Iberian Swordplay: Domingo Luis Godinho's Art of Fencing (1599)

By Tim Rivera

In 1599, during the period when the Portuguese crown was united to the crowns of Castile and Aragon, a Portuguese master-at-arms called Domingo Luis Godinho wrote a manuscript in Spanish entitled Arte de Esgrima (The Art of Fencing). Although Godinho's live is largely a mystery and his text was never published, today his manuscript of utmost relevance in the study of Renaissance Iberian fencing, since it is the only complete treatise discovered so far describing the "Common" or "Vulgar" style of Iberian fencing, first documented in the 15th century, but by Godinho's day, displaced by the new system of La Verdadera Destreza.

The work includes instructions for the single sword, a long-bladed, cut & thrust weapon taught alone and with the use of the shield, buckler, dagger, and cape, as well as paired with a second sword. Godinho's instructions also includes the longest known text on the use of the montante, or two-handed sword, a devastating weapon that was used by soldiers and body-guards, in duels and battlefields, in crowded streets and aboard galleys. Translator Tim Rivera provides a detailed introduction that explains Godinho's relationship to earlier masters of the "Common School" of swordsmanship, and a short primer on the various weapons, guards, parries, footwork and terminology of the tradition.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Freelance Academy Press
• Release date: Oct 23, 2017
• ISBN: 9781937439361

Book preview

1599

PART ONE: SWORD ALONE

IHS MA

With the name of Jesus and his blessed mother, the book called Art of Fencing begins, (f.12 Francisco de Acevedo³⁹) composed by Master Domingo Luis Godinho, native Lusitanian⁴⁰ from the town of Santarem, diocese of Lisbon. – D. in the year 1599

Chapter One: On the Three General Rules and Dealing with the Counters

What must first be advised to those that will learn this art with curiosity, is that its masters declare three general rules to their disciples, whereby he who plays with the sword alone can easily gain knowledge of it. (1) The first rule is that every time a person is attacked on the right side by his opponent, whether by any thrust or a reves,⁴² it has to be defended with a fingernails-down thrust. (2) The second is that every time that one is attacked on the left side, whether by a tajo⁴³ or any thrust, it has to be defended fingernails-up. (3) The third is that one not only has to be defend by parrying, but with the said thrusts injuring the enemy, noting that the thrust has to be given to where the opponent’s blow is going to stop, in this manner: if the opponent’s reves goes to the head, the counter thrust is given to the face or the shoulder, and if the reves or thrust goes to the thigh, the counter thrust is given in the opponent’s thigh, and if the tajo or thrust goes to the face, the counter should also go to the opponent’s face or chest. (4) (5) In conclusion, the third rule is that the counters have to be given at the height where the opponent’s blow goes. (6)

Chapter Two: How the Opponent Is Attacked

The previous chapter deals with the form in which the counters have to be given, but it doesn’t speak of how the enemy will be attacked — for that, one would do well to keep to the third rule. The posture and height in which the opponent is positioned has to be noted, such that if his point is in front of your face, you commit whichever blow to the opponent’s face. (f.13) So in this manner, you have to commit the blow at whichever height it may be. The movements and swaying of the body with which one commits these blows is not dealt with in this chapter, because they will be declared in their place.

Chapter Three: How to Draw, Against One and Against Two, Close or Far

Two people meet close to each other, and at an end of their words have to draw swords. As they draw, they take the right foot back with the whole body, remaining nails-down. If they aren’t far enough from each other, they may then take back the left foot. Then one puts in the left foot with a tajo, which the opponent receives nails-up, giving a thrust to the face or chest, turning himself to the side the most that he will be able. (7) He will also be able, in place of the tajo, to give a nails-up thrust, putting in said left foot; I mean to say, entering with the right foot. The opponent will be able to defend the nails-up thrust with a thrust by the same edges.

