rat RAYMOND J. Lorp Cele nenn OMe S EKO CRU CEO ET) Nie te Nev ENTIECES Terms of Use The following is a digital reproduction of an existing historical document. It has been scanned and converted into Portable Document Format (PDF) for the purpose of making it freely available to the public. You are welcome to redistribute unaltered copies of this document via electronic means, You may not, however, alter the document without permission nor profit from its redistribution To download other works in the Collection, and for more information, please visit: www.umass.edu/renaissance/lordTREATISE Upon the Ufeful Science of Defence, Conne@ing the SMALL ad BACK-SWORD, And fhewing the Affinity between them. LIKEWISE Endeavouring to weed the ArT of thofé fuperfluous, unmeaning PraGtices which over-run it, and choke the ‘true Principles, by reducing it to a harrow Compas, and fupporting it with Mathematical Proofs. ALSO An Examination into the Performances of the moft Noted Masters of the Bacx-Sworp, who have fought upon the Stage, pointing out their Faults, and allowing their Abilities. WITH Some Obfervations upon Boxrno, and the C#anactars of the moft able Boxers within the AurHor’s Time. By Cape. JOHN GODFREY, hON DO NW: Printed forthe AU FH OR, by T. Ganonner, at Cowley’s Head oppofite St. ee ee in the Strand, Mocexivit,ee To Rocietngh Rests Reh hs Seale Ho Eat oie oho Slo ey a a TO HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS ESE D U K EE. SIR, 7 BEG Leave, with the profoundeft Humility, to ly.the following Effay . at Your Royal Highnefs’s Feet. That Part of it, which treats ‘of the Back Sword, i have proved ( Ci flatter myfelf) to beof fin- gular Advantage in the Army ;uponsvhich ‘Account I would willingly prefume, it may not be altogether unacceptable to a Prince of Your Royal Highnefs’s military Geni- us. The other Exercifes I have defcan- ted upon muit be confefled to be of in. ferior Confequence ; but the meaneft of them, in my poor, Opizion, greatly con- tributes to inure the common People to Bravery; and to encourage that truly Britifh Spirit, which was “the Glory of Az ourDEDICATION. our Anceftors, and is furprizingly re viving under the Influence of your Royak Highnefs’s- heroic and -gallant Behaviour. Few Generals have appeared Coufpicuous fo early. You have, Great Sir, begun glorioufly ; You cannot fail of imitating the Hicftrious Eoufe from whence you are defcended, and going on fuccefsfully to. Perfe&tion. That intrepid Valour; That admirably wife Conduct, which have di- ftinguifhed your Royal Highnefs againft his Majefty’s Enemiies at Home, will one Day become formidable to thofe Abroad, and. check the Infolence of the grand Di- furber of the Peace and Liberties. of Hsiropes Lam, STR, Wish the higheft Admiration, and the warmeft Zeal, Tour Rovaz Hicuness’s Moft. Obedient, and L4oft Devoted Servant, JOHN GODFREY.PPELS PEP SEL PSE PE THE PREFAC #. OR feveral Years Thave been advifed, and la even importuned by my Friends, to publifh fomething upon the SworD.; but have from Time te Time declined: it, from-a Diffdence of my Abilities to put ty Thoughts, however juft they may be in refpe& to the SworD, into a Drefs fit for publick Appearance, The Strength of Self- Love, and that Vanity, which hardly any Man is entirely free from, has at length got the better of my Temerity, and prevailed upon me to put Pen to Paper. I think, I have had fome Knowledge of the Theory and Pra@tice of the SworD: The following Reefons may be fome Excufe for my Conceit. If f am miftaken, no Man living has been more abomi- nably abufed by Flattery ; for I have for many Years been fed with that Notion from the Town, and have been told that I could execute what 1 knew, and A2 givePREFACE. give better Resfons for what I did in the StoOxp,* than: meft Men, by Men of Rank fo far above me, that it is {Carce to be fuppofed, they would ever debafe themfelves by idly flattering one fo infignificant. I believe it will be farther acknow- ledged, that I have a cos€derable Time fupported this Opinien of myfelf by proving it upea all, who were willing to difpute it with me. I have pur- chafed my'Knowledge im the Bacx-Sworp with many a broken Head, and Bruife in every Patt of me.’ F chofe to go moftly to Frc, and exercife with'him ; partly, as I knew him’ to be the ableft Mefter, and partly, as he wes of a rugged Temper, and would {pare no Men, high or low, who took up a Stick againft_ him. I bore his rough Treat~ ment with determined’ Patience, and followed him fo long, that Fic, at laft, finding he could not have the beating of me zt fo cheap a Rate as ufual, did not fhew fuch Fondnefs for my Company. This is well known by Gentlemen of diftinguifhed Rank, who ufed to be pleafed in fetting us together. Vhave tryed with all the eminent Matters fince Fic’s Time, and I believe, made them fenfible of what I could:do; and _it has been fo publickly pro- ved, that I cannot think any one will deny the Fa. iPREVFALE. Lhave followed chiefly the PraGtice of the Back- Sword, becaufe Conceit cannot fo readily be cured with the File in the Small, as with the Stick in that: For the Argurcentuns baftinands is very {trong and convincing; aud:though a Men .may difpute the full'Hit.of aFile, yet if he is-knocked down with a Stick, the will:bardly get up again and fay, -it ju/? ‘brufoed:bies. This has been my -Reafon for pre~ ferring the Back-Sworp:; but ftill I think I un- derftand the true Principles, and am tolerably well verfed in the Exercife of the other; and indeed they are fo clofly conne@ed, ‘that what -will anfwer in the former, will rarely difappoint in the:latter. xe I have been informed, fince the-finifhing of this Preface, that there are Pirates watching at the Har- bour’s Mouth, to fhap up this poor Prize as foon as fhe comes out, In Dee. left a Friend of mine happened to beat th 3,Gate in Holbourn, when there cama a’ “crated with Liquor; and asMen in thofs:Ci-zsciftences are pretty for- ward, he immediaté Xn to prattle, not fafpec- ting the Gentleman had any Acquaintance with me ; and told him thet he wes juft come from dining with a certain Fencing~Mafter, who had a Treatife upon the SworD ready for the Prefs; but they weited only for the Publication of my Book, to pick ontPREFACE. out of it what Liked, and force the Sale againft i ly underfelling me, This Fens actner, who, I ce hascio Hand Bé loaks*into my CHARACTERS, -one Grain of Honefty. in'him, muft be ftruck with Shame and Detefation.of himfelf. MB. The\Printer hoas comtig into #02, Bull and Gate, as I was-Zoing out; ed his fecing me &as, I prefume, the Caufe of | his falling fo direlbly upon bhis SabjeG.| a } 4 } te 4 4 2 a , 3 Ge pe SOL AO THE T Ei. R.. ¥ OF THE SEM OR D. i. LAY: Sy Poftets { ) pre ¢heou! SM and ae a Man 2 that his i candpal B fervationCej fervation, he never, can facceed in his eons your Adverfary’ s Point, when to a&. I-cannot ine, what they could meen, who recommended the watching your Adveliary® ‘Ss Eye, which is fo apt to deceive you, while you are trufting to it. I be. Fe thatsEeGice thal T look upon a Refutation of it as unneceffary. Thera i is more tobe sfaid for the Wri and Arm, and even “Leg, than for the Eye: None of thefe will, or faa dere| ve you,,if yoy area nice and jut puke 2 3 their Pafitions according to that. cate for the Pointy neem rharer toy is nearef ‘to your Ken ‘@ to bea thathematical Secondly,£3} Secondly, As I lay the whole’ Strefs upon Time, (and I believe all who in the Pra@tiice have facceed- ed, muft confefs this to be right,) I affect, that the ExaQnels of 'Tésze appears by the Point, whofe. mi- nute ‘Motion. and Variation, gives you more Advan= tage of: Tie, from the unavoidable and infenfible Tremor of it, caufed by the Extenfion of the Arm. For your Tine.may bs fo nicely divided, that every Tremor,of the Point will give’ you a fair Invitation to your Oppofér’s Body.’ It is therefore. called the Feeble, and certainly the Part you ought to attack, That it is weaker. -accarding to\its Exténfion,;. we need not go about to prove: But! let us ‘obGrve, that according to its Extexfioa, it muft produce a propottionable T'remot ; which, as it has a phyfical Canfe, can never be overcome or difguifed Py: me puteft'Ce ey - fal Obferv trembling Pots, will tots humoroufly difpofed, though. not much in-the Hu- niour to pley with Words) ¢ carry the Pott.” As T faid before, you need not fook at any thing but the Point; this, in courte, carries you along the Line to the: Wrift, which muft move’ and change with the Sword, as it is the Caufé of the Poiii’s Variation: Ba Thefed The-nept Confidetstion is-Men/are, or Diflanre. Mecfure,tn repos of the-Sword, is the!mutual Dilanee detwcat ‘yon ‘Redverfesy- € jee ™M ion: €f-that -Ditentdpsw you Wi always: ‘le ‘to ~be dicéivid by bavorkty’s: § dsmnifdate? with? pour. ewit. itchy scatnict enkarp2'ilpos: with inter they Pricey exh elet tie ofthe. Sraaua, cid Backs serene yy & be" abi to point out ete proxtina é Canis and ERGs. We becin with the Swall-Stord, which we muft allow 3d be the nearelt Inlet’ to the’ relative Arts, and whes,Cs] when we are upon the Back-Sevord, their near Af- finity will appear (ill more clearly. I muft again bring in my Tipe and Aicafare, and lay them down as, the &ft-Stones in the Building. This Prin- ciple, is. the Bafis. and’ Foundation of the Whole, without which it cannot be fupported; but upon the Jufimefs of that, you may camry your Works ashigh. as you, plea But then I would have po Carving a: Wrouzhy-work, which, whesever ‘it is found, always weakens the Stru@ure, The plaincft Work mag.be jJaid dewa tobe the ftrongeft, and though Fefhions aze titilating for a Time, evento Senfe, yet ia, the Hod Netuje’s Talte will, :proye trismphank: This is a Kied of DigzeZion, the Ad- smiffioa ef which we.crave for the prefant, and in due Courfe, fhall further explein Matters. To proneed.credeclt y ia the. Predize,, after having, Jaid dowd tke Fourktion to ‘the whole Superftra@ure, we muft cow mention tha Bedy, the Pofition of which is certainily moft efential We need not ex~ plain what we mean by that, fince it is obvious, thet the common Pofture with the Sword, deprives you of a great deat more of the Body's Meafure, than the natural Pofture without the Swerd. But then this Meafure given you by the undefigning Body, how much may it not be diminifhed by an artfal[.6.] artful Pofture. The Body, the more it is contraéted, (or, if Imay fay; abforb’d into the Line) gives your Adverfary: the lef Objeh to offerd, and alfo. you the more advancing Power over bim. he fmaller his Mork is, thé harder for hica to’ hit; and wha is the. trifling Differe between the Neamels of 5 your Body’ to him by, this Pofition, to the Com- patifon of the Advantege you | ge. bim' in_yoor wholé. breafted Body ? Then if she Pofition brings ht Breatt nearer to hii, it alfo brings your erér to him, (feppofing you ‘makea proper x your Atmi;)-and in proportion to thet, he muft liséd te alter his Diffance. We Wil fappofe the homen “Body (one! with ‘another) to be about twelve Inches over; that Mark I will engage, by a ooper Potture, to reduce to four Inches. What Difference their matt not that Redustion to « third Part, make towards-my Safety ? ? At the fame Time, the more I bring my ‘Body to this Pofition, the more dire the Line of- my ‘Aim and Sword mutt be confequently my Cover "muff the clofer, end there. fore my Adverfary’ S Defigns fruttrated and sendered abortive. So much for tke Body,” upon which your Safety greatly depends. TheC7] The Pofition of your Scword~Arm, is alfo a very effesitial “Point. Doubrlefs, the ftraighter that. is, the fecurer your ‘Line is; but you cannot fo seadily come to Adtion, get upon your Parade, or’ execute your Thrdft, from an Arm quite ftraight, as whea a little contradte’d. ' ‘But thei you muft. take’ great Cate“of" beriding i ft too much 5 “for ceitainly the more the’ Arii‘is’ bent,’ the mére your Line’ is broken, and ‘confequently thé’ more yout Body’ is expofed to your Adverfary’s Defi igns. The: left Ari, | which I have found -infigaificant i in moft : Fetters, T take! ‘0 cortribaté- not a litele fot>you! " Fhe Extenfion’ of that ig a Nery gredt Balanée "to. your Body; fhall find it, upon trying, as difficult to Beni the left Arm down, as a Man, who ules not a le, would to dance upon. ‘the Rope without, extending his Arms. But then that Arm I would have ex= tended backwards,’ end 1 Dot: ‘fas T oftner fee off “the contrary) raifed forward.” 1 think the Beauty-o “of the Poftuie is ftraitgely disfiguréd by it and Ydar ay a Painter wotild not’ bs mpted with its’ Attitude 3 and that all Feneets will allow that they cannot help being pkafed with a'fy ical Poltare, ‘and grow~ ing partial tothe Berforiance ‘froin a fine ‘Ateitide, This raifing the Arm and bringing it forwatd, as to the Sight, has an unpleafing, crippled. and diftorted Look 5£8] Logk; arid. when h fee @ Man's. Arp da fach-a Pof ture, I cannot help chasitaky withinghint.in Chk£s College.’ As.to u&—céstainky, ‘the.epre your Ie Asm is brought forward, the more .that/Part of the E2ay you have, by pour pooper Line, kid from your Ozpolery 4 is broke kt teck fe this, E-vecd,. pad Leen sogceivé no Advante; oe dn 3 except. it bo a Defgn ake fe ofsit in ‘2 Pexrp ‘Thet PraGtice. Len wsgely z ecanfk, a thouga all the: whils I write, 1 write and think Becdoss,. ard Dsfeoscs to. J own Len fe cenfidert of its = re nife Uy bed, et 4 fhiak it necdlels to adverse, exy Reafons f "Cetus adw'tieat of the Lagan ; Hf_youx Fees do not ‘forma fight £ Line, your Body poopertionchly.. met be. tured out of the Lise. Pat this 1 fall act ¢ #g2 ¥eon';.for I do not de~ fica this Teetife, to. fom 2 Styorde-Man ‘out of Wen’ quite igtiorat. of, ig t But as an Offor and Re- commendation to. tha’ wks are Judges: Nor do I defign. it for fcholaftic 1 Rules to learn by, fuch as a Teacher is clsliged to advence to his Pupils; but an expatiating ugea the Art, with en Endeavour toLo] to weed dt of its formal Miffakey, and flipply ig with fach Prz@ices, as I chink wilt htofd’ good upon Af Trials Others may differ as much as thé hey ‘pleafe about the Weight and Stref’ pat upon either Leg more than the other. I am of Opinion, that the Diftribation of the Duty txid'upon each Leg oughe to be equals and the more equally they fhare in ‘thé Weight, E will Venture to fay the Body will be fo arch the ito’ fupported. | This is a Kind of ma= thematical Theory, “Buc let us examine into the confeqaeritiat Pra@tice; ‘bythe Difedvantage of lay ing a greater Btrels.dpon one Leg than the dtlier; “or the Advattage to Be expéGted from the Btiengitf accruing from the proper Weight given to both. “ff too great a Strefs lie upsn the fete Leg, your Re» treat muft be obriowfly the more unteady, and weeker; if upon the Right, you are crimped of (if 1 iday’ ufe ‘the Word) ‘and checked ir your ad~ vancing, If the greater Share of Weiglit lie upon the Right, the left Zer thuft take that Share off, before you can advance; and “fo, vice werfa, the Right muft a@ for the Left t in tHe Retreat. But then this is che Lofs of your Time, upon whicl every thing depends ; whereas by the equilibrial ‘Weight upon the Legs, that Time is faved. Here your Body will be equally fupported, and therefore ftronger aud[10 J and Readies ; but, by the recovering and thifting ia the other Way, the Motion of the Rody muft be fo inuch greater, t that your Arm is:more, likely to be thrown out of the Line. ‘Thus much as to thé Swords-Man’s Pofition. Let us now enter upon the executive Parts, The Parade is one of the, mioft’ material Points i in Adiga without - being Mafter of which, you will never ‘be Jele. from a well timed Thrufh,, or come; readily to the Retura, if you ‘happen, to parry. it, The true rade is the. Office of the Wiitt, | the lols that eee by 3 the Arm, t 1 if, the Arm, decoys | away th the, Writ, they’ conipite- againft you, Upon the fe gal se ne the, a profafe, you will be liable to, ‘er offe your Adver- fary; and yc you W bim fefely, t 2 ler, wh got. the wrong 2 Road, ‘be e obliged to come back into the true, before you can get to the defired Place.[ar] The tharft, in itfelf confidered, ought to “be as a. hLUL poflible. This‘is fo obvious, thet I think if needlefs to dwell upon-it, As I Gid before, I never propofed to go on gradually, as a Teacher, .but to write: to Swords-Men, to offer what I think is neceffar vy, to lop off what is’ unneceffary, and explode what is deftru@iive to the Art, I.can allow but of three Thrafts ; whatever elfe is done, is only an Emanation’ fro thofe Sources. That’ Ihrajt called the Flanconade, 1 pronounce’ an Anathema upon, as. being ‘eafily proved to be the moft lewd land vile Debaucher of the Art,:the Dighity ‘of which confifts chiefly in its, generous, Allowance of a pepe Chagce to the weak’Man. The other gkruffs depend upon a timely Swiftnefs moftly : Thoagh, to fay, that equal Knowledge with ‘meze Strength has npt-.the! Advantes¢, would be prepol- terous, as certainly. the greater the Velotity is, the greater the giving Stiength tauft be. But there ‘is a kind of Supplenefs ip the Joints and Spring “in the Wrilt, partly natural ‘in Merikind, and partly ace quired by. Ufe ‘and Exercife. Tis you donot al- ways find in proportion to Man’s Strength ; and it is what fome Men,- swith all their Pradtice;’ will never attain to. I have feenfome, and doubt not, but it has been oblerved by feveral others, who with a Body cz and(12) acd Ara gino fessgiecough to fing eaothet-over a Mell, with a Stick-in the Heod could not hitia 2 acd finart, .25'iancther could with puthey almazs Rriking downdike aWexzn witha’ Geciskt' Arm; rcitvont reifag:.dr jirking the Wri, . Now. difey, thet a weak Man, either by Nature ox more Pradtice