PRACTICES.

ON ROUND PARRIES AND DOUBLES OF QUARTE & TIERCE. 

224. Engage in quarte. Number— disengage quarte over the arm. Number— parry with round parry of quarte and riposte, as your adversary rises, by disengaging quarte over the arm. Longe out.

225.  Engage in tierce. Number — disengage quarte. Number — parry with round parry of tierce, and riposte as your adversary rises, by disengaging quarte. Longe out.

226.  Engage in quarte. Number — counter disengage quarte over the arm. Number — parry with the double of quarte, and riposte, as your antagonist rises, by counter disengaging quarte over the arm. Longe out.

227.  Engage in tierce. Number — counter disengage quarte. Number — parry with double of tierce or quarte over the arm, and riposte, as your antagonist rises, by counter disengaging quarte. Longe out.

228.  Extend the preceding practices, each number ex­ecuting several disengagements or counter disengagements and parries alternately, before returning to guard. 

ON ROUND PARRY AND DOUBLE OF DEMI-CIRCLE. 

229.  Engage in quarte. Number — longe in demi­circle. Number — parry with demi-circle, and riposte, as your antagonist rises, by disengaging seconde or octave. Number — (first called) parry with round parry of demi-circle.

230.  Engage in quarte. Number — longe demi-circle. Number — parry with demi-circle, and riposte, as your antagonist rises, by counter disengaging seconde or octave. Number — (first called) parry with double of demi-circle.

231.  Extend the preceding practices, each number ex­ecuting several disengagements or counter disengagements and parries, alternately, before returning to guard. 

ON ROUND PARRY AND DOUBLE OF OCTAVE.

232.  Engage in quarte over the arm. Number — longe in octave. Number — parry with octave, and riposte, as your adversary rises, by disengaging quarte. Number — (first called) parry with round parry of octave.

233.  Engage in quarte over the arm. Number — longe in octave. Number — parry with octave, and riposte, as your adversary rises, by counter disengaging quarte. Num­ber (first called) parry with double of octave.

234.  Preceding practices extended.

ON ROUND PARRY AND DOUBLE OF PRIME.

235.  Engage in quarte over the arm. Number — dis­engage quarte. Number — parry with prime, and, as your antagonist rises, riposte by disengaging seconde over his blade. Number — (first called) parry with round parry of prime.

236.  Engage in quarte over the arm. Number — disengage quarte. Number — parry with prime, and, as your adversary rises, riposte by counter disengaging seconde. Number (first called) parry with double of prime.

237.  Preceding practices extended. 

ON ROUND PARRY AND DOUBLE OF SECONDE.

 238.  Engage in tierce. Number — longe seconde. Number — parry with seconde, and riposte, as your adversary rises, by disengaging prime over his blade. Num­ber — (first called) parry with round parry of seconde.

239.  Engage in tierce. Number — longe seconde. Number — parry with seconde, and, as your antagonist rises, riposte by counter disengaging prime. Number —(first called) parry with double of seconde.

240.  Preceding practices extended.

MISCELLANEOUS PRACTICES.

241.  Engage in quarte. Number — mark one, two. Number — parry with tierce and round parry of tierce.

242.  Engage in quarte. Number — mark one, two, three. Number — parry with tierce, quarte, and round parry of quarte.

243.  Engage in tierce. Number — mark one, two. Number — parry with quarte and round parry of quarte.

244.  Engage in tierce. Number — mark one, two, three. Number — parry with quarte, tierce, and round parry of tierce.

245.  Engage in quarte. Number mark one, two, three, in demi-circle. Number — parry with demi-circle, octave, and round parry of octave.

246.  Engage in quarte over the arm. Number — mark one, two, three, in octave. Number — parry with octave, demi-circle, and round parry of demi-circle.

247.  Engage in quarte. Number — counter disengage quarte over the arm. Number — parry with tierce and riposte, counter disengaging seconde, but seeing your ad­versary about to cover himself with either seconde or oc­tave, quickly raise the point and deliver quarte or quarte over the arm, (as the opposition may be,) thus marking one, two, in seconde.

248.  Engage in quarte. Number — disengage quarte over the arm. Number — parry with tierce and riposte, counter disengaging seconde, but seeing your adversary double demi-circle, threaten quarte over the arm, and on his resorting to prime, tierce, or quarte over the arm, drop the point and deliver seconde, thus marking one, two, three, in seconde.

249.  Engage in quarte. Number — counter disengage quarte over the arm, but observing your adversary resorting to tierce, either disengage quarte, cut quarte, mark one, two, or one, two, three.

260.  Engage in quarte. Number — disengage quarte over the arm. Number — parry with round parry of quarte, and riposte with the cut of quarte over the arm; but on your adversary resorting to the round parry of quarte, cut quarte over the arm a second time.

