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| '''Chap. 12. The quarte against the quarte'''
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Since I have divided the guards into four, and as I have already talked about the first three, it remains to deal with the quarte against the quarte. In this exercise caution is necessary, and in this posture, we must be as swift in striking on the firm foot as to pass. I want that, going to find your enemy in this guard, you go to the outside, in order that he is forced to move his sword, and in the same tempo strike him with the quarte. At this time I have shown you the four principal guards for offending, I will speak of the defence according to the design that I have proposed.
 
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| '''Chap. 13. To defend against the premiere guard'''
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Having shown how one can offend in the premiere, seconde, tierce, and quarte guards, I will teach the means of defence with the same postures. So while using the premiere, one comes to the outside to find he who is in the same guard; we must lower the body, and pass under his sword in the same tempo provided he comes, or deceive his sword, putting it to the inside of the quarte evading with the body. He will find nothing with which to offend, and will find himself offended. I will speak in another place as the tempo to make another blow.
 
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| '''Chap. 14. Defence of the seconde against the seconde'''
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All the same, when being on the seconde guard you will go to find to the inside one who is in the seconde, so that your enemy caver, and gives you the tempo to carry to him; you will strike him with the quarte if you can, so that being forced to parry, and parrying he covers the stomach to guard his face, then making the quarte from under the sword, you will strike him beneath the armpit with the hand as you wish.
 
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| '''Chap. 15. Defence of the tierce against the tierce'''
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So that one avoids with honour being offended with the tierce, as that one comes on this guard to give you, he must be taken on the inside; and lowering the point of his right side, carry to him
 
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| in the shoulder, and if he parries turn the hand in the high quarte, and he will be hit hard in the arm, body, and elsewhere. This is why he that understands the force of this science holds that the angle can be more advantageous than the straight line.
 
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| '''Chap. 16. Defence of the quarte against the quarte'''
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To put an end to the defences of the four guards, we must speak of the last. If your enemy is on the quarte, and that you want him to find [you] from the outside, so that he gives you the tempo to hit him, you must raise your sword above his making a high quarte and carry to him with resolution, so
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that you parry, and that in parrying you uncover yourself, then you will have the tempo to pass in seconde under his sword.
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| '''Chap. 17. The quarte against the premiere'''
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I want to talk equally of the first style to show the other guards in the proof of the figures that follow. This is why I told you, being in the quarte, to wait for your opponent [who is] in premiere; when he advances his point, you will parry being in quarte, and going in seconde, you will carry to him in the stomach on the right side, and if he parries, you will come in passing to fall under his sword.
 
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| '''Chap. 18. The seconde against the tierce'''
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If you are in seconde wanting to attack he who is in tierce, you must with resolution go to your
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opponent's stomach, who for
 
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| his defence will come to beat your point from the inside, as is more convenient for him and to his advantage; then you must lower his point down, and carry to him on the right side in a high quarte. If he comes to fall back, you will lift yourself from your position with resolution and strike him in the shoulder. One could even feint with similar blows but I shall finish [so as] not to weary you by the length of their lecture.
 
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| '''Chap. 19. The premiere against the tierce'''
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If you put yourself in the tierce, and your enemy is in premiere, and that he strikes you, you must parry and present the point of your sword to his face, so that he parries; and while he parries, you will pass on his side, striking him with the seconde. By parrying still the same botte, you
 
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| will be able to strike him a slash to the face and, parrying suddenly, lower a blow to his leg; in parrying you can even enter with the left foot and join the arms of your enemy to his sword, giving him a thrust in the stomach. Besides this you will be able to relieve him of his sword by turning your left arm.
 
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| '''Chap. 20. Various ways of the premiere'''
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If you want to cover the sword of your enemy outside or to the inside so that he disengages, you will be able to hit him in the same tempo that he moves. But if he wants to set upon yours, and he does not move his, you will only put your hand in seconde, presenting the point to the stomach, and he will be struck; and you will understand that the angle beats the straight line, by observing the posture that I teach.
 
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| While your enemy sets upon your sword, you will be able to hit him, or in lowering the point, pressing on the sword, or, under the armpit in passing the left foot, he will be struck with the quarte, though this kind of blows rarely happen, and by observing the tempi you will make this blow, and many others even more difficult.
 
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| '''Chap. 21. Resolution of the single sword which is used in disputes'''
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In the play of the single sword there are greater virtues which do not consist in the postures as for the other plays, that with the single sword you will find the enemy to give him terror. To do this, you must hold the sword high in the tierce, going against his opponent until you approach the point of his sword, then you must make
 
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| a feint over his point to the outside, returning quickly with the hand in quarte; you will avoid the blow of his sword, and will carry to him in the face.
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The same is made with the opposite effect; in striking you must move the sword in seconde. So this manner of fencing is called the step of deception.
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He who has the patience to stand in that high tierce, when the enemy comes to cover his sword, while he covers it, must remove the body back without stepping, so that he [the enemy] pursues it, and he must as he advances the foot carry to him[the enemy] with resolution to the inside, depending on whether you recognize the advantage provided on the left foot, and therefore you will learn to break your measure, and to not let yourself be forced to leave by necessity.
 
