From this results, by this true doctrine, that in the science of the Sword, the subject’s potential by itself is ordered for the act, and in the same subject (which is man) the potential is for the accident, like matter for the form, because the accident, and accidents, which result from the operation in this science, have for their subject matter that in which the accidents subsist, which result from the work: for this it is necessary to know what substance and accidents are in this science, according to the partition of being into the ten Predicaments, or Categories, without getting entangled with Metaphysicians, on whether they can be more, or are less than those posed by Aristotle, whom we follow, looking only at what is necessary for our purpose. In this science, the Categories are very useful (as in others), because to define, it is necessary to inquire into the true Genus, and this cannot be achieved except by the formation of the Predicament, ascending from the lowest Species to the highest Genus, or forming a concept, or being of the highest Genus nearest or remote, to come to knowledge of the defined Species with the utilities that are experienced in all sciences, and will be demonstrated in this one, seeing how the matter is produced for the argument and the demonstration.

The meanings of the Greek term Categories are diverse, because Orators have it for Accusation; but philosophers choose words, or terms, to facilitate their understanding of the difficult, and they are allowed to draw to the use of sciences, terms, or words, invented of old, or forming them anew, to explain themselves with them, and by them, as Ciceron did; and it is seen in Aristotle, that the term Category uses it in three meanings: The first, Attribution: The second, Predicaments, or Highest Genres of Substance, and Accidents: And the third, Series of Genera of Forms, and of Individuals. For this science we will use the term Category in the second and third meaning; including all the essential principles of this Science.

Some people doubt what is disputed in the Categories, or Predicaments; because some carry, that of entities; others, that of voices; others, that of notions; and most have, that of everything, voices, notions, and realities. In this consideration, we agree, as most suitable for our intention, explaining what is Reality, what is Voice, and what is Notion; and thus, we define that entity in subject, or in species, is that which (according to its essential and proper attributes) is signified, and understood: like the man, who is an animal participant of reason; and thus corporeal substance, animated, sensible, etc. Voice is that term, or word, with which we name some subject, or species, like man, to signify the rational nature: Peter, John, etc. to explain their individuals. Notion is that apprehension, perceived by the understanding, which gives it intelligence, in a formal concept of something, by which it comes into its knowledge; and this definition, although descriptive, is proper to the Notion: and the apprehension perceived by concept in the understanding, is divided into first, and second Notion.

The first one is that naked apprehension in the understanding, which is made, without attention to what the sense perceives, as when man is considered in the most essential essence, or any other subject, or Treta, or Wound, etc. according to its essential essence, without respect to the perception of the senses. The second Notion is that apprehension, or consideration, that is caused in the understanding from what the senses perceive. From here come the First and Second intentions in the science of the Sword, which are correlative, to the notions: and also results the formation of the Categories, or Predicaments.

Avoiding the hassle of the questions, if the Categories are six, as Plato wanted; or are ten, as Aristotle wanted, whom I follow, I put the ten of the Philosopher, which are, Substance, Quantity, Relation, Quality, Action, Passion, Where, When, Position, and Habit.

Entities can be placed in Categories in three ways, either by themselves, or by others, relatively. What is placed in the Categories are Genera, Species, Individuals, because the Category is the order of the Genera, of the Forms, and of the Individuals.

Individuals are placed because they are the foundations of the second substances, such as Genus, and Species, therefore it is said to be placed in the Categories that which is not only by itself, but by the reason of its whole, and therefore physical and natural parts are also placed, like matter, form, soul, and integral parts, such as in man, head, hands, feet, etc. as parts of his whole, just as in Fencing, Movement, Compasses, Tricks, Wounds, etc.

Material principles such as point, unity, number, time, movement, term, and quantity are also placed, and it is usually referred to as an increase in the Category of quantity, as in the science of the Sword distance, movement, and species of continuous and discrete quantity are increased.

Negations and defects are placed reductively in the Categories, such as not man, not Pedro, etc. blind, deaf, mute, etc. that is admitted in the Category of Substance, and Accidents, and in that of the Sword, not Cut, not deviation, etc. It should be noted that the entity of reason is understood in two ways, because, either it fits to real essence, or it does not fit to perfect reality, but forms Chimera, or Hypocentaur: and these entities of reason, without real object, are not properly admitted in the Categories. But there are other entities of reason, which are adequate to such forms, that can be admitted in the Categories, which is all explained by the Logicians with the voices of the entity of reason, with or without foundation; effect of reasoning reason, or reasoned.

