Sigmund ain Ringeck

Sigmund Ain ringeck
Sigmund Ain ringeck
Period	15th century
Occupation	Fencing master
Nationality	German
Patron	Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria
Movement	Fellowship of Liechtenauer
Influences	Johannes Liechtenauer
Influenced	Hans Medel ; Joachim Meÿer ;
Genres	Fencing manual
Language	Early New High German
Archetype(s)	Hypothetical
Principal; manuscript(s)	MS Dresd.C.487 (1504-19) ; MS E.1939.65.341 (1508) ; MS Var.82 (ca. 1570) ;
Manuscript(s)	Cl. 23842 (1490s) ; MS M.Ⅰ.29 (1491) ; PP.353 (1500s) [more]
First printed; english edition	Tobler, 2001
Concordance by	Michael Chidester
Translations	Český Překlad ; Traduction française ; Magyar fordítás [more]

This article is about the master and his glosses. For the treatise on fencing from the sweeps sometimes ascribed to Ain ringeck, see Stuck im aufstreichen.

Sigmund Ain ringeck (Ainring, Amring, Einring, Sigmund Schining) was a 15th century German fencing master. While the meaning of the name "Schining" (assigned him by Hans Medel) is uncertain, the surname "Ainringck" may indicate that he came from the village of Ainring on the current German/Austrian border. He is named in the text as Schirmaister to Albrecht, Count Palatine of Rhine and Duke of Bavaria. This may signify Schirrmeister, a logistical officer charged with overseeing the wagons and horse-drawn artillery pieces, or potentially Schirmmeister, a title used by lower-class itinerant fencing masters in the Medieval period.^[1] Apart from his service to the duke, the only thing that can be determined about his life is that he was connected in some way to the tradition of Johannes Liechtenauer—his name was included by Paulus Kal in his roll of members of the Fellowship of Liechtenauer in ca. 1470.^[2]

The identity of Ain ringeck's patron remains unclear, as four men named Albrecht ruled Bavaria during the fifteenth century; assuming that Ain ringeck was a personal student of Johannes Liechtenauer further narrows the list down to just two. If the Pol Hausbuch is correctly dated to 1389, then Liechtenauer was a 14th century master and Ain ringeck's patron was Albrecht Ⅰ, who reigned from 1353 to 1404. If, on the other hand, Liechtenauer was an early 15th century master (an associate of H. Beringer), which seems more likely given the known careers of members of the Fellowship, then Ain ringeck's patron would have been Albrecht Ⅲ, who carried the title from 1438 to 1460.^[3] Albrecht Ⅳ claimed the title in 1460 and thus also could have been Ain ringeck's patron; this would probably signify that Ain ringeck was not a direct student of Liechtenauer at all, but a later inheritor of the tradition. That said, Albrecht Ⅳ lived until 1508 and so the Dresden, Glasgow, and Salzburg manuscripts were likely created during his reign.

Ain ringeck is often erroneously credited as the author of the MS Dresd.C.487. Ain ringeck was indeed the author of one of the core texts, a complete gloss of Liechtenauer's Recital on unarmored long sword fencing. However, the remainder of the manuscript contains an assortment of treatises by several different masters in the tradition, and it is currently thought to have been composed in the early 16th century^[4] (putting it after the master's presumed lifetime). Regardless, the fact that he was one of only a few known authors of a gloss of the Recital makes Ain ringeck one of the most important masters of the Liechtenauer tradition.

Textual History

Manuscript Stemma

While only one treatise bears Ain ringeck's name, a gloss of Liechtenauer's Recital on the long sword, he is also typically treated as the author of anonymous glosses on the short sword and mounted verses. The latter are associated with Ain ringeck largely due to the previously mentioned misattribution of the entire MS Dresd.C.487 (Dresden version), but in the case of these glosses, this is not entirely unreasonable attribution to make considering the three substantial versions of the long sword are accompanied by one or both of these other glosses.

All three gloss sections seem to have a common origin with that of the anonymous author known as "pseudo-Peter von Danzig", which is attested from the 1450s; it is also possible that Ain ringeck and pseudo-Danzig were the same person, and the gloss attributed to Ain ringeck is simply the only branch of the larger stemma that retained its author's name.

Compared to the pseudo-Danzig gloss, Ain ringeck's descriptions are often slightly shorter and contain fewer variations; Ain ringeck does, however, include a number of unique plays not discussed in the other. Unlike the 15th century versions of pseudo-Danzig, Ain ringeck's long sword gloss was probably extensively illustrated: both the MS E.1939.65.341 (Glasgow) and MS Var.82 (Rostock) frequently refer readers to these illustrations, and it appears that source for the Dresden did as well, though the scribe attempted to remove all such references as he copied it (one remains intact,^[5] one merely dropped the word "pictured",^[6] and one was inexplicably replaced by the word "gloss"^[7]).

Provisional stemma codicum

The earliest extant version of Ain ringeck's gloss (apart from the segments that are identical with the pseudo-Danzig) consists of just elevent paragraphs added by Hans von Speyer as addenda to certain sections of the Lew gloss in his 1491 manuscript M.Ⅰ.29 (Salzburg).^[8] A twelfth paragraph was integrated by Speyer into pseudo-Danzig's introduction to the Krummhaw, so that Ain ringeck's explanation of how to use the Krumm as a counter-cut complements pseudo-Danzig's explanation of how to use it to counter the guard Ochs.

The early 16th century saw three more versions created, two containing the majority of the text. Dresden, which has been by far the subject of the most previous research, has been dated by watermark analysis to 1504-19,^[4] and thus was likely created in or shortly after that time-frame. It is the most extensive version of Ain ringeck's work, but unfortunately it also seems to be a hasty, error-ridden copy with frequent deletions, insertions, spelling errors, word confusion, and critical omissions (including key words like subjects and verbs, and even whole lines of the Zettel); in the long sword, the majority of paragraphs also seem to have been shortened or truncated and most references to Ain ringeck's illustrations have been dropped (as detailed above), and in the mounted fencing, the gloss only includes Ain ringeck's first four plays before switching to the Pseudo-Danzig gloss for the remainder.

The 1508^[9] Glasgow, in contrast, is written in a clear and tidy hand and its long sword gloss includes 31 painted, if somewhat low-grade, illustrations (presumably copies of the originals). Its text is generally longer than equivalent passages in the Dresden, including additional information and variations, but like the Dresden it appears to be incomplete in its present form: the first 39 paragraphs of the long sword gloss from the Dresden have no equivalent in the extant manuscript, which begins in the middle of the Twerhaw, and it omits the short sword entirely. On the other hand, it contains the only full copy of the mounted fencing gloss.

The third version from this period, the MS 26-232 (Vienna), is found at the end of a manuscript attributed to the workshop of Albrecht Dürer; like all of Dürer's fencing material, appears to be connected with the visit of Emperor Maximilian Ⅰ to Dürer's home city of Nuremberg in 1512.^[10] This manuscript contains only a disordered but complete rendering of the short sword gloss; this is particularly strange because the manuscript also contains wrestling plays potentially derived from the Glasgow Fechtbuch (which omits the short sword and includes the other two).

The remaining two versions of Ain ringeck's text come from later in the 16th century. In 1553, Paulus Hector Mair produced the Reichstadt Nr. 82 (Augsburg) based on the papers of the late master Antonius Rast.^[11] Included in this manuscript was a version of Nicolaüs' long sword gloss that is largely complete up to couplet 95 of the Recital where, with no explanation, it switches over to Ain ringeck's gloss for the remainder of the text.

The final version, Rostock, is the third substantial one (along with Dresden and Glasgow); it was probably created in the 1560s and was owned by Freifechter Joachim Meÿer until his death in 1571.^[12] It contains nearly all of Ain ringeck's presumed gloss of the short sword verses, but only an abbreviated (thought still extensive) version of the long sword gloss. Rostock's long sword gloss only includes key passages and omits most of the follow-on plays to each of the Haupstucke; like Glasgow it directs readers to consult Ain ringeck's illustrations, but unlike Glasgow these illustrations were never added to the manuscript (nor was room left for them).

All six extant versions of Ain ringeck's gloss are thus fragmentary, but enough text remains in each to demonstrate a lack of interdependence—apart from Augsburg, which could conceivably derive from Glasgow if the scribe were particularly careless. Each of the other five manuscripts has a unique constellation of plays which can be authenticated from other versions as a group, but do not match any other single version to demonstrate copying. All appear therefore to proceed separately from the lost original, unless we suppose that someone gathered up multiple copies to compile a new one (but even that supposition could only account for Rostock, not the others).

Due to the fragmentary nature of the stemma at the moment and the lack of anything resembling an autograph or archetype, all versions, or at a minimum the three substantial versions, ought to be treated as co-authoritative (as in the featured translation of the long sword, below).

(A final text of interest with respect to Ain ringeck is the treatise of Hans Medel von Salzburg, which was acquired by Mair in 1539^[13] and bound into the Cod. Ⅰ.6.2º.5 after 1566.^[14] Medel demonstrates familiarity with the teachings of a variety of 15th century Liechtenauer masters, including Nicolaüs and Hans Seydenfaden von Erfurt, but his text primarily takes the form of a revision and expansion of Ain ringeck's long sword gloss. While enough of Ain ringeck's original text survives Medel's editing that it too can be shown to not derive from any other surviving manuscript, the amount of unique and altered content is such that it is not included in the concordance below, nor used in the translation.)

Modern HEMA

Ain ringeck's gloss might be said to have kicked off the HEMA movement: a complete transcription of the Dresden manuscript was a substantial piece of Martin Wierschin's landmark Meister Johann Liechtenauers Kunst des Fechtens in 1965, which was the first "HEMA book". Only the Dresden and Salzburg manuscripts were included in Wierschin's catalog of German fencing treatises. When Hans-Peter Hils published his updated catalog as Meister Johann Liechtenauers Kunst des langen Schwertes in 1985, he added two more: the Vienna and Augsburg manuscripts. However, in the 20th century, none of these apart from Dresden were recognized as containing any writings of Ain ringeck. Conversely, the Dresden was proposed by Wierschin and Hils to be entirely the original work of Ain ringeck, including material that we now know to be Lignitzer's sword and buckler, Ott's wrestling, and pseudo-Danzig's mounted fencing, and this was accepted uncritically even by noted historians such as Sydney Anglo.

In the 1990s, Wierschin's transcription was translated to modern German by Christoph Kaindel, and a new transcription was authored by Dierk Hagedorn and posted on the Hammaborg site in 2008, forty years after the first.

The first English translation was produced in 1999 by Jörg Bellinghausen; a fragment of an early draft of Bellinghausen's translation was posted on the HACA (later ARMA) site, but Jörg Bellinghausen indicates that he completed the translation afterward and it was subsequently lost in a computer mishap. Instead, in 2003 David Rawlings continued his work by translating the remaining plays of the long sword and short sword sections. In this same period, another English translation was produced by Christian Tobler and published in 2001 by Chivalry Bookshelf in Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship, and a fourth English translation was produced by David Lindholm, illustrated by Peter Svärd, and published by Paladin Press in two volumes, Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Art of the Longsword (2003) and Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Arts of Combat: Sword-and-Buckler Fighting, Wrestling, and Fighting in Armor (2006).

Other translations of the long sword produced in the '00s include Philippe Errard, Antoine Fournier, Didier de Grenier, and Michaël Huber's French translation posted on the ARDAMHE site in 2002; Eugenio García-Salmones' Spanish translation posted on the AVEH site in 2006 (translated from the French); Gábor Erényi's partial Hungarian translation posted on the Schola Artis Gladii et Armorum site in 2009; and Andreas Engström's Swedish translation posted on the GHFS site. In 2010, Keith Farrell translated the Swedish into a fifth English version, and in 2013, Federico Malagutti translated Farrell's English into Italian.

All of these translations were based exclusively on the Dresden version, which was thought by many to be unique (perhaps even an autograph) until other versions began to be identified in the 21st.

The Glasgow Fechtbuch was identified in Sydney Anglo's 2000 opus as merely "[R. L.] Scott's Liechtenauer MS",^[15] but had been associated with Ain ringeck by 2008 when Rainer Leng published his catalog. In 2009, the first 24 folia were transcribed by Anton Kohutovič and posted on the Gesellschaft Liechtenauers site, and the complete manuscript was transcribed by Dierk Hagedorn and posted on Hammaborg. It's unclear when the Rostock manuscript was first identified as pertaining to Joachim Meyer, but it began circulating prior to 2009 and Kevin Maurer authored a partial transcription in 2011; Dierk Hagedorn posted a complete transcription on Hammaborg in 2015.

On the other hand, the Salzburg version was well-known and transcriptions were posted by Beatrix Koll on the Universitätsbibliothek Salzburg site in 2002 and by Dierk Hagedorn on the Hammaborg site in 2009; likewise, the Augsburg version was transcribed by Werner Ueberschär and posted on the Schwertbund Nurmberg site in 2012. However, the fact that these manuscripts included fragments of Ain ringeck's gloss was not realized until they were added to Wiktenauer in the 2010s. And, of course, the Vienna version has been known as a manuscript illustrated by Albrecht Dürer for centuries, but the attribution of the short sword teachings to Ain ringeck wasn't made until Dierk Hagedorn released a full transcription in 2016.

In 2015, Christian Trosclair authored a new translation of the long sword section for Wiktenauer, which was the first that incorporated all five known versions of that section; this translation was also published by Wiktenauer that year in The Recital of the Chivalric Art of Fencing of the Grand Master Johannes Liechtenauer. In 2017, Trosclair's translation was translated to Indonesian by Pradana Pandu Mahardhika. Trosclair later revised his translation in 2021.

Most recently, Stephen Cheney authored a seventh translation of the long sword section, based on Dresden and Glasgow, which he self-published in Ringeck · Danzig · Lew Longsword in 2020. He also authored the first translation of the Glasgow version of Ain ringeck's mounted fencing and donated it to Wiktenauer. In 2021, Rainer Welle's transcription of the Vienna version was published by Sublilium Schaffer in Albrecht Dürer und seine Kunst des Zweikampfes : auf den Spuren der Handschrift 26232 in der Albertina Wien, and Dierk Hagedorn's transcription and translation into modern German were published by VS-Books in Albrecht Dürer - Das Fechtbuch. In 2022, Dierk Hagedorn followed this up with an English translation, published (along with the transcription) by Greenhill Books in Dürer's Fight Book: The Genius of the German Renaissance and his Combat Treatise.

Treatise

Illustrations

Featured Translation (2015)
by Christian Trosclair

[1] Here begins the interpretation of the Recital

In this, the knightly art of the long sword lies written, which Johannes Liechtenauer, who was a great master in the art, composed and created. By the grace of god he had let the Recital be written with obscure and disguised words, so that the art shall not become common. And so Master Sigmund ein Ringeck, at the selfsame^[19] time known as^[20] fencing master^[21] to the highborn prince and noble Lord Albrecht, Pfalzgraf^[22] of the Rhine and Herzog^[23] of Bavaria, had these same obscure and disguised words of the Recital glossed and interpreted as lay written and pictured^[24] here in this little book, so that any one fencer who can otherwise fight properly may well go through and understand.

