User:Christian Trosclair/Translations/Talhoffer preface

The wrath-point pierces the breast Shooting across to both sides The waker will stay Driving strokes will go Into the roses within the little wheel Suddenly withdraw from the clashes, it gives good sensory input Crooked-hew to the mouth If you have tied them up, do not rest In the war, then you can come to grips Ox, plow: therein you do not soften Play with the goading point In the barrier-point have a heart Avert in the iron-gate. Conduct failing on a buffalo, be swift Approaching first, pursuing is the snare Bolting, overrunning and the slice That is a general teaching Orient yourself upon this For the wise execute This Art to proclaims glories. If you wish to enjoy the Art, Then learn the doubled hews Whoever chases after bad[simple] 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 loudly cry for joy over that fact. Whenever one wishes to bind you up Then wind the short edge forwards.

Preface

The culmination of the hews If you wish to fence such that yours is a good outcome Be lively, do not hold the plays back for long To this end, have a dignified laugh And then take this seriously For trust in the sword That which Talhoffer teaches In the sword, you shall neither trust nor believe anyone So that your blood does not run over your eyes.

Item This key to the true art, by reason that the master measures the severed hand from close up. This is justifyably worthwhile to keep in mind, for this is the correct framing.

Item: At first, when you wish to fence someone in seriousness, then be circumspect as you come to terms with them and of which hour to do this, thus adjudicate for yourself according to the necessary requirements with each step forward and that you do this privately and tell no one what you have decided or will do, for the world is treacherous. And adjudicate for yourself to your advantage with every instrument: gloves, sword and gambesson, leggings and whatever you wish to use and again make note of that as you come to terms with them. Then it will persist. Even if there is no particular right but to the sword, then it is that way by one's own and free will.

Item: When you come to the barriers and will move forward, let everyone say and do what they want and do not look back and have graveness in mind and whatever your opponent says to you, do not twist yourself up about it and fight seriously for yourself and do not allow them any rest nor confidence and follow the art. Do not fear their strikes. And if they will seriously rear back to hit you therein, counter attack undauntedly.

Hans Talhoffer, a good man, talks about this because he must speak up for the truth even because this has well sure happened to him often and repeatedly.