So for something entirely different we've been spending the last two practices on double swords from Antonio Manciolino. This is really the first time any of us have taken the time to really review what is actually in the manual, so it was quite interesting overall.
One thing that is very clear, is that describing what your doing when there are a total of 4 swords involved is quite difficult. It's taken us two practices to get through the entire section, and that's while working fairly quickly. As a typical rule, the 'outside' is defined based on the leading leg,
and your goal is to gain this outside, and remove the closest weapon
from play, while impeding the efficient use of the other weapon. This is
done with no preference between false and true edge cuts.
In terms of comparison, it was fairly close to sword and dagger, but
with both hands switching between offense and defense. Almost all actions were single tempo, frequently with one sword blocking and the other attacking, and then
they would switch in the same play. Interestingly, attacks to the left
sword tend to be answered by thrusts from the right sword, while attacks
to the right sword are answered with cuts. It's worth noting that the right hand more frequently used for thrusting, and the left for cutting. This is especially true for defensive actions. Bind transfers are quite important in this system, typically one sword would be binding the opponent's swords, while the other acted defensively.
To defend against both of your opponent's swords, you would use your swords crossed together. This also brings to mind sword and dagger, the main difference being that you are significantly more covered, and the view of an incoming 35" pair of scissors also tends to give your opponents pause. This orientation of the swords still allow you to cut and thrust, depending on what the situation calls for.
Footwork is based on the triangle step, though this might be just indictive of the Bolognese in general. Interestingly, there are several places where the right foot (which is in front) crosses the left foot, while still in front. This is also quite aggressive, with many plays having multiple passing steps, essentially pushing your opponent across the room.
On the manual itself, we figured out that the first play is a series of mirrored actions and double
cuts with both sides. The last play in the section is also a flourish that mirror the mirrored actions of the first play. While my study group eventually figured out how to apply the first play to a martially effective, we wasted quite a bit of time on it, when it just appears to be an opening approach.
Still, this is a good representation of a fighting style that requires
left/right coordination. While this was originally written for
cut/thrust style of swords, the swords we used ranged from gymnasium
sabers to arming swords (with a distinct lack of cut/thrust swords) in a
effort to get matched pairs. These plays worked well with all of them.
Friday, March 18, 2016
Friday, March 4, 2016
Practice Notes- Anonimo Bolognese
We kicked off this practice by having a friendly argument over Bolognese guards. Not nearly as dire as it sounds, everyone had a different opinion, and with 18 guards to choose from, there were a lot of opinions.
Today we were working from the first 5 plays of the single sword section. This is about half of marrozo.com's available translations. The overall takeaway was that this was very much proto-rapier, and that in all it was very bold. There were several plays that simply involved a straight dodge, rather than blade control.
Being Bolognese, the first play is, of course, the longest. The footwork is very interesting, consisting of a double triangle step. Simple enough when you do it, the left traverse and volta followed by a right traverse and volta isn't something I normally work with and it did take some getting used to. We also added a small, half lunge when feinting to the outside.
This is something that I don't believe is seen often (or possibly at all) in later Bolognese manuals. Since this is manual is currently the earliest manual in the Dardi school, that begs the question of when and why the left foot forward Coda Longa Stretta was abandoned. It's also fascinating to think that this manual might be early enough that the essential 'Bolognese' elements might not be fully codified. Play five reads as follows:
Today we were working from the first 5 plays of the single sword section. This is about half of marrozo.com's available translations. The overall takeaway was that this was very much proto-rapier, and that in all it was very bold. There were several plays that simply involved a straight dodge, rather than blade control.
 |
| Footwork for the first play. |
Being Bolognese, the first play is, of course, the longest. The footwork is very interesting, consisting of a double triangle step. Simple enough when you do it, the left traverse and volta followed by a right traverse and volta isn't something I normally work with and it did take some getting used to. We also added a small, half lunge when feinting to the outside.