The questions of the entities of reason of the first and second mode touch in their speculation to the Metaphysicians, and to our intent only the partition of the real entity, which is more proper of the Science of the Sword, where most times the entities of reason are instructive, with respect to the practicing part, to which intelligence looks: this, teaching by the formation of real entities; and that, by the exercise, which produces the right operation, resulting from both the rules and precepts that form the Art, and from everything the perfection with experience.

In this Predicament the subject, and object of this science is demonstrated, which is the man, armed with such an instrument, like the Sword, which is chosen for defense and offense against another man with the same precaution, reduced to combat, which admits the term Duel, which comes from Duorum bellum, which without restraint, is said by the Latins, Duellum, which is, to battle; and so, to Belona Varron called her Duellona, as can be seen in the Authors of the margin. In the vulgar it is improperly received the term Duel for challenge in genre, or species, or be it of two, or more number, and in this part it is to be abhorred: in the proper signification all Rights permit it, because it only looks to the defense and offense lawful of two singulars, with equal Swords, to get agile, and to exercise the lawful defense, and offense.

The Entity (As has been pointed out) is divided into ten supreme Genera, which is the first the Substance, whose dignity precedes that of the other accidental Predicaments, in which is the partition of the entity; because the Substance in first signification is taken by the essence, and with such a term it is placed in the Categories, with respect to the Accidents, as superior to them. In second meaning the term Substance is taken for everything that is not accident. In third meaning it is received by finite, perfect, and lowest substance, that which is not part of another, such as, Genera, Species, and Individuals, which are not parts of others.

Aristotle divided substances into two, some he called first, and others second, defining them thus: First substance is, that which is not in subject, neither is said, nor predicated of subject. It is not in subject, because substance is by itself; and it is not said, or predicated of subject, because it is first individual substance. Second substances are Genus, and Species, in which the first are contained, according to essence, like Animal in man, who individualizes according to his essence, and is contained in the Genus, or the Species: from which it follows, that the Substance in essence, does not admit definition by Genus, and Difference, because the supreme Genus does not admit over itself another Genus.

Aristotle noted six properties in Substance: the first, not to be in subject, this property belongs to the first Substances, insofar as they are not in subject, nor are they said of subject: and to the second, insofar as they are defined by the first, because they participate in them, not as in subject, but are said to be in the first substances, because they contain their nature.

The second property applies to Differences. and to universal Substances. It is so proper of Substances to agree in name and difference with the first individual Substance, from which they derive; such as Man, which is said by name and difference, Peter, John; because in one way and another, animal participating of reason is produced.

The third property is of the first Substances, to signify something: this is, by nature, certain, and defined, existing by itself.

The fourth property is, that it does not admit contrary; this is, that in that Substance there is no contradiction of another Substance or Accident, because two contraries in substance are proper accidents; and so, they cannot be Substance. And if the Elements are said to be contraries, like water, and fire, such contrariety is not because of the Substance, but because of the qualities, from which the contrary Elements are so called, not because of the elemental substance itself, but because of the qualities, which are contrary.

The fifth property of Substance is, not to admit more, nor less; this is, when the Substance is said of its inferiors, it is not said more, nor less: e.g. when it is said of Peter, John, etc. In the Science of the Sword it is the same in Substance; e.g. Wound as to individual: such as to say by Cut, or by Reverse, or by Thrust, or by Half Cut, or by Half Reverse, which is not said (as to individual) more wound, nor less, than the specific, which is terminated from its individual term.

The sixth property of Substance is to subsist the same in number, although it admits contrary affections, like Peter sitting, Peter walks, is hot, or is cold, or is sick, healthy, etc. And in this Science, Natural Movement, Slow, or Violent, or Mixed Movement, although they admit contrary affections of their mutation, they subsist in their number, substance, and movement.

In the rest that is arguable, I refer the curious to the Metaphysicists, Logicians, and Dialecticians, in which various opinions and subtle sharpness are found, most of which are foreign to this Science, and so I omit them. In this Category, I demonstrate from the supreme Genre, which in the created does not admit another above itself, signifying it with the term Substance, discussing until the lowest individual, subject, and object of this Science (which is man), giving him to know in his whole, and in his parts, so that his regulation is also known, as this Science supposes, from where the art is produced, which with experience is perfected, and all together is what is called Skill.