than a Srong rand ts \tdueGiltreager in this ify ind tea‘ Teoeces; sbyithet mcomal Sappley ; S: e2racguirsd: Eszing.i Elovwthorefore may. Bt prior eCectidctoia che ety: ied Be ae ered eoceityit ten : giny. And even t mult fail, if the this: Parade 3 for. 1 will “venture ‘to'fey, thst there is not the tenth Part of the Strength riqéired inthe Parade, that there ig in every ‘thisg-of the’ Siverd -dépénds, and 2) no Streagth willecarry it, and.C13] anththe-wey Parry is‘a.certain on fougiit-for Thrash which. muft go fazer into your Adveifizy’s Body, than eny other Tbraft you can take, and never: can deceize foo, becaufo his Svaord célleagues egainlt bim,zad by -tke titted Lock: his binding File fas formed, carries ol uncrringly in. The Arowe:hed from the Frenth 5 no-Flarconade: was thoughtu.of for forbe “Times! but open fding us-very apt &chclars;+and being: willing 0 be mac dittinguified ‘Meters, they--brought in the Fas toxede andmany tevcdry Embroidries, which ‘they evecas. fernous: for inventing, us, 2m ferry. to'fay, wevare @ezenerate enough to. imbete, end evea mimisk:. Pity !:thes we dhould be {6 fond of amitax ting: Nation, who hard elways bees deceiving wai Reafe then, thou-neb!s Bxcifh Spicit!. (for fare ad: Time tore calling themthe preGat) lift up:thy: brave fronted Head above thefe.dandling A@ions, end: bes: come thy wonted felf! Love: thy. King,’ love thy Country; ‘ftay thy Heart in thefs, and thou ert fafe: Thus-I take my hearty farewel of the Flanconade. The three Thraffs are, Infids, Oxtfize and Se- conde. By the two former I-fheil be cafily under Rood,E473 ficod;. and. Would. ‘chife to avoid the Pain of being ja the Feftion to parrot Words and ape A@ions. "The letter I will reteia between the Trouble of fiadl- ing out a Word that will go dows with Prepotief- fon, ‘and the Féée of ‘being condemied for coinitg Words, and will calf it yet Seconde. ‘The common Pre@tice of the Iyfde I have no Ob- tions: ‘againkt 5 ‘but Would recomihend great: Care tf tlitn the Writ that way ‘tod circh (2s it is 0 often pra fed) for fear of lofing your Line. ‘The general PraGiée of the Oxtfide 1 cbj2& ageinft, which is thé turning your Writ to. the Left, and. fo, in courfe bring the Beck of your Hand upward, which mutt throw your Point (that is moft in a Line with your Thumb) to the Left, while it is defigned for the Right bat turing your Writ to the Right, and bringing your Palm upwards, reyerfely carties -your Point into the Body. ¥, 3 ‘The Seconde is an excellent Thréf?, and 1am of Opinion, that if it be proportionably well made with the others, it will oftner execute} becaufe you will not be fo apt to Ilip out of your Line with this a the other two, which often’ happens in too much Eagermefs to be home with your Thraj#. But in this, yourC13] your Adverfary’s Sword, which differs more in the Parade than the others; proves a better Guide, and’ fapports ‘you in your Paflage. In this Thrap-t would recommend the Point to be well elevated, that you may allow for its Fall: For as the Arm de= {cribes a Kind of Curve when you make it, it is very apt to light below the Body for want of a due raifed Point. In, the other Thra/fs: it is dangerous to raife it, too, much, becaufe they being fo much higher may eafily pafs over the Body. But. the Sez conde being fo much lower, and in its pafling up wards, backed and fupported by your Adverfarp's Blade, threatens you with very little Danger thet way I have done with,,the Thrups, and I. prefame, 3 have laid down the true Principles:of the Art. The reft are moftly Excrefeencies or difeafed Ir tuptions. Such as I fear your Difarms, Vaults, Bato ters, @c. are; in, which.I think any Body that duly obferves it, will find you oftner to mifcarry than facceed. Your Vaults 1 have always found to be moft dangerous, and we need only give this Reafon, that the Body, which certeialy muft move propor- tionably with the left Leg, differing widely from. theC8) acing the tight Bey’ wich aw ‘ Edoay axdchich is fo -inacly Wei-’:t than the Aca, cannet-bemaved: iss with thet which is-ligteer: Tha Dybrets, by upsh the Parry, or Bid, reay ba fometimes poSifed, but never bat with gecht.ARventage ef SOL end Ctreegeh. Bat the wo Mercy oa the. bettering; twifting DEL foul wpoa the cursing wary Stippes eter, To. cats! Twocd mete this, I thinks neooZcy Give! oo Ate oxcht'to be paid to. f. ths Tila es ta tho Sword, whels ReproSstative it Exnly'is: Netting ovcht ‘to be atteitoted by the one, that would £2 feered with the other; and if we think thef petulant Familierities, which are afedwiththe File, dort net bewish the Sword, we may logp eedi-paine the Art of mesy noxious Branches. Ucdnnet help tring notice, that th left-handed Mc's hes: the. Advestage over the right-handed, up- cn an equal Footing; bocatife'as there/are more right-handed, thea left«banded, the letter muft be more ufed to. the 5 then. the former to the late ter. For my Pact Teicn, thet. in both Smal! and Pock-Sword, I woald rcther ceaterd with the right. handedCw handed Men; withmore judgesent; thay the. other with lef, 1 dare fay,.no-Body would chafe. to be leftshanded,, end. therefore-weuld propofe a Way to put.asftop. to that undefired Race, :and fubmit.to the Public. whetber it the:Face of Reafon.: ‘The ‘Nucl carries the Child. in-the. let bArms the Cons fequeace of hati at's «ight Acm is coafined-and. the left at libexq: touplay end exescife; and: bee lieve it will be ellowed that the Child, in its In femey, is mofiref the Sop de ds rac Beshrs, AF accufiamed ite that. Esbit, &le-zes tilhit.ccaca alone, no. wasder ¢f.dt’s contineing.co ue ta Arn; enjdcm con ldect moll aotldte def-bind ell, if thoy-avere | co the Parcat’s:Zare theokevof that Hebit after they are pérted fai the Nuré. But let the Child be carried in the right Arm, I engagehe mill -feasccly turn Ueftukendsd ; for that Arm next to the ’Nurfe’s Body is seertzinly i Riva prea Meafure. confined and rendered inaétive. But tore- turn to our Purpofe. Ihave fometimes found the: Back-S word aniwer very: wellia 2 Sarl Laxould not recommend it*o be-afed 2g: -avrogular Fenn cer; but there-are a great many Men, who by their Awkwardnef will puzzle 2 good Fencer. A Gentle- man ing Guard of the{18 3 ~man of my Acquaintance exercifes very: ‘touch in the Sinall and Baék: ‘I Have'beén more! hit by his be, ‘boftling irregular Way, than by the belt Fencers.' have ‘been ial often-hit by him in an iseodanable Manner, that I took it in my Head at laft to tty that Guard. I fucceeded fo well with it, that I -puzzled him afterwards as much as he did me, and bit him much fafer with my Thrufts. But then whszever,we have recourfe to the Hang- ing Guatd;'I would recommend great Cate that your : Adverfary “tecls not your Feeble, becaufé it. muft. be weaker in that Guard, from the twifting and ftrain- ing of the MufCles, caufed by. the irregular Curve your Arm defcribes. T have new done with the Small-Sword, and fhall oaly “do Juftice to the Merits of two or “three Ma- fters. Yhave a very great Opinion of the Abilities of Mr. Brent, “Partner with Mr. Barney Hill. Sure no tivo in Conjun@ion could fupport and ftrengthen the Art more than thefe two Gentlemen, TheCi The one's’ folid Way of Teaching, which his Age does not interfere with, and the other’s Prime of ‘Strength, “Ativity and true Judgment in affaulting, certainly. muft bring forth excellent Swords-Men. One of the finefk Matches I ever faw, was. be- tween Mr. Brent and Mr. Dubois. The beautiful Defigns I obferved between them gave me extreme Delight. This Dubois is one of the moft charming Figures upon the Floor I ever beheld. His genteel neat Motions, and Mr. Brent’s firm Foot, majettic Body, and graceful Arm were oppofite Electrics to my Fancy. If the different Excellencies of thefe two were united, they would make one inimitable Swords-Man. Let us not emit to do Juftice to that long ftand- ing able Mafter, Mr. Martin, Seniot. He mutt be allowed to be a confummate Teacher, and no Body has done his Scholars more Juftice than Mr. Martin, His Son is a delightful Fencer, and his Merit is the more extraordinary, becaufé he maintains it, by Diat of Judgment, through all the Difadvantages of a weak Conttitution. a 8 te D °Pa] Let.it not be-faid that I think there ace not: aay more Mafters, becaufe. 