This seems to mark the end of the basic play. There are also several variations that depend on what your opponent does and doesn't do. These options work back towards the opponent's left side, which makes it to where you only do 1-2 actions on each side. Options include:First, having the sword alone you can set yourself in PdFS, with the right foot forward opposite to your enemy, keeping the left hand close to the thigh. From here you can approach him, making the left foot push the right forwards. Without striking make sure to keep yourself in a wide pace in order to more readily be able to push forwards and to retreat backwards without disorder. You having done this he is forced to make a strike or retreat backwards. But if instead he only wants to oppose you in the same guard with the right in front, with genteel skill you push your opponent’s sword to his left with the false edge of your sword atop his, taking it out of the way. And during this time make a wide pass with your left foot towards his right side throwing a mandritto to his face or sword arm that does not go beyond CPdF and the right foot follows behind the left. And if your opponent responds with any strike you can hurt his sword hand with a mezzo roverso that does not pass CLS. And if he doesn’t respond with any strike do not hold yourself from delivering the above said roverso. And if your opponent has the sword in presence you can make a small feint of pushing a thrust to his right side, but in the instant passing with the right foot towards his left side taking his sword with the true edge of yours, making a half-turn of the hand and pushing a thrust to his body behind his sword with the left foot following behind the right.
- If your opponent's sword is in presence you can feint to his right, cave and thrust.
- Thrust to his flank if he attempts to resist your thrust.
- If he parries up or wide, follow the thrust with a wide pass, presso with your left hand and roverso fendente to his head.
If you are in CLS with the left foot in front facing your opponent and he attacks with a mandritto in order to wound your upper parts, or with a stoccata or an imbroccata, against each of these strikes pass with your right foot deep towards his left side. During this time make a half turn of the hand meeting the opponent’s strike with the true edge of your sword and pushing a thrust with all your strength to his chest behind his sword. And have your body turn well behind your sword so that the sword and the right shoulder are will be directly towards your opponent. The sword goes into GdI and the left foot must faithfully follow the right. Then you will retreat backwards with the right foot setting yourself gracefully into CLS with the left foot in front.
This is something that I don't believe is seen often (or possibly at all) in later Bolognese manuals. Since this is manual is currently the earliest manual in the Dardi school, that begs the question of when and why the left foot forward Coda Longa Stretta was abandoned. It's also fascinating to think that this manual might be early enough that the essential 'Bolognese' elements might not be fully codified. Play five reads as follows:
If your opponent has set himself in CLS with the right foot in front, or in PdFS, and you are placed in CLS with the left foot in front, from here make a feint of pushing a thrust to his chest on his right side, and as he makes any motion you then disengage your sword under his passing in this instant with the right foot deep towards his left side taking the true edge of the sword to his, beating it somewhat towards the ground or pushing it with force a little to his right, so pushing a thrust into his flank making the left foot follow behind the right. The sword will be found in GdI. In doing this strike you want to force his sword this way and to turn your body as much as you can, because these are most genteel aspects to accomplish.Based on some of the other plays, you may arrive at a left food forward Coda Longa Stretta through opposing your opponent's guards. The third play advises that if your opponent is in Coda Longa Stretta with the right food forward, place yourself in the same guard. However, the fifth play advises for you to be in left footed Coda Longa Stretta if your opponent is in either Coda Longa Stretta with the right foot forward, or in Porto di Ferro Stretta. Another interesting similarity in these plays is puts you into Coda Longa Stretta with the left leg, your next action is typically some combination of a feint to the outside, a cave, then a thrust. This is based on a very small sample size, but it's still something that might be looking into further.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Practice Notes- MS Riccardiano
Trattato di Scherma, is an anonymous fencing manual from the 1600s, though the introduction states that it is a copy of an earlier book. Currently it is located in the Biblioteca Riccardiana in Florence. The manual appears to be strongly influenced by the Bolognese tradition, and there has been some notes that bears resemblance to Vadi, although I can't really tell from this one snippet.
For most of the end of the chapter, it reads like there should be illustrations. I'm not clear if the illustrations didn't make it into the copy I have, didn't make it into the copy in the library, or whoever wrote it got tired of trying to be descriptive and there were no illustrations.
This was an interesting, thrust based practice. Having spent several practices going over early KdF (Talhoffer, Ringeck), this made for a change of pace. My main take-away was that spacing is vital in this. While the longsword is good in the thrust, it is also a big, two handed weapon. Once you get past the point, it is difficult to regain that distance, and getting past the point is quite easy.
Second, it is interesting that this manual spends a good bit of time playing with the blade. Most of the entering into distance is made with the intention of provoking a response, and only rarely do you seek something like a light bind.
