Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 07.djvu/576

* FENCING. 524 FENCING. gests that some form of fence was known. The swords in use at this time were the heavy two- handed swords (Fig. 1), the bastard sword (a y weapon, which, however, might be used with one hand), and the ordinary single-handed sword. Each type was made with double edges and a point. From the middle of the sixteenth to the middle of the seventeenth century was the most prolific period in the variety of weapons intro- ed, and also the period from which fencing may properly be said to date. The most im- portant weapon of the group was the long Span- ish-Italian rapier, with its adjuncts, the poniard i Fig. 3) or the cloak (Fig. 4). It was prac- tically a development of the cross-hilted sword, and arrived at its most perfect form early in the seventeenth century, when the 'swept' possibilities of attack and defense were vastly increased, and a weapon for the left hand be- came unnecessary. The parry, and as a natural Fig. 2. two-edged sword and buckler. hilt gave place to the 'coup.' Armor was no longer worn, so that combatants fought stripped to their shirts, and, owing to the deadly nature of a rapier-thrust, were compelled to cultivate the art of fence. Italian fencing- masters were in demand, but. owing to the length FlU. 8. COMDAT WITH RAPIER AND DAGOES and general unwicldiness of the weapon, their instruction was far from tin 1 complex method it afterwards became. In avoiding an opponent's rapier, recourse would be had rather to change of posil ion with the body than to changing posit ions of the weapon itself, and parries with the dagger were equally few. The period of the rapier has been described as the most quarrelsome period in history. During the reign of Louis XIII. of Prance, the rage for dueling became mini' vim hut than ever, and the use of the rapier, and con sequent know ledge of its praci ice, grew to be wide spread, with the inevitable resull of considerably altering the style and size of the rapier. The hilt gradually took the shape of : i cup, and the blade was so hortened and lightened that the Fig. 4. combat with rapier and cloak. consequence the feint, which with the previous heavy and unwieldy weapon had been impossible, became now an absolute necessity, and combined with the lunge marked a great advance in the art of fence. The 'lunge,' or forward movement of the leading foot, was first suggested so far as is known by a celebrated Italian fencing-master of the sixteenth century, di Grassi, whose work published in 1574, and translated into English by 'J. G., Gentleman,' in 1594, was long regarded as an authority. At this time such footwork as was practiced consisted of passes, or steps for- ward, backward, or to either side; with the addi- tion of voltes and demi-foltes as needed, during which the swordsman was required to keep the knees as nearly straight as possible. The univer- sal prevalence of dueling (q.v.) during the eigh- teenth century brought about further improve- ments in the weapons, and finally evolved the slender feather-weight rapier now known as the small sword. The elementary circular, or counter- parry, proved to be of sufficient value to compel sword-makers to alter the shape of the blade, by fining down its excessively broad forte, and mak- ing it taper gradually from hilt to point ; thus, the 'walking-sword' of the closing decades of the eighteenth century became as light and supple as is the fencing-foil of the twentieth century. Among the many famous fencing men of this period may be lrjcntioned the Chevalier de Saint Georges, the half-breed son of a rich planter of Guadalupe; the French Chevalier d'Eon de Beaumont (1728-1810), so long believed to be.a woman; and Angelo, the founder id' a family for several generations conspicuous in the annals nf fencing in Great Britain. Since the days of armor, up to the eighteenth century, protec- tion for the face or other parts of the body in a fencing-bout was unknown, and all the great fencing masters of the rapier re< mended enormous buttons — in many instances, it is recorded, as large as a tennis hall — which, being affixed to the point of the weapon, afforded a measure of protection to an opponent. During the earlier part of the small sword period it hail also been the custom in the sallcs (farm's for a fencer to withhold his riposte after making a successful parry, in order that his opponent might have time to recover from his lunge, and escape any possible injury to his face. The elder I. a Boessiere i~ -aid to have been the original advocate of protection for the face, but his idea met with a very indifferent reception from the fencing fraternity, who vehemently denied the necessity of such protection on the part of them elves. When lirst introduced the mask was of solid metal, in which openings were made for the eyes, and thus left exposed Hie very parts that