Guard.

As soon as the Thrust is made, you must recover in _Guard_, which is done either by retiring out of Measure, or only to the Place from whence you, pushed; if out of Measure, 'tis done by springing back, or by bringing the Right Foot back behind the Left, and the Left behind the Right; and if to the Place from whence you pushed, you must parry if there's a Thrust made; and if not, you must command the Feeble of the Adversary's Sword, in order to cover the Side on which it is, without giving an Open on the other Side, which is done as you recover, by drawing back the Body on the Left Foot; which should bring with it the Right Knee, drawing the Foot, with the Heel a little raised from the Ground, to prevent any Accident that may happen by the Badness of the Terrace.

By this Recovery, commanding the Adversary's Sword, you either get Light if he not stir, or Time if he does, which instead of being dangerous, as has formerly been thought, it is, by the Help of Art, become advantageous.

CHAP. IV.

_Of the Parade of Quart._

To parry, signifies, in our Art, to cover when the Adversary pushes, that Part which he endeavors to offend; which is done it either by the Opposition of the Sword or of the Left Hand; but as I am now speaking of the Sword only, I must observe; that in order to parry well with it, you are to take notice of the Manner and Swiftness of your Adversary: By the Manner, is meant whether in _Quart_ or _Tierce_; with his Fort to your Feeble, or with his Feeble to your Fort; and you are to observe the Swiftness of his Thrust, that you may regulate your Parade accordingly.

When a Thrust is made with the Fort to your Feeble, which is the best way; you must, by raising and turning the Hand a little in _Quart_, raise the Point, which brings it nearer to you, and hinders the Adversary from gaining your Feeble, which being raised up is too far from him, and makes it easy for you to seize his Feeble. (Refer to the 3d. Plate.)

If the Thrust be made on the Fort or Middle of your Sword, you need only turn the Hand a little in _Quart_.

If after the Adversary has pushed _Quart_, he pushes _Seconde_; you must parry with the Fort, bringing it nearer to you, and for the greater Safety, or to avoid other Thrusts, or the taking Time on your return, you must oppose with the left hand, which hinders him from hitting you as he meets your Thrust, and from parrying it, for want of having his Sword at Liberty. (Refer to the 7th Plate.)

The same Opposition may be made on a Lunge in _Quart_, and to be more safe in returning Thrust or Thrusts, you must close the Measure in parrying, which confounds the Enemy, who finds himself too near to have the Use of his Sword: Your Sword, in parrying, must carry it's Point lower and more inward than in the other Parades.

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.

You may also parry in disengaging,[2] drawing back the Body to the Left, in order to give the Hand Time and Facility to make the Parade.

There are several other Parades, of which I shall treat in their proper Places, confining myself now to the most essential.

CHAP. V.

_Of pushing_ Tierce _without_, or _on the Outside of the Sword_.

In order to push _Tierce_ well, the Hand being gone first, taking the Feeble with the Fort, turning down the Nails, and the Wrist a little outwards, not too high or low; in order not to give Light above or below, the Body must bend more forward and inward than in _Quart_; the Left Hand should extend itself in _Tierce_, because it ought, in all Cases, to be conformable with the Right, except that it is lower. When you push _Tierce_, you should look within your Sword: As to the Feet, they must be, in every Lunge, on the same Line, and at the same Distance.

The Rules I have laid down for recovering in _Quart_, will serve also in _Tierce_, but of the contrary Side.

_Parade_ of Tierce.

To parry a Thrust made with the Fort to the Feeble, you must turn the whole Hand, carrying it a little outwards, raising the Point, in order to avoid the Adversary's taking your Feeble, and at the same time take His. _See the 4th_ Plate.

If a Thrust be made on the Middle, or Fort of your Sword, you need only turn the Hand, carrying all the Blade equally outwards. Some Masters teach to parry this Thrust with the Hand in _Quart_, which is very dangerous if the Enemy pushes _Quart_ over the Arm in the Fort, or _Quart_ within, in the Feeble, there being an Opening in one, as well as the other Case; besides the Point is too far from the Line, to make a quick Return.

To avoid the Return of a Thrust when you have pushed _Tierce_, and that the Adversary, in parrying, has gained to your Feeble; you must, by raising and opposing with the Fort, bring the Pommel of your Sword on high; so that the Point be downwards; whereby his Point will be near your Left Shoulder, and you, not only avoid being hit, but you may make a Thrust at the same time, by opposing with the Left Hand, and for the greater Safety, you must return on the Blade, and push strait, without quitting it. _See the 5th_ Plate.

