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Difference between revisions of "Gérard Thibault d'Anvers"

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== Copyright and License Summary ==
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| title = Book 1 - Tableau / Plate V
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| width = 100%
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{| class="floated master"
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! Translation by <br/> [[user:Bruce Hearns|Bruce G. Hearns]]
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! Transcription by <br/>[[user:Bruce Hearns|Bruce G. Hearns]]
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|Colspan="2"|[[file:Thibault L1 Tab 05.jpg|800px]]
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[[http://www.geheugenvannederland.nl/nl/geheugen/view/dertien%20manieren%20om%20bij%20wijze%20schijnbeweging%20degen%20trekken%20gelle%20johann?query=Girard+Thibault+espee&page=1&maxperpage=36&coll=ngvn&identifier=LEMU01%3A00112044-013| Large Version]]
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N.B., The coat of arms at the top belongs to John Sigismund (1572 – 1619) of the House of Hohenzollern, Elector of Brandenburg from 1608 and Duke of Prussia, through his wife Anna, from 1618.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: 16pt; vertical-align:top;"
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|EXPLANATION OF THE ACTIONS IN THE FIFTH PLATE
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|DECLARATION DES OPERATIONS DV TABLEAV CINQUIEME
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|Our intention is to examine the advantages of the Direct Line, adopted carefully at the First Instance, and in the form shown in the foreground of the preceeding Plate, and on which all subsequent actions depend. But seeing how fighters most frequently begin to work with feints as soon as they come into range, to try and draw the opponent’s sword a little out of the way before striking with their thrusts, it seems necessary for your satisfaction, and to clarify the Plate, to have here a short discourse on feints, first, before entering into the particular explanations of the examples, that will be presented. Therefore we posit that Alexander, arrived into position first, right foot along the outside edge of the Quadrangle on the line A-C, and the other on the Pedal Line. Zachary has approached, and is at the First Instance on the other side of the Circle, likewise in the Direct Line posture, on the right side of the Quadrangle and left foot on the usual line, putting his sword above the other, and working with feints inside and outside, sometimes with the foot firmly on the ground, somtimes, and more often, with the foot slightly raised off the ground. Never staying exactly at the First Instance, at other times starting from further back or closer, according to his whim. In sum, he is making such a large number and variety of feints that it is impossible for Alexander to work against him, if he cannot distinguish exactly how close each of these will reach. Because the forward movement of the foot and the body, that happens with each of move, can be defined in four degrees, from which we derive four types of feints, which are necessary to recognize, to be able to defend against. The instructions for how to do this are below, and without which, there is no other remedy against these subtle feints, other than a lucky strike, and to open yourself to the enemy, in the hope of hitting him in return, or to break away as a coward, to get away from his strikes.
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|Noſtre intention eſt d’examiner les avantages de la droite ligne, preſentée à la Permiere Inſtance avec jugement, & en la forme, qui eſt monſtée au premier plan du Tableau precedent: du quel auſsi toutes ces operations ſuivantes dependent. Mais voyant que les tireurs d’Armes commencent le plus ſouvent à travailler avec les feintes, ſi toſt qu’ils viennent à meſure, pour faire ſortir l’eſpee contraire un peu de preſence, avant que tirer leurs eſtocades; il nous ſemble neceſſaire pour voſtre plus grand ſatisfaćtion, & pour l’eſclairciſſement du Tableau, de mettre icy un petit diſcours touchant les feintes, premier que d’entrer en la declaration particuliere des exemples, qui ſont icy propoſez. Dont nous preſuppoſerons, qu’Alexandre s’eſtant mis le premier en poſture, le pied droit ſur le coſté exterieure du Quadrangle AC, & l’autre ſur la ligne Pedale; Zacharie l’eſt venu aborder, en ſe mettant à la Premier Inſtance à l’autre bout du Cercle, en pareille poſture de la ligne droite, ſur le coſté droit du Quadrangle & ſur la ligne ordinaire du pied gauche, portant l’eſpee deſſous l’autre, & pourſuivant à travailler avec feintes par dehors, & par dedans, tantoſt à pied ferme, tantoſt, & le plus ſouvent, avec le pied droit un peu levé; aucunesfois demeurant exaćtement ſur la Premiere Inſtance, autresfois commençant de plus loing ou de plus pres, ſelon qu’il luy vient à gré. Somme il fait un ſi grande varieté de feintes, qu’il eſt impoſsible à Alexandre de bien travailler alencontre, s’il ne diſtingue exaćtement la meſure de l’approchement de chaſquune d’icelles. Car l’advancement du pied & du corps, qui les accompagne, peut eſtre distingué en quatre degréz; dont procedent quatre eſpeces de feintes, qui ſont neceſſaires à cognoiſtre, pour ſe fortifier deuement alencontre, ſelon les inſtrućtions qui s’enſuivent, & ſans leſquelles, il n’y à autre remede contre les feintes ſubtiles, que le ſeul hazard de tirer, & de donner ſur l’ennemi à corps perdu, en eſpoir de luy rendre ſon change, ou de rompre touſiours en covard la meſure, pour eſchapper tant ſeulement les coups.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|The first type of feint, is that which is made by Zachary from the First Instance, by raising his right foot and setting his weight back on his left, without any noticeable forward movement. In such a way that the tip never passes the guard of his adversary’s sword. The remedy against this feint is to scorn it and to make no move against it, not with the arm, nor with the sword, until the enemy approaches closer.
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|La premiere eſpece de feintes, c’eſt celle qui eſt fait par Zacharie à la Premiere Inſtance, en levant le pied droit, & faiſant la charge du corps ſur le pied gauche, ſans nul advancement notable; en ſorte que ſa poinćte ne paſſe pas la garde de l’eſpee contraire. La remede de ceſte feinte, c’eſt de la meſpriſer, & de ne faire aucun mouvement alencontre, ny du bras, ny de l’eſpee, juſqu’à tant que l’ennemi s’approche d’avantage.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|The second type is when he begins to lean his body forward, enough so that, doing his feint to the outside, or inside, the tip can just reach his enemy’s hand. The counter is to arouse both the arm and sword-hand at the same time, straightening the body, and lightly raise the heel of the right foot, so that it is ready to work according to circumstances, and raising likewise the tip of the sword upwards to the side of the feint, above the adversary’s sword, to gain a little superiority over it.
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|La ſeconde eſpece, c’eſt quand il commence à pancher du corps en avant, ſi bien qu’en faiſant la feinte en dehors, ou en dedans, la pointe puiſſe arriver juſqu’à l’endroit du poignet de la main de l’ennemy. Le contraire, c’est d’aviver au meſme temps le bras & la main de l’eſpee, roidiſſant le corps, & eſlevant le talon du pied droit, afin qu’il ſoit preſt à travailler ſelon les occurrances, & eſlevant enſemblement la poinćte de l’eſpee en haut du coſté de la feinte, par deſſus l’eſpee contraire, pour la couvrir avec un peu de ſuperiorité.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|The third type is when he continues to approach with his body so far forward that the tip can reach half-way to the adversary’s elbow. This cannot be done except with a larger and more obvious movement than the one before. The counter to this type of feint is done in almost the same way as above, however by increasing and adjusting ones actions to the actions of one’s adversary. Because at the same time as you must extend your body, raise the right foot, and lift your arm and the sword forwards, while turning the outside branch of the crosspiece a little higher than the other, and raising the tip to an obtuse angle beside the adversary’s sword, to gain a superior position. That is the closest approach you can permit the adversary to make with his body, while remaining on the defensive. If he comes any closer, one must hit him at the same time, or else he will either continue to follow the path of his feint to the inside or the outside, intending to wound on that same side, or he will disengage with a circular move to hit low or sweep over to the opposite side. This preparation against this, done as described, will be used as a universal means to counter his moves and render them useless.
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|La troisieme eſpece, c’eſt quand il continue ſon approchement du corps ſi en avant, que ſa pointe puiſſe arriver juſqu’à l’endroit due mitandu coude contraire; ce  qu’il ne peut faire ſinon avec un mouvement plus grand  & plus apparent, que n’a eſté le precedent. Le contraire de ceſte eſpece de feinte, ſe pratique quaſi en la meſme ſorte que deſſus, toutesfois en augmentant & accomodant les aćtions à l’exigence des aćtions conraitres. Car au meſme temps il faut s’eſtendre le corps, lever le pied droit, hauſſer le bras & l’eſpee en avant, en tournant la branche exterieure, du poignet de la main, un peu plus en haut que l’autre, & eſlevant la pointe en angle obtus du coſté de l’eſpee contraire, pour le couvrir avec un petit avantage de ſuperiorité. Voila tout le dernier approchmēt de corps, qu’on peut ou doit permettre au Contraire, tandis qu’on demeure ſur la defenſe: car s’il entre plus avant, il luy faut donner l’atteinte au meſme temps, ſoit qu’il pourſuive le trait de la feinte encommencée dedans, ou en dehors du bras, pour bleſſer de meſme coſté, ou qu’il uſede cavation pour toucher en bas, ou au coſté oppoſité. Auſsi ceſte preparation, que nous venons de deſcrire, eſtant deuement faite, ſervira d’une addreſſe univerſelle, pour rendre touts ſes desseins inutiles.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|The fourth type is when he moves so far forward with the feint, that the tip of his sword can reach the elbow of his adversary. Which is the last and largest movement that he could do without putting his foot down on the ground. Alexander recognizes this extreme approach by his adversary, by the large and noticeably forward movement and way the body leans forward, which he uses. He must be careful if he allows his opponent to follow through with this feint, because there is no remedy against a second motion. Yet he must move from the defense to the attack, moving in at the same time as the enemy moves to try his feint, with a short step along the Diameter, with the body erect, the arm and sword extended, so that he can just hit the opponent’s face with his tip, before the feint can be completed. But all this will be more amply demonstrated in Plate XXVII, which is the proper place to work on feints, and against the left-hand dagger.
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|La quatrieme eſpece, c’eſt quand il s’avance tellement avec ſa feinte, que la pointe de ſon eſpee pourroit arriver au coude du bras contraire; qui eſt le dernier & le plus grand mouvement qu’il ſçauvit faire, ſans planter le pied à terre. Alexandre recognoiſſant ceſt extreme approchement de ſon Contraire, par le grand & notable avancement & panchement du corps, dequoy il uſe; ſe doibt bien donner garde de luy laiſſer parfaire ceſte feinte encommencée; car au ſecond mouvement il n’y auroit plus de remede. Et pourtant faut, qu’il devienne aſſaillant de defendant qu’il eſtoit, (en entrant, au meſme temps que l’ennemi eſt en aćtion pour faire ſa feinte) d’un petit pas par delà le Diametre, le corps droit, le bras & l’eſpee eſtendues, en ſorte que il touche de ſa poinćte au viſage, avant que la feinte ſoit parachevée. Or toute cecy vous ſera demonſtré plus amplement en la Tableau XXVII. qui eſt le propre lieu ou on travaillera ſur les feintes, & ſur les aſsiſtences de la main gauche.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|These are the notifications that we felt necessary to give you concerning feints and their counters. These will be very userful to Scholars who have achieved some skill, but can be safely ignored by Novices, who will have enough to do learning to control their swords, arms, hands, & legs, without concerning themselves with such subtle observations. They can be content, for the present, to be learn them as part of the Theory, fully practising the examples from this Plate without going into too many circumstances, in order to simply learn thrusts, & counters, which shall be explained with their descriptions, rather than trying to skillfully learn each remedy for each type of feint. Because one cannot fly without wings.
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|Voilà les advertiſſements, que nous  avons jugez neceſſaires de vous propoſer touchant les feintes, & leurs contraires: qui ſeront de tres-grande utilité pour les Eſcholiers qui auront fait quelque advancement notable; mais on s’en pourra paſſer pour le regard des Novices, qui auront aſſes à faire à bien gouverner leurs eſpees, mains, bras, & jambes, ſans qu’ils s’embarques en des obſervations ſi ſubtiles. Qu’ils ſe contentent pour le preſent de les recevoir ſeulement,par maniere the Theorie, en pratiquant les exemples de ce Tableau plus groſsierement, ſans beaucoup de circonſtances, pour y apprendre ſimplement les eſtocades, & les rencontres, qui ſeront expliquées en leurs deſcriptions; pluſtoſt que d’approprier artiſtement chaſque remede à chaſque eſpece de feintes. Car auſsi bien ne peut on voler ſans aiſles.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align:top;"
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|'''Circle No 1'''
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|'''Cercle N.1.'''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|''Alexander is waiting in the Direct Line posture, and, attacked by Zachary with a thrust inside his arm towards the face, at the instant the tip passes his elbow, he parries against the 3rd or 4th Span with the strong part of his own sword, and moving a little to the side with the right foot, he closes the straight line, in a way that he wounds him in the face.''
