Joachim Meyer/Jordan Elliot Finch 2023 MAF

Of Battling and Fighting in Armour on Foot, Shortly Described

Because fighting is of various kinds, thus one can also give no fixed rule, then anyone who has been offered a fight had this advantage: that he can devise what he knows is in his service, be it with rare weapons or along with cunning, nimble advantage. Therefore, the one who is offered the fight gives the weapon and he may choose as he wants.

For example, should two fight with each other and the one has a weapon on the left and the other on the right. Now the Right goes to offer the Left. So this lets the Left choose the weapon in this way. Namely, two sharp rapiers and two sharp daggers. After that, two right arm scissors - namely on the right arm because he is left[-handed] - and a sharp spike pointed inside at the bend of each arm, such that when one bends the same arm a little, he stabs himself.

If they now come to the agreed place and permit the weapons, so each puts on his right arm rail on his right arm to which arm they were assigned. When they should now step into the fight then they can’t defend the right. As soon as one bends his arm, he will stab himself

therefore his left arm is open, in which he prepares to use the dagger to stab. However, the Left holds his right arm with the dagger for displacing and defends himself with the left hand. Thus, the Right would be more damaged from him than from the point/front.

From this example it is easy to note that the one who has the best advantage is the one who always chooses or gives the weapon.

This, therefore, have I said so that everyone who wants to offer someone else a fight should be mindful of such a trick, and doesn't rashly show himself, but rather offers themselves graciously as such a thing may also happen in a calm manner, for both of them to fight in armour or to fight naked or with drawn weapons. But what concerns the fencing or battling with a bare body and what is advantageous and how they are to be used has been taught up to now in Rapier and other weapons and sufficiently understood now. I want to speak of only the advantage in armoured fighting such as you need it. Note that, generally, three weapons are used in armour: a spear and a sword also a dagger, or a dagger and a sabre belted around and a sword.

The first order of defence is to fight in armour. Namely, a spear and a sword; and a combat sword or a dagger, or also a shield so when attacking you used the shield and spear

and have worked with the spear. If someone misses the other between the legs and avoided, or have thrusted with the spear and followed after the guard - because thrusting with the spear was in great use in the olden days - afterwards when they thrusted with the spear, they grabbed the sword and further the dagger or combat sword.

But I want to take the other order for myself to explain, from which one will reasonably learn how it is to fight on foot, and I also want to take three advantageous, artificial weapons for myself: firstly, a sword which above the pommel should have four tacks next to the fifth at the top. It shouldn’t be long, rather short, so that it can cause harm in an emergency. Ittem the cross should be like a mason’s hammer, the point and blade angular

and that should all be cast from solid iron and the point should be steeled.

It should also be made finely supple so that one may fully choose the length. Another idea would please.

Ittem the sabre should be strong. A good edge but not too heavy.

The dagger should be triple, such that three blades are intertwined as if one stuck three larding needles in each other, and the arms/backs close on each other and be bound with springs so that if you push with one, a point would come free [and remain inside]. Then one would need it when one comes between a joint, thus one separates it, which gives a wide gap so when he presses the same first dagger, then the other point is smaller and skinnier, so he stabs the previous hole, which then wants to go deeper than the first so that he notices that he has gone into the body. He releases the spring and lets him have the sharp point strongly, which he can’t soon pull out. The dagger is used when you have thrown him.

Ittem if it pleases, he can want to make the daggers fourfold, but it should be made so that the springs are not noticeable if you bring the weapon in the lists. The opponent may not do the same. However, one should make himself used to it, then the one who gives the weapon can practise it at his pleasure and particularly look for an advantage in it which the other cannot soon see or

notice in the lists. And even if the springs in the dagger are already shown, they are still made advantageous to you, that he can’t soon soon grip you. You should first of all pay good attention to whether your opponent wants to nimbly rush over you with strength or wrestle you with force. So you should do gladly that he doesn’t rush over you with a Thunderbolt, and let him forward above, and note when he hits you that you displace it between both your hands and see if you can attack.

On the other hand, be careful that you are not attacked, but if you are attacked on your left, thusly step with your left back or put your pommel on your breast and reach the point, and attack him also, and drive him from you. Ittem if he fights wide around you, thusly travel after him with the point to an opening. Note the openings are these, where you should initiate or attack: the visor, under the armpit, the knuckles in the hands. Ittem between the legs, outwards toward the gloves, and where the armour has a joint. Note that you don’t attack to another opening, as you may have a nearer opening. Lastly, loosen your fingers, namely: where someone grabs you see that you can