[2] The foreword of the Recital

1	Young knight, learn; Loveth god; furthermore honor women
2	Thus cultivate your honor. Practice chivalry and learn^[27]
3	Art which decorates you [and] In combat exalts with honor.
4	Wrestling's good fetters, Lance, spear, sword, and Messer
5	Manfully put to good use And make useless in other's hands.^[27]
6	Hew therein, charge there; Rush onwards, hit or let drive.
7	Those maturing^[28] in this wisdom^[29], This one sees praises.
8	Hold yourself to this: All art has length and measure.

[3] This is the text of many good common lessons of the long sword

9	If you wish to examine the art, Go left and right with hewing
10	And left with right that is, if you desire to fence strongly.

Gloss. Note, this is the first lesson of the long sword: That you shall learn to hew the hews properly from both sides, that is, if you otherwise wish to fence strongly and correctly. Understand it thusly: When you wish to hew from the right side, so see that your left foot stands forward. If you then hew the over-hew from the right side, so follow-after the hew with the right foot. If you do not do that, then the hew is false and incorrect, because your right foot remains there behind. Therefore the hew is too short and may not attain its correct path below to the correct other side in front of the left foot.

[4] The same when you hew from the left side and [you] do not follow-after the hew with the left foot, thus the hew is also false. Therefore note, from whichever side you hew, that you follow-after with the same foot, so you may conduct all your plays with strength and all other hews shall be hewn thusly as well.

[5] Again, the text about a lesson

11	Whoever chases after hews, They allow themselves to hardly enjoy the art.
12	Hew nearby, whatever you wish: No change comes in your shield;
13	To the head, to the body, Do not omit the fleshwounds.^[32]
14	With the entire body fence Whatever you desire to conduct strongly.^[33]

Gloss. Note, this is^[34] when you come to him with the onset: you shall not focus nor wait upon his hew as he conducts it against you. Because all fencers who focus and wait upon another's hew and wish to do nothing else than displace, they permit such art little joy because they often become struck with it.

[6] Item. You shall^[35] note that every thing which you wish to fence, conduct it with the entire strength of the body; and cleave him in with that nearby to the head and to the body, so he may not change-through in front of your point; and with that hew, in the binding of the swords you shall not omit the fleshwounds to the nearest opening (which will be delineated hereafter in the five hews and in other plays).

[7] Again, a lesson

15	Hear what is bad for that: Do not fence from above left if you are right,
16	And if you are left, In the right [you] are also severely hindered.

Gloss. Note, this lesson hits upon two people, one left and one right, and understand it thusly: When you come to him with the onset, if you then judge and decide to strike the opponent, then do not hew the first hew from the left side. Because it is weak and with that, may not hold against when one binds strongly upon it. Therefore hew [from] the right side, so you may work strongly with art (whatever you wish).

[8] The same is if you are left. So likewise do not hew from the right side, because the art is quite awkward [when] a lefty conducts from the right side. It is also the same [of] a righty from the left side.

[9] This is the text and a lesson about before and after

17	Before and after, the two things Are the one origin of all art.
18	Weak and strong, In-the-moment; with that mark the word.
19	Thus, you may learn To work and ward with art.
20	If you frighten easily, Never learn any fencing.

Gloss. Note, this is that before anything, you shall understand the before and the after well, because these two things have one origin which gives rise the entire art of fencing. Understand it thusly: The before, this is so that you shall always come forth with a hew or with a thrust to his opening before the moment he comes with his [strike] to yours.^[36] Thus he must displace you. Then work swiftly in the displacement in front of you with the sword from one opening to the other, so he may not come before your work with his plays. But if he runs-in to you, then come forth with the wrestling.

[10] Here note that which is called the after

Note, if you may not come in the before, then wait upon the after. These are the breaks of all plays which he conducts upon you. Understand it thusly: When he comes-before such that you must displace him, so swiftly work in-the-moment with the displacement to the nearest opening, so you hit him the moment before he accomplishes his play.

[11] Thus you have seized the before and he remains after. You shall also note in the before and after how you shall work with the word "in-the-moment", according to the weak and according to the strong of his sword, and understand it thusly: The sword has its strength from the hilt of the sword up until the middle of the blade; with that you may resist^[38] when someone binds you thereupon. And farther, from the middle up until the point, has its weak which cannot resist. And when you understand these things properly, you may properly work with art, and with it protect yourself and furthermore teach princes and lords so that they may properly remain steadfast with the same art, in play and in earnest; but if you fear easily, you should not learn the art of fencing, because a fragile discouraged heart, it does no good when it becomes struck by any art.

[12] This is the text of the five hews

21	Learn five hews From the right hand against the defense.^[39]^[40]
22	We happily consign^[41] them To the rewards^[42] in the Arts.

Gloss.^[19] Note, the Recital sets down five obscure hews. Many masters of the sword do know nothing to say about this: that you should not learn to make other hews,^[43] when from the right side, against those who arrange themselves against you in defense. And if you select one hew from the five hews, then one must hit with the first strike. Whoever can break that without their harm will be praised by the masters of the Recital, because his art shall be praised better than another fencer who cannot fence the five hews against it. (And how you shall hew the five hews, you find that written hereafter in the same five hews.^[44])

[13] This is the [text] of the plays of the Recital

23	Wrath-hew, crooked, thwart Has squinter with parter
24	Fool displaces Following-after, run-over
25	Set the hew, change-through, yank Run-through, cut-off, press the hands
26	Hang and with openings Strike, catch, sweep, thrust with blows.

Gloss. Note, here the proper principal-plays of the art of the long sword are named, as all are specifically titled with their names so that you can better understand them. They are seventeen in number, and it begins with the five hews.

[14] Item. Now note the first hew called the wrath-hew
The second the crooked-hew
The third the thwart-hew
The fourth the squint-hew
The fifth the scalp-hew
The sixth they are the four guards
The seventh the four displacements
The eighth the following-after
The ninth the running-over
The tenth the setting-aside
The eleventh the changing-through
The twelfth the yanking
The thirteenth the running-through
The fourteenth the cutting-off
The fifteenth the hand-pressing
The sixteenth the hanging
The seventeenth they are the windings

[15] And how you shall uncover with the hanging and winding, and how you shall conduct all the forenamed plays, you find that entirely written hereafter.

[16] This is the wrath-hew with its plays

27	Whoever hews over^[45] you, The wrath-hew point threatens him.

Gloss. Understand it thusly: When one cleaves-in above from his right side, so also cleave-in a wrath-hew with him, with the long edge strongly from your^[46] right shoulder. If he is then soft upon the sword, so shoot-in the point forward long to his face and threaten to stab him (as stands done hereafter next to this).^[47]

[17] Again a play from the wrath-hew

28	If he becomes aware of it, So take-off above without driving.

Gloss. This is^[48] when you shoot-in the point with the wrath-hew (as stands done before next to this):^[47] if he then becomes aware of the point and displaces the thrust with strength, so back-off^[49] your sword up above from his and cleave-in again above to the other side on his sword to his head (as stands done here).^[47]

[18] Again a play from the wrath-hew

29	Be stronger back And thrust. If he sees it, take it down^[51]

Gloss. Note, this is^[34] when you cleave-in with the wrath-hew (as stands done before next to this):^[47] if he displaces it, and with that remains strongly upon the sword, so be strong back against him upon the sword, and drive up with the strong of your sword into the weak of his sword, and wind your hilt forward in front of your head upon the sword, and so thrust him high to the face (as stands pictured here).^[47]

[19] Again a play from the wrath-hew

When you thrust-in high with the winding (as stands pictured^[19] before), if he then goes up with the hands and displaces the high thrust with the hilt, so also remain standing in the winding and set the point down between his arms and the chest (as stands pictured here below).^[47]

[20] A break against the taking-off

Note, when you bind with someone strongly on his^[53] sword, if he then draws his sword from your sword up above and cleaves-in again on the sword above to the other side toward your head, so wind-in^[54] strongly with the long edge high to his head.

[21] Here note a good lesson

30	Note this precisely: Cut, thrust, leaguer; soft or hard,
31	In-the-moment^[58] and drive-after[sic] Without hurry. Do not rush your war:^[59]
32	Whoever's war aims Above, they become ashamed below.

Gloss. This is what you shall quite precisely note: when one binds on your sword (with a hew or with a thrust or otherwise), [note] whether he is soft or hard upon the sword. And when you have sensed this, so you shall know in-the-moment which is the best for you: whether you work^[60] upon him with the before or with the after. But with that you shall allow yourself to be without hurry [and] not too rushed with the war, because the war is nothing other than the windings upon the sword.

[22] Item. Deploy the war thusly: When you cleave-in with the wrath-hew, then as soon as he displaces, drive up with the arms and wind-in the point upon the sword to the upper opening. If he then displaces the thrust, so keep staying in the winding and stab the low opening with the point. If he then further follows-after the sword with the displacements, then drive-through with the point below his sword and hang-in the point above to the other opening of his right side. Thus he becomes ashamed above and below, because you can otherwise conduct the techniques correctly.

[23] How one shall properly find hews and thrusts in all winding

33	In all winding, Learn to properly find hew, thrust.
34	You shall also, with Testing, hew, thrust, or cut
35	In all hits If you wish to confound the masters.

Gloss. This is how you shall properly find hew, thrust, and cut in all winding: so when you wind, you shall immediately test which of the three is best to conduct: the hew, or thrust, or cut.^[62] Thus, you do not hew when you should thrust, nor cut when you should hew, nor thrust when you should cut.^[63] And note, when someone displaces the one, that you hit them with the other. So if one displaces your thrust, then conduct the hew. If someone runs-in, then conduct the under-cut into their arm.^[64] Remember this^[19] in all hits and bindings of the sword, if you wish to confound the masters who set themselves against you.

[24] About the four openings

36	Know to target the four openings; Thus you strike wisely.
37	Go upon all Without doubt how he bares.

Gloss. You shall here note the four openings on the man which you shall always fence to. The first opening is the right side; the second is^[65] the left side^[65] above the girdle of the man. The other two are also the right and the left sides below the girdle. In the onset, precisely observe the openings with which he uncovers himself against you. Artfully target the same without danger with the shooting-in of the long point and^[66] with following-after, and also with the winding upon the sword,^[47] and otherwise with all techniques, and do not pay attention^[67] to how he bares against you with his techniques. So you fence wisely and from that make attacks which are excellent, and with those do not allow him to come to his plays.

[25] The text and the gloss about the doubling and about the mutating: how they break the four openings.

38	If you wish to reckon yourself,^[68] Artfully break the four openings:
39	Double above, Mutate right^[69] below.
40	I say to you truthfully: No master defends themselves without danger.
41	If you have understood this properly, He may hardly come to blows.

Gloss. This is when you wish to reckon yourself upon another such that you wish to break the four openings with art: so conduct the doubling to the upper openings against the strong of his sword, and the mutating to the other opening. Thus I say to you truthfully that he cannot defend^[70] himself from that, and may neither come to strikes nor to thrusts.

[26] The doubling

Item.^[65] Note,^[19] when you cleave-in with the wrath-hew (or otherwise high), if he displaces you with strength, then in-the-moment shove^[71] your sword's pommel under your right arm with the left hand, and strike him through the maw, with crossed hands, upon the sword behind his sword's blade (between the sword and the man); or strike him with the play^[72] upon the head.

[27] Note the mutating

Deploy the mutating thusly: When you bind him with the over-hew (or otherwise on the sword), then wind the short edge upon his sword and drive well up with the arms, and wind your sword's blade outside above his sword and thrust him to the low openings, and this conducts to both sides.

[28] The crooked-hew with its plays

42	Crook on^[73] swiftly, Throw the point upon the hands.

Gloss.^[74] This is how you shall hew crooked to the hands, and conduct the play thusly: When he hews from your^[75] right side to the opening^[76] with over- or under-hews,^[77] spring away from the hew with the right foot against him well to his left side, and strike him^[78] with crossed^[79] arms with the point^[74] upon his^[53] hands. And also conduct this play against him when he stands against you in the guard of the oxen.^[80]

[29] Again a play from the crooked-hew

43	Crook whoever sets well With stepping, he sunders many hews.

Gloss. This is how you shall offset the over-hew with the crooked-hew; conduct the play thusly: When he cleaves-in above from his right side to the opening, so step with the right foot to his left side [and fall]^[81] over his sword, with the point upon the earth in the barrier-guard. Deploy this to both sides. You may also strike him to the head from the setting-aside.

[30] Again a play from the crooked-hew

44	Hew crooked to the flats of The masters if you wish to weaken them.

Gloss. This is when you wish to weaken a master, so conduct the play thusly: When he cleaves-in from his right side, so hew crooked with crossed hands against his hew onto his sword.

[31] Again a play from the crooked-hew

45	When it sparks above So stand aside, that I will laud.

Gloss. This is when you hew onto his sword with the crooked-hew: so strike-in again quickly with the short edge up-over from the sword to his head, or with the crooked-hew wind the short edge upon his sword and thrust him to the chest.

[32] Again a play from the crooked-hew

46	Do not crooked[-hew]; short-hew, With that seek the changing-through.

Gloss. This is when he wishes to cleave-in above from his right shoulder:^[82] so you act as if you will bind onto his sword with the crooked-hew, and [then] short-hew^[83] and drive-through under his sword with the point, and wind your hilt to your right side above your head and thrust him to the face (as stands pictured here), and this play breaks it.^[47]

[33] Again^[84] a break against the crooked-hew^[85]

Note, when^[86] you shoot-in the point under his sword into his chest (as written before and stands pictured), if he then presses your sword downwards to the earth with the crooked-hew, then wind against your^[87] right side and drive well up over your^[88] head with the arms, and set the point above onto his chest (as is pictured hereafter). If he displaces that, then remain standing thusly with the hilt before the head and work swiftly with the point from one opening to the other. This is called the noble^[74] war. With that, you^[74] confound him so completely that he does not know where he shall remain before you.^[89]

[34] Note how one shall break the crooked-hew

47	Whoever foils you crooked, The noble war confounds them
48	That they do not truthfully know Where they are without danger.

Gloss. This is when you begin to hew him from your right side, above or below: if he then also hews crooked onto your sword from his right side with crossed arms, and with that deflects your hew, so remain with the your sword strongly upon his and shoot-in the point long under his sword to the chest.

[35] Another break above the crooked-hew^[85]

Note when you cleave-in above from your right side, if he also then comes upon your sword from his right side with crossed arms, and with that presses that downwards against the earth, then wind against your right side and drive well up over your head with the arms, and set your point above onto his chest.^[90] If he displaces that, then remain standing thusly with the hilt before your head and work swiftly with the point from one opening to the other. This is called the noble war. With that, you confound him so completely that he does not know where he shall remain before you with certainty.

[36] The thwart-hew with its plays

49	The thwart takes away Whatever approaches from-the-roof.

Gloss. Note, the thwart-hew breaks all hews which are hewn from above down; conduct the hew thusly: Stand with the left foot forwards and hold your sword on your right shoulder, and^[93] when he cleaves-in [an] over[-hew] to your head, so spring well^[19] with the right foot against him from the hew to his left side, and in the springing turn your sword with the hilt high in front of your head, such that your thumb comes under, and strike him with the short edge to his left side such that you catch his hew in your hilt, and hit him in the head (as is pictured here).^[47]

[37] A play from the thwart-hew

50	Thwart with the strong With that note the work.

Gloss. This is how you shall work with the strong from the thwart, and do it thusly: When you begin to hew him with the thwart, so remember that you wind^[96] strongly with the strong of your sword upon his. If he then holds strong against,^[97] so strike to the head with crossed arms, upon the sword behind his sword's edge (as is done here),^[47] or cut him with the play through the maw.

