Shotley Bridge swordmakers

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

As an interlude I have a description of a Small Sword duel from http://www.hadesign.co.uk/SSA/html/thegraphic.htm ~


Duel with Small Swords
- The Graphic - February 1897

Quote"TOWARDS the end of the seventeenth century, a very significant and important change of sword play came into fashion, and consequent on this the long weighty rapier gave way to the dress small sword with its lighter blade, grip and guard.

The Fronde in France and the Civil War in England had been conducive to much ruffianly bravery, but with a more quiescent state of affairs came a less pugnacious, though at the same time a more effeminate influence over the two nations, and the sword began to be in requisition merely as an ornamental appendage to the dress, though it was not till the reign of Queen Anne that it became what is called the " Small Sword," developing eventually into the perfect Court and duelling sword of the period of George II. and III. , and later still of the School of Angelo, upon which the modern French school of fencing is founded. But though small and unimportant looking, there was still the necessity for making it a deadly weapon on an emergency; hence the evolution of an entirely different system of fence. Owing to the comparative lightness of the new weapon and the much shorter blade, the attack became more rapid, the feint more intricate, and the lunge itself more involved. With the earlier forms of about 1650, it was not possible to execute the same rapid succession of parries and ripostes as are attainable with the modern duelling rapier, which is practically the same as the small sword of the latter part of the eighteenth century. The shape of the blade varied, but the bayonet or triangular form was universal. A shape known as "Colichemarde" obtained great favour from 1730 to 1760 ;Here the forte of the blade was made much broader with the idea that the parry would have greater force. It had, however, the defect of throwing the weight too near the hand, allowing the point to be dangerously high and the lunge in consequence less direct. A notable feature in all swords of this period is the very small size of the shell or protection to the hand, proving how much the science arid finesse of the parry had increased, keeping pace with the lightness and delicacy of the weapon. The introduction of a larger shell in the modern French duelling rapier is due to the fact that now so much play is made to touch the hand or forearm, thereby disabling the opponent and bringing the duel to a close without fatal results. In the days of the small sword the adversary was invariably run through the body, and if death ensued the successful duellist was tried for murder, being acquitted or not according to the circumstances of the case. The pistol duel at the end of the seventeenth century was in France confined to horseback, and in the event of no satisfaction being given by either side the opponents dismounted and continued the contest on foot with their small swords.

The duel given in the illustration took place by the sea. Calais sands were in those days a favourite place for such encounters. In this instance a lunge is made by one of the combatants and successfully avoided by the other, who, suddenly dropping upon one hand in what is called a coup d'aret and straightening his sword-arm, in low seconde, causes the blade of his antagonist to pass harmlessly over him, while his own weapon pierces his adversary's body, the latter in reality killing himself by the impetus of his false lunge. This feint, together with disarming and many other tricks of similar character, were much resorted to in those days when life was often in immediate danger, though in the modern school of fence they are not taught or considered desirable. It would be very interesting to see now if a swordsman of today, in spite of more elaborate science, could hold his own with the subtle cunning and rapid attacks of the duellists of the last century.

A very interesting small-sword duel took place on January 26, I765, between Lord Byron and a Mr. Chaworth. These gentlemen were dining with others at the Star and Garter Tavern in Pall Mall about seven in the evening, when the conversation turned upon the subject of the best manner of preserving game on private estates. Lord Byron's opinion was that the best method was to take no care of it. This drew on an altercation, and after some high words Lord. Byron offered a bet of 100L. that he had more game on a manor of his than Mr. Chaworth had on any belonging to him. Shortly after this altercation Lord Byron left the room, and meeting Mr. Chaworth in the passage stated that he wished to speak with him. He then called a waiter, and asked if there were any room disengaged. The waiter showed them to an unoccupied room and left them with a candle, which was all the light in the apartment except a dull fire. As Mr. Chaworth turned round after shutting the door, he perceived Lord Byron with his sword half drawn, who instantly exclaimed " Draw." Mr. Chaworth immediately complied, and at the first thrust his sword passed through Lord Byron's waistcoat, and he thought he had wounded him, when Lord Byron, shortening his sword, gave him a fatal wound. A struggle then took place between the parties, for they were found grasped in each others arms by the landlord and waiter, who, hearing the noise, hurriedly entered the room, Mr. Chaworth holding his sword in his left hand and Lord Byron having his in his right. A surgeon was immediately sent for, who pronounced the wound mortal, the sword having entered on the left side of the stomach, and, passing obliquely upwards, had made its exit five or six inches higher on the left side of the back. It appears that when Mr. Chaworth's sword passed through the waistcoat of his antagonist, he expressed his apprehension that he had seriously wounded him. Now under such an apprehension it is probable that he was thrown off his guard, when Lord Byron quickly shortened his sword and ran it through his body. Writhing under the agonies of his wound, Mr. Chaworth several times declared that, although he well knew that he was in immediate danger of death, he had rather be in his present situation than live under the misfortune of having killed another person. He also observed that when, after closing the door, he turned round, he, perceived that Lord Byron's sword was half-drawn, and, knowing his man, he drew his own as quickly as he could, and had the first pass at him. The House of Lords found William, Lord Byron, "not guilty of the felony of murder, but of manslaughter," and his lordship, claiming the benefit of the statute of Edward VI., was discharged, paying his fees. The guards, grip, and shells of many of these dress swords were often much ornamented, being richly chased and damascened in inlaid gold and silver, very frequently entirely of silver, as in No.1, which bears the Paris Hall mark of 1745, and sometimes of polished steel as No.2, in which the shell and guard is ornamented with Wedgewood plaques. A shell in No.4 shows the evolution from the cup rapier to the shell of the small sword, the long quillons still remaining, although growing obsolete. The date of this latter is about the end of seventeenth century."Unquote.