261.  Engage in tierce. Number — disengage quarte. Number — parry with round parry of tierce, and riposte counter disengaging seconde; but your adversary resorting to demi-circle and octave, form quarte over the arm, and on your adversary executing the counter of quarte, disen­gage quarte over the arm.

252.  Engage in tierce. Number — disengage quarte~ Number — parry with round parry of tierce, and riposte counter disengaging seconde; but on your adversary resort­ing to demi-circle and octave, form quarte over the arm, and on his resorting to tierce or quarte over the arm, disengage quartet and on his resorting to the round parry of tierce or quarte over the arm, disengage quarte again.

253.  In all the preceding practices, the body must be retained well back, the hand moving rapidly, and the point describing small curves; the longe, when taken, and the recovery to guard, must be quick and decided.

ON THE BEATS. 

254.  Engage in quarte. Number — appel and beat.

255.  Engage Longe in quarte. in quarte. Number — beat, and observ­ing your adversary avoiding the beat by disengaging quarte over the arm, drop your point and longe quarte over the arm or tierce, thus delivering a time thrust. Tierce is the best, as the hand has greater elevation.

256.  Engage in quarte. Number menace quarte, and observing your adversary to extend his arm to the front, beat and longe direct.

257.Engage in quarte. Number— advance, (85,) beat and longe direct. Number — parry with prime. The parry of prime is recommended whenever the hand is not ready enough to avoid the beat by disengaging quarte over the arm; from it the riposte of prime is prompt.

258.        Engage in quarte. Number — beat, but seeing your adversary yielding, and forming prime, disengage seconde.

259.        The preceding practice extended to the simple and double feints in seconde, (96 and 97.)

260.        Engage in tierce. Number — beat, longe tierce.

261.        Engage in tierce. Number — beat, and not meet­ing with much resistance, longe quarte over the arm. Number — parry with round parry of quarte, and riposte with quarte.

262.        Engage in tierce. Number — beat, disengage seconde. In same manner mark one, two, and one, two, three, in seconde.

263.        Engage in tierce. Number — beat, disengage se­conde. Number — parry with demi-circle and riposte quarte. Number — (first called) parry quarte.

264.        Engage in fierce. Number — beat, mark one, two, three, in seconde. Number — parry, seconde, prime, seconde and riposte with quarte over the arm. Number—   (first called) parry with round parry of quarte, and ri­poste with the cut of quarte over the arm. Number —(second called) parry with tierce, and riposte with seconde. Number — (first called) parry with demi-circle, and ri­poste with quarte.

265.        Engage in tierce. Number — appel and beat. Number — avoid the beat by disengaging quarte. Num­ber — (first called) parry with quarte, and riposte with flanconnade, opposing the left hand, bind your antagonist’s blade with the counter of quarte as you rise, and if his hand is low, longe a second time quarte direct.

266.        Engage in quarte. Number — appel and beat. Number — avoid the beat by disengaging or counter dis­engaging quarte over the arm. Number — (first called) parry with round parry or double of quarte.

267.        Engage in tierce Number — beat. Number —avoid the beat by counter disengaging quarte. Number —(first called) parry with double of tierce.

ON THE CROSS IN SECONDE.

268.  Engage in quarte. Number — cross in seconde on your adversary’s extended guard, and sustaining the hand high, longe in seconde.

269.  Engage in quarte. Number — On your adversary’s extended guard cross in seconde, but observing him yield to your cross, longe quarte over the arm. In the same manner mark the simple and double feint in seconde.

270.  Engage in quarte. Number— On your adversary’s extended guard cross in seconde. Number — avoid by yielding and passing completely around, form demi-cir­cle. Number — (first called) counter disengage seconde. Number — (second called) parry with octave. In the same manner mark the simple and double feint in seconde.

271.  Engage in quarte. Number — cross in seconde, but your adversary resisting, beat tierce, and longe quarte over the arm or tierce.

272.  Engage in quarte. Number — cross in seconde, and longe seconde, recover binding your adversary’s blade in quarte, beat quarte and longe quarte direct. 

ON THE CROSS IN DEMI-CIRCLE.

273.  Engage in tierce. Number — cross in demi-circle, and longe quarte.

274.  Engage in tierce. Number— cross in demi-circle, and not meeting with much resistance, beat quarte, and longe quarte.

275.  Engage in tierce. Number — cross in demi-circle, but not meeting with any resistance, bind with the counter of tierce, beat tierce, and longe tierce.

276.  Engage in quarte. Number— appel, change tierce, appel, advance, (85,) cross in demi-circle, but your adver­sary avoiding it by yielding, to form quarte, sustain the hand high and cross in seconde, longe seconde.

277.  Engage in tierce. Number — cross in demi-circle, and on your adversary’s avoiding the cross, cross again in seconde, and on his avoiding that also, cross a second time in demi-circle, and longe quarte.

