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Difference between revisions of "Henry de Sainct Didier"

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m (→‎Treatise: throw the right foot->pull the right foot)
m (→‎Treatise: as is shown ->as shown)
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| ''General position for both the attacking Lieutenant as well as for the defending Prevost, in order to execute the art, order, and practice contained in the sword alone.
 
| ''General position for both the attacking Lieutenant as well as for the defending Prevost, in order to execute the art, order, and practice contained in the sword alone.
  
In order to show and declare this general position for the Lieutenant, he needs to place his feet together for all strikes, to keep the left foot roughly in the footprint marked number 1, and the right foot in the other footprint also marked on number 2, keeping the right hand at the sword hilt, and the left hand on the scabbard, showing to the Prevost how he must do so, as is shown above at the portraiture, marked number 9.
+
In order to show and declare this general position for the Lieutenant, he needs to place his feet together for all strikes, to keep the left foot roughly in the footprint marked number 1, and the right foot in the other footprint also marked on number 2, keeping the right hand at the sword hilt, and the left hand on the scabbard, showing to the Prevost how he must do so, as shown above at the portraiture, marked number 9.
  
 
''The end of the position and plan for the said Lieutenant.''
 
''The end of the position and plan for the said Lieutenant.''
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| ''Postion and guard of the first strike of the sword alone, for the Lieutenant, which is a low right-hand at the leg of the Prevost, thrown by the Lieutenant, and defended by the Prevost, as will be seen after the first strike.''
 
| ''Postion and guard of the first strike of the sword alone, for the Lieutenant, which is a low right-hand at the leg of the Prevost, thrown by the Lieutenant, and defended by the Prevost, as will be seen after the first strike.''
  
And to do this the Lieutenant is to have the feet together as shown above in the portraiture of the said Lieutenant marked number 9, pull the right foot back a little apart, and in drawing his sword will take the sword hilt higher than his shoulder, placing the point straight at the left nipple of the Prevost, keeping the left hand below the arm, as is shown above at the portraiture marked number 11 behind the bonnet.
+
And to do this the Lieutenant is to have the feet together as shown above in the portraiture of the said Lieutenant marked number 9, pull the right foot back a little apart, and in drawing his sword will take the sword hilt higher than his shoulder, placing the point straight at the left nipple of the Prevost, keeping the left hand below the arm, as shown above at the portraiture marked number 11 behind the bonnet.
  
 
''Written for the first guard and position for the said Prevosit, in order to begin the section on the sword alone.''
 
''Written for the first guard and position for the said Prevosit, in order to begin the section on the sword alone.''
  
And to do this, the said Prevost must have his feet together as is portrayed above marked in number 10. And the said Prevost having made one of the said three drawings, is to remain in the high guard, having pulled the right foot back, keeping the sword hand a bit higher than the right shoulder, placing and aiming the sword point straight at the chin, and keeping the left hand right of his nipple, ready to do whatever is necessary, and will be willing afterwards as is shown above at the portraiture and figure of the said Prevost marked number 12 behind the hat.
+
And to do this, the said Prevost must have his feet together as portrayed above marked in number 10. And the said Prevost having made one of the said three drawings, is to remain in the high guard, having pulled the right foot back, keeping the sword hand a bit higher than the right shoulder, placing and aiming the sword point straight at the chin, and keeping the left hand right of his nipple, ready to do whatever is necessary, and will be willing afterwards as shown above at the portraiture and figure of the said Prevost marked number 12 behind the hat.
  
 
''The end of this first guard for the said Prevost.''
 
''The end of this first guard for the said Prevost.''
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| ''This guard is almost similar to the one before, barely being different, and yet it will serve as another one in order to make and execute said first strike of the sword alone for the Lieutenent and Prevost.''
 
| ''This guard is almost similar to the one before, barely being different, and yet it will serve as another one in order to make and execute said first strike of the sword alone for the Lieutenent and Prevost.''
  
In order to declare this guard for the Lieutenant, he must have his feet together to pull the right foot<ref>Dupuis states the original says left but is incompatible with the rest of the text and the engraving.</ref> back a little apart, carrying the sword hilt higher than the right shoulder, placing the sword point straight at the throat; the guard of the Lieutenant above marked in number 11 is the same, but the placement isn't because he places the point at the left nipple, whereas this one states it is at the throat, keeping the left hand under the arm of the sword, as is shown below at the portraiture marked on number 13.
+
In order to declare this guard for the Lieutenant, he must have his feet together to pull the right foot<ref>Dupuis states the original says left but is incompatible with the rest of the text and the engraving.</ref> back a little apart, carrying the sword hilt higher than the right shoulder, placing the sword point straight at the throat; the guard of the Lieutenant above marked in number 11 is the same, but the placement isn't because he places the point at the left nipple, whereas this one states it is at the throat, keeping the left hand under the arm of the sword, as shown below at the portraiture marked on number 13.
  