When a Thrust is made in _Tierce_ upon the Blade on the Feeble, or by disengaging; tho' the first is more easily parryed, you must yeild the Feeble, opposing with the Fort, in order to guide the Adversary's Sword to the Place the most convenient for the Opposition of the Left Hand, and closing the Measure at the same time, you have an Opportunity, before he can recover, to hit him several times; which must be done by advancing on him, as fast as he retires. _See the 5th_ Plate.

You may also parry by disengaging, drawing the Body back. The Return is easy, by pushing _Quart_; and to avoid a second Thrust from the Enemy at the Time of your Return, you must oppose with the Left Hand. _See the 5th_ Plate.

CHAP. VI.

_Of pushing_ Seconde.

In pushing under, the Hand must be turned in _Seconde_, as high as in _Quart_, and more within than in _Tierce_; the Body should be more bent, lower, and more forward than in thrusting _Tierce_, and the Left Hand lower. _See the 6th_ Plate.

Seconde ought not be pushed, but on the following Occasions: First, when an Engagement, _Feint_ or _Half-Thrust_, is made without, that the Adversary at one of these Times parrys high. Secondly, when your Adversary engages your Sword on the Outside, with his Hand raised high; or on the Inside, with his Feeble only; and thirdly, upon a Thrust or Pass, within or without.

The Recovery in Guard, should be in _Quart_ within the Arm, though most Masters teach to recover on the Outside, which takes much more Time, and though the _Seconde_ is independent on the Side, it is nearer to the Inside than to the Outside; because the Adversary carries his Wrist to the Outside, when he gives an Opportunity of making this Thrust; therefore you ought to return to his Sword in the shortest Time, in order to be sooner on your Guard. If you examine this Parade, you will find it is the only Means of recovering with Safety.

What introduced the Manner of returning to the Sword on the Outside, was the false Method formerly used in parrying the _Seconde_ by beating on the Blade; in _Tierce_, with the Point downwards; so that the Adversary not being able to return but above, there was a Necessity for returning to the Sword on the Outside in order to defend; but the Parade and Return being no longer the same, the Manner of returning to the Sword must also be different.

CHAP. VII.

_The Parades of_ Seconde.

_Seconde_ may be parried three Ways. First, according to the ancient Manner I just described, which is done by a Semi-circle on the Inside, with the Hand in _Tierce_, the Point low, almost on a Line with the Wrist; but the Greatness of the Motion does not only render it difficult to parry the Thrust but still harder to parry the Feint of the Thrust and come up again; besides the _Rispost_ is dangerous; because it requires a long Time to raise the Point, which is almost as low as the Ground, to the Body; in which Time, the Adversary has not only an Opportunity of parrying the Thrust, but also of hitting you whilst you are bringing up your Point.

Secondly, _Seconde_ may be parryed by making a Half-circle on the Outside, the Wrist in _Quart_, as high as the Shoulder, the Arm extended, and the Point very low. _See the 7th_ Plate. It is less dangerous, and more easy for the _Rispost_ than the former, which must be made as soon as you have parryed, by pushing strait in _Quart_ which the Adversary having pushed under, can hardly avoid, but by yeilding, and battering the Sword. _See the 7th_ Plate.

To this Manner of parrying _Seconde_, there is but one Opposite, which is done by _feinting_ below, and as the Adversary is going to cross your Sword, in order to parry, you must disengage by a little Circle, with the Hand in _Seconde_, which preventing the Enemy's Sword, gives an Opportunity of hitting him above, if the Wrist is lower than I have observed, or in _Flanconnade_, if the Wrist is high. A Man that parrys below, in order to avoid this _Feint_, must redouble his Circle to meet the Blade. This Parade is best in recovering, after having pushed, not only to avoid the strait or low _Rispost_, but also any Feint or Thrust.

The third and best Parade, is made with your Fort to the Middle of the Adversary's Sword, the Wrist turned in _Quart_, but a little lower: The _Rispost_ of this Parade is very good, when you know how to bind the Sword upon the _Rispost_; and it cannot be parryed without returning to the Parade that I have here, before, described and which, I believe, is peculiar to myself.

This Parade is by so much the more adventageous, as the _Rispost_ is easy the Sword being near the Adversary's Body, which makes it, more difficult for him to avoid you; besides, by this Parade, you are in better Condition to parry, not only a Thrust below, but also any other Thrusts and Feints, the Sword being near the Situation of Guard.

CHAP. VIII.

_Of_ Quart _under the Wrist_.

This Thrust should not be made but instead of _Seconde_, that is to say, on an Engagement, Parade, or Lunge of the Adversary in _Quart_.

