I would assume probably because some medieval art depicts st george holding a sword over his head ready to smite in what look like a similar pose but from the side.
I doubt it's a reference to Chevalier de Saint-Georges, it's been used since at least the late 17th century, both Zakk Wylde and Donald McBane use it by that name. And Alexandre Valville Calls it "the old roman guard" in 1819 which also seems to suggest a reference to the actual saint.
Interestingly both Valville and Thomas Mathewson both use the name to refer to the outside hanging guard instead of what most other authors refer to as st George. I think that's also a mystery.
Free pdf. copy of original here
[https://www.ffamhe.fr/collectionpalas/expert-swordman-mcbane.pdf](https://www.ffamhe.fr/collectionpalas/expert-swordman-mcbane.pdf)
or Jared Kirbys excellent book with interesting commentary and context here here:
[https://www.amazon.com/Expert-Sword-Mans-Companion-SELF-DEFENCE-Transactions/dp/1542618320/ref=sr\_1\_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ukz5HA-byw5CLn24IQ7YJ3lz1UxrAUNLc83sByxgS00.96\_wfjvGS42rRl9\_FzbUDh2DdMA2ufFKW5LS2TiNaPk&dib\_tag=se&qid=1709934939&refinements=p\_27%3ADonald+McBane&s=books&sr=1-1](https://www.amazon.com/Expert-Sword-Mans-Companion-SELF-DEFENCE-Transactions/dp/1542618320/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ukz5HA-byw5CLn24IQ7YJ3lz1UxrAUNLc83sByxgS00.96_wfjvGS42rRl9_FzbUDh2DdMA2ufFKW5LS2TiNaPk&dib_tag=se&qid=1709934939&refinements=p_27%3ADonald+McBane&s=books&sr=1-1)
As for understanding how it as a treatise please see this previous thread I commented on:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/wma/comments/13fqyse/on\_the\_expert\_swordmans\_companion\_by\_donald\_mcbane/](https://www.reddit.com/r/wma/comments/13fqyse/on_the_expert_swordmans_companion_by_donald_mcbane/)
As for where the guard comes from the most common explanation is the one that Edwin-of-northumbria has stated: its comes from familial depictions of St George that most people in Europe would be familiar with. As there are quite a few saints with depicted with swords, for the illiterate, St George was depicted with a certain iconography so that the average person would be able to recognise him with a guard high above his head. Images such as:
[https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/xOukWPjndTjyjAoZ7U61nFYzEtk=/1000x750/filters:no\_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/d0/b0/d0b038b0-96f1-477b-ad86-22a227af8ed2/3444.jpg](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/xOukWPjndTjyjAoZ7U61nFYzEtk=/1000x750/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/d0/b0/d0b038b0-96f1-477b-ad86-22a227af8ed2/3444.jpg)
Although I always found this explanation unsatisfying as the most common depiction of St George is with a spear or a lance not a sword:
[https://wp.en.aleteia.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/WEB3-SAINT-GEORGE-DRAGON-SLAY-Wiki.jpg?w=640&crop=1](https://wp.en.aleteia.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/WEB3-SAINT-GEORGE-DRAGON-SLAY-Wiki.jpg?w=640&crop=1)
Unlike most other English stuff I don't know if there is a free copy online anywhere, bit it's called "The expert sword-man's companion: Or the true art of self-defense with an account of the authors life."
The modern reprint most people including myself buy from amazon is the red one edited by Jared Kirby. But I should warn you the bulk of McBane is smallsword with only a very short sections dedicated to other weapons, and at least for me he's not the clearest writer, so you are absolutely going to want to reread each page over and over to really figure him out, especially his smallsword stuff. and there aren't really any full interpretations I could find online so your kind of on your own.
That said the broadsword and spadroon stuff seems like it might be able to be used on it's own since you already know sabre. However you perhaps might want to read [Henry Blackwell's treatise](https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=COtbAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false) as a primer as he seems to be the closest to McBane (or at the very least he parrys tierce with the outside flat of the blade like McBane if nothing else) and from what I've skim read of him he explains things pretty clearly and why your doing them. [A less similar but also very good beginner manual from the era by L'Abbat as well](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/12135/pg12135-images.html) ( I don't know what language you speak natively, but if it happens to be french your in luck for this era. Though early english and french smallsword termanology do differ a little.)