 
''This is the purpose of this guard for the Lieutenant.''
 
''This is the purpose of this guard for the Lieutenant.''
  
The said Prevost being such that the feet were together and having pulled the right foot back while having remained on the left foot, having made one of the said three drawings, and having carried the sword hilt a little higher than the right shoulder by keeping the back of the sword hand up and the nails down as he should, unlike the said Lieutenant, as expected since the painter made an error with all of the said future Lieutenants because they should be keeping the nails of the sword hand down and keeping them high, but the said Prevost does this better, and also keeping the left hand above the left lap, as is shown above at the portraiture marked number 14.
+
The said Prevost being such that the feet were together and having pulled the right foot back while having remained on the left foot, having made one of the said three drawings, and having carried the sword hilt a little higher than the right shoulder by keeping the back of the sword hand up and the nails down as he should, unlike the said Lieutenant, as expected since the painter made an error with all of the said future Lieutenants because they should be keeping the nails of the sword hand down and keeping them high, but the said Prevost does this better, and also keeping the left hand above the left lap, as shown above at the portraiture marked number 14.
  
 
''This is the end of the second position, which serves as another one for said defending Prevost.''
 
''This is the end of the second position, which serves as another one for said defending Prevost.''
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''After this is to declare how the Prevost will have defended his knee and will have thrown a right-hand at the arms of the Lieutenant.''
 
''After this is to declare how the Prevost will have defended his knee and will have thrown a right-hand at the arms of the Lieutenant.''
  
And to do this, the said Prevost is on his left leg, having made one of the three drawings, guards, and placement, and stays on the said guard marked number 14 above, the said Prevost to properly execute, defend, and offend at the same time this said low right-hand, pulls his left foot back and throws a right-hand at the sword arm of the said Lieutenant, and unlike other ignorant demonstrators who crosses sword against sword when a strike comes from below, which is fine because by that he defends himself; but this strike is better because he defends himself and offends thereby doing two good things, I recommend that you take the better one, as the said Prevost also does in executing this said strike, keeping the left hand as is shown at the portraiture marked number 16.  
+
And to do this, the said Prevost is on his left leg, having made one of the three drawings, guards, and placement, and stays on the said guard marked number 14 above, the said Prevost to properly execute, defend, and offend at the same time this said low right-hand, pulls his left foot back and throws a right-hand at the sword arm of the said Lieutenant, and unlike other ignorant demonstrators who crosses sword against sword when a strike comes from below, which is fine because by that he defends himself; but this strike is better because he defends himself and offends thereby doing two good things, I recommend that you take the better one, as the said Prevost also does in executing this said strike, keeping the left hand as shown at the portraiture marked number 16.  
  
 
''This is the defense of the said low right-hand at the knee defended by the Prevost against the said Lieutenant.''
 
''This is the defense of the said low right-hand at the knee defended by the Prevost against the said Lieutenant.''
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| ''The following is the first counter and continuation of the first strike, which is for the attacking Lieutenant and for the defending Prevost.''
 
| ''The following is the first counter and continuation of the first strike, which is for the attacking Lieutenant and for the defending Prevost.''
  
And to do this, the Lieutenant being again on the right foot, having thrown the said low right-hand at the knee, while the Prevost threw a right-hand at the sword arm at the same time, as is shown above at the said Lieutenant on number 15 and the Prevost on 16. The said Lieutenant being again on the right foot, seeing himself about to be struck by a right-hand on the sword arm, immediately lifts and carries his sword high and throws a back-hand<ref>per Dupuis's transcription, it's literally "backhand" as opposed to the technique before named "renver" for whatever reason Didier thought to use a different word this time. I've included a hyphen to differentiate but I think it's supposed to be the same.</ref> on the side of the right shoulder of the Prevost, keeping the said Lieutenant's fingernails of the right hand to face left, and his left hand is keeping right of his face, as is shown above at the portraiture, marked behind the collar in number 17.
+
And to do this, the Lieutenant being again on the right foot, having thrown the said low right-hand at the knee, while the Prevost threw a right-hand at the sword arm at the same time, as shown above at the said Lieutenant on number 15 and the Prevost on 16. The said Lieutenant being again on the right foot, seeing himself about to be struck by a right-hand on the sword arm, immediately lifts and carries his sword high and throws a back-hand<ref>per Dupuis's transcription, it's literally "backhand" as opposed to the technique before named "renver" for whatever reason Didier thought to use a different word this time. I've included a hyphen to differentiate but I think it's supposed to be the same.</ref> on the side of the right shoulder of the Prevost, keeping the said Lieutenant's fingernails of the right hand to face left, and his left hand is keeping right of his face, as shown above at the portraiture, marked behind the collar in number 17.
  