For supreme Genre, created, the term Substance is placed: this is divided into corporeal, and incorporeal. The incorporeal subdivides into Angel, Demon, Soul separated from body, or in it, vivifying it: the corporeal produces body, which is placed in the straight line: Body is divided into mixed, and simple. Mixed produces Mixed in the straight line: simple body subdivides into ethereal, and elemental. Ethereal subdivides into Heavens, and Stars; elemental into the four Elements, Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. The Mixed in the straight line is divided into animated, and inanimate. Inanimate subdivides into perfect mixtures, and imperfect ones. Perfect ones, into stones, metals, etc. imperfect ones, into meteorological impressions, rain, snow, hail, clouds, lightnings, thunderbolts, comets, etc. Body animated produces in the straight line Living: Living is divided into sensible, and insensible: insensible vegetable subdivides into plants, into fruitful trees, or fruitless trees, herbs, some fruitful, others fruitless, etc. The sensitive, or sensible produces in the straight line Animal. Animal is divided into participates of reason, and lackin reason. Lacking reason are in multitude of species, birds, terrestrial brutes, aquatic, amphibians, etc. Animal participates of reason produces in the straight line Man in perfect form. The term man includes both sexes, male and female, from which individuals, Peter, John, etc., propagate, as everything is demonstrated in the series, or Category, which here, goes by demonstration.

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This category results in the man (according to his whole) being a created, animated, corporeal, mixed, living, sensitive substance, an animal participating in reason, and all the composite rational man: for human procreation, male and female, who as far as the body produce by generation, individuals, Pedro, Juan, etc. like they are.

In wanting to show the perfections of man, one could form a volume, and volumes, discussing his efficient, material, formal, and final causes: His states, happiness, lapse, and penalty, which theologians consider: in the first innocence, and grace, with what infused knowledge? with what supreme, dignity? in the second state of guilt, how naked, delinquent, and condemned. Let the pondering of David suffice, saying to the Creator: I will see the Heavens, the work of your fingers, the Moon, and Stars, that you founded. What is man, that you remember him? or the son of man why do you visit him? You made him little less than the Angels, crowned him with honor, and glory, and constituted him over the works of your hands. You subjected everything to his feet, the sheep, the ox, the universal species, who graze the fields: the birds of Heaven, the fish of the Sea, which breaking the waters, make a path through their waves, etc.

The Great Basil eloquently said, embracing the extremes: What is man, in respect to his Artificer God? And what is man, in respect to the dust from which he was formed? He is, with all that, an epitome of all things, a small world, a particle divided into parts, being united. Horace called man, An image of all superior gifts. Pedro Gregio (by the authority of Hesiod, who spoke under the name of Pandora) said: God breathed an immortal soul into man, with which he participates, and understands with the Angels, feels with the animals, vegetates with the plants, lives common to all, and has being with the others.

The Philosopher, giving a reason for the upright stature of man, said: Only man is erect, and elevated, because his nature, and substance is divine, and his Office Divine, to understand, and know that it would not be appropriate if the composition of the body became heavy, because the weight would make the mind, and common sense slow: for this reason to the heavy disposition, grave, oppressive in the bodies, working urgently, they need to lower themselves to the earth, as seen in irrational brutes. Cicero recognized that God constituted men as exalted, and raised above the earth, so that they would contemplate Heaven. By this doctrine, Macrobius (it seems) said that the Mind of man has to be common with the Stars. Protagoras said that man is the measure of all things by his proportion, and measures: as is demonstrated in Architecture, as seen in Vitruvius, and Pomponius Gaurico.