free a finger, then break [their grip] over yourself, Ittem break on, stab their genitals, break their leg or stab their knee. First I want to go through the armour fencing examples wisely, then explain the advantage of the declared weapons. In the approach, take your sword in the Oberhut with both of [your hands] next to your head, and grip your blade with your left hand in the middle, so that the point stands in the man’s face. Step thusly in, so that your left foot stands in front at all times. Don't be too high, and see if you can reach his frontmost foot, make as if you want to initiate in his face, immediately let go of the haft with your right hand, and come to help with your left hand and hit him with the pommel to the head or to his left arm. If he parries your hit between both his hands, let it drive around your head, and hit him from your right to his knee bone or ankle. Ittem, go in the Oberhut as before, and pay attention to if he wants to attack or initiate. Thusly set off in front your left hand. If he then hits you from above, offset the blow between both your hands and stab immediately outside over his arm, and attack the throat. As soon as you find

that your point sticks [in place, in the armour] thus hit [with] your both under your right shoulder and don’t let him get away. Rather, force him to you. Ittem go into the Oberhut, stab in his visor. If he defends, attack him in his left shoulder force him towards you. Pay attention as soon as he wants to free himself that you rush after into his weight with wrestling, throwing, or thrusting in the front on his visor. Note if you have attacked someone don’t let him come away, then he can’t work. In the other guard, hold your sword with the grip besides your right hip. Grasp the blade with the left hand in the middle, so that your point stands against the man, the left foot at all times forward. Approach. If he thrusts, displace from the hand. If he strikes, then receive the stroke between both your hands in the blades. Immediately watch out when he strikes, and step with your right, thus displace as you learnt and drive with the pommel into his knee bend. He will then want to pull his foot, so attack him under his right armpit or wherever you can, and force him from you

or drive with the pommel on his neck and step with the right behind his leg and throw him.

Ittem, displace his strike out of the guard and drive up with the hilt, and thrust at the throat or to the openings by the

joints. Likewise, set the thrust off, and you do the same, and as soon as you have attacked him, strike your pommel under the armpit so you secure your advantage. Attacks are four: one in the face, [one] to the throat. Ittem on the left armpit or under the right shoulder

and note when you attack on your left, come with your left foot forward and place it under the right shoulder, then step forward with the right foot. Furthermore, when you have attacked you should always force over yourself. If he is shorter than you, sink your hilt under yourself to the hips and drive over yourself. If he moves to the sides, thrust into the helmet. That’s where he’s most wounded. Whenever you attack ensure that you are placed fully in the ring. When you attack right and drive right, can he not fully work to counter. Ittem, if you are attacked, thusly thrust up over his right arm inwards under his sword and push your pommel through underneath towards the ground. As soon as it comes free, thusly shoot your sword forwards under his right, and with your right foot behind his left, and grip with your left hand on his helmet and throw him. Ittem, stab him in the glove on the frontmost hand, and lead him around or stab him under his left arm up over his sword. Push with the pommel over yourself and attack him. Ittem, from the

wrestling, remember which side he has attacked you. Grip his blade with your left hand, force it from you, immediately twitch off and pull in to you and catch him with the right hand, his right hand, and pull in to yourself and grab his body and lift over yourself. He will lift. Strike the foot and out and throw him from yourself. Ittem, if he thrusts at you, thrust with him simultaneously in at your left side, and in the thrust catch his blade with yours and drive with the pommel under through both arms and strike over yourself so he must release. Ittem, pay attention to which hand you can catch him with and jerk back to yourself, and with the other hand grip his elbow, and Him the weight, and with all steps until not too high, so that you have a full stance. Ittem, if you have thrown someone and he falls, fall down with him to your right and with your right knee between both his legs and with the left hand around his neck, if you have surely secured him, then drawyour dagger. If he grabs at the dagger, stab him in the hand and pull back with another, until you have better spotted your advantage. Ittem, another: take his right arm between the leg and lie down on top of him horizontally/diagonally and hold your legs

almost together and stretch yourself. Grasp his left arm with with your left hand and hold it fast and work with the dagger that will follow hereafter.

How One Should Use the Three Aforementioned Weapons

Note: in the first Approach go into the Oberhut and introduce yourself with whatever gestures you will as if you want to initiate in his face. Don’t do it, rather strike or hew from above to below to his knee buckles. Whether you hit or not thus push nimbly with the hands over yourself and strike him with the pickaxe to the head outside over his right arm, or strike him in the nearest joint that you can. Pull nimbly around your head and let the right hand drive in front of the left hand and grasp then under your left in the blade and strike with a Mittelschlag from your right to his helmet, be it with the pickaxe or a hew, or with the pommel. If he grasps your bind, [do] again with your right hands and step back again so that you can recover again, and diligently watch out that he can’t give you a strike. Also, don’t let yourself be attacked, rather evade in a circle as much as you can bear.

[The following sections are still incomplete.]

The Other Device