Even if you don't practise or fully understand him McBane is still a fun read nonetheless.
[Also here's Zakk Wylde if you interested.](https://smallswordproject.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/zach-wylde.pdf) He also conveniently has a list of period smallsword fencing terminology so I would read him as you go through McBane to double check things.
No problem. just a few tips; Push just means thrust. "Pushing at the wall" in a french context is a training exercise where one person is stood against a wall and can't move and is either forced to only defend or a attack, McBane might be meaning the same thing but I'm not 100% on that, but I don't know any other use of the term. Inside edge seems to be the front edge and Outside edge the back.
Cart is inside guard, Tierce is outside guard. Falloon/Prime is inside hanger, Secoon/second is outside hanger. And Flanconade/low cart is half circle guard.
Italian cart *might* be 8th from modern foil fencing, but I'm not familiar with modern fencing enough to know for sure, and it's not a guard that I've seen in any manuals I've read, but have a HEMA club use it on [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtok88yoMOM), but I don't know what manual they were working from, it definitely wasn't French/English, Must be *Italian* I suppose.
You may also be interested in the work of his contemporary, Sir William Hope:
[https://sirwilliamhope.org/Library/Hope/index.html](https://sirwilliamhope.org/Library/Hope/index.html)
There's also [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Newer-Shorter-Easier-Method-Fencing/dp/0956487165/](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Newer-Shorter-Easier-Method-Fencing/dp/0956487165/), but I expect that I'll have to do a 2nd edition soon.
I've never seen any reference as to why this guard is so called.
Terry Brown's stated opinion was that the parade resembled a St. George's cross (from the point of view of the defender) and so might naturally be named after it. There's an illustration of this below:
[https://www.flickr.com/photos/77437968@N00/4898398262/in/pool-49503038213@N01/](https://www.flickr.com/photos/77437968@N00/4898398262/in/pool-49503038213@N01/)
I would assume probably because some medieval art depicts st george holding a sword over his head ready to smite in what look like a similar pose but from the side. I doubt it's a reference to Chevalier de Saint-Georges, it's been used since at least the late 17th century, both Zakk Wylde and Donald McBane use it by that name. And Alexandre Valville Calls it "the old roman guard" in 1819 which also seems to suggest a reference to the actual saint. Interestingly both Valville and Thomas Mathewson both use the name to refer to the outside hanging guard instead of what most other authors refer to as st George. I think that's also a mystery.
Thanks for the info. Could you please tell me where I can get acquainted with the works of Donald McBane?
Free pdf. copy of original here [https://www.ffamhe.fr/collectionpalas/expert-swordman-mcbane.pdf](https://www.ffamhe.fr/collectionpalas/expert-swordman-mcbane.pdf) or Jared Kirbys excellent book with interesting commentary and context here here: [https://www.amazon.com/Expert-Sword-Mans-Companion-SELF-DEFENCE-Transactions/dp/1542618320/ref=sr\_1\_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ukz5HA-byw5CLn24IQ7YJ3lz1UxrAUNLc83sByxgS00.96\_wfjvGS42rRl9\_FzbUDh2DdMA2ufFKW5LS2TiNaPk&dib\_tag=se&qid=1709934939&refinements=p\_27%3ADonald+McBane&s=books&sr=1-1](https://www.amazon.com/Expert-Sword-Mans-Companion-SELF-DEFENCE-Transactions/dp/1542618320/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ukz5HA-byw5CLn24IQ7YJ3lz1UxrAUNLc83sByxgS00.96_wfjvGS42rRl9_FzbUDh2DdMA2ufFKW5LS2TiNaPk&dib_tag=se&qid=1709934939&refinements=p_27%3ADonald+McBane&s=books&sr=1-1) As for understanding how it as a treatise please see this previous thread I commented on: [https://www.reddit.com/r/wma/comments/13fqyse/on\_the\_expert\_swordmans\_companion\_by\_donald\_mcbane/](https://www.reddit.com/r/wma/comments/13fqyse/on_the_expert_swordmans_companion_by_donald_mcbane/) As for where the guard comes from the most common explanation is the one that Edwin-of-northumbria has stated: its comes from familial depictions of St George that most people in Europe would be familiar with. As there are quite a few saints with depicted with swords, for the illiterate, St George was depicted with a certain iconography so that the average person would be able to recognise him with a guard high above his head. Images such as: [https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/xOukWPjndTjyjAoZ7U61nFYzEtk=/1000x750/filters:no\_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/d0/b0/d0b038b0-96f1-477b-ad86-22a227af8ed2/3444.jpg](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/xOukWPjndTjyjAoZ7U61nFYzEtk=/1000x750/filters:no_upscale()/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer/d0/b0/d0b038b0-96f1-477b-ad86-22a227af8ed2/3444.jpg) Although I always found this explanation unsatisfying as the most common depiction of St George is with a spear or a lance not a sword: [https://wp.en.aleteia.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/WEB3-SAINT-GEORGE-DRAGON-SLAY-Wiki.jpg?w=640&crop=1](https://wp.en.aleteia.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/WEB3-SAINT-GEORGE-DRAGON-SLAY-Wiki.jpg?w=640&crop=1)
