The School of Recreation by Robert Howlett (e book reader online .TXT) 📕

Point, presenting the Point of your Sword towards your Adversaries Left-shoulder; if he be a tall Man; but if Short, then to his Left-eye, keeping your Arm somewhat bent, for the better persuing: Lean therefore a little forward with your Body, and make use of your Left-hand for a Parade, holding it somewhat lower than in the former Guard. The rest of your Body being kept, as in the Quart-Guard, with the strait Point.

This Guard may be pursued either with Striking, Binding, Volting, or Passing, for a Feint on this Guard will signifie little or nothing if your Adversary understand it; for as in no Guard, he is to answer Feints, least of all in this, the Right defence being to secure your self without your Sword, which is done by presenting your Sword to the Left-shoulder of your Adversary, or as said, his Eye, so that your Body be quite covered without your Sword.

The Terce-Guard, with the Point lower than the Hilt.

Here you must in this bow your Head, holding up your Arm high, so that if you come to give a Thrust, your Head may be, as it were, under it, your Nails being in Quart till you make your Thrust, and then change them into Terce; your Feet must be kept at their due distance, and not as at a full Elong; your Sword must be presented towards your Adversaries Left-side, and you must make use of your Left-hand for the Parade, and it is to be pursued and defended, as the forgoing Terce-Guard, only in defending it, you must not make so much use of your Left-hand, but more of your Sword.

The Guard of Both Hands.

This is a Guard, that I find not any proper Name for, though it is sometimes used as very necessary, how ever, as to the holding your Sword in this Guard, keep your Body exactly in the Posture of the Quart-Guard with the strait Point; but joyn your Left-hand to your Sword, about eight or ten Inches from the Hilt, the Blade being held between your formost Finger and Thumb, secure your self within your Sword, as soon as you present it, viz. Present the Point towards your Adversaries Right-thigh, with your Point sloping towards the Ground a little; for to pursue this Guard, you must endeavour to take away your Adversaries Left-hand by striking at it, and immediately after the stroak, proffer a Thrust at his Body, that he may be doubtful when you really intend to give in your Thrust; and indeed the pursuit is much like that of the Quart-Guard, with the sloping Point, and thus much for the Five sorts of Guards.

Of the several Parades.

The Parades are generally Two, but are sub-divided as the Guard, and those two are the Parade in Quart, and the Parade in Terce, which are as is said, divided again into the Parade in Quart, with the Point a little higher than the Hilt. The Parade in Quart, with the Point sloping towards your Adversaries Right-thigh, and as though without it.

2. The Parade in Terce, with the Point a little higher than the Hilt, and the Parade in Terce, with the Point sloping towards your Adversaries Thigh on the Left-side.

There is yet an other Parade of some use, and used by many Fencing Masters, which may be properly termed Counter-Caveating Parade; by reason what ever Lesson your Adversary makes use of, or upon what side so ever he Thrusts, if you make use of this Parade, as you ought, you will undoubtedly meet with his Sword, and the easier cross his purpose, than by any of the former; and of these I shall give proper Directions,

1. The Quart Parade, or the Parade within the Sword, is so called, because in putting by the Thrust, you do it on the inside your Sword, or on that side the Nails of your Hand are next.

2. The next is called the Terce Parade, or the Parade without the Sword; for here, contrary to the former, you put by the Thrust upon that side which is without the Sword, and as the other is termed the Quart, for as much as it is within your Sword, or on that side your Nails look to; so this is called Terce because it is without your Sword, or on that side the back of your Hand is to. Observe a little more, viz. when you are to hold your Hand or Nails in Terce, that you hold your Nails quite downward; And now to Parie these Five several ways.

You must do the first Parade in Quart, with the Point somewhat higher than the Hilt, viz. When you are standing to your Guard, if your Adversary offers to give a home Thrust on that side his Sword lieth, which I presume to be within your Sword, without disengaging and is the Simplest and plainest Thrust that can be given with the small Sword; yet frequently it surprizes a Man, I say, when so it is, that when you perceive your Adversary offer to give a home Thrust, which observe by keeping your Eye steady on the Hilt of his Sword; you must then immediately turn your Wrist with so small a Motion of the Arm, that it can scarcely be perceived, to your left-side; and by that means you may put by his Sword, with the Fort of yours upon the Left-side, keeping the Point of your Sword after the Parade towards his Right-shoulder; you may in putting by your Adversaries Sword use a little beat or Spring towards the Ground, by which you will more certainly disappoint him immediately bringing your Sword to its right posture again, and by, this way of Parying you may have the luck to Spring or Beat your Adversaries Sword out of his Hand.