The man was called Ab humo, which is earth, from where he was formed; thus Plato confessed, and not as Marco Varron was persuaded, that the term Humus came from Homo. The Hebrews explain the man with the name, or term Adam, because his corporeal matter is the earth, which in Hebrew is pronounced Adama. The Greeks signified them by the term Andras Epictonions, which is the same as terrestrial man. Man is, in short, a rational animal (as Pedro Gregorio says) consisting of soul, and body, conveniently constituted (according to the Hebrews) of a double nature; one part incorporeal immortal, which is the image, and likeness of God: not as the Gentiles wrongly thought, made by chance, or fortune, but by God himself created, to praise, and recognize the Divine Majesty: the lower terrestrial, and corporeal part, is also the work of God, who formed it from earth, to return to earth, as Eusebius Pamphilius wrote, with whom St. Ambrose, St. Bernard, St. Basil, St. Athanasius, and other very grave Authors concur, where curiosity can be satisfied, and widely in the work of Father Pereyra, with which we excuse the many that erudition offers us, without dwelling on the various opinions of Philosophers, and Pagan Poets. As for the fabric of man, consisting of soul, and body, I only say, that in it fits the speculative, and practical science, reduced in the speculative to the ratiocination; and in the practical to art, and work, and everything together is in the Science of the Sword, from whose understanding, and exercise results the consummate Skill; whose subject, and object is man known in the Predicate of the Substance; with which one can proceed to its knowledge by its parts, according to what pertains to this Science, without the anatomy, which is more proper to the physical sciences.

Understood that man, in his entirety, is an animal participating in reason, derived, according to his Predicament, from created, animated, corporeal substance, etc., acquires knowledge that he is capable of speculative and practical science: and being so, as it is, and is pointed out; it is also essential to know the three requirements that are necessary for the Science of the Sword in man.

In the first one, it is necessary to investigate, what kind of Science is the Sword? If it is practical, or if it is speculative? Or if it admits both species? Demonstrating how it works as science, in what we broadly call Dexterity. In the second, it is necessary to declare what essence and existence are, and if they are distinct. In the third, it is considered and recognized in man what is potential and act for this Science. And if armed with the Sword, and other weapons with which he adorns himself, do the warlike instruments provide potential or act, by intention or extension. These principles (perhaps not pleasing to everyone, nor for everyone, because they require other not common ones for those who have some scientific light, or want to take it from the one that is given in this Book) are so precise, and compelling, that without them, the deficiency that will result will be great, leaving diminished in essence so much work, as it costs to understand, and make this Science understood, as Science; but whoever does not wish to enter through the true doors, we do not force him to get entangled in more; since he may be content with the common precepts of art and experience, seeking a scientific voice that explains and exercises him in the speculative and practical aspects of the Tricks, which are achieved by science, with which he can take advantage; but he will not be able to say that he knows the Science of the Sword as Science, because it consists of method and precepts of Science, just as in Philosophy, and Metaphysics, and the others that are sciences, cannot be entered or known as such, if their method and principles are not studied, which are acquired through Definitions, Divisions, Predicables, and Predicaments, causes, arguments, and demonstrations.

It is assumed out of necessity the Logic and Dialectics for the acquisition of all Sciences, as taught by Boethius and explained by St. Thomas; by whose doctrines, Ancient and Modern establish this principle as maximum, with which it is inexcusable not to follow such precepts, to understand and make this Science of the Sword understood; and more compelling, when its species is investigated, being the object, and subject the man, forewarned, prepared, disposed, and according to pure Castilian, ready for the operation of soul, and body, which all these synonyms signify the term Parasceue in Greek, as can be gathered from Ancient and Modern Dictionaries, and Pedro Gregorio, with which we can discuss in our commitment, and question.

Aristotle says as a maxim, or rule, that that of which is predicated, as of subject, and predicate, is reduced to the subject; and he gives the example in man, who is the essential subject of this Science, considered in his entirety and in his parts, is capable of the Science of that common instrument, dedicated to offense, and defense. It is therefore necessary to know how man perceives it. This question can be shown with various arguments, whose subtlety is not for all temperaments, nor for all tastes, so I will try to omit what is excusable and limit myself to the most compelling.

Science in common, is a Term, or Voice, which broadly taken, signifies the knowledge of any proposition; but this is not perfect science in the definition given by the Philosopher, saying: Science is certain and evident knowledge of a necessary thing through its causes. It follows that this knowledge by causes is discursive, from which arises discursive or speculative science. This (as Dr. Torrejon puts it) is that which, by force of rational discourse, knows some proposition, and in this respect it applies to the Science of the Sword, which, as a real entity, by force of discourse, knows the truth of the proposition of the Trick, which the scientist premeditates, and perfects in the understanding, either by means of syllogisms or by other discursive means, which compels reason to the knowledge of truth by premises, optimal dispositions, from which originate the two terms Opinion, and Arrogance.

