Chapter 4

Tho' a Pass carries along with it, as I have observed, a greater Extension and Swiftness than a Lunge, yet as you cannot recover from it, it should be seldom practised, especially if you are not the strongest, or able in three attacks to hit twice, there being nothing more disagreeable to the Sight than to see several Passes made without hitting. But it is otherwise in Lunges, by reason of the Liberty of recovering and parrying.

Passes were more used formerly than they are now, whether it was to endeavour to bring them to Perfection, or because it has been found that this Sort of Play was not so sure.

CHAP. XVII.

_Of volting the Body._

The Volting of the Body, which many People call _Quarting_, shou'd never be done but at times when you are abandoned, as in Case of Lunges or on an Engagement of Feint in Disorder, of when finding yourself so disordered as not being able to parry, you must of necessity have recourse to volting in order to avoid the Thrust; but to do it at an improper time, as some do, is very dangerous, by reason of the Facility of parrying it, it being a Figure in Fencing which gives the least Strength, Extention, of Swiftness to a Thrust; besides that presenting the Flank and Small of the Back, the Adversary, in order to hit these Parts, has nothing to do but parry with his point a little within and low.

In volting you must begin with the Arms and Left-foot, by whose Assistance you turn the body; the Hands shou'd turn in _Quarte_, the Right as in a Lunge or Pass, and the Left more without; you must at the same time turn upon the Point of the Right-foot, bringing the Heel outwards, and the Left-foot behind the Right, a little farther outwards, which gives the Body almost the Figure of a Left-handed Man; having turned about a Quarter round, the Body in this Posture must necessarily be in Disorder. _See the 10th Plate_.

Having finished these Motions, if you find, for want of the Enemy's having suficiently abandoned himself, that you have not an Opportunity of Joining, you must without stirring the Body or Left-foot, return with your Sword on the Enemy's, and from his Sword to his Body, and from the Body to the Sword, as often as you shall see proper, which may be easily done, your Thrusts being but of small Extension, as well by reason of the Action of the Enemy coming to you, as by the Advancement of the Volt; you should, at the same time, oppose with the Left-hand, to avoid the Thrusts that the Enemy might make upon the Time of yours; by this means you may easily come to Guard again, or if he retires you may push at him, the Left-foot by it's Advancement having given a great Advantage to your Thrust, and if instead of retiring, he has a mind to join, you must prevent him by seizing the Guard of his Sword, presenting your Point to him.

If in an Assault the Foil be entangled in the Shirt or elsewhere, or that in Battle the Sword be too far entered, or that the Enemy lay hold on the Blade; in these Cases you must shift your Sword to the other Hand, which is done after the Volt, advancing your Right-foot, taking hold of your Blade with the Left-hand about four inches from the Guard, whilst with the Right you seize his Guard, and drawing back your Sword you present him the Point.

Tho' Volting is not best in Combat, yet it may on some Occasions be necessary, besides it is my Business to speak of them, at the same time advising that 'tis much better to make use of Parades and Risposts, than of Time of what Sort soever.

The Joining on a Volt is the same as on passing in _Quarte_.

CHAP. XVIII.

_Of Joining or seizing the_ Sword.

You may join after having parryed any Thrust or Pass whatever, as also after having pushed, passed, or volted in whatever Figure, or on whatever Side it may be, especially when the Enemy abandons himself, or you abandon yourself: If the Enemy abandons himself by a Lunge or Pass; in case of the first, you must close the Measure in parrying, seizing at the same time the Guard of his Sword with your Left-hand and carrying the Right-foot back present him the Point; and in case of a Pass, you must parry with your Feet firm, and seize his Guard, drawing back the Right-foot and presenting your Point in like Manner.

If you have pushed being too near, that your Right-foot slipped, or that the Enemy in parrying closed Measure; if he parryed with his Feeble you must redouble in _Seconde_ and join, and if with his Fort, you must oppose his Sword with your's 'till with your Left-hand you have seized the Guard, advancing the Left-foot; this Motion being done, you pass your Sword over the Enemy's from within to without; and loosing the Right-foot present him your Point.

