F E' N C I N G. 
51$ 
flationarv like the point of a fword, will not prevent his 
advancing) but on the contrary may be fcizcd with his 
left hand. 
Among cudgel-players the blows from this'pofition'are 
eftedfed by a turn of the wrift differing from that ufed 
with the broad fword, the large knuckles of the hand, 
ir.ftead of the middle ones, being directed towards the 
objedt at which the blow.is difcharged, and turned down¬ 
wards at the inftant of making it. If the opponent fprings 
off from a_blow made in this manner,'.the-general confe- 
quence to the affailan';„ is a drain of the,wall, or the lofs 
of his (lick. Another material disadvantage in this mode 
of (triking is, that imlefs'The parties engage very clofe, 
they cannot reach to hit their antagOnift. When contend¬ 
ing with a perfon who endeavours to advance for this 
purpofe, receive his blows on your hanging guard, and 
return a timid beneath his arm either at his face, right 
lide, or belly, griping your dick very firm, that your thrud 
may be of Sufficient force ; then quickly recover to a hang¬ 
ing guard. 
If you ft-ind on guard with a dick previous to your an- 
tagonid making his attack, it is impodible to avoid pre r 
denting your knuckles as an objedt for his cut, without 
dome change of pofition, and the more corredtly you are 
on guard, or the lefs opening you leave at your head or 
body, the more probable it is that he will feledt your hand 
as the part at which to diredt his blown To avoid giving 
him this opportunity,.you mud change repeatedly from 
the infideto the out fideand" hanging guards, threatening 
his face with your point in each motion, which will oc¬ 
cupy his attention, and prevent his making fuch_choice : 
or if you do not choofie thus to become the affailant, but 
vviffi that your antagonid (hould make the fird attack, 
adopt the following : (land on a wide outfide guard, your 
right foot advanced rather more than ufuaf; this prefents 
an opening at your head and infide; the indant he moves 
to feize this advantage, diut up the opening by dropping 
your point and railing your hand to an iiffide hanging 
guard, at the fame time drawing back the right foot ; 
which in all probability will remove you fo far that his 
blow will fall to the ground, and fvvay his arm fo much as 
to leave him expofed to your return. Obferve, that the 
hanging guard for the above purpofe is not to be taken 
by railing the point fird with a fvveep and then dropping 
it; but by indantly dropping the point, and railing the 
hand to the left, and will require practice to execute it 
with precision and celerity. 
Cudgel-players fpldom pay much attention to protect¬ 
ing .the outfide of their right arm or ribs. It will not, 
however, be fufe to drike at their outfide, except in re¬ 
turning a blow which you have jud parried/ If you com¬ 
mence an attack at that part, you will mod probably re¬ 
ceive a cut in the face at the fame indant. The bed me¬ 
thod, therefore, is to receive and return a few blows on 
the hanging guard, and alternately intermix your play 
v. ith cutting at the wrid and elbow, and thruding, thus 
keeping them at a greater didance than they have been 
accudomed to ; and if you.can by this mode induce them 
to defend their ribs, feign at their outfide, and throw at 
the head. Very few cudgel-players accudom themfelves 
to lunge at the time of linking ; therefore if you can keep 
them at a proper didance, you will be out of their reach 
while they are, within yours. But .(hould your antagonid 
fucceed in rufhing clofe up to you, notwithstanding all 
endeavours to keep him at a proper,didance, you may 
ealily difarm him at .the indant he clofes. If he advances 
on a hanging guard, oppofe him with the fame guard ; 
lower your body by fuddenly bending your knees; and 
pafs your left hand under your right wrid, feize his dick, 
advance your left foot and knee behind hi? right, and 
dart the pommel of your dick in his face, Hriking up his 
right foot at the fame indant. Or, as your opponent ad¬ 
vances, thrud your left arm into the upper angle formed 
by the Crofs of your weapons, twine your arm round his, 
by palling your hand under his wrid and over his arm, 
and b^ar it downwards: then nfe your pommel and left 
foot as before. If lie advances,on an outfide guard, lay 
hold. of his dick with your left hand, and pull it down¬ 
wards over your own, at thd lame time dropping your 
point and raifing'your weapon forcibly to the pofition of 
the feconde hanging guard. 