Chapter Four: How the Steps are Done Against One

Standing with the feet together, and lifting the sword with vigor, the disciple puts in the left foot with a tajo, then enters with the right foot with a reves, and a tajo like the first, and he goes with this step, walking until it is sufficient. (8) (9) Retreating, the left foot leaves nails-up and the right foot nails-down, such that one parries the opponent’s tajos and reveses, because taking the crossing parries is not as effective.⁴⁵ (10) The steps that one makes are not big, but like those that he makes when he walks.

Second Step Against Many

He will also be able to throw a tajo with the right foot forward, if the left foot does not pass ahead of the right. (11) Walking like this with the right foot always in front, he cuts the tajo and reves. If it would be necessary to retreat, it is with the left foot back first and the right after, not passing beyond the left, but after it. With this step he should go exiting in the above form, nails-up thrust to those on the left side and nails-down thrust to those on the right side.

Chapter Five: How to Cut

Done with the step, the disciple stands feet together, and putting in the right foot, he makes a tajo, extending as much as he is able, and when the tajo withdraws, he withdraws the foot that he had placed at the same time, returning it to where it began. (f.14) Then he returns to put in a reves, extending itand draw against as much as he is able, and as the reves passes, he withdraws the foot like he withdrew for the tajo. (12) Then he puts in a tajo with the left foot. (13) If there is more than one opponent, then when he puts in the left foot, it should not be straight from the other, but to the left side so that it reaches more. (14) Then in this form, he puts in the right foot with a reves, and cuts with this step as much as necessary, taking note that the eyes should always go where the blow goes.

Being necessary to retreat, he should leave by placing the feet with the same step, (15) giving a nails-up thrust to parry those on the left side, and a nails-down thrust to those on the right side, not making a circle with his sword when he turns the sword from nails-up to nails-down, only turning with the wrist.

Chapter Six: How One Cuts Against Many on a Wide Street

If one is attacked in a wide street, or unable to reach all the opponents with the blows pointed out in the previous rule,⁴⁶ he will put his right foot toward those on the right side and throw a tajo, which will cut until reaching those that are on the left side. (16) At the same time that the tajo cuts, he lifts the right foot and puts it in front of the left foot. Then, he puts the left foot to the left side, giving a reves to those on the same side, which will cut until reaching those on the right side. He goes when the reves cuts. At the same time that the reves cuts, he will lift the left foot and put it in front of the right foot.

Note that when you finish the tajo, and you want to arm the reves, incline the point⁴⁷ (17) nails-up at those remaining to the right side, which is not in order to injure, as much as for the parry of the blows that the opponents may throw in the time that the tajo passes. (f.15) Time isn’t lost because in order to give the reves, one ends with the point already armed.

When you finish the reves, and you want to give the tajo, you have to turn the point nails-down to those that remain to the left side, not so that you injure with it, but for parrying the blows that the opponents will give as soon as the reves passes, and at the same time, the tajo is armed with the said point. (18) With this step, you will make the blows that will be necessary, taking note that the body should always go straight, where the blow goes, with your eyes on the opponents.

Being necessary to retreat, (19) rip⁴⁸ with reves and tajo, or give a nails-up thrust as a parry to those on left side and a nails-down thrust to those on the right side.

Chapter Seven: How to Rip and What It Is

Breaking and ripping⁴⁹ are the same thing.⁵⁰ When in battle, if the opponent on one side lowers his sword until it is in front of the belt, and he is attacked with a thrust to the eyes, this can be ripped, along with all the other [attacks] that would be committed at the time that the opponent has his sword low.

In order to rip, one has to be nails-down; then, lifting the sword suddenly, it meets with the enemy’s sword, and at the same time he delivers a ripped tajo from the enemy’s left shoulder to the right knee, the sword ending nails-up on the left side. (20) Then, lifting the sword suddenly, it meets the same sword and at the same time he gives a reves, making a circle, from the right shoulder to the left knee. (21) All the times that he finishes ripping, he ends armed nails-up with the sword