He who knows most, doubts most. — Jerónimo de Carranza
Dedicated to researching historical Spanish fencing and sharing the knowledge with the public.
the Destreza Glossary
Altibajo
Downright blow
Dictionary:
Academia Autoridades (A-B), 1726
Altibaxo. Voz antigua de la esgrima.
Es el golpe de espada que hiriendo de tajo, coge à la persona à
quien se tira de alto hasta abaxo: esto es desde la cabeza, u hombro hasta las
piernas, por lo qual le dieron el nombre, y oy se dice tajo vertical. Lat Ictus
ensis casine jactus, vel impactus, a vertice Q deorsum. Cerv. Quix.tom.2.cap.26.
Tiró un altibaxo tal, que si Maeste Pedro no se abaxa….le
cercenara la cabeza.
Downright Blow*. Archaic fencing word. It is the sword blow that injuring with a cut, catches the person at whom it is thrown from high to low: this is from the head or shoulder to the legs for which they gave it the name and today it is called the vertical cut. Lat Ictus ensis casine jactus, vel impactus, a vertice Q deorsum. Cerv. Quix.tom.2.cap.26. He threw a downright blow such that if Master Pedro did not se abaja....le cercenara the head.
*George Silver uses the phrase "downright blow" in his text Paradoxes of Defense (1599). [Thanks to Bob Charron for pointing us in his direction.]
Dictionary:
Academia Usual, 1817
Altibajo. s.m. Esg. El golpe derecho que se
da con la espada de alto abajo. Ictus ensis a vertice deorsum directus.
Downright Blow. s.m. Fencing. The straight attack that one gives with the sword from above downward. Ictus ensis a vertice deorsum directus.
Dictionary:
Minsheu 1599 (Spanish-English)
* Daltibáxo [id est, de Altibáxo,]
= from high and lowe, vp and downe.
