Single Rapier of Vincentio Saviolo
Maitre Philippe de Lyon
Vincentio Saviolo: An Italian living in London England. Began teaching at Rocco Bonetti’s school in 1590. After Bonetti’s death, Saviolo moved the school to Blackfriars. He advocated the use of the Rapier and Dagger (although he does say the single rapier is the foundation of the true fight).
The Book:
Vincentio Saviolo, his practice in two books. The first entreating of the use of the rapier and dagger. The second, of honor and honorable quarrels. The book was published in London in 1595. It is one of two rapier manuals that were published in English prior to 1600.
A PDF of the Original can be found at: http://www.umass.edu/renaissance/lord/collection.html
Interpretation:
It is my belief that Saviolo’s system is an offshoot of the Bolognese school of swordplay, specifically Giovanni dell’ Agocchie. Similarities exist throughout the use of the single sword. Agocchie’s manual can be found on the website given above.
This interpretation has also been influenced by my involvement in SCA rapier combat. Its influence on this work ranges from the subtle (possible unknowingly) to the overt. I have tried to remain true to the Saviolo’s intent and philosophy of combat.
Soviolo’s Philosophy of the Fight:
Saviolo states repeatedly that his focus is to teach gentlemen the art of swordplay in order to survive a duel. Both books focus on dueling; both the practical application of the fight and the social constraints to giving and receiving a challenge. Saviolo states many times that the object is to survive the duel, often the duel will end with neither side drawing blood. Saviolo also states that woman have the right to participate in a duel and then relates several tales of woman in Italy (and England) that engages in martial activities.
Measure:
Saviolo felt that you were in danger if your opponent could touch you with one step. From this distance you in danger. While in measure you should take your guard and wait for your opponent to present an opening.
Time:
Saviolo says that there are several times when one can safely attack their opponent. These include:
As your opponent moves their front foot. It does not have to be an attack, as long as they are in measure.
As your opponent raises their hand to cut.
As you parry the opponents attack.
If your opponent changes or opens their guard while in measure.
Do not respond to a feint or an attack that is out of measure. Let it go and stay in your guard.
Do NOT attack someone who is standing firm in a strong guard.
Holding the Sword:
Saviolo says that you should hold the sword however is comfortable. You should not put two fingers over the quillions as this will shorten your reach. His preference is to hold the sword in the fist without putting a finger over the quillions. It will extend your reach another couple of inches.
Wards:
Saviolo has 3 Guards that he teaches in the Singe Sword section. He adds a fourth guard in his section on Sword and Dagger and uses it again in his section on the Left Handed Fencer. (We will not be covering the third ward in this class).
First Ward: Sword foot is forward with the off foot behind. Hips are at an angle. This presents a narrow target but also allows the off hand to come forward to parry. You should not be in a Modern fencers L stance. The sword is held at or just inside the right knee with the sword pointing to the side of the opponents face (sword is slightly angled, this is very similar to Agocchie’s guard; porta defero). This is used for close distance when you are in cutting range of your opponent or opponent can wound you without stepping.
Second Ward: this ward is used at longer range, when your opponent can hit you with taking a step. This ward has the right foot forward with the hips a little more squared to the left hand can be used more actively to parry. The rapier is held close to the body with the hand outside the right knee. Point should be held towards opponents face or belly. You should be far enouph away from your opponent that you have to take a step to reach them (this is were the fight begins). This guard is very similar to Agocchie’s guard; coda longa e stretta.
Steps:
Circular Step: This step is made by moving the right foot forward and the right, at about a 45-degree angle. As the left foot is moved back into place, the body is repositioned so as to be facing the opponent. This can also be done to the left when the left foot is forward.
Passata: Sep forward with the rear foot so that it is now in front. Bring the back foot in to position so that you are now in a mirror image of the original stance. The fist step is performed at an angle if the opponent is stationary and straightforward if the opponent is retreating. You may also Passata backwards by moving the front foot to the rear.
Half-Incartata: Shift weight to the front foot and pivot on the right toe, while you bring your left foot to meet your right (turned on to your right side). Do not step forward. As you pivot raise your arm in front with the knuckles down (palm up) and do an imbrocata at the opponents face.
