====== François Dancie ======

Original text is in the Municipal Archives of Bordeaux under the catalogue item 66S230. Contained within the translation are two texts covering Dancie's 1617 and 1623 explanations of both sword and dagger and sword alone combat.

Dancie follows a very "Italian" style of fencing based on the long lunge. In this respect, he is more similar to Capo Ferro and Giganti than to Cavalcabo and de Heredia.

However, Dancie references Paternoster and Cavalcabo, father and son, in the introduction to his 1623 book. Is this merely simple recognition of current popular or court trends or is there some form of pedagogical link at play?

The English translation titled //The Sword of Combat// is by Rob Runacres and Thibault Ghesquiere (lulu.com):

  *  [[http://www.lulu.com/shop/rob-runacres-and-thibault-ghesquiere/the-sword-of-combat-or-the-use-of-fighting-with-weapons/paperback/product-22040435.html| Paperback]]
  *  [[http://www.lulu.com/shop/rob-runacres-and-thibault-ghesquiere/the-sword-of-combat/ebook/product-21822672.html| ePub eBook]]

There's a really nice quote that Danice uses at the end of both the 1617 manuscript and 1623 book which echoes the advice from the MS3227a Dobringer longsword text:

> All this knowledge depends on [it] having been well demonstrated and having often practiced this science with people who more or less understand it because to know something and not practice it, it is [like] a hidden treasure which rusts. Also, the body, discontinuing exercise, becomes numb and slow. In short, the knowledge and practice make men masters.

And also:

> Guard the eyes!

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===== Notes on Reading this Page =====

The translation covers four topic, each of which will be addressed separately. These are:

  * Sword and dagger (1617 manuscript)
  * Sword and dagger (1623 book)
  * Sword alone (1617 manuscript)
  * Sword alone (1623 book)

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===== Stance and Guards =====

**1617 Sword and Dagger**: There is no discussion of guards and a few aside comments about stance. There is mention of counter-guards but no information on what Dancie reckons they are. This is the best we get as to stance and guards.

> Coming into presence in front of the enemy, step with the left foot, with the sword advanced and crossed from the right side to the left to cover the whole body and the dagger back, and, in adjusting it, advance the right foot and bring the dagger forward and put it in guard, in measure and in front of one's enemy, nevertheless keeping the steps slow to have more sober judgment to stop the enemy in case he wants to surprise you in your steps and actions.

> And when you have gained this advantage on your enemy, being in measure in front of him and settled on your feet with a common step, the body bent and resting on the left leg to the end that the right leg is free to advance when you see it is time, you will make a //pas extraordinaire//, carrying the foot and the hand with all your strength to strike at the enemy between his two weapons in //quarte//.

Note here:

  * the use of the long lunge rather than the shorter lunge of Cavalcabo and others
  * the rear-weighted stance
  * bringing the weapons forward only as one enters measure
  * using small steps to manage distance and measure

**1617 Sword Alone**: There is almost no discussion of guards except for the description of the basic stance required to set up the first play. After that, the text reads some variant of "as per the previous play".

> When you come in presence in front of your enemy by stepping in to offend him, make common steps or //pas extraordinaire// depending on how far you are away from him, always carrying the sword advanced to defend the body, with the left hand near the head. And, entered in to measure, support the whole body on the left leg in order to leave the right side ready and free to advance when the action of the makes a tempo arise -- which must be taken with all kind of speed and at the same instant that he moves his foot."

===== Strikes =====
===== Counters =====
===== Tempo and Measure =====
===== Tactical Advice =====

**1617 Sword and Dagger** and **1617 Sword Alone**: A good fencer requires three things:

  * Good judgement -- which is expressed in terms of understanding the counter-guards and distance/measure
  * Courage -- to take the tempo when it arises
  * Swiftness -- self-explanatory

The purpose of the counter-guards is "to force him [the opponent] to advance or retreat" (**1617 Sword and Dagger**) and "to force him to change and strike" (**1617 Sword Alone**). The term also appears to be used by Dancie as his word for the engagement in general.

> If he parries, you will do him such blows in, over, under, which are described to you and most proper for you. And if instead he strikes, you will make a tempo with the dagger's tip and strike him in the right shoulder or make //appels//, in short that practice will place you in front instead.

