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L'abbat's Fencing Method

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L'abbat's Fencing Method Summary of the techniques to be found in The Art of Fencing by L’Abbat, 1735 Summarised by Philp T. Crawley, 2019 Chapter 1 Choosing a blade 2 Of guard • Be relaxed. Feet two feet apart between heels- too narrow, fall over, too wide, too slow. Point R foot at adversary. Knee over toes. • Body upright not back to give options to lean in or away accordingly. elbows aligned and shoulders at same height. L hand at ear, R hand above hip held in half-4, thumb extended, fingers holding hilt to allow felling of the blade. • Hilt centred- i.e. in middle of all lines. Arm bent and in line with R foot. • Point at adversary’s shoulder. • Align shoulder, bend of arm, hilt, point, R knee • Head upright, face between profiled and full on. • Sight fixed on adversary’s gaze to determine intent and action • Appear bold 3 Pushing quart • Unite wrist, bend of arm, shoulder and upper body. Extend L arm, and knee, R foot forward, turn L foot onto its edge but remains in place. R foot lands. Plate 2. Wrist turns, supports and opposes. • Quart= nails up, edge equal height. Ne edge too low= poor parry. One edge too high= quinte Wrist at height to cover body as required. • If not extended far enough will expose the body and reduce length of thrust. • Thrust made at inside of R shoulder, capture weak with strong. • Thrust vigorously and with a strong wrist to fix the point and make the foil bend. • Button lands before R foot lands and L arm extends, hand matching the position of the R hand, aligned with thighs and just below shoulder height. • Lean forward a little. Hips remain steady. Shoulders fully profiled. • Foot out straight in line with L heel and adversary’s R foot. Deviation reduces lunge length and exposes the body. • Knee at right angles with heel, heel remains on ground. Foot falls firmly, raised just enough to clear the ground, lands with a smart snap. Which shows steadiness and swiftness. • Sliding is the result of extending foot before the knee is bent, or poor support on the L foot. • Head leans along with the body. When pushing to the inside look along the outside of your arm. Full extension of sword + strength= Offence Correct body placement + ease of recovery= Defence • Recovering to guard by retiring out of measure or to where you pushed from. • Spring or pass backwards for the first, parry for the latter or command their weak while drawing back the body on the L foot. This command will give an opening or a tempo to benefit from 4 Parade of quart • Covering the part that is offended- done by opposition with sword or L hand • Observe if adversary is in 3 or 4, whether weak is to strong or strong is to weak and speed of attack- regulate parry accordingly • Parry in 4 against a thrust made with strong to weak by raising the point to seize his weak • If thrust is made on middle or strong then parry by turning the hand. • If thrust in 2 follows thrust in 4 then parry with strong by withdrawing the hand and parry with L hand • Use this against a lunge in 4 but close measure while parrying to get inside adversary’s range and prevent him offending • If adversary thrusts by first withdrawing his arm, and thus exposes his body, use L hand parry and thrust direct in one tempo • Parry while disengaging but lean back to the L to give time to make the parry 5 Pushing tierce, • Take weak with strong, nails down, wrist outwards a little, bend forward and inward to avoid leaving an opening, outside of sword L hand in 3, look along inside of sword, feet as before. • Recover as in 4 Parry 3- strong to weak, turn hand, raise point to avoid being taken at the weak and to take adversary’s weak (plate 4) • If thrust is made at middle or strong then turn hand only. Don’t use hand in 4 (modern 6) as adversary can thrust 4-over-arm (modern 6) or 4 inside. • If you push 3 and adversary parries your weak, raise pommel on high so point is downwards to avoid a return of thrust, and oppose with L hand. Push straight without quitting (plate 5). • Upon a thrust in 3 against the weak or with a disengage, yield the weak, oppose with the strong and guide their blade towards your L hand to parry with it, while closing measure (5th plate) • When parrying by disengaging lean back, push 4 and use L hand to prevent a second thrust (5th plate) 6 Pushing • Hand must be in 2- as high as 4 and more inside than 3, body bent lower and more forward than in thrusting 3 seconde and L hand lower (plate 5). • Only thrust 2 when- the adversary parries high against an engagement, feint or half-thrust when adversary engages on the outside with his hand high or on the inside using only his weak upon a thrust or pass, inside or outside. Recover to guard in 4 inside as shortest route to a guard from 2 7 Parades of • Three ways- seconde 1. Demi-circle to inside, with hand in 3, point low- slow to parry and easily deceived with a feint and the riposte easily parried due to length of tempo. 