From the low guard, with the left foot in front, make two entering ascending cuts with two steps of the left foot, always stepping forwards, beating aside his sword, and make a high reverse cut with your left foot forwards, and bringing it against your right you can pass forwards with your right foot and make a thrust. You can make two ascending reverse cuts with the right foot forwards, beating away his sword, and then a high reverse, bringing the right foot back against your left, you can pass forwards with the right foot and make a thrust, which will be a feint to the inside, and wheeling to the right, turn beneath with your sword in half-cover to the outside to parry a thrust, and thrust forwards.As with the Bolognese masters, the first play is the longest and most complicated. It seemed to make the most sense that there is actually a reset in the middle, after the first thrust. This would make it to where the first set of actions is for beating the outside and thrusting to the inside, and the second set is the opposite- beating to the inside with an outside thrust.
If the adversary tries to beat your blade, deceive underneath and make a thrust on the inside.
Any time the adversary tries to find your blade, deceive it, whether inside or outside, and so disrupt his plans.Overall, while the plays are for the spodone, they seem to be based a single sword principles and perspective. The majority of plays end in an thrust, and most cuts seem to be working towards setting up a thrust. In addition, the plays work from inside to outside or vice versa quite consistently. There are only a few places where dropping from high to low are called for.
Feint the thrust in the same way, and thrust freely on the outside with the left foot forwards, letting my left hand slip as far down as, and only holding the sword by, the pommel.Speaking of thrust, this is the only other place that I've seen a left handed, di Grassi style thrust somewhere other than di Grassi.
Three thrusts with the right foot forwards, beginning on the inside.
Four thrusts with the right foot forwards, beginning on the inside.
Beat on the outside.
For most of the end of the chapter, it reads like there should be illustrations. I'm not clear if the illustrations didn't make it into the copy I have, didn't make it into the copy in the library, or whoever wrote it got tired of trying to be descriptive and there were no illustrations.
This was an interesting, thrust based practice. Having spent several practices going over early KdF (Talhoffer, Ringeck), this made for a change of pace. My main take-away was that spacing is vital in this. While the longsword is good in the thrust, it is also a big, two handed weapon. Once you get past the point, it is difficult to regain that distance, and getting past the point is quite easy.
Second, it is interesting that this manual spends a good bit of time playing with the blade. Most of the entering into distance is made with the intention of provoking a response, and only rarely do you seek something like a light bind.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
The duels of Ascanio d'ella Corgna
A quick internet link from here. I'm just putting the entire thing up, rather than linking, because it's interesting and I always lose things on Facebook.
Thanks to Piermarco Terminiello and School of the Sword.
Thanks to Piermarco Terminiello and School of the Sword.
The duels of Ascanio d'ella Corgna:
"There is a Bolognese connection, because (aged 19) in 1535 Ascanio was recruited into the army in Bologna by Guido Rangoni – who Marozzo says was a fellow student of his own master, Guido Antonio de Luca, to whom Marozzo dedicated his treatise (published in 1536).
Ascanio was first made a standard-bearer, then a captain with 200 troops under him, and lost an eye to lance fighting the Spanish.
Due to some complicated mix up, after being made prisoner then released, he was (perhaps inadvertently) imprisoned again by his former general Conte Ugo Carpegna.
This pissed Ascanio off and he challenge Carpegna to duel, again fought with a sword and half-length sword (described as a spada corta or mezza-spada – literally a short sword or half-sword), which they fought in Bologna in a piazza in front of a packed crowd.
Apparently Ascanio was wounded, but then succeeded in giving Carpegna a serious thrust to the chest with his sword, and to the flank with his short sword.
Carpegna could no longer hold his sword and could barely defend himself with his short-sword. It’s recorded that the seconds asked Ascanio (probably imploring) if he was satisfied, but he said no, not until Carpegna asked for mercy (grazia).
The seconds insisted that begging for mercy was too humiliating and that Carpegna should ask for forgiveness instead, which Ascanio accepted, but only after Carpegna had asked twice, the second time loud enough for everyone to hear.
Ascanio’s second duel, the one depicted, “the duel of the century” was fought in 1546 Pitigliano in Tuscany against Giovanni Taddei – who it appears had previously prevailed in a duel himself, with Ascanio as his second.
But Taddei was a military subordinate to Ascanio and apparently he insulted him and refused to take his orders.
Again they fought with a sword and a half-length sword. It’s recorded that both fought bravely, though Ascanio soon thrust Taddei twice in the arm, Taddei kept fighting, until he took a third thrust to the chest and dropped down dead.
In 1561 Ascanio was made a Knight of the Order of Santo Stefano (to whom in later years Nicoletto Giganti would become master of arms) and went on to participate in both the siege of Malta in 1565 and the battle of Lepanti in 1571, but after the lattercaught a fever on the journey back to Italy, and died shortly after in Rome, age 55."