1 make no further mention-of them. Doubtlefg there are many more deferving. ones in Town ;. bur Fbave not happened upon the Opportunities of obferving them fo much as thefe. I now proceed to the: Back-Sword, As this is founded upon the feme Principles with the other, I fhall. direGly antar. upon: the- Practices, Here-every. thing will hold gond that has been faid. of the Body in. the Small-Sword;, which may. be- contragted into this.Peftulatum.;, That the more-off yous. Bady- you, hide: fromyyous. Advenfary by, an arte. fal Pofture, the more you deprive him of his Marks and, for the fame Reafon I gave in the Small-Sword , the more you are in the: Line,, the fafer you are. The. true Pofture. of the Small-Sword is a fafe one. in the Back-Sword; and if I were to form, a thorough Beck-Swords Man, I would have him learn firft the Small-Sword.: From. that he fteps into the other fo eafily and readily, with the true guiding Principles he has acquired, that the double Doétrine Ican hardly think a round-about Way. The fpa- ting Turn of the Wriftin Parrys, the clofe Cover and the[or ¥ the narrow? Stops will, fave you. that ‘Fime, which is fquandered away in the: common taught Parades by the. Bach-Sword: Matters, It wilt curtail your teach- ing, and: intreduce. you to the Art a much fhoster Way. What has been. faid of the Arms and Legs in the other, will equally hold good in this. There is a common Objeétion againft this Affertion, in re~ fpect to.the-Legs. ‘They fay, you lay more Weight upon youn lefy Leg, that you may the more readily {ip.your right from your Adverfary’s Cut. But I abide: by. the DoGtrine of an. equal Diftribution of Weight (or as.near as you can give.it) to both Legs. I have always, found: it to.anfiver, and. upon. my lay ing too. great a StrefS upon my left Leg, in order to flip. my right, it has been fo weak that I have been ready. to. fall backwards upon lifting up my right, and by that ftruggle to recover, have loft my Time, on which all my Expectations depend, and by it’s due obfervance, all my Defigns muft be executed. Here are four Guards, viz. Infide, Outfide, Me~ dium, aad Hanging. This is the common Accepta~ tion; but I think miftakingly. For I do not fee why there fhould be any more underftood by a Guard, than one true covering Pofture in the Line. TheC22] The Mediu is the Small-Sword Pofture, and that alone may properly be called a Guard 3 which I define to be afi abfolate defenfive Pofition, "inde a5 dent. of your Adverfary’s Motions; but the other are occafional Motions produced by.yaur Adverfary’ Ss Defigns. The Infide and Outfde are proper Poftures to pitch to, according to your executive Intentions ; but then they are ating Parts of the Sword, and improperly called Guards, whereby fhould be fome- thing paflively fixed, and altered only into A@ion, as Occafion offers. The Hanging may with more Truth be called a Guard-than the other two. “But then it is (if I may fay) a Guard too paffive, becaufe you cannot fo readily get from it into Aion, as from the other. The Beauty of the Small-Sword Pofture is, that it isa true Guard or Cover. ftom your Enemy, and a Readinefs to attack and offend him. But a Guard without a Power of offending, is thutting yourfelf up ina Caftle from your Adverfary, or running away from him, The[ 238) The Hanging Guard i isa very good Guard to pitch to, when you are gathered * upon, and preffed by your Adverfary. But then it is owing to your want of the proper Guard, that you are reduced to this fhift, and no better than a Retreat, when your Lines are broken. I always pity the Man, when I fee him upon that Guard, and am apt to ftep up to his Ad- verfary and intercede for Mercy. But whenever I fee a fine,” ealy, compofed, condently looking Point, Let us now come to the Cuts and Stops. There is one effential Thing, I think I fhould have ‘brought in before, and which, neceflary as it is, is much negleGted and overlooked, and that is the Manner of holding the Sword. I may be excufed for omit= ting it, becaufe, as I faid, { do not propofe to breed upa Swords-Man, but write to Swords-Men. But this Miftake is fo common, even among good Swords-Men, that it calls for due Corre@ion ; and whether that Correétion, or any paft, or to come, be jut, Ufabmiffively offer to my judicious Readers. If they are demonftrative, they will be clear to all Judgments; if not, I fali by them. If they be mathematical Proofs, they will be evincing to the Man[24] Man of Senfg, though he be not a.Swerds-Man ;-and if they appear fo to Senfe, I hall never ‘trouble my Head, whether they are accepted by the Obféinate and Tenacious, The common Way of holding the Sword i is with a kind of globular Hend, that is, al and the Thumb making a Circle _feund the Sword. . The Confequence of whi yyhen you come to make your Cut, your Gri d flips round. your Palm, and you lofe your ¢ dite Edge. But let the Suzerd be held with j your, ‘humb, raifedup- -en the ‘Surface and extentled ‘ip a'ftraight, Line, you will never; fail to carry an Edge, For the. want, of cicz iy. given in Time, upon the. ‘Advertary’s| Open, execute the Defign, I have feen ten loft by falling en the Flat. -The Infide and the ‘Ozpfde, Throws are both very fafe. I.give the Preference, to the In- Jide 5, becapf it goss with a farer edge, at and may be made with more Strength.and Velocity. This is very oblervabte in ‘Batéles fought upon the Stage, where you will find all the Tufide Cuts to be mach deeper and feyeret than the Owifde. It mult bevallowed alfo, that they ate more likely to hit i the[3] the Face, which belag: fo much inbré tender than the Head, will fConer catty the Battie. Indeed, the Gusfide Throw I would recommend for the Head and Face, when your Adverfary makes to your Leg; it keeps clearer of his Blade, and if well timed, fel- dom nicets' with Intérruption ; but efpecially if it be Giede flanting, with 4Kind oa back Sweep, which, if yoiit Antegoaitt be not very wary and quick ia Bos Recover, mut hit him in the. Face, aad this Sweeping Turd carries a dire@ Edge. But in the whole, I fhould’ chafé to be moft familiar with the Infide, as FteXe it to be more faithful to the Line, and you certeinky can récover quicker and more recdily. from it. Nature feems to have made it more @ Friend to Times For I believe it will be alewed, thst a Man naturally can make an Infide Bow quicisot and ecfier tham an Oxgfde, and cet= tainly oftner, before the Wrift is fatigued, as the Turn of it that way is not fo great a Strain upon the Muftles, as the other; and I dare fay a Man’s Arm will be fooner ftrained and weakened by ftrong Blows to the Outfide, than to the Infide, becaufe in the Infde Blow the Mufcles a& in a true Line of Direction, but in the other are contorted or twifted, and their Power thereby weakened; for it is well known by every Anatomift filled in mufcular Mo- E tion,{ 26 ] tjon,. that: the :twe,extreme Parts of a Mufele cult anfwer a true Line of DireGion, before the Mufcle can at with Power This all belongs. to the, offenfive Party but: thea in the defenfive.Part, the Jujide. Steps..are seadiers fafer, and faugger under the, Cover... Doubslelss when_a Man makes an Oxspde Blow at you, you mutt ftop i it from the Oxgfde, ot the Hagicing, which is a kind of Qztice 5 but.then the Jufde: Stop, which iy preGiiled | for the Cover. of ; the Tigfde of the ft,, and the Ipfde of the. Face, will well timed, ftop.;a..Blow,,.made fall as fefe.as the.,8t. George’ ‘sand ania, Gur which are gengkally. ufsd. in, fops ping F fall Throws at the Head, Befides, 28. Ihave recommended fighting from. the Infce, which is near eft ‘to the Mediues,, notwithandiag the Medium has it’s ; Name from a, Notion af it’s,being in the Middle between them, , A affgre that you aie more ig the Line with it, your Stops are-more jeft, under better Cover, . ‘and aliow of a readier and narrower Return. Thave tried them all; I always found myfelf fa- fer upon the Injde, wien prefled upon (for the Hang- ing Guard V always defpifed) and to fucceed better in my Attempts upon my Adverfary. The[27] iPkeimol dangerous Cut ia the Sword’ to your Oppofér a(endurckich generally catties ‘the keeneft Edge) is the Infde Blow at the Wrift. This is far readier, and nearer to it, and when hit, more effeQual then the Owtéde, and certainly the’Cut anfwers your Ends more: thea any’ other; becaife your Enemy is difebled at onces? Any‘other Cut be may bear for a while, and have 2 Chance of hitting you, if he con~ tinues to fight a little longer; but the Inftant you hithim in the Jafde. of the Wrift, your Vidory is fecure. Another fubftantiel, and I think, mathe. matical ‘Reafon for efpoufi ing it, is,” becaufe the Whitt of your Adverfary is that Part of him, which, while itis the mot. dangerous to-him if wounded, in. sefpeG to: the Batele, “is dfo the neareft to:you, and. confequently: the fafeft for you to attack ; bes caufe, hit, -or mi, on-eccount of your'Diftence from bin,:you-are lafer-fom his Return.” Nothing ‘can be fafer inthe Sword, then lying firm ‘to a low Infide, aiid waiting for the other’s moving; the Mo- ment heraifes his Wrift is your Opportunity to go toit, and if you-aG@ according to that due Obferva= tion of Time, you cannot fail of meeting his Wrift. You may pitch your infde Pofture fo wide to the Outfde, as to hide all the Outfde, and leave him nothing but an InfJe Mark; and yet, though your E2 Infde{28} Bit % htee-opsaty dey-yeu'tnee “ia 455 Danger, boca’. you: arntize. gomer-atside ts ke bochims, sand <3 noth!