Opinion is caused by probable premises, although these have fallacy, as is experienced in what they call vulgar Dexterity, whose major foundations are opinion, either already received by many, or assented to by those who are guided by it.

Arrogance, is that which is deduced by certain and evident principles, and this is properly called Science, because the discourse investigates and inquires the truth deduced by its causes, arguing it by syllogism and demonstration; and in this part there is no doubt that the Science of the Sword is speculative; and as such, it assumes the logical and dialectical principles, for being, as they are, forceful, and necessary to all sciences, as has been demonstrated in its place, and it is conclusively concluded by Cardinal Toledo, and many others.

Another type of Science is what they call experimental, or practical in common terms: this is acquired through the senses, according to their operation, whose knowledge can be without discourse due to principles already posited in the understanding, which they call axioms, or common notions: for example, that The whole is greater than the part: that Two and two make four: that From equal parts, if equal parts are taken away, equal parts remain, etc. From these common notions, or pronouncements, without other discourse, with the terms accepted as evident, knowledge is judged; and of this kind are the Mathematical disciplines in their operative and experimental aspect, and this also applies to the Science of the Sword, insofar as it is a habit acquired by demonstration, to which cause the mathematical disciplines serve as subalterns: in the practical or experimental Science of the Sword. Noting that in the way of knowing, or acquiring Science by habits learned in understanding, a habit will be that which has left certain knowledge of that thing that comes to be known easily, and promptly to be exercised, both in understanding and in operation, just as in this Science, as far as experimental practice, that facility is acquired which is called habit, as Torrejon aptly defined, saying that thus in understanding by comparison habits are given, by whose means, with their frequency, the same understanding is facilitated.

The same Author, convinced by reason, admits that it comes from the memory of past events, which quicken understanding and operation, because what is already known about the same Science facilitates knowledge; because what is already known of one proposition, making the antecedent, one passes to another, and the consequence is acquired.

But this mode, which is the experimental in the intelligence and exercise of the Sword, is more properly called habit than science, because it results from repeated natural acts, which pass to the understanding more by memory than by rational discourse: and in this part, what is written and taught is what is most exercised with the Sword; but that is not therefore the pure science of it, which is not acquired without Logic and Dialectics, which are the common doors through which all Sciences are entered: from which it is concluded for our purpose, that man acquires true science, when he speculatively discursively knows the true Skill scientifically, perfecting it in practical experimental, not by Opinion, but by Arrogance; and this is to be the man subject, and object of this Science, as an animal participant of reason, ascending to the highest Genus by the straight line of the Predicament of Substance, leaving, by all the above, the proposed question understood.

Man is not well known in his formality, which comes from the soul, a physical and organic instrument, which informs the living individual, and gives him aptitude to wield the Sword in his defense, and in the offense of his contrary object, unless it is investigated, what is in man Essence, and Existence, and where does the power, and act in this Science come from?

Understood, then, that being is divided into its inferiors, which the Philosopher called Categories, the same as Predicaments, we enter into this question, omitting the many that Logicians and Metaphysicians move, and we follow Saint Thomas, Cardinal Cayetano, current of the Thomists, and Boethius, who says: That in creatures, being is one thing, and what it is, is another, because they have a participated being, and in this it is impossible for the participating and what is participated to be the same. It is proved by the reason of the essential compared with existence, which is like the power for the act, because the essential in the creature, by itself alone, does not have being, but truly exists by existence; and thus it is like its actuality: then the essence and existence in man are really distinguished, because a true act and potency cannot be understood without real distinction, as also in the essential and existence a real distinction is admitted: this affirmative conclusion is taken by Saint Thomas, and the Authors cited here, and it is to our intent.

Upon this foundation of Boethius, and opinion received from Saint Thomas, a multitude of arguments are formed that conclude the real distinction of essence and existence: just as also in potency and act; although the Masters, Durand, Enriquez, Gregory, Gabriel, and others, choose other theses, or hypotheses to prove by other means the distinction that is given between essence and existence, power, and act.

It is confirmed: from the essence flow and result all the passions of the same living compound; and thus also the mode of existence, if it is formally distinct, flows and is derived from the essence; because what is real comes from and flows from a real being; and in the same way, first it is supposed (according to nature) the essence antecedent to existence.