Upon the Parade of _Tierce_ with the Fort, being near you must join, seizing the Guard, advancing the Left Leg, and drawing back the Right, and present the Point; or you may, before you join, cut under in _Seconde_; the first is surer at the Sword, and the other more beautiful in an Assault where a Thrust is more esteemed, than joining.

If on a Pass or Lunge the Enemy shou'd attempt to join or seize your Sword, you must, in order to prevent him, change it from the Right-hand to the Left, four Inches from the Guard, as I have already observed, seizing his with the Right-hand, and presenting him the Point, holding it at such a Length as to hit him whilst he is unable to come near you.

In Joining, if you cannot seize the Guard, you must the Blade, helping with your Elbow, turning the Hand to break the Blade, or take away the sword, which may be done if you are cunning and nervous, especially if the Enemy's Wrist is in _Quarte_, in which there is no Danger of hurting yourself, because the Sword cannot slip thro', and consequently, can't cut your Fingers, as has happened to some by their Imprudence; by this Means, you have time not only to secure yourself, but also to hit your Enemy. Some People seize the Arm, but that is of no use, because the Enemy may change Hands and hit you.

You may throw a Man down after having pushed, either upon the Pass of _Quarte_ or _Tierce_; if in _Quarte_, it is done after advancing the Left-foot, crossing the Enemy's Sword with your Fort, and carrying your Right-leg without his, at the same time pushing the Sword up from the Inside to the Out, and carrying the Right Arm to his Neck, and the Left to the Small of his Back: These three Actions must be done at the same time. There has been so much said on this Head, with the Joining without, that I shall say no more of it.

The Joining in Passes within, without, and under, is the same as in their Lunges.

In whatever Manner you join you must present the Sword at a Distance, in order to hinder the Enemy from seizing it, or putting it off with his Left Hand to throw himself in upon you: If the Enemy shou'd make a Difficulty of yeilding up his Sword, you must, in order to frustrate his Hopes of closing you, and to make him follow you, draw back the Left-foot behind the Right, and the Right behind the Left, at such a Distance as to be strong, at the same time moving the Point of your Sword circularly; by this Means, you are in a Condition either of giving or taking his Life, which you would not be if he could close you, by which you would be oblig'd to kill him, or render the Advantage doubtful by struggling.

CHAP. XIX.

_Of engaging in_ Quarte _in a midling Guard._

I Have hitherto treated of the Means whereby to make Thrusts, and in this and the following Chapters, I will shew on what Occasion they are to be made use of. Tho' there is an infinite Number of Figures or Postures, and that every Posture may be in Guard, whether within, or without, _Prime_, _Seconde_, _Tierce_, or _Quarte_, they proceed from the Midling Guard, the Strait, the High, or the Low Guard, each of which may be attacked and defended within or without.

Though there are many Means to disorder the Enemy by putting him out of Guard in order to hit him on that Occasion, they all depend either upon a Feint by the Side of his Sword to draw him on, or on a Motion of your Sword on his, to uncover him, taking his Sword from the Line of your Body, and placing yours on a Line with his, which is called engaging. And there are several other Ways of coming to the Sword, which are the Beats, Crossings, Bindings, and Lashings; the Occasions of which, and the Manners of using them, I shall shew in their proper Places. I begin with engaging in the midling Guard, as the neatest, the most used, and the best.

To engage this Guard within, it must be done with the Edge on the same Side, without going wide, in order to keep your Fort before you, and your Point before the Enemy, carrying both Parts alike; the Engagement must be made Feeble to Feeble, a little more to your Enemy's than your own, because if it were with the Feeble to the Fort, the Enemy's Sword would not be displaced, besides if he should push, you could not parry, being unable with your Feeble to resist his Fort; and if it were with the Fort to the Feeble, you wou'd be in Danger of being hit under, where there would be an Opening; besides you would be oblig'd to advance much, which would be dangerous.

On your Engagement, the Enemy may do Three things, either of which, produces several others. First, either he will let you engage, or secondly, he will disengage, or thirdly, he will come to your Blade.

If he lets you engage, you must push _Quarte_, or, by way of Precaution, make a Half-thrust, in order to see if he stirs, to retire, or to have recourse to his Parade, or to Time.

