_Of passing_ Quarte _within the Sword._
A Pass is contrary to a Volt as well in Figure as in it's Occasion, the
left Leg in the Figure passing foremost, and in a Volt behind, to help
the Body to turn, and in it's occasion, the Pass being to be made as in
a Lunge, taking the Time, or his Time, whereas the Volt cannot be made
without a great deal of Time; yet the Pass is different from a Lunge,
the one being made with the foremost Foot, and the Pass with the
hindmost, which gives the Thrust a greater Length, more Strength and
Swiftness, and a greater Facility of taking the Feeble with your Fort,
the Body goes further, because the Center from which it departs in a
Lunge is in the left Foot, and in a Pass in the right Foot which is more
advanced, and also because in passing you advance the Left Foot more
than you do the Right in Lunging, and the Parts being higher on a Pass
than in a Lunge there is a greater Facility of taking the Feeble with
your Fort.
[Illustration: 9th Plate. A Pass in Quart.]
[Illustration: The Lowering the Body on the Pass.]
In a Pass in _Quarte_, the Hands and Arms must be displayed as in a
Lunge, not only in their Figure, but in the same Order, that is to say,
the Hand must move first to bring on the Shoulder and the Body; which
should lean more forward than in Lunging, at the Time that carrying the
left Foot about two Foot and an half, you find your Pass at it's full
Extention. As your Body is too much abandoned forward to recover itself
easily, you must rush on your Enemy, seize the Guard of his Sword, and
present him your Point, which is done by advancing the right Foot to
such a Distance as to be out of the reach of his Leg whilst you advance,
which otherwise might give him an Opportunity, by Tripping to throw you
down. As you advance the right Foot you must seize the Guard of his
Sword, at the same time drawing back your Sword, keeping it high. Then
you must carry your right Foot behind the Left to almost the Distance of
a Lunge, in Order to be strong, as well to avoid his pulling you
forward, as to draw him to you.
If the Enemy parrys the Pass with his Fort, you must only join,
commanding his Sword with your Fort, 'till you have seized his Guard
with the left Hand, which must be done at the Time that you advance the
right Foot, carrying your Sword from the Inside to the Out, then you
must bring the left Foot to the side of the right, and bring back the
right presenting the Sword to the Enemy.
If he parrys with his Feeble, you must, without stopping, either cut
over his Point from within to without, or turn the Wrist in _Seconde_,
lowering your Body, and bringing up the right Foot seize his Guard, then
carrying your Sword from within to without, you advance the left Foot to
the side of the right, and drawing back the right present your Sword.
The easiest means to avoid and hit a Man who passes in _Quart_ within
are to parry dry and Rispost swiftly in the Flank, and if the Pass is
made straight along the Blade with the Fort to your Feeble, you must by
lowering your Feeble, turn your Wrist in _Quarte_ carrying the Point
perpendicularly down, supporting the Wrist, without, and bringing your
Sword round by the Outside of the Adversary's Shoulder, you find your
Sword above his, with your Point to his Body. You may also upon the same
Pass lower the Body and push _Seconde_.
[Illustration: 10th Plate. The Turning the Body on a Pass in Tierce.]
[Illustration: Pass in Seconde Volting the Body.]
_To Pass in_ Tierce.
In passing _Tierce_, as in a Lunge, the Wrist must draw the Shoulder and
Body forward, bringing, as in a Pass in _Quarte_, the Left-foot about
two Feet and an Half before the Right, then advancing the Right foremost
and out of the Reach of the Enemy's; you must seize the Guard of his
Sword, and again advancing the Left-foot near the Right, you draw back
the Right and present the Point.
The Counters or Opposites to this Pass, are the strait Rispost, or the
Rispost under, the taking Time, cutting _Seconde_ under, disengaging, or
counter disengaging and volting, but the surest is to loosen the
Right-foot turning the Body half round to the right, opposing with the
Sword and presenting the Point to the Enemy, which hindering him from
hurting you, throws him on your Point if he abandons himself, and at the
same time you seize the Guard of his Sword. _See the 10th_ Plate.
_To Pass in_ Seconde.
In passing _Seconde_, there must, as in a Lunge, be a preparatory
Motion, which is made by a Feint, or by an Engagement on the Blade to
oblige the Enemy to parry high, in order to take that Time to pass
under, which is done by advancing the Left-foot very much, with the Body
lower and more forward than in other Passes, and advancing the
Right-foot, you seize the Enemy's Sword, bringing yours from under over,
and advancing the Left-foot to the Side of the Right, you draw back the
Right presenting the Point. You must take notice, that in a Pass in
_Quarte_ with it's Joining, there are but three Steps, and that in the
Passes in _Tierce_ and _Seconde_ there are four. The first, passing the
Left-foot before the Right; the second, advancing the Right to seize the
Sword; the third, bringing up the Left-foot a little, and the fourth,
bringing back the Right, presenting the Point.
In order to avoid, and to hit the Enemy on his Pass, besides parrying
and pushing strait, as in the Thrust lunged in _Seconde_, in the 6th
Plate, you may also make a strait Thrust, opposing with the Left-hand,
or by volting, as is shewn in the Cut of the 10th Plate.
Tho' a Pass carries along with it, as I have observed, a greater
Extension and Swiftness than a Lunge, yet as you cannot recover from it,
it should be seldom practised, especially if you are not the strongest,
or able in three attacks to hit twice, there being nothing more
disagreeable to the Sight than to see several Passes made without
hitting. But it is otherwise in Lunges, by reason of the Liberty of
recovering and parrying.
Passes were more used formerly than they are now, whether it was to
endeavour to bring them to Perfection, or because it has been found that
this Sort of Play was not so sure.