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m (Reverted edits by Christian Trosclair (talk) to last revision by Michael Chidester)
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| ''Whoever deploys the change, <br/>&emsp;the squinter robs him from that.''
 
| ''Whoever deploys the change, <br/>&emsp;the squinter robs him from that.''
 
|}
 
|}
<p>'''Gloss:''' The squint-hew is nothing other than the change-hew. Named according to the record, the squint-hew, which is such an exquisite hew, that breaks-in<ref>alt: breaks-apart, shatters, asunders; burgles; interrupts</ref> buffaloes or thugs, which take victory by force in hews and in stabs. Deploy the hew thusly: If you stand with your right foot forward and lay in the squint-hew, so that the thumb must be above on the sword. If he then hews into you from his right side, step into him swiftly in-the-moment with your left foot and offset his hew strongly with your short edge and from that, make a rapid strike from your left shoulder, crooked, with the long edge into the right side of his head, but if he comes against it very quickly and displaces your hew so that you come upon his sword, then wind-in above with power and lay your sword on his throat. If he will then escape ever with force, then follow after him just accordingly so he may not rightly escape.</p>
+
<p>'''Gloss:''' The squint-hew is nothing other than the change-hew. Named according to the record, the squint-hew, which is such an exquisite hew, that breaks-in<ref>alt: breaks-apart, shatters, asunders; burgles; interrupts</ref> buffaloes or thugs, which take victory by force in hews and in stabs. Deploy the hew thusly: If you stand with your right foot forward and lay in the squint-hew, so that the thumb must be above on the sword. If he then hews into you from his right side, step into him swiftly in-the-moment with your left foot and offset his hew strongly with your short edge and from that, make a rapid strike from your left shoulder, crooked, with the long edge into the right side of his head, but if he comes against it very quickly and displaces your hew so that you come upon his sword, then wind-in above with power and lay your sword on his throat. If he will then escape ever with force, then follow after him just mercifully so he may not rightly escape.</p>
 
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| <p>'''Hereafter follows the seven stances. Therein noteworthy work to utilize against the opponent is explained :~'''</p>
 
| <p>'''Hereafter follows the seven stances. Therein noteworthy work to utilize against the opponent is explained :~'''</p>
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 37r.jpg|1|lbl=37r}}
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>{{dec|u|'''The seve2º.5 35r.jpg|2|lbl=-}}
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>In this way you have the four cattle-drives explained with their work. How you shall begin it, the common glosses explain differently, but it is not sensible to me, etc. The opponent may also deploy this work against you.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 35r.jpg|3|lbl=-}}
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>'''A lesson about the feeling and the word in-the-moment.'''</p>
 
{| class="zettel"
 
|-
 
| <small>78</small>
 
| ''Learn the feeling. <br/>&emsp;In-the-moment, the word hews sharply.''
 
|}
 
<p>'''Gloss:''' This is so that you shall learn and understand the word, in-the-moment, properly, because the two things belong together and one may not exist upon the other and are the great art of fencing. Understand them thusly: When someone binds upon the sword, you shall immediately feel or perceive in that, as the swords clash together, whether he has bound-upon soft or hard and as you have perceived that, then think of the word in-the-moment, This is so that in that perceiving, you shall work swiftly according to the soft or the hard to the nearest opening. Thus he will be easily struck before he becomes aware of his.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 35r.jpg|4|lbl=-}}
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>Item. You shall think upon the word in-the-moment in all bindings-on of the sword. Because In-the-moment doubles, in-the-moment mutates, in-the-moment runs, in-the-moment changes-through, in-the-moment takes the cut, in-the-moment wrestles with, in-the-moment takes the sword away from him, in-the-moment does whatever the heart desires in the art. In-the-moment is a sharp word. With it all fencers that do not know of the word become hew and the word in-the-moment is the key. With it, the entire art of fencing will be unlocked. Also with that is the before and especially the after with the strong and the weak, the three things break all plays and art that one may deploy or conceive. Because when sword comes upon sword, so is all art simultaneous.</p>
 
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{{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 35r.jpg|5|lbl=-|p=1}} {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 35v.jpg|1|lbl=35v|p=1}}
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>'''Another about the racing-after'''</p>
 
{| class="zettel"
 
|-
 
| <small>79</small>
 
| ''The twofold racings-after. <br/>&emsp;If one hits, combine<ref>mitmachen: join, unite, combine, participate</ref> the high<ref>alternately: old</ref> cut.''
 
