Tho’ it be almost impossible for the Enemy to disengage, when you have bound his Sword as I have described, it may happen that if some of the Circumstances were wanting, he might disengage and push, which ought not to hinder you from making your Thrust; because your Sword may very well hit him, passing under his, which cannot hurt you, because of the Lowness of your Body.

The Binding is easy to be parryed, by reason of the natural Tendency to follow the Sword, which is done by raising and bringing your Fort nearer.  These following have commonly more Success.

The first is made after having bound the Sword, instead of pushing Seconde within, you must, upon the Parade, disengage and push Tierce over:  If the Adversary is quick enough in his Parade to shun this double Motion, you must have recourse to the third, binding the Sword in the like Manner, and feinting above, return below.

Tho’ the Sword is seldom bound on the Outside, upon some Occasions and to some People it would not be amiss; it must be done with your Feeble to the Enemy’s, with the Precautions necessary in binding within, by a little Circle without, the Hand in Quarte, and if he does not stir, or if he disengages, you must push without, the Hand in Quarte.  These following are according to the Parade with the Fort or with the Feeble, pushing Seconde under, or Quarte within.

As in all Thrusts the Hand must be easy and uniform, it must be more so in this than in the others, because the Binding cannot be made without a very close and smooth Motion.

Though several Masters teach to disengage in order to bind the Sword, I would not have it done so for two Reasons:  First, because the disengaging gives Time to the Opponent, not only to thrust strait, but also to disengage; and Secondly, because you cannot so easily bind the Sword as when you are on the same Side.

In binding the Blade, you must close the Measure; because a Man who is superior to you, in Height, by the Length of his Sword, or by his Situation, won’t let his Inferior into Measure; in one or the other Case, being at a proper Distance, you bind more easily on the Feeble.

[Illustration:  12th Plate.  Attack in the high Guard.]

[Illustration:  Attack in the low Guard.]

To attack the high Guard.

In this Guard, you must place yourself under, with the Hand in Seconde, covering the upper Part, in order to oblige the Enemy to go under; which being the most distant Place from his Sword, procures you more Time to avoid him.  He may, on this Occasion, do three things:  Let you engage him, go under, or force your Sword.

If he lets you engage him, ’tis either with a Design to parry, or to take the Time; wherefore, before you push, you must make a Half-thrust under:  If he parrys, it will be in one of the three Ways that I have shewn in the Parade of Seconde, Chap. 8, where you may see all their Counters.