Sobre el arte de la esgrima (MS II/1579(2))

Sobre el arte de la esgrima
MS II/1579(2), Biblioteca del Palacio Real de Madrid Madrid, Spain
Hagedorn Leng —
Wierschin — Hils —
Type	Fencing manual
Date	ca. 1580
Language(s)	Spanish
Author(s)	Unknown
Size	258 folia
External data	Library catalog entry
Treatise scans	Digital scans

Sobre el arte de la esgrima ("On the Art of Fencing") is a brief, anonymous passage on folio 184r of a Spanish manuscript (MS II/1579(2)) that dates to ca. 1580. The original rests in the holdings of the Biblioteca del Palacio Real de Madrid in Madrid, Spain. This is one of very few sources for instructions on the use of the montante, an Iberian greatsword.

Contents

184r

Anonymous greatsword plays Complete Translation by Tim Rivera Transcription  by Manuel Jesús Valle Ortiz and Mary Dill Curtis Firstly, a nails-up gripped tajo [rasgado] and withdrawing the right foot that is in front, and taking it and continuing with a nails-down reves, withdrawing the foot, and taking the left foot forward with a […] that doesn't uncover the body, and then the right foot with a reves in the same small manner, and like this give four similar, and turn back to […] with the right foot, playing the sword in this same manner that […] ahead. And after testing [tentando] the opposing sword on the inside […] it will remain, give him a thrust to the eyes and if he will put it in below mine, lifting it up. [184r] primeram[ent]e un tajo uñas arriba rasgado y recoger el [pie] d[ere]cho q[ue] esta delante / y sacarle y proseguir c[on] un rebes uñ[as] abaxo recogiendo el pie / y sacar adelante el pie izquierdo con un [...] q[ue] no descubra el cuerpo / y despues el pie d[ere]cho con un rebes de la [mis] ma man[er]a chico / y asi hechar quatro semejantes / y bolver p[ar]a tr[...] p[ara] m[...]o con el pie d[ere]cho[,] jugando la espada de esta misma manera q[ue] fu[...] delante / y despues tentando la espada contr[ari]a por la p[ar]te de dentro [...] estubiere queda[,] echarle una estocada a los ojos / y si la metiere baxo de la mia[,] alçandola p[ar]a riba. But if he will remove it quickly and give me a thrust to the chest on the outside, I will raise the point of my sword a little to […] and will part his sword to the outside and give him a reves and taking the foot back I will be established with the sword point to the eye […] would be the opposite, if he would come to me on the outside […] to me, I will place mine nails-down, if he will enter to me on the inside I will place my sword nails-up, always aiming a thrust to the best place on him, always defending my body with the guards of the quillons direct nails-down direct nails-up according to what I say above. pero si la sacare de presto y me tirare una estocada por la pa[rte] de fuera a los pechos[,] alçare yo la punta de mi espada un poco a [...] y apartare su espada para fuera y tirarle he un rebes y sacan[do] el pie atras me afirmare con la espada punta al ojo co[...] me estubiere la contr[ari]a[,] si viniere a mi por la p[ar]te de fuera / resp[o...] de mi / pondre yo la mia uñas abaxo[,] si me entrare po[r] dent[ro] pondre mi espada uñas arriba y esto apuntandole siempre es[to-] cada donde hubiere mejor lugar en el[,] defendiendo siem[pre] mi cuerpo co[n] los gabilanes de la guarnicion d[e]r[ech]a uñas a[baxo] d[e]r[ech]a uñas arri[ba] conforme a lo q[ue] digo arriba.

Additional Resources

• Valle Ortiz, Manuel Jesús; Curtis, Mary Dill (in Spanish). "Un Texto de Esgrima Española del Siglo XVI". Materiales para la Historia del Deporte VII, 2009. ISSN: 1887-9586

Copyright and license summary

For further information, including transcription and translation notes, see the discussion page.

Work	Author(s)	Source	License
Images
Translation	Tim Rivera	Spanish Swordsmanship Society
Transcription	Manuel Jesús Valle Ortiz, Mary Dill Curtis	Index:Sobre el arte de la esgrima (MS II/1579(2))

Additional translation terms: 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.