Cold Steel

The Art of Fencing with the Sabre

Alfred Hutton, Ramon Martinez

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN:
  9780486449319
• eBook ISBN:
  9780486141107
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

A pioneer of modern fencing, Alfred Hutton was the first president of the Amateur Fencing Association and a father of modern research into the Western combat arts. In addition to his lectures about ancient weapons and his demonstrations of their use, Hutton created this 1889 classic, a continuing source of instruction and enlightenment to modern readers.
The techniques associated with the sabre differ markedly from those of the épeé and the rapier. This study offers both technical and historical views of the art of the sabre. It begins with a look at the weapon's construction and its grip, followed by explanations of a variety of different strokes and parries as well as methods of combining attack and defense. Additional topics include approaches suitable for left-handed fencers, ceremonial aspects of the art, and contrasts between the sabre, the bayonet, and the French sword. Descriptions of associated weapons cover the great stick and the constable's truncheon, and the book concludes with considerations of the short sword-bayonet, or dagger. Fifty-five illustrations demonstrate how to hold the sabre, how to parry and guard, seizure, and numerous other aspects of the art of fencing with a sabre.

ADVANCED LESSONS.

SIMPLE ATTACKS AND THEIR PARRIES WITH ONE RIPOSTE.

IN this lesson, when the master makes the riposte, he must cause his pupil invariably to stop it with the proper parry—but when the riposte is to be made by the pupil the master should mostly allow it to take effect in order to ensure its being made with completeness and precision.

To avoid confusion I shall designate the pair opposed to each other M. or master, and P. or pupil. I shall cause the master to commence the attack in each lesson, which must be afterwards reversed, the pupil commencing.

Lesson 1st, on Cut 1 parried first by quarte and secondly by prime (high).

M.	P.
Cut 1 at left cheek.	Parry quarte, cut 4.
Parry seconde.
Cut 1.	Parry quarte, cut 2 over the blade.
Parry high octave.
Cut 1.	Parry quarte, cut 6 under the blade.
Parry low tierce.
Cut 1.	Parry quarte, point in quarte.
Parry quarte.

Reverse the lesson, P. will commence.

Cut 1.	Parry high prime, cut 4.
Parry seconde.
Cut 1.	Parry high prime, cut 6.
Parry low tierce.
Cut 1 .	Parry high prime, cut 1.
Parry quarte.
Cut 1.	Parry high prime, cut 5.
Parry low quarte.
Cut 1.	Parry high prime, cut 3.
Parry septime.

Reverse the lesson.

Lesson 2nd, on Cut 2 defended by tierce and sixte.

M.	P.
Cut 2.	Parry tierce, cut 1 over the blade.
Parry high prime.
Cut 2.	Parry tierce, cut 4.
Parry seconde.
Cut 2.	Parry tierce, cut 6.
Parry low tierce.
Cut 2.	Parry tierce, cut 5 under the blade.
Parry low quarte.
Cut 2.	Parry tierce, point in tierce.
Parry tierce.

Reverse the lesson.

Cut 2.	Parry sixte, cut 5 under the blade.
Parry low quarte.
Cut 2.	Parry sixte, cut 1 over the blade.
Parry high prime.
Cut 2.	Parry sixte, cut 6.
Parry low tierce.

M.	P.
Cut 2.	Parry sixte, cut 4.
Parry seconde.

Reverse the lesson.

Lesson 3rd, on Cut 3 defended by low prime and by septime.

Cut 3.	Parry low prime, cut 4.
Parry seconde (by dis engaging over the enemy’s sword).
Cut 3.	Parry low prime, cut I.
Parry quarte.
Cut 3.	Parry low prime, cut 5.
Parry low quarte.
Cut 3.	Parry low prime, cut 3.
Parry septime.
Cut 3.	Parry low prime, point in quarte.
Parry quarte.

Reverse the lesson.

M.	P.
Cut 3.	Parry septime, turn the nails down and cut 4.
Parry 4 by disengaging over.
Cut 3.	Party septime, cut 2.
Parry tierce.
Cut 3.	Parry septime, point quarte.
Parry quarte.

Reverse the lesson.

Lesson 4th, on Cut 4 defended by seconde and octave.

Cut 4.	Parry seconde, cut 2.
Parry tierce.
Cut 4.	Parry seconde, cut I.
Parry high prime.
Cut 4.	Parry seconde, turn the nails up, and cut 3.
Parry septime, by disengaging over.
Cut 4.	Parry seconde, point tierce, above the sword.
Parry tierce.

Reverse the lesson.

M.	P.
Cut 4.	Parry octave, cut 3.
Parry septime, by disen gaging over.
Cut 4.	Parry octave, point quarte.
Parry tierce.

Reverse the lesson.

Lesson 5th, on Cut 5 defended by low quarte and prime.

Cut 5.	Parry low quarte, cut 2 over the blade.
Parry high octave.
Cut 5.	Parry low quarte, cut 6 under the blade.
Parry low tierce.
Cut 5.	Parry low quarte, cut 4.
Parry seconde, or octave.
Cut 5.	Parry lo...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• INTRODUCTION TO THE DOVER EDITION
• THE SABRE.
• THE ATTACK.
• THE DEFENCE.
• THE RETURN.
• ADVANCED LESSONS.
• COMBINATIONS OF RIPOSTES.
• THE ASSAULT.
• THE GAME OF THE SWORD. - (LE JEU DE L’ÉPÉE.)
• SABRE AGAINST BAYONET.
• THE SABRE OPPOSED TO THE FRENCH SWORD.
• THE GREAT STICK.
• THE CONSTABLE’S TRUNCHEON.
• THE SHORT SWORD-BAYONET, OR DAGGER.
• RULES - TO BE OBSERVED IN THE ASSAULT, OR IN A MATCH OR CONTEST FOR PRIZES.
• APPENDIX. - THE BLINDFOLD LESSONS ON DEFENCE WITH FOIL OR SWORD.
• INDEX.