Targets:
Saviolo advises not to waste your time attacking your opponent just to wound them. If you are going to endanger yourself by attacking, do so only for a kill. All of Saviolo’s attacks are to the Head and the belly, and occasionally to the back of the knee (this last one is a special case and refers to it only a few times in the book).
Attacking:
Saviolo advocates using thrusts against your opponent. He believed that thrusts were faster than a cut, could be done from father away, and more lethal. The 3 thrusts he uses are:
Stoccata: A thrust made under your opponent blade. Can be targeted at either the belly or the face. This is an underhand thrust and is powered by the shoulders not the elbow.
Imbroccata: A thrust made above your opponent’s blade. Can be made at either the belly or the face. The shoulder powers the thrust, and the wrist is used to aim the point. When the arm is up the palm can be turned out in order to bring the point towards the belly. Do not raise your hand above shoulder height.
Punta Reversa: Moving the arm across the body and delivering a thrust at the opponent from the left side.
Saviolo prefers the thrust he does not recommend the use of cuts. These are considered to be a special attack and is used when you are out of measure and to close to your opponent. Saviolo only uses cuts against the head and back of the knee.
Mandritta: This is a diagonal cut moving from right to left.
Roversa: This is a cut moving diagonally from left to right.
Down Right Blow: This is a cut straight down on to your opponents head.
Mandritta and Roversa are made with the shoulder and wrist while stepping back with the front foot. This causes the blade to slice making a deeper wound. The down right blow can be made while stepping back or forward.
Defending against a Thrust:
Saviolo says that the Sword is for offence, and your off hand is for defense. He will use the offhand to beat the attack away from the body. You will also avoid the attack by stepping away from the attack, so if the parry fails you will still be safe. If the attack is to the left side of the body, then you beat the blade away to the left and step towards the right. If the attack is to the right side of the body then you should beat it off to the right. This is accompanied by a Passata with the left foot, or a gathering step back with the right foot. An attach should always accompany a parry.
Defending against a Cut:
Cuts are deflected with the open hand. As the cut is delivered step into the attack and push the blade aside at the fort of the blade (right at the cross guard). This is usually accompanied by a stoccata to the opponent’s stomach.
The Exercises: Saviolo has set up each ward or stance with a choreographed fight between a Master and a Scholar. The following exercises have been pulled from the original text and edited for easier use. The exercises are designed as a training tool to teach muscle memory and proper distance and timing. Do the exercise slowly so that both participants can do the moves correctly. I start my students off with the second ward. It is the most useful of the 3 for SCA combat and gives you the foundation needed for the other two wards.
The Second Ward
Master: Stoccata to the belly of the Scholar, while making a circular step to the right.
Scholar: circular step to the right, while beating the Stoccata off to the left with the left hand. Make a Stoccata to the master’s stomach.
Master: Break Stoccata off to the left side with the left hand, as you make a circular step to the right. Give the scholar an imbroccata to the face.
Scholar: Make a circular step to the right while beating the imbroccata away to the left side of the body with the left hand. Make an imbroccata to the face of the Master.
Master: Make a circular step to the right as you break the imbroccata with the left hand off to the left side of your body. Give the scholar a Stoccata to the stomach.
Scholar: Make a circular step to the right as you break the masters Stoccata to the left side with the left hand.
Master: Pull back hips, brining the stomach out of range, beat the Stoccata out to the tight side. Bring sword hand underneath the left hand and do Punta Roversa to the Scholar’s head.
Scholar: Perform the Passata. Make an imbroccata to the head of the Master. Keep your left hand ready to defend yourself if necessary.
Specialty move for Second Ward
Beat with the sword: If the opponent is holding the sword out at length. Take a small step across your body beating the middle of opponents sword with the fort/middle of your blade as you turn your hand palm up. Drop point on line, thrust with an imbroccata to the opponents face.
Blade grab: If the opponent takes their point off line. Passata forward and grab the blade as close to the hilt as possible (Salviolo actually has you grabbing the hilt), as you come forward give a stoccata to your opponents stomach.
