Digrassi His True Art of Defense - The Sword and Round Target Part 1

Foreword by Dwight
Protect yourself from evil 16th century fencing a-holes! The great Italian Digrassi provides a wealth of information to offset any issues that you may have with these ruffians of the past. His journey takes us from using the square shield and transitioning to this section on the round shield. If you haven't read or listened to the past sections go ahead and catch up!

(corresponding cast)

Of the Sword and Round Target Part 1

The round target would require a long and a most exquisite consideration because it is of circular form, most capable, and most perfect of all others. But for that my purpose in this my work, is to write that only which I know doth appertain to this Art, giving leave to every man to bully himself in his own profession. And leaving a great part of this consideration to the mathematicians and historiographers to reason of his diverse qualities or passions, either who was inventor thereof, either, whether it be a weapon of antiquity or of this our rage, and coming to discourse of that, wherein it profiteth in this our time, (being a weapon so greatly honored and esteemed of Princes, Lords, and Gentlemen, that besides the use there of in their affairs, as well by day as by night, they also keep their houses richly decked and beautified therewith) and considering only that thing, in the round target, among all other weapons which may either profit or hurt in the handling thereof, I say, that the said round Target hath been diversely holden, born and used, by diverse men in diverse ages, as well as the other square target and other weapons of defense, as well as of offense. And there want not also men in our time, who to the intent they be not wearied, bare it leaning on their thigh as though that in this exercise (in which only travel and pains are available) a man should only care for rest and quietness. For by means of these two, strength and activities, (Parts in the exercise of weapons, both important and necessary) are obtained and gotten.

Other some, holding their whole arm bowed together, have carried it altogether flat against their body, not regarding either to ward their belly or utterly to lose the fight of the enemy, but will at any hand stand (as they think) safe behind it, as behind a wall, not knowing what a matter of weight it is, both to see the enemy, and work other effects, which, (by so holding it) may not be brought to pass.

Of the Manner How to Hold the Round Target

If a man would so bare the round Target, that it may cover the whole body, and yet nothing hinder him from seeing his enemy, which is a matter of great importance, it is requisite, that he bare it towards the enemy, not with the convex or outward part thereof, altogether equal, plain or even, neither to hold his arm so bowed, that in his elbow there be made (if not a sharp yet) at least a straight corner. For besides that (by so holding it) it wearith the arm: it likewise so hindereth the sight, that if he would see his enemy from the breast downwards, of necessity he must either bare his target, or bare his head so peeping forwards, that it may be sooner hurt than the target may come to ward it. And further it so defendeth, that only so much of the body is warded, as the Target is big, or little more, because it cannot move the half arm, from the elbow to the shoulder, which is very little, as every man knoweth or may perceive:  So that the head shall be warded with great pain, and the thighs shall altogether remain discovered, in such sort, that to save the belly, he shall leave all the rest of the body in jeopardy. Therefore, if he would so hold the said Target, that it may well defend all that part of the body, which is from the knee upwards, and that he may see his enemy, it is requisite that he bare his arm, if not right, yet at least bowed so little, that in the elbow there be framed so blunt an angle or corner, that his eye beams parsing near that part of the circumference of the target, which is near his hand, may see his enemy form the head to the foot, and by holding the said convex part in this manner, it shall ward all the left side, and the circumference near the hand shall with the least motion defend all the right side, the head and the thighs. And in this manner he shall keep his enemy in sight and defend all that part of the body, which is allotted unto the said target. Therefore the said target shall be born, the arm in a manner so straight towards the left side, that the eyesight may pass to behold the enemy without moving, for this only occasion, either the head, or the target.

The Hurt of the High Ward at Sword and Round Target

Because the round target containeth in it most great and sure defense, therefore ought not any edgeblow which may be easily warded with the single sword without the help of the Target be delivered. Thrusts also enter very difficulty to strike the body, because the target, by means of the least motion that is seemeth to be, as it were a wall before the body. And to thrust at the leg is no sure play. That which remaineth to be done is, to thrust forcibly with the sword: and when one perceiveth, that the point there of is entered within the circumference of the enemy's target, it is necessary that he increase a left pace, and with the circumference of his own Target, to beat off enemy's sword and target, to the end it suffer the thrust so given of force to enter in. And (having so beaten and entered) to continue on the thrust in the straight line, with the increase of a pace of the right foot.

When he findeth himself in the high war, he shall increase a half pace with the hinderfoot, gathering upon the enemy, as near as he may without danger. And being so nigh that he may drive his sword within the circumference, then as soon as he perceiveth his sword to be within it, (his arm being stretched out at the uttermost length) he ought suddenly to increase a left pace, beating off with the circumference of his own target, the enemy's target: and with this increase of a pace of the right foot, to cause his thrust to enter perforce. This also he may practice when the enemy endeavoreth, to withstand the entrance of the thrust, when it is already past, within the circumference of his target.

