The feints were very few in number, because with the dagger, only the simplest form of parry could be used; first was "under and over":

Line B gives alternative of "over and under"
Line A a mandritto at the head, and C a riverso at the leg.
The successful swordman has also taken command of his victim's sword with dagger in tierce.
The other feint was "over and disengage", striking in the middle, between the weapons:

Line A shows the feint. Line B shows an alternate thrust at the breast.
The parries with the dagger were Tierce for the high outside:

The swordsman on the left executes the tierce with a successful simultaneous riposte with the rapier.
Line A gives an alternative riverso at the head, B a low thrust, and C a mandritto at the leg [if it were aimed at the thigh, it would be the infamous coup de Jarnac].
Seconde for the low outside:

The skewered gentleman on the right has unsuccessfully attempted a seconde.
Low Quarte for the low inside:

The swordsman on the right has executed a low quarte with a simultaneous riposte in prime.
Line A gives an alternate higher thrust and B a riverso at the outside of the arm.
High Quarte for the high inside:

The swordsman on the right has executed a high quarte and a simultaneous stocatta riposte.
Line A gives an alternate thrust at the face and B a mandritto at the leg.
In a "corps a corps" it is sometimes useful to suddenly drop the rapier, and with the right hand to seize the left hand of the opponent, striking him instantly with the dagger.
[All parries are to be executed with the dagger.]
M. P.
Thrust over the dagger. Parry Tierce, thrust stocatta.
Seconde.
Reverse the practice.
Thrust between the weapons. Low Quarte, thrust imbrocatta.
Tierce.
Reverse the practice.
Stocatta. Parry Seconde, stocatta
Seconde. Pass, and give the dagger
Reverse the practice.
Imbrocatta Parry High Quarte, stocatta
Seconde Pass, and give the dagger
Reverse the practice.
[Hutton over-emphasizes the offensive use of the dagger, at least when compared to period rapier manuals. He gives very little in the way of combinations for these weapons, perhaps presuming too much similarity between them and his own era's styles.]
Return to the index.