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<p>''Treatise on Coming to Grips, Seizing the sword, Throwing the Cloak, and Principles of the dagger.''</p>
 
<p>''Treatise on Coming to Grips, Seizing the sword, Throwing the Cloak, and Principles of the dagger.''</p>
  
<p>Although our intention was not to treat of the following matters because it seemed to us that our work could very well stand without them, nevertheless owing to the persuasions of many friends and to gratify them we have been induced to include in our book this treatise on coming to grips, seizing  the sword, throwing the cloak and the principles of the dagger, that is the principles of defence against the dagger with the bare hands. The reasons which at first dissuaded us from treating of these matters were the fact that the volume was sufficiently long without them, and the fact that our purpose was to show how to defend oneself and attack the adversary with the sword alone, or the sword and dagger, or the sword and cloak, these being the usual weapons among gentlemen and truly appropriate for noblemen; therefore we have said nothing of shields and bucklers and other things, which it would take long to discuss. We have always been of the opinion that one, who understands the rules we have put forward, can use his sword in company with any kind of weapon, whether in the hand or on the arm, for in all cases the observation of the ''time'' and distance is required. Thus we proposed to treat only of the thrust and the cut, believing that, whoever can defend and attack in ''time'' with these, would never need to come to grips on the seizing of swords. For similar reasons we have said nothing of defending against the dagger with the bare hands, since, when honourable men are driven by a point of honour to have recourse to a trial of arms they must do so on equal terms and with a correct test of valour, and should abhor a victory won by an unworthy and disgraceful advantage of weapons. Nevertheless we have accepted the advice of our friends, and since among men entirely honourable unexpected cases arise, and so suddenly that there is no time to resort to swords, it appears well to record how the dagger may be used against the dagger. Since that weapon is short, there is a danger of the adversary's seizing the dagger hand. Therefore, if possible, you should avoid parrying, and protect yourself by swift movements of the body and feet to one side or the other, hitting at the adversary's hands and arm; this will be a safer method and will keep him at a distance, so that he cannot seize your weapon or come to grips. For the rest if you have a knowledge of ''time'', distance and passing, the rules already described will serve; therefore we say no more. But to satisfy one who can command us, we shall explain how to defend and attack, when assaulted by an opponent with a dagger, when you are unarmed.</p>
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<p>Although our intention was not to treat of the following matters, because it seemed to us that our work could very well stand without them, nevertheless owing to the persuasions of many friends and to gratify them we have been induced to include in our book this treatise on coming to grips, seizing  the sword, throwing the cloak and the principles of the dagger, that is the principles of defence against the dagger with the bare hands. The reasons which at first dissuaded us from treating of these matters were the fact that the volume was sufficiently long without them, and the fact that our purpose was to show how to defend oneself and attack the adversary with the sword alone, or the sword and dagger, or the sword and cloak, these being the usual weapons among gentlemen and truly appropriate for noblemen; therefore we have said nothing of shields and bucklers and other things, which it would take long to discuss. We have always been of the opinion that one, who understands the rules we have put forward, can use his sword in company with any kind of weapon, whether in the hand or on the arm, for in all cases the observation of the ''time'' and distance is required. Thus we proposed to treat only of the thrust and the cut, believing that, whoever can defend and attack in ''time'' with these, would never need to come to grips on the seizing of swords. For similar reasons we have said nothing of defending against the dagger with the bare hands, since, when honourable men are driven by a point of honour to have recourse to a trial of arms they must do so on equal terms and with a correct test of valour, and should abhor a victory won by an unworthy and disgraceful advantage of weapons. Nevertheless we have accepted the advice of our friends, and since among men entirely honourable unexpected cases arise, and so suddenly that there is no time to resort to swords, it appears well to record how the dagger may be used against the dagger. Since that weapon is short, there is a danger of the adversary's seizing the dagger hand. Therefore, if possible, you should avoid parrying, and protect yourself by swift movements of the body and feet to one side or the other, hitting at the adversary's hands and arm; this will be a safer method and will keep him at a distance, so that he cannot seize your weapon or come to grips. For the rest if you have a knowledge of ''time'', distance and passing, the rules already described will serve; therefore we say no more. But to satisfy one who can command us, we shall explain how to defend and attack, when assaulted by an opponent with a dagger, when you are unarmed.</p>
 
