The Meaning of Quarter

The term quarter (verb) appears in pretty much all the LongEdge Fencing core texts but it's meaning is not immediately clear. This page is an investigation into the exact definition of the term.

Because Cavalcabo and Paternoster were published in the same volume, it is assumed that these texts are considered a single, coherent text. Other texts, such as Dancie, Besnard, and de Heredia are considered distinct texts. This does not mean that the differences between Cavalcabo and Paternoster are ignored. These may be explored and opportunities for reconciling the texts found.

We also assume that there is a difference between the action of quarte and the stance or guard of quarte. The link between them is the fingernail up positioning of the sword hand.

“Against one who beats with the hand, you will present the sword to be beaten and when he beats with the hand, you will caver promptly turning (voltant) a quarte into the left shoulder, always passing forward.”

— Cavalcabo, “Against Those Who Quarte (Contre ceux qui quartent) [my translation]

”Quarte is made firstly advancing the hand in a straight line and then turning it to the inside close to arriving [at the opponent], advancing strongly the right foot, turning [eschiffant?] the right shoulder forward and the left backwards, passing the left foot backwards in order to better slip aside [esquiver - avoid, slip aside, shift away], carrying the well extended arm in the manner that your hand is as high as your shoulder, reaching the right shoulder to the opponent. Several other observations are omitted until another time.“

“The quarte of the left foot is made like the right foot, with the same conduct of the sword and turn of the body, and only differs in that the pass for the left foot which is made forward instead of that of the right foot which is made backwards. Now, the opportunity to make these quartes is when the opponent is found uncovered on the inside.”

— Paternoster, “Very Beautiful Discourse for Fencing With the Sword Alone” [my translation]

“Quarter - is to turn the palm of the hand towards the sky.”

— Dancie, “The Sword of Combat” [Runacres' translation]

”… and the last, making a half-turn to the left, turning in an instant on the right heel, followed by two steps withdrawing and closing on his opponent … which is called to volte or to quarte (quarter).“

— Besnard, Independent Master of Arms [my translation]

”… in the same instant, turn and quarter the body by turning on the right heel a half-turn to the left, making two steps backwards…“

— Besnard, Independent Master of Arms [my translation]

Dancie seems the odd man out. His definition doesn't fit with the others. This makes sense because Dancie is much closely to the Italian tradition like Capo Ferro, etc. He is also quite far from Paris in the Limousin during a particularly turbulent period for the Crown. Events conspire against Dancie having much influence on fencing at Court.

Cavalcabo is too sparse on definition to be useful.

Paternoster and Besnard, separated by approximately 60 years, support similar definitions. Both define the quarte as strike with the sword hand turned fingernails up including turning the line of the shoulders towards the inside line and stepping to the rear. Besnard goes as far as to say that the quarte is a synonym to the volte.

The actions described recall the girata and inquartata of the Italian rapier tradition, and these actions appear in both right and left foot forms.

So, questions:

• What other authors talk about the quarte and volte in this way?
• Do the girata and inquartata help make sense of Paternoster's right and left foot quarte actions?

The entry for inquartare in Florio's 1611 Italian/English diction defines two related verb:

Inquartare : To quarter in armoury
Inquartrare : To enter into foure

This is not quite the action we're looking for but the idea of “quartering” may still be thematically similar. The 1598 edition of the dictionary offers this definition which is closer to our purpose but described very differently.

Inquadrata : a thrust at fence where he that offers it turnes presently his backe to his enimie

As for the more usual turn of girata, the 1598 edition offers this definition. The 1611 edition is almost identical.

Girata : a turning about, a crankling in and out. Also, a reach along a river side, a twirling of any thing.