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| Firstly if you will execute the high or Vertex Strike, you will find yourself in three Stances, first in the start you will stand in the Roof, in the Middle in the Long Point, and end up in the Fool, so you have moved directly from above through the Line from A to E via three Guards or Stances. If you then drive farther on upward from below to displace with crossed hands, you will find yourself in three more Stances, at the start in the Iron Door, in the Middle the Hanging Point, and in the end full above you in the Unicorn, then grip your Sword with the haft before your chest, so that the half edge lies on your left arm. Now you stand in the Key, and thus you come have onward and drove on along Line A and E from one stance into the other.
 
| Firstly if you will execute the high or Vertex Strike, you will find yourself in three Stances, first in the start you will stand in the Roof, in the Middle in the Long Point, and end up in the Fool, so you have moved directly from above through the Line from A to E via three Guards or Stances. If you then drive farther on upward from below to displace with crossed hands, you will find yourself in three more Stances, at the start in the Iron Door, in the Middle the Hanging Point, and in the end full above you in the Unicorn, then grip your Sword with the haft before your chest, so that the half edge lies on your left arm. Now you stand in the Key, and thus you come have onward and drove on along Line A and E from one stance into the other.
 
| Erstlich so du den odern oder Scheitelhauw thust findestu drey Leger / dann im anfang ligstu im Tag / im Mittel im Langenort / am endt im Olber / also hastu in der geraden Lini von ober herab von A und E drey Huten oder Leger / fehrestu widerumb von unden herauff mit geschrenckten händen zur versatzung / befindestu abermals drey Leger / Nemlich im anfang die Eysenport / im mittel das Hangentort / im endt ubersich in voller höh das Einhorn / ziehest du dein Schwerdt mit dem hefft vor die Brust / das die halbe schneide auff deinem Lincken Arm ligt / so stehestu im Schlüssel / also kommestu im auff und abfahren in der Lini A. und E. auß einem Leger in das ander.
 
| Erstlich so du den odern oder Scheitelhauw thust findestu drey Leger / dann im anfang ligstu im Tag / im Mittel im Langenort / am endt im Olber / also hastu in der geraden Lini von ober herab von A und E drey Huten oder Leger / fehrestu widerumb von unden herauff mit geschrenckten händen zur versatzung / befindestu abermals drey Leger / Nemlich im anfang die Eysenport / im mittel das Hangentort / im endt ubersich in voller höh das Einhorn / ziehest du dein Schwerdt mit dem hefft vor die Brust / das die halbe schneide auff deinem Lincken Arm ligt / so stehestu im Schlüssel / also kommestu im auff und abfahren in der Lini A. und E. auß einem Leger in das ander.
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| However if you would become practiced in this, then you shall always change with the first strike, and when you first strike to his upper left opening, and then the second is to his lower right opening, and then further as taught above (as is shown by the outer digits in the printed figure), then you shall again strike first to his lower left, then a second to his upper right, and then further as the second set of digits in the previous figure show. The next strike is first struck to his upper right then to his lower left, then further as shown by the third set. The last strike is first struck to his right, then further as is shown by the inner digits, and first learn this as instructed with the long then with the half edge, then lastly with the flat as judged into the work. When you can do such, then follow ahead to the next part, namely that you must understand the four openings before the strikes just taught can be retained, or onward your sword’s blade will be held off and you will be repulsed with better countering strikes, these are thus the two Main Elements of Fencing, the Origins from which all other elements flow forth, onward follows the third, a large element which is and is named the Practice. One comes to the Practice thus: when you can lead your strikes from the stances to all of Man’s divisions, which in the First part of fencing must be taken in the Before thus into the work, and yet your opponent is the same, and is also nimble in the Second stage of displacing, working off or stopping you and your strikes, so that you cannot reach your chosen destination for your strikes, then we come thus to the Third part which is the Practice, which is the most cunning, and teach it as you did the strikes where you were aware, that while every point can be futile or pointless, twitch off closely and nimbly from there to strike again onward, or feint over to let it go off and then lead on to another opening. When he also displaces himself, then twitch off yourself as well, and thus let fly from one opening to another so long and much as you are able to reach to a hit. However, so that such lessons will be marked and understood , I will demonstrate with a few good examples so that my objective will be simply and distinctly taught, presented, and set out, with which the goodly Reader will sufficiently judge all secondary and ongoing elements, and thus can take understanding from it in the Middle work thus:  
 