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| {{pagetb|Page:Scienza d’Arme (Salvator Fabris) 1606.pdf|253|lbl=243}}
 
| {{pagetb|Page:Scienza d’Arme (Salvator Fabris) 1606.pdf|253|lbl=243}}
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| [[file:Scienza d’Arme (Fabris) 179.jpg|400px|center]]
 
| [[file:Scienza d’Arme (Fabris) 179.jpg|400px|center]]
| <p>[2] The struggle shown in this plate may have arisen in the following manner: you were in ''tierce'' on the inside, and your adversary also in ''tierce''; having the advantage you have attached[!] in ''quarte'' close to his sword; he has tried to defend with a ''quarte'' and carried his point out of line; therefore you have yielded your point, advanced the left foot and followed with the right behind his right foot, bringing your hand above his hand at the same time, whilst your pommel has reached his chest as your foot came to the ground. Or it may be that the adversary was on the outside of your sword; you have moved to engage his sword, and taking that ''time'' he has cut in ''mandiritto'' at the head. Therefore you have brought forward the left foot, parrying in order to hit in ''quarte''; seeing his danger he has attacked your sword in order to force it out of line; you have yielded your point, brought your pommel over his sword on the outside, passed and come to grips, as shown. Or it may be you, the assailant, had cut in ''mandiritto'', and the adversary had made the simple parry of ''quarte'', carrying his point outwards; you, who had brought forward the left foot when making your first hit, have passed in the time of his parrying without finishing the cut, but bringing your hand above his sword on the outside; that you have made the stroke shown so that the adversary is on the point of falling to the ground.</p>
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| <p>[2] The struggle shown in this plate may have arisen in the following manner: you were in ''tierce'' on the inside, and your adversary also in ''tierce''; having the advantage you have attached[!] in ''quarte'' close to his sword; he has tried to defend with a ''quarte'' and carried his point out of line; therefore you have yielded your point, advanced the left foot and followed with the right behind his right foot, bringing your hand above his hand at the same time, whilst your pommel has reached his chest as your foot came to the ground. Or it may be that the adversary was on the outside of your sword; you have moved to engage his sword, and taking that ''time'' he has cut in ''mandiritto'' at the head. Therefore you have brought forward the left foot, parrying in order to hit in ''quarte''; seeing his danger he has attacked your sword in order to force it out of line; you have yielded your point, brought your pommel over his sword on the outside, passed and come to grips, as shown. Or it may be that you, the assailant, had cut in ''mandiritto'', and the adversary had made the simple parry of ''quarte'', carrying his point outwards; you, who had brought forward the left foot when making your first hit, have passed in the time of his parrying without finishing the cut, but bringing your hand above his sword on the outside; that you have made the stroke shown so that the adversary is on the point of falling to the ground.</p>
 
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| {{pagetb|Page:Scienza d’Arme (Salvator Fabris) 1606.pdf|254|lbl=244}}
 
| {{pagetb|Page:Scienza d’Arme (Salvator Fabris) 1606.pdf|254|lbl=244}}
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| [[file:Scienza d’Arme (Fabris) 180.jpg|400px|center]]
 
| [[file:Scienza d’Arme (Fabris) 180.jpg|400px|center]]
| <p>[3] This plate shown[!] the wresting of the sword from the opponent's hand, accompanied by a thrust in ''seconde'' in the chest; this may arise in two ways; in the first the adversary had cut in ''mandiritto'' at the head; you parried in ''seconde'', completely covering yourself, and immediately after parrying passed; putting your left hand reversed on the inside of his hilt and hand you have twisted his arm, turned it outwards, and wrested his sword from his hand by force, so that he has been unable to hold it. In the second method, you were in ''tierce'' on the outside of the adversary's sword and have made a feint of hitting in the face, raising your hand to ''quarte'' and carrying the point to that line, seeing his danger he has raised his sword to defend; you have yielded from ''quarte'' to ''seconde'', brought the left side as far forward as the right, lowering your head so far that the hilt and forte have entirely covered it, so that his point has passed behind; at the same time you have disengaged your sword in ''seconde'', placed your hand reversed his sword hand, and by bending his arm outwards forced him to relinquish his sword.</p>
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| <p>[3] This plate shown[!] the wresting of the sword from the opponent's hand, accompanied by a thrust in ''seconde'' in the chest; this may arise in two ways; in the first the adversary had cut in ''mandiritto'' at the head; you parried in ''seconde'', completely covering yourself, and immediately after parrying passed; putting your left hand reversed on the inside of his hilt and hand you have twisted his arm, turned it outwards, and wrested his sword from his hand by force, so that he has been unable to hold it. In the second method, you were in ''tierce'' on the outside of the adversary's sword and have made a feint of hitting in the face, raising your hand to ''quarte'' and carrying the point to that line; seeing his danger he has raised his sword to defend; you have yielded from ''quarte'' to ''seconde'', brought the left side as far forward as the right, lowering your head so far that the hilt and forte have entirely covered it, so that his point has passed behind; at the same time you have disengaged your sword in ''seconde'', placed your hand reversed on his sword hand, and by bending his arm outwards forced him to relinquish his sword.</p>
 
