Advanced Concepts

If it is known that this is going to happen, then the fencer can set up a with an expectation that they will use this action to take up the opponent's blade and make an attack out of it. Since this is a defensive art, one should never be afraid to defend. Getting attacked should not be a problem. Dealing with the attack should not be a problem. A fencer will actually want an attack to occur, so that they can set up a situation where a well-practised move can turn the action against the opponent.

Start with an Agent and a Patient
-Patient starts in right lead, already stepped with sword extended in a Stoccota [later can be a thrust at full tempo]. Patient is going to hang the sword out for the Agent to pick up.
-Agent starts in right lead. With the dagger; parries the stoccota out and do the left and IN THE SAME TEMPO: thrust a stoccata to the belt buckle and advances using a Slope Pace Step left.
-Patent parries with dagger to the out and left and IN THE SAME TEMPO: Slope Pace Step to the Right thrust Imbroccata over the Agent's dagger


"V. The scholler must break it downward, with the point of his Dagger toward his left side, and then put a stoccata to my belly beneath my Dagger,in which time I breaking it with the pointe of my Dagger, goe a little aside toward his lefte hand, and make an imbroccata above his Dagger..."

Points: This is an action-counter action play. Once the motion is well understood, add the full tempo thrust, and continue to practice. Once that tempo is understood and both are comfortable add step three, at full tempo. In these actions, the learning point is to get the time of the hand, sword and foot down. The dagger parries need to be completed in the same tempo so that the touch lands at the same time the dagger makes the fullest part of the defence. The dagger parry is done with forcing the sword down and out. This is a very important factor in learning further dagger play in this style. In this action, the hand is above the offered stoccota, and will scoop to the inside, catching the stoccota and making a parry to the outside. The tip stays on line at all times. Use the hilt of the dagger to make the parry. In reality, the answering Imbroccata should be started just after the dagger goes into motion. Remember a tempo is the time it takes to do a thing.  If the thrust over the dagger is a tempo, then the parry and thrust need to be in the same tempo. The dagger hand should end up in Secunda.

Dagger Drill Two

Upward Dagger Parry and Beat Parry with Dagger
This kind of counter with the dagger is a little different. Instead of going to the outside, the sword goes up. The angulation of this is such that the dagger is going to be a little higher than shoulder, held in Secunda. When beating the sword with the dagger, also keep the point Menacing. Don't take the point off line. When moving forward with the upward parry, the dagger will slide down the blade to the Forte.


-Patient starts in right lead, offensively and offers a thrust for the Agent to pick up.
-Agent starts in right lead and parries with dagger up; not out, IN THE SAME TEMPO: lead foot crooked pace to right and thrusts imbroccata over Patients dagger.
-Patient with dagger, uses forceful beat to the left and IN THE SAME TEMPO: thrusts stoccota to belt buckle and circle paced step right.

"... and the scholler shall breake the imbroccata with his Dagger upward, parting circularely with his right foote toward my lefte side, and so thrust unto mee an imbroccata above my Dagger, in which time with the pointe of my Dagger, I will beate it outward toward my lefte side, and answere him with a stoccata in the bellye under his Dagger, parting circularely with my right foote toward his left side:

Points: The two different dagger parries here represent two methods of using the dagger. When using the dagger to break a thrust up, contact is maintained, and the point should still be trained on the opponent. As a helpful trick, I like to keep the tip of my dagger pointing to the opponent's hilt. This does not mean you can't cover the blade with the dagger hilt, so it will be used to maintain contact. With a beat parry, it can be done in opposition, so that that dagger is perpendicular to the blade. This brings the point off line, but gives a greater physical control. It may also mean that contact is lost (don't chase the sword) and leave the dagger to cover any counter cut. Once the opponent's sword is clear, maintain control with the dagger, and return the point to menacing.

Dagger Drill 3

Catching the Dagger In A Sweep, And Right Body Void
Use two approaches to clear a dagger out; go over the top or scoop it out from underneath. The use of a half circular motion of the cravasion can be used for an expedient off-line action with the dagger. The hand is normally kept in Terza, and there is a turning of the hand to secunda or quarta. The shortest path is to convert from terza to quadra in the motion, but it may not impart the most control onto the blade.

