id="pgepubid00031">Tierce Parryed.

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.

Parade of Tierce yeilding the Feeble.

The same parade & opposition of the Hand.

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