| However if you would become practiced in this, then you shall always change with the first strike, and when you first strike to his upper left opening, and then the second is to his lower right opening, and then further as taught above (as is shown by the outer digits in the printed figure), then you shall again strike first to his lower left, then a second to his upper right, and then further as the second set of digits in the previous figure show. The next strike is first struck to his upper right then to his lower left, then further as shown by the third set. The last strike is first struck to his right, then further as is shown by the inner digits, and first learn this as instructed with the long then with the half edge, then lastly with the flat as judged into the work. When you can do such, then follow ahead to the next part, namely that you must understand the four openings before the strikes just taught can be retained, or onward your sword’s blade will be held off and you will be repulsed with better countering strikes, these are thus the two Main Elements of Fencing, the Origins from which all other elements flow forth, onward follows the third, a large element which is and is named the Practice. One comes to the Practice thus: when you can lead your strikes from the stances to all of Man’s divisions, which in the First part of fencing must be taken in the Before thus into the work, and yet your opponent is the same, and is also nimble in the Second stage of displacing, working off or stopping you and your strikes, so that you cannot reach your chosen destination for your strikes, then we come thus to the Third part which is the Practice, which is the most cunning, and teach it as you did the strikes where you were aware, that while every point can be futile or pointless, twitch off closely and nimbly from there to strike again onward, or feint over to let it go off and then lead on to another opening. When he also displaces himself, then twitch off yourself as well, and thus let fly from one opening to another so long and much as you are able to reach to a hit. However, so that such lessons will be marked and understood , I will demonstrate with a few good examples so that my objective will be simply and distinctly taught, presented, and set out, with which the goodly Reader will sufficiently judge all secondary and ongoing elements, and thus can take understanding from it in the Middle work thus:  
 
| Damit du aber solches dester geübter werdest / so soltu mit dem ersten hauw alwegen umbwechseln / also wann du einmal deinen ersten hauw zur Lincken obern Blöß / unnd den andern zu seiner Rechten undern Blöß / unnd also fürtan wie oben gelehrt (wie solches die ausserste ziffer in disem hiebey getrucktem Figürlein anzeigen) gehauwen hast / so soltu demnoch auch den ersten gegen seiner Lincken undern / den andern gegen seiner Rechten obern / und dann fürter wie die ander zal im gedachten Figürlein lehrt / darnach so hauwe den ersten zu seiner Rechten unden / den andern zu seiner Lincken oben / und also fürter wie dich die drit zal weist / zum letzten hauwe deinen ersten gegen seiner Rechten / und fürter wie solches die inere zal außweisset / unnd das alles lerne erstlich wie gemelt mit langer dan mit halber schneid / und letzlich mit der fleche in das werck richten / wandu nun solches wol kanst / so folget nu ferner das ander stuck / nemlich das du solche vier Blösse wissest vor solchen gelerte häuwen zu bewaren / und eintwederst die mit deiner schwerts klingen auffhaltest oder '''[XXVIIIv]''' welches besser mit gegen häuwen von dir abweisest / dises seind also die zwey Hauptstuck im Fechten / daraus alle ander stuck herfliessen un ist das Original / Ferner folget nun für das drit ein zufellig stuck welches eigentlich zu rede die Practick heißt und ist / welche Practick ist diese / wan du nun deine Häuw aus den Legern wol zu allen theilen des Mans führen kanst / welches das erste stuck im fechten so im Vor ins werck bracht werden muß / und aber dein gegenfechter ist gleich / und behend auch fertig mit dem andern stuck der versatzung / dir deine häuw im Nach abzuschaffen oder auff halten / damit du dein fürgenommen ziel mit solchen Häuwen nicht erreichen kanst / Derwegen kompt nun das dritte stuck das ist die Practick genant / welches ist der list / und lehrt dich wie du dein Häuw wo du gewahr wirst / das solche an einem ort vergeblich oder unfruchtbar seind / bald unnd behendig von dannen ehe dann solcher Hauw antrifft wider abzukest / oder fehl füruber gehen lassest / und den einer andern Blöß zuführest / will er daselbst auch versetzen / so zuck daselbst auch ab / und laß also verfliegen von einer Blös zur andern / so lang unnd vil biß du eine ereilen kanst zu treffen / Damit aber solches vom lernenden desterbas gemerckt und verstanden mag werden / will ich demselbigen zu gut etliche exempel so meines erachtens einfeltig unnd deutlich lehren / dargegen und setzen / aus welchen der gutherzig Leser gnugsamen bericht / allerley beyfellige und verführte stuck / so hievor in mitler arbeit erzelt / dieselbigen zuverstehn nehmen kann / also:
 