Translation by Piermarco Terminiello, School of the Sword instructor.
[edit] in addition, further translation courtesy of Marco Quarta:
:" The ground for the fight was on the "sagrato" of San Petronio. A wonderful stand for a duel; not only because the marble is smooth and clean, but also because the great stairway in front of the church of San Petronio was elevating the plane for the eyes of the public watching the "tenzone" (trial by combat), from three sides, and it was better then a theater"....... "In the few minutes that followed the opening of the challenge between the two gentlemen, a crowd of people grew around them. It was composed not only by officers and soldiers, but also by common citizens of Bologna, man and woman, who could not believe to have the chance to watch such a show, for free."...." The square of Bologna, in the afternoon of the mid '500, was completely full. At that time duels were not a gentle game, as it will become later. it was not enough to fight at the first blood (first wound), but they were at last blood (to death). And both Ascanio and Carpegna were not easy characters, they were both hard people, broken by the job of war. Pietro Strozzi asked them unsuccessfully to find a peaceful solution. However, Ascanio replied, loud and clear: " Not even dead! unless the Count will admit his fault in front of all the noble city of Bologna!" Hearing that, the Count turned mad and shouted back: " Arrogant, reckless kid! Of what, should I ask for, my forgiveness?! You provoked me to make your own fame, you dared to challenge a Count and a General, such as me! But "affe'diddio" (n.o.t. - I leave the original here because it is so peculiar, and it can be translated such as "in the faith of God"), you will pay as you deserve, for your "inprontitudine" (n.o.t. - as above, unique archaic word I want to leave, meaning something like "inappropriate timing and acting"). And so, the fight began".....[ref. Ascanio della Corgna, Statuti, Siena, Bonetti, 1750; Scipione Tolomei, Lettere, Perugia, Stamperia Augusta, 1617; http://
"There is a Bolognese connection, because (aged 19) in 1535 Ascanio was recruited into the army in Bologna by Guido Rangoni – who Marozzo says was a fellow student of his own master, Guido Antonio de Luca, to whom Marozzo dedicated his treatise (published in 1536).
Ascanio was first made a standard-bearer, then a captain with 200 troops under him, and lost an eye to lance fighting the Spanish.
Due to some complicated mix up, after being made prisoner then released, he was (perhaps inadvertently) imprisoned again by his former general Conte Ugo Carpegna.
This pissed Ascanio off and he challenge Carpegna to duel, again fought with a sword and half-length sword (described as a spada corta or mezza-spada – literally a short sword or half-sword), which they fought in Bologna in a piazza in front of a packed crowd.
Apparently Ascanio was wounded, but then succeeded in giving Carpegna a serious thrust to the chest with his sword, and to the flank with his short sword.
Carpegna could no longer hold his sword and could barely defend himself with his short-sword. It’s recorded that the seconds asked Ascanio (probably imploring) if he was satisfied, but he said no, not until Carpegna asked for mercy (grazia).
The seconds insisted that begging for mercy was too humiliating and that Carpegna should ask for forgiveness instead, which Ascanio accepted, but only after Carpegna had asked twice, the second time loud enough for everyone to hear.
Ascanio’s second duel, the one depicted, “the duel of the century” was fought in 1546 Pitigliano in Tuscany against Giovanni Taddei – who it appears had previously prevailed in a duel himself, with Ascanio as his second.
But Taddei was a military subordinate to Ascanio and apparently he insulted him and refused to take his orders.
Again they fought with a sword and a half-length sword. It’s recorded that both fought bravely, though Ascanio soon thrust Taddei twice in the arm, Taddei kept fighting, until he took a third thrust to the chest and dropped down dead.
In 1561 Ascanio was made a Knight of the Order of Santo Stefano (to whom in later years Nicoletto Giganti would become master of arms) and went on to participate in both the siege of Malta in 1565 and the battle of Lepanti in 1571, but after the lattercaught a fever on the journey back to Italy, and died shortly after in Rome, age 55."
Translation by Piermarco Terminiello, School of the Sword instructor.