[38] Again a play from the thwart-hew

Note, when you bind out of the thwart with the strong of your sword upon his sword, if he then holds strongly against [it],^[97] so shove his sword from you downward to your right side with your hilt (as is pictured here),^[47] and strike back-around quickly with the thwart against his right side to his head.

[39] Again a play from the thwart-hew

Item. When you bind onto his sword with the thwart, if he is then Soft upon the sword, so lay the short edge to his right side upon the neck, and spring with the right foot behind his left, and back him over that with the sword.

[40] Another play

Item. When you bind onto his sword with the thwart, if he is then Soft upon the sword, so press his sword down with the thwart and lay the short edge afore behind his arms on his neck.

[41] Item. If he takes you by the neck from the right side, then drop your left hand from your sword and Press his sword from your neck with your right and step across with your left foot to his right side in front of his feet and enter with your left arm above both of his arms near the hilt and direct him to dance or stab him below between the legs to the maker.

[42] Here note the break against the upper thwart-hew

Item.^[99] Note,^[19] when you bind him from your right side with an over-hew (or otherwise^[100] on his sword), if he then strikes-around with the thwart to the other side, so come forward as well with the thwart-hew^[101] under his sword on his neck (as stands pictured hereafter next to this),^[102] such that he strikes himself the same with your sword.^[103]

[43] Here note the break against the low thwart-strike

Note, when you bind^[105] [against] him on his sword with the over-hew^[106] from your right side, if he then strikes-around from the sword with the thwart to the other^[107] opening of your right side, so remain with your hilt above your head and turn your sword's edge downward against his hew and thrust him to the lower opening (as stands pictured hereafter next to^[108] this).

[44] This is the text and the gloss: How one shall strike with the thwart to the four openings

51	Thwart to the plow, Join hard to the oxen.

Gloss. This is how one shall strike going-to with the thwart to all^[53] four openings; understand it thusly: When you come to him with the onset, so note when it is just right, so spring towards him and strike him with the thwart to the lower opening of his left side (as stands pictured next to this).^[47] This is called "striking to the plow".

[45] Again a play from the thwart-hew

Note,^[19] when you have struck with the thwart to the lower opening (as stands pictured before next to this),^[47] so quickly strike up above with the thwart to the other side to his head. This is called "striking to the oxen". And then furthermore swiftly strike^[109] a thwart-strike to the oxen and the another to the plow crosswise from one side to the other, and with that cleave-in an over-hew above to the head, and with that withdraw yourself.

[46] This is the text and a teaching thereof^[27]

52	Whoever thwarts themselves well With springing threatens the head.

Gloss. This is how you shall properly spring-out to the side of him with each and every thwart-strike, so that if you wish to strike him you may hit well to his^[53] head, and be aware that you are fully covered above in the spring^[19] with your hilt in front of your head.

[47] This is the text and the gloss of yet another play from the thwart-hew, and is called the failer

53	Whoever directs the failer well From below, he hits^[111] according to desire.

Gloss. Note,^[19] this is^[112] with the failer all fencers who willingly displace become mislead and struck. Deploy the play thusly: When you come to him with the onset, so act as if you will strike^[113] with a free over-hew^[114] to his left side to the head, and steal-away^[115] your sword with the hew and strike him with the thwart to the lower opening of his right side or left^[116] (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).^[117] Thus is he contacted and struck below according to [your] desire.

[48] This is the text and the gloss of yet another play from the thwart-hew, and this is called the inverter^[118]

54	The Inverter overwhelms, Running-through with wrestling as well;
55	The elbow wisely take Spring to him in the scales.

Gloss. Note, you shall also conduct the play when you bind on his sword with an under- or over-hew. So invert your sword such that your thumb comes-under and thrust him above to the face. So you overwhelm him such that he must displace, and in the displacement, seize his right elbow with your left hand and spring with the left foot in front of his right, and shove him over (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).^[47] Or run-through with the inverter and wrestle, as you will find written^[19] hereafter

[49] This is the text and the gloss of a failer

56	Fail twice; If one hits then make the cut with [it].

Gloss. Note, this is called the double failer for the reason that one shall conduct a double misleading in one onset. Deploy the first thusly: When you come to him with the onset, so spring with the right^[19] foot against him and act as if you will strike with a thwart-strike to his left side to his head, and [then] steal-away the strike and strike in^[119] to his right side onto his head (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).^[47]

[50] This is the text and the gloss of yet another play from the failer

57	Double it further; Stride-in left and be not lazy.

Gloss. This is when you have struck the first misleading to his right side to his head (as stands^[122] pictured before^[19] next to this): so with that take the cut under his arms^[47] and strike quickly back-around to the left^[123] side to his head, and drive over his sword with the short edge from^[124] crossed arms, and spring left (that is, to your left side), and cut him with the long edge through the maw (as is there pictured).^[47]

[51] This is the text and the gloss of the squint-hew and of the plays: How a man shall conduct them

58	The Squinter breaks-in^[125] Whatever the buffalo strikes or thrusts.
59	Whoever threatens to change, The squinter robs him of it.

Gloss. Note here^[126] that the squinter is a hew which breaks-in^[127] the hews and thrusts of the buffalo ([one] who acquires^[128] victory with power), and^[65] conduct the hew thusly: When he cleaves-in above from his right side, so hew from your right against his hew into the weak of his sword,^[129] with the short edge [and] with upright^[130] arms, and strike him upon his right shoulder;^[131] so you strike and displace with each other and hit him with the hew^[132] (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).^[133]^[47] If he changes-through, shoot with the hew long into his chest and^[134] also hew when he stands against you in the guard of the plow or when he will thrust you from below.^[64]

[52] This is the text and the gloss of yet another play from the squinter

60	Squint if he shortens upon you Changing-through defeats him.

Gloss. Note, this is a lesson that you^[19] shall squint with the visage and quite precisely see whether he fences short against you, because with that, [you] shall recognize when he begins to hew you and his arms do not extend long with the hew. So hew as well, and in the hew drive-through with the point under his sword, and wind your hilt to your right side above your head,^[47] and thrust him to the face (as stands pictured next to this).^[47]

[53] Item. All fencers, they who fence short from the oxen, from the plow, and with all windings before the opponent: freely change-through [against] them out of hews and out of thrusts with the long-point. With that, you plant^[136] it upon the sword so that they must allow you to come to the binding-on^[137] and be struck.

[54] This is the text and the gloss of yet another play from the squint-hew

61	Squint to the point And take the neck without fear.

Gloss. Note, the squinter breaks the long-point ^{with a deceit of the visage} and conduct it thusly: When he stands against you and holds the point against the face or against^[138] the^[134] chest from extended arms, so stand with the left foot forward and squint with the visage to his point,^[139] and act as if you wish to hew to his point,^[140] and hew strongly onto his sword with the short edge, and with that, shoot the point long to his neck with a tread-in of the right foot (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).^[103]

[55] This is the text and the gloss of yet another play from the squint-hew

62	Squint to the top of the Head if you wish to ruin the hands.

Gloss. Note,^[141] when he wishes^[74] to cleave-in to you a free over-hew^[142] from above, so squint with the visage^[143] to his head^[144] (as if you wish to strike thereon^[145]), and then hew with the short edge against his hew, and strike him upon his sword's blade, with the point down^[138] on the hands (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).^[47]

[56] This is the text and the gloss about the parter, and about the plays thereof

63	The Parter Is a danger to the face.^[147]

Gloss.^[19] Here^[126] note the parter is really^[19] dangerous to the face and to the chest;^[64] conduct it^[148] thusly: When he stands against you in the guard [of] the^[19] fool,^[149] hew above with the long edge, down from your^[150] part to his head,^[151] and with the hew remain high with the arms and if he displaces,^[152] so hang-in^[153] to him with^[126] the point, with the long edge above his hilt, and thrust him^[154] to the face (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).^[47]

[57] Again a play from the parter

64	With its turn^[157] The chest is quickly^[158] threatened.^[159]

Gloss.^[160] Note,^[19] this is when you strike-in and hang^[161] the point^[162] to the face with the parter:^[163] if he then shoves the point^[164] firmly upward with his^[165] hilt in the displacement^[166] of the parter,^[167] invert your sword with the hilt high^[168] in front of your head (such that the thumb comes below),^[169] and set the point under his hands^[170] upon his chest (as stands pictured here).^[171]

[58] How the crown breaks the parter^[172]

65	Whatever comes from him, The crown takes it away.

Gloss. Note, when you cleave-in above with the parter: if he displaces with the hilt high over his head, this displacement is called the crown, and with it [he] runs-in to you.

[59] This is the text and the gloss: how the cut breaks the crown

66	Cut through the crown, So you break the hard beautifully;^[174]
67	Press the strike,^[175] Withdraw it with cutting.

Gloss. Note, when he displaces the parter (or otherwise another hew) with the crown and with that runs in:^[149] so take the under-cut^[176] below his hands into his arm and press firmly upwards (as stands pictured next to this);^[177] so the crown is broken again,^[178] and wind your sword from the under-cut^[179] into the over-cut,^[138] and with that withdraw yourself.^[74]^[180]

[60] This is the text and the gloss on the four leaguers

68	Four leaguers alone: Keep to those and flee^[181] the common;
69	Ox, plow, fool, From-the-roof are not disgusting^[182] to you.

Gloss. Note, this^[183] is that you^[134] shall not hold to any leaguer other^[19] than solely to the four which will be^[184] named here.

[61] Item.^[19] The first guard is called^[185] the ox; arrange yourself thusly: Stand with the left foot forwards and hold your sword near your right side with the hilt^[186] in front of your head, and let the point hang^[134] against the face (as stands pictured next to this).^[47]

[62] Item.^[19] The second guard is called^[185] the plow; arrange yourself thusly: Stand with the left foot forward and hold your sword with^[19] crossed hands near your right side over your knee such that the point stands against the face (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).^[47]

[63] Item.^[19] The third guard is called^[185] the fool; arrange yourself thusly: Stand with the right foot forward and hold your sword with outstretched arms with the point upon the ground (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).^[47]

[64] Item.^[19] The fourth guard is called^[185] from-the-roof; arrange yourself thusly: Stand with the left foot forwards and hold your sword upon your right shoulder (as stands pictured hereafter next to this),^[47] or hold it with outstretched^[187] arms over your head; and how you shall fence from the guards, you find it all^[188] written in this book.^[189]

[65] This is the text and the gloss of the four displacements which break the four leaguers

70	Four are the displacements Which also severely injure the leaguers.
71	Guard yourself from displacing^[190] If it happens, it severely beleaguers you.

Gloss. Note, you have heard before that you shall fence solely from the four leaguers, so you should also just know^[191] that the same four [displacements] break the four leaguers. And the four settings,^[192] they are the four hews.

[66] The first hew^[134] is the crooked-hew, which breaks the guard that is named the ox.^[193]

[67] Item.^[19] The second is the thwart-hew, which breaks the guard from-the-roof.

[68] Item.^[19] The third is the squint-hew, which breaks the guard of the plow.

[69] Item.^[19] The fourth is the parter, which breaks the guard that is named the fool.

[70] And guard yourself from all displacements which the simple^[195] fencers conduct; they allow the point to go out before the man (low or high on a side), and whoever does that cannot seek the opening on the man. Therefore do not parry,^[196] and [instead] note when he hews, thus you also hew; and when he thrusts, so thrust as well; and how you shall hew and thrust, you find that written in the five hews and in the setting-aside.

[71] This is the text and the gloss of a play against the displacement

72	If you are parried, And as it is arriving,
73	Hear what I advise: Rip off. Cut quickly with hurry.

Gloss.^[197] This is as it arrives that you are becoming parried: so note if one displaces an over-hew,^[198] go to him in the displacing with the pommel over^[199] his forward-placed^[200] hand, and with that wrench downwards, and with the wrenching strike him there^[201] on the head with the sword (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).^[177]

[72] Yet another play against the displacement

Item.^[138] Note, when you hew an under-hew from the right side: if he then falls with the sword onto yours so you cannot come up with it, swiftly drive over his sword with the pommel and wrench your blade from his [from] below^[202] and strike him with the snapping, with the long edge to the head^[203] (as stands pictured hereafter next to this);^[204] or,^[205] if he falls onto your sword against your left side, so strike him with the short edge.

[73] This is the text and the gloss of yet another play against the displacing

74	Set-upon four ends; Learn to remain thereupon if you wish to finish.

Gloss. This is^[48] when you cleave-in from your right shoulder: if you wish to quickly finish with him,^[207] so note when he displaces [and] strike quickly around with the thwart, and with the strike grasp your sword^[208] in the middle of the blade with the left hand, and set the point into the face (as stands pictured next),^[47] or set-upon him to the four openings to whichever you can^[209] best come.

[74] This is the text and the gloss of yet another play against the displacement

Item.^[134] Note,^[19] when you set the point into his^[210] face with the half-sword (as stands done before next to this):^[47] if he displaces that, jab him with the pommel to the other side to his head, or spring with the right foot behind his left and with the pommel drive around his neck, over his right shoulder, [and] around the front of the neck, and with that, back him over your right leg (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).^[47]

[75] This is about racing-after

75	Learn the racing-after, Doubly or cut into the weapon^[212]

Gloss. Note,^[19] this is so that you shall learn the racings-after quite well, because they are dual,^[149] and^[19] the first^[65] conduct thusly:^[19] when he wishes to cleave-in above him,^[65] so note while he yanks up the sword to the strike, [and] race-after him with a hew or with a thrust, and hit him^[213] to the upper^[65] opening before the moment^[214] he descends^[215] with the hew, or fall with the long edge above him onto his arm and with that, press him from you.^[216]

[76] Yet another racing-after^[219]

Item.^[220] When he begins to hew you downward^[19] from above, and^[19] if he then^[221] allows his sword to go down to the earth with the hew: so^[19] race-after him with an over-hew^[222] to the head before the moment^[214] he comes-up with the sword, so is he struck.^[47]

[77] Or if he will thrust you, note the moment he yanks the sword to him for the thrust, so race-after him and thrust him before he completes his thrust.

[78] About the outer-cattle-drives

76	Two outer-cattle-drives,^[223] You work begins thereafter,
77	And test the attacks, Whether they are soft or hard.

Gloss. Note, the two outer-cattle-drives are the two racings-after upon the sword; conduct it thusly: When he mis-hews himself before you, race-after him. If he then displaces you, so remain with the sword upon his and test whether he is soft or hard with the attack. If he then, with the sword, lifts that of yours upwards with strength, then extend your sword outside over that of his and thrust to his low opening.

[79] The other outer-cattle-drives

Item. When you fence cautiously^[225] from the under-hews (or otherwise from the under-attacks): if he then lays over you and winds upon your sword before you come up with that, [and] then remains strong with your sword below upon his winding and works to your upper opening, so follow-after with the sword and take weak of his sword with the long edge, and press down and stab him in the face.

[80] This is the text and the gloss about the feeling and about the word "in-the-moment"

78	Learn the feeling; In-the-moment, that word hews severely.

Gloss. This is so that you properly learn the feeling and the word "in-the-moment", and shall understand that the two things belong to the same and are the greatest arts of fencing.

