CHAP. XV.
Of the Reprise, or redoubled Thrust.
The Term Reprise signifies a succession of Thrusts without Interval, or with very little. It may be done in three Manners; First after having pushed without recovering, Secondly, in recovering or being recovered; and Thirdly, when the Enemy steals Measure.
The first and last of these three Reprises may be called Redoubles.
The first Reprise is made after having pushed Quart, the Enemy having parryed with his Feeble, you must return in Seconde, advancing the left Foot a little to make the Action easier to the right Foot, and tho' it be not necessary to advance it unless the Enemy retires, it serves for an Ornament, and to give more Vigour to the Thrust: But if as soon as the Enemy has parryed he Risposts, you must only redouble with the Hand, the Body low without stirring the Feet, and join. If he Risposts under the Wrist in the Flank, you must either parry crossing his Sword as you recover, opposing
with the left Hand, or return, as I said, with the Hand in Seconde.
Upon the Rispost of the Enemy, you may also redouble, volting strait, or cutting in the Flank according as he raises his Hand more or less in his Rispost, in order to facilitate your Volt; you must immediately after your Lunge follow a little with the left Foot.
The second Reprise is made, after having pushed Quarte, when in recovering to Guard the Enemy advances, without being covered, or that suffering the Superiority of your Sword, he gives you room to thrust in Quarte, if he disengages, you must go off in Tierce, if he forces your Sword with his Feeble, you must disengage to Tierce, and if with his Fort cut Quarte under the Wrist.
In order to get time for this Redouble, you must make a half Thrust, immediately getting out of Measure, either with the Body Simply, or by the first Demarche backwards, or by leaping a little back; if the Enemy advances it will be either strait or making a Feint, or on your Sword; to the two first you must push strait Quarte, or Seconde, lowering the Body or volting, and
if he comes on your Sword you must disengage and push over in Tierce.
The third Reprise is made when the Enemy upon your pushing Quarte breaks Measure without or with parrying; to the one you must redouble in Quarte, with your Fort to his Feeble, which is done after a strait Thrust, Feint, Engagement, or Rispost; and if the Enemy parrys, you must likewise redouble forwards by a Disengagement, or a Cut under or over according to his Parade, or as Opportunity offers. To redouble forward, or make several Reprises following with ease, you must as often as you thrust follow with the left Foot.
The Reprises on the Outside.
If you push in Tierce and your Adversary parrys with the Fort, you must redouble in Seconde, and if he parrys with the Feeble disengage to Quarte, advancing a little the left Foot that the Right may have the Liberty of a second Motion.
If the Enemy after parrying Tierce shou'd Rispost strait or under, to the first you may disengage and volt, and to the other volt strait, advancing the left Foot a little in Lunging, in order to have the Liberty of
Volting, because you cannot easily do it when you are extended: It is more easy to take the Time opposing with the left Hand; and 'tis best of all to parry and thrust strait in Quarte; if after having pushed Tierce, on your Recovery to Guard, you find you have the Command of the Enemy's Sword, or that he advances uncovered, you, must in these Cases push strait in Tierce if he disengage you must take the time and push Quarte, if he comes to your Sword with his Fort, you must cut under in Seconde, if with his Feeble, disengage in Quarte, it is also good after having pushed Tierce to recover with your Sword high, giving Light under, and if the Enemy pushes there, you must take the Time opposing with the left Hand, or Parry and Rispost.
It is good likewise for a Decoy to make a half Thrust and recover with the Sword quite distant from you Body, and if the Enemy comes to your Sword, you must disengage and thrust at his Open, and if he makes at your Body, you must volt or oppose with the Hand and thrust where you have Light.
The Reprises or Redoubles in advancing are made in Tierce by the same Rules as those within are. That is to say, either strait, or by disengaging or cutting over or under,
according as the Enemy either lets you make your Thrust, or goes to his Parade.
All these Redoubles may be made on a Rispost as well as on other Lunges.