But if the enemy (as it may fall out) ward this thrust not with that part of the circumference, which is near his hand, but with that which is above it (by means where of his target discovereth his eyes) then he may very commodiously, increasing his paces as aforesaid, recover his thrust above, and force it underneath, with the increase of a pace of the right foot. And this is a more sure way of thrusting than any other.

Musings

The round shield seems a bit more conventional compared to the square shield or target. Again Digrassi focuses on not blocking your line of sight and it would appear far easier to keep your opponent in front of you and react better with a round shield. I believe the curvature of the round shield would allow the user to ward off attacks with minimal movement as well. I feel that carrying the square shield is much like trying to carry a crappy old barn door. The second part again that Digrassi really emphasizes in every section is foot work. moving in and out left and right of the circumference.

-Dwight

References:
"Shields: History and Terminology." Shields: History and Terminology. Pitt Rivers Museum. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. http://www.prm.ox.ac.uk/Kent/shieweap/shgenex3.html

Digrassi, Giacomo. "His True Art of Defence." University of Massachusetts and Raymond J. Lord. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. http://www.umass.edu/renaissance/lord/pdfs/DiGrassi_1594.pdf 

Donovan's The Roosevelt That I know Part 4

Foreword by Dwight

Damn, Roosevelt has a strong chin! Would you spar with President of the United States? Well that is exactly what Professor Mike Donovan did in the late 1800s. He wrote a book about his experience in 1909, titled "The Roosevelt That I know". Mike Donovan was considered one of the best practitioners at the time. This section continues with the perspective of Mrs. Carew.

(Corresponding Podcast)

The Roosevelt That I know Part 4

He went on to tell how his brother Jerry, who seems to have been a 

famous fighter before him, tried to discourage him from exercising this inborn tendency, and gave him many a thrashing for fighting other small boys, and made him very sore at heart, as well as elsewhere, until one day somebody remonstrated with Jerry, saying, “Jerry, what makes you at so mean to that kid? He'll grow up and be a credit to you if you treat him right, but if you go on pounding him like that, people will think you're afraid of his cutting you out some day.” After which the Sparten Jerry ceased from troubling, and the infant Mike made prodigious strides in the art of fighting. The scientist questioned him about his first fight, and how he felt over it. “Golly! I was the proudest thing you ever saw!” exclaimed the Professor. “Did you win?” “No, I lost on a foul, but it wasn't my fault.

You see, I didn't know the rules properly, and when the other fellow kept 

dropping on his knees to escape punishment it made me mad, and I just picked him up and walloped him good, like this” - and the Professor threw his arm around an imaginary neck, dragged an imaginary head up to the level of his hip and bombarded an imaginary face with his left. 

There were more reminiscences of Fistiana, and I wish I had time to repeat

some of them. And there were learned disquisitions on the finer points of the art and on the comparative advantages of globes and bare knuckles. Briefly, a more cutting blow can be delivered with the knuckles, but a harder and perhaps more damaging one with a glove, because the hand is protected from injury, and a man accustomed to boxing with gloves is in great danger of disabling his hands if he become involved in an impromptu fight with bare hands, because his tendency will be to strike recklessly hard. 

Moreover, Professor Donovan's experience goes to show that a boxer's 

training hampers him in a street fight, because he instinctively observes the rules of fair play, greatly to his own detriment. There was a story illustrating this and I wish I had time to tell it in his own words. He was set upon by a gang of roughs while walking home from the New York Athletic Club, and having spent the day sparring with young stockbrokers and the like, he was very tired.

“Golly! I was tired,” he said. “I was so tired that I walked along with my shoulders bent like an old man.”

I could imagine what he looked like a nice, venerable little old gentlemen dragging himself home to a supper of gruel and dry toast. No feminine pen could do justice to that Homeric combat. Not that Professor Donovan narrated it Homerically. He was strictly technical, but one could read between the lines that it was a showy affair. I forget how many men in buckram there were, but our Professor had knocked down a few of them and never thought of kicking or hitting below the belt, til suddenly he was overthrown by reinforcements and given a terrific kicking. And even then there was fight left in him to such an extent that when a policeman appeared he was in danger of being taken for the aggressor if a sympathetic bystander had not explained that the old gentleman had not started the fight – a climax which the Professor unfolded with much humor.

Musings

So many good parts of this section. First, the mythical place of Fistiana. Absolutely wonderful, where only boxers live to punch each other in the head all day. Secondly, it the section about bare knuckle fighting and how you can hurt your hands is great to note this far back in time. In reminds me of all those old episodes of McGuyver. Every time he punched somebody with his bare hand, it ALWAYS hurt. Lastly, sport combat is not street combat. Even though it seems like Donovan survived, his muscle memory and training blinded his street fighting abilities and he could have easily been hurt or even killed.

References:
Donovan, Michael Joseph. The Roosevelt That I Know; Ten Years of Boxing with the President--and Other Memories of Famous Fighting Men,. New York: B.W. Dodge, 1909. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=x7QaAAAAYAAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA8&dq=boxing&ots=MYv8NVrKwf&sig=N21fmrbbSTU8P3S0scqcxphbg9M