This metaphysical conclusion is proven with many arguments, some of which Father Oña compiled. For the curious, I direct them to him and to the other authors cited in this part. For my purpose, in the Science of the Sword, it must be considered that in man there are two apprehensions in understanding, both being primitive. One is in the essence of understanding itself, ingrained in the soul by the very essence of rationality; and this is a certain being that in essence precedes the first concepts, and from this flows the second apprehension, which, although also intellectual, moves to become existence in rational understanding. For this doctrine, one can refer to Aristotle, Saint Thomas, and the disciples of both.

From here also comes what is known in schools as ‘being of reason’, and ‘real being’ by first and second intention. The first attention in the understanding of man is for things, or concepts, that are put forth, as the first objects in the intellectual essence of man; and this is properly the first intention in the essence of understanding, signifying things or concepts according to their entities, and this is pure ‘being of reason’.

In existence, the intellectual term will be the one that truly declares the affections of things that are shared with the knowing understanding, and this is the ‘real being’, or second intention; which, although it flows from the first, is distinct from it, as are essence and existence, to which potentiality and actuality have analogy; and in such terms it is first perceived in the Science of the Sword: and whoever does not accumulate such knowledge, will poorly presume that they are skilled by Science.

Aristotle treats ‘potentiality and actuality’ ex professo in Metaphysics, where his expositors extensively dispute what is in man Potentiality, and Act, whose affections are divided into active and passive: and these, not only are considered in animate species, but in inanimate ones; in which also their powers are found by principles of operation, or action, like the heat in fire, the cold in water, the virtues in stones, in metals, etc. In animate species, if one considers the vegetal ones, trees, plants, etc. or sensibles, like beasts, birds, fish, etc. one finds in ones and others powers, and natural acts, proper to the same animate species: and in all there is a certain ordering to their own defense, and to the offense of their adversaries, as we touched on, treating of offense, and defense in general.

To this end: in man (as noted by Pedro Gregio) active and passive powers are considered, which we will discuss in the Predicament of Action and Passion, where it is their proper place, as from here, that Act and Potentiality have a relationship in such a way, That the act is that which is not in potentiality: and potentiality is that which is not in the act.

These definitions are essential, from which it follows that nature is reduced to act through potentiality; but if the potentiality is remote, it occurs after many intermediate transformations; e.g. the earth in remote potentiality is a tree, is a plant, is grass, is a flower, is fruit; but before the earthly potentiality is reduced to act, it requires a multitude of means. Likewise in man, the food that in potentiality is blood, is flesh, is bones; before it is reduced from remote potentiality to act, it passes through a multitude of means, as also in Fencing, the Cut, Thrust, etc., before it is reduced from remote potentiality to act, it requires a multitude of means, positions, compasses, movements, etc.

From here it follows (as noted by the same Pedro Gregorio) that what is worked in another by remote potentiality does not have the name of that which is acted upon, because the matter is remote: and on the contrary, passing from close potentiality, it comes to the act; e.g. the Trick in the understanding and knowledge of the Fencer is in potentiality, either remote or near; if remote, it does not have the name of that which is in the understanding by rational entity, or by real entity until it is acted upon, requiring a multitude of means to reduce it to act in operation, where it receives the name, which it lacked in remote potentiality, due to the remoteness of the matter; on the contrary, if the potentiality is close, and is immediately reduced to act, due to the immediacy, it acquires the name due to the immediacy of the matter and operation. From here it is understood what is first intention, and what is second essence, and existence by rational entity, or by real entity, that in the Science of the Sword, as far as understanding is concerned, the potentiality is always first for reason, and knowledge, and this is properly called active potentiality. But in the passive (as noted by the same Pedro Gregorio) the act can be first or subsequent: first, in terms of number: subsequent, in terms of species; because passive potentiality in one way or another can be considered in relation to the act, because the being of some act in species necessarily precedes what is in potentiality to be reduced to act.

From here stems the use of the terms ‘First Intention’ and ‘Second Intention’ in this science when applying it to actual infliction of wounds, considering the passive potentiality by number or species: When it acts by number, it refers to that wound which the fencer executes by immediate potentiality to the act; that is, without admitting or depending on the opponent’s movement: so the act, as a primitive numerical immediate to the potentiality, acquires the name of ‘first intention’ wound; and the potentiality, as a numerical impulsive cause, takes precedence over the act in any kind of wound. When it goes to the species from the remote potentiality, converting the wound into a type, such as a Vertical Cut, or a Diagonal Reverse, or a Fourth Circle Thrust, etc., as the species has consideration or relation to the opponent’s movements, they are called ‘second intention’ wounds, and from passive potentiality, which can be prior and subsequent to the act, according to its accidents and way of acting.