As cudgel-playing is a valuable introduction to a dex- 
tenpusand manly life of the broad fword, and at the fame 
time calculated to give more vigour to the mufcular 
powers, of the arm, it is to be regretted that this athletic 
fport is not more encouraged at country wakes and revels, 
as was the cu.ft.om with our .anceftofs; for befides that it 
would have the effect of training up our youth for the 
army, it would be the mean of indruCting the yeomanry 
throughout thefe kingdoms; in cafe of the fudden inva- 
lion of an enemy, how to make a bold and vigorous 
defence. 
APPLICATION of the BROAD SWORD by 
CAVALRY. 
In the exercifc of the cavalry there are eight guards, five 
for the protection of the rider and his horfe in front, and 
three for the purpofe of covering them, when under the ne- 
cefiity of retiring. The principal pofition is diltinguifhed 
from the reft by the term guard ; and the remaining (even 
by that of protect. The guard covers the head, (houlders, 
and fword-arm, from cuts i and 2, as'l.ikewife from thofe 
of 3 and 4; requiring, however, in the latter, a trifling 
inclination of the arm downwards. It .is not only a pofi- 
tion which affords greater fecuriry than.any other, but it 
is of finch a nature as to render,all the movements necef- 
fary to be made from it, eafiy, and of quick execution. 
There are two other politions for the defence of the 
horfeman in front; namely, the left and right protett. They 
confift limply in moving the fword-arm to the left and 
right of the bridle-hand. Thefe guards are calculated to 
give protection equally again!! the thruft, as againft the 
cuts 5 and 6 ; and either in making or receiving a charge, 
where the compaCtnefs of tlie body of cavalry does not 
admit of ufing the edge of the fiabre, without danger to 
your own line. They are alfo well adapted in any mo¬ 
ment of confufion, which may happen in real aCtion, to 
afford a greaf degree of fecurity; as by a quick tranfverfe 
of the fword-arm, three or four times repeated from left 
to right, the blade can fcarcely fail to meet whatever may 
be pointed in that direction, before it can reach the body. 
The pofition diltinguifhed by the name of hanging guard, 
protects the horfe’s head on the near fide ; and on the ojf 
fide, it is covered by a guard called the right protect. The 
find of the three retiring guards is for the protection of the 
bridle-arm, and left fide to the rear; the fecond for that 
of the right arm and Ihoulder: the laft, which is the St. 
George, concludes the eight guards, and, when on horfe- 
back, is intended for the protection of the back of the 
head. The guards to the rear are equally fimple and 
efficacious with thofe for protection in front ; but the 
inode of carrying them into effeCt differs from the general 
principles of fencing. Comparatively with the great va¬ 
riety of movements thefe guards are calculated to meet, 
they are but few in number,, and therefore more to be re¬ 
lied on, than when the defence depends on various circum¬ 
volutions of the blade, which, in the firlt place, cannot 
be performed within fo fiiort a time ; and in the fecond 
muff ever be rendered more uncertain, from the difficulty 
of execution. 
The thruft has but one mode of execution, whether 
applied to cavalry, or infantry : but a greater degree of 
caution is required in its application againft cavalry, than 
againft infantry ;. for if the point is parried, the adverfary’s 
blade gets within your guard, which is not to be reco¬ 
vered again in time, as with a ftnall fword; the weapon 
being too heavy to be managed with the reqnifite degree 
of quicknefs; for which reafon the point (hould ieldcm or 
never be.given in the attack, but be principally confined to 
the purfuit, when it can be applied with effect and without 
