Practice Notes- Manciolino's Double Swords

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:

• 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.

The second play yields another interesting action at the very start- left foot forward Coda Longa Stretta.

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.