Previously, I thought that 5th Ward was held like a “tail” guard, with the sword pointed back. But when I started to look at the 7 Wards as a comprehensive way of categorizing actions, and how 5th Ward is named as “right side”, I have changed that opinion.

First of all, I think that the illustration in I.33 is showing a position that is closer to Fiore’s Tutta Porta di Ferro (or even to a Schrankhut) than it is to say, Nebenhut or Coda Longa. It is described as being “given to the right side”, not as being behind, or back, or a tail, or whatever. If we remember the way I.33 flattens things so that swords are always drawn flat to the page, if the artist needed to draw a position where the sword was pointing out of the age, he would draw it the way we see 5th Ward in I.33.

Once we start to examine the actions shown from 5th Ward, we see that it further supports this interpretation. From 5th Ward, we are told that “common” fencers will try to strike to separate sword and shield. This strike can of course be done if the sword is held behind and pointed back, but it’s a much longer path to travel, and wouldn’t be much of a threat to someone using Halfshield such that Halfshield is given the advice of “enter without mercy”. Striking to separate sword and shield can easily be done with the sword held to the right, and will be faster. We are also told that from 5th Ward we can do a thrust, and it’s a thrust that looks like a Stichslach, thrusting below and to the left of the opponent’s sword with your buckler crossed over to the right of your sword. Again, while this can be done with the sword held back behind you, it is much faster and more direct if the sword is held pointing to the right side.

Secondly, if we examine 5th Ward with the other 7 Wards, we see that it is the right-side equivalent of 1st Ward. I also believe that 1st Ward is held with the hands in front of the chest, and the sword pointed out to the left under your buckler arm. David Rawlings demonstrates this in a capture from his video “On I.33“:

Compared to this, 5th Ward is held to the right side, with the buckler out front, and the sword pointed out to the right. Where 1st Ward is used to categorize any action done where the sword would come from the region underneath the arm to the left, 5th Ward is used to categorize any action done where the sword comes from the region to the right side. This leads me to the final point.

Probably the most important point to remember is that the Wards are not singular specific positions or stances (Dave Rawlings addresses this in his video). The Wards are a way to classify diverse strikes. So 5th Ward is how you would categorize any action, guard, attack, strike, stance, motion, etc. that would be from the right side. So a german longsword fencer standing in Schrankhut or Nebenhut would be classified as 5th Ward. A Fiore practitioner standing in Tutta Porta di Ferro would be 5th Ward. A fencer attacking with an unterhau from the right would be 5th Ward. A fencer attacking with a mezzano from the right could be 5th Ward. A fencer striking and then passing into a position with the sword to the side would be 5th Ward. So while I have changed my interpretation of the illustration in I.33, it is important to remember what the Wards ARE, and that they are NOT singular specific stances or positions.