The Wrist must not be so much turned up, nor so high as in _Quart_ within; the Body should be more inward, and bending more forward. (Refer to the 7th Plate.)

In case the Adversary pushes _Quart_, in order to take the Time, you must lunge the Foot strong inward, to throw the Body farther from the Line of the Adversary's Sword.

In recovering from this Thrust, the Wrist must be in _Tierce_, and the Sword without the Enemy's whilst the other Parts take their Situation.

The Parade of this Thrust is made by a Half-circle of the Sword within, the Wrist raised in _Quart_, and the Point low. _See the 7th Plate_.

CHAP. IX.

_Of_ Flanconnade.

This Thrust is to be made only in engaging or _risposting_ when the Adversary carries his Wrist too far inward, or drops the Feeble of his Sword, then you must press a little within, and with your Feeble on his, in order to lower it, and by that means get an Opening in his Flank.

The Body, in this Thrust, is not so strait as in _Quart_ within, tho' the Arms are. _See the 8th_ Plate.

It is necessary to oppose with the Left hand, in order to avoid a low Thrust on your engaging, pushing or _risposting_. This is the last Thrust of the Five which are to be made in our Art. The first us _Quart_ within the Sword, the second _Tierce_ without the Sword, the third _Seconde_ under the Sword, the fourth _Quart_ under the Sword, and the fifth, _Flanconnade_; and there is not any Attack, Thrust, Feint, Time or Rispost in this extensive Art, but what depends on one of these.

The Recovery from _Flanconnade_, should be the same as from _Quart_ within the Sword.

Flanconnade is generally avoided by taking the Time in _Seconde_ with the Body low; the Hand must oppose to shun the Thrust, and hit the Adversary at the same time. Instead of pushing at the Flank, you should push within the Body. _See the 8th_ Plate.

Besides the taking Time in _Seconde_, there is another very good Parade, very little practised in Schools; either because few Masters know it, or because it is more difficult to execute it justly. This Parade is made by lowering the Adversary's Sword, bringing it under your's to the Inside, and parrying a little lower on the Feeble of his Sword, you make your _Rispost_ where he intended his Thrust, that is to say in the Flank.

CHAP. X.

_Of Parades_.

There are two Sorts of Parades, the one by binding the Blade, the other by a dry beat. The binding Parade is to be used when you are to _rispost_ in _Quart_ within, in _Tierce_ without, in _Seconde_ under, in _Flanconnade_, and in all _Feints_: And the Beat, giving a favourable Opportunity of _risposting_, is to be used when you _rispost_ to a Thrust in _Seconde_; or when after having parryed a Thrust in _Quart_ within, you see an Opening under the Wrist. To these two Thrusts, you must _rispost_ almost as soon as the adversary pushes, quitting his Blade for that Purpose, which is to be done only by a smart Motion, joining again immediately, in order to be in Defence if the Adversary should thrust.

There are three Things more to be observed in parrying. First, that you are to parry all Thrusts with the inmost Edge, except in yeilding Parades, which are made with the Flat. Secondly, that your Fort be to the Middle, and your Middle to the Feeble of the Adversary's Sword.

And thirdly, that your situation be as rear to the guard as possible, as to favour your riposte.

The ripostes.

In order to riposte well, you must observe the adversary's time and recovery in guard. The time is to be taken in the thrusts of opposition when he is recovering, and the other as soon as you have parryed. There are three ways of riposting on the adversary's recovery in guard: when he does not come enough to the sword, or not at all: the second, when he comes too much, and the third, when his recovery and parade are just. To the first, you must riposte strait; to the second by disengaging, or cutting over or under, according as you see light; and to the last, by making a strait feint or Half-thrust, to oblige the adversary to come to the parade, and then pushing where there is an opening, which is called baulking the parade.

CHAP. XI.

_Of the demarches, or manner of advancing and retiring._

Most of the Faults committed in making Thrusts when the Measure is to be closed, proceed from the Disorder of the Body, occasioned by that of the Feet, so that for want of moving well, you are not only in danger of being taken on your Time, but likewise you cannot execute your Thrusts neatly, justly, nor swiftly; the Body being disordered and weak. There are ten Demarches in Fencing; four in advancing, five in retiring, and one to turn your Adversary, or hinder him from turning you. The first Demarche in advancing, is made by lifting and carrying your Left-foot the length of your Shoe before the right, keeping it turned as in guard, with the Knee bent, lifting up the Heel of the Right-foot, leaning the body forward, which, on this occasion, gives it more strength and a better air; then carrying the Right-foot about two foot before the left, in order to be in Guard, which is done by a smart Beat of the Right-foot.

