on this Head, with the Joining
without, that I shall say no more of it.

The Joining in Passes within, without, and under, is the same as in
their Lunges.

In whatever Manner you join you must present the Sword at a Distance, in
order to hinder the Enemy from seizing it, or putting it off with his
Left Hand to throw himself in upon you: If the Enemy shou'd make a
Difficulty of yeilding up his Sword, you must, in order to frustrate his
Hopes of closing you, and to make him follow you, draw back the
Left-foot behind the Right, and the Right behind the Left, at such a
Distance as to be strong, at the same time moving the Point of your
Sword circularly; by this Means, you are in a Condition either of giving
or taking his Life, which you would not be if he could close you, by
which you would be oblig'd to kill him, or render the Advantage doubtful
by struggling.

CHAP. XIX.

_Of engaging in_ Quarte _in a midling Guard._

I Have hitherto treated of the Means whereby to make Thrusts, and in
this and the following Chapters, I will shew on what Occasion they are
to be made use of. Tho' there is an infinite Number of Figures or
Postures, and that every Posture may be in Guard, whether within, or
without, _Prime_, _Seconde_, _Tierce_, or _Quarte_, they proceed from
the Midling Guard, the Strait, the High, or the Low Guard, each of which
may be attacked and defended within or without.

Though there are many Means to disorder the Enemy by putting him out of
Guard in order to hit him on that Occasion, they all depend either upon
a Feint by the Side of his Sword to draw him on, or on a Motion of your
Sword on his, to uncover him, taking his Sword from the Line of your
Body, and placing yours on a Line with his, which is called engaging.
And there are several other Ways of coming to the Sword, which are the
Beats, Crossings, Bindings, and Lashings; the Occasions of which, and
the Manners of using them, I shall shew in their proper Places. I begin
with engaging in the midling Guard, as the neatest, the most used, and
the best.

To engage this Guard within, it must be done with the Edge on the same
Side, without going wide, in order to keep your Fort before you, and
your Point before the Enemy, carrying both Parts alike; the Engagement
must be made Feeble to Feeble, a little more to your Enemy's than your
own, because if it were with the Feeble to the Fort, the Enemy's Sword
would not be displaced, besides if he should p