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|''Alexandre ſe tenant en la poſture de la droite ligne, & aſſailli par Zacharie d’un coup de pointe en dedans du bras devers le viſage, à l’inſtant que la pointe luy vient paſſer le coude, il la ſur prend au Nombres 3. ou 4. avec le fort de ſa propre eſpee, & allant un peu à coſté avec le pied droit, il luy ferme la droite ligne, de façon qu’il le bleſſe au viſage.''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|Alexander is waiting in the Direct Line posture. Zachary threatens him with a feint of the third type outside the arm by lifting his foot, and moving his body and arm forward, until the tip of his sword is about mid-way to Alexander’s elbow as if Zachary were going to thrust at him in the face. He hopes to make him parry the attack, and consequently be able to force Alexander’s sword to the side. All at once, he passes his sword beneath his adversary’s guard, continuing to move his body forward putting the right foot on the ground at R. As he leans his body further forward, he brings the sword back up, drawing his left foot that is lagging behind up to the same distance behind his right foot, at the same time aiming his thrust inside the right arm straight at his opponent’s face, carrying his arm and sword into the direct line. Alexander’s defence consists of working against the feint, and against the thrust. Against the feint, using only his wrist, he turns the outside branch of the crosspiece diagonally upwards, moving the end to the side of the feint to cross and cover a good bit of his opponent’s blade with his own, without touching it, and without moving off the line, not to the right, nor to the left, not with the arm, nor with the sword. That is the counter to the feint. If Zachary had continued to move his tip with the feint to hit on the same side, this preparation would have been the correct way to break the hit outside the arm, as it is also, at present, the correct way to begin to counter the thrust to the inside. Then, as Zachary passes his sword under his opponent’s guard, to hit on the opposite side from where he made his feint, Alexander, as soon as he percieves the first hint of a change, becomes alert, and comes on guard, straightening the arm and the knees, so well that at the instant the tip of his opponent’s sword is near he elbow, he meets the 3rd or 4th Span of his opponent’s blade with the centre of his own guard, and catches it, and locks it between the blade and the inside branch of his crosspiece as he turns it horizontally, while at the same time moving his right foot and body forward, with his arm and sword, progressing up his opponen’ts sword, and in this way closes off the straight line letting the tip of his opponent’s sword pass across his chest, wounding the enemy in the face, and, as he finally puts his right foot down just along the Diameter between the letters C and E, and drawing his left foot behind until he is again erect on his feet in profile and in a perpendicular line. In this way, he increases the force of his thrust so much that he pierces through his opponent’s head.
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|<font style="font-variant:small-caps">Alexandre</font> ſe tenant en la poſture de la droite ligne, <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Zacharie</font> le vient menacer d’une feinte a la troiſieme eſpece en dehors du bras en eſlevant le pied droit, & avançant le corps & le bras de l’eſpee, juſqu’à porter ſa pointe environ le milieu du coude contraire quaſi comme s’il luy vouloit tirer une eſtocade an viſage; ſous eſpoir de l’obliger à parer le coup, & conſequēment à eſcarter l’eſpee. Puis tout à l’inſtant il la repaſſe par deſſous la garde contraire, en continuant l’advancement du corps, avec le pied droit: lequel poſant à terre ſur le diametre à la lettre R. avec quelque augmentation du panchement du corps, il remonte l’eſpee en haut, laiſſant ſuivre & trainer le pied gauche proportionellemēt derriere l’autre, en tirant & dreſſant au meſme temps ſon eſtocade en dedans du bras droite au viſage de ſa partie, portant le bras & eſpee eſtendues en ligne droite. La defenſe d’<font style="font-variant:small-caps">Alexandre</font> conſiſte à travailler contre le feinte, & contre l’eſtocade. Contre le feinte, en tournant du ſeul poignet de la main la branche exterieure de ſa garde diagonalement en haut, en montant la pointe du coſté de la feinte pour croiſer & convrir un bien peu la lame de ſon contraire de la ſienne ſans la toucher, & ſans forligner ny à droite, ny à gauche, ny du bras, ny de l’eſpee. Voilà le contraire de la feinte. Si <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Za</font>charie euſt continué d’avancer ſa pointe avec la feinte pour le toucher du meſme coſté, ceſte preparation euſt eſté le vray moyen de luy rompre le coup en dehors du bras, comme elle eſt à preſent le vray commencement de rencontrer l’eſtocade tiree en dedans. Puis donc que <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Zacharie</font> repaſſe l’eſpee par deſſoubs la garde de ſon contraire, pour frapper à l’oppoſite du lieu, ou il avoit dreſſé ſa feinte, <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Alexandre</font>, dés auſſi toſt qu’il apperçoit le premier trait du changement, ſe reſveille, & ſe met ſur ſes gardes, en roidiſſant le bras & les genoux, ſi bien qu’à l’inſtant que la pointe de l’eſpee de ſa partie luy vient à l’endroit du coude, il la reçoit au Nombre 3, ou 4, avec le centre, qui eſt la garde de la ſienne, & la prend & enſerre, entre ſa lame & ſa branche interieure tournée horizontalement, en avançant au meſme temps le pied droit & le corps enſemble, avec le bras & l’eſpee, en graduant l’eſpee contraire & par ce moyen il ferme la droite ligne en laiſſant eſcouler la pointe de ſon contraire à vuide par devant ſa poitrine, bleſſant l’Ennemy au viſage, & abaiſſant finalement le pied droit à terre par delà le Diametre entre les lettres CE, & laiſſant trainer le pied gauche derriere, juſqu’à ce qu’il revienne droit ſur ſes pieds en pourfil, & en ligne perpendiculaire: il accroiſt par ce moyen tellement la vigueur de ſon eſtocade, qu’il le perce au travers la teſte.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align:top;"
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|'''Circle No 2'''
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|'''Cercle N.2.'''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|''Alexander follows the initial approach against the obtuse angle posture, which he started and half-completed in Circle N0 2 in the preceeding Plate, where he had just put the sword up beside his head, with his right foot raised and slightly ahead. As he is about to step to the First Instance, he will likewise adopt the obtuse posture against the opponent’s sword to the inside of the arm. ''
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|''Alexandre pourſuit la premiere approche contre l’angle obtus, par luy commencé & à demi faite au Tableau precedent Cercle N.2. où il eſtoit venu juſqu’à ſe mettre l’eſpee à coſté de la teſte, avec le pied droit un peu avancé en l’air: maintenant en venant ſur la Premiere Inſtance, il la met pareillement en angle obtus contre l’autre en dedans du bras.''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|Following the thrust, he closes with the enemy, stepping forward with the right foot, up to the letter H, putting his weight on this right foot, bending the knee, and drawing his left foot up behind him as far as the circumference. He continues to push his sword forward with all his strength, striking the enemie’s guard so hard that the enemy is forced to bend his arm, and let his tip fly upwards at an obtuse angle, and so he is safely beneath it, and prevents any attempt at revenge.
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|Pourſuivant l’execution de l’eſtocade, il entre ſur l’ennemy, en cheminant avec le pied droit juſqu’au lettre H, ou il fait la charge du corps ſur la jambe droite, en pliant le genouil, & trainant le pied gauche derriere juſqu’à la circonference; en continuant a pouſſer l’eſpee en avant de toute ſa force, avec le bras roide, il en choque ſi rudement la garde contraire, qu’il force l’ennemi à ſe courber le bras, & laiſſer aller ſa pointe en haut en angle obtus, venant par ainſi deſſous, & luy oſtant toute apparence de revenge.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|This precept is very far from common practice, which says that after striking, one should immediately retire out of range. I shall show you here, that you should follow the tip forward until you are absolute Lord and Master of your enemy. Do not run, nor jump backwards, which would be nothing other than inviting a riposte, it is far better to move in so far as to make his weapons useless. I know well, that those who used to the old mode will not take up this method, and will hold it as being too dangerous. But this is because they themselves do not understand that one must secure the opponent’s sword before hitting them. And they think that we shall try everything we can to adapt to their mode, extending our strikes, leaving swords free, or trying to move them off line by way of feints. Things we we are careful not to do. Because such thrusts happen only by chance, and it would appear they fail as often as they succeed. Even when everything goes as hoped for, they cannot succeed, they negate whatever advantage they had, even without having some manifestly obvious danger, and is nearly as dangerous for the person dominating as it is for his opponent. I would take as a practical witness their own exercises, where one can see they are ordinarily more at pains to withdraw with haste out of range, than they are making sure of their hits. See how they withdraw most often, before even finding out if they are well or poorly placed. Which is, in effect, nothing more than taking lucky shots, with no superiority, nor any advantage. It follows then, that they wave their swords freely about, and the one who hits always needs to take two timings, one to move in, the other to get back out of range. We also see how frequently the wound each other which is an infallable argument that luck dominates, and they themselves know the imperfections of  their system, because they do not know how to attack artfully with their sword.
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|Ce precept eſt grandement eſloigné de la Pratique vulgaire, qui commande, qu’on ſe retire tout à l’inſtant hors de meſure, apres qu’on à donné l’atteinte. Icy vous monſtre, qu’il faut pourſuivre la pointe, juſqu’à ſe rendre tout à fait Maiſtre & Seigneur abſolu de l’Ennemy, non pas fuir ny ſauter en arriere, qui ne ſeroit autre choſe, que de le provoquer à la riposte, il vaut pluſtoſt mieux entrer ſi en avant qu’on luy rende les armes inutiles. Ie ſçay bien, que ceux qui ſont accouſtumez à la veille mode ne laiſſeront pas de reprendre ceſte maniere & de la tenir pour trop dangereuſe: mais c’eſt pource qu’ils n’entendent pas eux meſmes, comme on ſe doit aſſeurer de l’eſpee contraire, avant que de porter l’atteinte: & qu’ils penſent que nous nous efforçions à leur mode allongeant nos bottes, en laiſſant les eſpees libres, ou en taſchāt de les faire ſortir de preſence par le moyen de quelques feintes. Ce que nous n’avons guarde de faire. Car telles eſtocades ſont tirées à l’adventure, & y à tout autant d’apparence quelle reuſſiront mal que bien; au fort quand tout eſt allé à ſouhait, ſi ne peuvent, ils nier encores, que l’avantage qu’ils ont eu, n’ait eſté accompangé de quelque danger manifeſte, & à peu pres autant hazardeux pour celuy qui a eu le deſſus, que pour ſon cōtraire. I’en pren à teſmoin la pratique meſme de leurs exercises, ou on le voit, qu’ils ſont ordinairement plus en peine, pour ſe retirer à la haſte hors de Meſure, qu’ils ne ſont aſſeurez à porter les atteintes, voire qu’ils ſe retirent le plus ſouvent, premier que de ſçavoir, s’ils ont bien ou mal addreſſé. Ce qui n’eſt en effet autre choſe, que de tirer ſes coups à l’adventure, ſans nulle ſuperiorite, ny advantage; procedant de ce qu’ils ont les eſpees de part & d’autre egallement libres; & que celuy qui porte la botte à touſiours beſoing de deux temps aſſez remarquables, le premier pour tirer, & le ſecond pour ſortir de preſence. Auſſi voit on, qu’ils s’entrebleſſent ordinairement les uns les autres, qui eſt un argument infallible, que la fortune y domine; & qu’ils recognoiſſe biē eux meſmes l’imperfećtion, & le danger de leur Pratique, par ce quils ne ſçavent  que c’eſt d’attaquer artiſtement une eſpee.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align:top;"
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|'''Circle No 3'''
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|'''Cercle N.3.'''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|''Alexander has placed his left foot on the circumference at point C, and has moved his sword under the opponent’s sword, as shown in Circle No 3, in Plate III. He follows on by coming into the First Instance, crossing swords in an obtuse angle, on the outside of the arm.''
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|''Alexandre eſtant venu à planter le pied gauche à la Circonference au C, & enſemblement à mettre l’eſpee en angle aigu deſſous de l’eſpee contraire, ſuivant la Representation du Tabl. III. Cercle N.3. il pouſuit icy le reſte de ceſte ſeconde approche, en venant ſur la Premiere Inſtance, & accouplant derechef les eſpees en angle obtus en dehors du bras.''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|Alexander waits in the same position as in Circle No 1. Zachary comes at him in the old style  with a feint, either high or low, taken from a rigid arm to the outside, at the instant he arrives at the circumference of the Circle. Then, moving his left foot closer, he raises his other foot, he begins a circular disengage, which he continues to do while moving his body forward, so that at the same instant he puts his right foot on the ground at the letter R, he thrusts with all his strength at his adversary’s face. Alexander seeing that the feint does not go past the crosspiece of his guard, does not move at all, until Zachary moves forward a little, and begins to bend at the waist with his right foot raised. Then he gets ready, tensing his body, his feet, his hand, and the sword, in the way described, above, in the third type of feints. So that when the enemy enters, and aims the tip of his sword towards his face on the inside line, as the tip comes near his elbow, he catches the sword with the inside branch of his crosspiece at about the 4th or 5th Span, progresses up the blade by moving his body forward, he hits Zachary in the face with a straight thrust, putting his foot down further along the Diameter between the letters E and H, continuing to move towards him, and bending his knee to increase the power of his strike, as described above.