|}
 
<p>'''Gloss:''' Note that you shall deploy the racing-after doubly, that is, to both sides and also bring the cut thereon. Understand it thusly: When he mis-hews himself before you, whether it is from the right or left sides, then hew in freely after to the opening. If he then drives up and binds upon the sword below, so note as soon as one sword clashes upon the other, then cut for his neck or fall in-the-moment with the long edge upon his arm and take the cut. This deploys to both sides.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 35v.jpg|2|lbl=-}}
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>'''About the running-over'''</p>
 
{| class="zettel"
 
|-
 
| <small>80</small>
 
| ''Whoever aims below, <br/>&emsp;run-over them above. He will be shamed.''
 
|-
 
| <small>81</small>
 
| ''When it clashes above, <br/>&emsp;then strengthen, that I will laud.''
 
|-
 
| <small>82</small>
 
| ''Make you work, <br/>&emsp;soft or hard or press twice.''
 
|}
 
<p>'''Master Hans' Gloss:''' This is when someone binds-on with you, then you shall strengthen the binding-on and if he quickly strikes around to your under openings and aims for them, then in-the-moment run-over him inside and press-in after above with the slide or push or with the cut. War.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 35v.jpg|3|lbl=-}}
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>Others speak thusly according to the common gloss: How you shall run-over when someone initiates fencing you below, understand that thusly: When you come to him with the approach, if he initiates a hew or thrust at you below, do not displace that, rather note when his under-hew or thrust goes against you, then cleave-in long against him above from his right shoulder and shoot-in the point above long into his face or chest and set-upon him so he may not reach you. If he then drives up from below and displaces, then remain strong with the long edge (that's called strengthened) upon his sword and quickly work to the nearest opening or await upon the after with the war and any over-hew and any upward setting-on reaches-over the lower attack, thusly he will be ashamed above.</p>
 
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{{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 35v.jpg|4|lbl=-|p=1}} {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 36r.jpg|1|lbl=36r|p=1}}
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>'''About the offsetting'''</p>
 
{| class="zettel"
 
|-
 
| <small>83</small>
 
| ''Learn to offset hew, thrust. <br/>&emsp;Artfully disrupt whoever''
 
|-
 
| <small>84</small>
 
| ''thrusts upon you such that <br/>&emsp;your point hits and his breaks.''
 
|-
 
| <small>85</small>
 
| ''Hit anytime from both sides <br/>&emsp;if you will step.''
 
|}
 
<p>'''Master Hans' Gloss:''' This so that you shall learn to offset artfully disrupting hew, thrust also breaking point thusly: If someone hews or thrusts against you, plainly offsetting and breaking strike and point from all positions and hews or stances and sittings-atop from all sides as they encroach you and hitting the point with your point or sword and offsetting well and from that make a strike-in above with the short edge to the head to whichever side it then gives itself up. Thereafter work in-the-moment with the after and war.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 36r.jpg|2|lbl=-}}
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>Or<ref>marginalia: 'malz' => bad, weak</ref> else like the other glossing means when they deploy the offsetting: When you come to him with the approach, if he then presents himself against you as so in the plow, as they call it (but I call it the ox down by the knee) and acts as if he will thrust into you, the set your left foot forward and stand against him as well in the ox to your right side with crossed arms or hands and give yourself an opening with the left side. If he then thrusts into your opening, then wind against his thrust to you left side with your sword on his sword and step into with the right foot and with that offset such that the point always remains standing against him and in-the-moment stab him in the face or chest. Thus, your point hits and his does not. Or also make a strike and otherwise do whatever you wish if you would like to work with the warring.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 36r.jpg|3|lbl=-}}
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>But if you stand against someone as above in the ox and would like to thrust him, if he then hews above downward to your left opening, then go up with your sword against his hew and wind-in him to the side (openly or crookedly as it gives itself) and the point sharply into his face or chest and step in with [it]. Thereafter, work or war.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 36r.jpg|4|lbl=-}}
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>'''About the changing-through'''</p>
 
{| class="zettel"
 
|-
 
| <small>86</small>
 
| ''Learn the changing-through <br/>&emsp;from both sides stab with severity.''
 
|-
 
| <small>87</small>
 
| ''Whoever binds upon you, <br/>&emsp;the changing-through shortly finds him.''
 