 
''The end of the first counter of the first strike of the sword alone for the said Lieutenant.''
 
''The end of the first counter of the first strike of the sword alone for the said Lieutenant.''
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''After this will be declared the defense of the first counter and continuation for the Prevost against the said Lieutenant.''
 
''After this will be declared the defense of the first counter and continuation for the Prevost against the said Lieutenant.''
  
And to evade and to guard himself against this first continuation, which is a high back-hand, having thrown a right-hand at the arms of the said Lieutenant, as is shown above at the portraiture of the said Lieutenant marked number 15 and at the Prevost who executed the right-hand, marked number 16, the said Prevost being on the right foot to guard and to defend this said first counter, will cross the sword of the said Lieutenant with the strong on the weak, presenting him a thrust to the face of the said Lieutenant, keeping the said Prevost's left hand near his left nipple, as shown above at the portraiture marked number 18.
+
And to evade and to guard himself against this first continuation, which is a high back-hand, having thrown a right-hand at the arms of the said Lieutenant, as shown above at the portraiture of the said Lieutenant marked number 15 and at the Prevost who executed the right-hand, marked number 16, the said Prevost being on the right foot to guard and to defend this said first counter, will cross the sword of the said Lieutenant with the strong on the weak, presenting him a thrust to the face of the said Lieutenant, keeping the said Prevost's left hand near his left nipple, as shown above at the portraiture marked number 18.
  
 
''The end of the first counter and continuation for the said Prevost, being well defended by this against the said Lieutenant.''
 
''The end of the first counter and continuation for the said Prevost, being well defended by this against the said Lieutenant.''
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| ''The following is the second and last counter for the said fourth strike, which is a high backhand, and will also begin on the left foot for this attacking Lieutenant and defended by this Prevost.''
 
| ''The following is the second and last counter for the said fourth strike, which is a high backhand, and will also begin on the left foot for this attacking Lieutenant and defended by this Prevost.''
  
And to do this this Lieutenant in order to execute the second counter well must, without leaving where he's currently planted which is on the left foot, steal away the sword below the Prevost's and throw a high backhand, which is the proper strike, keeping the sword hand high and the left hand right of the chin, as is shown above at the said portraiture and figure marked number 43 behind the bonnet.
+
And to do this this Lieutenant in order to execute the second counter well must, without leaving where he's currently planted which is on the left foot, steal away the sword below the Prevost's and throw a high backhand, which is the proper strike, keeping the sword hand high and the left hand right of the chin, as shown above at the said portraiture and figure marked number 43 behind the bonnet.
  
 
''After having declared the second counter by the said attacking Lieutenant, stay to perform and declare the second counter for the defending Prevost.''
 
''After having declared the second counter by the said attacking Lieutenant, stay to perform and declare the second counter for the defending Prevost.''
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| ''The fourth grab shown by the attacking Lieutenant to the defending Prevost, as clearly shown and written below.''
 
| ''The fourth grab shown by the attacking Lieutenant to the defending Prevost, as clearly shown and written below.''
  
