One of the trends that contributes significantly to our understanding of classical fencing is the increasing number of reprints and translations of period fencing texts. One of these is the 1920 text Fencing Foil Class Work Illustrated by Maitre Ricardo Enrique Manrique. On first look, this is a thin and apparently rather basic coverage of fencing with the foil, along with an explanation of drill formations. However, hiding in the book is a gem in the description of the croise (often translated as the "cross").
In background, a quick survey of several texts reveals that the croise is variously described. It does not appear in Slee's translation of the 1877 Manuel d'Escrime of the French Army. In 1892 Rondelle describes it as a movement with the fencers blade over the opponent's, driving the blade down vigorously without maintaining contact. The Amateur Fencers League of America translation of the 1908 French Army manual describes it as a vertical prise de fer from high to low line on the same side. The description is tied to the description of the liement, which is described as going from high to low line or vice versa, leaving the possibility open that the authors might have intended that the croise could also be done low to high line. By 1948 Deladrier identifies the croise as an action from high to low line, without specifying the starting lines. And in 1967 Crosnier describes the croise in 4th as an example with the blade pivoting over the opponent's, not ruling out that a croise could be done in 6th, but clearly stating that it is not done from low to high line.
So what does Manrique contribute to the discussion in 1920? He describes a "brusque" movement taking the foible of the opponent's blade with your forte and moving it "from a high line to a low line or vice versa …" (page 36). This is the first confirmation of a low line to high line croise that I have seen. Manrique provides the specific combinations:
- From fourth to second
- From sixth to seventh
- From second to fourth
- From seventh to sixth
Note that in these descriptions the croise in fourth is executed by pivoting over the opponent's blade and directing the fencer's blade downward to land in the opponent's second. In each case the blade pivots over (in starting in high line) or under (from low line) to hit with the point on the same side of the blade.
The croise from high to low line is quite effective as a riposte. From low to high line it seems to be in the same class as low to high line binds - actions that require very good timing and just the right distance. Done in riposte, the croise might well work against the opponent who has attacked in low line and is starting a recovery.
Maitre Manrique other descriptions of actions appear to be quite within the normal range of French technique in the period. Manrique's biography suggests that he may have received his training and Master's credential from the Cercle d'Esgrime de l'Havanne in 1888, followed by teaching in a number of fencing clubs in Havana in the period 1889-1899, and serving as the fencing editor for Havana newspapers. He emigrated to the United States in 1899 and taught at a wide variety of fencing clubs and schools in New York and New Jersey, as well as serving as an instructor for the 71st Regiment, New York National Guard.
Copyright 2019 by Walter G. Green III.
Manrique and the Croise by Walter G. Green III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
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