Feints are a subject which come up in discussions with regard to the tactics of fencing quite often, and quite frankly I am surprised I have not written an entry in this blog about them yet. So, in order to fill this particular hole in my explanations of fencing I present the following entry on the subject of the True and False Arts. I can tell you that this is only examining on element of the feint, but it is one that needs to be considered as it is vital to how feints work, or don't work.
Cheers,
Henry.
“I am constrayned to divide this
Art into two Arts of Sciences, callinge the one the True, the other, the False
art: But withall giving everie man to understand, that falsehood hath no
advauntage against true Art, but rather is most hurtfull and deadlie to him
that useth it.” (Di Grassi, 1594)
The
first question is what is this all about, True and False arts? Discussion of
Tempo? Put simply, tempo is something, which is integral and one of the founding elements of fencing, essentially to understand this
discussion the reader must understand that all actions in fencing take time. As
for the True and False Arts, this is a discussion which has raged since the
Renaissance, and will continue to rage amongst those who use the rapier, indeed
any sword. In essence the True Art is the use of the blade using direct attacks
against the opponent, and the False Art is the use of the blade using feints
and misdirection. If the two concepts are combined then it will be understood
as to what this discussion is about.
The feint can be used to quite good effect to deceive the opponent into opening
themselves up for an attack. This is using the False Art. There were
Renaissance masters who thought that the False ...
The rest of this article can be found in Un-Blogged: A Fencer's Ramblings by Henry Walker, which is available in paperback from:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Blogged-Ramblings-Henry-Leigh-Walker/dp/098764470X
Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/un-blogged-henry-leigh-walker/book/9780987644701.html
Among other places...
It is also available in electronic format (pdf) from: https://buy.stripe.com/fZecP419c7CB9VKeUV
... or direct from the author.
