You can see my translation of Manciolino’s Sword & Rotella section here, or on wiktenauer alongside the Italian.
The sword and shield section is a concise summary of how to fence that is worth studying not only for those interested in the sword & shield (a romantic combination sadly uncommon in historical texts) but also for anyone generally interested in the Bolognese single sword or sword & companion material. Much like the other chapters in Manciolino’s fourth book and onwards it seems to be intended more for use with a sharp sword in earnest than for fun in the fencing salle.
After spending the last month or so working through this material in class I have the following advice for other people interested in Sword & Rotella:
- Read Capoferro‘s Sword and Rotella section first. It has some good introductory advice about when to parry with the shield vs the sword.
- Leg blows are more important with this weapon combination and so are the defences for the leg.
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