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Difference between revisions of "Salvator Fabris"

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| <p>[30] With the ''quarte'' here shown the right foot has been carried away and the weight of the body brought on to it; the sword has remained in the straight line below the adversary's in ''tierce''. You have begun at a distance and approached with your chest facing the adversary's point, until your left foot was almost within distance, when you have carried the right foot away and brought the weight of the body on to it with the object of bringing the body out of the line of his sword and of being able to put your sword in the position you judge to be best. In your sword is exactly below his, the adversary has been unable to engage it with ease, and has been left in doubt. If he has not moved on your carrying your right foot out, you could place your sword in the line uncovered close to his sword, exclude his sword, and go on to hit without touching by advancing the foot on the inside. If the adversary has followed with his point the line of your body now inclined on the right foot, you would have brought your body on to the left foot and out of line on the other side; on hit sword moving you would  have put your sword into the line uncovered, for since your sword was just under his line, and since he has followed your body with his point, your sword would be left in that line, so that by merely thrusting it forward in the line where his sword was you would exclude his sword, and with all the greater ease because of the movement of your body, now on the left foot, a movement quicker than that of the hand. By following on with the foot you would have passed with great swiftness, leaving his sword on one side or the other according to the circumstances.</p>
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| <p>[30] With the ''quarte'' here shown the right foot has been carried away and the weight of the body brought on to it; the sword has remained in the straight line below the adversary's in ''tierce''. You have begun at a distance and approached with your chest facing the adversary's point, until your left foot was almost within distance, when you have carried the right foot away and brought the weight of the body on to it with the object of bringing the body out of the line of his sword and of being able to put your sword in the position you judge to be best. Since your sword is exactly below his, the adversary has been unable to engage it with ease, and has been left in doubt. If he has not moved on your carrying your right foot out, you could place your sword in the line uncovered close to his sword, exclude his sword, and go on to hit without touching by advancing the foot on the inside. If the adversary has followed with his point the line of your body now inclined on the right foot, you would have brought your body on to the left foot and out of line on the other side; on hit sword moving you would  have put your sword into the line uncovered, for since your sword was just under his line, and since he has followed your body with his point, your sword would be left in that line, so that by merely thrusting it forward in the line where his sword was you would exclude his sword, and with all the greater ease because of the movement of your body, now on the left foot, a movement quicker than that of the hand. By following on with the foot you would have passed with great swiftness, leaving his sword on one side or the other according to the circumstances.</p>
  
 
<p>These movements must all be made continuously, without stopping although in the plate you appear to be awaiting a ''time'' with your feet apart, that is done to show the position of the foot, body, arm and sword; but actually the movement must be executed swiftly and without interval. For if the adversary does not follow the line of your body, you will at once advance, close the path of his sword and continue. But if he follows your first movement with his point, your body goes to the other side and leaves his sword out of line, so that it cannot return into presence. Whether you make the side step to the right or left, you must still leave your sword and hand in the line of the adversary's point in order to make your defence easier, if he tries to hit during your movement. You will succeed well with this method, if you proceed in the correct manner, remembering that you must know how to reach the petition shown without moving the arm or sword; the sword must be carried forward by the body, or the method will be dangerous.</p>
 
<p>These movements must all be made continuously, without stopping although in the plate you appear to be awaiting a ''time'' with your feet apart, that is done to show the position of the foot, body, arm and sword; but actually the movement must be executed swiftly and without interval. For if the adversary does not follow the line of your body, you will at once advance, close the path of his sword and continue. But if he follows your first movement with his point, your body goes to the other side and leaves his sword out of line, so that it cannot return into presence. Whether you make the side step to the right or left, you must still leave your sword and hand in the line of the adversary's point in order to make your defence easier, if he tries to hit during your movement. You will succeed well with this method, if you proceed in the correct manner, remembering that you must know how to reach the petition shown without moving the arm or sword; the sword must be carried forward by the body, or the method will be dangerous.</p>

Revision as of 03:13, 7 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.