2. Half-circle to outside, wrist in 4, shoulder height, arm extended, point very low (plate 7). Easier to riposte from by pushing 4. • Adversary can yield and beat as a defence (plate 5) to which one feints below, as adversary crosses blade, parry by disengaging with a little circle with hand in 2, hit adversary in high line (wrist low), or in flanconade (wrist high). Best done when recovering to avoid a straight thrust or low riposte, and a feint or thrust. 3 (and best) strong to middle, wrist in 4 but lower. Riposte can only be parried by ceding and beat (unique to L’Abbat) 8 Quart under the • To be made on engagement, parry or lunge of adversary in 4 wrist • Wrist not turned as far as 4 inside. Body leaning in and forwards • Adversary pushes 4, lunge inward strongly to take the body offline when recovering have wrist in 3, sword outside adverse blade • Parry against this is demi-circle with hand in 4, point low (plate 7) 9 Flanconnade • Only to be done when engaging or riposting when adversary wrist is too far inward or his weak is low. Capture weak with your weak and thrust to flank (plate 8) • Oppose with L hand to avoid a lowline thrust. • The core thrusts are 4 inside, 3 outside, 2 under, 4 under & flanconnade • Recover as for 4 inside • Avoid the flanconade by interrupting in 2 with body low, hand opposing, at same time. Aim at body (plate 8) or lower the adversary’s sword, bringing it under your sword to the inside, parry on the weak of his sword, riposte to flank 10 Parades • Two sorts of parry- binding & dry beat • Binding used when riposting in 4 inside, 3 outside, 2 under & flanconnade • Dry beat when riposting against thrust in 2, or a thrust in 4 when the adversary leaves a gap under the wrist. Riposte immediately, quitting the blade then opposing again as soon as possible to prevent a counter-thrust • Three factors to the parry- Parry everything with the true edge, except yielding parries which are done with the flat Strong to middle, middle to weak Parry as close to your guard as possible to avoid feints and to favour your riposte. • Riposte well by observing adversary’s time and recovery to guard Tempo to riposte is when he is recovering as soon as you have parried Three ways to riposte- When he fails to re-engage the blade, or does so poorly- riposte direct When he over engages- riposte with a disengage or cutover according to the opening he gives When he recovers well- riposte with a feint or half-thrust to force a parry then attack the opened line (“Baulking the parade.”) 11 Advancing and • Most mistakes come from a disordered body which comes from the feet which leaves you exposed to time hits retiring and prevents you from attacking well. • Ten steps-4 advancing, 5 retiring and 1 to turn the adversary • Advancing 1- pass forward with appel 2- “closing measure” step 3- gather forward (rough terrain, or to steal measure) 4- “thrust in three motions” when out of measure; double beat with R foot then close measure • Retreating 1- pass back 2- “breaking measure” step 3- gather 4- spring back 5- lean back without moving feet • Turning Use traversing footwork to gain favourable ground out of the sun, wind, mud etc Start with L foot to L side, R to R side to avoid being thrust Don’t close in top far unless he is a weaker fencer when one should give measure to force an attack which can be timed or riposted against 12 Disengagements • Disengagements are the neatest and nicest motions • Best way to evade pressure on the blade • 3 types- on the blade over the point (aka “cut over”) under the wrist (aka “cut under”) • Use wrist to lower point and raise it again in the new line- as close and smoothly as possible to prevent giving a tempo • Don’t keep wrist in 3 when disengaging as poor defence, rather exaggerate the wrist in 4 then turn to 3 as the thrust starts • Practice understanding tempo to know when to disengage at the correct opportunity • If adversary is swift keep point low or refused so he takes a longer tempo to engage • Tall or weak men should understand disengagements most.
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