WARFARE OF MODERN TIMES. 73 



curve, you thrust quarte. A parade-position for combatants is the follow- 

 ing {fig. 21 a h) : The opponent thrusts quarte, you let the thrust in, draw up 

 the left foot to the heel of the right and take up the point of his sword with 

 the flat of your left hand, while your right brings your own weapon under 

 and across the forte of his, so that it can be forced into a curve. It is well 

 in all cases for the teacher, in the beginning, to carry the blade of the pupil 

 to its place. For example, the pupil delivers quarte, you let the thrust in 

 (fig. 22 a h), draw up the left foot to the heel of the right, bring the left 

 hand flat on the breast where the pupil's point should hit, and lay your 

 blade under that of the pupil to give his hand the right direction. 



Cut-and-thrust, a German exercise, teaches how to use a cutting weapon 

 according to fixed rules deduced from calculation and experience, so as to 

 defend yourself and injure your adversary. The weapon for this is the 

 cut-and-thrust sword (or the broadsword), which is one or two edged, 

 and broader and heavier than the small sword. For practice, the cut-and- 

 thrust foil is used {fig. 26), having a blunt blade, and a bell guard and 

 bow to the hilt. The blade is divided, as in the small sword, into forte and 

 foible, and must be so proportioned to the hilt that the point of equilibrium 

 lies about two inches from that. The fighting gloves {fig. 29 a, h) are pro- 

 vided with long gauntlets, are of double leather in the hand, and well stuffed, 

 elsewhere of single buckskin ; the gauntlets standing up around the wrists, 

 must be of very thick buckskin, double, and not too wide. The mask 

 (fig. 28) is very strong, of wire, and stuffed all around the frame. The 

 fighting hat {fig. 27) has a brim four inches wide, which is drawn down at 

 the sides by strings. The best extension is shown at fig. 34 a, b. The left 

 foot stands perpendicular to the fighting line (the fixed foot), the right (step 

 foot) about eighteen inches forward and from seven to nine inches out of 

 the line. The right leg stands perpendicular, ihe left is stretched, and the 

 weight of the body rests most upon this ; the lower body is drawn back > 

 the breast presented to the antagonist, the right shoulder a little advanced. 

 The left arm lies, with the hand turned outwards, upon the back. Fig. 31 

 shows the holding of the blade. The arm is raised stretched, until the hand 

 is at the height of the shoulder ; if the opponent is the tallest, the extension 

 must be somewhat higher, and lower if the reverse. The point of the blade is 

 opposite the opponent's right eye. Arm and blade must form a very obtuse 

 angle, and the blade be always lightly bound with that of the antagonist. In 

 the delivery, the step foot is set forward, but not slid ; the giving back for 

 defence also must be equally by a step. In cut-and-thrust fighting there are 

 also vaultings and steppings in. The engagement is also threefold, close, 

 medium, and wide ; the medium (fig. 34 a, b) is that where the blades bind 

 in the half foible, and by a moderate stretching of the arm the elbow of the 

 antagonist can be reached; in delivery, his breast. The movements of the hand, 

 or the motions, are : Prime, the back of the hand to the outside, the thumb 

 above. Seconde, the back of the hand to the inside, the thumb under; the 

 cuts from this motion are the most difficult. Tierce, the back of the hand 

 uppermost ; the cuts herefrom go to the right side. In quarte, the back of 

 the hand lies underneath, and the cuts go to the left side of the opponent. As 



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