For this reason, it is considered that the active potentiality can be innate, and can be acquired: innate, by understanding and feeling; acquired, by pure practice; both of which concur in the Science of the Sword, which is composed of intelligence and practice, where the active potentiality can be innate in understanding with respect to intelligence, and this produces ‘first intention’ wounds, as it follows from the preceding principles, which can be applied to the senses. The reason is that, being acquired from one of the powers of the soul, the potentiality can be innate active; and so, before the act, as it comes from innate potentiality, with respect to understanding, which perceives with the senses; and in such ways, the active potentiality acts in this science, with the potentiality preceding the act, e.g., the fencer, through the means of innate active potentiality, scientifically anticipates the reduction to the act, reasoning from Universals to the lowest intimate species, defining, and distinguishing by topical arguments the truth of the Tricks, to pass them from potentiality to act: also through the senses (supplying the powers of the soul with the scientific species of the Tricks the active potentiality) can reduce them to the act by appropriate means, according to the proximity or distance, mediate or immediate, according to the potentiality is with the operation.

Active or passive potentiality, acquired by exercise, can be considered subsequent to the act (as taught by Pedro Gregorio) because in the acquired, the frequented acts are generative of potentiality, and then it will not be said to be innate, but born from frequented acts; e.g., the practiced organist, the keys; and other musicians of instruments, harp, lyre, vihuela, etc., by the frequent practiced acts, generate the potentiality to know how to play the organ, harp, lyre, vihuela, etc., making the effect a cause.

In this Science, the Fencer can generate potentiality acquired by exercise, and this will be subsequent to the act, because the frequented acts are generative of the potentiality acquired by pure practicing habits; and the cause comes before the effect: then the act comes before the potentiality in this mode of consideration.

But note from the doctrine of the same Pedro Gregorio, that the Organist, the instrumental Musician of the harp, lyre, etc., and the same in Fencing: through exercises and frequent habits, those who practice can be called Fencers in terms of the art, but not scientists, because the acts remain imperfect without the Science, and are not due to innate potentiality, but causative to the potentiality acquired by exercise; being so strictly speaking, it paves the way for the potentiality acquired in the Fencer, which in this way will be due to frequent acts, but not due to science: he will have acquired art through precepts and rules, frequenting acts, which converted into habits, pave the way for the potentiality; and in this way it is seen that there are acts that precede the potentiality, and that this can be subsequent, thus being understood by the preceding in this Category, that it is the man as a whole, for what he does to this Science of the Sword, with which it is better given to know in its parts for the same purpose.

The anatomy of man is not of this endeavor, according to his interior composition, which is more suited to Medicine and Surgery than to the Science of the Sword, which, in terms of the parts of man, considers the external ones, as it suits to the Dexterity acquired by science and art, with which it proceeds by discourse and demonstration, avoiding as much as possible, the arguable, referring the curious to Andrés Laurencio, regarding the parts of man, which the Philosopher and his Commentators also discussed.

The Greeks called man Antropos, which means an inverted tree, or upside-down, because he has his head with hair, like roots: his arms and legs, like branches: the rest of the body, almost a trunk, elevated on two feet upright, for two reasons, given by the Wise; one in the natural sense, another in the moral: the natural reason is that in other animals the head abounds with earthly matter, which depresses them, lacking the erecting or elevating heat, which is the opposite in man.

For the moral reason, man consists of an upright stature, so that the body testifies to the uprightness of the mind, raised high, so that it contemplates the celestial perfections, to which it should adhere, considering that accidents of the soul are transmuted to the body, from where Avicena said that imagination makes things happen; so much so that he who vehemently fears leprosy becomes a leper. On the contrary, the passions of the body overflow into the soul, considering man as a small world, whose parts have proportion and correspondence to the larger World; the distance from the tips of the largest fingers of the hands, with the arms extended at right angles to the body, is as much as the length from the top of the head to the soles of the feet: as also in the larger World, the distance from the Zenith to the Nadir, points considered with respect to man, by correspondence to his head and feet, is as much as the distance to two other opposite points, one in the East, and one in the West. Also considering in man the circle when the arms are raised and the legs extended, in such a way, that if a compass foot is placed where nature marked the center, and with the other describing a circle, it will touch the Periphery at the ends of the feet and hands.