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| '''Chap. 22. To strike with a cut'''
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To strike with a cut, if you want to be the first assailant, you must be in the wide tierce, attacking him in this way: if your enemy holds his sword long in the tierce you will strike his point with the false edge on the weakest place, and if he carries a cut to your face or leg, remaining with his sword in quarte, to parry several blows by removing your point, you must parry in quarte, going in the seconde which you will carry to his stomach: afterwards you must retire first in order that he does not have the satisfaction of coming to carry to you. And in case he comes in desperation to thrust you below the hand, you must lower yours to hinder his sword, and suddenly you will strike to him in the stomach, striking him first.
 
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| Being still in the same tierce, you will carry to him a quarte to the face to force him to parry, and by feinting you will strike him a revers to the head, or a jartiere, or else some other downward blow, passing on your left foot to his right side, and if he parries and your sword remains in the presence, in his first movement you can enter with the point, feinting to give him a downwards blow to the arm with a maindroit or a revers, and if striking the sword to the inside he lowers the point in changing his posture, he will be struck by the sword in the stomach. If you want to wait for your enemy to force him to come to you and to carry to you with a maindroit or a revers, if he strikes with a maindroit, you need to parry with the sword to the end hand in quarte, by binding with the point as we have said here before. If he carries a revers to you, parry with the seconde, so that he lowers his sword, and with the same seconde you will carry to him in the stomach.
 
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| If your enemy wants to strike you with a premiere, you must parry with a revers, and strike him in the same tempo a maindroit to the face, or parry on the outside and strike him with a seconde. So I will put an end to the discourse of cuts and estramasson (stramazone).By our discourse it will seem to many that it is difficult to offend and to defend oneself with the point, to attack and to parry, because there are many feints, which nevertheless can be done easily.
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To not cool the courage of the Cavaliers, and to not remove their assurance to strike their enemies [when] coming to blows, this way of striking is very good.
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Especially since the premiere guard is dreadful, and it seems difficult to deal a more dangerous blow: however I want you to advance first up to two or three steps until you make your blow, and that you can hit your opponent, you must suddenly, without closing yourself, strike straight to the face, and
 
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| inasmuch that such a blow leans to the ground you will turn the hand when you can in quarte, however, lowering with the same guard to the right side of your enemy that you want to hit with this botte, you can parry then that this quarte to such an industry when properly implemented. I say the same to those who understand this profession, that there are many things that can be understood naturally, even if they be children of the art.
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I will leave you in quarte having struck with the premiere, recommending you take similar guard to better parry all sorts of moves with this guard, without being subject to so many feints, as are other guards. When your enemy is in quarte for all sorts of blows, either of the point or the edge, you will put yourself in premiere, the point not as high with the arm so that your enemy cannot feint
 
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| striking you in one place and striking in another, although parrying there you had the advantage of your body no matter what occurs, because the nature of the man is to carry thrusts under hand, with maindroit and with revers.
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To all duels the feints are useless against those who know them. Nevertheless, it will not be out of place to learn them in order to uncover them so [that] they cannot harm.
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So, reader, that you can have the practice, and to exercise to many blows and feints, to know the amount of surprises that your enemy prepare for you, you must understand how you can gain the outside or the inside, which will be in this way. By covering the sword of your enemy from within, so that he takes resolution to not be subject to yours; when he
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| strikes with his sword, strike with yours, and strike him in the stomach. But take care that while you go to cover his sword, he can pass underneath yours, and for your defence in this accident you must lower the hand and the wrist in quarte, voiding with the body, and he will remain struck in the same tempo. But if you cover it from the outside so that your enemy goes each time with the same quarte lowering the point to the ground: in parrying, you will hit him where convenience presents itself, further you will be able to disarm his sword. In the same tempo, I want you to strike him straight to the face, in order that you incite him to parry and, in parrying he bends the body as you can see set above, in a similar guard. But if he uncovers outside of your right side, without moving lowering the head and the point of the sword, pass under his with the left foot, striking him with the point to the stomach.
 