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|<font style="font-variant:small-caps">Alexandre</font> ſe tenant tout de meſme, qu’au Cercle N.1; <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Zacharie</font> le vient aborder  à la mode ancienne avec une feinte, haute, ou baſſe, tiree d’un bras roide par dehors l’eſpee, à l’inſtant qu’il arrive à la Circonference du Cercle: puis en approchant le pied gauche, & eſlevant l’autre, il commence à faire la cavation; laquelle il continue durant l’avancement du corps, ſi bien qu’au meſme inſtant qu’il met le pied en terre ſur le Diametre à la lettre R, il tire de toute ſa force une eſtocade vers le viſage de ſon Contraire. <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Alexandre</font> s’appercevant, que la feinte ne paſſe point la branche de ſa garde, ne ſe bouge nullement, juſqu’à tant que <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Za</font>charie s’avance un peu d’avantage, & commence à faire la cavation avec le pied droit eſlevé. Car lors il ſe prepare, s’avivant le corps, le pied, le bras, & l’eſpee, en la façon, qui eſt deſcrite en la troiſieme eſpece des feintes; de ſorte que l’ennemi entrant, & dreſſant la pointe de l’eſpee vers ſon viſage en dedans le bras, à l’inſtant qu’elle vient à l’endroit de ſon coude, il la reçoit de la branche interieure de ſa garde au Nombre 4. ou 5. & en la graduant avec un avancement du corps, il luy donne le coup en droite ligne au viſage, abaiſſant le pied un peu au delà le Diametre entre les lettres EH. continuant  à charger le corps ſur iceluy, en pliant le genouil, pour augmenter la vigueur de l’eſtocade, en la maniere & pour les conſiderations declarées cy deſſus.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|To perform this action successfully, one needs to know how to distinguish two distances at which Zachary’s thrusts can commence.
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|Pour bien pratiquer ceſte operation, il eſt beſoing de ſçavoir diſtinguer deux diſtances, ou les eſtocades de <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Za</font>charie ſe peuvent encommencer.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|If it happens that he lunges to strike from the First Instance, or from even further away, he will necessarily have his body and arm lowered and weak, before his tip can reach the bend in his adversary’s arm. That being so, Alexander can meet him at the same time, likewise leaning forward against him, and crossing the strong part of his sword against the weak of his opponent’s at the 4th or 5th Span.
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|Car il s’advient, qu’il allonge ſa botte depuis la Premiere Inſtance, ou encor de plus loing, il aura le corps & le bras de l’eſpee necessairemēt abaiſſez & foibles, devant que ſa pointe arrive à l’endroit de la plieure du bras contraire. Cela eſtant, <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Ale</font>xandre le peut rencontrer au meſme temps, en uſant pareillement d’un panchement de corps alencontre, & accouplant le fort de ſon eſpee au foible de l’eſpee contraire au Nombre 4. ou 5.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|But if he has previously moved his body closer during the feint, as soon as he makes his thrust from closer in, and the tip of his sword could pass beyond his adversary’s elbow without any lowering or weakening of his body, arm, or sword, Alexander will first straighten right up, with the right foot lifted, without leaning his body forward, until just as the adversary’s blade (which he has caught with the strong of his own) is a little off to the side, caused by Zachary’s body moving forward. Then he suddenly closes in, leaning his body forward, and with his arm straight, wounds him as he slides along the sword, as shown by the figure.
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|Mais s’il a fait preallablement quelque approachment du corps, durant la feinte; ſi bien qu’il tire ſon eſtocade de plus pres, & qu’il puiſſe paſſer de ſa pointe plus avant que le coude du bras de ſon contraire, ſans aucun abaiſſemēt ou affoibliſſement du corps, bras, ou eſpee, <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Ale</font>xandre ſe dreſſera premierement tout droit, avec le pied droit eſlevé, ſans pancher du corps en avant, juſques à tant que la lame contraire (eſtant accueillie du fort de la ſienne) ſe ſoit un peu eſcoulée, moyennant l’avancement du corps: & lors il entrera tout ſubitement en panchant ſur le devant, & le bleſſera en luy graduāt l’eſpee avec le bras eſtendu, ſuivant la demonſtration du figure.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|This manner of receiving a thrust is somewhat different from that of Circle No 1, because this one counters with a single move, whereas the other takes two. This one executes the strike by a bend of the knee, the other requires one to prepare the body by becoming erect in the direct line posture with knees straightened. So it may seem to some that this way of giving a hit and a finish all at once, with the legs wide and the knees bent, is quite daring, more active, and more noble than the other because  it appears to be much more like the furiously active method of fighting commonly used. Whereas the other is so far removed it could not be used this way. However, you may besure, that the method shown in Circle No 1 is the more sure, being more ready to respond to any changes, and stronger, since all the parts of the body are extended and tensed, and all forces work in conjunction. This gives their movements a vigour and internal liveliness that is not apparent, for the reason that as the movements become smaller, they become more powerful. Moreover, as they come from a body that is extended perpendicularly, they are superior to the other. Notably when we employ skill in proportion to the requirements of the situation. Even so, his body is thus ready as much to move and fight on all sides, as it is to engage, stop, and moderate its actions appropriately, for he holds most of his ability in reserve. This is why it is very useful to perform these thrusts and the like in two motions, rather than one, which is also never necessary, as shall be shown in the following Circle. Alexander shall be constrained to stand up on his legs, with his body erect and straight, according to our style, to protect himself against the thrust, and so force his opponent to attack from the outside of his arm. If he wished to meet this attack by leaning his body forward over his forward knee, by this lowering of his body, arm, and sword, he would, of necessity, find himself lower than his adversary, who would not be far from taking full advantage of the superior position of his body, which he has kept by being upright.
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|Ceſte maniere de rencontrer une eſtocage, eſt aſſez differente de celle du Cercle N.1. Car celle cy fait l’execution de ſon coup en un ſeul temps, & l’autre en deux: celle cy l’execute en pliant le genouil, & l’autre veut que le corps ſoit preallablement dreſſé en ligne perpendiculaire avec les genoux roides. Or il ſemblera bien à pluſieurs, que ceſte façon de donner & achever tout enſemble avec les jambes larges & le genou plié, ſoit plus gaillarde, plus aćtive, & plus noble, que l’autre, par ce qu’elle a en apparance quelque choſe de commun avec les plus furieuſes Aćtions de la Pratique vulgaire; dont l’autre eſt ſi fort eſloignée, qu’elle ne le pourroit eſtre davantage. Cependant ſoyez ſeur, que celle du Cercle N.1. eſt la plus ſeure, plus preſte à prevenir touts les changements, & meſme auſſi plus robuſte, par ce que touts les membres du corps y ſont tendus & reſveillez, & tiennent leurs forces plus unies; ce qui donne à leurs mouvements une vigueur & vie interieur, qui ne paroiſt pas en l’exterieur; à raiſon qu’ils ſont d’autant plus petits, que la force en eſt plus grande. En outre, pour ce qu’ils procedent d’un corps eſtendu perpendiculairement, ils ſe font avec plus de ſuperiorité, que les autre; notamment quand on y employe l’artifice & la proportion, que les occaſions requierent; meſme que le corps eſt alors preparé tant pour ſe trāſporter & travailler à touts coſtez, qu’à pourſuivre, arreſter, & moderer ſes aćtions tout ainſi que bon luy ſemble; pour ce qu’il a tout en reſerve. C’eſt pourquoy il eſt tres utile de pratiquer les executions de telles & ſemblables eſtocades en deux temps, plustoſt qu’en un: & aucunesfois il eſt du tout neceſſaire, comme il ſera monſtré par la deſcription du Cercle ſuivant: ou <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Ale</font>xandre ſera contraint de ſe mettre droit ſur ſes jambes, pour s’aſſeurer contre l’eſtocade, que ſa partie luy tire en dehors du bras, avec le corps haut & droit, enſuivant le ſtile de noſtre Pratique. Car s’il vouloit rencontrer en panchant du corps en avant ſur le genouil de la jambe anterieure, par l’abaiſſemēt du corps, du bras, & de l’eſpee, il deviendroit neceſſairement inferieur à ſa partie, qui ne s’eſloigne guerre de prendre l’avantage de ſuperiorité, par la hauteur du corps qu’il ſe reſerve.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align:top;"
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|'''Circle No 4'''
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|'''Cercle N.4.'''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|''Zachary again attacks with resolve using a straight thrust to the outside of the arm, towards the face, with the body so upright that he does not pass beyond the letter V. Against this Alexander prepared, meets the 4th Span of his opponent’s sword with the strong of his own, raising himself slightly on his toes, by which means he retains his superiority, and progressing along his opponent’s sword with a small step, keeping his arm straight, to turn his head and his back towards the thrust, he wounds Zachary in the face instead, recovering into the same posture that he had before.''
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|''Zacharie luy tire encore ſur la meſme poſture une autre eſtocade reſolue en droite ligne, dehors du bras, & devers le viſage, avec le corps touſiours ſi haut qu’il ne passe point la lettre V, ſur quoy Alexandre ayant fait ſa preparation, accueile l’eſpee contraire du ſort de la ſienne au Nombre 4, avec un petit ſouſlevement du corps ſur les orteils de ſes pieds, de quoy il retient la ſuperiorité, & en graduant l’eſpee contraire d’un bras roide avec une petite demarche, pour tourner la teſte & le dos devers l’eſtocade, il le bleſſe luy meſme au viſage, en revenant tout droit debout en la meſme poſture qu’il s’eſtoit au paravant.''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|Both parties are facing each other in the First Instance. Zachary has his sword below the other parallel, in a direct line, he begins his move by straightening his arm to feint to the inside of his opponent’s arm, moving forward a little by raising his right foot. Then, continuing the same forward motion, he passes his sword back beneath his opponent’s guard and makes a resolute thrust to his opponent’s face outside the arm, putting his right foot down at the letter V, with the arm extended and the body erect, following with his left foot, as much as he needs to remain upright. Alexander again percieves that the feint does not come any closer than the crosspiece of his sword, and so remains still, waiting until his adversary makes his circular disengage with an obvious forward movement of his body. Then he gets ready to receive the attack, tenses himself, raises his right foot, and moves his sword as previously described. At the instant his opponent’s blade reaches his elbow, he catches the sword at the 4th Span with his strong part of his, but it is enough for him to remain erect, if he raises himself a little, by lifting his left heel and going up onto his left toes, at the same time looking backwards over his shoulder towards the tip of his enemy’s blade. He progresses up this blade by stiffening his arm so that, with a small step forward and to the right, putting his food down near the letter E, he forces his opponent off the straight line and wounds him in the face. He allows his left foot to follow, drawing it behind in a circular path, until he returns to face his opponent in profile, in the natural way he was when in the First Instance inside the perpendicular lines.
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|S’eſtants plantez les deux parties à la Premiere Inſtance; l’eſpee de <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Zacharie</font> deſſous l’autre en ligne droite & parallele, il commence incontinent à faire avec le bras roide une feinte à ſon Contraire par dedans le bras, en eſlevant & advançant quelque peu le pied droit; puis en continuant le meſme advancement du pied enſemble avec le corps, il repaſſe ſon eſpee par deſſous la garde de ſa partie, & en tire une eſtocade reſolue tout droit vers le viſage d’iceluy en dehors le bras, abaiſſant le pied droit à terre à la lettre V, avec le bras eſtendu & le corps haut, laiſſant trainer le pied gauche derriere, autant qu’il eſt beſoing pour ſe tenir touſiours perpendiculaire. <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Alexandre</font> s’appercevant derechef, que la feinte ne paſſe pas les branches de ſa garde, attend ſans bouger juſqu’à tant que l’Adversaire face la cavation avec quelque approachement notable du corps; & lors il ſe preſente à le recevoir, en avivant le corps, eſlevant le pied droit, & conduiſant l’eſpee ſelon les inſtrućtions precedentes; & à l’inſtant que la lame contraire luy vient à l’endroit du coude, il la reçoit du centre de la ſienne au Nombre 4. ne luy ſuffiſant pas de ſe tenir droit, ſi ce n’eſt qu’il y adjouſte encor un petit ſouſlevement du corps, pour ſe hauſſer un peu davantage ſur les orteils du pied gauche, en tournant au meſme temps la teſte vers le dos devers la pointe ennemie; laquelle il va graduer en roidiſſant le bras, de telle ſorte, qu’avec un petit pas, poſant le pied droit un peu à coſté environ la lettre E, il le contraint de quitter la droite ligne, & le bleſſe au viſage, laiſſant ſuivre le pied gauche  derriere en trainant un peu circulairement, juſqu’à venir en pourfil en la ſituation naturelle de la Premiere Inſtance au dedans de perpendiculaires.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|Those who hold to ordinary fencing are greatly astonished at such a precept. Because moving your head and back towards the tip of your adversary’s sword while he is thrusting seems to be rash action that defies Nature herself, given it is natural to try and preserve oneself before attacking one’s Adversary. This is the reason they are accustomed to avoiding the attacking sword, leaning their head and body away from the menacing tip. In response, I must confess, that our exercises are exactly opposite to theirs, and I say they are making a great mistake trying to evade the tip in this way. Because the more they believe they are avoiding the tip by moving their head out of the way, the more they remain in danger of being hit. And on the contrary, the closer one gets, following the instructions in this and similar manoeuvres, the more secure one will be, and one will enter even more forward between the perpendicular lines. Because if Alexander had  evaded his opponent’s tip by pulling his head back, I ask you, what would have prevented his opponent’s sword, which is free, from changing direction to pursue his advantage by another means? It is therefore better to meet the strike with superiority, than to wait for him to come and to make his move, with the risk of being hit. And it is better to break his strike than to leave him free. We conclude, then, that the skill and confidence goes to the one who knows how to dominate his adversary’s intentions, and chance and surprise to the one who fears the approach of a tip, as if it was invincible.