[edit] in addition, further translation courtesy of Marco Quarta:
:" The ground for the fight was on the "sagrato" of San Petronio. A wonderful stand for a duel; not only because the marble is smooth and clean, but also because the great stairway in front of the church of San Petronio was elevating the plane for the eyes of the public watching the "tenzone" (trial by combat), from three sides, and it was better then a theater"....... "In the few minutes that followed the opening of the challenge between the two gentlemen, a crowd of people grew around them. It was composed not only by officers and soldiers, but also by common citizens of Bologna, man and woman, who could not believe to have the chance to watch such a show, for free."...." The square of Bologna, in the afternoon of the mid '500, was completely full. At that time duels were not a gentle game, as it will become later. it was not enough to fight at the first blood (first wound), but they were at last blood (to death). And both Ascanio and Carpegna were not easy characters, they were both hard people, broken by the job of war. Pietro Strozzi asked them unsuccessfully to find a peaceful solution. However, Ascanio replied, loud and clear: " Not even dead! unless the Count will admit his fault in front of all the noble city of Bologna!" Hearing that, the Count turned mad and shouted back: " Arrogant, reckless kid! Of what, should I ask for, my forgiveness?! You provoked me to make your own fame, you dared to challenge a Count and a General, such as me! But "affe'diddio" (n.o.t. - I leave the original here because it is so peculiar, and it can be translated such as "in the faith of God"), you will pay as you deserve, for your "inprontitudine" (n.o.t. - as above, unique archaic word I want to leave, meaning something like "inappropriate timing and acting"). And so, the fight began".....[ref. Ascanio della Corgna, Statuti, Siena, Bonetti, 1750; Scipione Tolomei, Lettere, Perugia, Stamperia Augusta, 1617; http://
Thursday, February 11, 2016
di Grassi Two-Handed Sword
Practice Notes 2/11
Di Grassi's Two-Handed Sword
di Grassi's two-handed sword is almost entirely based on his single handed sword section. It is a point forward system with two guards similar to ochs, or perhaps guardia d'intrare, and a low guard similar to pflug. You stand with your feet opposing your opponent, for example if your opponent is right foot forward, you lead with your left.
An interesting aspect of di Grassi's manual is his thrusting techniques using a great sword. A typical closing for a play in his system is to thrust to a target made available through earlier action. When thrusting in opposition, a typical ochs thrust is recommended. However, when you are freely thrusting, di Grassi recommends:
So now you have an incredibly long, unwieldy left-handed rapier. One you complete the thrust you are then to:
Two things I learned this practice; first, left handed thrusts are difficult, and two, grabbing your now flailing sword is also difficult. For the thrusts, I found the chest an easier target, though that might be because I'm shorter than everyone. Also, grabbing the sword after a left-handed thrust consistently and usefully will take time I think.
The oppositional footing is interesting, and I believe another nod to single sword. Most of the rest of the foot work is comfortably within di Grassi's slope and compass paces. The only difficulty is figure out where everything went with only two guard positions. While keeping up with 20 guards can be tiring, at least with Marozzo you know where you're supposed to be.
In all, I've always found di Grassi to be an interesting side branch of fencing, and I've never spent any time looking at his two-handed section before now. This was an interesting practice evening.
Di Grassi's Two-Handed Sword
di Grassi's two-handed sword is almost entirely based on his single handed sword section. It is a point forward system with two guards similar to ochs, or perhaps guardia d'intrare, and a low guard similar to pflug. You stand with your feet opposing your opponent, for example if your opponent is right foot forward, you lead with your left.
An interesting aspect of di Grassi's manual is his thrusting techniques using a great sword. A typical closing for a play in his system is to thrust to a target made available through earlier action. When thrusting in opposition, a typical ochs thrust is recommended. However, when you are freely thrusting, di Grassi recommends:
Then, taking away the cross hand, he shall force it farther on with the pommel hand, as much as he may stretch it forth, always in the discharge, increasing a slope pace.
So now you have an incredibly long, unwieldy left-handed rapier. One you complete the thrust you are then to:
And the thrust being thus delivered, he shall presently retire his said pace, and return his hand again to the cross, settling himself either in the high or low warde.
Two things I learned this practice; first, left handed thrusts are difficult, and two, grabbing your now flailing sword is also difficult. For the thrusts, I found the chest an easier target, though that might be because I'm shorter than everyone. Also, grabbing the sword after a left-handed thrust consistently and usefully will take time I think.
The oppositional footing is interesting, and I believe another nod to single sword. Most of the rest of the foot work is comfortably within di Grassi's slope and compass paces. The only difficulty is figure out where everything went with only two guard positions. While keeping up with 20 guards can be tiring, at least with Marozzo you know where you're supposed to be.
In all, I've always found di Grassi to be an interesting side branch of fencing, and I've never spent any time looking at his two-handed section before now. This was an interesting practice evening.
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