| Damit du aber solches dester geübter werdest / so soltu mit dem ersten hauw alwegen umbwechseln / also wann du einmal deinen ersten hauw zur Lincken obern Blöß / unnd den andern zu seiner Rechten undern Blöß / unnd also fürtan wie oben gelehrt (wie solches die ausserste ziffer in disem hiebey getrucktem Figürlein anzeigen) gehauwen hast / so soltu demnoch auch den ersten gegen seiner Lincken undern / den andern gegen seiner Rechten obern / und dann fürter wie die ander zal im gedachten Figürlein lehrt / darnach so hauwe den ersten zu seiner Rechten unden / den andern zu seiner Lincken oben / und also fürter wie dich die drit zal weist / zum letzten hauwe deinen ersten gegen seiner Rechten / und fürter wie solches die inere zal außweisset / unnd das alles lerne erstlich wie gemelt mit langer dan mit halber schneid / und letzlich mit der fleche in das werck richten / wandu nun solches wol kanst / so folget nu ferner das ander stuck / nemlich das du solche vier Blösse wissest vor solchen gelerte häuwen zu bewaren / und eintwederst die mit deiner schwerts klingen auffhaltest oder '''[XXVIIIv]''' welches besser mit gegen häuwen von dir abweisest / dises seind also die zwey Hauptstuck im Fechten / daraus alle ander stuck herfliessen un ist das Original / Ferner folget nun für das drit ein zufellig stuck welches eigentlich zu rede die Practick heißt und ist / welche Practick ist diese / wan du nun deine Häuw aus den Legern wol zu allen theilen des Mans führen kanst / welches das erste stuck im fechten so im Vor ins werck bracht werden muß / und aber dein gegenfechter ist gleich / und behend auch fertig mit dem andern stuck der versatzung / dir deine häuw im Nach abzuschaffen oder auff halten / damit du dein fürgenommen ziel mit solchen Häuwen nicht erreichen kanst / Derwegen kompt nun das dritte stuck das ist die Practick genant / welches ist der list / und lehrt dich wie du dein Häuw wo du gewahr wirst / das solche an einem ort vergeblich oder unfruchtbar seind / bald unnd behendig von dannen ehe dann solcher Hauw antrifft wider abzukest / oder fehl füruber gehen lassest / und den einer andern Blöß zuführest / will er daselbst auch versetzen / so zuck daselbst auch ab / und laß also verfliegen von einer Blös zur andern / so lang unnd vil biß du eine ereilen kanst zu treffen / Damit aber solches vom lernenden desterbas gemerckt und verstanden mag werden / will ich demselbigen zu gut etliche exempel so meines erachtens einfeltig unnd deutlich lehren / dargegen und setzen / aus welchen der gutherzig Leser gnugsamen bericht / allerley beyfellige und verführte stuck / so hievor in mitler arbeit erzelt / dieselbigen zuverstehn nehmen kann / also:
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| rowspan="2" | If you stand in the right Wrath stance and your opponent strikes from his right to your left, then with a step of your right foot drive with displacement under his blade and over your head, and catch his strike on your flat with your thumb underneath, and the blade hanging below you somewhat to the ground, but as soon as in glides then step with the left foot to his right side, and wind the short edge under his sword inward to his head, as shown by the small middle figures in illustration L. When you have wound, then hold your sword with the short edge on his, and wrench the sword out following against your right above you, as shown by the small middle figures in illustration F, thus that your hands complete the wrench high in the air and crossed over, and slash in (keeping your hands high) with an inwinding flat to his lower right opening, as soon as he swipes against it in displacement, then don’t pull but twitch high again and strike a glide strike to his left ear, but in this strike let the blade swing in deep over your hands and fence quickly away from him.
 