**1617 Sword and Dagger** and **1617 Sword Alone**: There are several snippets of advice throughout the manuscript. 

  * Adopt the rear weighted stance once you reach proper measure. Does this mean there's no need for this stance at wide distance or when you are out of measure?
  * Likewise, the dagger is adjusted into a more forward position once you reach proper measure.
  * The key trigger you are looking for is when the opponent moves or shifts his or her foot (feet?) Conversely, use slow (and small?) steps coming into measure so that you do not provide the opponent with this trigger.
  * Always maintain sword engagement with the opponent as you withdraw and recover after an attack or probe of the opponent's defense.

===== Something Approaching Analysis =====

The essential understanding that should be taken away from the 1617 manuscript is that main strategy in approaching a fight is to make your opponent give you a tempo in which to take advantage of his or her position. This means making the opponent move their feet to advance or retreat or change stance or guard position.

The chief means of doing this with the sword alone is by subjecting the opponent's weapon and in sword and dagger by thrusting between the weapons.

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===== Table of Actions =====

All descriptions in the original text and the translation assume two right-handed fencers.

==== Actions of the Sword and Dagger (1617) ====

**Note**: All thrusts are the //pas extraordinaire// or long thrust. Dancie uses the long thrust in the same way others use the thrust on the //pied ferme//.

^Opponent's Stance ^Invitation or Engagement ^No. of Actions FIXME ^Opponent's Action or Parry ^Counter Action ^Source(s) ^Concordance |
|Sword forward     |Thrust on the //pas extraordinaire// between the weapons | 2 | Withdraws | Seize the opponent's sword with the dagger and strikes on a rear foot pass | D17-1 | |
|Sword forward     |Thrust on the //pas extraordinaire// between the weapons | 3 or 4 | Advances to counter attack | Withdraw maintaining blade contact. Disengage, parrying with dagger and thrust on a rear foot pass | D17-2a | |
|Sword forward     |Thrust on the //pas extraordinaire// between the weapons | 3 or 4 | Raises sword to attack your head | Parry with sword, control with dagger and thrust leaning (moving?) to the right | D17-2b | |
|Sword forward     |Feint under the opponent's dagger hand (with a //pas extraordinaire//?) | 2 | Parries with dagger | Disengage and thrust then withdraw | D17-3 | |
|Sword forward     |//Stramazzone// and strike a //main droit// to the head | 3 | Parries to the inside | Disengage under the parry and thrust low. Secure yourself with your dagger | D17-4 | |
|Dagger forward    |Thrust on the //pas extraordinaire// between the weapons | 2 | Withdraws | Seize the opponent's sword with the dagger and strikes on a rear foot pass | D17-1 | There are two versions of this ending with a high or a low counter-attack |
|Dagger forward    |Feint under the opponent's dagger hand with a //pas extraordinaire// | 2 | Parries with dagger | Disengage and thrust then withdraw | D17-3 | |
|Dagger forward    |Feint over the opponent's dagger hand (with a //pas extraordinaire// in second | 2 | Parries with dagger | Disengage and thrust under in fourth | D17-5 | |
|Sword forward in "open //tierce// |[Scoop to] subject in 2nd | 2 |Withdraws | Left foot pass and thrust in 2nd |D17-6a  | |
|Sword forward in "open //tierce// |[Scoop to] subject in 2nd | 2 |Disengages | Lean left, parry with dagger, thrust low in 2nd |D17-6b | |
|Sword in //quarte// |Feint thrust to right eye | 2 |Parries with sword | Strike low, secure with dagger |D17-7a | |
|Sword in //quarte// |Feint thrust to right eye | 3 |Counter-time strike |Retreat parrying with dagger, Thrust in 2nd |D17-7b | |
|Sword in //quarte// |Strike on the opponent's inside, capturing the opponent's blade with your dagger | ? |Parries, advances to counter-attack | Disengage and strikes on a left foot pass |D17-8a | Cf. D17-2a, D17-7a |
|Sword in //quarte// |Strike on the opponent's inside, capturing the opponent's blade with your dagger | ? |Retreats |Seize the opponent's sword with the dagger and strikes on a rear foot pass | D17-8b |Cf. D17-1 |
|Sword in //quarte// |Strike on the opponent's outside, leaning left | 2 | Parry and riposte under your sword |Parry with dagger and strike to the nearest opening |D17-9 | |
|Sword in //quarte// |Strike on the opponent's inside | 2 | Parries to the opponent's outside | Disengage and thrust under the dagger in 4th, inclining right | D17-10 | **Re-visit this. It makes no sense.** |
|Sword in //quarte// |Feint with dagger to grab opponent's sword | 2 | Disengages | Redouble with dagger and thrust in //quarte// | D17-11 | |
|Sword in //quarte// | Strike to opponent's inside line | 2 | Parries [with dagger or sword?] | Continue the strike, controlling the opponent's blade with your dagger and passing with the left foot | D17-12 | |
|Opponent stand left foot forward and dagger advanced  |Feint a strike between the weapons| 2 | Parries with sword? | Thrust low in 2nd with left foot pass (pass below?) | D17-13a | |
|Opponent stand left foot forward and dagger advanced |Feint a strike between the weapons| 2 | Parries with dagger? | Thrust low in 4th with left foot pass | D17-13b | |
|Opponent stand left foot forward and dagger advanced |Feint a strike in 3rd outside of the opponent's dagger| 2 | Parries with dagger |"Raise the point of the sword over the point of his dagger" and strike in 4th on a lunge | D17-14 | |
|Opponent stand left foot forward and dagger advanced | Feint a strike in 4th between the weapons | 2 | Parries with dagger | "Turn the hand" and strike low in 2nd | D17-15 | Dancie says to recover in "quinte". Undefined but assume a hanging parry. |
| | Invitation in //tierce// | 2 |Opponent passes forward to thrust, attempting to grab your sword with his dagger  | Drop to the left knee, inclining left and thrust in //tierce//. Protect with dagger high. | D17-16 | Pass below |
| | Invitation in //tierce// | 2 |Opponent passes forward to thrust, attempting to grab your sword with his dagger  | Disengage and counter-strike, inclining to the right | D17-17 | |
| | Invitation with weapons held open | 2 | Opponent strikes between your weapons | Parry with dagger, strike low in 2nd on a left foot pass | D17-18 | |
| | Invitation with weapons held open | 2 | Opponent feints inside your dagger | Parry with dagger, counter-attack in 4th passing with the left foot | D17-19 | |

