the Foot became so weak as to make the Recovery difficult, for want of a sufficient Support from the Left-foot, which, in recovering, bears the whole Weight of the Body: Therefore I would not advise the turning on the Edge of the Foot to any but such as, by long Practice on the Flat, are able to judge of the Strength of their Situation, and consequently, will not turn the Foot more than is consistent therewith.

It may sometimes be necessary to turn on the Edge, on such Ground whereon the Flat would slip, and the Edge would not, if it were properly turned; but even in this Case, by turning it too much it would have no Hold of the Terrace, and therefore would be as dangerous as keeping it on the Flat.

The chief Reason for turning on the Edge, is that the Length of the Lunge is greater by about three Inches, which a Man who is a Judge of Measure need never have recourse to, because he will not push but when he knows he is within Reach.

Some of the Subscribing Gentlemen will, perhaps, be surprized, when they find this Book published in my Name, after having taken Receipts, for the first Moiety of their Subscription Money, in the Name of Mr. Campbell, to whom I am obliged for his Assistance in the Translation, he being a better Master of the French Tongue than I am. Indeed to the chief Reasons why they were not signed in my Name, are, First, because I was, at the Time of their being signed, a Stranger in this city, being then lately come from England. And secondly, lest I should meet with such Opposition as might perhaps have frustrated my Design of publishing this book, I thought proper to conceal my being concerned in it, 'till Mr. Campbell had shown the Translation to all the principal Masters in Town, and gained their Approbation much in Favour of it.

THE

ART of FENCING;

OR THE

USE of the SMALL-SWORD.

CHAP. I.

Of chusing and mounting a Blade.

Courage and Skill being often of little Use without a good Weapon, I think it necessary, before I lay down Rules for using it, to shew how to chuse a good Blade, and how it ought to be mounted.

The Length of the Blade ought to be proportionable to the Stature of the Person who is to use it: The longest Sword, from

Point to Pommel, should reach perpendicularly from the Ground to the Navel, and the shortest, to the Waste; being large in Proportion to its Length, and not extremely large, nor very small, as some People wear them; the over large Blades being unweildy, unless very hollow, which makes them weak, and the narrow ones being not sufficient to cover the Body enough.

In Order to chuse a good Blade, three Things are to be observed: First, that the Blade have no Flaw in it, especially across, it being more dangerous so than Length-way. Secondly, That it be well tempered, which you'll know by bending it against a Wall or other Place; if it bend only towards the Point, 'tis faulty, but if it bend in a semicircular Manner, and the Blade spring back to its Straitness, 'tis a good Sign; If it remains bent it is a Fault, tho' not so great as if it did not bend at all; for a Blade that bends being of a soft Temper, seldom breaks; but a stiff One being hard tempered is easily broke. The third Observation is to be made by breaking the Point, and if the Part broken be of a grey Colour, the Steel is good; if it be white 'tis not: Or you may strike the Blade with a Key or other Piece of

Iron, and if he gives a clear Sound, there is no hidden Fault in it. In bending a Blade you must not force it, what I have said being sufficient to know it by, and besides by forcing it, it may be so weakened in some Part as to break when it comes to be used.

It would not be amiss for a Man to see his Sword mounted, because the Cutlers, to save themselves the Trouble of filing the inside of the hilts and pommel, to make the Holes wider, often file the Tongue^[1] of the Blade too much, and fill up the Vacancies with Bits of Wood, by which Means the Sword is not firm in the Hand, and the tongue being thin and weak, is apt to break in Parrying or on a dry Beat, as has been unhappily experienced. Care should also be taken that the End of the Tongue be well riveted to the Extremity of the Pommel, lest the Grip should fly off, which would be of very dangerous Consequence.

Some Men chuse strait Blades, others will have them bending a little upwards or downwards; some like them to bend a

little in the Fort, and others in the Feeble, which is commonly called le Tour de Breteur, or the Bullie's Blade. The Shell should be proportionable in Bigness to the Blade, and of a Metal that will resist a Point, and the Handle fitted to the Hand.

Some like square Handles, and others chuse round Ones; the square are better and firmer in the Hand, but as this Difference depends on Fancy, as does also the Bow, which in some Cases may preserve the Hand, but may be a Hindrance in inclosing, I shall leave it to the Decision of the Fashions.

CHAP. II.

Of Guard.

By Guard, is meant such a Situation of all the Parts of the Body as enables them to give their mutual Assistance to defend or attack. A Guard cannot be perfect without a good and graceful Disposition, proceeding from a natural Proportion of the Parts of the Body, and an easy and vigorous Motion, which is to be acquired by Practice, and the Instruction of a good Master.

The middling Guard.

The straight Guard or flat Sword.

As In all bodily Excercises, a good Air, Freedom, Vigour, and a just Disposition of the Body and Limbs are necessary, so are they more especially in Fencing, the least Disorder in this Case being of the worst Consequence; and the Guard being the Center whence all the Vigour should proceed, and which should communicate Strength and Agility to every Part of the Body, if there be the least Irregularity in any one Part, there cannot be that Agreeableness, Power of Defence, Justness, or Swiftness that is requisite.

In order to be well in Guard, it is absolutely necessary that the Feet, as the Foundation that conduces chiefly to communicate Freedom and Strength to the other Parts, be placed at such a Distance from each other, and in such a lineal Manner as may be advantageous: The Distance must be about two Foot from one Heel to the other; for if it were greater, the Adversary, tho' of the same Stature, and with a Sword of equal Length, would be within Measure when you would not, which would be a very considerable Fault, Measure being one of the principal Parts of Fencing, and if the Feet were nearer together, you would want Strength,

which is also a great Fault, because a feeble Situation cannot produce a vigorous Action.

The Line must be taken from the hindmost Part of the Right Heel to the Left Heel near the Ancle. The Point of the Right Foot must be opposite to the Adversary's,