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| {{pagetb|Page:Scienza d’Arme (Salvator Fabris) 1606.pdf|255|lbl=245}}
 
| {{pagetb|Page:Scienza d’Arme (Salvator Fabris) 1606.pdf|255|lbl=245}}
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| [[file:Scienza d’Arme (Fabris) 189.jpg|400px|center]]
 
| [[file:Scienza d’Arme (Fabris) 189.jpg|400px|center]]
| <p>[13] Here is another disarm and hit. The adversary with the dagger has tried to hit you who are unarmed, thrusting the point at your body from below upwards, you have placed your right hand under the blade of the dagger, and your left hand over his dagger hand; by drawing his hand towards you, and pushing your right hand forward, you have turned the point against him. By resting your chest against the pommel of the dagger and throwing the whole of your weight on to it, you have driven the point into the chest of the man who was holding it. His only chance of safety was to drop the dagger to the ground, but he should have done that when you began to turn his hand, for after it was turned, the point would have reached his body.</p>
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| <p>[13] Here is another disarm and hit. The adversary with the dagger has tried to hit you who are unarmed, thrusting the point at your body from below upwards. You have placed your right hand under the blade of the dagger, and your left hand over his dagger hand; by drawing his hand towards you, and pushing your right hand forward, you have turned the point against him. By resting your chest against the pommel of the dagger and throwing the whole of your weight on to it, you have driven the point into the chest of the man who was holding it. His only chance of safety was to drop the dagger to the ground, but he should have done that when you began to turn his hand, for after it was turned, the point would have reached his body.</p>
  
 
<p>Let this suffice on the subject of the bare hands against the dagger.</p>
 
<p>Let this suffice on the subject of the bare hands against the dagger.</p>

Revision as of 23:40, 8 June 2022

Salvator Fabris
Born 1544
Padua, Italy
Died 11 Nov 1618 (aged 74)
Padua, Italy
Occupation
Nationality Italian
Alma mater University of Padua (?)
Patron
  • Christianus Ⅳ of Denmark
  • Johan Frederik of Schleswig-Holstein-
    Gottorp
Influenced
Genres Fencing manual
Language Italian
Notable work(s) Scienza d’Arme (1601-06)
Manuscript(s)
Translations

Salvator Fabris (Salvador Fabbri, Salvator Fabriz, Fabrice; 1544-1618) was a 16th – 17th century Italian knight and fencing master. He was born in or around Padua, Italy in 1544, and although little is known about his early years, he seems to have studied fencing from a young age and possibly attended the prestigious University of Padua.[citation needed] The French master Henry de Sainct Didier recounts a meeting with an Italian fencer named "Fabrice" during the course of preparing his treatise (completed in 1573) in which they debated fencing theory, potentially placing Fabris in France in the early 1570s.[1] In the 1580s, Fabris corresponded with Christian Barnekow, a Danish nobleman with ties to the royal court as well as an alumnus of the university.[2] It seems likely that Fabris traveled a great deal during the 1570s and 80s, spending time in France, Germany, Spain, and possibly other regions before returning to teach at his alma mater.[citation needed]

It is unclear if Fabris himself was of noble birth, but at some point he seems to have earned a knighthood. In fact, he is described in his treatise as Supremus Eques ("Supreme Knight") of the Order of the Seven Hearts. In Johann Joachim Hynitzsch's introduction to the 1676 edition, he identifies Fabris as a Colonel of the Order.[3] It seems therefore that he was not only a knight of the Order of the Seven Hearts, but rose to a high rank and perhaps even overall leadership.

Fabris' whereabouts in the 1590s are uncertain, but there are rumors. In 1594, he may have been hired by King Sigismund of Poland to assassinate his uncle Karl, a Swedish duke and competitor for the Swedish crown. According to the story, Fabris participated in a sword dance (or possibly a dramatic play) with a sharp sword and was to slay Karl during the performance when the audience was distracted. (The duke was warned and avoided the event, saving his life.)[4] In ca. 1599, Fabris may have been invited to England by noted playwright William Shakespeare to choreograph the fight scenes in his premier of Hamlet.[5][2] He also presumably spent considerable time in the 1590s developing the fencing manual that would guarantee his lasting fame.