==== Actions of the Sword Alone (1617) ====

^Invitation or Engagement ^No. of Actions FIXME ^Opponent's Action or Parry ^Counter Action ^Source(s) ^Concordance |
|Subjection in //quarte// |2 |Disengages to my outside |Thrust on a //pas extraordinaire// in //second// "leaning" left| D17-s1 | |
|Subjection in //tierce// |2 |Disengages to my inside  |Thrust with as pass below in //tierce// |D17-s2 | |
|Thrust under the guard in //tierce// |2 | Parries to my outside| Rear foot pass to thrust in //second//, grabbing the opponent's hilt on the way through | D17-s3 | |
|Thrust in //tierce// |3 or 4 |Withdraws / retreats |Gather the rear foot forward. Beat and thrust. |D17-s4 |Cf. D17-s11 |
|Subjection in //tierce// | 2 |Disengages |Thrust in //quarte// |D17-s5 | |
|Thrust in //quarte// to opponent's head |2 |Parries | //Caver// to strike under in //second// "leaning" left |D17-s6a| |
|Thrust in //quarte// to opponent's head |2 |Parries | //Volte// to strike under in //quarte// |D17-s6b| |
|Opponent invites in //quarte// |2 |<none> | Thrust at the head in //quarte// turning the hand into //second// and "leaning" (rear foot pass?) left |D7-s7 | |
|Invitation in //quarte//? | 2 |Opponent beats on the outside of your sword |//Volte// under to strike in //quarte// |D17-s8 | |
|Invitation to low line? | 1 |Opponent thrusts under your guard |Step or "lean" left (rear foot pass?) and thrust in //second// |D17-s9 |Counter-time? Restates that the correct tempo is when the opponent moves his foot |
|Invitation in //quarte// | 1 |Opponent provokes to my outside line in order to //caver// to strike my inside line | //Volte// to strike in //quarte// |D17-s10 |Counter-time? |
|Invitation in //quarte// | 3 or 4 |Withdraws / retreats | Gather the rear foot and follow. When the opponent cavers to the inside line, //volte// and thrust in //quarte// |D17-s11 |Cf. D17-s4 |
|Invitation in //quarte//, withdrawing the body on the //peid ferme// to further invite attack |2 or 3 | Attacks | Pass below, dropping the left knee to the ground |D17-s12 |There's a much longer discussion here about how the only safe subsequent move is to drop your weapon and grapple. |
|<unstated> | N/A |Opponent beats and rushes to grapple high | Swap your sword to your off-hand and strike at any available target |D17-s13 | |
|Invitation in //tierce// | 2 or 3 | Strikes to your inside line|Parry, envelope the opponent's sword, hilt and sword arm with your left arm, stepping in with the left foot. Strike any available target. |D17-s14 | |