-Patient starts drill with sword extended, Later, patient can offer a thrust in full tempo.
-Agent in starts Right Lead.
-Agent sweeps around under to catch sword extended with the dagger, and IN THE SAME TEMPO: Parry the Patients sword out to left (not a beat, keep point to the Patient) and Slope paced step right while thrusting a high stoccata.
-Patient executes Body Void [this is around to the right], and parry to the right, clearing sword
-Patient cuts riverso to Agents available target, IN THE SAME TEMPO: Pass backward with right foot [Going to Left Lead]

"...and in the same time he must answere me with the like under my Dagger, breaking my stoccata outward toward his lefte side, stepping toward my lefte side with his right foote, at which time I must moove with my bodye to save my face, and breake his poynte toward my right side, answering him with a riversa to the head, and so retire with my right foote..."

Points: In this pass, start with sword hung in thrust, move to half tempo or to full if students can follow. This is to build hand/eye coordination on catching a sword, and to also attempt understanding of right body void. The body void here is done by twisting at the waist to the right. This will also aid in the dagger parry to the right. The Patients dagger parry is to end up under the sword. As a point, don't use a parry in opposition, like the left side parry, keep the point facing the Agent. This will also allow for further clearance to cut a Riverso. Don't get tangled up with the sword. When the Riverso is cut, fall back with the right foot in a passing step back. Distance here can be a problem, since in a historical fight, they could be much closer. For an SCA fight, this clears the way for an attack down the Patients right arm or hand. This needs to be done carefully and without percussion, so the cut needs to be light and smooth.

Bonus pass: Defending a Roverso

A large portion of this system falls in line with the typical historical approach to fencing. To defeat a cut, thrust into it, and to defeat a thrust, cut into it. With the previous two passes, we are starting with the sword extended to have something to build off of. With this Riverso, we are going to work on thrusting a sword into the cut. Start this out slowly. The typical response is usually to parry in opposition, so try this out and see how it works.

Start with an Agent and a Patient.
-Patient cuts a riverso to Agent (from any stance)
-Agent in right lead, goes from terza, to guardia alicorno
-Agent, with dagger in line with sword, gaining control the sword, (keep the dagger pointing to the Patients head) and steps through to imbroccata.

"...at which time he must come forward with his left foote in the place of my right, and his Dagger high and straite, turning his swoorde hand, so that his poynte may goe directlye to my bellye, and he must take the riversa on his sworde and Dagger."

Points: Defend the cut with guardia alicorno, not very SCA but interesting historical fencing. The dagger moves up with the sword to offer extra protection to the head. The optimum outcome is to catch the Patient's sword on the forte. The off hand dagger comes up in opposition, and will over a 90 degree contact onto the Patient's sword. When the imbroccata is struck, the dagger hand goes to a four position, which aligns the tip Menacing.

This also exemplifies how stepping into a counter thrust can be a defence (only if the opponent's blade is controlled). This takes some work to get the timing right. Again, this may not be very appropriate manoeuvre in the SCA fight, but is fun to play with.

Dagger Passes.
This next set is a further technical drills that look at dagger specific techniques. These are adapted from Saviolo's text.

First Dagger Pass -- Catching the Dagger Outside and Inside
Dagger parries are a reply to an attack. If attacked to the inside (say a stoccata) then there is going to be a scooping motion that will cover as much of the inside line and even in some cases travels down the fencers blade; covering well to their inside. In the case of attacking from the outside, the opponent is going to go over the top of the dagger. In either case, the response from the fencer is move the point out of presence and off line. The tip is going to be pointing either to the face or the hilt of the opponent. You have two weapons, you may need to use either of them.

Defeat an Imbroccata and Stoccota

To review, a thrust over the outside line of the opponents sword (delivered in prima or secunda) is an imbroccata. A thrust to the inside line of the opponent is a stoccota (delivered in tersa or quardre). Defense responses are similar. The dagger arm is straight out, active and point of the dagger is forward as much as possible.
An imbroccata is not often used in SCA type fighting, which is probably due to the time it takes to do it right. I would also note too that my understanding of the imbroccata has changed a little over the years, and when it was noted as being one of the most vicious types of attacks to hit someone with, I understand why now. The first video here will show the proper intent of what it should look like. I credit this to the 1599 club in England, who has some excellent on line content. Once I saw what they were doing, it made more sense. At any rate, they are difficult to do in an SCA type bout, but fun!

