Common Fencing in the I.

33
Belgian Buckler Quarterly – January 2018

Aurélien Nouvion
How was it done?
The I.33 had 5 successive development steps:

1. Layout building by drawing the grids

Fol. 4r

2. Illuminations

Fol. 16v

3. Putting the cross marks

Fol. 9r

4. Text

fol. 9r

5. Corrections of the text.

Addition of the word “scolaris” by hand B, fol. 6r.

Crunching the ars dimicatoria.
Constant back and forth

Text
Exemplum 1
Ymagines

Exemplum 2 Ludus 1 Piece 1

Etc.
ARS
Piece 2
DIMICATORIA

etc.

Ars dimicatoria generalis.

First, the author defines the “ars dimicatoria generalis” as the disposition of various blows (diversarum plagarum
ordinatio). The combat follows an order:

First: Then: Finally:

plaga

Custodia Obsessio “Finis” et “nucleus”

Prima Custodia Halpschilt Cut performed, end in langort

This organization has several advantages: it allows a clean lecture of actions and gives fencers lots of marks. It
encourages people to be careful in their actions and forbids rushes.
By following this disposition, the fencer can act very carefully about “hitting without being it”, the intermediate
position of the obsessio is a decisive point where the fencer chooses if he pursues his action or “flees”.
The eight guards used by “omnes dimicatores”.

Prima
sub brach’

Secunda
Humero dextrali

Tertia
Humero sinistro

Tertia “A”: fol. 1R

Tertia “B”: fol. 12R, 12V,
13R, 14R
Tertia “C”: fol. 26R
3

Quarta
Capiti

4
 Quinta
Dextro lateri

Sexta
Pectori

Ultima
Langort

Vidilpoge
“custodia generalis” (fol.
22r)

(8)

The seven guards have their mysterious verse which I have not fully understood yet:

Tres sunt que preeunt, relique tunc fugiunt.

Hee septem partes ducuntur per generales.
Oppositum clerus mediumque tenet Lutegerus.

The addition of an eight guard is curious and comes quite late in the manuscript but this position is clearly depicted
as a “custodia generalis” (fol. 22r).

Contrary to what can be interpreted from the structure of many I.33 pieces, the custodia is not by nature a defensive
position. The choice of the custodia is rather the very starting point of the action: choosing a custodia instead of
another will modify the scope of possible actions. This scope is to be structured by the choice of the according
obsessio.
The obsessiones used by common fencers.

Halpschilt
“multi generales
dimicatores seducuntur
ista obbsessione”
(fol. 11r)

“many common fencers are

seduced by this siege”
(trans. D. Bachmann)

Langort

“[…] cujus obsession erit

langort. Et est generalis
et modicum valens”.
(fol. 16r)

« whose siege will be

langort, and it [langort] is a
common and of limited
value.” (trans. D. Bachmann)

Schutzen

"obsessionem, que
vocatur schutzen"
(fol. 11r)

“the besieger performs a

siege which is called
schutzen, because every
guard has one protection,
i.e. schutzen.”
(trans. D. Bachmann)

The text explains that

custodiae can sometimes
be used as obsessiones.

- Prima custodia: fol 2r

-
- Quarta custodia: fol 24v,
30r and 31r

Three main obsessiones are used in the Common Fencing: halpschilt, langort and the schutzen. The halpschilt seems
to get the upper hand of the three positions because, if done right and executed without delay, it prevents the other
fencer from invading the distance.
Which ending?
The Common Fencing uses the plaga to hit the opponent:

“Notandum quod scolaris ducit hic plagam generalem, quam consueverunt ducere omnes dimicatores" (fol. 25r)
“Here the scholar delivers this common strike which all common fencers are wont to deliver”
(trad D. Bachmann)

“ Et caveat sacerdos ne scolaris ducat plagam capiti, sive fixuram generalem quam sacerdos consuevit docere
discipulos suos." (fol. 16v)
" And the priest should take care lest the scholar deliver a strike to the head or the common thrust, as the priest is used to
teaching his students.” (trans. D. Bachmann)

Folio 11v

Build your action according to the Common Fencing!

To enter the ars dimicatoria, the fencer must achieve a succession of actions, organized in a very typical way.
First, he must choose a custodia, then going to an obsessio, finally putting an end to the action by performing a cut
finishing in a langort.

Custodia Obsessio End of action

? ?? Plaga

Privileged actions of Common Fencers

- 1ma VS Halpschilt: The Rector Custodiae goes to the bind. Once done, he’ll strike to the head without
performing a buckler strike. (see: fol. 2r).
- 1ma VS Halpschilt: The Rector Custodiae goes to the bind but is overbound. There, the Common will “cover”
rather than “mutate” his sword. (see fol. 3r : Clerici sic nucken, generales non nisi schutzen)
- Schutzen VS Schutzen (fol. 9r) ; perform a “general hit” to the left (fol. 9r).
- Ligans ligati: the student goes for a plaga to the head. (fol. 25r)