| rowspan="2" | If you stand in the right Wrath stance and your opponent strikes from his right to your left, then with a step of your right foot drive with displacement under his blade and over your head, and catch his strike on your flat with your thumb underneath, and the blade hanging below you somewhat to the ground, but as soon as in glides then step with the left foot to his right side, and wind the short edge under his sword inward to his head, as shown by the small middle figures in illustration L. When you have wound, then hold your sword with the short edge on his, and wrench the sword out following against your right above you, as shown by the small middle figures in illustration F, thus that your hands complete the wrench high in the air and crossed over, and slash in (keeping your hands high) with an inwinding flat to his lower right opening, as soon as he swipes against it in displacement, then don’t pull but twitch high again and strike a glide strike to his left ear, but in this strike let the blade swing in deep over your hands and fence quickly away from him.
 
| rowspan="2" | Stehestu im rechten Zornleger / und hauwet dein widerpart von seiner Rechten gegen deiner Lincken auff dich zu / so fahr mit verschieben under sein kling uber dein Haupt / und fang sein Hauw auff dein flech / das dein Daumen unden standt / unnd die kling neben deiner Lincken etwas gegen der erden undersich hang / mit einem zutrit deines Rechten fuß / in dem es aber glützt / so trit mit dem Lincken fuß auff sein rechte seiten / unnd windt jhm die kurtze schneid under sein Schwerdt einwerts zum Kopff / wie die kleinen mitlern bossen in der Figur L. anzeigen wenn du nun gewunden / so behalt dein Schwerdt mit kurtzer an dem seinen / und reiß folgents mit dem Schwert gegen deiner Rechten ubersich auß / wie dich solches die mitlern kleinen Bidler in der Figur F. lehren / also das '''[XXXVr]''' sich dein hend noch ende des risses in der lufft verschrecken / schlag jn (doch das dein hendt in der höh bleiben) mit inwendiger flech / zu seiner rechten undern Blös / als bald er jhm aber nachwischet zur versatzung / so laß nit rühren / sonder zuck wider ubersich / und hauw ein glützhauw zu seinem Lincken ohr / in solchem streich aber laß die kling uber dein hand dieff ein schwingen / und ficht dich also mit geschwindigkeit von jhm wegk.
 
| rowspan="2" | Stehestu im rechten Zornleger / und hauwet dein widerpart von seiner Rechten gegen deiner Lincken auff dich zu / so fahr mit verschieben under sein kling uber dein Haupt / und fang sein Hauw auff dein flech / das dein Daumen unden standt / unnd die kling neben deiner Lincken etwas gegen der erden undersich hang / mit einem zutrit deines Rechten fuß / in dem es aber glützt / so trit mit dem Lincken fuß auff sein rechte seiten / unnd windt jhm die kurtze schneid under sein Schwerdt einwerts zum Kopff / wie die kleinen mitlern bossen in der Figur L. anzeigen wenn du nun gewunden / so behalt dein Schwerdt mit kurtzer an dem seinen / und reiß folgents mit dem Schwert gegen deiner Rechten ubersich auß / wie dich solches die mitlern kleinen Bidler in der Figur F. lehren / also das '''[XXXVr]''' sich dein hend noch ende des risses in der lufft verschrecken / schlag jn (doch das dein hendt in der höh bleiben) mit inwendiger flech / zu seiner rechten undern Blös / als bald er jhm aber nachwischet zur versatzung / so laß nit rühren / sonder zuck wider ubersich / und hauw ein glützhauw zu seinem Lincken ohr / in solchem streich aber laß die kling uber dein hand dieff ein schwingen / und ficht dich also mit geschwindigkeit von jhm wegk.
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| '''With the Ox'''
 
| '''With the Ox'''
 
I hope you have taken and judged how you will apply your strikes and elements against your opponent’s four openings with sufficient guidance from the parts taught up to now, also how at times how you should apply a wind, cut, note the flowing off, circle, and flying off with stepping, which are not counted alone as such from this, indeed pre-fencing from all other stances shall also be understood. So now, because the Ox is an especially good stance to engage your opponent, I will give a short lesson and rules on how you shall engage your opponent in the Before, rush, and force displacement from it.
 