[81] Item.^[19] And^[226] understand it thusly:^[227] When you come to him with the onset and^[228] one binds another on the sword, so in that you shall feel with the hand (that is, perceive),^[204] just as the swords spark together, whether they have bound soft or hard, and as soon as you have perceived that,^[229] think of the word "in-the-moment"; that is, in that same swift perceiving^[230] of the soft and of the hard, you shall work to the nearest opening,^[231] so [he] becomes struck before he will have his insight.^[232]

[82] Item. Note,^[233] you shall think of the word "in-the-moment" in all bindings of the sword, because

in-the-moment doubles
and^[134] in-the-moment mutates,
in-the-moment runs-through,
and^[134] in-the-moment changes-through,^[47]
in-the-moment takes the cut;
in-the-moment wrestles,
and with in-the-moment, take the sword.
In the art, In-the-moment does whatever your heart desires.

[83] In-the-moment is a sharp word; with it, any fencer who knows nothing of the word becomes hew. And the word "in-the-moment" is also^[134] the key in which all of the art of fencing becomes unlocked.

[84] This is yet another play text and gloss about racing-after

79	Traveling-after twice: If one joins, make the farewell cut with it.

Gloss. Note,^[19] this is when he mis-hews himself before you: so race after him with a hew to the upper opening; if he then drives up and binds^[234] under you upon the sword, so note just as soon as one sword sparks^[235] on the other, [and] so fall upon him from the sword with the long-edge over his arm, and also press him from you (as stands pictured next),^[47] or cut him from the sword through the mouth. Deploy this to both sides.

[85] This is the text and the gloss about running-over

80	Whoever aims below, Run-over, then they become shamed.
81	When it sparks above Then strengthen, this I will laud.
82	Make your work Or press hard twice.

Gloss. Note,^[19] this is when he targets the lower openings with a hew or with a thrust in the onset: you shall not displace him, rather await, such that you run-over with a hew above into the head or set-upon the point above (as stands pictured hereafter next to this)^[47] so that he becomes shamed from you, because all over-hews and all settings-upon over-reach the lower.

[86] ^[237]This is the text and the gloss: how one shall offset hews and thrusts

83	Learn to offset: Skillfully injure, hew, thrust
84	Whoever thrusts upon you, Such that your point hits and his breaks,
85	From both sides; Hit any time if you wish to step.

Gloss. This is so that you shall learn to offset hews and thrusts alike with art, such that your point hits him and, in that, his becomes broken, and^[19] understand^[238] it thusly: When someone stands against you and holds his sword as if he will stab you from below, so stand counter against him in the guard of the plow from your right side, and give yourself an opening with the left. If he then under-thrusts to the same opening, wind with the^[134] sword against his thrust to your left side and step into him with the right foot, so that your point hits and his fails (as stands pictured next).^[47]

[87] Yet another play from setting-aside

Item.^[134] Note,^[19] when you stand against him in the guard of the plow from the left side: if he then hews to the upper opening of your left side, then drive up with the sword, and wind^[19] to the left side against his hew (such that the hilt is in front of your head), and step into him with your^[53] right foot and stab him in the face (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).^[47]

[88] This is the text and the gloss about Changing-through

86	Learn to change-through From both sides; stab with violence
87	Whoever binds upon you, The Changing-through finds him swiftly.^[239]

Gloss. This is so that you shall learn the changing-through well, and conduct it thusly: When you cleave-in or thrust to him in the onset, if he will^[134] then bind on the sword with a hew or with a displacement, allow the point under his sword and slip through, and with that, thrust-in to him violently at the other side, thus you find the opening upon him swiftly (as stands pictured).^[47]

[89] Item. If he then becomes aware of the thrust and drives after it with the displacing, then but change-through to the other side.

[90] Item. Another.

As you come to him, set your left foot forward and hold the long [point] against his face. If he then hews to the sword (over or under) and will strike it away, allow your point to sink downwards and stab him to the other opening of the other side, and do that against all hews.

[91] This is the text and the gloss about yanking

88	Tread near in binding;^[241] The yanking gives good opportunities.
89	Pull: if it connects, yank more. If he works, cut so that it does him woe.
90	Pull in all hits Of the masters if you wish to deceive them.

Gloss. This is when you come to him with the onset: so cleave-in strongly above from the right shoulder to the head. If he then binds you with displacing (or otherwise on the sword), so tread near to him in the bind on the sword^[242] and withdraw your sword from his above, and cleave-in again above to the other side to his head (as it stands pictured next to this).^[47] If he displaces that too a second time, so strike-in again above to the other side, and work swiftly according to the upper openings which may occur to you with the doublings^[243] (or otherwise with other plays to his nearest opening).^[244]

[92] Or act as if you will yank and [then] remain upon the sword, and quickly thrust-in again upon the sword to the face. If you then do not quite hit him with the thrust, so work with the doubling or otherwise with other plays.

[93] This is the text and the gloss about running-through

91	Run-through, allow to hang With the pommel, grasp if you wish to wrestle.
92	Whoever strengthens against you, Run-through. With that note.

Gloss. Note, this is when one runs-in to the other: if he then drives up with the arms and wishes to overwhelm you above with strength, so drive up as well with the arms, and hold your sword with the left hand near the pommel over your head and allow the blade to hang behind over your back,^[246] and run-through with your head under his right arm and spring with the right foot behind his right, and with the spring, drive him well forward with the right arm around the body, and clasp him thusly to the right hip and throw him in front of you (as stands pictured here).^[247]^[47]

[94] This is yet another play about running-through

Item.^[126] Note,^[19] when he wishes to overpower you with strength by running-in with the sword high:^[248] so hold your sword with the left hand near the pommel and let the blade hang over your back.^[246] Run-through with the head under his right arm, and remain with the right foot forward^[138] before his right and drive in^[66] well behind him with the right arm around the body, and clasp him upon your right hip and throw him behind you (as stands pictured here).^[134]^[47]

[95] A wresting at the sword

Item. When one runs-in to the other: so release your sword from the left hand and hold it with the right, and shove his sword from you to your right side with your hilt, and spring with the left foot in front of his right and drive him well back with your left arm around the body, and clasp him to your left hip and throw him in front of you.

Though watch that it does not fail you.

[96] Yet another wresting at the sword

Item. When one runs-in to the other: so release your sword from the left hand and hold it in the right, and shove his sword from you to your right side with the hilt, and spring with the left foot behind his right and drive him forward with the left arm under his chest (well around the body), and throw him backward over your foot.

[97] Yet another wresting at the sword

Item.^[134] Note,^[19] when you run-in with another: so release your sword from the left hand and hold it in the right, and drive him outside^[134] with the pommel over his right arm and with that yank downwards, and seize his right elbow with the left hand^[134] and spring with the left foot in front of his right, and back him thusly over the foot to your right side (as stands pictured next to this).^[47]

[98] Yet another wresting at the sword^[252]

Item.^[134] Note,^[19] when one runs-in to the other: so drive with the left arm^[253] over his right, and with that seize his^[254] right arm with an inverted hand^[255] and press his left^[123] over your left with your^[210] right arm, and spring with your^[210] right foot behind his right and turn yourself away from him to your^[256] left side, and^[19] thus you^[257] throw him over your^[256] right hip (as stands pictured next to this).^[47]

[99] Yet another wresting

Item. When someone runs-in at the sword, etc.: so let your sword fall and invert your right hand, and with that seize his right hand outside and clasp it near the right elbow with the left, and spring with the left foot in front of his right and shove his right arm over your left with the right hand, and with that lift it upwards; thus is he locked and thus [you] may break the arm, or throw him in front of you over the leg.

[100] A sword taking^[261]

Item.^[134] Note,^[19] when one runs-in to the other: so invert your left hand and with that drive over his right arm, and with that seize his sword by the grip between both hands, and back to your left side (as stands pictured next to this);^[47] so you take the sword from him.^[262]

This will vex him badly.^[263]

[101] This is yet another sword taking^[265]

Item.^[134] Note,^[19] when he binds on your sword (with displacing or otherwise): so seize both swords in the middle^[19] of the blade with the left hand inverted^[134] and hold them tightly together, and drive through below with the pommel with the right hand against the left side over both his hands, and with that back yourself upward to the right side. So you keep both swords (as stands pictured next to this).^[47]

[102] This is the text and gloss about cutting-off

93	Cut away the hard [ones] From below in both drivings.^[267]
94	Four are the cuts: With two below, two above.

Gloss. Note, there are four cuts; conduct the first thusly: when he runs-in and drives up high with the arms, and will^[134] overpower you above against your left side with strength,^[268] so twist your sword and fall^[269] under his hilt, into his arms with the long edge with crossed hands, and press-upward with the cut (as stands pictured next to this);^[47] or, if he runs-in against your right side, fall^[269] into his arm with the short edge and press upwards as before.

[103] Yet another cut

Item. When you bind strongly on his sword (with a hew or otherwise): if he then allows his sword to snap-away from yours and strikes you above to the head, so twist your sword with the hilt in front of your head and cut-through his arm below, and with the cut, set the point below upon his chest.

[104] This is the over-cut^[270]

Item.^[65] Note,^[19] conduct the cut thusly: when one binds on the sword against your left side, and^[65] he then^[271] strikes around from the sword to the right side (with the thwart or otherwise),^[149] so spring from the hew with the left foot to his right side, and fall with the long edge above over both arms and press him from you (as stands pictured here).^[272] Deploy this to both sides.^[64]

[105] This is the text and the gloss about the transformation of the cut

95	Turn the edge To flatten; press the hands.

Gloss. Note,^[19] this is when you come in your running-in with the under-cut below^[19] into his arm (such that your point goes out against his^[274] right side): so with that,^[275] press firmly upwards with the cut,^[276] and amid the pressing spring with the left foot to his right side, and turn your sword with the long edge above over his arms (such that your point goes-out against his left side), and with that, press his arm from you.^[277] Thus have you transformed the under-cut into the over; conduct this to both sides.^[278]

[106] This is the text and the gloss about the two hangings

96	The two hangings happen From one hand from the earth.
97	In every drive, Hew, thrust, leaguer; soft or hard.

Gloss. Note, there are two hangings from one hand and from one side from the earth; conduct it thusly: When you bind onto his sword against your left side with the lower setting-aside, so hang your sword's^[134] pommel against the earth, and thrust-up to him from below out of the hanging to the face. If he then shoves your point upward with the displacing, so remain thusly upon the sword and also^[19] drive up with him,^[280] and hang the point from above down to the face, and in the two hangings you shall swiftly conduct hew, thrust, and cut [with] every drive. Thereafter, as you [are] in the binding-on of the sword, with that, perceive (or test)^[281] whether he is soft or hard. (The hangings from both sides, this is the plow from both sides.)^[282]

[107] This is the text and the gloss about the speaking-window

98	Make the speaking-window; Stand freely, seek out his thing,^[283]
99	Strike him such that it snaps Whoever withdraws before you.
100	I say to you in truth: No one protects themselves without danger.
101	If you have correct understanding, He may barely come to strikes.

Gloss. Note,^[284] this called the speaking-window: when he binds you on the sword with hews or^[285] with^[286] displacing, so remain strong from extended arms with the long edge upon the sword, with the point in front of the face, and stand freely and seek out his thing (whatever he will conduct against you).

[108] Item.^[289] If he strikes-around from the sword with an over-hew to the other side, so bind-after^[290] with the long edge^[291] against^[19] his hew with strength, above into the head.

[109] Or^[289] if he strikes-around from the sword^[292] with the thwart, so fall into his arms with the over-cut.

[110] Or^[289] if he yanks his sword to himself and wishes to thrust you below, so race-after him upon the sword with the point,^[293] and set-upon him above.

[111] Item.^[284] Note,^[294] if he does not wish to withdraw^[295] nor strike-around from the sword, so work upon the sword with the doubling (or otherwise with other plays) as you thereafter perceive the soft and the hard upon the sword.

[112] Here note how you shall stand in the long-point and what plays you shall conduct from it

Item.^[138] Note,^[297] when you come just near^[298] to him with the onset: so set your left foot forward before when he binds you on the sword,^[299] and hold your^[300] point long with^[286] extended arms against the face or against^[286] the chest. If he then hews-in from above^[301] to your head, so wind against his hew with the sword and thrust into his face.

[113] Or if he hews from above to below, or from below up into the sword, and wishes to strike the point away, so change-through and thrust to the other opening or side.^[303]

[114] Or if he hits your sword with strength with the hew, so allow your sword^[304] to snap-around, so you hit him in the head.

[115] Or^[286] if he runs-in, so conduct the cut or await^[19] the wrestling.

Watch that it does not fail you.^[306]

[116] This is the text about the conclusion of the entire Recital

102	Whoever commands well and properly breaks, And tenaciously corrects completely,
103	And breaks apart, Each into three wounders;
104	Whoever properly hangs well, And with that brings the winding,
105	And considers the eight windings, With proper movement^[308];
106	And yet I mean your one Of the windings are triple,
107	So are they simply counted Twenty and four.
108	From both sides Learn eight windings with stepping,
109	And test the drives [for] Nothing more than soft or hard.

Gloss. This is a lesson, therein the art of^[309] the record is skillfully understood.^[310] It is taught thusly so that you shall be quite well^[311] practiced and accomplished^[312] in the art. Also, so that you can appropriately command any attack and play^[313] according to that which you fence with, so that you therefore correctly^[19] know to conduct your break against his plays, so that you may work with three wounders from each particular break.

[117] Item.^[286] You shall also properly hang upon the sword and from the hangings you shall bring eight windings, and you shall also consider and properly estimate^[314]^[315] the windings, so that you know to conduct which one of the said three.

[118] Here note how you shall conduct the hangings and the windings

Item.^[19] Understand it thusly: there are four bindings-on of the sword, two over and^[289] two under. You shall only conduct two particular windings from each binding-on of the sword.^[316]

[119] Item.^[286] Do^[317] it thusly: When you come to him with the onset,^[47] if he then binds-on to you above against your left side, so wind the short edge upon his sword and drive well up with the arms, and hang-in your point to him above and thrust into his face. If he displaces the thrust with strength,^[318] allow your point to hang-in above upon the sword, and wind to your right side and thrust.^[319] These are two windings on one side of the^[320] sword.

[120] Item.^[284] Or^[289] if he binds-on above against your right side, wind the long edge upon his sword also against your right side and drive well up with the arms, and hang-in your point to him above, and thrust-in the point above^[321] into his face. If he displaces the thrust with strength, allow your point to hang-in above upon the sword, and wind to your left side and thrust. These are four windings from the two over-bindings-on, from^[322] the left and from^[134] the right sides.

[121] Item.^[289] Now you shall know that you shall also conduct four windings from the two under-bindings-on with all attacks, as from the over[-bindings-on]. Thus the windings, over and under, become eight. And^[134] remember that you shall conduct one particular hew, or^[284] one^[19] cut, or^[324] one thrust, from each winding. And^[284] this is called the^[284] three wounders. From those, one can and shall^[325] conduct them from the eight windings into twenty-four instances. And you shall properly learn to conduct the eight windings from both sides, so that you step in^[326] with each winding,^[327] and you test his attack, no more than^[284] if he is soft or hard upon the sword. And when you have sensed these two things, conduct the play into the winding which is called for. Whenever you do not do this, you become struck by all windings.