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|Ceux qui tiennent l’Eſcrime vulgaire s’eſtonneront grandement d’un tel precepte. Car porter la teſte & le dos vers la pointe de l’Adverſaire, durant le temps qu’il eſt en aćte de tirer ſon eſtocade, il leur ſemblera que ce ſoit une temerité qui deffie la Nature meſme, laquelle taſche touſiours de ſe conſerver ſoy meſme, avant que d’offenſer le Contraire. Et c’eſt la raiſon pouquoy ils s’acouſtument quant à eux de fuir l’eſpee qui vient contre eux, en panchant de la teſte & du corps à l’oppoſite du poinćt qu’elle menace. Pour reſponce, je confeſſe, que nos exercises ſont direćtement contraires aux leurs, & dis qu’ils font une bien grande faute d’eſquiver la poinćte en ceſte ſorte. Car d’autant plus qu’ils la penſent eviter, en portant la teſte hors de preſence, dautant plus demeurent ils en danger d’en eſtre touchez. Et au contraire d’autant plus qu’on s’en approchera, ſuivant l’inſtrućtion de ceſte & de ſemblables operations, d’autant plus en ſera on aſſeuré, & entrera on plus avant dedans les perpendiculaires. Car ſi Alexandre euſt voulu eviter la poinćte contraire en ſe retirant la teſte, je vous prie, qu’eſt ce qui auroit empeſché l’eſpee contraire, qui eſt libre, de changer le trait, & de pourſuivre ſon advantage en quelque autre ſorte? Il vaut mieux doncq de rencontrer le coup avec ſuperiorité, que d’attendre, qu’il vienne & qu’il aille à ſa poſte, avec hazard d’en recevoir l’atteinte; & mieux vaut le rompre que le laiſſer libre. Concluons donc, que l’Art & l’aſſeurance eſt à celuy qui ſçait domter les pretentions de ſon contraire; le hazard & l’eſpouvante à celuy, qui redoute la venue d’une pointe, comme ſi elle eſtoit invincible.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align:top;"
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|'''Circle No 5'''
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|'''Cercle N.5.'''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|Alexander follows through and executes his thrust, achieving and increasing it by raising and advancing his right foot, his whole body, his right hand, and his sword. He finally puts his foot down on the Diameter beyond the letter H, shifting the weight of his body to the bent forward knee, while progressing up his opponent’s sword with his arm straight until he runs into his opponent’s guard, with such force that that his enemy is forced to bend his arm, let the tip of his sword go up at an obtuse angle and have his opponent’s sword go through his head.
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|<font style="font-variant:small-caps">Alexandre</font> pourſuit & execute ſon eſtocade, l’augmentant & parachevant avec eſlevation & avancemēt du pied droit, enſemble du corps, du bras, & de l’eſpee; en abaiſſant finallement le pied ſur le diametre outre la lettre H, menant la charge du corps ſur le genouil anterieur plié, & graduant cependant la lame contraire avec le bras roide, juſqu’à en rencontrer la garde, avec telle violence, que l’ennemy eſt forcé, de ſe courber le bras, laiſſer aller ſa poinćte en angle obtus, & recevoir l’eſpee de l’Adverſaire à travers la teſte.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align:top;"
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|'''Circle No 6'''
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|'''Cercle N.6.'''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|''Zachary advances and again aims another thrust from outside the arm at the face in a broken line, moving his right foot up to the letter R.Which means Alexander avoids the hit by moving his left side forward, and bringing his right foot along the diameter inside the circumference, and, at the same time, crossing the 7th Span of his blade against the 5th or 6th Span of his adversary’s, sliding up the blade, lowering the hand, and keeping his elbow close to the side to protect the lower part of his body, as he steps forward with his left foot up to the letter I.''
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|''Zacharie s’avance, & luy tire derechef une eſtocade par de hors le bras devers le viſage en ligne courbe, portant le pied droit juſqu’à la lettre R; qui faićt qu’Alexandre eſquive le coup en avançant le coſté gauche, & poſant le pied droit ſur le Diametre au dedans de la circonference, & acceuillant au meſme temps du Nombre 7, le 5 ou 6 de l’eſpee contraire, avec quelque deſgraduation, abiſſement de la main, & le coude affermi contre le flanc, en ſorte que la partie inferieure du corps eſtant affranchie, il fait là deſſus ſon intrade, en allant du pied gauche juſqu’à la lettre I.''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|After the two adversaries have adopted their direct line postures in the First Instance, holding their swords parallel to each other, that of Alexander above, Zachary once again tries to thrust from the outside, but this time not with a direct line, as in Circle No 4, because Alexander can block him with a similar direct line, beating and wounding him at the same time. Therefore, he prefers to strike with his arm bent, as follows. He first moves forward with a feint of the second type inside the arm, moving both he foot and body with the sword-arm extended, until the tip reaches about even with his opponent’s wrist. Then, still moving forward, he turns his wrist up, bends his arm, passes the tip above his opponent’s sword, and strikes from outside his opponent’s arm with a powerful thrust to his enemy’s face. His right foot comes down on the Diameter, at the letter R, leaning his body forward over his right knee, and allowing the left foot to come up in balance to the letter X. Alexander first defends against the feint, tensing and straightening up his body, while raising his right foot, and extending his right arm, his sword-tip moving against the feint as shown before (Circle No 4). He waits in this superior position, a universally applicable response against every move the adversary might try after his feint, either continuing the same move, or making a circular disengagement to try some change of position, or something else, as may be. Determining the intention of his adversary, at the first motion of the change by the turning of his shoulder and his arm, before the tip can even pass the level of his elbow, he clearly sees that it is aimed towards his face in a bent line. In one motion, he avoids this blow by placing his raised right foot down on the Diameter, just inside the Circumference, while dropping his hand down, contacting his adversary’s blade at about the 7th Span with the 5th or 6th Span of his own blade, and moving his head off the line by turning in a circular motion while stepping forward with his left foot. At the same time as he slides his blade along his adversary’s he bends his elbow and brings it down to his side as protection to defend the lower part of his body, continuing to turn his left side forward in a circular motion until his left foot comes down to the left of the Diameter, on the letter I (at the crossing of the Interior Collaterals and the Oblique Diameter), putting his body weight over his bent knee while forcing his opponent’s sword away to the side, exactly as shown by the figures in the image.
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|Apres que les deux Contraires ont eſté plantez à la Premiere Inſtance en poſtures de la droite ligne, tenants les eſpees paralleles l’une à l’autre, celle d’<font style="font-variant:small-caps">Alexandre</font> deſſus & l’autre deſſous; <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Zacharie</font> entreprend de luy tirer derechef une eſtocade en dehors du bras, non toutesfois en ligne droite, comme au Cercle N.4. à cauſe qu’<font style="font-variant:small-caps">Ale</font>xandre la luy avoit rencontrée avec pareille ligne droite; domté, & bleſſé au meſme temps; dont il aime mieux de luy porter le coup avec le bras courbé, en la maniere ſuivante. Il s’advance premierement avec une feinte de la ſeconde eſpece en dedans du bras, portant egalement le pied & le corps avec le bras eſtendu, juſques à tant que ſa poinćte arrive alendroit du poignet de la main contraire; & puis en continuant encor le meſme advancement, il la repaſſe par deſſous, & en tir en dehors du bras avec pleine force une eſtocade, au viſage de l’Ennemi en ligne courbe; poſant le pied droit ſure le Diametre à la lettre R, en accommodant le corps en avant ſur le genouil de la jambe droite, & laiſſant trainer le pied gauche proportionnellement derriere juſqu’à la lettre X. <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Alexandre</font> ſe prepare premierement cōtre la feinte, s’avivant & eſtendant au meſme temps le corps avec eſlevation du pied droit, en eſtendāt le bras avec l’eſpee, la poinćte dreſſée contrement du coſté de la feinte, comme il à eſté monſtré cy deſſus; en attendant avec ceſte ſuperiorité, comme avec un remede univerſel, tout ce que l’Adverſaire luy peut machiner en ſuite de la feinte, ſoit en continuant le trait encommencé, ou en uſant de quelque changement par maniere de cavation, ou de quelque autre ſorte, que ce puiſſe eſtre. S’appercevant donc au premiere trait du changemēt, de l’intention de ſon Adverſaire, par le torſement de l’eſpaule & du bras d’iceluy; avant que la pointe luy paſſe l’endroit du coude, il voit clairemēt, qu’elle eſt dreſſé devers ſon viſage en ligne courbe: à l’occaſion dequoy il eſquive le coup en oſtant ſa teſte hors de preſence, par le moien d’un tournoyement & avancement du coſté gauche qu’il veut faire en poſant le pied droit, à preſent eſlevé, ſur le Diametre au dedans de la Circonference, en acceuillant au meſme temps avec le Nombre 7. de ſa lame dreſſée contremont le 5. ou 6. de l’eſpee contraire, ſur laquelle il fait quelqeu petite deſgraduation avec quelque abaiſſement de la main, s’affermiſſant le coude contre le flanc, pour la defenſe de la partie inferieure du corps; & continuant à ſe tourner & avancer ſur le meſme pied circulairemēt le coſté gauche, juſqu’à en poſer le pied à la lettre I. par deçà le Diametre, pliant le genouil & accommodant le corps deſſus, en aſſujettant l’eſpee contraire; le tout en conformité de ce qui eſt repreſenté par les figures.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align:top;"
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|'''Circle No 7'''
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|'''Cercle N.7.'''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|''Alexander raises his left foot, and driving his adversary’s blade down and away from his own, leans slightly backwards to his starting point, then advancing with the same foot, he inserts the tip of his sword into his opponent’s right armpit.''
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|''Alexandre eſlevant le pied gauche, & amortiſſant la lame contraire en oſte la ſienne, ſe panchant un peu du dos a l’envers & derechef en revenant d’ou il eſtoit parti & avançant le meſme pied, il luy aſſene la pointe au coſté droit deſſous le bras.''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|This Circle continues from the preceeding one. Zachary has barely finished the motion of his failed thrust, but Alexander takes advantage of the situation. Raising his left foot while, at the same time, giving his opponent’s blade a push, both to desensitize him to the motion and pull his own sword from on top, he moves the tip in a circular motion up, around his opponent’s arm, and down, and while keeping his elbow against his side, moving the guard close in to his stomach, his back turned slightly away. Then, straightening again, he hits at the same instant that he puts his foot down at the letter L on the Perpendicular Diameter, allowing his right foot to come up as far as needed to be comfortably balanced and to reach the right side of his enemy, underneath the arm, as shown in the figure.
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|Ce cercle contient la pourſuite du precedent. Car à peine <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Za</font>charie a il achevé le mouvement de ſon eſtocade perdue, qu’<font style="font-variant:small-caps">Alexandre</font> pourſuit ſon advantage; en eſlevent le pied gauche avec un petit pouſſement ſur la lame contraire, pour luy troubler le ſentiment, & pour en oſter par meſme voye la ſienne de deſſus, en menant la pointe circulairement alentour du bras contraire de haut en bas, & s’aſſermiſſant le coude du bras droit contre le coſté, avec la garde au devant pres de la poitrine, le dos un peu à l’envers; puis en revenant droit, il donne l’atteinte, & au meſme inſtant poſe le pied ſur le Diametre perpendiculaire à la lettre L. trainant conſequemment le pied droit derriere, autant qu’il eſt requis pour remettre le corps à ſon aiſe, & pour toucher au coſté droit de l’Ennemi deſſoubs le bras, comme il eſt pourtrait en la figure.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align:top;"
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|'''Circle No 8'''
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|'''Cercle N.8.'''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|''Execution of the final part of the preceeding thrust, with all the force possible from the arm and body, with certain particularities that must be observed.''
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|''Finale execution de l’eſtocade precedente, aſſiſtée de toutes les forces du bras & du corps, avec les particularitez qu’il y faut obſerver.''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|To exploit the execution of the final part of this wounding, he moves his body forward, extending his arm with his sword, stepping wih his left foot up to the letter Q, drawing the other along up to the letter H intending to pass right through the body. This is clearly shown in the figure.