The second Parade in Quart is with the Point sloping towards your Adversaries Right-thigh, and as tho' without it, in this manner;

When you perceive your Adversary is thrusting with your Sword, turn the Nails of your Sword-hand in Quart, with a full stretched Arm, and your Hand as high as your Face, and when you do this, slope your Point to the lowness of your Adversaries Thigh; and by that means, with the Fort of your Sword, on the Feeble of his, put by his Thrust, always observing to Parie with the Fort of your Sword, and not the Feeble, lest your Adversary having the stronger Arm, force upon you the Thrust in spite of all you can do.

The first Parade in Terce, or without the sword, the Point a little higher than the Hilt, must be thus managed, viz. Perceiving your Adversary giving in the Thrust without your Sword; take notice immediately to turn your Wrist with some small motion of the Arm, as in the first Parie in Quart, till your Nails, be in Terce, and so Parie his Thrust, Remembring in this to keep the Point of your Sword, after you have Paried him towards your Adversaries Left-shoulder, as in the first Parade in Quart, you are to keep it towards his Right.

This Parade is most effectually done with a Spring, to put by the Sword or gain an advantage of disarming your Adversary.

The second Parade in Terce, is called that within the Sword bearing a sloping Point towards your Adversaries Thigh, and as though within it. This observe to do when you perceive your Adversary giving in his Thrust without, or below your Sword, as it were at your Arm-pit, immediately letting the Point of your Sword sink as low as his Thigh, turning your Nails quite round to your Right-side, until they are from you, keeping your Hand as high as your Head, and so put by the Thrust on your Right-side; and when you are Parading, let your Head be close as if it were under your Arm; and this preserves your Face from your Adversaries scattering or Counter-Temps Thrusts.

Thus having shewn you the Defensive part, I shall now proceed to the Offensive, or how you may offend your Adversary when necessity requires it; but before I directly enter upon it, let me speak some thing of the Counter-caveating Parade; though some there are who refuse to use it, yet it is the safest of all.

The Counter caveating Parade, &c.

When you observe your Adversaries Thrust coming home within your Sword, then immediately slope your Point, and bring it up again with a quick Motion on the other side of your Adversaries, and Parie his Thrust without your Sword, that he intended, to give within your Sword, holding your Nails neither in Terce nor in Quart, but so hold them as when you presented your Sword; and observe further to do this, Parade with a Spring, and if you perceive he is about to give in his Thrust without your Sword, instantly slope your Point, and bring it up again with a quick Motion upon the inside of his Sword, and so Parie his Thrust, that was to be given without your Sword, within your Sword, and if you do this very quick you will rarely be hit with a home Thrust; and in this Parade there is great advantage, because by it all Feints, which in other Parades cannot be so well noted or shunned, are by this baffled and Confounded.

Lessons Offensive. 1. Of Approaching or Advancing.

Observe here; (when you are standing to your Guard, and your Adversary without your measure, so that without Approaching you cannot reach him) that you lift your Right-foot about a Foot Forward, and presently let your Left-foot follow close by the Ground, your Left-knee a little bowed, taking notice at the end of every step, that your Feet be at the same equal distance as when you first presented your Sword, or if in any thing you vary, let it be in bringing them something nearer; and so your Elong will come as much nearer to your Adversary as you brought your Left-foot nearer to your Right: Always then remember to redouble this Step, or any other that is to be used on this Occasion till you think your Adversary is within your measure. This step must be always made on plain Ground, lest you Trip and fall, which is very dangerous; but if it be on rugged uneven Ground, there is another suitable to it, called the Double Step, after this manner;

In the first place throw your Left-foot before your Right, (which may be done, by raising your Body a little on your Right-foot) about a Foot, then bring your Right-foot forward again, as far before your Left, as when you presented your Sword; these two Motions must be done immediately after the other, or else doing of this Step will appear ungraceful; and here you must keep a thin Body as possible, because the throwing your Left foot before your Right, lays your Body open, and so redouble this step, as the former, according to the distance you are from your Adversary, till you approach within his measure.

Lesson 2. Of Retiring.

This may be done three ways, first with the single Step, the same way you approach with it, only whereas in approaching with the single Step you lift your Right-foot first, here you must lift your Left-foot first, and the rest observe, as in the Approach with the single Step.

The second is, that with the double Step, and is done the same way as in the Advance, only in approaching you throw your Left-foot before Right, when in retiring you must throw your Right-foot backward behind your Left; and the rest is done as in Advancing with the double Step.

The third is done by