Anonymous 15th Century Poem

Anonymous 15th century poem
Author(s)	Unknown
Ascribed to	Martin Syber Hans Talhoffer
Date	mid 1400s (?)
Genre	Fencing manual
Language	Early New High German
Archetype(s)	Hypothetical
Manuscript(s)	MS Thott.290.2º (1459) MS M.I.29 (1491)
First Printed English Edition	Hull, 2008
Concordance by	Michael Chidester
Translations	Deutsch-Übersetzung Deutsch-Übersetzung

This anonymous poem appears in fragmentary form in both Hans Talhoffer's personal fencing manual of 1459 and Hans von Speyer's 1491 anthology. It shares concepts and terminology with the writings of Martin Syber and follows his New Zettel ("New Record") in Speyer's work, but is absent from other presentations of his work. Its presence in Talhoffer's writings over thirty years earlier would also suggest that Syber is not the original author (or potentially that his career was much earlier than currently thought).

It is worth mentioning that the justification for considering the two poems to be parts of the same greater work is not as strong as we might wish. Out of 30 lines in the Copenhagen version and 27 in the Salzburg, only ten are common to both poems. This is a much smaller degree of overlap than we generally see in different renditions of the same work, though it is still substantial enough to reasonably conclude that the two are related in some way.

Treatise

The couplet in bold text appears out of sequence between the two versions. Its proper location cannot be determined from available information.

Poem

	Complete Translation by Christian Trosclair	Copenhagen Version (1459) by Jens P. Kleinau	Salzburg Version (1491) by Dierk Hagedorn
[1] [5] [10] [15] [20] [25] [30] [35] [40] [45]	Over-hew is for the thrust Under-hew smoothly breaks Middle-hew at distance Now see what this means In the changing-hew seek the mad, Diligently observe according to the displacement Plunging-hew, therein you wind If you wish to find the face open So, from the parter, Strike the short edge there To the bottom, invert the plunge-hew Therein examine and learn In the Iron-point, take watch. With the point, Drive up. Sometimes delivering in the unicorn Your roses in the little wheel. Withdraw the hits gives [a] good sense Squint-hew with a hit The wing angers the ears Wrath-point, the chest to pierce Shooting over to both sides The waker will stay Deploying strokes will go In the roses in the little wheel. Withdraw the hits gives [a] good sense Crooked-hew to the mouth If you have intwined him, do not rest In the war, so you apply grips Ox, plow: therein you do not soften Play with the carving point In the barrier-point have a heart Avert in the iron-gate. Perform a failing [upon] a buffalo, if you are agile Approaching before, racing after is the snare Quickening, running-over and the slice That is a general teaching Orient yourself thereupon Because if the wise perform, The Art proclaims glories. If you wish to enjoy the Art, Then learn the doubled hews Whoever follows straight hews, They permit their art little rejoicing Also [there] are the four guards That you shall always remember Do not fall strongly therein Lest he clash loudly, sounding over it. Whenever one wishes to bind-upon Then wind the short edge into forwards.	[1r] Zorn ort Der brust zu bort zu baiden siten vber schiessen Wecker wil stan tr[e]ib[e]n str{e}ichen wil gan In Der rosen Im rädlin zuck Die treffen gi[b]t gu[o]te sinn Krump how dem mu[e]l zu Im eyn flechten hab nit ru[o] Im krieg so machstu griffen ochß pflug Darinn du nit wyche[n] Mit dem Reiß ort schertz Im schra[n]ck ort hab ain hertz Im ysen [p]ort v[er]wend ain biffler tu[e] fälen biß[t] behend E komen nach reissen ist d[er] sitt Schnellen vber louffen und den schnit Daz ist ain gemaine lere Daran Dich kere Daz tun[d] die wysen Die kunst kunden brysen Wiltu Dich kunst fräwen So lern Die toplirten höwen wer nach gaut slechten höwen Der mag sich kunst wenig fröwen Auch so sind vier leger Die soltu mercken eben tu[e] Dar In nit starck vallen od[er] er laut darüber schallen wa[s] ma[n] [Dir] anbind[en] will [Dir] So wind die kurtz schnid für	[3r] Ober haülb ist für stich Vnter haulb schlecht bricht Mittel haulb in die weÿtte Nü lüg was dz bedüte Im wechsell haülb süch die geüche Noch der versatzüng spee Stürtz haülb dar in dü winde~ Wiltü Im dz antlütz ploß finden So aüß dem scheittler Schlag die kurtz schnid dar Im vnter stürtz haülb verkere Dar In sich vnd lere Im ÿssen ort nÿm war Mit dem ort vff far Bringst auch moll Ins einhorn dar Din rosen Im redlin Zück die treffen gen gute~ sin Schilt haulb mit trifft Flÿgell oren gift Wecker will ston Triben strichen wil gañ E komen noch reissen ist der sytt Schnellen vberlouff vnd die schnidtt Daß ist ein gemeÿne lere Dar an dich kere Daß thüntt wÿssen Dÿ künst kündent prÿssen

Copyright and License Summary

For further information, including transcription and translation notes, see the discussion page.

Work	Author(s)	Source	License
Translation	Christian Trosclair	Wiktenauer
Copenhagen Version	Jens P. Kleinau	Index:Talhoffer Fechtbuch (MS Thott.290.2º)
Salzburg Version	Dierk Hagedorn	Index:Codex Speyer (MS M.I.29)

Additional Resources

• Hull, Jeffrey. "The Longsword Fight Lore of Mertin Siber." Masters of Medieval and Renaissance Martial Arts. Ed. Jeffrey Hull. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-58160-668-3