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|Pour exploiter la finale execution de ceſte bleſſure, il s’avāce le corps, avec le bras & l’eſpee eſtendue, portant le pied gauche juſqu’à la lettre Q. en traināt l’autre apres juſques à la lettre H. pourſuivant à luy paſſer le corps tout outre. Le tout ſe voit clairement en la figure.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|We have divided the operation shown in Circles 7 & 8 into two beats, to help students. Those who are more advanced, can accomplish this in one beat, since they only need to put their left foot down once. What is more, there is a means of shortening the time even more, with an extra step: that is, when one forces the opponent’s sword away, as described in Circle No 6, one steps forward with the right foot up to the letter E, a bit beside the Diameter line, or even more, and, as following through, while turning the left side of his body forward, he drops the contact with his opponents blade the same way as in Circle No 7, only putting his left foot down at the instant his tip makes contact with his opponent’s armpit, then following through in the same way as before.
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|Nous avons diviſé ceſte operation des Cercles N.7. & 8. en deux temps, en faveur des diciples. Car ceux qui ſeront plus avancez, la pourront accomplir en un, n’ayans beſoing de mettre le pied gauche en terre, ſinon une fois tant ſeulement. Qui plus eſt, il y aura moyen d’en abbreger le temps encores d’avantage, avec l’execution annexee: c’eſt qu’en aſſujettiſſant l’eſpee du Contraire, en la maniere deſcrite au Cercle N. 6. on entre du pied droit juſques à la lettre E. un peu par deça le Diametre, ou meſmes plus outre: & puis en pourſuivant tourner le coſté gauche en devant, deſtachant les eſpees en la meſme façon comme au Cercle 7. ſans toutefois abaiſſer le pied gauche à terre, ſinon au meſme inſtant qu’on le touche deſſoubs le bras, pourſuivant au reſte l’execution en la meſme ſorte, que deſſus.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|Note that we presume, in Circle 6, that Zachary has made his thrust with full intent to harm, which is the real situation that prompts the first contact, the continuation, and final execution of the thrusts shown in Circles 6, 7 , and 8. But let us suppose he has not made this thrust with resolute determination, that he moves his tip a little slower,  or that he does not move his body forward as much as a determined thrust requires, moving his right foot forward only as far as the letter V. What is the solution? Because if one tried to turn the left side forward and try to throw his sword aside as shown in Circle 6 would be very dangerous, because Zachary can still change his actions and make a circular disengage to wound Alexander inside the arm. Which would be impossible if he were fully committed to the outside thrust. The difference between these two attacks is what Alexander must learn to distinguish, through his adversary’s preparations, and initial motions. Whether he is attacking with intent, or reserved. Having recognized this, he moves his right foot forward beside the Diameter to about the letter E, closing his elbow by his side as he his body moves forward, and, with a slight drop of the hand and wrist movement, aims his tip against his adversary towards his adversary’s sword, to be able to turn his adversary’s point aside, whether the blades are in contact or not. He is careful not to move his left foot forward, but keeps it slightly raised behind or to the side, and if his enemy continues with his initial movement, he will also continue with his left foot, more slowly than before, in order to maintain the correct amount of contact, to be able to work confidently against any changes his enemy might make. These must be met with the strong going against his weak, and then giving a hit to the face when stepping forward with the left foot. This will be fully explained in the appropriate chapter. So, having prepared, it sometimes happens that the swords touch, and sometimes not, or at least much later than they should. In the first case, you already know what to do, to move in relatively slowly with the left side and foot, maintaining the sensibility of the contact. In the second case, when the opponent does not touch your blade, it is absolutely certain he does not intent to wound you with his bent-arm attack, that he is only pretending to in order to get you to move your sword aside, away from defending the centre line, so he can more easily disengage around your arm. To prevent this, you must take advantage of this feint, by leaning further forward while lowering your hand and guard, catch the weak of his blade, at the 3rd, 4th, or 5th Span, with the strong of your blade as he moves upward from beneath your blade. Continue to move up his blade, aiming the tip of your sword towards his face to wound him following along the line of the blade, stepping forward with the left foot beyond the perpendicular diameter, if he is not fast enough with his disengagement. If he does it at all, considering that he can do this only with a circular motion.
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|Or notez que on preſuppoſe au Cercle 6. que <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Za</font>charie ait tiré ſon eſtocade avec pleine reſolution, qui eſt la vraye occaſion, de laquelle ceſte rencontre, continuation, & execution des ſuſdites Cercles 6. 7. 8. depend. Mais poſé le cas, qu’il ne tiraſt pas avec ceſte reſolution & hardieſſe, ains qu’il portaſt ſa pointe plus lentemēt, ou qu’il n’avançaſt pas le corps, tant que la proportion d’une eſtocade reſolue demande, n’entrant du pied droit que juſqu’à la lettre V. peu plus ou moins. Quel remede? Car de vouloir icy tourner le coſté ſeneſtre devant, & aſſujettir ſa lame à la mode du Cercle 6. c’eſt choſe treſdangereuſe: pource qu’il s’eſt reſervé de pouvoir changer l’operation encommencée, & de faire la cavation pour bleſſer au dedans du bras: ce qui luy ſeroit impoſsible s’il eſtoit en aćte  de tirer avec reſolution. La rencontre, c’eſt qu’il faut qu’<font style="font-variant:small-caps">Ale</font>xandre ſache distinguer, par les commencemens & preparations des mouvemens du contraire, s’il tire avec reſolution, ou avec reſerve. Et l’ayant recognu, qu’il entre du pied droit environ la lettre E. par deça le Diametre, en s’affermiſſant le coude du bras droit contre le coſté, avec avancement du corps, & quelque petite deſcente de la main, & accomodation du poignet, par laquelle il dreſſera ſa pointe contremont devers l’eſpee contraire, pour en deſtourner la poinćte au temps convenable, ſoit que les lames s’entretouchent, ou non: ſe gardant cependant d’avancer le pied gauche, mais qu’il le tienne en l’air derriere ou à coſté, & ſi l’Ennemi continue ſon premier mouvement, il continuera auſſi à l’egal d’entrer du pied gauche, pluſtoſt lentement qu’autrement, afin de retenir le ſentiment juſte, pour travailler avec plus d’aſſeurance ſure les cavations qu’on luy pourroit faire; leſquelles il faudra rencōtrer en accueillant le foible de l’eſpee contraire du ſort de la ſienne, & luy donner le coup au viſage avec avancemēt du meſme pied gauche: ainſi qu’il ſera deſcript plus particulierement en ſon lieu. Or en faiſant ceſte preparation, il advient aucunefois que les eſpees s’entretouchent, & aucunefois point, ou pour le moins plus tard, qu’elles ne devroyent. Quand la premiere occurrence ſe preſentera, vous avez deſia voſtre inſtrućtion, d’entrer lentement avec le coſté, & le pied gauche, moyennant l’aſſeurance du ſentiment: Quand la ſeconde ſe preſente; & que l’adverſaire ne touche pas voſtre lame, c’eſt un argument infallible, qu’il n’a pas intention de bleſſer avec ſa courbe; ains ſeulement d’en faire le ſembāt, pour faire ſortir voſtre eſpee hors du centre de ſa defenſe, afin de ſe ſervir en apres de la cavation avec plus d’apparence. Pour y obvier, il faut que vous prenniez ſur ceſte feinte un nouvel amendement de voſtre avantage; en augmentant le panchement du corps en avant, enſemble avec la deſcente de la main & de la garde, en dreſſant la pointe en haut devers ſon viſage pour le bleſſer ſuivant le fil de ſa lame, s’il ne fait aſſez toſt la cavation. Et s’il la fait, conſiderant qu’il ne la peut faire autre, que circulairement; vous accueillirez du fort de voſtre eſpee le foible de la ſienne, Nombre 3, 4, ou 5, cependant qu’elle montera de deſſous voſtre garde en haut: & continuerez à la graduer, & à le bleſſer au viſage, en avançant le coſté gauche, & entrant avec le meſme pied dedans ſes perpendiculaires.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align:top;"
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|'''Circle No 9'''
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|'''Cercle N.9.'''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|''Alexander is waiting in the Direct Line, Zacharie tries a thrust to the stomach, with the intention of stepping with his right foot up to the letter R, but Alexander prevents him, by turning the changing the direction of the right side, with the same arm held forward and extended and hits him in the right shoulder, which holds him back and forces him to stop his step at the letter V on the Diameter.''
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|''Alexandre eſtant planté en droite ligne, Zacharie luy va tirer un coup d’eſtocade devers le ventre, en avançant le corps avec intention de porter le pied droit juſques à la lettre R. mais comme Alexandre le previent, en deſtournant le coſté droit avec le meſme bras eſtendu & avancé, & luy donne l’atteinte en l’eſpaule droite à luy meſme, il eſt retenu en arriere & contraint de raccourcir le pas à lettre V ſur le Diametre.''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|After having taken a look at the thrusts to Alexander’s face that Zachary might make, to the inside and outside of the sword, it is a good idea to likewise add the thrusts that he could also make towards the stomach, beneath the arm, so that by these proofs one can judge as one should the superiority of the direct line, which he has, once again, adopted in Circle No 9, on the ordinary lines of the Quadrangle A-C. Zachary has likewise approached, by adopting the direct line, setting himself with his blade parallel and beneath the other, in the usual way of our style. Or, he may have approached up to the First Instance in the old style, with his body bent over. Having arrived there, he strikes outside with a feint of the second type, reaching to the wrist, and moves in closer. Continuing the same advance, swiftly he drops his tip with a circular motion and keeping his arm straight. Advancing, he intends to put his foot as far forward as the letter R along the Diameter, and at the same time he aims the tip of his sword at the lower part of his enemy’s body. These are the actions made by the attacker. The instructions for the defender follows.
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|Apres avoir propoſé les eſtocades, qui pourroyent eſtre tirées par <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Za</font>charie en dehors & en dedans l’eſpee vers le viſage d’<font style="font-variant:small-caps">Ale</font>xandre, il ſera bon d’y adjouſter paeillemēt celles qu’il pourroit tirer vers le ventre au deſſoubs des armes, afin que par ces preuves on puiſſe dignement juger de l’excellence de la droite ligne, en laquelle il s’eſt derechef arreſté en ce Cercle 9. ſur les lignes ordinaires du quadrangle AC. <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Zacharie</font> l’eſt pareillement venu aborder avec la meſme droite ligne, en aſſeoyant ſa lame parallele au deſſous de l’autre, ſuivant l’ordinaire de noſtre ſtyle: ou bien il eſt venu à la premiere Inſtance avec le corps courbé, ſelon la couſtume ancienne; & y eſtant arrivé, il à tiré par dehors une feinte de la ſeconde eſpece juſqu’au poignet de la main contraire, en levant le pied droit, & commençant à s’avancer: puis continuant le meſme avancement, il à rabaiſſé ſa pointe circulairement avec le bras roide, & avec grande viſteſſe; avançant quand & quand le corps d’avantage, en intention de porter le pied juſques à la lettre R. ſur le Diametre, & d’aſſener au meſme temps le coup de ſa pointe en la partie inferieure du corps de ſon Ennemi. Voilà les aćtions, & l’intention de l’aſſaillant. S’enſuit l’inſtrućtion pour le defendant.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|Alexander first responded to the feint. Tensing his body, raising his right heel up, and working with his sword, as has been described, above. He recognises, as his opponent begins to make the second part of the movement,  that his opponent is going to wound him in the stomach or in the right side and as he does this his opponent lowers his arm and sword, so much that he leaves his right shoulder uncovered. At the same time, Alexander turns his right side outwards, his feet pointing forward and moves the upper part of his torso forward by leaning his upper body while holding his sword out straight in front, so that he hits his opponent in the right shoulder, which is the closest part of his body, and by this hit, he forces him to shorten his step, putting his foot down at about the letter V, rather than the letter R, as he intended.
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|<font style="font-variant:small-caps">Alexandre</font> à fait premierement ſa preparation contre la feinte; s’avivant le corps, avec eſlevation du talon du pied droit, & travaillant de l’eſpee, ſelon ce qui a eſté dit plus particulierement cy deſſus. Puis recognoiſſant au ſecond mouvement le changement, que l’Adverſaire commence, pour le bleſſer au ventre, ou au coſté droit du corps; & que pour ce faire, il s’abaiſſe le bras & l’eſpee, tant qu’il ſe deſcouvre luy meſme l’eſpaule droite; il ſe deſtourne à meſme temps le coſté droit en dehorsavec les pointes des deux pieds devant, & avance la partie ſuperieure du corps en la panchant avec le bras eſtendu, de ſorte qu’il luy donne l’atteinte en l’eſpaule droite, qui eſt le plus prochain endroit de lattouchement, le prenant & prevenant par ceſte rencontre, en ſorte qu’il le contraint de raccourcir le pas, & abaiſſer le pied environ la lettre V. au lieu de l’avancer juſques à R. comme il avoit deſſeing.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|To clarify: Alexander must hit at the same instant that Zachary begins to lower his tip, while his body can still be held back, and before he has taken his large step. As long as Alexander knows how to adjust and use the time he has, he will wound him without moving from his place, doing nothing other than tuning his body, keeping his feet still, as we have described, which he can most certainly do as much as the adversary’s tip will, of its own accord, move away from the closest point of contact, and it will be held even further back because of the impediment of the counter-thrust, which stops the person from continuing the step he intended to make.