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| While he covers, you can still go resolutely with a seconde to his face in order that he raises his arm, and [he] lifting it, pass under his sword in the same tempo, and then strike him with a seconde. Since you cover the inside, you can strike over his sword, and go to attack him with the right foot.
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Covering the outside, feint to go under his sword and, in no way lowering the tip, turn it suddenly to his stomach, provided that it is on his own sword to avoid being subject to the feints which your enemy will make. You must lower your sword in a low quarte, seeing that such a guard can parry all kinds of feints.
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But there is so much diversity that everyone makes them to their fancy. This is why I want to advise everyone to parry well with the sword as this serves the occasion of many quarrels.
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We will leave aside all these moves that are made
 
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| in tierce, and will talk about certain very useful guards, and swift for all men, weak or strong as they are.
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Having shown clearly with care, and with exercise, which is the most useful and convenient guard.
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I find that wanting to have patience to remain in quarte, or in tierce, which are the best, since they have the power to offend, and to defend all, and if Masters keep their students more covered as they can, not considering (inappropriately) that they have to defend, and that they would be compelled to uncover on the inside or outside. But instead going from tierce to a quarte to parry, you will have more force and while parrying, you will cover yourself as much as is needed in quarrels. But we must not parry negligently as at school playing with his master. These kinds of guards can make all kinds of injuries, and parrying with the edge, as with the point in the attempt, you will find the truth
 
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| because these two guards, quarte and tierce, are the ships of our art. Many believe that a left-hander has the advantage against one right-handed, but those who have that view are wrong, especially since I cannot find a left-hander who has not had lessons other than from a Master who is right-handed, and that he works more with a right-hander than with a left-hander in the general exercise so that the left-hander makes with the right-hander, giving him a great advantage. But if you have to make an estramasson with a left-hander, I want you always be with the weapons in tierce, wide on the outside of his sword, so that going to strike you, he is forced to uncover himself. Asking the case that a left-hander strikes you with the point, then you must parry with your sword of the left side, striking him with the point to the stomach to the face. Secondly, if a left-hander strikes you with the edge provided that it is with a maindroit, you must parry with a seconde, and then strike him a maindroit to the head, redoubling with another for your defence.
 
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| Thirdly, if a revers is carried to you, you will parry with the edge of the sword, carrying a revers to him on the face or you will parry with the false, striking him with a maindroit or a revers, with the edge or the point, inside or outside, depending that you are in posture. However, the right-hander is
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quicker to hit than the left-hander, albeit that this parry seems difficult to you, if that you exercise all will succeed very happily.
 
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Revision as of 23:01, 15 January 2022

André des Bordes
Born 1582
Nancy, Lorraine
Died 28 January 1625
Nancy, Lorraine (?)
Spouse(s) Marie Olivier
Occupation Fencing master
Patron Henri II, Duke of Lorraine
Genres Fencing manual
Language Middle French
Notable work(s) Discours de la théorie de la pratique et de l’excellence des armes (1610)
Manuscript(s) MS E.1939.65.435

André des Bordes (Abraham Racinot; 1582-1625) was a 17th century French fencing master. Nothing is known of this master's youth other than the fact that he studied swordsmanship in Italy for many years and achieved some degree of mastery. After returning to his native France, he soon befriended the future duke Henri, and was appointed fencing master to Duke Charles III of Lorraine in 1606. When Henri became duke in 1609, Bordes was named a gentleman, and in August of 1609 he was raised to nobility (with the usual fees waived). Earlier that year in June, he had married Marie Olivier, a woman from a distinguished family in Pont-à-Mousson.

In 1610, Bordes completed a treatise on fencing entitled Discours de la théorie de la pratique et de l’excellence des armes ("Discourse on Theory, Practice, and Excellence at Arms"); it was published in Nancy and dedicated to the Duke. Bordes' treatise seems to largely be an abbreviated French translation of Camillo Palladini's Italian treatise Discorso di Camillo Palladini Bolognese sopra l'arte della scherma come l'arte della scherma è necessaria à chi si diletta d'arme (De Walden Library 14/10).

After this, Bordes' wealth and prestige increased; in 1612 he was appointed captain, warden and tax collector of Boulay, and in 1615, captain and provost of Sierck. In 1617, he joined the duchy's Council of State and gained the title Squire. At some point, Bordes also seems to have served as a foreign ambassador for Lorraine. Events turned against Bordes after the death of Henri II in 1624. His political enemies contrived to have him imprisoned on charges of witchcraft in November of that year, and on 28 January 1625 Bordes confessed to the crime and was executed by strangulation and burned.

Treatise

Additional Resources

Transcription by Olivier Dupuis

Translation by Rob Runacres

References

  1. In other words, offer his knowledge and skills.
  2. As in the pictures
  3. Agrippa, Camillo, Treatise on the Science of Arms (Rome, 1553)
  4. Manciolino of Bologna
  5. A vertical, downwards cut, equivalent to the Italian fendente
  6. A rising cut with the false edge, possibly similar to the false edge cut described by Dall’Aggochie
  7. A circular cut to the opponent’s right side, equivalent to the Italian moulineto
  8. A ‘garter’ or cut to the leg. Note the term’s spelling varies in this work.
  9. A thrust
  10. Probably a criticism of Agrippa’s recommendation to turn the head away when lunging.
  11. As in strike
  12. Dupuis suggests that Des-Bordes is in fact suggesting the fencer lowers the whole sword as the enemy attempts to thrust underneath, thereby striking with the quillions. This author considers that the lowering of the point may indicate a parry with the false edge, but that would not lend itself to a following thrust under the enemy’s sword.