<3 towetch bat yéur Byfthy. white at-wlth’ a teady weld Fret, ‘your obs Time-enezgh ta mesthis Writ; piotigiouly, becau thete-is eiGiive Fored'of tis Throw bid yours mets ing Aozether: : Therods ota.thing I would advinzey which I judge Z 7, andionght tebe tndattd of asa abit én Es. Sivord ; and. thet is; what aking Bkeafare, ‘Ths beealelngs Aieafare 7 feta y Bue tho the Man who PSIG B, deck? ween ema Jedye 08 Here. Fewill oe greatly Gn the Sword, “esth Baek and etenpt of iretlag your Adverse Goats +, Bot by-thet little Mea of your Daly, which: perhéos* does not Inch Ditterence in Meafze, ‘you will &eure youre fom your Adverfary’s Bladé, which by his crongch in the'Fhrow, or your not: fo exa@ly time ing it, 28 you ought, might bend over to your Face, though you meet him in the Wrift. Here (if I would ever encourage it) I would advife moving a little, but very little, out of the Line, It is a Kind of Vaule, I Zestres,[ 29] Towss but far unlike the others 't mutinied againtt inthe Stnatl- my Charadters of the MasTERs, by bringing in of Pertizs an Irifhinan. “The Maa cbttdinly was a true Swords-Men, ‘but his Age made him fo Gi and ffotv in his AGion, that he could not execute all that’ Ais Judgment ‘put him upon; yet, by Diut of that, he made up for his Inadtivity. He always,’ at’ firft fetting out, pitched to this Po- flare, lying, as I faid before, low to the Infide, fo wide as to hide all the Ouifdz, with his Writt fo ready raifed, that no body knew what to do with him. T have feen Fic. in Battles with him, ftand in[30] ina kind of fafion not,kno “move ! For hia ne would alfo move £6 waril would difappoigt’ him i ini ever Attempts are made goa { dangerous to’ attack, gpght fo : Writ, and. for wy part, in thi a ae with a ftraight drawing Drop upoii his’ Thigh, nee ther to the Infide nor Outhde. of i dpwa a, Line. from the rings which Way, to gv, the ol Man the Catch, that be oe Adverliry, who | has beea she waiting for i i, is difeppdinted 1 in his Defign, and can do’ ‘nothing, but watt drop down and ° follow your Anas, 5, but in od des ‘9,do. that, muft lofe his Time in thifting ‘his Wilt. Many a Time when I have been encaged with, the Stick, with. en {Oppo nt pr very ready with the’ Slip of his Lg 2 and ‘ow vat my Heed, (which i is done 1 in one and the "fme Motion), [have found myfelf in fo much eager, ‘that, Ldurft not go down to the Oxtfde of his Ba _ in, going ‘down with a drawing Blade in_a raight Lice, from the Medium, \ have deceived him, and hit him a fmart Blow wpon the Foot about the Toes. This Method will fave me from my Antagonilt, though the other willT3rJ will not, both from Ieffening the Time (which is apparent is the Motion) and likewife, from fhort- ning the Mzsfure, as much as his Foot is more within the Meafire of your ftraight Line, than the Outfde of his Lég, which makes a furprifing Difference in both Time end 2ea/ure. "This brings us to tieat of. the going cown to the Leg, It is dors after receiving, or moving. As I write to thofe who underftand fomething of the Sword, thefe Sword’ Terms will bé underftood: Receiving is the {topping our Adverfary’s Blow firft, and then going to his Leg: Moving, is going down wit receiving, but’taking care before you go do move his Sword“out of the Line. , to “Maltérs “niofely’ recommend ‘the’ receiving firft,” as the fafélt way: “I anti a Friend to the other,’ which, whether it be thoughe’as fafé ornot, 1 am’ fure” is more likely to catch the othet’s Leg, becaule itis done in lefs Time. Afd’befides, in point of fafety, Talways found it anfiver' full as well as the’other; and in my Opinion, a Man that has ‘moved his Ad- verfary traly, before he goes down to his Leg, is lefs likely ‘to be hir above in going down,” becaufe there is lef Notice and Intelligence given of your Defign,{ ga.] Defign, and. ihreguizea tamnckt Intceg Juderntet ie. your -Opossent; ae aa he, tana. fos: Spathat ‘seven eadel cult Mettor- OE kim to: pro: your little or no, notics-c’ ec. down, Without tekins u up usceces gethe: Roe Wega, aaget onthe, 277s { tetha: Richt eed imceurfe acd fo. -mnuch farther from fora the 2afide your Eke yi and your Blade gosqin and when-it hits, gives-a much ccount of the drawing 'z is-pelpably more fo, than wtfde. Here the breaking Meafure is of excelisnt Ufe, -and more sented then any where elfe; bs AtserC 3%] ele; bogiu® yous Hiadiand whole Body is brought formnuch nesrét teyoubiAdeeiGry's Sword ; there-- fore: yeux. Acmcand. your: Head fheuld, if ‘poffible,, heve ans ero fits Motion, to.which: by. Prafticé you. moyitods tieggerhli& Whet-T oven ig this; whaa. yes Anmtiespr ecthes your: Adverfory, your Head fhould turty frefn kim, andtyou deght- to fell-ins ftemcteonty becly.to:the Lefty with your ether Paits outef thLicsefibis Swetds reis mcSulsl end Leia Sword, bec, MegGre: ig n for the Act, end, if thet KacGre, Cor coe ain aes aan beve & gone direBty to his Head) az Fest Flere itis, ina manner, one KM , and wants ns Comparifon of Time to the ftopping your Cppannt’ Blow firft, and thea meking yours. £9, -in the Smeli-Sword, it is of propartiosable Ufe;-cod_ in £ bothC8 J both; ed Betig: ai erade Jadge of Yous Diffs licen pees yo is: self EYOS co pita thorengh Condsiee SUL ES after of your Sword. Bue he guy aaa) and fo’ boldly rely t) in Sinall or Back, £ yes Parry your Man, ke wilk ‘your Retum. O! what a fav- ing[9%] dng.of Tene and Portding 9 of, Meafure here is!. for by your. Lene gained “beforehand in ‘your Parade, nftesd of your Sword, you may lay your Finger «pea ty 1 Let others recommend ‘retiring as z dom, for advancing, or at‘leaft -your_Ground.; but if you, are week inthe ce, it FS ‘then pecelny tore do Shelter. if Eorwezdito peur, in his Pbeois, or Blows upon you; sbut if, apea his ¢fering.t to fea yen Rand firm cygitha 3 your Baot 224 Arm m the douwill bemere fay of egprozthing Za But the See mutt ‘hs hg in, 3. you Be} este] st Ann? By, yhls esas Before, T enter upon the Chare@ers of the mmaft -eminent Meters, who have come within my ObSr ~yation, I muft take notice of the Superiotit -the Back-Swerd has over the Small, in point of Ue. “Toe Fiz deed£36] deed as.we cannet-put a Stop te. the natnrel Paffjons of Menkind, which,. according,,to, thein-.Canftitue tion and Temperament, more or, lefi,excite them to Mifchief, if not proportignably checked, by: Reafon 5 we, muft endeavour at the et Means of putting it out of their Power to do ‘us that Mifchief their Paffions prompt them to. It is therefore requi- fite to learn the Small-Syword, in order, to gnard acainft the tempts } of: that, Man, with whofe bru- tal Ferocity, no Reafon will prevails: Beg then that Neceflity } is produéive of Pain and, Mifery, though ds to the Prefervation of -your Life.’ Killing d, upon.. the Defenfiye, bug mm y fx -you .ate ture is laid bleeding at Feet, though from;the higheft ‘Provocation, and in his neceffary felf E-defence. But Laws divine as well as human joftify and. pror te&t you in your Country’s Caufe, Sure the wide Difcrence between killing Numbers of your Enemy in Battle, and one Man in a Quarrel, ever fo much in your own Defence, every calm thinking Man cen- net but allow. ItC 37 J This thetefore that the’ Small-Sword, in point of true Reafon, is not neceflary ; it is only a fubfervient Inftrument to-‘our Peffions. This is viewing it in the tendereft Light; but I featit oftener proves, ‘pro- portionably to“it’s Pra@ices an Incentive and En- couragement ‘to’ Mifchief. Bat the Back-Sivord; fare, muft be diftinguithed from thé other, becaufe itis as neceflary in the Aniny; as the ottier ig mifchievous in Quarrels, and deadly in Duels: "The Smiall-Sword is’ the Call of Honour, the Back-Sivord' the Call of Duty. I wifh Hlonour had more Acquaintance with’ Honefty than it'generally has.' Fere is a Kind of Honour, which will carry’ Mail behind Moantague Houfe with ano- thery‘wkin ic will not ‘pay his Debts, though he has wherewithal ‘to'do it; ‘True Honour mutt be. very iitiniatd with Honefty, and Iwill venture to affirm that, where the latter’ is not, the former has but a niean Exifttnce.’ {t need not be faid I here dif cottage’ the Small-Sword, } only oppofe it’s Abule; Town, I have preached a little, but I think what I have advanced is true Dodtrine: But as few of us can arrive to that prodigious Meeknefs, it is néceflary to'be Mafters‘ of oiar Sword, to guard againft thofs Peffions we cannot put a Stop io. I am not that SaintC 33] Saint: to advife a.WLin.xo let anather pnll_him by. the Ne&; but then L.veuld shave; hira: sto. be the brave Ufer of bis Sword, and pot:the guarrelfome. Quarrel” fomene&and Bre’ rasy; I tele tojbe Strengrars, and the more Braxety: A havepfovad in's Men, J have always obferved in him the more Unwillingnefs to quesrel. I yet highly recommend the.Small-Sword teaching, af itiwess @nly'(es-1 hve belsre hinted) to-intreduce you better, 254 efeblith’ you, Grpacer.ia the Beck~ Sword. The Back-Syord..mut :be elowed eflea- tally necaflery emeng, the:Herle; acd Lcould.with dtisvere. more preftifed, thea I-Rod isis... Sure it Ght to:beja-Part of .a Tsvozer’s Dty-t0.leatn te agmpuck As; ,of the Feat todeara the n Ewescif 5.end Nhe Rraccifg pf ths forrger’s Swerfliousht tobe, urccdy asamuch es chce of the Jetter’s Rizelod,: If a ,Fkoop of isaGs aweee ogee ged. with a Treop.of Men, ignereat cf tha ek Sword, J, would afk, which hag. the better Chence?, I bafieve sit will. be granted, that a conSderable fa- petior Streezth ia the latter would not. be,an sequivalent Ady entage to the Skill and Judgement of the former, We are allowed to be more-expert in the Back- Sword than any other Nation, and it would ‘bea . pity,C 39) pity; if we were not to continue fa. In Fic’s Time,’ tHe Spirit of it was’ greatly kept up; but I have been; often forry. to-find it dwindle; and ima Manner, die away wit him. It muft be allowéd that thofe amphithzatrical: PraGtices.- were productive of fome ill, a cthey gave fome Encouragement to: Idlezefs and: Extravagence among; the Vulgar. But there is hardly any good ufeful Thing, but. what leaves an Opening for Mifchief, and whichis not liable ta Abufe. -''Fhofe -PraGices are certainly highly ne- cory, and. the Ensouragement of Back=Sword Fighting, and Boxing, I think. commendable; ‘the focme¥ for-the Ufes which have been mentioned ; the atter, and’ both ; to feed and: keep up the Britifh Spirit. Courage T allow to-be chiefly natural, pro- bably owing to the Complexion and Gonftitation of our Bodies, and flowing in’ the different Texture of the'Blcod and Juices; but’ fure-it is, in a gréat méefure, acquired’ by Ufe, and Familiarity with Danger. -Emulatioa and the Love of Glory are great Breeders of it. To what Pitch of daring do we not fee them carry Men? And how obfarvable is it in Miniature among the Boys, who, almoft as foon as they can go alone, get into their Poftures, and bear their little bloody Nofés, rather than be figmatifed for Cowards P CHARACTERS[ 40] Gisgacters ff ihe MASTERS >IMOY ay BUCK was & Bata we it was “DE when grown decres: d, hide hit ‘emdomatda- ‘usnancne Hes wes the it ker of the Art, and all his Followers, who ex celia Gee upon him, cae takige'l ia Ett Kis Autitaass, in ‘his’ Datieariér, Theto main the’gtedintin folution; ‘ahd’ urip form a thatch! in his Co nce,” ‘and ables beyond all T-ever faw. ‘His viglit Leg bold aad firma, and his feft which could hardly ever be dit tuibed, gave him’ the furprifing Advantage already proved, and flrack his Adverfary with Defpair and Panic.C4t] Panic. He had that peculiar way of ftepping in, I fpoke of, in. a Parry; be.knew his Arm and it’s jut time of moving, put a firm Faith in that, and never let his Adverfary efcape his Parry. He wes jut as much a greater MasTeEr, than any other I ever faw, as be was a greater Judge of Time and Meafare. Winttam Ginn was a Swords-Man formed by F1¢’s own, Hand, and by his Example turned out a complete Piece of Work. 1 never beheld any Body better for the Leg than GiLL, His Excellence lay indoing it it from thelufde; sand { hardly ever knew him attempt it from the Oxsfide,. From the narrow Way he had of going dovn (which was moftly without receiving) he oftener hit the Leg-than any one; and from the drawing Strole, caufed by that Sweeping Turn of the V , and his proper way of holding his Sword, his Cuts were remarkably more fevere and deep. ‘I never was an Eye-Witne& to fach a Cut in the Leg, as he gave one BUTLER, an Lrifoman, a bold refolute Man, but an aukward Swords-Man. His Leg was laid Quite open, his Calf falling down to his Ancle. It was.foon Qitch- ed up; but from’ the Ignorance of a Surgeon adapt= ed to his mean amf{tances, it mortified:. Mr Chefelden was applied to for Amputation, but too G : late£42] late for his ‘trae jadgerent to interfire i mediately. perceived the Mar SHT; and refuled to be'conce: to be"beyond his Power, applied to, who, through’ lefs omen of Va for his Chara@er, cut off his Leg above the Knee, but the Mortification had’ ‘got the Start of Ni Te- Gruments, and BUTLER foon expired. Heim. eee Cover sty was a thorough Sword: Man, and ‘an excetlext’ Judge of "ath We “*s Pats. He was a convincing Pioot of what Tad vanced about the natural Supztenie’ in {othe Men’s Joints. “No Man bid fairer for ad a6 {aired -Spilog then” he; but nétwithieac thfouch fach Numbzis of ' Bar Veer, he ‘never could! arrive to miained heavy, flow, an jnadtix e, aad to tele iim, But his fav hYadgerhent. SUazoN was a Contratt! to the other: As Parxs had a clear Heed eo Lamty Body “and “fit Jeunes » fo Su tron had a ¢ Body and very agile Joints under a heavy "He was a refo- lute, puthing, aukwerd Swo-:ds~-Man; but by his bufy (intruding Arm, and ferainbling Legs, there wereC43] were few Judgements but what weredifordered and difconcerted. Fic managed him the beft of any, by his charming Diftin@ion of Time and Meafure, in which he far excelled all, and fufficiently proved thefe to be the Sward’s true Foundation, Mr. JoHNSON is a ftaunch Swords-Man. I de not know any one now who has fo great a Share of Skill and undaunted Refolution, mixed together. He is a thorough MasTER of the true Principles of the Back-Sword; but I muaft take the Liberty to fay, that his Joints are ftiff and flow in A@ion ; while I allow that his Judgement furprifingly makes up that Defe&. Jounson fights moft from the Hanging, and éxecutes more from it, than any I ever faw from that unready Guard. I have often thought it a great Pity a Man’ of his found Know~ ledge of the Sword, fhould have fo much recourfe to the Hanging. Town the Word Recourfé fits nor Jounson, becaufe, as I faid before, it is a kind of fheltering Guard, and in others moftly ufed to thift from Danger. 1 am fure that Fear pitches not his Hanging ; end ke-has 2 little occafion for a Shelter. from.his Adverféry, as any Man I have known. He fully proves it, as he differs from all the reft in ufing that Guard. The others ufe it in a Retreat, he _Ga advancesC44] and, maintains i it through the, whole -n Fitzmnefs, advances with i ttle with unthe Mr. SHERLOCK nuft be pronounced..an elegant Swords-Man, with ‘uncommon Merit. His Defigns are true and juft, encouraged by an. active, Walt gnd great Acility of ‘Body. "He > pl D Sword Pefture, the Recommendation cof sehich Lhere repeat. [know there are great Deuces again its will venture, to jultity_bim.j it. He isccepe oly 1 right to ufe that Guard, mo t properly, called a : Gust, which belt fops the too: near Approach af bis Adverfary, and at the fame Time fupplics hin with moze readinefs to A@ion. But ,theagh: I amt witli: to ‘give every Men-his due Merit, Ercannet ftep.into the Filth of Flestery. 5. “therefore: nras con= fe, Mr. SHER LOC is not faultlefs. Lwilk poins es swheth £158 to farting, By, whi cvident!y.may imfelf ia the Poser of.a Men of much: inferios eased wi “ith a Man of far t A when, ppon a bare Stamp :’s Footy and Movement of his Sword, ke Hes burried back with Precipitation Sure Mr. SHERTecK mult awa,C454 bir he heteby gives his Oppofer great Advantage 5 however, I leave him With’ ini? Reunowledgemete, that if he hed Mr. Jounson’ s firm table Refolution, he would rival aay T have mentioned. conctudé’ with Jou N-DELroxkce, ‘and though he never fought WEA the: Sword, Pthink‘l it would by unpardonable rot'to give ‘him’ ‘a 1 Place amang t! for fare hone’: ‘more fit, more able to] proclaim hi ae Rirak to-Fie’s 5 Méhnoly. He's fo well for 3 Cee én the Stage,’ that r ced Pot mate mong Spéato f dy! forély feat Be of Ris Ab! ities with the, proper Strength, unerring Judge- ment, and faiient Experience. He has a Spring iD£46 } inthe Weift more ready and powerful then, any I nave feen, and, BIG. feems to, have bequeath’d to him his. Infight 3 into Live cod , Ro ten he oe Pte ata Ar wilt “tell for. : Strength. Strength is certainly 3 what. the. “Boxes to: fet out with, but without, Art ke hae fage “have a heavy. ead unwi dy Suctour fore Streegth.. Bere, it may -not be.emi, to make -fome-tittle anetomical Enquiry into the advantageous Difpofi-; tien of the Mufcles bys a jak Pofture of e of Botch-Work of it, forgive the, ‘poor ‘Anas thi ongh the Swords-Man. TheE.4§ 3 in.the Weift mote teady and: powerful then, any: 1 have ‘fen, and | EtG, fecas. fo, have bequeath’d to him his, Infight into Fiese cod Meafure. BOX LN G J OXING is a, Combat, depending mop O5 th, then the Swor B mn.) Gs if ite ve but heavy. z Strength. me it may .not be.ami{s to make {fone setomical Enquiry into the edvantageous Difpofi-. tion of the Mufcles by the jaft Pohture ‘of aad the; ating Atm Twill veataye-toC47 J *Phe Strength of Man earl confit oe af W badd tht Po ower a created’ ‘by & A Levers, which ekectte the Body. but by Art a Man may give an additional Force to tiers