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|Pour en parler plus clairement; il faut que <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Ale</font>xandre luy donne l’atteinte, au meſme inſtant, que <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Za</font>charie commence à abaiſſer ſa pointe, durant que ſon corps eſt encor capable d’eſtre retenu en arriere, & avant qu’il ait prins une grande courſe. Car moyennant qu’<font style="font-variant:small-caps">Ale</font>xandre  ſache bien prendre & adjuſter ce temps, il le bleſſera ſans bouger de ſa place, ne faiſant autre choſe, que tourner en peu le corps, par le moyen des pieds, ainſi que nous venons de deſcrire. ce qu’il pourra faire aſſeurement pour autant que la pointe contraire s’eſt eſloingnee d’elle meſme du plus prochain point de l’attouchement, & qu’elle eſt retenue encor outre cela en arriere par l’obſtacle de l’eſtocade, arreſtant la perſonne environ le milieu du chemin qu’elle avoit penſé de faire.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|But let’s suppose, either by his speed, or because Alexander is behind, he is now so far forward that there is no longer any means of stopping him, or to break his step. In this case, it is not advisable for Alexandre to try to reach him with a simple twist of the body. So he must, from time to time, use a small backwards step, out of fear that the adversary’s sword-tip (which is nearby, is free to move, and approaching, and cannot be stopped by a straight line counter-thrust) will wound him at the same instant, or just afterwards. In this case, he must draw his feet backwards a little bit, about as much as his adversary’s approach, so that there is no part of his body where Zachary intends to strike, or, if Zachary wants to reach further, he will be forced to make extremely long moves, and to unbalance his body so that he cannot recover in time. One should meet him at this point, when he is weakest, when he has abandoned himself to the mercy of his adversary, having abandoned his position of superiority in such a way that one can easily use the direct line to hit the nearest open target, as long as one leans a little forward. To accomplish this, being in the correct Instance is very advantageous to Alexander, because he is attacking from the direct line posture, which has the longest range, leaning the upper body forwards, having withdrawn the lower part, which is where his adversary aimed the tip of his sword, and his enemy has moved himself off of the dirct line by attacking downwards at an acute angle. Finally, which is very important, he works from a position of superiority, and he can surprise the enemy at the very instant that he has expended all his effort, leaving nothing for his defense.
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|Mais poſons le cas, que par ſa viſteſſe, ou par l’inadvertance d’<font style="font-variant:small-caps">Ale</font>xandre, il ſoit venu ſi avant qu’il n’y ait plus de moyen de l’arreſter, ou de luy rompre le pas. En ceſte occaſion il n’eſt pas loiſible à <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Ale</font>xandre de l’attendre avec un ſimple tournement du corps; ais il eſt contraint de ſe ſervir quand & quand d’une petite retirade; de peur que la pointe contraire, (que eſt en preſence, & libre, & en aćte d’approcher, ni ne peut eſtre arreſtée par l’eſtocade de la droite ligne) ne le bleſſe au meſme inſtant, ou bien peu apres. Il faut donc en ce cas qu’il retire les pieds un peu en arriere, plus ou moins à l’advenant de l’approchement de l’Adverſaire, afin qu’il ny ait point de corps au lieu qu’il pretend de frapper, ou s’il veut pourſuivre ſa poinćte plus avāt, qu’il ſoit contraint à faire des mouvements extremes, & à tresbucher du corps, dequoy il ne ſe peut redreſſer à temps, ſi on adviſe bien de l’accueillir durant le meſme affoibliſſement, au quel il s’eſt comme abandonné à la mercy de l’Adverſaire, luy quittant tout l’advantage de la ſuperiorité. en ſorte qu’on le peut aiſement toucher en droit ligne au plus prochan lieu deſcouvert, moyennāt qu’on ſe panche un peu ſur le devant. Or pour ce faire les Inſtances ſont grandement advantageuſes pour <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Ale</font>xandre, par ce qu’il travaille avec la droite ligne, qui eſt la plus longue meſure, avec panchement de la partie ſuperieure du corps, en ayant en outre retiré la partie inferieure où l’Adverſaire avoit dreſſé ſa poinćte, & que l’ennemi s’eſt eſloigné de luy meſme de la droite ligne, en tirāt le coup vers le bas en angle aigu: & finalement, ce qui importe beaucoup, qu’il travaille avec ſuperiorité, & qu’il ſurprend l’Ennemy à l’inſtant qu’il n’a plus nulle reſerve de force pour ſa defenſe.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|In any case, to perform this, be very careful not to take a step backwards too early, or you will allow your adversary to move halfway to the next Instance, where he will pursue his thrust with the tip even more forcefully, encouraged to expect that it will succeed, as your arms and legs will be vulnerable to attack. Because if he has time to observe your transitions, he will likewise transition in response against it, either by making a circular disengage, or crossing swords, or changing the range. Thus, a retreat made too soon will alert him to his advantage.
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|Toutesfois pour pratiquer ceſt obſervation prenez bien garde, que vous ne faciez pas la retirade du pied avant qu’il ſoit temps, ains que vous laiſſiez venir l’Adverſaire juſqu’à la moitié de l’Inſtance, afin qu’il continue plus furieuſement à pourſuivre ſa poinćte, en eſperance, & avec apparence de la mettre à execution; ce qui luy ſera faire des extremitez à luy prejudiciables. Car autrement s’il adviſe à temps du changement, que vous faites, il changera pareillement alencontre, ſoit en uſant de cavation, ou en affrontant les eſpees, ou en rompant la meſure; de façon, que la retraite, qui ſera faite avant le temps, luy ſervira d’un advertiſſement pour ſon advantage.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|There is one more question to answer about the explanation of this Circle No 9, if one who is going to give a similar hit to the lower stomach, or to the shoulder of his opponent, is not going to put themselves inevitably in danger of receiving a similiar hit to the stomach, because it seems an acute blow would not stop an adversary’s forward movement, so that he would continue on without stopping. I shall answer this in the description which follows, where it shall be self-evident.
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|Il reſte encor une autre demande pour la declaration de ce Cercle 9. aſſavoir, ſi celuy qui donneroit un tel coup d’eſtocade, avec une poinćte aigue en la poitrine, ou en l’eſpaule de ſa partie adverſe, ne ſe metteroit pas en danger inevitable de recevoir la pareille au ventre, à cauſe qu’il ſemble qu’une poinćte aigue ne pourroit en rien du monde arreſter le corps contraire, qu’il ne s’avançaſt plus outre, ſans null pauſe. I’en remets la reſponce à la deſcription de l’execution qui s’enſuit; où elle ſera evidente d’elle meſme.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align:top;"
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|'''Circle No 10'''
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|'''Cercle N.10.'''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|Because Alexander leaned the upper part of his body forward to hit, it follows that his arm and hand were lowered by the same degree as a result, and it follows that his guard can contact and block his adversary’s blade, before the tip has time to reach his own body. So that, by the lowering of his arm, that accompanied the forward lean of his torso, he holds the lower blade in subjugation, pushing it further down and away. At the same time as he steps forward with his left foot, to close with his adversary, he keeps his right foot, which is supporting the counter-thrust, in place behind. He puts his left foot down at the Letter I, or near it beside the Diameter, leaning and moving his right shoulder forward, while forcing the guard downwards, and moving it up the adversary’s blade, until his opponent’s sword tip is almost into the ground. All while piercing further into the shoulder and neck of his opponent, so he cannot defend against it.
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|Puis qu’<font style="font-variant:small-caps">Alexandre</font> a donné l’atteinte avec panchement du corps, dont la partie ſuperieure, le bras, & la main, deſcendent tout enſemble proportionnellement, il s’enſuit que ſa garde viendra toucher & empeſcher la lame contraire, avant que la poinćte ait le loiſir de parvenir juſqu’à ſon corps: de ſorte que par la deſcente du bras (qui accompagne le panchement de la partie ſuperieure du corps) il tiendra la lame inferieure en ſubjećtion, l’abaiſſant plus loing de ſoy & pluſtoſt, qu’il ne s’en approche par la continuation de ſon panchement encommencé. Ioint auſſi qu’en eſlevant le pied gauche, il entrera ſur ſa partie adverſe, avec la partie inferieure du coſté gauche tant ſeulement, demeurant cependant le coſté droit, (qui eſt le blanc de l’eſtocade contraire) en arriere; & plantera le pied en terre au poinćt I ou environ par deça le Diametre, panchant & avançant davantage la partie ſuperieure du coſté droit, deſcendant touſiours ſa garde avec le bras eſtendu ſur l’eſpee contraire, la graduant juſqu’à la garde, de ſorte que la poinćte viendra quaſi à toucher la terre: pourſuivant au reſte à percer l’eſpaule & le col de ſon Adverſaire, de façon qu’il ne luy reſte plus aucune defenſe.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|Moreover, it is understood that he will continue and complete this strike by recovering his balance by a step with his right foot, to dominate he enemy still more. This is so very easy that we thought it was enough to mention it, and did not need another figure to illustrate.
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|Or il s’entend qu’il accomplira la cōtinuation de ceſte execution, avec le pied droit pour ſe redreſſer, & pour dompter l’ennemy encores davantage: laquelle choſe eſtant tresfacile, il nous ſemble, que c’eſt assez d’en avoir donné ce petit advertiſſement, ſans la repreſenter en figure.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align:top;"
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|'''Circle No 11'''
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|'''Cercle N.11.'''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|''Zachary again aims the same thrust to the lower body, but this time with the guard higher up, to protect his shoulder, from which Alexander turns and draws his right hip backwards, while the upper body leans forward and extends his arm with the sword so as to hit him in the face.''
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|''Zacharie luy tire encores la meſme eſtocade que deſſus, pour le toucher au bas du corps, mais avec la garde un peu plus haute, en ſorte qu’il ſe couvre l’eſpaule, dont Alexandre ſe deſtourne & retire quelque peu le coſté droit en arriere, avec la partie ſuperieure du corps panchée en avant, & le bras avec l’eſpee eſtendus de façon qu’il le touche au viſage.''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|This operations begins the same way as the previous, that is, the two adversaries face each other at the First Instance. Zachary makes a feint to the inside. This was likewise met, as in Circle No 9, but with the difference that the thrust in Circle No 9 was made so low that his shoulder was exposed, so he guards against this now. So, in moving his body forward while making a circular disengage, to attack and move his foot forward to the Letter R, he carries his arm a bit higher, so as to cover his shoulder with his guard. Which is why, as soon as Alexander, having already made ready, becoming alert and tensing his body, extending his arm and sword with the tip up at an obtuse angle, as fully described in the previous example, percieves the first indication of a move from the feint, at the instant his adversary’s sword begins to drop down, to aim the tip at his lower body, he likewise drops his own, bringing the tip, with his arm extended, to about the height of his adversary’s head, again intending to use the direct line posture to wound him in the shoulder. But seeing that his shoulder is covered by the guard, he immediately turns his right side to the outside, so the toes of his feet point forward, he draws his right hip and foot back slightly, leaning further forward with his upper body. This motion brings his arm down at the same time, dropping the guard onto his opponent’s sword. As he continues to lower it further, he is presented with the opportunity to wound him in the face, as is shown in the figure.
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|Le commencement de ceſte operation eſt de meſme, que la precedente: aſſavoir, que les deux contraires eſtās venus à meſure de la Premiere Inſtance, <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Zacharie</font> a tiré ſur <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Alexandre</font> une feinte en dedans du bras: laquelle à pareillement eſté recontrée, comme au Cercle 9. mais la difference conſiſte en l’eſtocade & en la rencontre a propriée: car l’eſtocade a eſté tirée au dit Cercle 9. en abaiſſant ſi avant le bras & l’eſpee qu’il s’eſt deſcouvert luy meſme l’eſpaule, dont il ſe garde en ceſte operation preſente. Car en avançant le corps avec la cavation, pour tirer & marcher du pied droit juſqu’à la lettre R. il porte le bras un peu plus haut, de ſorte, qu’il ſe couvre l’eſpaule avec ſa garde. Parquoy ſi toſt qu’Alexandre apperçoit le premier trait du changement de la feinte (ayant preallablement fait ſa preparation; enſavivant le corps, eſlevant le pied droit, & eſtendant le bras avec l’eſpee, la pointe d’icelle en angle obtus, comme il a eſté deſcrit plus amplement en l’operation precedente) à l’inſtant que l’eſpee de ſa partie commence à deſcendre, pour luy aſſener la pointe au bas du corps; il abaiſſe pareillement la ſienne, en conduiſant la pointe avec le bras eſtendu environ la hauteur de la teſte de ſon contraire, pour le bleſſer derechef avec la droite ligne, en l’eſaule. Mais la voyant couverte de la garde, à l’inſtant il deſtourne ſon coſté droit un peu en dehors, avec les pointes des deux pieds en devant, & quelque retirade du pied droit, & de a partie inferieure du meſme coſté, panchant d’autant plus en avant de la partie ſuperieure. ce qui luy fait deſcendre au meſme inſtant le bras, & la garde ſur la lame cōtraire; & en continuant à l’abaiſſe d’avantage, luy preſte la commodité de bleſſer ſon Contraire au viſage: ainſi qu’on voit en la figure.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align:top;"