If he does not stir, you must, as I said, push _Quarte_; if he retires, redouble your Thrust; if he parrys with his Fort cut _Quarte_ under the Wrist; if with the Feeble, disengage, or cut over the Point in _Tierce_; and if upon the Half-thrust he takes the Time pushing strait, you must parry and risposte, or take the Time in _Seconde_, with your Body low; if he takes the Time lowering his Body, you must parry and oppose with the Left-hand, risposting in _Quarte_; if he takes the Time cutting under the Wrist, you must parry crossing the Sword in _Quarte_, opposing with the Hand, in order to make your Rispost more safely; and if he volts upon the Half-thrust, you must parry and risposte in _Flanconnade_, or take the Time, with, your Body low.

If when you engage he disengages, it will be either, 1st, without Design, or 2dly, to disengage and push _Tierce_ over, or 3dly, disengage breaking Measure, or 4thly, disengage, and come to your Blade without, or 5thly disengage making a Feint, and pushing _Quarte_ or 6thly, disengage to take a Counter to your Time.

1st. If he disengages with a Design only to disengage, you must on the Time push _Tierce_.

2dly. If he disengages breaking Measure, you must redouble in _Tierce_, advancing.

3dly. If he disengages and pushes without, you must parry and risposte quick where you have Light, or take Time against him, disengaging and volting, or lowering the Body.

4thly. If he disengages and comes to your Blade without; if 'tis with his Fort, you must cut under in _Seconde_; and if with the Feeble, you must Counter-disengage from without to within.

5thly. If on the Engagement, he feint _Tierce_ in order to push _Quarte_, you must push or take the Time strait upon the Feint, or by lowering the Body on the Thrust.

6thly. If he disengages giving Light, to take a Counter to your Thrust, whether by a Rispost or Time, you must make a False-time or Half-thrust, and if he parrys, or takes the Time, in Case of the first, you must baulk his Parade; and if he takes the Time, you must take another upon him.

If, upon the Engagement, he goes to your Blade with his Fort, you must cut under his Wrist, and if with his Feeble, disengage and push without in _Tierce_.

Though an Engagement may be made Blade to Blade, without Disengaging, that is Inside to Inside; better and more common to make it by disengaging from the Outside to the Inside.

CHAP. XX.

_Of engaging in_ Tierce _in the Midling Guard_.

The Engagement without shou'd be made from your being placed within, Feeble to Feeble, for the same Reason as in _Quarte_, the Wrist shou'd be turned in _Tierce_; in this Engagement as in _Quarte_, the Antagonist may do three things. 1st, let you engage him, 2d. or disengage, 3d. or come to your Blade.

If he lets you engage him, you must carry on your Thrust in _Tierce_, or make a Half-Thrust, to see if he does not stir, if he retires, if he parrys, or if he takes the Time.

If upon your Half-thrust he does not stir, you must thrust strait, if he retires, advance and redouble.

If he parrys with his Fort, cut _Seconde_ under, if with his Feeble, you must disengage or cut over the Point from _Tierce_ to _Quarte_, and if upon the Half-thrust he takes the Time pushing strait, you must either parry and risposte, or make him Time, volting or lowering the Body.

If he takes the Time in _Seconde_, lowering his Body, you must either parry him and thrust _Quarte_, or pushing _Quarte_, oppose with the Left hand, or volt.

If on your Engagement he disengages, 'tis as in _Quarte_, 1st either without Design, 2d. or to retire, 3d. or to take the Time pushing _Quarte_ or volting, 4th. or to come to your Blade, 5th. or to make a Feint; 6th. or to take a Counter to your Thrust.

1st. If he disengage without Design, you must push strait in _Quarte_, or make a Half-thrust, and go on with the same.

2d. If he disengages breaking Measure, you must come forward redoubling in _Quarte_.

3d. If he disengages and pushes _Quarte_, which, on this Occasion, is called Counter-disengaging, you must either parry and risposte, or take the Time lowering the Body, or volting.

4th. If he disengages and comes to your Sword within, with his Fort, you must cut _Quarte_ under the Wrist, and if with his Feeble, you must Counter-disengage from the Inside to the Outside.

5th. If he makes a Feint in order to return in _Tierce_, you must either parry or take the Time as I have said.