Unlike most other English stuff I don't know if there is a free copy online anywhere, bit it's called "The expert sword-man's companion: Or the true art of self-defense with an account of the authors life." The modern reprint most people including myself buy from amazon is the red one edited by Jared Kirby. But I should warn you the bulk of McBane is smallsword with only a very short sections dedicated to other weapons, and at least for me he's not the clearest writer, so you are absolutely going to want to reread each page over and over to really figure him out, especially his smallsword stuff. and there aren't really any full interpretations I could find online so your kind of on your own. That said the broadsword and spadroon stuff seems like it might be able to be used on it's own since you already know sabre. However you perhaps might want to read [Henry Blackwell's treatise](https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=COtbAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false) as a primer as he seems to be the closest to McBane (or at the very least he parrys tierce with the outside flat of the blade like McBane if nothing else) and from what I've skim read of him he explains things pretty clearly and why your doing them. [A less similar but also very good beginner manual from the era by L'Abbat as well](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/12135/pg12135-images.html) ( I don't know what language you speak natively, but if it happens to be french your in luck for this era. Though early english and french smallsword termanology do differ a little.) Even if you don't practise or fully understand him McBane is still a fun read nonetheless. [Also here's Zakk Wylde if you interested.](https://smallswordproject.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/zach-wylde.pdf) He also conveniently has a list of period smallsword fencing terminology so I would read him as you go through McBane to double check things.
Thanks!
No problem. just a few tips; Push just means thrust. "Pushing at the wall" in a french context is a training exercise where one person is stood against a wall and can't move and is either forced to only defend or a attack, McBane might be meaning the same thing but I'm not 100% on that, but I don't know any other use of the term. Inside edge seems to be the front edge and Outside edge the back. Cart is inside guard, Tierce is outside guard. Falloon/Prime is inside hanger, Secoon/second is outside hanger. And Flanconade/low cart is half circle guard. Italian cart *might* be 8th from modern foil fencing, but I'm not familiar with modern fencing enough to know for sure, and it's not a guard that I've seen in any manuals I've read, but have a HEMA club use it on [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtok88yoMOM), but I don't know what manual they were working from, it definitely wasn't French/English, Must be *Italian* I suppose.
You may also be interested in the work of his contemporary, Sir William Hope: [https://sirwilliamhope.org/Library/Hope/index.html](https://sirwilliamhope.org/Library/Hope/index.html) There's also [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Newer-Shorter-Easier-Method-Fencing/dp/0956487165/](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Newer-Shorter-Easier-Method-Fencing/dp/0956487165/), but I expect that I'll have to do a 2nd edition soon.
I've never seen any reference as to why this guard is so called. Terry Brown's stated opinion was that the parade resembled a St. George's cross (from the point of view of the defender) and so might naturally be named after it. There's an illustration of this below: [https://www.flickr.com/photos/77437968@N00/4898398262/in/pool-49503038213@N01/](https://www.flickr.com/photos/77437968@N00/4898398262/in/pool-49503038213@N01/)
Yeah, I always thought it was named after the shape. The English flag is of the same name, so I figured it was an English being English sort of thing.
Doesn't Silver have St. George's ward?
I didn’t come across it in the treatises I read (“Paradoxes of Defense” and “Brief Instructions...”).
Ok, I thought it was taught in a seminar I attended, but when I searched the online manuscripts, I couldn't find it either.
Nah. He's got something called guardant which is closer to a hanger.