The First Ward
Master: Make a circular step to the right with the right foot; make a stoccata to the stomach of the Scholar.
Scholar: As the Master moves his right foot, make a circular pace to the right, beating the Masters stoccata off to the left, and present your own stoccata to the belly of the master while tuning your knuckles in and the wrist bone out.
Master: As student moves back foot, beat away blade with left hand to the left side, passata backwards and do a Reversa to the head of the Scholar.
Scholar: As Master moves foot and Lifts his hand, make a Passata and give a stoccata to the master’s stomach. Raise left hand to deflect the Reversa, not the Rapier.
Master: As Scholar steps forward, break the stoccata outward with the left hand, remove back with the left foot so that the right is not the forward foot, and give a Mandritta at the head of the scholar.
Scholar: Passata forward. Turn the rapier hand out and give the Master a stoccata to the stomach, while bringing your left hand on high to protect the face and head.
Master: Yield and shrink of body the beat the stoccata to the left side. Circular step to the right, and deliver an imbroccata to the face of the Scholar.
Scholar: Circular step to the right, while beating the imbroccata to the left side. Give an imbroccata to the Master’s face.
Master: Circular step towards the right. Break imbroccata out to the left side, and strike a down right blow to the head of the Scholar.
Scholar: As the Master delivers the downright blow, perform half incartata and deflect the blow with the left hand. Turn the hand out, give a stoccata. Do not move forward.
Speciality Move for First Ward:
Defence for Cuts: Move hand up and over head so palm is to the right side. Point is down and under opponent’s sword. Passata forward or backward (so that right foot is forward) and give stoccata to the opponents stomach, while taking the cut on the hilt and/or blade of your sword.
Cut to Left Leg: Thrust to the head with a circular step, when your opponent goes to parry (hand or sword) cut down with the sword into the back of the knee. Pull blade in a slicing cut as you back out and away from the opponent (works best when left leg is forward).
Rapier and Dagger of Vincintio Saviolo
Vincentio Saviolo:
An Italian living in London England. Began teaching at Rocco Bonetti’s school in 1590. After Bonetti’s death, Saviolo moved the school to Blackfriars. He advocated the use of the Rapier and Dagger. (Although he does say the single rapier is the foundation of the true fight)
The Book:
Vincentio Saviolo, his practice in two books. The first entreating of the use of the rapier and dagger. The second, of honor and honorable quarrels. The book was published in London in 1595. It is one of two rapier manuals that were published in English prior to 1600.
A PDF of the Original can be found at: http://www.umass.edu/renaissance/lord/collection.html
Intent of the class:
This class builds upon Saviolo's use of the Single Rapier. This class assumes that you already are familiar with Saviolo’s basic stances, attacks and defenses. Please see the handout for Single Rapier or the Articles on Single Rapier at www.mandritta.com.
Dagger:
Saviolo does not tell us what type of dagger he prefers. The Fencing Masters from the generation before him (1570’s) seem to prefer a larger and heavy dagger and a longer and lighter sword. I have found that the heavy dagger does make it easier to control the opponent’s sword and to parry a cut. The daggers would have a cross guard at least on them as Saviolo does mention the “bars of the hilt”.
Parrying With the Dagger:
The Dagger is held straight out from the shoulder with the arm at full extension. The palm of the hand is down so that the crossbars of the dagger are parallel to the ground. All parries with the dagger are made with the “true edge”.
Thrusts are parried by dropping or raising the point of the dagger to intercept your opponents point and redirect it away from the body Parries are made by the hand and wrist, not the entire arm. Attacks down the center of the body or to the right side of the body are parried by the dagger out to your left. Attacks made to the right side of your body are parried with the dagger out to the right. Often this parry will be accompanied with a passata or a gathering step back with the right foot.
Slicing cuts (Mandritta or Roversa) may be parried with the dagger alone. The dagger is used as with a trust so that the cut hits the blade and is deflected down and out. “Down right blows” or cuts coming straight down are to be taken on the sword and dagger. Sword hand is turned down so that the palm is off to the right, point is at opponent’s stomach, and dagger is behind the blade supporting the sword blade. If your opponent avoids the thrust, you can then pick up their blade with your dagger.