What is certain is that by 1598, Fabris had left his position at the University of Padua and was attached to the court of Johan Frederik, the young duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp. He continued in the duke's service until 1601, and as a parting gift prepared a lavishly-illustrated, three-volume manuscript of his treatise entitled Scientia e Prattica dell'Arme (GI.kgl.Saml.1868 4040).[2]

In 1601, Fabris was hired as chief rapier instructor to the court of Christianus Ⅳ, King of Denmark and Duke Johan Frederik's cousin. He ultimately served in the royal court for five years; toward the end of his tenure and at the king's insistence, he published his opus under the title Sienza e Pratica d’Arme ("Science and Practice of Arms") or De lo Schermo, overo Scienza d’Arme ("On Defense, or the Science of Arms"). Christianus funded this first edition and placed his court artist, Jan van Halbeeck, at Fabris' disposal to illustrate it; it was ultimately published in Copenhagen on 25 September 1606.[2]

Soon after the text was published, and perhaps feeling his 62 years, Fabris asked to be released from his six-year contract with the king so that he might return home. He traveled through northern Germany and was in Paris, France, in 1608. Ultimately, he received a position at the University of Padua and there passed his final years. He died of a fever on 11 November 1618 at the age of 74, and the town of Padua declared an official day of mourning in his honor. In 1676, the town of Padua erected a statue of the master in the Chiesa del Santo.

The importance of Fabris' work can hardly be overstated. Versions of his treatise were reprinted for over a hundred years, and translated into German at least four times as well as French and Latin. He is almost universally praised by later masters and fencing historians, and through the influence of his students and their students (most notably Hans Wilhelm Schöffer), he became the dominant figure in German fencing throughout the 17th century and into the 18th.

Treatise

Additional Resources

References

  1. Didier, Henry de Sainct. Les secrets du premier livre sur l'espée seule. Paris, 1573. pp 5-8.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Fabris, Salvator and Leoni, Tom. Art of Dueling: Salvator Fabris' Rapier Fencing Treatise of 1606. Highland Village, TX: Chivalry Bookshelf, 2005. pp XVIII-XIX.
  3. Fabris, Salvator and Leoni, Tom. Art of Dueling: Salvator Fabris' Rapier Fencing Treatise of 1606. Highland Village, TX: Chivalry Bookshelf, 2005. p XXIX.
  4. Andersson, Henrik. Salvator Fabris as a Hired Assassin in Sweden. Association for Renaissance Martial Arts. Retrieved 2011-12-18.
  5. Barbasetti, Luigi. Fencing Through the Ages.[Full citation needed]
  6. Originally "asseruatore", but corrected in the errata.
  7. This seems like a mistranslation of rompere di misura at first blush, but according to Kevin Murakoshi, this is an archaic piece of fencing jargon that was still current in the early 20th century. It means to "break measure" or withdraw. ~ Michael Chidester
  8. Originally "richeide", but corrected in the errata.
  9. Originally "dirarsi", but corrected in the errata.
  10. Originally "longuezza", but corrected in the errata.
  11. Originally "mettre", but corrected in the errata.
  12. Originally "volto", but corrected in the errata.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 There's no conclusion of this word on the next page, just a new sentence.
  14. Originally "occcsione", but corrected in the errata.
  15. Originally "albassare", but corrected in the errata.
  16. Originally "& migliore", but corrected in the errata.
  17. Originally "temerariemente", but corrected in the errata.
  18. Originally "bisogna", but corrected in the errata.
  19. The letter 'F' was omitted in the print and hand-corrected in all copies.
  20. Originally "guardia", but corrected in the errata.
  21. Originally "equali", but corrected in the errata.
  22. Originally "poco", but corrected in the errata.
  23. Originally "poco", but corrected in the errata.
  24. Originally "non buoni", but corrected in the errata.
  25. Originally "queui", but corrected in the errata.
  26. Originally "che spada", but corrected in the errata.
  27. Originally "accorgendosi", but corrected in the errata.
  28. Originally "con pugnale", but corrected in the errata.
  29. Originally "mouendolo", but corrected in the errata.
  30. Originally "diuersi", but corrected in the errata.
  31. Originally "dentro la spada", but corrected in the errata.
  32. Originally "andere", but corrected in the errata.
  33. Originally "richede", but corrected in the errata.
  34. Originally "in suoi", but corrected in the errata.
  35. This word can't be read on the photos I have. It's a 6-letter word that seems to end in "s?ed". The Italian word means to move or advance, and Tom Leoni translates it as "fling". ~ Michael Chidester
  36. Originally "della", but corrected in the errata.
  37. Originally "la dette", but corrected in the errata.
  38. Originally "è passare", but corrected in the errata.
  39. The errata adds "l’".
  40. Originally "farmarsi", but corrected in the errata. The errata says it should be on page 232, but this is the only instance of the word in the book.
  41. This large blank space was probably meant to be filled in later with a suitable translation for brezza, which means "breeze" though that's obviously not the intended meaning here. It might be a spelling of brecca, meaning "breach". Tom Leoni translates it "rampart". ~ Michael Chidester
  42. Originally "sforza", but corrected in the errata. The errata says it should be on page 241, but this is the only instance of the word on the correct line.
  43. Should be 183.
  44. Originally "ineguale", but corrected in the errata.