And to do this, the Lieutenant being on the left foot as shown above at the portraiture of the aforementioned position and the guard marked number 105, advanced the right foot and throws a high right-hand or a high thrust on the left of the Prevost to test, as stated and shown above at the portraiture of the Lieutenant marked number 107, and the Lieutenant seeing that the Prevost has defended the high right-hand or high thrust, this said Lieutenant in order to make the grab steals away his sword with a right-hand below the sword of the Prevost, and let his sword drop above the arms of the Prevost, turning the nails of the sword hand up, and with the left hand near the tip take the sword of the Prevost. With this the Lieutenant tells the Prevost, "Listen, if I wanted to lower and press my left hand down you would be forced to let go of your sword, as you can do to me and in fact will do, as will be seen after provided that you do as is shown above at this said portraiture and figure of the said Lieutenant marked number 109.
+
And to do this, the Lieutenant being on the left foot as shown above at the portraiture of the aforementioned position and the guard marked number 105, advanced the right foot and throws a high right-hand or a high thrust on the left of the Prevost to test, as stated and shown above at the portraiture of the Lieutenant marked number 107, and the Lieutenant seeing that the Prevost has defended the high right-hand or high thrust, this said Lieutenant in order to make the grab steals away his sword with a right-hand below the sword of the Prevost, and let his sword drop above the arms of the Prevost, turning the nails of the sword hand up, and with the left hand near the tip take the sword of the Prevost. With this the Lieutenant tells the Prevost, "Listen, if I wanted to lower and press my left hand down you would be forced to let go of your sword, as you can do to me and in fact will do, as will be seen after provided that you do as shown above at this said portraiture and figure of the said Lieutenant marked number 109.
  
 
''This is the end of the said fourth and last grab for the said demonstrating Lieutenant against the defending Prevost.''
 
''This is the end of the said fourth and last grab for the said demonstrating Lieutenant against the defending Prevost.''

Revision as of 04:45, 14 February 2021

Henry de Sainct Didier
Born 1530s (?)
Pertuis, Provence
Died after 1584
Paris, France (?)
Occupation Fencing master
Patron Charles IX of France
Influences
Influenced Salvator Fabris (?)
Genres Fencing manual
Language Middle French
Notable work(s) Les secrets du premier livre sur l'espée seule (1573)
Translations Traducción castellano
Signature Henry de Sainct Didier sig.png

Henry de Sainct Didier, Esq. was a 16th century French fencing master. He was born to a noble family in Pertuis in the Provence region of France, son of Luc de Sainct Didier. Sainct Didier made his career in the French army, ultimately serving 25 years and seeing action in Piedmont, Italy from 1554 - 1555. He wrote of himself that he "lived his whole life learning to fight with the single sword" and eventually "reached a point of perfection" in his art. Apparently he became a fencing master of some renown, for in ca. 1573 he secured a royal privilege for a period of ten years for treatises on a number of weapons, including the dagger, single side sword, double side swords, sword and buckler, sword and cloak, sword and dagger, sword and shield (both rotella and targe), and greatsword. Unfortunately, only his treatise on the single side sword, titled Les secrets du premier livre sur l'espée seule ("Secrets of the Premier Book on the Single Sword") and printed on 4 June 1573, is known to survive; it seems likely that the others were never published at all.

Treatise

Additional Resources

  • Hyatt, Robert Preston and Wilson, Devon. "The Single Sword of Henry de Sainct Didier." Masters of Medieval and Renaissance Martial Arts. Ed. Jeffrey Hull. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-58160-668-3
  • Sainct Didier, Henry de. The Single Sword of Henry de Sainct-Didier (Traicté Contenant Les Secrets Du Premier Livre Sur L'Espée Seule). Trans. Robert Preston Hyatt and Devon Wilson. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 2009. ISBN 978-1581607048
  • Slee, Chris. Secrets of the Sword Alone. LongEdge Press, 2014. ISBN 978-0646926353