278.  Engage in quarte. Number — as at 277, cross in seconde, then in demi-circle; a second time in seconde and longe seconde.

279. When fencing with an indifferent swordsman who, conscious of his inferiority, resorts to the extension of his arm (207) on every movement of his adversary, presenting his point to keep him off, or to cause him the risk of run­ning upon it, hold the body well back, menace, or make some other threatening movement to draw him to extend, and the instant he does so, cross or beat.

ON EVADING BEATS AND CROSSES.

280. Engage in quarte. Number — beat. Number —evade the beat by disengaging quarte over the arm. Beat.

281. Engage in tierce. Number — beat. Number —evade the beat by disengaging quarte. Beat.

282. Engage in quarte. Number — cross. Number —evade the cross by disengaging quarte over the arm. Cross.

283. Engage in tierce. Number — cross. Number —evade the cross by disengaging quarte. Cross.

284. To evade a cross requires a more susceptible and ready wrist than to evade a beat. The instructor should continue the exercise of evading Crosses and beats until it can be done promptly and with decision.

 TO THRUST UPON AN ANTAGONIST WHO CHANGES EITHER ON GUARD, OR IN THE ACT OF RECOVERING FROM A LONGE.

285. Many fencers change too frequently from one en­gagement to another when on guard; in this case, the moment your antagonist quits your blade in one of his changes, elevate quickly, and opposing either quarte or quarte over the arm, as he passes from tierce to quarte or quarte to tierce, Longe out. A tricky fencer changes his engagement continually—a good swordsman only for the purpose of combining his thrusts.

286. If after parrying a thrust from an antagonist with quarte, he in the act of recovering changes to tierce, and particularly if in his hurry he should engage falsely, ele­vate quickly, and Opposing well, longe quarte over the arm.

287. Engage in quarte. Number — disengage quarte over the arm. Number — parry with round parry of quarte, and on your antagonist changing while rising, evade the change by disengaging quarte.

288. Engage in quarte. Number — disengage quarte over the arm. Number — parry with round parry of quarte, and on your antagonist changing while rising, mark the feint of one, two. In same manner mark the double feint and counter disengagement.

289.  Engage in quarte. Number — disengage quarte over the arm. Number — parry with round parry of quarte, and on your antagonist changing while rising, give a false beat, and on his resisting it, disengage quarte. In like manner practice counter disengagement.

290.  Engage in quarte. Number — disengage quarte over the arm. Number — parry with round parry of quarte, and on your antagonist changing while rising, beat tierce, or cross in demi-circle, delivering your thrust. In the same manner practice the menace of quarte over the arm, delivering seconde and that of quarte, cutting quarte over the arm.

TO THRUST UPON AN ANTAGONIST WHO CHANGES WHILE ADVANCING.

291.  If on the engagement of quarte an adversary should advance, and change while advancing, with his hand low, longe tierce or quarte over the arm; if with his hand high, longe in seconde; if not well covered, quarte over the arm.

292.  If engaged in tierce and he advances changing, with the hand low, longe quarte; if his hand is high, longe demi-circle, and if not well covered, longe quarte.

293.  The change may also be evaded by disengaging, by marking the single or double feint, or by counter-disengaging.

294.  These it will be perceived are all stop thrusts, and to deliver them the position is firmly held, and the opposition readily and strongly seized, elevating well.

295. Opportunities for stop thrusts may sometimes be obtained by retreating, so as to draw your antagonist to advance upon you. 

ITALIAN THRUST.

296. Engaged in tierce, menace as if going to thrust quarte over the arm, rapidly throw the left foot to the rear, dropping the body upon the right leg, bending forward, and disengaging and lowering the blade, plunge the point at your antagonist’s person, hand in tierce.

297. The Italians, also, sometimes resort to voltes to the right, left, and rear, to avoid thrusts. The manner of contending with such an adversary is to make a false movement to draw from him a longe, parry it and imme­diately riposte.

ASSAULTS.

298.  Before engaging in the assault the instructor will endeavor to impress upon his pupils that their ambition should be not so much to touch often as correctly; and above all, to cover their own persons ‘well; that they must hold themselves firmly, make their parries decidedly and with small movements; riposte readily, and particularly never parry twice in succession without making a riposte. In attacking, to endeavor to recall various combinations, delivering as many direct thrusts and rapid disengagements as possible; to feel well the adversary’s blade, and attack it to ascertain what sort of wrist he has, whether stiff and heavy, or flexible and light; to examine his position, readiness, &c., &c., that the nature of the attack may be de­termined, what movements, feints, &c., would be the most likely to succeed. Above all, to keep perfectly cool, so that their own movements may be well regulated.

PRECAUTIONS. 