The human body is composed of four elements, just like the greater World, being earthly in the bones and flesh; and in the humors blood, phlegm, bile, and melancholy, including the four qualities.

Air is contained in the lungs, which is always in continuous movement, serving as the bellows of the heart, so that excessive heat does not dissolve it; because fire is contained in the heart, and throughout in the form of flame. Water is the blood that is diffused through channels, which they call veins.

There are three main organs in the human body: they are called radicals, which are the liver, heart, and brain, where the being of the individual is mainly placed, because in them resides the natural, vital, and animal spirit; others are servile organs, such as veins, arteries, hands, feet, and those in which agile movements are exercised, and all those that move, are called officials, like the hands, the feet, and those in which agile movements are exercised; and all those that have movements, are called artificial, because they mutually help each other, and some resort to others, the lower ones serving the superior ones, by whom they are governed, as demonstrated in the eyes, tongue, fingers, etc., and the rest, that make up the brief human world: supporting, sustaining, and moving the machinery of man are the feet, like the base, the legs, like columns, the shoulders, like architraves, the arms and hands dedicated to the execution of actions; and especially to the defense of the whole individual, and to the offense, and repulsion of its opposites, all respecting each other with reciprocal action, some parts sympathizing with others, as participants of pain, and delight, contributing to the preservation of their entire integrity, because of the connection and coalescence that some have depending on others, for which reason they supplement correlating defects, as can be elaborated in long discourses.

In humans, science, providence, and senses are placed in the head: the eyes apt and active for seeing, the ears and hearing for listening, the mouth for tasting, the nose for smelling, the whole body for touch: all senses serving the soul species, which are perceived, according to the sensitive organs admit them; some that have external objects, such as sight in objects, which through visual rays, perceives the forms, representing them to the soul with different perspectives; by whose arrangement in proportional distances they appear larger or smaller, with lights and shadows, distinguished by the lights, from which art learned painting, derived from perspective science in terms of speculation and practice.

The ear perceives the sense, and the formation of voices, and articles, by which means the word, the prayer, the concept, and the reason are ministered to the soul: when perceived, it is distinguished, and from all together agreeing, and reprobating, science results in opinion, and arrogance. These two senses, which are the noblest, are the organs through which the Science of the Sword is acquired, as far as it is speculative; and as far as practice, it is exercised by the parts of the body, and as main ones, arms, hands, legs, and feet, serving the lower to the superior of the other senses, such as touch, which not only spreads intensively in the human body, but is extended extensively to the Sword, in which strength and weakness are admitted, recognized by the extension of touch, communicated by the arm, and hand to the armed instrument, which in power is ruled by the understanding, and in act by the operation, subjecting everything to free will, which as the first mover, carries after it all the other lower movements.

The parts of the human body are the radical measures, from which art and experience took and measured for human operations, composing from four grains of barley the common width of a finger, and four fingers what the common people call a palm, and from four palms a foot is composed, which they call Geometric, which differs in nations as to the larger or smaller; just as the visual span, received by distance, or extension, from the ends of the first and last fingers, from where the Spanish visual span is a quarter of the Toledan rod, and the foot is a third, and the cubit sesquipedal: the Mathematic step is five feet, and the common vulgar considers it to be two and a half, in which there are disputes. One hundred and twenty-five Mathematic steps make a stadium, omitting the other measures, because they are not of this Science, but the first ones, which result from palms, feet, and visual steps. And anyone who wants to see more, consult Philippe of Burgundy, Pomponio, Gaurico, Vitruvius, and others, and of our Spaniards, Juan Perez de Moya.

As for the proportional parts, which correspond to each other in the human body, a multitude of authors deal with them, from whose proportions those of Architecture are drawn, as can be seen in Vitruvius, Viñola, and others, in which the curious will find an expanded field. Contenting ourselves here with what is most precise to this Science, reserving for the second Book the lines, sections, planes, and angles, in which man is considered divided, for the understanding, and exercise of what the common people call Skill.