Illustrations

[1] Here listen itself in the earnest fight from mounting and from foot

All hear itself master Johannes Lichtenauer's fence in armor to Battle, that he has let be written with hidden words, they hereafter in this little book explained and unhide, so that each fencer who can understands art might, that another fencer can not.

[2] This is the preface of the text

1	Who dismounts Fence on foot begins
2	The arrange with spear Two Stances have in right carry

Explanation: Note, that you should understand this this way, when two on foot in armor one to the other will fence, then each man should have three wear, a spear, a sword and a dagger, and the first that you should bring is the long spear, with it you should rightly carry it in both arrangements, in two stances, as that here after will be explained.

[3] This is the text of the two stances

3	Spear and point The forth-thrust stab in fear
4	Spring against right by If he notice, yank to his the face put in

Explanation: This is the first stance with the spear, when you both form the saddle are dismounted, So then stand with the left foot forward and hold your spear by the wrap, and step this way to him all the way, that your left foot remains forward, and wait that you before him can shoot towards him and follow quickly the shoot against him with the sword, so that he can not have know which to shoot out and grab^[328] the sword.

[4] The second stance with spear Note: If you your spear will not throw, then hold it near your right side to the lower guard, and go this way to him, and stab artfully from below to the face, before than he does to you, if he then stabs to you equally or mis-places, then push him out with the spear in the high guard, so you remain with his point out to the left arm and with it then hang with the point over his arm in his face, if he push then out and mis-places with the left arm, then yank and place the point under his left armpit in the opening.

[5] The text on how one should yank

5	If you wish yank from the stab With the yank learn before to break

Explanation: Note, that is, that you should well learn that you this way must yank “to someone that do not in-places that you yank-through”,^[330] and take it this way, when you stab to him from the lower guard, if he out-places with the spear, that his point aside near to you goes out, so then yank through and stab to the other side, or if he holds you with the other out-placing with the point in front of your face, then do not yank and remain with the spear on the side, and work with the winding to the next opening that you might like.

[6] This is the text

6	Note, if he will notice From harm and to flee
7	You should follow him Yes, surely becomes that taken

Explanation: Note, this is how you should race after with the spear, note, when you come forward with a stab, if he out-places and wish himself with the spear to pull it off, then follow him after with the point, strike him with it, then push him out from you, if he will from the point underneath flee and went to you to a side, so then wait that  the same side charged and wisely take him with wrestling and with arm breaking as you will found written here.

[7] The text about wrestling to battle

8	If you will wrestle Beneath leg right learn spring
9	Bar forward shoot That before the leg artfully shoot at

Explanation: This is, when you go to him to wrestle, then you should know how you front or behind to the leg spring and it should happen with not more than one step.

[8] Item note then act this way When you hold him in the wrestling, and he against you, then see which foot he set forward, if he have the left forward then kick in his left foot^[333] off with your right and with the kick then spring with your right foot behind his left and push him with the right knee behind, behind his his left knee and push him with both hands over that same knee.

[9] Item, note one other When you jump with the right foot behind his left, then step^[334] with your left behind both legs and take his left knee between the both knees and hold it with it firmly and push him with the left hand forward, “in the head”,^[335] with the hew and with the right pull him behind, off to the side.

[10] This is the text

10	From both hands If you with art skillfully want to end

Explanation: This is, that you all wrestling should know to try from both sides, that is if you wish to end him with art, as you come to him, and that take it this way, when you with the right foot spring behind his left, if he steps then in the spring with his left foot to push, then follow him quickly to the other side with your left foot behind his right and throw him over the knee or kick him on that knee with your leg as before written is.

[11] This is the text how one itself should arrange with the spear against the sword

11	If he himself forward push The sword against spear becomes pulled
12	The thrust becomes taken Spring catch, wrestle hasten to him

Explanation: Note, this is when you your lance have miss shoot and he kept his, then arrange yourself this way against him with the sword, grip middle with the left hand, on the middle of the blade, and let the sword close to you middle of that knee, your left knee in the guard or hold it near your right side in the lower guard.

[12] Item: Or if he stabs to you underneath, then set the stab out towards to your left hand and spring with the right behind his left and take him with the pommel from over his right shoulder around the neck and throw him over the knee.

[13] Item: Note, if he stabs you then with the lance above, then go off and set his stab out towards your left hand with the sword off your left side and spring to him and wait the in-placement, if you do not want to come that, then let your sword fall and wait the wrestling.

[14] Item: If he stabs to you with the lance when you stand in the lower guard, then set his stab out with the sword towards your left hand, off to his right side, and wait the in-placement or the wrestling.

[15] The text about out-pacing with bear hands

13	Strike long from the left hand Spring wisely and then catch
14	If he will draw From scabbard grasp and press in
15	That in the opening With the swords point troubled

Explanation: When you stand in the lower guard, if he stabs you from above with the spear and have catch that, that the point is away from the hand and goes out “and stabs with it above you”,^[338] then hit him with your “left hand”^[339] in middle of his spear out away, and hold your sword quickly against with the left hand middle in the blade and spring to him and set it in, etc.

[16] Item: If he stabs you with the spear underneath to the stomach, then take his spear in the left hand and hold it with it firmly and stab him with the right beneath towards the stomach and push him than his spear firmly forward yourself and will your the off the hand races, then let the spear over him off the hand go, then if he gives himself an opening then hold your sword quickly with the left hand against middle of the blade and follow him quickly after and set him in.

[17] The text about the openings

16	Leather and gauntlets And in the eyes the opening rightly seek

Explanation: This is, when you with an armed man will in-place, then you should the opening precisely take. The first is in the face, other below the armpit, other in the palms, other behind the gauntlets, other in the knee pits, other between the legs, other in all articulations of the armor his joint inside have, When he is steady, the best for winning and the openings you should rightly know to seek on the man, that you should not go after one far target when can take you a near one, that with all weapons that to the battle belong, etc.

[18] The text about the hidden wrestling

17	The hidden wrestling Carefully learn to wrestle
18	To your enemy find The strong with it overtake

Explanation: This is when one to the other charges, then let your sword fall and wait with it carefully the wrestling that to the battle belongs hear that is forbidden from all known mastery of the sword, that to one to them are often teach to no one, nor learned nor should seek to reveal, because they to the battle fencing belong, and they are the arm breaking, leg breaking, testicles hits, the death hit, knee hit, finger dislocation, eye griping and more like that.

[19] Here you should note the wrestling Item: If "you grip someone"^[342] above with wrestling and you wish with strength to pull or push him, then hit the right arm out over his left forward by his hand and press then with both hands on his chest and spring with the right foot behind his left and throw him over that knee of the foot.

[20] Item: If he grips you on with wrestling and he holds to you then not firmly, then hold  his right hand with your right and  pull him from you with the left hold him by the elbow and step with the left foot to his right, And pull in this way over it or throw him by the chest off with the arm and break him then this way.

[21] Item: Hold with the left hand his left forward by the hand and pull him to you, and hit your right arm with strength over his left in this bend the arm breaking and break with the left hand his left over his right and spring with the right foot behind his right and throw him from there, etc.

[22] Item: If he goes with the left arm beneath your right through, around your body, then hit him with the right arm strong from above below outside his join of his left elbow, and turn with it from him.

[23] Item: When he grabs you firmly by the arm and you against him, if he stands then straightened with the foot then shove him off with the foot^[343] on the same knee then break his foot.

[24] Item: You can also with the knee or with the foot hit him to the testicles, when he is aware, however, you should that foresee that he to you by the foot do not hold you, etc.

[25] Item: When he after you grips with open hands or with outstretched fingers, then wait if that in one finger like to grip and breaking it form above and take him with it out of the arena.

Also you win over him with the side and gain even more other great advantage.

[26] The text about a lesson

19	Item, in all lessons The point against the opening turn

Explanation: That is that you with all three weapons that wear to the battle, to go all the way with the point to the openings should stab with the forth mentioned, and if otherwise can not, you another bring to damage, etc.

[27] The text how one should fence with the sword against sword in battle

20	Where one from the scabbard Sword are taken by both
21	So should one strengthen The protection right precisely note

Explanation: That is if they both the spear have not choose and should fence with the sword, then you should before all wrestling note and know the the four guards with the short sword, and therefore stab him all the way to the high opening, if he then stabs you with the same one or bind you in the sword, then you should in the hand note if he is hard or weak on sword, And when you have found out, then use the strength against him that you here after written will see.

[28] The first guard in the half sword Item: Hold your sword with the right hand by the handle and with the left hold middle in the blade and hold it near your right side over your head and let the point lower hang, to the man, against the face, etc.

[29] Item: If he stands then against you in the lower guard and wish to stab you underneath then stab through from above to below between the sword and his forth-placed hand and press the pommel downward and wind in the point on sword beneath through against his right side and set it in.

[30] Item: Stab him form the first guard to the face, if he values it then yank^[344] or go through with the stab as before to the other side, and when you in the hew forth-place, then hit your sword under your right armpit with the hilt in the chest and throw him this way from you.

[31] Item note another Stab him like before, if he mis-place towards his left hand with the sword and keep you with the point towards the face and you will in-place, then hold  with the left hand his sword by the point and hold it tight and with the right hand stab him powerfully to the face.^[345]

[32] If he then yanks his sword firmly to himself and you will that out the hands follow, then release the sword, go to the upper wrestling, then, if he gives himself an opening then hold his sword quickly with the left hand against the middle of the blade and follow him after etc.

[33] Item another

If you took his sword and he to yours, then throw his sword to the left hand and hold yours with it against middle in the blade and rotate the point outside over his left hand and set it in.

[34] Item: Or throw in your sword to his foot and hold his left hand with your left and conduct the arm break or otherwise other wrestling, etc.

[35] Item: When you are in the high guard to stab, if he size you then with the left hand in your sword between your both hands, then go in with the pommel winding out or winding in, over his left hand and tear^[346] off  to your right side and set it in, also you can off the high guard with the pommel well hit when it is precisely to you.

[36] The second guard with the short sword to battle

Note, hold your sword with both hands and hold it underneath, towards your right side with the handle near your right knee and that your left foot stands forward and your point to the man goes against the face.

[37] Item: When you this way stand in the guard, if he stands then against you in the high guard and you will  from above in-place, then stab before and set the point to his forth-placed hand to the opening on the palm, or stab him over his forth-placed hand through and your sword, and press your pommel against the earth and set it in to the other side.

[38] Item: When he stabs to you from above, then hold with the left hand his sword in front of his left side and with the right set your sword with the hilt in your chest and set it in, etc.

[39] A break against the placing-through^[348]

Item: When you go to stab him from the lower guard, if he stabs you from the high guard through between your forth-placed hand and the sword, then note if he will then with the pommel push downward, then go off to the high guard and set it in.

[40] Item: If you want to stab from the lower guard, if he then goes through with the pommel beneath your sword and will with it out-place, then hold him with the point strong in front of the face, and press him to his right hand this way underneath, if he will wind through and set it in.

[41] Item: If you want to stab strong from the lower guard to the face, if he stabs then towards you from the same one, then hold  his sword in the middle with your with left with turned hand and hold they both to together and go with the pommel under through his sword and with the right arm pull from above off to your right side so you take his sword.

[42] Item this way break that

When you are with someone that with his left hand hold your sword in the middle towards him and you will that chase-out, then note when he your sword takes to the left hand, towards his, then go off in the high guard and set it in.

[43] Item: If you stab him from the lower guard in, agile to the face, if he mis-places then yank and stab him from outside to the face, if he mis-places further, then punch him with the pommel, in front over his right shoulder around the neck and spring with the right foot behind his left and pull in with the pommel over the leg so he falls, etc.

[44] Item break that this way

Whoever that to you with the pommel forward, around the neck goes and with the right foot spring behind your left, then grab his "right arm with your"^[350] left hand and press the firmly on his^[351] chest, and turn from him to the right side and take him off your left hip and throw him away from to you, etc.

[45] Item: Also you can from the lower guard also^[352] hit "with the pommel"^[353] when it is precise.

[46] The third guard with the short sword/ this is the third guard with the short sword to battle

Item: Hold your sword with both hands as before written is, and hold it over your left knee And therefore break him all his techniques with mis-placement, etc.

[47] Item: If he stabs you from the high guard to the face and place the stab out with the sword in front of your left hand against his right side, then go off with the sword in the high guard and set it in.

[48] Item: Or go off with the sword and mis-place the high stab between both your hands and go in with the pommel^[354] over his forth-placed hand and pull with it underneath and set it in.

[49] Item: Go under through with the pommel over his forth-placed hand and pull with it underneath and set it in, also you can change through underneath with the pommel and in the stab out-place.

[50] Item: Also^[355] if you winded as here before written that you from the third guard hit, one should the hit with the pommel mis-place.

[51] The fourth guard with the short sword to battle

Item: Hold the sword with both hands as before written is and hold it with the handle underneath your right armpit and set the hilt forward in the right side of the chest that the point against the man stands, and in the guard should you off all three forth named guards come this way. when you to him stab to the opening and that the point stops in the armor then wind all the way your hilt in your chest and push him this way from your way back around and let him not from the point come out, then he can not make stabs nor hew nor hit.

[52] Item: "Note all that you want in-place that is placed in the face or in the neck or in his left shoulder or underneath his left armpit and"^[356] when you to him has forth-placed, if his is longer than^[357] yours is, then push him this way from you that the your point from underneath^[358] off goes and go in fully in his chainmail is placed.

[53] "Item: Or"^[359] if his is shorter however than yours is, then let your sword with the pommel to your right side underneath slip off to the right hip and that your point above stays and in his chainmail is fully placed, as before, and push him this way from you and let him from the sword not come out.

[54] The text from the “forward” and “behind”

22	Forward and behind are two things Test knowingly learn with out spring

Explanation: This is that you before all else should know the "forward" and the "behind", because from those two things comes all art to battle, however, then remember that you always come forward before that he is with a slice or with a stab, then he must mis-place you and as quickly as he with the mis-places in the sword bind, then do your technique gracefully, so he can’t before your work his techniques not make and that is called the "forward".

[55] Item here note “what is named”^[360] the behind

That is the breaking against all techniques that he off to you try to do, and that take it this way, if he comes forward that you must mis-place him, then feel in the hand with the mis-placement with the point the next opening then rotate, with your rotation then work, and that is called the "behind".

[56] Item: Here you should note that in the battle fence you should not be from him more than an step out and one step in, and the take it this way, if he is faster than you, that you to can not reject his approach, then you should only one step to pull with left foot and wait carefully that you in with a step towards the left foot against in-placing or grip him with wrestling.

[57] The text from persecution with the sword to battle

23	Follow all steps If the strong will you then confuse
24	If he defends then yank Stab, if he defends pull from him
25	If he extends himself Then are you artfully instructed

Explanation: Note^[362] that is, the persecution you should do against the strong fencers those who stretches and wish otherwise do not have the right art.

[58] Item: Against that arrange yourself this way, let you be against him in one guard let himself then also in one, then note precisely when he in his sword yank and^[363] when he will stab or lift up and will hew, then follow him quickly after with the point to the next opening before that he complete his stab or slice, if he then becomes aware of the in-placement and mis-places but waits with the sword and search on you but find no opening with the point then push however through and do the yanking all the way, as often as he mis-place you going after the sword, with it then^[364] you come also to the arm break and to other techniques,^[365] And that is the art against all who do long and wait to fence with the sword and not to the man.