The neater aMan ‘bei g of Gravity, the: truer Line Marte’ ahi elas fone 2 the oppotite Muktes as they open ot ex send ‘the ie3_yet in ftriking, or ufing aay vioksnt AY your and, “thef ‘Orders of the Gicn. Thus! iewil ae ‘that when ‘you clofe the’ Fit of your “eft Am, og ‘right Hand ‘apon that Arch, you will plai os ciprocal s ling, From ie it follows, “Matcles, by Nature defigned f for’ different OBices, mutually& 48s yen agonendienenty oe — ogee Serene > uch ht,to referve het his. Advances is -ptpper high, info= 36 5 much[49° J razch that his Face‘makes a perpendicular ér firaight Bédo witheche left Kneo; whilt the right Leg and Ebig’ ia a flanting Line Srong!y prop wp the whole Body, as does a large Beam an oid Wall. The Body: by this “means is fupported againft all violent Ef €hg ‘additional Stren! th acquired - by this hats is greatly to the ‘Fxrpole. Bow much’ greater Weight ak not your Adverlary (tand in need of, to pee back from this forward inclining of the Rody, then - the'f@'nvuch lef refifting Reclindtion ef it? By: this diffoled Attitude you: find -ths whole Body gectly inc’ining forwerd: with a flanting Dirtcs toa, fo that you nt find from the Ous/ide of therighe Ancle, ell the: way t to the eee a freight Lire oi py sclination is the “ftronget Pafie ition a Niet jen it is fach as we genierelly ue in Fér the Maled 3 + Bedy “gently “food over the left ee the be gravitating el ie Th itwes held ere@or Blow on the E2ed, er Exeafty iv vould overft if Body by this'Pefition hes th Side partly relaxed, and par Sfufeles of the : riche vonteaéhed, whikt thofaC49 J meen that his Facemakesa perpendituler or Rraight: Bato swgithithe left Kneo; whilft the right Leg and. na flanting Lines Bionc!y 'y prop up the whole: Body, as does a lange Beam an old Wall. The Body: by this means is fupported againft all violent Ef- forts, exizthy additional Streath “acquired - by this rice, is greatly to the ‘Perpok. Bow: inuch’ greater Weightesak not your Adverfary ftand in need of, to beat you: back from this forward inclining of the Pedy, then: the'fe:much leG refitting Reclindtion'ef it? By‘ this diffoled -Ateituds-you find ths whole Edy geatly inclining forward: with a flanting Dirtc> tion, fo that you all find from the Ousfide of therighe Ancle ell the way to the Shoulder, 4 ftraight Lis Te fe “es er ‘put fhing.- for + Fer the Mufeted 5 - Bedy “gently for over ths left Thigh the gravitating Part, this Contrivance # augments the: Force 3 whereas, if itwes held ereGor ugrigh’, aniddietent Blow on the Heed, er Erealty ivould overt it: FES Body by this’ Pofition hes the ffufeles of the right ce atly relaxed, and partly: contta@ed, whil? KH thofai 93 of the Left are, -aktogether it at State of Cone 4 bug the Referve. made ie e the ‘Matches of ee at DB Sretiot. up the Bower to the Mufdles-tf the che Key frog Costratiion, boaigs °. Metioa-which id eémmanis cdf she Haid at’ that esd-tho. Elovn atoshes Uathant to | Mafeles,:in Aor. Shovlz 2 Stecke will: be-eble to evéreamé-a erticlly ecatelved ‘tweety stints tts ct, bow :is. is in-out Power sah E Pace end: Strength be paz By yet by Experience tisy know it hes ; ead by vs evideat Effects, theyCsi) they ato sditedted tortie proper Partb;- ds for ‘in- fanodyHitting waderrthe? Wan‘ Vetweend’ the Eye- Hrsway endcubout the Stomach.’ T look upon the Blow under the Ear to be as dangerous as ay; that is, if it light between the Angle of the lower Jaw and theotteck 5. becdufe- in! this ‘Pact ‘theré are two Kinds of Bloat Vela tonfiterably large’; the’ sie brings the Blodd-imniediately ffom the Heatt'to thé Head; whil& the other-carriés it mediately backs Ifa Mandeccivela Llow on thefe Vetiels, ‘the’ Blood proceeding” frem! the'Heart’ to’ the Head, is "partly forced back, whilf-the other Part'ly pufhed forwards xehemently to thé Head: The fanie"happens inthe’ Blood retutaizig“froi the'Plead to the Heart, for pari of it is precipitetely forced into the latter, whilftshy other Part tumultuoufly rufhes to the Head ; where+ by-the Blood Vefizls are immediately overcharged, and the Sinus’s‘of the Brain fo ovérlozded and com prefed; that rhe ‘Man “at oitce! fofes “all Senfation; and the-Biood éften runs’ from hiy Hats, Mouth and Nofe, altogether owing to it’s Quantity forced with fach Impetuofity into the fmaller Veflels, the Coats whereof being too tender to’ reife fo great a Charge, inftantly break,’ and caufe the Efufion” of Blood through thefe different Parts. t Ha This£ 52-4] et. the only. Fenfequence, but the Heart being oye atged with: a Reguneitation of Blood. (es 1 may fay, with cols iP that forced bark, pn abe. p puthed i ‘into. it’s 3 that 25 ‘the ee Jabouss wuoder.a ae Blosdbforward, laws, given, betmecn, the, Eyebrows contribute tory: For this Bart being contafed a violent, Eachymofs, or Ex. i, which fells immedintely into.thia nd they ‘being of a lax Texture.incapablo of reliting this Influx of Blood,. figell almof inftan- 3 which violent Intumefcence foon obftru@s the Sight. The Man thus indecently treated, and artfully hoodwinked, is beat about at his Adverfary’s Ss Difcretion. The Blows on, the Stomach. are alfo very huctful, asthe Diaphragm and Lungs fhare, in the Injury. The Vomitions produced by them i might account: for, but I fhould run my anatomical Impertinences ten fas, T{53 ] “Yowould Here réccihiriend to’ thofe' who Box, ‘that on the Day oft Combat they chatge not ‘their Stomachs with mouth ARmient 5 for'by” obkeiving this Precau- toa they’ will 1 ak Servite.” It" w il telp them ging of the Stomach: Whereas the empty Stomach, yield ing to the Blow, is'as much lefs affeGted by it,'as” more by it’s-Refiftance,” when expaiided” with Food. ‘Therefore: Padvit’ a! Mah-'t8 ‘take'a ‘little Cordial Water upon aw empty Stomach, - which, T think, would be of great Service, by ‘it’s ‘altringiag the Pibres,‘and contraGtitg i it into’a fmallet Compals, The Injary” the! Diaphragm is fabje& to from Blows, which light juft under the Breaft-Bone, is very confiderable; becaufe the Diaphragm is brought into a ftrong convulfive State; which produces gi great Pain, and leflens the Cavity of the THorax, whereby the Lungs are in a great Meafure deprived of their Liberty, and the Quantity of Air retained in them, from€ 543 from the Contra@tion of the Thorax through the con- yulfive State of the Disphrages; is {0 forcibly path. ed from them, that it canfes a great Difficulty, of Refpiration, which cannot be‘ me till the code vulfive Motion of the Diaphis ceafes, The artful Boxer may, in fome- Degree, render. the Blows lef hurtful on this Pare, by drawing in the Belly, holding his Breath and bending his Thorax over his Navel, ‘when the. Stroke i is comping. T Rave mentioned Strength and Art as the two Ingredients of a Boxer. But there is aaother, which is wally neceflary ; that j js, what we call a Bottom. We need not expizin what i it is, as being a Term well underftood. There are two Things required to make this Bottom, that is, Wind and Spirit, or Heart, or wherever you can fix the Refidence of Courage. Wind may be greatly brought about"by Exercife and Diet; but the Spirit is the firft Equip- ment of a Boxer. Withour this fuftantial Thing, both Art and Strength will avail a Man but little. This, with feveral yodien Points, wil! appear more fully in the Charadters of the Boxers, CHARACTERS.C55} Cuaracrers of th: BOXERS, aN DYANCE, brave BroucuTow! Thee £ fy iM. prosiouince Captain of ‘the Boxers. As far as I-can look back, I think, T ought to open tho Charaéters with him: I cee none fo fit, fo able to lead up ‘the Van, This is giving him the living Preference tothe reft; but, I hope, I have not given any Caufe to fay, that there has appeared, in any of my Charadlérs, a partial Tin@ure. Ihave through- out confulted nothing, | but my unbiafs’d Mind, and my Heart has known no Call but Merit. Wherever T have praifed, I have no Defire of pleafing ; where- ever decry’d, no Fear of offending: BRoucaton, by his manly Merit, has bid the higheft, therefore has my Heart. really think all will oll with me, who poll ivith ‘the fame Principle, Sure there 13 fome ftanding Reafon for this Preference. What can be ftronger’ than to fay, that for feventeen of cighteen Yeats, he has fought every able Boxer that appeared againft him, and has never yet been beat? This being the Cafe, we may venture to con= clude from it. But not to build alone on this, lee us examine farther into bis Merits. What is it that he wants? Has he not all chat others want, and all the beft can have? Strength equal to what iC56) man, Skill and Judgement equal to what can be ac quired, undebauched Wind, and a bottom Spirit, never to pronounce the Word Enoucu.; He fights the Stick as well as moft Men, and under~ ftands a good deal of the Small-Sword. This Prac- tice has’ given him the ‘Diftin@ion of Time and Meafure beyond the reff. He fteps as regular- ly as