Attacking with the Dagger:
Saviolo relies on the dagger as a defensive tool. It is primarily for parrying. It also serves as a deterrent to keep your opponent from closing and coming to grips. Saviolo repeatedly warns the scholar that if they are close enough to attack with the dagger then they are also in danger of the opponent’s dagger or of being grabbed. Saviolo seems to imply by this that the dagger is used offensively only when something has gone wrong and you are out of position or your opponent has suddenly closed distance with you.
Wards:
Saviolo has 3 Guards that he teaches for Rapier and Dagger. I will discuss the first and Third wards. I do not understand the second ward and need more research before discussing it. For now, it is represented in the ending position of the 1st exercise.
First Ward: this ward is used at longer range, when your opponent can hit you with taking a step. Right foot is forward with the left behind half a pace. The back foot is angled slightly to allow you to keep your hips angled towards your right side. The sword is held short just outside the right knee and the dagger is held out at length (as described above. Rapier point should be held towards opponents face or belly. This is similar to the stance for the Second Ward of Single Rapier. It is a good all purpose ward.
Off Foot Forward: this Ward was given in the text as a way to counter the Left handed fencer. It is also good for a defensive stance when you face a superior fencer. The Left foot is forward and the sword is held in front of the right knee and pulled back. If facing the Left handed fencer you should be the same distance as the Second Ward. If you are using it defensively you should be out of range (I take this to mean you should start in the second Ward stance and then step back with the right foot). This ward seems to be more of a starting position and after initial actions then it plays very much like the first ward.
The Exercises: We will focus on the exercise for the First Ward of the Rapier and Dagger. It seems that this exercise represents a large portion of attacks and defenses used by Saviolo though his sections on Rapier and Dagger.
Exercise for the First ward of Rapier and Dagger:
Stand with the right foot forward, and the left foot behind. The feet should be about shoulders width apart with the back foot at a slight angle. Legs should be slightly bent and the weight should be evenly distributed between the two legs. The rapier should be held short, with sword hand held just outside of the right knee. The tip of the sword should be towards the opponent’s face. The dagger should be held out in front of the body just below the shoulder. The palm of the dagger hand is down with the crossbar Break parallel to the ground. The master and the scholar’s right feet should be in line with each other. Both should be just far enough apart that they must take a small step in order to reach the other.
Master: Make a circular pace to the right with the right foot and a stocatta to the scholar’s stomach.
Scholar: Drop point of the dagger down to break the stocatta out to your left. While doing this take a circular pace to the right with the right foot and make a stocatta to the scholar’s stomach.
Master: Break the stocatta with the dagger while making a circular pace to the right with the right foot. Make an imbrocatta to the scholars head.
Scholar: Break the imbrocatta with the dagger and make a circular pace to the right with the right foot. Make an imbrocatta to the head.
Master: Break the imbrocatta with the dagger while making a circular pace to the right with the right foot While doing this also make a stocatta to the scholars stomach.
Scholar: Break the Stocatta with the dagger while making a circular step to the right with the right foot. Make a Stocatta to the masters face (coming under the dagger, you will have to create a steep angle with the rapier to perform this move).
Master: Break the Stocatta off to the right side while passing back with the right foot (so now the left foot is the front foot). While stepping back cut with a Roversa at the scholars head.
Scholar: Pass forward with left foot (so now left foot is in front). Turn hand of Rapier so that the Palm is out to the right side and just above eye level. Point should be at opponent’s stomach. Dagger comes up behind rapier blade to support it. This is done with the step so that as you take the cut on the rapier and dagger you will also be thrusting a Stocatta into the master’s stomach.
Although Saviolo does not include this in the exercise, He states that one should always retreat after the attack so as to go back on guard. Step back with the left foot, turn the hand down so that sword is pulled free as you retreat. Keep dagger arm stiff and ready should the opponent attack as you retreat. End with the sword in front of your body just inside your right knee. You can wait here or you can continue out of range.
Specialty Attacks:
Maitre Philippe de Lyon
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