[59] “This is”^[368] the text about in-placing

26	If he attacks also strongly in The shoot takes him in

Explanation: Note,^[369] this is when one^[370] have in-placed and push you, then stab him in the palm of the hand that he is holding the sword in the middle, or if he have the hand turned, skillfully then stab from above below but in the same hand.^[371]

[60] Or stab him to his arm beneath the gauntlet and when the stab stops then runs from you, so you gain in the side and otherwise a great advantage.

[61] Or stab him through over his forth-placed hand and your sword from above below and set your hilt in your chest and set it in, etc.

[62] Item: If he have in-placed in your left armpit then step to pull it with the left foot, so that you got his point out and that yours fixed. Also you can increase your sword reach when you with the wrestling your pommel push by your chest.

[63] The text how one should mis-place the strike

27	With same shooting point He defends himself hit without fear
28	With both hands The point towards the eyes learn to turn

Explanation: Note, the pommel is the “slaughtering” point, if he will to you with it overrun with strong strikes then hold your sword over your left knee and in the guard, if he strikes you then to the head and is a stronger man, then strike to the slice out with the sword towards your left hand against his right side, and go off with the sword in the higher guard.

[64] Or if he is weaker than you are then step freely in and catch the hit between both hands in your sword and set in the point in the face.

[65] Item: When you the hit with the pommel catch in the middle of your sword, then go with the pommel over his sword forward by the hilt and pull downward from above off your right side so that you take his sword.

[66] Item: If he strike to you with the pommel to the left knee then catch the slice between both your hands in the sword that the pommel hang towards the earth, And go with the pommel under through his sword forward by the hilt and pull from above off to your right side so you pull in his sword off the hands.

[67] Item: Or if he is weak to you with the pommel and^[374] underneath after the foot, then swing your sword with the pommel to your left side in the earth against his strike and spring with it to him and wait the wrestling.

[68] Item: When you have your sword near your right side in the lower guard, if he strike then with the pommel after the point and let it goes around for you run, then spring artfully towards him, so that he is bad with the pommel over you, that is not harmful to you and set it in.

[69] Item: Also you can race after and in-place where you wish, whilst he with the pommel this way wish to let around himself self run.

[70] This here after is the text about the strike with the pommel

29	The forward foot With strikes you must keep

Explanation: Note,^[375] this is When you with the pommel wish to hit, so you should do it with quite precisely aim his forth-placed extremity, And that take it this way: When you will hit, then hold your sword in the guard over your head and act as if you wanted to him in the face to in-place, and let your sword go to the right hand, and come with the left  holding the middle of the blade and hit in with the pommel to the forth placed-foot or to his forth-placed hand, if he holds the sword in the middle, this way you can also hit to the lower guard from the right side.

[71] Item: You should also quite precisely look when he with the pommel hit to you, that your forth-placed knee or to your forth-placed hand hit, that you in the hit mis-place this way with the before written breaking, so that he might not damage you, etc.

Illustrations

Draft Translation (Glasgow only) (2020)
by Stephen Cheney

[1] 1. Hunt from your chest to his right hand

[2] 2. Turn around with the horse / pull his right hand with your left

[3] 3. With brushing,^[376] takes saddle rim / or weapon

[4] 4. Plant high, swing, go through, or break sword

[5] 5. The compelling, goes before all hits, hewing, stabbing

[6] 6. Grip at the strong with both hands

[7] 7. Here one begins to search for the tasset hew

[8] 8. Turn the right hand to him, set your point to his face

[9] 9. Defend against the stab, turn to it, catch his right hand in the left

[10] 10. Press firmly, shove from the reins and search for his knife

[11] 11. Search for the opening, arms, leather, glove, under the eyes

[12] 12. With empty hand, learn to sweep against all weapons

[13] 13. The sheep hold defends against all holds, wrestle under eyes^[377]

[14] 14. At the length, turn around, so the horse hurries back

[15] 15. In the near, catch the hand, invert his face, there is the nape

[16] 16. Catch the weapon, in the length, when riding against

[17] 17. Hunt to the right hand, with your^[378] art

[18] 18. If you hunt left, fall upon the sword’s pommel, bash under eyes

[19] 19. Plant the point against the face

[20] 20. Compel against all hits, which always will be

[21] 21. The strength in the wielding, correctly arrange yourself in it

[22] 22. This is now the spear, run it to the other encounters under eyes

[23] 23. The unnamed hold takes weapon or fells him

[24] 24. If one hunts you from both sides, turn around left, so he comes right

[25] 25. Take the knife, and think about holding

[26] 26. Grip over whoever attacks you, or do to him when riding against

[27]

Here begins Master Johannes Liechtenauer’s mounted fencing, which he has allowed to be written with obscure and disguised words, which is interpreted and glossed here in this book, so that any fencer may well hear it, if he can otherwise fence.

[28] This is the text

1	Direct your spear Against riding, make useless

Gloss: Note, this is when you have a lance, and another also has one, and wants to ride together with you, you shall therefore know to arrange yourself with your lance so that, with it, you divert^[379] his and hit him with the stab, and he does not hit you, and you shall know to drive the plays with the lance from two guards, which will be named to you hereafter.

[29] The 21st figure speaks about this: The strength in the wielding, etc.

[30] This is the text about the play from the first guard

2	If it recommends Your end to him, unbuckle

Gloss: Note, this is the play from the first guard: When you ride together with him, hold your lance under the arm to the stab, and when it comes to the meeting,^[380] do as if it is too heavy for you, and let it sink with the point low forward against your left side. If he then rides upon you with a stab, raise up your lance upwards with strength at his, so you hit him, and he does not hit you, because his lance goes away next to the side.

[31] The first figure speaks about this: Hunt from the chest, etc.

[32] This is the play from the second guard

Note, when you ride together with him, hold your lance with both hands in the middle in front of you athwart on the saddle bow. If he then rides upon you with a stab, then strike his lance away with the front part of your lance onto your right side from you, and wind your lance with it under your right arm, so you hit him and he does not hit you.

[33] The 17th figure speaks about this: Hunt to the, etc.

[34] This is the text

3	Hew in, don’t draw From scabbard jolt to him left
4	Grip to his right So you catch him without fencing

Gloss: This is if both fail with the lance while riding, let yours fall from your hand, and draw neither sword nor knife, and ride to him, and turn yourself with your left side to his right, and drive the wrestles described hereafter:

[35] Item: When you come with the left side at his right, if he then grips at you with the right hand forward and wants to wrestle, grip his right arm forward by the hand with your right, and drive the unnamed hold, or the secret.

[36] Item: Or, if he has drawn his sword and rises with it and wants to strike, grip his right elbow with the left hand, and shove him from you with it, and raise his right foot with your left foot, so he falls. Or, when you have gripped his right elbow with the left hand, grip his sword pommel with the right, and jolt to you with it, so you take his sword.

[37] Here note another

This is if you may not come to his right side with the left side, hold yourself with the right at his right. If he then grips to you with wrestling, drive the sheep hold,^[381] or the sun showing.

[38] Item: When you come with your right side at his right, if he then has drawn his sword and rises with it and wants to strike, then move with your right arm down from above outwards over his right, and press the arm to the right side, and ride forward, so you take his sword, or rise with the right arm from inwards over his right, and press the arm forward to your chest, and ride forward, so you again take his sword.

[39] The 12th figure speaks about this: With empty hand…

[40] Item: Grip his right hand with your left and jolt it in front of your chest, and turn your horse from him, so he falls.

[41] Item: Or, grip his right elbow with the right hand, and raise his right foot with your right foot, so he must fall.

[42] The second figure speaks about this: Turn around with the horse, etc.

[43] This is the text

5	The lance stabbing, fencing Learn to break moderately without hurry

Gloss: When someone rides upon you with a lance, you shall quite moderately^[382] ride against him, and with hurrying with the horse, so you may make all of his ridings upon you worthless with the previously written plays. Or, when you hurry or run, you can’t come to the art or to the play, and are similarly insecure on the horse.

[44] The 22nd figure speaks about this: This is now the spear, run, etc.

[45] This is the text about the tasset^[383] hew

6	If it converts itself So that sword will be dealt against sword
7	Correctly grasp the strong You search and note the tasset hew

Gloss: This is if you both have come from the lance, and shall fence with swords, lay your sword on^[384] the left arm in the guard, and ride directly to him under eyes to his right side. If he then hews an over hew upon you, rise with the sword and parry the hew strongly with the long edge, and stab him to the face. If he parries the stab and rises high, hew with the long edge to the left hand, or to the reins,^[385] and if the horse tricks you,^[386] then hew him to the right leg in the running away.

[46] The 7th figure speaks about this: Here begins, etc.

[47] This is the text

8	Learn to compel^[387] well strong All hits without danger, distress him with it
9	Plant without danger Whoever brushes, hang to his hair

Gloss: Note, that is, that you always shall bind on artfully with the sword, be it with hews or with stabs, and don’t withdraw yourself from the sword, and force him with the point to the plays written hereafter.

[48] The 20th figure speaks about this: Compel against, etc.

[49] Item: Assess if you may plant to him with the sword. If he parries onto his left side and rides to you, rise with the pommel from below, through his sword, around his neck, and come with the left to the pommel to help, and jolt him to you onto the side.

[50] The 6th figure speaks about this: Grip at with both hands, etc.

[51] Item: When he parries your hew, move with your crossguard^[388] under [his] jawbone, and grip him with the left hand by the helmet, and pull to yourself with it, and shove^[389] from you with the crossguard, so he falls.

[52] Item: If he parries your hew or stab, and hurries to you, grip his right hand with the left, and with the right, set your point into his face.

[53] The 8th figure speaks about this: Turn the right hand to him, etc.

[54] Item: If he parries your over hew with the lateral,^[390] rise high with the right hand, and [hang]^[391] with the point over top of his sword to his face or chest, and plant to him.

[55] The 4th figure speaks about this: Plant high, swing, etc.

[56] This is the text

10	If you want to touch Long hunting, that severely hurts
11	Whoever wards that So wind that, also hurts
12	If he will continue it Catch reins, and let the bit guard

Gloss: Hold your sword next to your right leg in the guard, and ride to him as such, and stab him to the face with long outstretched arm. If he parries the stab, rise with the right hand and wind at the sword, and remain with the point in front of his face.

[57] The 4th speaks about this: Plant high, etc.

[58] Item: If he then parries with the sword and hurries to you, rise with your hand inwards over his right arm, and grip your reins with left inverted hand under his arm, therefore you engulf^[393] his hand with the reins.

[59] The 10th figure speaks: Press firm, etc.

[60] Here note the set-asides with the sword on horseback

Note, when you ride to the man, and have your sword in a guard, note to which side he hews to you. If he hews to you from above to your left side, wind also onto your left side against his hew. Or, if he hews to you to your right side, wind also onto your right, so that your thumb always comes under, and with the parry, always set the point into his face, and drive this out against the lance also as such.

[61] The 19th figure speaks about this: Plant the point, etc.

[62] Item: When he parries your hew,^[394] if he then remains by you as such, move with the pommel outside over top of his right hand, and shove the hand in front of you with the crossguard to your saddle bow, and with your left, grip his sword’s pommel, and ride forward, so you take his sword.

[63] This is the text

13	Think about the opening Search for knife, don’t ward pommel

Gloss: This is when you shall fence with someone in armor, you shall, before all cases, know to which side you may best defeat him.

[64] Item: That is, under the face, or under the armpit, or outwards on the hand in the glove, or inwards into the hand of the palm, and in all joints of the armor at arms and at legs, and search for all the openings with stabs, and not with strikes. And if you may not quite work with the sword, when you come too near to him, work with the dagger, and if you may not come to your dagger, then assess if you may take his, and work with it to the opening.

[65] The 11th figure speaks: Search for the opening, arm, leather, etc.

[66] This is the text

14	Learn two sweeps With empty hand against the weapons

Gloss: That is, that you, before all cases, shall know and learn to take, how you shall work with free hand on horseback, and most importantly^[395] with the wrestling. Therefore, you shall address the reins as such, so that you may shift from one hand to the other, and therefore search for your advantage with it, and that is the greatest art on horseback.

[67] The 12th figure speaks about this: With empty hand, learn, etc.

[68] This is the text about the sheep hold

15	The sheep hold teaches Whoever turns themselves wrestling to you
16	As under eyes Grip him correctly with striking

Gloss: This is the best wrestling of one on horseback, drive it as follows: When you want to wrestle, ride equally to the man under eyes to his right side, and engage him with wrestling. If he then attacks^[396] against you, grip his right arm forward by the hand with your left inverted hand, and jolt it under your chest, and move over it with your right arm, and grip the saddle bow with it, and ride forward, so he must fall.

[69] The 13th figure speaks about this: The sheep hold wards…

[70] This is the text about wrestling

17	Whoever attacks you Against riding, he will be joined
18	Hanging to the earth Over grip him correctly with conduct

Gloss: That is, when you ride together with someone, if he then comes with his right side to yours, and falls with the right arm forward into your neck, move also around his as such, and move with the left hand behind around him, and come with it to your right to help, and jolt him to you onto the side, or strike your right arm above over his right, and throw him with the sheep hold.

[71] Another^[397]

Item: When you ride together with someone, if he then comes with his left side to your right, and if he falls with the left hand behind around your neck, rise with the right arm behind you strong over his left, and come with the left hand to the right hand to help, and press his left arm to him tight behind into your nape. If he then swerves with the arm, grip his left hand with the left, and drive the unnamed hold, or the forbidden hold.

[72] Item: Or, if he grips behind around with the left hand and wants to wrestle, strike with the right arm outwards strong down from above into the joint of his left arm, and ride forward.

[73] The 26th figure: Over grip, etc.

[74] This is the text about a lesson

19	To both sides You learn all ridings against him

Gloss: That is, to whichever side you come to the man, you shall hold yourself near to him, and drive the art as follows: If you come upon him with your right side, drive the previous plays, which pertain to the right side. Or, if you come upon him with the left side, drive also what pertains to the left side, so he may not come to his plays.

[75] This is the text to the left side

20	If you want to ride Horse runs to the other side
21	Compel the strong Plant with it, distress
22	In weapon which is valuable to you Wide sword, catch, carry, near the hand hate

Gloss: That is, if you want to ride to someone to his left side, you shall also bind on strong with the sword, be it with hewing or with stabbing, and always aim for the openings with the point, as you have done to the right side. With it, you force him to the plays which pertain to the left side, because there are several plays which one drives to the left side, which one cannot drive to the right.

[76] The fifth figure speaks about this: The compelling, going before all, etc.

[77] Item: That is, when you ride to him to the left side, hew in an over hew strong. If he then also hews in strong and wants to plant to you, you shall parry him while he is far from you with the sword. Or, if he comes near to you, grip his right hand with your left.

[78] The 16th figure speaks: Catch the weapon, etc.

[79] This is the text about a lesson

23	Or turn around Rested, defended to hunting
24	With all arts He hunts, he sends as is good

Gloss: That is, if your horse carries you away in front of him, so that you can drive no play upon him, turn yourself to him to the side, there you may best drive the advantage.

[80] The 14th figure speaks about this: In the length, turn around, etc.