|}
 
<p>'''Gloss:''' The changings-through are many and varied. You may deploy them from all guards or hews against the fencer that likes to displace and that hew to the sword and not to the openings of the body. You shall learn to deploy it quite well with prudence so that one does not set-on or otherwise come-in while you change-through. Deploy it thusly: When you come to him with the approach, cleave-in strongly above to the head. If he then counter-hews against you into the sword and not to the openings of the body, then let you point slip-through below during the hew before he binds you on the sword and stab him into the other side, etc. If he becomes aware of the stab and shortly drives-after the stab with the sword and will displace, then change-through again to the other side. And always deploy it when he drives to your sword with displacement. Deploy this to both sides, war.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 36r.jpg|5|lbl=-}}
 
 
{{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 36v.jpg|1|lbl=36v}}
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>'''Another play.'''</p>
 
 
<p>When come to him with the approach, set your left foot forward and hold the long point against his face. If he then hews to the sword from above or below and will strike it away or bind-on strongly, then let the point sink downward and change-through and stab him against the other side. And deploy this against all hews where someone hews to your sword and not to the openings of the body.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 36v.jpg|2|lbl=-}}
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>'''Another play.'''</p>
 
 
<p>Note this play precisely when he displaces you and allows the point to go out next to you to one side in the displacement. So boldly change-through and stab against the other side. Or if he remains with point before your face or otherwise against the other openings of your body, then do not change-through and remain on the sword and work to his nearest opening so he cannot race-after nor set-on you. War.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 36v.jpg|3|lbl=-}}
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>'''About the Disengaging'''</p>
 
 
<p>[text ends]</p>
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 36v.jpg|4|lbl=-}}
 
 
|}
 
{{master end}}
 
 
{{master begin
 
| title = Seven Stances
 
| width = 76em
 
}}
 
{| class="floated master"
 
|-
 
! id="thin" | <p>Images</p>
 
! <p>{{rating|B}}<br/>by [[Christian Trosclair]]</p>
 
! <p>[[Hans Medel Fechtbuch (Cod.I.6.2º.5)|Transcription]]{{edit index|Hans Medel Fechtbuch (Cod.I.6.2º.5)}}<br/>by [[Anton Kohutovič]], [[Andreas Engström]], <br/>and [[Christian Trosclair]]</p>
 
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>'''Hereafter follows the seven stances. Therein noteworthy work for other common fencing to utilize against the opponent is explained :~'''</p>
 
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 37r.jpg|1|lbl=37r}}
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 37r.jpg|1|lbl=37r}}
  
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| <p>{{dec|u|'''The seven stances'''}}</p>
 
| <p>{{dec|u|'''The seven stances'''}}</p>
  
<p>'''The first''' is when you stand as in the plunge or the scalper yet with a flat sword upon your right thumb, well forward, in the scales with a sunken point and right foot forward and provide yourself well open with the left side. Called the Fool (others c[all it] the sideways ox)</p>
+
<p>'''The first''' is when you stand as in the plunge or the scalper yet with a flat sword upon your right thumb, well forward, in the scales with a sunken point and right foot forward and keep yourself well open with the left side. Called the Fool (others c[all it] the sideways ox)</p>
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 37r.jpg|2|lbl=-}}
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 37r.jpg|2|lbl=-}}
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>'''The second''' is: Hold you sword next to your left leg by the pommel and with the point a little upwards against the opponent yet so that that left foot stands forward. This is commonly called the wrath-point or equally the ox. Solely just that the left foot stands forward.</p>
+
| <p>'''The second''' is: Hold you sword next to your left leg by the pommel and with the point a little upwards against the opponent yet so that the same left foot stands forward. This is commonly called the wrath-point or equally the ox. Just that the left foot alone stands forward.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 37r.jpg|3|lbl=-}}
 
| {{section|Page:Cod.I.6.2º.5 37r.jpg|3|lbl=-}}
  
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|-  
 
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Cod.I.6.2º.5_38v.jpg|300x300px|center]]
 
| rowspan="2" | [[File:Cod.I.6.2º.5_38v.jpg|300x300px|center]]
| <p>'''Work from the second stance, the wrath-point with the after split up'''</p>
+
| <p>'''Work from the second stance, the wrath-point with the after'''</p>
  
 
<p>'''The first''' play: When you stand in the second stance as written and taught above, etc. If someone then draws-up long and wide and if he means he will strike you with an over-hew in the wrath-point from his right, then go straight up in-the-moment with the wrath-point on his throat and thrust, etc. War if it is necessary. In the thrust, go up thusly into the flat so that your thumb comes under.</p>
 
