The Thirty Techniques of the Vulgar and Common Fencing
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The thirty techniques of the vulgar and common fencing (Excerpt from Nueva Ciencia) by Luis Pacheco de Narváez Translation by Tim Rivera Note: Translation to English of some of the technical terminology has mostly followed the English translations of the terms by Mary Dill Curtis (From the Page to the Practice, Ettenhard's Compendio de los fundamentos) for the reader's ease of reference. The original Spanish terminology is listed in footnotes at the term's first appearance. The names of some of the vulgar techniques have been translated when its use doesn't impede ease of reading the rest of the text, while others have been kept in their original, with a translation in footnote. Copyright 2019 by Tim Rivera. Subject to Fair Use in the Copyright Act of the United States of America. Users may, without further permission, display, save, and print this work for personal, non commercial use, provided that the copyright notice is not severed from the work. Libraries may store this material and non commercially redistribute it to their patrons in electronic or printed form for personal, non commercial use, provided that the copyright notice is not severed from the work. 582 THE THIRTY TECHNIQUES of the vulgar and common fencing, the movements with which each one is formed, and the remedies against them. mong various and encountered determinations, our discourse is often weary, sometimes entrusting, and other times losing the confidence to reach the happiness of resolution, which was the greater success. Giving particular notice of the most Ausual techniques1 of fencing, in which was known the sovereignty that the falsity had had from the antiquity of its invention, and the splendor and luster that it had enjoyed due to some easy events, which is the case, and not that its imagined certainty had given favor, or leaving them in eternal oblivion and suffering the insults of time, their memory perished. The agreement of that which I have written so far wanted that it was (as in fact it is) so capable a matter that it served with mediate disposition, in order to be able to infer whichever median capacity, with which we have finally conformed ourselves. But the vigilant prevention that, with reasonable acts, joins the two extremes of that which is not seen with that which already passed, making judgment of that which can be, considering the dangerous future by he who sees the present, and the hereditary tenacity with which they would be defended by those which, by the appearance of opinion, offend the truth with contempt. Such large and pressed efforts made, in which a general inventory of them was done, leaving them in perpetual deposit in order to shame the deceit and give advice to the deceived on that which has tyrannically reigned for centuries over the understanding and credit of men; these who are better informed are free from the vile dominion to which they had been subject. This reason appearing superior to the first, we are resolved to it, although the work is as painful as it is extensive in dissecting such a number of techniques, uncovering their interior, hidden until now with false appearances of certainty. Because of the permanence in their disorder, their 1 tretas 583 incorrect actions make them unworthy of the orderly placement that all things have, and none of them deserve precedence, primacy, or supreme place with superior reason; rather, as vile scum and discarded guttersnipes are in a confused mob, we begin with the first that memory 2 offered, which is the punching thrust. That (being no better than the First vulgar others) comes to be reduced in the rigors of truth as the most technique, which they indoctrinated and known to the common masters and most diligent call punching thrust. disciples, although it didn’t lack those who reprehended it, knowing its mistake. Camillo Agrippa said (which is already cited in another place) Agrippa, f. 10. that drawing the arm back and returning again to throw it is not a well- considered resolution for forming the thrust. Pedro de la Torre had said Pedro la Torre, f. 1, 2 that movement is not made toward the rear, because time is lost. Among the modern ones is Salvator Fabris, who abhors it, saying and copying to Fabris, book 1, p. 5 the letter that which we said of it in our first book. In the end, this consists of two movements, the first backward,3 and the second forward,4 this sometimes mixed with violent when they direct the blow to the face, and others with natural in order to wound from the chest down. The change of feet help this, which is giving a small curved step with the right foot to the right side. In the first, it is subject to the right angle if the distance is capable of two movements being done: backward from the opponent and forward from the diestro5 in one time, and in the last, to the atajo. It is necessary to advise, in its major possibility, that which the body can have in which this blow will have to be executed is one of three lines, points, or places, which is to the diametric if he will voluntarily be established squarely or the opponent was found corresponding to that position, or whichever of the collaterals; in this case, it suits the diestro to know to which of those it is directed, which he will achieve if he will look attentively (with the diffusion of the visual rays and without removing them from the sword hand) to where the point of the right foot corresponds, in which it will be a rare thing to have deceit, because it will be a natural action for the arm to seek the line of the greatest The diestro notes, and correspondence of his body in order to be protected, and strengthened in doesn't discount this the vigor that he receives from it. The rest of this in the beginning of the reason. movement (supposing that it has to have a place from where it is started, and first parts, and 2 estocada de puño 3 extraño 4 accidental 5 one who is skilled 584 last in its progress), and being impossible to diversify it after the action started or oppose it to another new concept immediately, nor direct it to another point, but rather it will be forced to only one. The preeminence to more is found only in the natural movement, and as it is known to the diametric, and that this is equally far from the collaterals, he will be able to place the atajo on the inside or outside, not because we will equip them with equal potency, as the atajo on the inside was always superior, given in order to enter the body to occupy the angle. It will only be on the outside if he will want to wound in the right collateral, and on the inside when he will throw to the left; the opposite is not done, as the rest of the irremediable harm will be to contravene one of the first that we settle in the universal consent of men, that regarding distance, it is easier to pass Petition from the middle to one of the extremes, than from one extreme to another. This is asserted if the diestro will be established in profile, as whatever dimension is quantitative, divisible, and measurable in that of the depth will then be the corresponding. Also, they are able to consider the line of the diameter and collaterals, and if the opposing sword will not be able to go to the diametric, due to the diestro’s having occupied it with the right angle, it will be able to one of the sides, although if in such disordered action he will want to keep some order, the most possible, easiest, and nearest act of his potency will be the inside. Because almost all those that commit this recklessness accompany it with such force that they want to give with the head where they have to give with the sword, when this is offered, the movement of conclusion6 will have dominion over it, making use of the appropriate proportionate mean.7 If one will want to wound with particular techniques, place the atajo, giving a curved step to the right side with the right foot, and without temporal termination, form a half reves, vertical tajo, or thrust, giving for the execution of all a mixed lateral8 and backward9 step, with the left foot to the right side, leaving to the mean of proportion.10 6 movimiento de conclusión 7 medio proporcionado 8 trepidación 9 extraño 10 medio de proporción 585 Second technique, which they call Cornada he Cornada11 (technique and name which, in its modern discovery, has dared to compete with the least successful part of fencing, and with it, its unsuccessful author increased danger to the incautious and wary youth that are deceived and satisfied Twith the charm of its teaching) differs little from the punching thrust – rather, it is imagined that this was the reformation of it. Appearing as a bestial barbarism that two opponents are established equally in opposition and some dared to throw thrusts from that position, one, in wanting it to be unequal, went to his right side by half a step and at the same time threw an ascending thrust from low to high. Because the bull wounds in this manner, such a name was imposed on it, without being encumbered by the similarity of it, nor the offense that it made to its gravity.