[81] This is the text

25	If you pass And go left against your will
26	Touch upon your sword And wrestle, strike, not firmly

Gloss: That is, if your horse tricks you, or how that happened, that you must ride to his left side against your will, lay your sword upon the left arm. If he then hews to the head, rise with the sword, and parry with the long edge. If you then come near to him with the parry, then move with the left arm over his right hand, and press it firmly as such into your left side, and bash him with the pommel under the face.

[82] The 18th figure speaks about this: If you hunt left, fall upon it, etc.

[83] Note

Or, when you press his right arm into his^[398] left side, and ride away next to him, you take his sword. You may also catch with the reins into the hand with the move-over if you want.

[84] Item: When you parry his over hew as is written before, hew in a free over hew above to the head.

[85] Item: When you have your sword on the left arm in the guard, if one then rides upon you with a lance to your left side, rise well with the pommel and let the blade hang to the left side, and set aside his lance with it as such, and hew to his head, or plant to him. Or, if he rides to you with the lance to your right side, sweep straight up with the sword to his lance, and wind into the over hanging, and plant to him.

[86] This is the text

27	Hunt one to the right Half turn around, ward fencing
28	Catching with arm So may no harm near you

Gloss: That is, if you become forced to flee, and you were armed,^[399] and have nothing but a sword, and then one plants with the lance behind to your right side, turn yourself out of the stab against him upon your left side, and turn yourself with the sword against his lance, and plant to him. Or, if he plants to you behind to your left side, turn yourself onto your right against him, and wind with the sword as before, and plant to him.

[87] The 24th figure speaks about this: If one hunts you from both sides, etc.

[88] Item: While you flee, you shall also know to nimbly turn yourself around in the saddle from one side to the other, and stab behind you, and set-aside sword and lance to both sides.

[89] Note a nimbleness with the lance

When you are hunted,^[400] and have a lance, if someone hunts towards you, and also has one, hold your lance with the right hand on the right shoulder, and when you see that he is nearly behind at you, raise the lance over the head upon your left shoulder, and let your point remain behind you, and turn yourself against him upon your left side, and strike your lance with it under the arm, so you come equally with him under the eyes.

[90] This is the text

29	The knife taking Learn to hold without shame

Gloss: Here note, how [you] shall take his sword or his knife or the dagger: Ride to his right side, and search for the opening, however you may, with hew or with stab. If he parries and comes near to you, grab his right arm behind his right hand with your left inverted hand, and jolt it in front of you, and hold him firmly by it, and bend your left arm outwards at the handle of his sword, so he must drop his sword.^[401] And when you hold him by the arm as such, you may strike him with the sword, or throw him with the sheep hold.

[91] The 25th figure speaks about this: The knife taking, etc.

[92] This is about the unnamed hold

30	The unnamed Turn the strong, they stab
31	They strike Destroyed without any reach

Gloss: Note, this is the unnamed hold: When you come to him with the left side, if he then has drawn his weapon and wants to strike you, or grabs you with the right hand in front with wrestling, grab his right arm with your right hand in front by the hand, and jolt it under your chest, and lie yourself upon it with the body, and ride forward, so you break his arm.

[93] Item: If you don’t want to break the arm, when you have jolted him in front of your chest, grab his right elbow with your left hand, and shove him from you with it, and grab his sword by the pommel with your right hand, and jolt to you with it, so you take his sword.

[94] The 23rd figure speaks about this: The unnamed hold, etc.

[95] This is the text about the sun showing

32	If you want to grapple You shall not allow riding next to you
33	The sun showing If you want to bend the left arm
34	The front head touches Against after press very firmly
35	So that he sinks himself And rarely lengthens again on

Gloss: Note, this is the best wrestling of one on horseback. When you ride together with him, if you then come with your right side to his right, hold yourself near to him, and grip behind around him with your left hand, and grab him with it by his left arm, and pull it tight around to you, and with your right hand, grip him below at his jawbone, and shove it firmly at you, upwards up, against his left side, so you turn his face against the sun. With it, you win his momentum, so that he may not hold himself.

[96] Item: Or, if you come with the left side to his right, grab him as before, and throw him behind you onto your left side, and that wrestle is called the sun showing.

[97] The 15th figure speaks about this: In the after, catch the hand, etc.

[98]

36	Whoever aims that Grip over, then he will be shamed
37	Press arm to head The grip has often robbed saddle

Gloss: Here note, this is the break against the sun showing. If someone comes with his right side to your right and wants to throw you with the sun showing, note when he grabs you with the right hand at the jawbone, then strike the right arm over his right, and jolt it firmly to your chest, and lie yourself upon it with the body, and ride forwards, so you throw him, or throw him with the sheep hold.

[99] Item: If he comes with his left side to your right and grabs with his left hand behind around you towards your left arm, rise from below backward over his left arm and press him tight behind in the nape. If he then weasels away with the arm, grab his left hand with the left hand, and throw him with the unnamed hold.

[100] The fourth figure speaks about this: Whoever wards the stab, catch to him, etc.

[101] Another text

38	Yet if you want to moderate^[402] yourself Of the catching, light letting go from you
39	Then lead wrestling Caught without laces^[403]

Gloss: Note, this is called the secret wrestle, if you want to make it common, and allow to be evidently seen, drive it as follows: Ride with your left side at his right. If he grips you in front with wrestling, with your right hand, grip his right arm in front by the hand, and jolt it forward, and with the left hand, grip his right elbow, and shove it upwards, and shove his right arm above over the left arm with the right hand, and raise his right arm upwards as such with the left arm. Therefore you have caught him and bound without any bind, and drive this to both sides.

[102]

40	Note the before-hold It continually breaks his strength

Gloss: That is, you shall always come before, sooner than he, with the grappling and wrestling which you have heard, and most importantly with the four chief wrestles,^[404] with which you let him come to no plays, that is the sheep hold, the unnamed hold, the sun showing, and the secret hold, and of the catches with the reins, you shall not forget with, and when you can do the wrestles well, no one may throw you hard from the horse without harm.

Additional Resources

The following is a list of publications containing scans, transcriptions, and translations relevant to this article, as well as published peer-reviewed research.

Acutt, Jay (2019). Swords, Science, and Society: German Martial Arts in the Middle Ages. Glasgow: Fallen Rook Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9934216-9-3.
Ain ringeck, Sigmund (2003). Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Art of the Longsword. Trans. by David Lindholm. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press. ISBN 978-1-58160-410-8.
Ain ringeck, Sigmund (2006). Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Arts of Combat. Trans. by David Lindholm. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press. ISBN 978-1-58160-499-3.
Cheney, Stephen (2020). Ringeck • Danzig • Lew Longsword. Self-published. ISBN 979-8649845441.
Chidester, Michael; Dierk Hagedorn (2024). Pieces of Ringeck: The Definitive Edition of the Gloss of Sigmund Ainring. Medford, MA: HEMA Bookshelf. ISBN 978-1-953683-41-0.
Fabian, Martin (2024). Fechtbuch Fabian. Self-published. ISBN 978-80-570-6163-2.
Hagedorn, Dierk (2016). "German Fechtbücher from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance." Late Medieval and Early Modern Fight Books. Transmission and Tradition of Martial Arts in Europe: 247-279. Ed. by Daniel Jaquet; Karin Verelst; Timothy Dawson. Leiden and Boston: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-31241-8.
Hagedorn, Dierk (2021). Albrecht Dürer. Das Fechtbuch. Herne: VS-Books. ISBN 9783932077500.
Hagedorn, Dierk; Daniel Jaquet (2022). Dürer's Fight Book: The Genius of the German Renaissance and his Combat Treatise. Barnsley: Greenhill Books. ISBN 978-1-784438-703-7.
Kellett, Rachel E. (2015). "'...Vnnd schuß im vnder dem schwert den ort lang ein zu der brust': The Placement and Consequences of Sword-blows in Sigmund Ringeck's Fifteenth-Century Fencing Manual." Wounds and wound repair in Medieval culture: 128-150. Ed. by Larissa Tracy; Kelly DeVries. Leiden: Brill. doi:10.1163/9789004306455_007.
Müller, Jan-Dirk (1992). "Bild – Verse – Prosakommentar am Beispiel von Fechtbüchern. Probleme der Verschriftlichung einer schriftlosen Praxis." Pragmatische Schriftlichkeit im Mittelalter. Erscheinungsformen und Entwicklungsstufen: 251-282. Ed. by Hagen Keller; Klaus Grubmüller; Nikolaus Staubach. München: Fink.
Tobler, Christian Henry (2001). Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship. Union City, CA: Chivalry Bookshelf. ISBN 978-1-891448-07-2.
Verelst, Karin (2016). "Finding a Way through the Labyrinth: Some Methodological Remarks on Critically Editing the Fight Book Corpus." Late Medieval and Early Modern Fight Books. Transmission and Tradition of Martial Arts in Europe: 117-188. Ed. by Daniel Jaquet; Karin Verelst; Timothy Dawson. Leiden and Boston: Brill. doi:10.1163/9789004324725_008. ISBN 978-90-04-31241-8.
Welle, Rainer (2021). Albrecht Dürer und seine Kunst des Zweikampfes: auf den Spuren der Handschrift 26232 in der Albertina Wien. Kumberg: Sublilium Schaffer, Verlag für Geschichte, Kunst & Buchkultur. ISBN 9783950500806.
Wierschin, Martin (1965). Meister Johann Liechtenauers Kunst des Fechtens. München: C. H. Beck.