the Swords-Man, and carries his Blows truely in the Line ; he ffeps not back, diftrufting of him~ felf to ftop.a Blow, and piddle in the Return, with an Arm unaided by his Body, :producing but a kind of flyflap Blows; fach as the Paftry-Cooks ufe to beat thofe InfeGs from their Tarts and Cheefecakes. No— BRouUGHTON fteps bold and firmly in, bids a Wel- come to the coming Blow; receives it with his guar- dian Arm; then with a general. Summons of his fwelling Mufcles, and his firm Body, {econding-his Arm, and fupplying it with all it’s Weight, pours the Pile-driving Force upon his Man, That I may not be thought particular in dwelling too long upon BrouGHToN, I leave him with this Affection, that as he, I believe, will fcarce truft a Battle to a warning Age, I never fhall think he is to be beaten, till I fee him beat. About[58] Pipes. a Match for-him, was his rare Bottom Spisit, which would beat a deal of Becting, but. this, ‘ia y- Mind, GRETT1xG was not fufficiently farntfhed with 5 for efter he’ was beat twice together by Prees, Har: Speerfisish Jack, a meet Sloveniofa Boxer, and every Body. aAhet-fought, him jafterwards, beat him. I mu. notwis! hftending, do- that: Fifide* to GRETTING’s Memory, as to-ofyn thet his Dad bauchery very much contributed to fpoil a great Begs but. pet I thisk he.had not theZotzom of the gthes Nuch about this Time, there: was one Win Ta~ KER ,. who forchsthe Mention GORDABIGR. Ho weighty Body 2 thettheiwas: a har rdy- Fellow, aad sreald bedrta deabef Boating. is wes the Mea pitch: d upon, to Gght the Venes sig ht CoffeeeLionfe when the toh wi was a by a Gentlematof.en advakeed ng be fent for F1G- to procure ‘a- proper Man him; he told him to take < f-his Men, be. caufe{$9 caufe it was for a large Sum; and the Venetian was a Man of extraordinary Strength, -and famous for breaking the Jaw-bone in Boxing. Fra replied, invhis rough pee {do not know, Matter, but he may ‘break one ‘of his own Countrymen’s Jaw- bones Leer but, Fwill ‘bring him a Man, and he Well: not break his Jaw-bone with a Sledge Hammer ia Kis Hand. : TherBattle was SSught at Fre’s Ariphithéatré, before a fplendid Company, the politeft Foufe “of that kind I ever faw. While the GonpELIER was (tripping, my Hesrt yearned for my Country- min. His: Arai: took: up: all ObGrvation s it was fexprifingly large, toag, ‘and mafculer. “ He’ pitchéd himfelf forward with’ his ‘right’ Leg, cad his Arm fall extended, and, as Wartaken approached, gave him ‘a Blow on the Side'of the Head, that knocked him quite of the’ Stege,’ which was ‘re- markesle for it’s Height.’ Wi rrax g2°s Misfor- tune in his Fall was then the Grandeur of the-Com- pany, on which account they fuffered no common People in, that ufually’ fie on the Ground and liné the Stegs round. It was then all clear, and War'ra- KER hed nothing to ftophim but the bottom. There Tt was{ 60 ] was a gencral foreign Huzza on the Side ‘of the Fenetian, pronouncing our Countryman’s Dowafal.; but WHITAKER took no more. Time than was re- quired to get up again, when finding -his.Faule ig ftanding out to the Length of .the ether’s Arm, he, with a little Stoop, ran. boldly in.beyond. the heavy Mallet, and. with ene Englifh Peg in. the Stomach (quite a new Thing to Foreigners) brought him oa his Breech. The Blow carried feo much. of the Exglifh RudenefS,for him to bear,” and: finding him- fll fo unmanaerly ufed, he fcomed to. have any more doings with his flovenly Pitt, ‘So fine a | Houle was too engaging to Fic, net to court another. He therefore ftepped up, and told the Gentlemen that they might think he had picked out the | bef Man in Londow on this Occae fion: But to convince them 7 the contrary, he a that, if they would -cor at Day fe’anight, he would bring a Man who nea beat chis Warta- KER in ten ! Minutes, by fair hitting. This brought very neat as great and fine a Company as the Week before. The Man was NATHANIEL PEARTREE, who knowing the other’s Bottom, and his deadly way of Elinging, teok a moft judicious Method to beatC6t J beat bim.—Let his Chata@tér come in heteHe was a molt admirable Boxer, and I do not know one hé was not a Match for, beforé he loft his Finger. He was famousj.l2xe Pipes, for fighting at-the Face, te ftroager in his Blows. He knew WutTa~ KeR’s: Hardinels,“and doubting of his being able to give him Beating enough;’ cencingly detérmined to fight at his yes. His Judgement carried in his’ Arn fo well, that, i in about fix Minutés both Wat~ ‘taxER’s Eyes were fhut tp 3 when groping about aiwhile for his Men, and finding him not, he wifely gave out, with thefe odd Words Damme I am not beat, but what fignifies my fighting when I cannot fee my Man? We will now come to Timed a little frefher, and of later Date, GEORGE TaxLor, known by the Name, of Gzore@s the Bar Ber, fpraig up furprifingly. He hes beat all the chief Boxers, but BRoUGHYon: He, i think, injudicioutly fought h him one of the firft) and wes obliged very {oon to give out. Doubtlefs ir was a wrong Step in him to commence a Boxer, ‘by fight= ing the ftending Ch: : For GzorGE was not thea{éa] then twenty, end Brouenros wes in the. Zenith 2 ce thet. bo hes greatly dix thes never-enw ns; Ye aided by his Kn: 4 aremerke in ay: Chers gers. Therefore Tem of the. ca, that, he is not .pver-fecked. with thet nece“ry Iecredieat of a Eonar, walled a Esttom; end em apt to fafpeG, that Blows of equal Strencth with his, too much affe&t him and concert his Condudt. falsed to be, inc: Before I leave him, [et me co him this Juice to fay, thet if he were nn ble in his Bottom, he, would be a Match fer any Man, de can Bot ‘be i improper, after GEoRGz th: Bar- troduce one Bese LE, a 2 Men, who wvexts i for a compleat{ 63] Judgement, difpatching forth his executing | Am! But fye upon his defterd Heart, that marrs it all! As I knew that Fellow’s Abilities, and his wotm- ditad Soul; Enever faw him beat, but I wifhed him to be beaten.’ THougit” f et charined with the Idea of his Power at Meni f of ig, Tam fick at the Thoughits of hig Nurfe-wantiag Coutage. Farewel to him, with this feit'Acknowledgenient, “that, if he had a tiue Englifs Bottom (the bett Aitting Bpithet 7: Maen of Spirit)’ he would cerry all ‘Wefore him, and be a Match for even BrouGauton himfelé f will’ name two Men together, whom I take'to be the béft Bottom Men of the medera Boxers: And they are Sa LLWooD; and GEoRGE STEVEN- son, the Coachman. [faw the latter fight Bhouc = tow, for forty Minutes. BaovcuToN Iknew to be ill at that Time’; befides it was a hefty made Match, and'he had not ” chat Regerd' for his Preparation, as ers ae ‘he thocla eve Kad. But here vi his’ Condu& fhone. in ofe ps $2 saths at Tottenhass net Sthe Pit. After 5 3 both Fell, BaouGy Ton got fuch Rails; and Riambling for a FC64.) fiach .a Lock upon him as: no. Mathematician could have devifed a better. There he-held him by this artificial Lock, depriving him of all Power of ri- fing or felling, till refting his Head for about three or four Minutes on his Back, he found himfelf re~ covering, Then loofed the Hold, and on fetting to again, he hit the Coachman as hard a Blow as any he hed given him in the whole-Battle; that he could no ‘longer ftand, and his brave contending Heart, though with Reludtance, was forced to yield. The Cozchman is a moft beautiful Hitter; he put in his Blows fafter than BRoUGHTon, but then one of the latter’s told for three of the former's: Pity—fo much Spirit fhould not inhabit a ftronger Body. ! SMALLWooD is therough game, with Judgement equal to any, aad faperior to moft. I know no- thing SMALLWooD. wants but Weight, to ftand ageinft eny Man; and I never knew him beaten fince-his fighting Dinsmocx (which was in his In- fancy: of Boxing, ‘and when he was a perfeét Strip. ling in Yeers) but. by a Force fo fuperior, that to have refitted longer would not have been Courage but Mi adne&. IFT were to chufe a Boxer for my MoneyCo) Money, end.could but purchafe-hict Strength equal to his Refolution, Saatzwoop fhould be thé Man. James I proclaim a moft charming Boxer. He isdelicate in his Blows, and has a Wrift as delight fal to thofe who fee hin fight, as it is fickly to thofe who fight againft him. £ acknowledgé him to have the beft Spring of the Arm of all the modern Boxers; he is a compleat Mafter of the Art, and, as Ido not know he wants a Bottom, [ think ita great Pity he fhould be beat for want of Strength to ftand his Mea: I have now gone through the Chara@ers of the moft noted Boxers, and finifhed my whole Work. -As I could not praif@ all in every Article, I muft offend fome ; but. if, I do not ga to Bed till every Body is pleafed, ey 7 will eke as bad as Sir Roger’s, 1 declare t #e not had the leatt: Thought of offend? + the whole Treatife, and therefore this Be fhall be my quiet Draught. me conclude with a general Call to the true th Spirit, which, like puteft Gold, has no Al- x lay.