The Guards of the Broadsword Masters

In the Regimental Highland Broadsword curriculum of the Cateran Society Broadsword Academy, we use the guards of Henry Angelo with a few modifications based on the guards of Thomas Mathewson. In our Old Style curriculum we use the guards of Thomas Page. All broadsword masters- whether Scottish, English or Irish- used the same set of guards, but no two masters taught these guards in exactly the same way. Here is a survey of the guards used by the historical masters.

McBane’s backsword instructions include five guards- Inside, Outside, Medium, Hanging and St George. McBane’s guards are similar to those of Thomas Page, and essentially identical to those of Andrew Lonnergan. The inside and medium guards are "narrow" (with the feet in line with each other) while the outside and hanging guards are "wide" (standing nearly square to the opponent with the right foot slightly advanced) and the St George is held while standing square to the opponent. The "narrow" guards are held with the left hand beside or behind the head, while the "wide" guards are held with the left hand near the waist.

McBane instructs the swordsman to begin by lodging the sword on his left arm and then to take an outside guard. The text then says to change to an outside guard, implying that the first guard listed should actually have been the inside guard (especially since this would be the same sequence found in the Anti-Pugilism text). McBane advises that the inside guard should be held low to keep your adversary from cutting you under the hilt. The outside guard is followed by a low medium guard, in between the inside and outside guards.

From the medium guard, McBane instructs the swordsman to take a hanging guard, and finally a St George guard. McBane uses the St George guard as a true engaging guard, and not merely a parry as the other Scottish sword masters do. Therefore McBane’s St George guard is not taken on the shift.

Of this guard, McBane says: "Apply much to this guard, it being the most securest. For though you miss his face, you have a hazard to reach his belly or thigh. If he stops you there, change quick to his outside, and you have a chance to reach him from his ear to his heel. But still apply to the same guard when he opposes you, it in my opinion being the securest guard of the back sword. For you do not only defend your face and head, but lie in a readiness to secure all other parts of your body. Whosoever follows this guard as directed may assure himself he is half learned, though he were never come to school."

Although this is unusual advice, it should be taken seriously, as McBane was the veteran of many duels and prizefights with the backsword.

McBane’s hanging guard is taken with a bent arm and with the point covering the left knee.

The Highland Officer lists five standard guards- the Inside, Outside, Medium, Hanging and St. George’s Guard.

He advises the use of the inside guard whenever you join swords with your opponent, and the outside guard whenever you are recovering from the lunge.

All of the guards except for the St George Guard are performed with the heels in-line, the right foot pointing straight forward and the left foot pointing to the left, exactly like a modern on-guard stance.

On the inside and outside guards, he advises you to "Raise the left arm as high as the forehead, forming a half circle; the hand open."

The Highland Officer’s Medium Guard is different from that used by Angelo. This medium guard is "between the inside and the outside; the thumb nail upward, so that the flat of the swords meet, both being on that guard."

It is used "when you oppose yourself in a posture of defense, before your antagonist, not knowing on what guard he means to join you. If he joins you on the outside, take care to oppose the outside; and vice versa, if he engages on the inside, oppose the inside."

Of the hanging guard, he says "Place the left hand under the sword arm; the palm flat and close to the body, in order to parry your adversary's thrust, should he attempt it on the recover." He also says of this guard "If he attempts a cut at your arm, or head, you have only to straighten the arm."

The Highland Officer says that the St George’s Guard "Is seldom used but in order to prevent being broke in upon by common cudgel players, or for show." It is also performed differently from the St George’s Guard shown by Angelo. The right foot is brought back "obliquely until it be parallel with the left, and about the same distance as when upon the former guards; the body fronting your adversary, sinking well upon both knees; the left hand placed upon the thigh to support the body firm and upright--draw the right elbow a little back, so that you just cover the left shoulder."

If attacked on this guard, you are instructed to "parry his stroke as from the hanging guard; and, in the action of parrying, pass the left foot behind the right, and swiftly deliver your thrust."

The Highland Officer also describes a sixth guard, the Spadroon Guard, which is the same as Angelo’s Half Circle Guard, except that you "bring the left hand to steady the sword arm, which is to be a little bent." The Highland Officer says that in this position you are "secure from either cut or thrust of your adversary," and you are to use this guard "when you are pressed hard, and have little room to act in," usually from the inside guard.

Mathewson’s method is the simplest of any of the Highland broadsword masters, using only four guards- Inside, Outside, Medium and Hanging. The parries from the hanging guard (which the other masters call the Half-Hangers and the St George Guard) are not named, but simply included in the hanging guard.

Mathewson’s inside guard is taken with the heels in-line (as in a modern fencing on-guard stance), and with the left hand held behind the head as it is in modern fencing. Mathewson says this guard "is the most used by fencers when meeting or advancing on each other, to begin the combat, and is much the handsomest attitude of a fencer."

His outside guard is taken with the heel off-line three inches, and the left hand on the hip.

His medium guard is not truly a guard at all, but a thrust in carte (fourth hand position) on a lunge, with the left arm thrown back as a counter-balance, exactly as it is done in modern fencing.

His hanging guard is taken with the heel three inches off the line, and the left hand on the hip. Mathewson says, "This guard is the best against a strong or unexperienced adversary, or for blows for the head, even by good fencers, you are likewise ready for parrying a thrust, as well as guarding a blow, and in a position for guarding or returning either cut or thrust."

Mathewson teaches the guards through the means of three exercises- "Of the Four Guards, Left Foot Standing," "Of the Four Guards, Traversing to the Left and Right," and "Of the Four Guards, Advancing and Retreating."

In the Four Guards, Left Foot Standing Exercise, the scholar begins on slope swords, then takes an inside guard, then an outside guard, then lunges to form a medium guard, then recovers to a hanging guard, finishing on an inside guard.