6th. If he disengages giving Light, to take a Counter on your Thrust, whether by Rispost or Time, you must make a Feint, and if he parrys with his Fort you must cut under in _Seconde_, if with his Feeble, you must disengage and push _Quarte_, if he takes the Time strait, you must lower the body, if he takes Time lowering his body, you must parry and push strait in _Quarte_, if he cuts in _Flank_, you must parry crossing the Sword in _Quarte_, and if he volts, you must parry and risposte in _Flanconnade_.

If on the Engagement without, he comes to your Sword with his Fort, you must cut under in _Seconde_, if with his Feeble, disengage or cut over the Point in _Quarte_.

_When you are engaged within the_ Sword.

If the Enemy engage you within with his Fort, you must cut under the Wrist, and if with his Feeble, disengage from within to without, of if you don't care to do that, make a Feint without; if on this Feint he goes to the Parade with his Fort, you must push _Seconde_ under, and if with his Feeble, disengage in _Quarte_.

When the Enemy engages to make you push, in order to parry and rispost, you must, as I have said, make a Half-thrust and retire giving Light, in order to take him by a Counter to his thrust, by a Parade, or by Time.

You may on the same Engagement, remain engaged on purpose, in order to make the Adversary path strait; and in this Case, you must parry and risposte where he is uncovered, or take Time lowering the Body.

If after having engaged you he shou'd make a Feint, you must, by going to the Parade, give Light on purpose, and if he pushes, take him by a Contrary.

If he engages to make you disengage, in order to take the Time on your Disengagement, you must disengage and give him a little Light, and if he pushes at it, take him by a Rispost, or a Time opposite to his.

If you are engaged in _Tierce_ with the Fort, you must cut under the Wrist in _Seconde_, and if with the Feeble, and the Hand in _Quarte_, disengage to _Quarte_ within, or, by Way of Caution, make a Half-thrust; if the Adversary goes to the Parade, you must push where you have Light, and if he takes the Time, parry and risposte, or take a Time to his.

You may also upon an Engagement in _Tierce_, make a Feint below, and if he takes the Time, parry above and risposte below. This Thrust is very good against a Man that's disorder'd, who coming to the Parade above, gives room to hit him below.

CHAP. XXI.

_Of several Guards, and the Manner of attacking them_.

Tho' all the Guards are Good when well defended, yet they are not equally good; because we ought not to look upon any thing as good, that does not procure us some Advantage, and an ill placed Guard, instead of being favourable, requires a great deal of Skill to be of any Use at all, being farther from a Posture of Defence, the midling Guard only carrying with it such a Disposition of the Point and Wrist as is sufficient to defend the Inside, the Outside, the Upper and Lower Parts of the Body with the Sword: For as to the other Guards, whether Flat, High, or Low, or holding the Sword with both Hands, they leave some Part uncovered, either by reason of their Height, or their Line.

_To attack a strait Guard._

No Man of Skill or Reason will give a considerable Open without a Design, and as the People who hold such a Guard as I am going to describe, have their several Designs, you must be cautious of them, in order not only to make them useless to them, but advantageous to yourself.

Some Men hold their Swords strait or flat,[3] whether 'tis because they are more used to Disengagements than Parades, or to take Advantage of the Superiority of their Stature, or of the Length of their Sword, to avoid the Attacks and Engagements to which the other Guards are more exposed; for you can hardly engage or feint on this Guard, the Point being too low; so that to attack him, you must bind the Sword, which you must do after placing yourself within his Sword, binding his Blade under yours, when he is out of Measure, to take, with more Ease, the Feeble of his Sword, crossing it with yours, raising your Hand in _Seconde_, and carrying the Point low, whilst gaining Measure, you form a little Circle with the two Points, and raising them up again, you push _Seconde_ within, with the Body low.

Tho' it be almost impossible for the Enemy to disengage, when you have bound his Sword as I have described, it may happen that if some of the Circumstances were wanting, he might disengage and push, which ought not to hinder you from making your Thrust; because your Sword may very well hit him, passing under his, which cannot hurt you, because of the Lowness of your Body.