A stoccota should be right to the gut, but can be the face too. I like to aim at the belt buckle or the Adam's Apple.

"L. Why then do you never breake anie thrust inward?"

"V. All stoccatas coming under the Dagger, imbroccataes above the Dagger, are to bee beaten outward toward the lefte side,"

Defeat a Stoccota
Start with an Agent and Patient in Middle Measure
-Patient stands in defensive dagger stance. In best ward.
-Agent thrusts under dagger in any manner
-Patient catches with dagger by bringing the dagger to the inside and parries out and to the left (ending in Secunda)

-Agent starts in right lead, in best ward
-Patient cuts a riverso to any available target on Agent
-Agent executes guradia alicorno with sword (hand in Prima) and joins the dagger with the sword (dagger in quarta) keeping dagger pointing to Agent and IN THE SAME TEMPO, body voids right using a half circle paced step with the lead foot
-Agent, once parried, cuts riverso by rolling the sword wrist around the dagger and slope pace step left.

"...but an imbroccata by a riversa either in the belly or in the face, should be broken inward toward the right side, with a little retiring of the bodie, which must be answered with a riversa well followed, in which instant the scholler must passe forward with his lefte foote,..."

Points: Again the right body void, followed with a cut and a left passing step, instead. The main protective action is the dagger, but the sword in guardia alicorno is also there to assist. The dagger is going to go over the sword and will take up the cut. It is a parry replace of sorts and should have a flowing motion transfer between the guardia and the riverso. This is difficult and will take some practice.

Third Dagger Pass -- Switching Leads
The thrust here is taken up and absorbed back. This is not quite a redoppio, but it is similar. The stoccota is taken up, and the right foot will fall back to a left lead. Once the control is made, the fencer will return to a right lead to make the touch.
-Agent starts in defensive ward, Left Lead
-Patient cuts a Riverso, in any manner
-Agent passes back with left foot in a circle paced step and IN THE SAME TEMPO: catches cut with dagger and forcefully beats down and out. Once cleared thrusts to patient in tersa or secunda to the face [right foot to advance to measure as necessary]

"...then will I retire wyth my left foote behinde my right, and yeelding backe with my bodie, I will beate the point of his swoorde with my dagger toward my lefte side, and so make a direct thrust to his head."

Points: This drill can be risky. Not much SCA context in this as a Riverso, but can be useful in changing wards in an attack. Uses a beat parry to gain time, and can teach good understanding of when to counter thrust once the opponents sword is out of play.

Fourth Dagger Pass -- Right Slope Paced Step

-Patient thrusts Stoccota in Terza and IN THE SAME TIME: moves hand, foot and sword. Dagger stays out with motion
-Agent parries forcefully to the left with a beat parry (half dritto perhaps)
-Agent IN THE SAME TEMPO: Slope Paced Step right, thrusting an Imbroccata

"...then the scholler must step with his right foote in the place of my lefte, carrying his Dagger not too high, but so that his arme and his Dagger be held straight out, to receive a blow if it be offered, and then he shall thrust a stoccata to my belly, which I will beat toward my left side, and make an imbrocata above his Dagger, stepping with my right foote toward his left side..."

Points: This is a simple drill, and can be used first to introduce basic movement. The slope pace step right is good, but it will need to be done carefully as to avoid a counter motion from the dagger. Here, we can try some other nuance to get this to work. Feints, or invitations may work, but are frowned on by Saviolo. For SCA context, we don't have such restrictions. Remember too, that if we attack an outside line, use a imbroccata, landing in prima or secunda, and if the inside line is attacked, use terza or quarta. Outside lines are on the left or right of the opponent, and don't need to be just over the top of what hand is holding the sword.

Fifth Dagger Pass -- Building to Half Incartata
The first part of "Building to Half Incartata", the motions basically mirror one another. It is common in Saviolo's works that he returns shot for shot, and step for step. If offered an imbroccata, return with an imbroccata, etc. The previous examples of Dagger Passes can be used to just understand how to find the right tempos for making successful attacks like this.