I hope you have taken and judged how you will apply your strikes and elements against your opponent’s four openings with sufficient guidance from the parts taught up to now, also how at times how you should apply a wind, cut, note the flowing off, circle, and flying off with stepping, which are not counted alone as such from this, indeed pre-fencing from all other stances shall also be understood. So now, because the Ox is an especially good stance to engage your opponent, I will give a short lesson and rules on how you shall engage your opponent in the Before, rush, and force displacement from it.
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| And mark now the first, that you have four available attacks from either side, driven forth through the four leading lines as was explained and made apparent in the initial chapter, the lines being the correct paths for all strikes which would be driven and struck from you to your opponent.
 
| And mark now the first, that you have four available attacks from either side, driven forth through the four leading lines as was explained and made apparent in the initial chapter, the lines being the correct paths for all strikes which would be driven and struck from you to your opponent.
 
| Und merck für das erste / das du von einer jeden seiten vier fürnemer angrif hast / nach außweisung der vier Haupt linien / wie solches anfangs des Capitels augenscheinlich zusehen fürgestelt / welche Lini sein die rechten strassen aller Häuw so von dir gegen deinem gegenfechter geführet und gehauwen werden.
 
| Und merck für das erste / das du von einer jeden seiten vier fürnemer angrif hast / nach außweisung der vier Haupt linien / wie solches anfangs des Capitels augenscheinlich zusehen fürgestelt / welche Lini sein die rechten strassen aller Häuw so von dir gegen deinem gegenfechter geführet und gehauwen werden.
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| In the onset cut with your long edge to his left ear, as soon as this clashes or connects, pull around your head and cut the next also with the long edge, to his lower right opening, then third, to his lower left opening the fourth to his upper right opening, these 4 cuts should go quickly from one into another, And all strikes should be well to the body, also you should do these cuts with the short edge, to the four openings of the man
 
| In the onset cut with your long edge to his left ear, as soon as this clashes or connects, pull around your head and cut the next also with the long edge, to his lower right opening, then third, to his lower left opening the fourth to his upper right opening, these 4 cuts should go quickly from one into another, And all strikes should be well to the body, also you should do these cuts with the short edge, to the four openings of the man
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Revision as of 04:39, 16 February 2015

Joachim Meÿer
Born ca. 1537
Basel, Germany
Died 24 February 1571 (aged 34)
Schwerin, Germany
Spouse(s) Appolonia Ruhlman
Occupation
Citizenship Strasbourg
Patron
  • Johann Albrecht
  • Johann Casimir
Movement Freifechter
Influences
Influenced
Genres Fencing manual
Language Early New High German
Notable work(s) Gründtliche Beschreibung der
Kunst des Fechtens
(1570)
Manuscript(s)
First printed
english edition
Forgeng, 2006
Concordance by Michael Chidester
Translations
Signature Joachim Meyer sig.jpg

Joachim Meÿer (ca. 1537 - 1571)[1] was a 16th century German Freifechter and fencing master. He was the last great figure in the tradition of the German grand master Johannes Liechtenauer, and in the last years of his life he devised at least three distinct and quite extensive fencing manuals. Meÿer's writings incorporate both the traditional Germanic technical syllabus and contemporary systems that he encountered in his travels, including the Italian school of side sword fencing.[2] In addition to his fencing practice, Meÿer was a Burgher and a master cutler.[3]

Meÿer was born in Basel,[4] where he presumably apprenticed as a cutler. He writes in his books that he traveled widely in his youth, most likely a reference to the traditional Walz that journeyman craftsmen were required to take before being eligible for mastery and membership in a guild. Journeymen were often sent to stand watch and participate in town and city militias (a responsibility that would have been amplified for the warlike cutlers' guild), and Meÿer learned a great deal about foreign fencing systems during his travels. It's been speculated by some fencing historians that he trained specifically in the Bolognese school of fencing, but this doesn't stand up to closer analysis.[5]

Records show that by 4 June 1560 he had settled in Strasbourg, where he married Appolonia Ruhlman (Ruelman)[1] and joined the Cutler's Guild. His interests had already moved beyond knife-smithing, however, and in 1561, Meÿer petitioned the City Council of Strasbourg for the right to hold a Fechtschule (fencing competition). He would repeat this in 1563, 1566, 1567 and 1568;[6] the 1568 petition is the external record in which he identifies himself as a fencing master.