References

  1. Pristin : ancien, antérieur
  2. Insertion du « a ».
  3. Dupuis describes this as a wooden board placed in the back wall of the tennis court which, if hit by a volley, is scored immediately. In modern tennis, this board is replaced by a grid.
  4. « L'es », habituellement orthographiée « ais », désigne une planche de bois placée dans le mur du fond de la salle de jeu de paume qui, si elle est touchée par un coup de volée, donne le point immédiatement. Dans le jeu de paume moderne, cette planche est remplacée par une grille. Il est possible que cet « ais » ait donné le terme anglais d'« ace » que les étymologies modernes confondent avec l'« as » du jeu de carte. Voir la définition d' « ais » de l'Encyclopédie de Diderot et d'Alembert.
  5. L’esteuf : ancien nom pour la balle.
  6. précéder. « Préaller » subsiste en français sous la forme « préalable ».
  7. Il s’agit très probablement du maître d’arme italien Fabris Salvator de Padoue (1544-1617). Voir la note sur Fabris Salvator de Vigeant p. 162 et aussi les références à ses publications (Vigeant p. 55-56)
  8. Version alimentaire de l’adage « blanc bonnet et bonnet blanc ».
  9. Transcription la plus sûre du texte : « gran d erre »
  10. Serviteur du grand prêtre venu arrêter Jésus au Mont des Olivier et dont l’oreille coupée a été immédiatement guérie. Selon la lecture du passage, il est parfois pris pour celui qui soufflète Jésus.
  11. Un des anciens nom de l’abeille.
  12. Sens incertain ; peut-être s'agit-il d'une mauvaise graphie de « filial ».
  13. drillant : étincellant, brillant (dictionnaire de Nicot).
  14. Correction du texte d’origine donnant « peid ».
  15. Cette correction sur les images d'Henri de Saint-Didier indique que celles-ci ont été réalisées avant la version finale du texte.
  16. Le « o » de troisiesme est curieusement placé en exposant.
  17. Suppression du doublement de l'esperluette.
  18. Dupuis states the original says left but is incompatible with the rest of the text and the engraving.
  19. Proposition de correction de l’édition originale qui donne « gauche », en incohérence avec la gravure et le texte plus bas qui confirme que la posture du Lieutenent est identique à celle de la section précédente où c’était bien le pied droit qui était reculé.
  20. Deuxième remarque de l'auteur sur les gravures montrant que le texte a été retouché après réception des gravures. À comparer avec une remarque similaire faite dans le i.33.
  21. per Dupuis's transcription, it's literally "backhand" as opposed to the technique before named "renver" for whatever reason Didier thought to use a different word this time. I've included a hyphen to differentiate but I think it's supposed to be the same.
  22. Correction du texte d’origine donnant « Leiutenent ».
  23. In modern fencing, dérobement is a fencing term for disengage.
  24. Correction de l'édition originale qui omet lors d'un changement de page le début du mot « haute »
  25. The position of the hand illustrates the fingers down, in opposition to the text.
  26. La position de la main illustrée a les doigts au-dessus, en opposition avec le texte.
  27. Proposition de correction pour « bessoin »
  28. Proposition de correction pour « avan-main »
  29. Proposition de correction pour « couté »
  30. Proposition de correction pour « Vola ».
  31. Proposition de correction pour « ongle »
  32. Sens inconnu.
  33. The technique.
  34. La tuition est un synonyme de « garde », « défense », très souvent employé à cette époque pour appuyer le mot « défense ».
  35. Proposition de correction pour « Provost »
  36. Proposition de correction de « du–sixiesme »
  37. Proposition de correction pour « persent ».
  38. The triangle represented here is not correct. The one marked 65 seems to better reflect the proposed movement.
  39. Proposition de correction pour « le ongles ».
  40. Le triangle représenté ici n'est pas correct, celui cotté 65 paraît rendre mieux compte du déplacement proposé.
  41. Dupuis thinks 75 represents this correct and that 73 is incorrect.
  42. Proposition de correction pour « Lieutent ». La marque indiquant une contraction a probablement été omise.
  43. On pourrait compléter : « ...et le mettre en 4 ». L'illustration 73 est incorrecte puisque le pied gauche est resté sur la semelle 1 et n'est pas placé sur la semelle 3 (à gauche) comme demandé ; la position des pieds de l'illustration 75 correspond à ce qui aurait dû être représenté.
  44. The Prevost shown at the portraiture does not correspond to the text since he is on the right foot
  45. Proposition de correction pour « dh’aut »
  46. Sic.
  47. Le prévôt représenté ici ne correspond pas au texte puisqu'il se tient sur le pied droit.
  48. The Prevost of 80 isn't on the left foot as written but is coherent with 78.
  49. Le prévôt de la figure 80 n’est pas sur le pied gauche comme écrit et mais reste cohérent avec la figure 78.
  50. It is meant to read as Prevost here.
  51. Il faut évidemment lire ici « Prevost ».
  52. Proposition de correction pour « suprint »
  53. Sic.
  54. Suppression du doublement de l'esperluette dans « sa cuisse gauche, & & tous ».
  55. Sic. Au XVIe siècle, le genre des mots était encore indécis.
  56. The author is announcing here another edition to augment his book which has never has been written.
  57. L’auteur annonce ici une prochaine édition augmentée de son oeuvre qui n’a a priori jamais eu lieu.
  58. Proposition de correction pour « ou ».
  59. Proposition de correction pour « mostré »
  60. Du latin médiéval « inquinatum » signifiant « pour combien »
  61. lit. bark or shell, outer layer. Idiom similar to "Don't judge a book by its cover.
  62. Dilection : attachement, amour pur.
  63. Un vidimus est la copie certifiée d'un acte antérieur.
  64. Il doit s'agit de Pierre ou Jean Brûlart (tout deux avait une charge au Parlement) qui signe pour le roi.