-Patient offers imbroccata to Agent, in any manner
-Agent forcefully beats imbroccata down and out to the left
-Agent IN THE SAME TEMPO: right slope paced step, thrusting imbroccata

..."then must he beate my imbrocata toward his lefte side, parting with his right foot on my left side, and so make an imbrocata above my Dagger..."

"Building the Half Incartata" can be used alone, or it can be used as a preparatory to build into a more complex interaction....

-Patient forcefully beats imbroccata down and out to the left
-Patient IN THE SAME TEMPO: right slope paced Step, cuts riverso to Agent
-Agent makes Half Incartata, as a Body Void
-Agent IN THE SAME TEMPO: Thrust stoccota to Patient while keeping dagger out as far as possible (Controlling the Patient's blade)

"...then I parting with my right foot on his lefte side, will beate his imbrocata towarde my lefte side, and make a blow to his head: in which time hee must do the halfe incartata, that is, he must bee readie while I lift up my hand, to but a stoccata to my belly, bearing out wel his dagger to receive the blow, turning sodainly his body on the left side, so that the heel of his right foot be just against the middle of his left, and this is the true half incartata."

Points:This pass can be tricky, as it needs to have the precursor motions to set the idea of the tempo. The Half Incartata is difficult to drill cold, and needs to build off of a given tempo in order to better understand the motion and movement involved to make it function. This pass can end with a touch when the Incartata is done, and this might even be the end goal of fencer to finish the pass with this move.

Dagger Pass-- Easy Drills

This is the third day's teaching from Saviolo's book. This is a very lengthy discourse, continuing in the conversational tone that we have already seen. Because of this, breaking down the advice into easy to learn steps is kind of like digging for gold. There are brilliant examples given here, and I feel the advice from Saviolo is solid, it's just difficult to first understand what you can take from this, and how it can be described for easy lesson building.

-Patient stands in ward described by Saviolo. Review the video for this.
-Patient keeps the sword menacing to the Agent
-Agent using the same ward, sets to defend the attack
-Patient makes an attack (punta riversa, or stoccato, or a thrust to the face) down the middle of the Agent, and slips the right foot back, and uses a half compass to bring the left foot around behind the right

"V. I have discoursed unto you, how profitable the former wardes bee, as well to learne as to fight, beeing well understoode and practised: and even so will I now make you acquainted with the worthines of this ward, and of what importance it is, notwithstanding that it is quite contrary to the other: especially, in learning of it. Therfore he that will teach that warde, must place his scholler even as at single Rapier, that is, that his feete stand both equall with toe and heele, even as if hee were to sitte downe, and that his Rapier handle to be held within side of his right knee, and that somwhat shorte, and that his Dagger be helde out at length with his arme stretched out, holding the point of his rapier continuallie upon the face of his maister, who ought to set himselfe in the same ward, and to give a stoccato in the middle of the Rapier,in punta riversa to his scholler, or else betweene the arme and the Rapier, or in the bellie, or in the face, escaping a little backeward with his right foot, accompanied somewhat with his left, towards his lefte side."

Easy Drills -- Counter thrusting


The cravasion is one of the most important tools in Saviolo's toolbox. Understanding how to do this is critical to getting the most out of this style. When delivered, it needs to be tight, in that the traversing of the point from one side or the other of the opponents blade needs be done as close to the hilt as possible. It's a small, tight, wrist motion that does this. Very small sword or foil like. To build up to this, start easy with just learning to cravasion under the extended blade. Work hard at getting this as close as possible. Once that is comfortable, try it as a response to the thrust. Since we don't need to have a tempo to build off of with a cravasion, it can be practiced statically or actively. Further, in a real fight, the fencer can plan on manipulating the opponent to attack with a stoccota just so that this action can be done.

Start with an Agent and Patient
-Patient starts in Middle Measure with a Stoccota (as if thrust was already delivered), with sword extended [later can be done in a full tempo attack]
-Agent starts in defensive stance, right lead, dagger extended, and IN THE SAME TEMPO: Cravasion under Patients extended blade to the Patients outside, and left slope pace step, delivering attack in secunda.
-Agent assembles back after touch


"L. What shall the scholler doe in the meanewhile?:

"V. While your maister giveth you the thrust, you shall not strike it by with your dagger, but onelie turning your Rapier hand, passe with your lefte foote towards his right side, and the point of your Rapier being placed above his, and thrust forwarde, shall enter right into his bellie."