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|'''Circle No 12'''
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|'''Cercle N.12.'''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|''Zachary once again tries to hit his adversary in the lower body, sword-tip pointing down, with his hand held so high that he protects even his head. So, Alexander allows him to approach, moves the tip of his sword up to his adversary’s head, and realizing that it is protected, he attacks the blade to throw it aside, turning to the right side and at the same time lowering the arm and sword onto his adversary’s blade, moving up it.''
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|''Zacharie tire encor derechef pour toucher ſon Contraire au bas du corps, avec la main ſi haute qu’il s’en couvre meſme la teſte, & la pointe baſſe; dont Alexandre, le laiſſant approcher, conduit ſa pointe à la hauteur de la teſte contraire, & la recognoiſſant eſtre couverte il travaille ſur ſa lame pour l’aſſujettir, en deſtournant le coſté droit du corps, & par meſe voye s’abaiſſant juſtement le bras & l’eſpee ſur l’eſpee Contraire, en la deſgradant.''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|In this Circle, it is not enough for Zachary to protect only his shoulder, as he makes the same feint to the inside, followed by a strike at the lower body, he must also cover his head. He raised his foot, with a slight forward movement of his body during his feint. Now he follows on, continuing to move his body forward, aiming to strike with his arm extended, his hand raised high, and his tip low, stepping along the Diameter almost to the centre, drawing his left foot behind him into the circle.
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|Il ne ſuffit pas à <font style="font-variant:small-caps">Zacharie</font> en ce preſent Cercle, apres avoit fait encor la meſme feinte que deſſus, en dedans du bras contraire, de ſe couvrir l’eſpaule en tirant le coup d’eſtocade vers le coſté droit de ſa partie, ſi ce n’eſt qu’il porte la garde de ſon eſpee ſi haute, qu’il s’en couvre auſſi toute la teſte. Car ayant levé le pied, avec un petit avancement du corps durant la feinte: il pourſuit preſentement, en continuant ledit avancemēt du corps & du pied, à tirer le coup, avec le bras eſtendu, la main haute, & la pointe baſſe, abaiſſant finalement le pied à terre ſur le Diametre bien pres du centre, trainant l’autre derriere juſqu’au dedans du Cercle.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|Alexander has prepared against the feint, raising his foot, straightening his body, extending his arm, and raising the tip as fully described, previously. As soon as he can see that his Enemy has begun to drop his blade with his body noticeably leaning forward to hit the lower part of his body, Alexander keeps his arm extended, and he moves the tip of his sword up to about the level of his adversary’s head. But as he cannot see any place to hit, because his opponent has covered his head with his guard, and because the tip of his ennemy’s sword is closing with him below, he turns slightly to the outside, points his toes forward towards the Enemy, withdraws his right side, including his sword and arm, back and to the right, lowering his sword and arm by leaning with his torso, crossing his adversary’s sword and sliding up to throw it aside while controlling it by drawing his guard back towards his side as he turns the crosspiece diagonally so the outer branch is upwards.
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|<font style="font-variant:small-caps">Alexandre</font> ayant fait ſa preparation contre la feinte, en eſlevant le pied droit, & dreſſant le corps, eſtendant le bras, & hauſſant la pointe, en la maniere qu’il eſt ſpecifié plus amplement és autres operations: dés qu’il remarque, que l’Ennemi commence à deſcentre ſa lame avec un notable approchement du corps, pour frapper en la partie inferieure, laiſſant le bras eſtendu, il conduit ſa pointe d’en haut juſques environ la hauteur de la teſte contraire: mais comme il ne voit point d’apparence de la toucher, à cauſe qu’elle eſt converte de la garde, & que la pointe ennemie le vient ſerrer par en bas, il s’en deſtourne un peu en dehors dreſſant les orteils de ſes deux pieds en devāt droit devers l’Ennemi, en retirant par ainſi le coſté droit, enſemble le bras & l’eſpee en arriere un peu à coſté, les abaiſſant par le moyen du panchement de la partie ſuperieure, ſur l’eſpee contraire, la croiſant & deſgraduant pour l’aſſujettir & domter parfaitment, en retirant le bras avec la garde à ſon coſté, ſes branches tournées diagonalement.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|As was explained above, that one must not be hasty and retire backwards too quickly, likewise in this situation one must not withdraw too quickly, seeing as how one must lean forward and drop the hand and sword much lower than before to thow aside the adversary’s sword. This cannot be done without dropping quite far, and without uncovering, which is considerably dangerous, especially to the outside, if one is too early. Which is why it is necessary to allow the attack to come as close as possible while still being able to step back, in order to encourage him to fully commit to the thrust onto the target, so as to be more assured of meeting his blade at the end of his movement, when he can no longer defend himself against the counter, and he can no longer change his actions. This precept will be repeated here, every time that a dangerous move makes this warning is necessary.
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|Or comme il a eſté dit cy deſſus, qu’il ne ſe faut pas trop haſter de ſe retirer en arriere, ainſi le faut il pratiquer pareillement en ceſte operation preſente. Voyant qu’il eſt icy beſoing de pancher du corps en avant, avec un plus grand abaiſſement du bras & de l’eſpee qu’auparavāt, pour aſſujettir la lame contraire: choſe qui ne peut eſtre fait ſans deſcendre aſſez notablement, & ſans ſe deſcouvrir avec treſgrand danger en dehors du bras, ſi on ſe precipité à le faire devant le temps. Parquoy ſera beſoin de laiſſer venir le coup ſi pres qu’il eſt poſſible, pourveu ſeulement qu’on ne perde pas le moyen de ſe retirer, afin de luy donner occaſion de pourſuivre ſa pointe, pour l’accueillir aſſeurement ſur la fin du mouvement, quand il n’aura plus de reſerve pour ſa defenſe; tant s’en faut qu’il auroit le moyen de faire & executer de nouveaux deſſeings. Ce precepte vous eſt repeté en ce lieu cy; d’autant que le danger y eſtant plus grand qu’au paravant, auſſi l’advertiſſement en eſtoit plus neceſſaire.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|As to what we have said, that one must dominate and cast aside the adversary’s sword by leaning the body forward as the arm goes downwards, you must understand that your arm moves independently, but that it can reach further down by leaning forward with the torso, while turning the wrist to turn the outside branch of the crosspiece diagonally upwards to the right, and the tip across the the left, to cross over, force down and away, while moving the point of contact up the opponent’s blade, as shown by the shadows on the ground of the Circle. There is nothing more important than this precept to avoid the danger of a circular disengagement, as well as in all the other possible situations that may come up. Because by observing this, as soon as the enemy begins to do anything, the arm is already free, and able to do whatever work it must to defend and attack. Which would not be done, except in the case where he is descending. Because it is impossible to raise up and to lower at the same time, nor to accomplish a two-beat move in one instant. This admonishment will be very useful on several occasions, and so it is important to understand this.
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|Quant à ce que nous avons dit, qu’il faut domter & aſſujettir l’eſpee contraire, en panchant du corps ſur le devant avec deſcente du bras, cela ne ſe doibt pas entendre en telle ſorte, que le bras face aucun mouvement en ſon particulier pour accomplir la dite deſcente, ains ſeulement qu’il ſoit tiré plus bas par l’accommodation du corps, ne travaillant cependant qu’un bien peu du ſeul poignet, en tournant la branche exterieure diagonalement en haut vers le coſté droit, & la pointe traverſée vers le coſté gauche, pour croiſer, aſſujettir, & deſgraduer, comme il eſt repreſenté ſur le plan du Cercle. Pour eviter le danger de cavation, enſemble avec touts les autres changements qui pourroyent ſurvenir; il n’y a rien ſi neceſſaire que ce precepte. Car en l’observant, dés que l’ennemy commence pour peu que ce ſoit, le bras eſt deſia libre, & diſpoſé à travailler en ſon particulier pour defendre & pour offenſer. Ce qui ne ſeroit, en cas qu’il fuſt en aćte de deſcendre: car il eſt impoſſible de le hauſſer & abaiſſer tout enſemble, ny d’accomplir deux temps en un meſme inſtant. Cet advertiſſement aura fort grand uſage en pluſieurs occaſions; & partant il le faut bien comprendre.
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align:top;"
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|'''Circle No 13'''
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|'''Cercle N.13.'''
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|- style="font-family: times, serif; vertical-align:top;"
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|This is the completion of the preceding Circle. Alexander has acquired a great advantage, by having forced aside his adversary’s sword, sliding up the blade, with the outside limb of his crossguard diagonally upwards to allow this. At this point, he turns the crossguard back to horizontal and turns his tip towards his adversary’s side, underneath the guard and arm, moving his entire body, arm, and sword forward, and seizing his adversary’s blade by trapping it with the exterior branch of his crossguard, and sliding up to the hilt, and stepping with his right foot up to the letter H, putting his weight on it and drawing his other foot behind, up to the circumference. At the same time, he exploits the strike through his enemy’s body, driving forward, hitting with the guard, and forcing him to bend his arm, almost knocking his opponent’s sword from his hand, leaving his opponent at his mercy, as shown by the figures.
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|Ceſt la pourſuite & l’execution du precedent. Car Alexandre s’eſtant acquis un ſi grand avantage, comme d’avoir aſſujetti l’eſpee contraire, avec deſgraduation, & accomodation de la branche exterieure dreſſée diagonalement en haut: il retourne icy ſes branches horizontales, & ſa poinćte devers le coſté de l’ennemy deſſoubs la garde & le bras, s’avançant tout le corps enſemble avec bras & l’eſpee, & prenant ſubitement avec ſa branche exterieure la lame contraire, en la graduant. & portant le pied droit juſqu’à la lettre H. en menant la charge du corps deſſus, & trainant l’autre par terre juſqu’à la circonference; & au meſme temps il exploite le coup de ſa poinćte à travers le corps de l’ennemy, ſi avant qu’il vient choquer ſa garde, & le contraint de plier le bras, & de laiſſer quaſi tomber l’eſpee hors du poing, à la mercy de ſon Contraire. Comme les figures demonſtrent.
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|To summarize, these are examples which show the great utility of our First Instance, and of the direct line when presented from this distance. One is fortified against all sorts of feints, and assured against all strikes, whether long and determined, or tentative and slow, high or low, made from a direct line or a bent line, on the inside or outside of the arm, to meet probes in one beat, and attacks in two beats, sometimes with the body erect, sometimes bent slightly forward or backwards, always striking with with small movements, which have more force than they seem, with more audacity and assurance than one thinks possible, quite the reverse of what we see in the typical styles. If you were to tell me that it appears effortless to achieve a high degree of skill, I would answer that nothing in life worth having comes easily. In any case, I can assure anyone who has not yet acquired the skills, that the more they put these precepts to the test, the more prefect they will become. Because, just as gold purified in a furnace acquires greater luster, so with our exercises. When looked at closely, examined, attentively inspected, practiced, with each repetition appears more elegant and beautiful. Careful and thorough exploration of these techniques will show they do not depend in any way on chance; there is no uncertainty in their execution. There is only the rules of science in their perfection. Any amateur, if he is capable, will find in them courage and confidence in the use of arms, and what he lacks in strength, he will soon make up for in dexterity.
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|En fin, voilà les exemples, qui demonſtrent le grand uſage de noſtre Premiere Inſtance, & de la droite ligne preſentée en icelle: fortifiée contre toute ſorte de feintes, aſſeurée contre toutes bottes, tant longues & reſolues, que tardives & lentes, hautes, baſſes, tirées en ligne droite ou courbe, en dehors ou en dedans du bras, pour rencontrer otes en un temps & ores en deux, tantoſt avec le corps dreſſé, tantoſt un peu courbe en avant ou en arriere, en donnant touſiours le coup avec des petits mouvements, qui ont plus de force, que d’apparance, & en faiſant l’execution avec les plus hardis & aſſeurez, qu’il eſt poſsible, au rebours de ce que la Pratique vulgaire en monſtre. Si vous me dites, qu’il n’y a pas grande apparence de venir aiſement à ceſte perfećtion d’en monſtrer les effets; ſachez pour reſponſe, que tout ce qui eſt louable ne s’acquiert ordinairement, qu’à grand travail. toutesfois, je m’aſſeure encores pour le regard de ceux qui n’en auront encores nulle habitude, que d’autant plus qu’ils mettront les preceptes à l’eſpreuve, d’autant plus y trouveront ils de perfećtion. Car ainſi que l’or eſtant mis à la fournaiſe, en reçoit un plus grand luſtre, par l’approbation de ſa pureté; tout de meſme nos inſtrućtions, eſtants regardées de pres, examinées, contrerollées, pratiquées, & repetées en paroiſtront touſiours plus belles. Car quand on aura fait une digne recerche de leur Verité, & de leur importance, on verra que l’incertitude de la fortune n’y a nulle part, & que les ſeules regles de la ſcience y dominent en telle perfećtion, quel Amateur, qui s’en ſera rendu capable, empruntera meſme le courage & l’aſſeurance des armes, qui manque à la foibleſſe des ſes forces de la certitude & dexterité de leur uſage.
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==== Copyright and License Summary ====
  