The same _Demarche_ in retiring, is made by lifting and carrying the Right foot the Length of the Shoe behind the Left, with the Knee a little bent, then carrying the Left-foot on the Line, and to the Distance of Guard.

The second _Demarche_ is called closing the Measure; which is done by lifting and advancing the Right-foot a bout a Foot with a Beat, drawing the Left the same Length; because by drawing it more or less you would lose your Strength or your Measure, which few People have observed.

There is such a _Demarche_ backward, which is called breaking Measure; which is done by lifting and carrying the Left-foot a Foot back, drawing or bringing back the Right in Proportion according as the Ground will permit.

If the Ground be uneven, or that you have a mind to surprize an unskilful Man by gaining Measure unperceived, or to oblige one, a little expert, to push at the time you advance your Body; you must, I say, if your Adversary is unskilful, bring the Left-foot more or less near the Right, as you are more or less out of Measure, which gains more Ground, and less visibly than the foregoing _Demarche_, and is more favourable to your Thrust: If your Adversary is a little expert, and pushes on this your advancing you must bring back the Left-foot to it's Place, and he will be out of Measure, tho' by Means of his Lunge you will be well in Measure, which is a great Advantage.

The same _Demarche_ may be made in retiring, where the Ground is uneven, lifting the Right-foot, bringing it near the Left, and putting back the Left in Guard.

To make a Thrust in three Motions, being out of Measure, you must make a double Beat, which is done by a small Beat of the Right-foot in the same Place, beginning immediately with the same Foot to close the Measure.

The three Ways of retiring which I have shewn, are done from the Situation in Guard. The two which are done after a Lunge are, first by lifting and bringing the Right-foot back from the Place of the Lunge behind the Left, and then carrying the Left behind the Right, in order to be in Guard.

The late Monsieur De Latouche, and Monsieur De Liancour, found this demarche better than the following one, tho' it is not so generally used.

The second Retreat after having pushed, is made by drawing back the Right-foot about the length of the Shoe, bending the Knees, in order to be in a condition to chace or drive back the Left-foot with the Right, keeping the Hams very supple, the Body free, and the Sword before you; not only that you may spring the farther, but also to be in a better Posture of defence. The Point of the Right-foot should come down first, leaning immediately after on the Heel; the Left-foot must fall on the Line at the distance, and in the Situation in Guard, as I before observed, in order to be ready to take the Time, or to make a Riposte.

The two Masters that I have quoted, condemned this Retreat very much, especially Monsieur De Latouche, who says in springing back, three motions are necessary; first to draw back the Right-foot in guard, secondly to bend the Knee, and thirdly to chace or fly back. Any Master, will find that there should be but two motions, it being easy to bend the Knees and draw back the Right-foot at the same Time.

Besides, his rule for springing back is false; for by drawing the Right-foot back so far as in guard; you lose Time, the first Motion being too long, and the Feet being so close together, the Body has not sufficient Strength, and consequently cannot go far. From this it is plain that three Motions are not necessary for springing back, there being but two in all. He likewise says that the leaping back, requires such an effort, that you have not Power to parry; but Experience sufficiently shows that you may easily parry and spring back. Indeed on a moving Sand, or slippery Ground, it is very difficult to leap back; and if we consider things rightly, we cannot find our purpose answered at all times and places; and tho' the first Retreat that I recommended, and which these Gentlemen esteemed, is very good, yet if you are followed closely in retreating thus, as the two Steps do not place you at so great a Distance, by much, as the springing back, you may be put to a Nonplus by a redouble.

When you know the just Length of your Adversary's Thrust, you may break or steal out of measure, by leaning back the Body, without stirring the Foot.

If in the Field, you have the Disadvantage of the Ground, the Wind, or the Sun, or that in a School, you are exposed to too much Light, or, pushing with an awkard Man; in order to obviate these Inconveniencies, you must go round him, which may be done within or without according as you have Room.

The Turning must be done out of Measure, and with great Caution: When 'tis within your Sword, you must begin with your Left-foot, carrying it to that Side, and then bring the Right-foot to it's proper Line and Distance; and if your Adversary turns on the Outside, you must carry the Right-foot to that Side, and the Left in Guard, as well to avoid his Thrusts, as to lay hold on every favourable Opportunity, in case he should persist in his _Demarche_.

You should never give Measure but to your Inferior: Giving Measure, is when the Body and Feet advance too much, or in Disorder; or advancing before you are well situated, although corrected in the _Demarche_, or advancing when you are near enough, except you be much superior to the Enemy.

The Measure should be given to oblige the Adversary to push; in order to get an Opportunity of taking the Time, or of _risposting_.

CHAP. XII.

_Of_ Disengagements.