Points: This pass should be started as stated, and then moved to a full speed attack from the Patient. The critical learning point is twofold: First, the Agent must learn to left slope pace step while keeping the dagger extended, it feels like stepping into a thrust. Second; learn to best gain the opponents blade on the pass. The reason to start with the blade extended, as if the thrust was delivered is much like using a tee-ball to learn to swing a bat. To make this pass successful, the Agent must catch the tip of the Patients sword on the outside of the Agent's hilt, prior to committing the thrust. If the blade is not controlled in such a manner, the attack will probably fail, and the Patient would be free to disengage the Agent and simply hit them in the head with the point of the sword as the Agent passes left. Once the blade is mastered, then try it at full speed with both parties.

Three Easy Drills -- Mandritta
Historically, the mandritta is considered the queen of cuts. While not hugely practical in an SCA context, it would be expected of a Historical student of fencing that being able to deliver a mandritta is an important foundation to their understanding of what a good fencer should know. Remember, that this is not a "Cut and Thrust" SCA style cut. Deliver the mandritta with only the strength of the wrist and use little more than the weight of the sword to affect the cut.

Agent and Patient start at long measure; Agent offensive, Patient defensive.
-To provoke a response; Agent IN THE SAME TEMPO thrusts an imbroccata over the Patient's rapier and advances to middle measure
-Patient executes a Right Slope Pace forward to defend with the dagger, attempts to foil the imbroccata to the left.
-Agent; IN THE SAME TEMPO: Catches the Patient's sword with dagger, and executes a half circle paced step to the right, followed by a half circle paced step with the left foot.
-Agent, after gaining a positive control with the dagger, cut a mandritta to the opening on the Patient's left side.

"L. And what shall the maister doe to save himselfe?"

"V. When he giveth the thrust, and you passe towards his right side, hee shall with great nimblenes recoyle a little backward with his right foot, accompanied with the left toward the left side, bearing his bodie backward, and pearching your Rapier with his dagger, shall strike it outward from his left side, and give you a Mandritta at the head."

Points: At first glance, this is not an easy move to read and picture in your mind. Let's first consider the response of the Agent in this case. It's really a two and a half tempo action. Moving the half compass pace step to the right after the thrust and gaining a control with the dagger is really only going to be executed in a tempo and a half. The counter cut and the following left footed half compass step to the right are then going to be executed in a second tempo. Depending on your speed, and great nimbleness, the offering thrust and right half paced compass step + dagger control might be done in a full tempo, but it should really be based on being just slightly faster than the offered tempo from the Patient. As a rule of thumb, counter responses should be built off of the tempos given, as discussed before. The second tempo action here is not easy to pull off in an SCA context. This will have more to do with how a typical SCA fighter may use distance, making the measure needed to land the Mandritto unrealistic. Further, SCA fighters are generally not well versed in how to deliver a safe Mandritto. I would only advise this drill for more advanced fighters.

Easy Drills -- Cross Pace Step

Saviolo almost always wants the fencer to move off line, basically flanking left or right. This cross paced step starts in a right defensive lead and instead of an advance pace, the right foot will step out to the fencers left side, in effect crossing the line. It isn't a stance that is held, and is only a brief motion. The fencer will need to assemble backward after the touch.

Start with Patient in Offensive and Agent in Defensive stance.
-Patient starts sword and arm fully extended as if cutting a mandritto (cut from your right to left).
-Patient is standing to the right the Agent [as the drill progresses, this can change to a full tempo mandritto]
-Agent starts in Right Lead, and takes Patient's sword onto rapier and dagger (bring them together, points facing Patient's head; this is a bracing parry replace) and IN THE SAME TEMPO: Left Cross Pace Step to the Patient's right; Thrust to most convenient target.
-Agent, after the touch, retreat with the Left foot, following with the right (like a backwards gathering step) coming on line to a defensive position.