 
For further information, including transcription and translation notes, see the [[Talk:{{PAGENAME}}|discussion page]].
 
For further information, including transcription and translation notes, see the [[Talk:{{PAGENAME}}|discussion page]].

Revision as of 23:15, 9 March 2018

Gérard Thibault d'Anvers
Born 1574
Died 1629
Occupation Fencing master
Nationality Dutch
Movement La Verdadera Destreza
Influences
Genres Fencing manual
Language French
Notable work(s) Academie de l'Espée (1630)

Gérard Thibault d'Anvers (ca. 1574–1629)[1] was a 17th century Dutch fencing master and author of the 1628 rapier manual Academie de l'Espée, one of the most detailed and elaborate sources ever written on fencing. Details about Thibault's life are sparse and what we know is based on his book and his album amicorum.[2] The latter contains handwritten notes and celebratory poems from Thibault's friends, relatives, pupils, and colleagues, included among whom are several contemporary fencing masters.[3]

Thibault was born in or around 1574 in Antwerp, son of Hendrick Thibaut and Margaretha van Nispen.[4] Although his father used the surname "Thibaut," Gérard used the French form "Thibault."[4] Hendrick Thibaut came from a well-known family in Ypres, living in Ghent and Antwerp before going into exile in the northern Netherlands.[4] Henrick's eldest son, Christiaen, founded the noble family Thibaut van Aegtekerke.[5]

Thibault first studied swordsmanship in Antwerp under Lambert van Someron, who taught between the years of 1564 and 1584.[6] In 1605, Thibault was a wool merchant in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, south of Seville on the Guadalquivir river, and the hometown of Jerónimo Sánchez de Carranza.[2] There, he took an interest in swordsmanship, studying the Spanish rapier system of Destreza.[2]

Thibault left Spain to return to the Netherlands, and was in Amsterdam as early as 1610.[2] In or around 1611, he presented his system to an assembly of Dutch masters at a competition in Rotterdam.[7] Thibault won first prize, earning an invitation to the court of Prince Maurice of Nassau, where the Prince observed Thibault's system in a multi-day demonstration.[6]

Although initially met with skepticism, Thibault convinced his fellow Dutch fencing masters, including Johannes Damius of Haarlem, Dirck van Stervergen of Leiden, Cornelis Cornelisz van Heusden of Amsterdam, and Thibault's former teacher Lambert von Someron.[6] In 1615, Thibault was invited to the court at Cleves and left Amsterdam, where he once again demonstrated his system successfully.[8] Over the next several years, Thibault traveled from Cleves, Amsterdam, to Spain, back to Amsterdam, and finally to Leiden in 1622.[9] There, Thibault studied mathematics at Leiden University.[10] It is unclear whether Thibault taught his system at the university.[10] It is during his time in Leiden that Thibault likely began working on Academie de l'Espée and employed a team of sixteen master engravers.[11]

Thibault died in 1629, a year before his masterpiece was finally published (despite the date on the title page of 1628, it was not published until 1630).[12]

Treatise

The Academie de l'Espée (1630) is presented in three parts, a short introduction, populated with plates showing the coats of arms of several nobles who were prominent in and around the court of the low countries at the time he wrote this book, Book 1, which deals with training in the use of his system of swordplay, and Book 2 which shows how to use his system against other systems and weapons, including shields, longsword, and firearms.


Copyright and License Summary

For further information, including transcription and translation notes, see the discussion page.

Images free for non-commercial re-use with attribution, courtesy of Reinier van Noort http://www.bruchius.com/img/Thibault.zip

Transcription by Bruce G. Hearns Copyright is Public Domain Contribution

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Translation by Bruce G. Hearns, all rights reserved.

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Additional Resources

References

  1. ↑ de la Verwey, Herman Fontaine. "Gerard Thibault and his Academie de l'Espée," Quaerendo VIII (1978) pp.288, 297
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 de la Verwey, Herman Fontaine. "Gerard Thibault and his Academie de l'Espée," Quaerendo VIII (1978) p.289
  3. ↑ de la Verwey, Herman Fontaine. "Gerard Thibault and his Academie de l'Espée," Quaerendo VIII (1978) p.297
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 de la Verwey, Herman Fontaine. "Gerard Thibault and his Academie de l'Espée," Quaerendo VIII (1978) p.288
  5. ↑ de la Verwey, Herman Fontaine. "Gerard Thibault and his Academie de l'Espée," Quaerendo VIII (1978) p.288-289
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 de la Verwey, Herman Fontaine. "Gerard Thibault and his Academie de l'Espée," Quaerendo VIII (1978) p.290
  7. ↑ de la Verwey, Herman Fontaine. "Gerard Thibault and his Academie de l'Espée," Quaerendo VIII (1978) pp.289-290
  8. ↑ de la Verwey, Herman Fontaine. "Gerard Thibault and his Academie de l'Espée," Quaerendo VIII (1978) p.294
  9. ↑ de la Verwey, Herman Fontaine. "Gerard Thibault and his Academie de l'Espée," Quaerendo VIII (1978) pp.294-296
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 de la Verwey, Herman Fontaine. "Gerard Thibault and his Academie de l'Espée," Quaerendo VIII (1978) p.296
  11. ↑ de la Verwey, Herman Fontaine. "Gerard Thibault and his Academie de l'Espée," Quaerendo VIII (1978) pp.296, 310
  12. ↑ Thibault, Gérard. Academy of the Sword. Trans. John Michael Greer. Highland Park, TX: The Chivalry Bookshelf, 2006. pp 1-2.


Early Iberian traditions
Esgrima común Destreza.png
Verdadera
destreza
Carrancista
Pachequista
Indeterminate
Others
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