The Binding is easy to be parryed, by reason of the natural Tendency to follow the Sword, which is done by raising and bringing your Fort nearer. These following have commonly more Success.

The first is made after having bound the Sword, instead of pushing _Seconde_ within, you must, upon the Parade, disengage and push _Tierce_ over: If the Adversary is quick enough in his Parade to shun this double Motion, you must have recourse to the third, binding the Sword in the like Manner, and feinting above, return below.

Tho' the Sword is seldom bound on the Outside, upon some Occasions and to some People it would not be amiss; it must be done with your Feeble to the Enemy's, with the Precautions necessary in binding within, by a little Circle without, the Hand in _Quarte_, and if he does not stir, or if he disengages, you must push without, the Hand in _Quarte_. These following are according to the Parade with the Fort or with the Feeble, pushing _Seconde_ under, or _Quarte_ within.

As in all Thrusts the Hand must be easy and uniform, it must be more so in this than in the others, because the Binding cannot be made without a very close and smooth Motion.

Though several Masters teach to disengage in order to bind the Sword, I would not have it done so for two Reasons: First, because the disengaging gives Time to the Opponent, not only to thrust strait, but also to disengage; and Secondly, because you cannot so easily bind the Sword as when you are on the same Side.

In binding the Blade, you must close the Measure; because a Man who is superior to you, in Height, by the Length of his Sword, or by his Situation, won't let his Inferior into Measure; in one or the other Case, being at a proper Distance, you bind more easily on the Feeble.

_To attack the high Guard._

In this Guard, you must place yourself under, with the Hand in _Seconde_, covering the upper Part, in order to oblige the Enemy to go under; which being the most distant Place from his Sword, procures you more Time to avoid him. He may, on this Occasion, do three things: Let you engage him, go under, or force your Sword.

If he lets you engage him, 'tis either with a Design to parry, or to take the Time; wherefore, before you push, you must make a Half-thrust under: If he parrys, it will be in one of the three Ways that I have shewn in the Parade of _Seconde_, Chap. 8, where you may see all their Counters.

If upon the Half-thrust he takes the Time, you must parry and risposte below, or push strait, opposing with the Hand; you may also volt on this Occasion, but it is better to parry.

If he opposes with his Hand upon your Half-thrust, you must parry with your Left-hand, and, pushing near his Left Shoulder, baulk his Hand.

And if he volts on your Half-thrust, you must parry and risposte in the Flank.

If on the Engagement he thrust under, you must parry and thrust strait, or take the Time, opposing with your Hand, and if instead of going under, he only feints there in order to return above; you must either parry the Feint and risposte under, or push on the time, as I have said before.

If he makes use of the same Thrust, pushing at the Time of your going under, you must make believe to push there, returning quickly to the Parade above, and risposte under.

And if he would draw you on in order to make this Rispost on you, you must make a Half-thrust, keeping on your Parade below, to risposte strait in _Quarte_.

If upon your Engagement he forces your Sword, you must yeild the Feeble, opposing with the Fort and the Left-hand. _See the 5th_ Plate.

To keep the Enemy from forcing your Sword, you must cross his Blade with your Fort to his Feeble.

_To attack the low Guard._

Those who hold a low Guard have a Design either to parry with the Sword or with the Hand, to lower the Body or to volt; therefore as in the other Guards you must make a false Time, or half Thrust, and if he parrys with the Sword, thrust where you see Light, if he parry with the Hand, you must feign a strait Thrust in order to bring his Left-hand to the Parade, at the same time raising your Point with a little Circle, pushing at the left Side with the Hand in _Seconde_, the Body low, whereby you baulk his Left-hand, and for the greater Safety, you must oppose his Thrust with your Hand, endeavouring in your Risposts, to deceive his Sword and his Hand.

If he waits for your Thrust in order to lower the Body or to volt, you must make a Half-thrust to draw him on, and take one of the Counters which I have spoken of before.

If the low Guard is within your Sword, you must attack it making a Semi-circle with the Point of the Sword down, lashing and crossing his, the Hand in _Quarte_, and to push without Danger, you must oppose with the Left-hand: This Thrust is good against a Man that pushes at the same Time.

If the low Guard is without your Sword, you must lash in _Tierce_, crossing the Sword and push without.