Meÿer wrote his first manuscript (MS A.4º.2) in either 1560 or 1568 for Otto Count von Sulms, Minzenberg, and Sonnenwaldt.[7] Its contents seem to be a series of lessons on training with longsword, dussack, and side sword (rapier). His second manuscript (MS Var.82), written between 1563 and 1570 for Heinrich Graf von Eberst, is of a decidedly different nature. Like many fencing manuscripts from the previous century, it is an anthology of treatises by a number of prominent German masters including Sigmund Schining ein Ringeck, pseudo-Peter von Danzig, and Martin Syber, and also includes a brief outline by Meyer himself on a system of side sword fencing based on German Messer teachings. Finally, on 24 February 1570 Meÿer completed (and soon thereafter published) an enormous multiweapon treatise entitled Gründtliche Beschreibung der Kunst des Fechtens ("A Thorough Description of the Art of Combat"); it was dedicated to Johann Casimir, Count Palatine of the Rhine, and illustrated at the workshop of Tobias Stimmer.[8]

Unfortunately, Meÿer's writing and publication efforts incurred significant debts (about 1300 crowns), which Meÿer pledged to repay by Christmas of 1571.[1] Late in 1570, Meÿer accepted the position of Fechtmeister to Duke Johann Albrecht of Mecklenburg at his court in Schwerin. There Meÿer hoped to sell his book for a better price than was offered locally (30 florins). Meÿer sent his books ahead to Schwerin, and left from Strasbourg on 4 January 1571 after receiving his pay. He traveled the 500 miles to Schwerin in the middle of a harsh winter, arriving at the court on 10 February 1571. Two weeks later, on 24 February, Joachim Meÿer died. The cause of his death is unknown, possibly disease or pneumonia.[6]

Antoni Rulman, Appolonia’s brother, became her legal guardian after Joachim’s death. On 15 May 1571, he had a letter written by the secretary of the Strasbourg city chamber and sent to the Duke of Mecklenburg stating that Antoni was now the widow Meÿer’s guardian; it politely reminded the Duke who Joachim Meÿer was, Meÿer’s publishing efforts and considerable debt, requested that the Duke send Meÿer’s personal affects and his books to Appolonia, and attempted to sell some (if not all) of the books to the Duke.[1]

Appolonia remarried in April 1572 to another cutler named Hans Kuele, bestowing upon him the status of Burgher and Meÿer's substantial debts. Joachim Meÿer and Hans Kuele are both mentioned in the minutes of Cutlers' Guild archives; Kuele may have made an impression if we can judge that fact by the number of times he is mentioned. It is believed that Appolonia and either her husband or her brother were involved with the second printing of his book in 1600. According to other sources, it was reprinted yet again in 1610 and in 1660.[9][10]

The Fechtschule of Joachim Meÿer in Strasbourg, a thriving school of fence equal to many others in Germany at the time, was taken over during the Acquisition of Strasbourg by Louis XIV in 1681; it was turned into the "Academie de Arms" and essentially absorbed into the French school of fence.[11]

Treatises

Joachim Meÿer's writings are preserved in two manuscripts prepared in the 1560s, the MS A.4º.2 (Lund) and the MS Var 82 (Rostock); a third manuscript from 1561 has been lost since at least the mid-20th century, and its contents are unknown.[12] Dwarfing these works is the massive book he published in 1570 entitled "A Thorough Description of the Free, Chivalric, and Noble Art of Fencing, Showing Various Customary Defenses, Affected and Put Forth with Many Handsome and Useful Drawings".

Meÿer's writings purport to teach the entire art of fencing, something that he claimed had never been done before, and encompass a wide variety of teachings from disparate sources and traditions. Meÿer presented longsword as the foundational weapon of his system, and this section devotes the most space to fundamentals like stance and footwork. His longsword system draws upon the teachings of Freifechter Andre Paurñfeyndt (via Christian Egenolff's reprint) and Liechtenauer glossators Sigmund Schining ein Ringeck and pseudo-Peter von Danzig, as well as using terminology otherwise unique to the brief Zettel of Martin Syber. Not content merely to compile these teachings as his contemporary Paulus Hector Mair was doing, Meÿer sought to update—even reinvent—them in various ways to fit the martial climate of the late sixteenth century, including adapting many techniques to accommodate the increased momentum of a greatsword and modifying others to use beats with the flat and winding slices in place of thrusts to comply with street-fighting laws in German cities (and the rules of the Fechtschule).