299.  Before joining in the assault, the following precau­tions may be taken. To avoid slipping, rub the sandal on a little crushed rosin or plaster, or scatter it on the floor where the assault is to be made; rub also the glove with chalk to give a more secure bold of the foil. 

THE ASSAULT. 

300.  When ready the parties take positions, facing each other, and precede the assault with the salute and a few passes in the wall practice, to supple the limbs and to habituate the hand to a good elevation. Rest ‘a few moments, go through the salute again, and engage without measure to avoid a surprise.  Approach with short and cautious steps, feeling each others’ blades, (298,) and once within measure keep steadily the proper distance. Dispute thrusts by every possible art, and never deliver more than two or three in quick succession. After a few passes re­cover to first position and rest, keeping the left foot in its place; the alignment is thus preserved, and disorder avoided.

301. To acquire and preserve good execution in assaults, the exercises of the wall practice and of the preceding lessons must be constantly and faithfully adhered to. 

DIFFERENCE IN HEIGHT. 

302. Of two antagonists of equal skill, the shortest is always under great disadvantages. Small men, however, are generally well proportioned, nervous and vigorous, and by practice and the use of a long blade (not to exceed 33 inches) may acquire a development nearly as great as that of taller men, whose strength and weight are often hind­rances to a good development and to a quick recovery. Small men can parry as well as tall; it is moreover their interest to practice particularly this part of the exercise, and to endeavor to excel in it and in the riposte. The shorter man in assaults should always hold himself on the defensive, parrying rapidly and closely, and giving ripostes readily and in every direction; he should resort to attacks upon his adversary’s blade, menaces, beats, crosses, &c., whenever opportunities are offered, holding his body well back, and never developing a thrust but with judgment. The parries of prime and seconde, and their counters, are particularly useful to small men. 

LEFT HANDED MEN. 

303.  A left handed antagonist is one of the most difficult to contend with, for the reason that all engagements, dis­engagements, parries, &c., are in a measure reversed. Besides, right handed men generally contend with right handed men, whereas a left handed man is in the habit of contending with right handed men, (an assault between left handed men being rare,) and consequently has the advantage of knowing exactly what to do. In fencing with a left handed man carry the hand, on either engagement, half tierce, and resort to beats and crosses. 

THE GUARD. 

304.  There is no fixed guard for assaults. It must vary with that of the adversary, and according to his style of fencing. A good swordsman will always resort to the proper guard; but men are often met with who carry the hand so low that it becomes necessary to lower the guard very much: some times so much that it almost touches the knee. Bad swordsmen generally thrust extremely low, and should, with such an one, a guard higher than that he. offers be taken, his blade may escape the parry altogether, or only be met with the feeble, which would very likely be too weak to throw off the thrust, bending under its force. The general rule is to meet a man with his own guard, good swordsmen as well as bad. 

PARRYING. 

305.  A fencer who, after a thrust, depends upon a quick recovery alone to save himself from a riposte, will never attain to any great degree of excellence. The parrying, either on guard, on the development, or in passing from one to the other, must be done altogether with the hand. This induces a quick eye, ready hand, and perfect self-possession. 

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS, 

306. In contending with an adversary who keeps at a distance, never coming within measure, the following ex­pedient may be resorted to:  Appel several times, playing with his blade to cover your intention; advance the right foot very slightly with each appel, drawing up the left until you shall have gained about six inches, then thrust rapidly.

307. Exclamations and appels are of great use in assaults in confounding and disturbing an adversary.

308. A good swordsman shows his skill in knowing how and in what manner to contend with any one that may be opposed to him. With a skilful antagonist he will call up all his art, studying every movement and concealing as much as possible his own intentions. With an indifferent one he will resort to attacks upon his weak points, and with those movements in which he appears to fail most; with one reckless, and who seeks thrust for thrust, he will attack his blade before thrusting, either by a menace or other false movement.

309. Never thrust upon a retreating antagonist; it is only useless, exertion and a dead loss of vigor.

310. In contending with one ignorant of fencing, observe that his hand will generally be in half tierce, and that all his thrusts are low; a well elevated thrust then against such a one would be dangerous, as he would at the same time touch below. Seconde and its counter, demi-circle, and octave, and a low guard, so as to intercept his thrusts, must be resorted to.

311. It would be advisable for pupils to practice, occasionally, with left handed men, and those ignorant of fencing, as well as with skilful antagonists, in order to be prepared for any case that may be presented.

312.  It is often remarked, “that one ignorant of fencing, bold and reckless, can not only meet with safety, but even conquer a good fencer”. This is not exactly true— his repeated and rapid thrusts and irregular movements would, it is not only possible but probable, confound and disconcert a swordsman accustomed only to a regular and precise execution; but a practiced master of the weapon, who has carefully studied every case that may be opposed to him, will invariably come out conqueror from all such contests.