<p>'''The first''' play: When you stand in the second stance as written and taught above, etc. If someone then draws-up long and wide and if he means he will strike you with an over-hew in the wrath-point from his right, then go straight up in-the-moment with the wrath-point on his throat and thrust, etc. War if it is necessary. In the thrust, go up thusly into the flat so that your thumb comes under.</p>

Revision as of 15:40, 18 May 2017

Hans Medel von Salzburg

A play from Medel's fencing manual
Born 15th century
Died 16th century
Occupation Fencing master
Citizenship Salzburg, Germany
Movement Liechtenauer tradition
Influences
Genres Fencing manual
Language Early New High German
Manuscript(s) Codex I.6.2º.5 (1539)
Concordance by Michael Chidester
Translations Magyar fordítás

Hans Medel von Salzburg (Hans Niedel, Hans Mendel) was an early 16th century German fencing master. Salzburg is a city in northern Austria, and he seems to have operated as a burgher and Schirmmeister there from at least 1503.[1] Little else is known about this master, but he seems to have been associated with the tradition of Johannes Liechtenauer. He may have traced his lineage through Hans Seydenfaden von Erfurt, a member of the Fellowship of Liechtenauer,[2] as Medel's text is the only known source that mentions the earlier master's teachings.

Medel's name is attached to a manuscript treatise on swordsmanship from 1539, including an incomplete gloss of Liechtenauer's Recital and an addendum on fencing based on "the Seven Stances". This gloss is unique in the Liechtenauer tradition in that it not only offers direct commentary on the Recital, but also demonstrates an awareness of the earlier glosses of Sigmund ain Ringeck (from which a great deal of text is lifted) and Pseudo-Peter von Danzig, and even includes occasional criticisms of and corrections to their teachings. In a few places the gloss specifically describes a teaching of Hans Seydenfaden or Hans Medel, but in several more it merely attributes the teaching to "Master Hans" without indicating which one. This manuscript eventually passed into the library of Paulus Hector Mair, who bound it into the current Codex I.6.2º.5 some time after 1566; unfortunately, the extant fragment of the gloss terminates abruptly at the beginning of the section on Zucken, and the remainder of Medel's gloss is currently lost.

Treatise

Additional Resources

References

  1. Mitteilungen der Gesellschaft für Salzburger Landeskunde, vol. 40. Salzburg, 1900. p 177.
  2. The Fellowship of Liechtenauer is recorded in three versions of Paulus Kal's treatise: MS 1825 (1460s), Cgm 1570 (ca. 1470), and MS KK5126 (1480s).
  3. alt: right
  4. alt: side
  5. alt: defense
  6. the artist/professional doing their work
  7. alt: gladly valuing in the arts
  8. alt: gladly valuing with kindness
  9. alt: right
  10. alt: weapon
  11. eindrohen: to imminently threaten
  12. Zeck: a biting insect, ie: a tick.
  13. alt: closer, sooner
  14. this is usually the term for the severing of limbs/extremities, though can mean hewing while exiting
  15. widerschlagen: to strike against, in a reverberating sense
  16. rechnen: compute, take into account, align
  17. towards
  18. In the standard verse it is 'ab', not 'fast'
  19. severely, precisely, ruthlessly, violently
  20. videlicet: namely; to wit
  21. abhauen: to sever or to hew in exit
  22. alt: high
  23. aufsitzen: to sit on top of something. A rider was sometimes called an 'Aufsitzer'
  24. ausheben: lift out
  25. conjecture, possibly: 'neben'
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 26.5 26.6 26.7 26.8 26.9 The text here is hidden by a crease in the page.
  27. alt: breaks-apart, shatters, asunders; burgles; interrupts
  28. ansiegen: to return with victory
  29. glance, discern, glean
  30. Ochs
  31. Ochs
  32. Ochs
  33. could also mean 'carelessly'
  34. Alternately: strongly, firmly, steadfastly.
  35. across
  36. across
  37. your leger
  38. rappen: to gather, to snatch, to seize
  39. no apparent verb here. A similar construction appears below with the added phrase: "set-upon upon the four endings to both sides"
  40. alt: flying
  41. mitmachen: join, unite, combine, participate
  42. alternately: old
  43. marginalia: 'malz' => bad, weak
  44. Or possibly "maler"
  45. Here some pages apparently have been lost, unfortunately.
  46. alt: across
  47. alt: inside
  48. alt: across
  49. alt: open