The second part of Meÿer's treatises is designed to address new weapons gaining traction in German lands, the dussack and the rapier. His early Lund manuscript presents a more summarized syllabus of techniques for these weapons, while his book goes into greater depth and is structured more in the fashion of lesson plans.[13] Meÿer's dussack system, designed for the heaver proto-sabers that moved into German lands from Eastern Europe in the 16th century, combines the old Messer teachings of 15th century master Johannes Lecküchner and Freifechter Andre Paurñfeyndt with other unknown systems (some have speculated that they might include early Polish saber). His rapier system, designed for the lighter single-hand swords moving north from Iberian and Italian lands, seems again to be a hybrid creation, integrating both the core teachings of the 15th century Liechtenauer tradition as well as components that are characteristic of the various regional Mediterranean fencing systems (including, perhaps, teachings derived from the treatise of Achille Marozzo). Meÿer's rapier teachings in the Rostock seem to represent an attempt to unify these two systems, outlining a method for rapier fencing that includes key elements of his dussack teachings; it is unclear why these teachings did not appear in his book, but given the dates it might be that they represent his last musings on the weapon, written in the months between the publication of his book and his death the following year.

The third part of Meÿer's treatise only appears in his published book and covers dagger, wrestling, and various pole weapons. His dagger teachings seem to be based in part on the writings of Bolognese master Achille Marozzo[14] and Egenolff, but also include many unique teachings of unknown origin (perhaps the anonymous dagger teachings in his Rostock manuscript). His staff material makes up the bulk of this section, beginning with the short staff, which, like Paurñfeyndt, he uses as a training tool for various weapons pole weapons (and possibly also the greatsword), and then moving on to the halberd before ending with the long staff, representing the pike. As with the dagger, the sources Meÿer based his staff teachings on are largely unknown.

Additional Resources

  • Kiermayer, Alex. Joachim Meyers Kunst Des Fechtens. Gründtliche Beschreibung des Fechtens, 1570. Arts Of Mars Books, 2012. ISBN 978-3981162738
  • Meyer, Joachim. The Art of Combat: A German Martial Arts Treatise of 1570. Translated by Jeffrey L. Forgeng. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. ISBN 978-1403970923

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Dupuis, Olivier. Joachim Meyer, escrimeur libre, bourgeois de Strasbourg (1537 ? - 1571). In Maîtres et techniques de combat. Dijon: AEDEH, 2006.
  2. Castle, Egerton. Schools and Masters of Fencing: From the Middle Ages to the Eighteenth Century. London: George Bell and Sons, 1885. pp 74 - 76.
  3. Naumann, Robert. Serapeum. Vol. 5. T.O. Weigel, 1844. pp 53-59.
  4. According to his wedding certificate.
  5. His dagger teachings do, however, show some evidence of influence by Achilles Marozzo's printed treatise.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Van Slambrouck, Christopher. "The Life and Work of Joachim Meyer". Meyer Frei Fechter Guild.
  7. Norling, Roger. "The history of Joachim Meyer’s fencing treatise to Otto von Solms". Hroarr.com, 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  8. Whose members included Christoph Maurer and Hans Christoffel Stimmer.
  9. Schaer, Alfred. Die altdeutschen fechter und spielleute: Ein beitrag zur deutschen culturgeschichte. K.J. Trübner, 1901. p 76.
  10. Pollock, W. H., Grove, F. C., and Prévost, C. Fencing. London and Bombay: Longmans, Green, and co, 1897. pp 267-268.
  11. Castle, Egerton. Schools and Masters of Fencing: From the Middle Ages to the Eighteenth Century. London: George Bell and Sons, 1885. p 147.
  12. Kleinau, Jens P. "1561 Joachim Meyer dedicated a fencing book to the Pfalzgrafen of Pfalz-Veldenz". Hans Talhoffer ~ as seen by Jens P. Kleinau. 04 July 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  13. Roberts, James. "System vs Syllabus: Meyer’s 1560 and 1570 sidesword texts". Hroarr.com, 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  14. Norling, Roger. "Meyer and Marozzo dagger comparison". Hroarr.com, 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  15. Corrected from Im, the first stroke of the “m” has been cancelled.
  16. Spitz uber- is clearly copied twice, this is probably an eye-skip.