References

↑ Jens P. Kleinau. "Schirrmeister, Schermeister, Schirmmeister". Hans Talhoffer ~ A Historical Martial Arts blog by Jens P. Kleinau], 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
↑ The Fellowship of Liechtenauer is recorded in three versions of Paulus Kal's treatise: MS 1825 (1460s), Cgm 1507 (ca. 1470), and MS KK5126 (1480s).
↑ For a different perspective, see Christian Henry Tobler. "Chicken and Eggs: Which Master Came First?" In Saint George's Name: An Anthology of Medieval German Fighting Arts. Wheaton, IL: Freelance Academy Press, 2010.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 4.0} ^4.1 Werner J. Hoffmann. "Mscr.Dresd.C.487: Siegmund am Ringeck, Fechtlehre". Tiefenerschließung und Digitalisierung der deutschsprachigen mittelalterlichen Handschriften der Sächsischen Landesbibliothek - Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek (SLUB) Dresden. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
↑ Dresden fol. 31r.
↑ Dresden fol. 20r.
↑ Dresden fol. 27r.
↑ MS M.Ⅰ.29 is signed and internally dated on folio 158r.
↑ MS E.1939.65.341 is internally dated on folio 22r.
↑ Friedrich Dörnhöffer. Albrecht Dürers Fechtbuch. Vienna: F. Tempsky, 1910.
↑ The origin of Reichstadt Nr. 82 is detailed on folio Ⅱr.
↑ The only date, 1570, is given on folio 123 (between the first and second sections of Meyer's rapier text); the rest of the manuscript shows a few different hands and was likely compiled prior to its acquisition by Meyer. See Joachim Meyer. The Art of Combat. A German Martial Arts Treatise of 1570. Trans. Jeffrey L. Forgeng. London: Frontline Books, 2014. pp 32-33.
↑ Medel's section of the Cod. Ⅰ.6.2º.5 is internally dated on folio 21r.
↑ The record of the Marxbrüder in the manuscript ends on folio 20r with the year 1566, so Mair couldn't have acquired it before then.
↑ Sydney Anglo. The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2000. pp 312-315.
↑ Paragraphs 1-84.
↑ Paragraphs 85-121.
↑ Rostock adds: and pictured
↑ ^{Jump up to: 19.00} ^19.01 ^19.02 ^19.03 ^19.04 ^19.05 ^19.06 ^19.07 ^19.08 ^19.09 ^19.10 ^19.11 ^19.12 ^19.13 ^19.14 ^19.15 ^19.16 ^19.17 ^19.18 ^19.19 ^19.20 ^19.21 ^19.22 ^19.23 ^19.24 ^19.25 ^19.26 ^19.27 ^19.28 ^19.29 ^19.30 ^19.31 ^19.32 ^19.33 ^19.34 ^19.35 ^19.36 ^19.37 ^19.38 ^19.39 ^19.40 ^19.41 ^19.42 ^19.43 ^19.44 ^19.45 ^19.46 ^19.47 ^19.48 ^19.49 ^19.50 ^19.51 ^19.52 ^19.53 ^19.54 ^19.55 Word omitted from the Dresden.
↑ "Known as" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ D. schirmaiste~, R. schiermeister.
↑ Count Palatine
↑ Duke
↑ "and pictured" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ Corrected from »am«.
↑ lit: All art has length and measure
↑ ^{Jump up to: 27.0} ^27.1 ^27.2 Line omitted from the Dresden.
↑ lit: hastening. hasten, maturare, accelerare, see Grimm
↑ alt: instruction
↑ Zeck: Tick. (Rostock)Zeckruhr: Insect bites
↑ possibly: 'strongly desire to conduct'
↑ D. Zeck: Tick; R. Zeckruhr: Insect bites.
↑ Possibly "strongly desire to conduct".
↑ ^{Jump up to: 34.0} ^34.1 "Note, this is" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ "You shall" omitted from the Rostock.
↑ Lit: "Before the moment he comes with his to you".
↑ wiederhalten: lit. 'hold against'. To withstand, resist
↑ wiederhalten: lit. "hold against"; to withstand, resist.
↑ Alternately: weapons.
↑ D. Wer dz wäre: "Whoever defends these".
↑ Alternately: avow, legally promise.
↑ Possibly "wages".
↑ Lit: "hew other hews".
↑ "In the same five hews" omitted from the Rostock.
↑ ober is an adjective, oben is an adverb.
↑ R. "the".
↑ ^{Jump up to: 47.00} ^47.01 ^47.02 ^47.03 ^47.04 ^47.05 ^47.06 ^47.07 ^47.08 ^47.09 ^47.10 ^47.11 ^47.12 ^47.13 ^47.14 ^47.15 ^47.16 ^47.17 ^47.18 ^47.19 ^47.20 ^47.21 ^47.22 ^47.23 ^47.24 ^47.25 ^47.26 ^47.27 ^47.28 ^47.29 ^47.30 ^47.31 ^47.32 ^47.33 ^47.34 ^47.35 ^47.36 ^47.37 ^47.38 ^47.39 ^47.40 ^47.41 ^47.42 ^47.43 ^47.44 Clause omitted from the Dresden.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 48.0} ^48.1 "This is" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ abrucken: "removere" (remove), "absetzen" (offset).
↑ Rostock: 'nider' => 'down'
↑ D. wider[sic]: "again".
↑ Rostock: "wind stark..." => "twist strongly"
↑ ^{Jump up to: 53.0} ^53.1 ^53.2 ^53.3 ^53.4 D. "the".
↑ D. bind: "bind-in".
↑ Rostock garbles Indes with 'Jun ger'
↑ Rostock: "dem krieg"
↑ Rostock: has "arbaiten(to work)" instead of "hurten"
↑ R. Jun ger [sic].
↑ R. dem krieg: "the war".
↑ D. hurten: "to rush".
↑ Rostock adds: "der heúe, oder stich, od shnit"
↑ "The hew, or thrust, or cut" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ "Nor thrust… cut" omitted from the Rostock.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 64.0} ^64.1 ^64.2 ^64.3 Sentence omitted from the Rostock.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 65.0} ^65.1 ^65.2 ^65.3 ^65.4 ^65.5 ^65.6 ^65.7 ^65.8 Word omitted from the Rostock.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 66.0} ^66.1 Word omitted from the Dresden and the Rostock.
↑ Alternately: ponder, weigh, calculate, estimate, consider.
↑ Alternately: avenge, take full legal retribution.
↑ Alternately: straight, upright, properly.
↑ D. schüczen, R. behuetẽ.
↑ Rostock hews off at this point and picks up in the middle of the sixth subsequent play, probably indicating a missing page.
↑ Alternately: part, piece.
↑ aufkrummen: Lat. sursum torquere, twist, turn or bend up; twist, turn, bend, or cast back; avert, deflect .
↑ ^{Jump up to: 74.0} ^74.1 ^74.2 ^74.3 ^74.4 ^74.5 Word omitted from the Salzburg.
↑ Likely a scribal error and should be "his".
↑ "The opening" omitted from the Salzburg.
↑ S. "the over- or under-hew".
↑ Possibly "it".
↑ S. vß gestreckten: "outstretched".
↑ Sentence omitted from the Salzburg; instead, it segues into the Lew gloss of the same verse, describing how the Crooked hew breaks the Ox.
↑ This phrase has no verb, likely due to scribal error; it has been completed based on the version in the treatise of Hans Medel.
↑ Rostock begins again at this point.
↑ "Cut" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ S. "Item".
↑ ^{Jump up to: 85.0} ^85.1 Paragraphs 33 and 35 are substantially similar and are likely based on the same original text. However, they contain significant differences in the beginning of the play and it is unclear which represents the original version; the version found in Rostock and Salzburg seems to refer to the technique in 32, whereas the Dresden refers to 34 (not found in the others). In this compilation, the two versions are displayed separately, first that of the Rostock and Salzburg (33) and then that of the Dresden (35).
↑ S. "if".
↑ S. "his".
↑ S. "the".
↑ S. "where he shall guard himself".
↑ D. has the word "Gloss" here; this appears to be a scribal error, as it corresponds to the position of the phrase "as is pictured here-after" in the Rostock, and all instances of that phrase were removed by the scribe of the Dresden.
↑ "Komp" added below the line in a different hand.
↑ Rostock adds: "Stehe mit dem lincken fûs vor, und halt dein schwert an deiner rechtenn achsel und ..." => "Stand with your left foot forwards and hold your sword by your right shoulder and ..."
↑ "Stand with… shoulder, and" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ literally "breaks"
↑ Rostock: supplies the missing verb, 'windest'
↑ D. "thwart".
↑ ^{Jump up to: 97.0} ^97.1 Alternately, wiederhalten: to struggle or resist.
↑ alternately, wiederhalten: to struggle or resist
↑ Word omitted from the Glasgow, the Rostock, and the Salzburg.
↑ "Or otherwise" omitted from the Salzburg.
↑ "-Cut" omitted from the Dresden, the Glasgow, and the Rostock.
↑ Clause omitted from the Dresden; struck out in the Rostock.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 103.0} ^103.1 Clause omitted from the Dresden and the Rostock.
↑ Rostock: "unternn" => "lower"
↑ R. "wind".
↑ "With the over-hew" omitted from the Glasgow.
↑ R. unternn: "lower".
↑ "Next to" omitted from the Rostock.
↑ Glasgow adds albeg: "always, continually".
↑ The Rostock title matched the Dresden
↑ Or "connects"; alternately: rouses, stirs (ostensibly your opponent).
↑ "This is" omitted from the Glasgow and the Rostock.
↑ "Will strike" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ G. twerhaw: "thwart-hew".
↑ R. "wind".
↑ "Or left" omitted from the Glasgow.
↑ Everything from "and steal away" to the end of the sentence is omitted from the Dresden.
↑ Alternately: to turn around.
↑ "And strike in" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ omitted in Dresden
↑ mit omitted in the Glasgow
↑ D. "is".
↑ ^{Jump up to: 123.0} ^123.1 D. "right".
↑ D. mit auß: "with from".
↑ As a thief would break into a house.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 126.0} ^126.1 ^126.2 ^126.3 Word omitted from the Glasgow and the Rostock.
↑ Word is doubled in the Glasgow.
↑ annehmen: receive, accept, take up, assume, claim, obtain, etc.
↑ "Into the weak of his sword" omitted from the Rostock
↑ "Upright, elevated, straight, at a right angle"; Glasgow gives auff gerackten, which may be a misspelling of pPvD's aus gestrackten, "out-stretched".
↑ "With upright arms… right shoulder" omitted from the Rostock.
↑ Clause omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
↑ R. "pictured here".
↑ ^{Jump up to: 134.00} ^134.01 ^134.02 ^134.03 ^134.04 ^134.05 ^134.06 ^134.07 ^134.08 ^134.09 ^134.10 ^134.11 ^134.12 ^134.13 ^134.14 ^134.15 ^134.16 ^134.17 ^134.18 ^134.19 ^134.20 ^134.21 ^134.22 ^134.23 ^134.24 ^134.25 Word omitted from the Glasgow.
↑ Corrected from »seiner«.
↑ S. bestetigstu: "to plant".
↑ G. abent: "evening", clearly an error; Medel: anwinden: "winding-upon".
↑ ^{Jump up to: 138.0} ^138.1 ^138.2 ^138.3 ^138.4 ^138.5 Word omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
↑ "To his point" omitted from the Rostock.
↑ "To his point" omitted from the Glasgow.
↑ S. "You may also do this".
↑ "A free over-hew" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
↑ "With the visage" omitted from the Salzburg.
↑ "To his head" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
↑ D., G. "the head".
↑ Rostock:The part cut is a threat to the face, with its turn, the breast is firmly threatened. Gloss. Note the part cut is conducted like this: cut in with your long edge at the opponent's head down from above from your part. If they parry, then hang your point in with your long edge over their hilt and thrust into their face, as is pictured here.
↑ R. includes couplet 64 with this gloss.
↑ R. denn Schaytler: "the parter".
↑ ^{Jump up to: 149.0} ^149.1 ^149.2 ^149.3 Clause omitted from the Rostock.
↑ D. der lange: "long, high, tall, or lofty".
↑ "To his head" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
↑ "If he displaces" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
↑ einhangen: to adhere, stick to, cleave to, hold on to, engage deeply.
↑ "With the long… and thrust him" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
↑ Glasgow: Another. If the opponent firmly shoves your point upwards with their hilt, then twist your sword with your hilt high in front of your head, such that the thumb comes below and place the point under their hands upon their breast, as is pictured here.
↑ Rostock: One other play. What comes from them, the crown takes that away, Slice through the crown, so you break the hard beautifully, press the thrust [in pPvD, this is 'strich' not 'stich'. So: "press the strike"], withdraw it with slicing. Gloss. Note when you cut in from above using the part cut, if they parry hard over their head with their hilt, this parry is called the crown, and they rush in on you with it, then take your lower slice under their hands into their arm, and press firmly upward, so that the crown is broken again.
↑ Kehr has two etymologies: one is "to turn", the other is "to sweep away" or to "carry off"; the gloss supports the first derivation.
↑ Alternately: strongly, firmly, steadfastly.
↑ R. includes this couplet with the previous gloss.
↑ G., R., S. "Item".
↑ D. "hang-in"; "strike-in and" omitted.
↑ "The point" omitted from the Salzburg.
↑ Sentence omitted from the Glasgow and the Rostock.
↑ D., G., R. "you".
↑ D., G., S. "the".
↑ "In the displacement" omitted from the Salzburg and the Rostock.
↑ "Of the parter" omitted from the Dresden, the Rostock, and the Salzburg.
↑ S. fast vber sich: "firmly upward".
↑ Clause omitted from the Dresden, the Glasgow, and the Salzburg.
↑ "His hands" omitted from the Dresden, the Glasgow, and the Salzburg.
↑ G. "since".
↑ Rostock combines the glosses for couplets 65-67 into a single paragraph; they have been separated here according to their presentation in Dresden and Glasgow.
↑ in pPvD, this is 'strich' not 'stich'. So: "press the strike"
↑ D., G. Schon, lit. "already", "yet".
↑ D. stuch, R. stich: "press the thrust".
↑ D., G., S. "cut".
↑ ^{Jump up to: 177.0} ^177.1 Clause omitted from the Dresden, the Rostock, and the Salzburg.
↑ S. "well broken".
↑ "From the under-cut" omitted from the Salzburg.
↑ "And wind your sword… withdraw yourself" omitted from the Rostock.
↑ Imperative of fliehen.
↑ alt: unpleasant, repugnant
↑ "Note, this" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ "Will be" omitted from the Glasgow.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 185.0} ^185.1 ^185.2 ^185.3 "Is called" omitted from the Dresden
↑ "With the hilt" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ G. auß gestrackten: "upstretched".
↑ "It all" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ "In this book" omitted from the Glasgow.
↑ G. "Guard yourself displacing crossed in front".
↑ D. instead continues "that the four displacings, they are the four hews".
↑ Setzen", possibly a shortening of versetzen, "displaces".
↑ D. "oxen".
↑ literally "breaks"
↑ S. other.
↑ "they allow the... do not parry" omitted from the Dresden and Glasgow.
↑ S. Item
↑ R. "This is when one displaces your over-hew"; S. "If your over-hew is parried and it comes nearing upon him".
↑ D. "in front of".
↑ G., S. versetzte: "shifted, misplaced, displaced, parried".
↑ Word omitted from the Dresden, the Glasgow, and the Rostock.
↑ "And wrench… his below" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
↑ "The head" omitted from the Salzburg.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 204.0} ^204.1 Clause omitted from the Dresden and the Salzburg.
↑ S. "also".
↑ Glasgow: This is the text and the gloss of yet another one of the plays against the parry.
Lodge against four regions
Learn to remain upon them if you wish to finish
Gloss. This is for when you cut in from above from your right shoulder. If you wish to quickly finish with the sword, note when the opponent parries, then immediately strike around using the crosswise cut and grasp your sword in the middle of the blade with your left hand during the crash and set the point into their face as is pictured next or lodge against them at whichever of the four openings you can best get to.
↑ G. mit dem schwert: "with the sword".
↑ D. "grasp with the sword".
↑ G. magst: "may".
↑ ^{Jump up to: 210.0} ^210.1 ^210.2 G. "the".
↑ This is about pursuing.
Learn to pursue
Double or slice into the weapon
Gloss. Note this is so that you shall quite fully learn about Pursuing, and conduct it like this: When the opponent wishes to cut in from above, note the moment they draw up their sword for the strike, pursue them with a cut or with a thrust into the opening, before they ever come down with their cut.
↑ Alternately: defense.
↑ "And hit him" omitted from the Rostock.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 214.0} ^214.1 "The moment" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ D. wieder-kommen: to meet, to encounter, to run into".
↑ "Or fall… from you" omitted from the Rostock.
↑ Corrected from »dem«.
↑ Or if the opponent cuts down from above and allows their sword to go down to the earth with their cut, then pursue them with a descending cut to their head, before they come up with their sword, so that they are stricken.
↑ Line omitted from the Rostock.
↑ R. "or".
↑ "If he then" omitted from the Rostock".
↑ D. haw: "hew".
↑ Mähnen, menen, mennen. To drive cattle, to impel an animal to move(in particular a driver or rider with a cattle-drive). To exert command over something reacting. To lead.
↑ maintain blade contact
↑ geim: "watchfully, to observe, cautiously, with foresight".
↑ Word omitted from the Glasgow and the Salzburg.
↑ S. "the feeling work thusly".
↑ "You come… onset and" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
↑ S. "soft or hard".
↑ S. "feeling".
↑ "To the nearest opening" omitted from the Salzburg.
↑ D., G. gewar, S. ÿnnen.
↑ Word omitted from the Dresden and the Salzburg.
↑ D. "winds".
↑ D. blitzscht: "flashes".
↑ Corrected from »arnn«.
↑ D. "Item".
↑ G. "note".
↑ Schier has the sense of approaching quickly and closely.
↑ Glasgow: This is the text and the gloss about yanking back
Tread close in binds,
So that yanking back gives good opportunities.
Suddenly withdraw. If they engage, suddenly withdraw more.
If they work, slice so that it does them woe.
Suddenly withdraw in all engagements
If you wish to make a fool of the masters
Gloss. This is for when you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, cut in strongly from above, from your right shoulder to their head. Then if they bind you against their sword by parrying or otherwise, then in the bind step close to them and suddenly withdraw away your sword up off from theirs and cut in again from above on the other side at their head as it is pictured next to this, and work swiftly to their nearest opening by doubling or otherwise by other plays.
↑ Zucken has the connotation of yanking something hard or quickly, like yanking or snatching; there is an essence of agitation in the yank.
↑ "On the sword" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ Beginning of sentence in Glasgow reads "and work swiftly with the doubling.
↑ D. "(and with other plays)".
↑ Rostock: "and allow the blade to hang down behind you"
↑ ^{Jump up to: 246.0} ^246.1 R. "hang down behind you".
↑ G. "next to this".
↑ R. "when in the running-in he also drives-up with the arms".
↑ This last sentence is highlighted and a drawn hand is pointing to it.
↑ Corrected from »dim«.
↑ Glasgow: Note. When one rushes in the other, pass over their right arm with your left and with that seize their right arm with an inverted hand and press their left over your left using your right arm and spring behind their right foot with your right and turn yourself away from them to their left side and throw them over their right hip as is pictured here next to this.
↑ Line omitted from the Glasgow.
↑ D. "left hand inverted".
↑ D. "your".
↑ "With an inverted hand" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 256.0} ^256.1 G. "his".
↑ "Thus you" omitted from the Glasgow.
↑ Corrected from »rechtem«.
↑ Corrected from »sinem«.
↑ This sentence is underlined
↑ D. "One other wrestling at the sword".
↑ Clause omitted from the Glasgow.
↑ Sentence omitted from the Glasgow.
↑ Glasgow adds: in the middle of the blade
↑ D. "A sword taking".
↑ Glasgow: traverse
↑ Read: "attacks".
↑ "With strength" omitted from the Glasgow.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 269.0} ^269.1 G. far: "drive".
↑ D. "Yet another cut".
↑ "He then" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ "And press… pictured here" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ Glasgow: This is the text and the gloss about the transformation of the slice
Turn your edge
To flatten, press the hands
Gloss. This is for when you in your onrush come into the opponent's arms with the lower slice such that your point goes out toward their right side, then with that press firmly upwards and during the pressing, spring to their right side with your left foot and turn your sword up over their arms using your long edge, such that your point goes out toward their left side. In this way have you transformed the lower slice into the upper. Conduct this on both sides.
↑ G. "your".
↑ "With that" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ "With the cut" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
↑ Clause omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
↑ Sentence omitted from the Dresden.
↑ Rostock: This is the text and the gloss about the two hangings the sword
Two hangings emerge
From the ground out of each hand
In every application
Cut, Thrust, Position, Soft or Hard
Gloss. Note there are two hangings from each hand and from each side of the ground. Execute them like this: When you bind against the opponent's sword using the lower displacement toward your left side, hang your sword's pommel [down] toward the ground and from that hanging thrust up at their face from below. Then if the opponent shoves your point upward by parrying, then remain like this against their sword and rise up as well and hang your point down from above in their face and in these two hangings you shall swiftly conduct all applications [with] cut, thrust and slice thereafter as you either perceive or recognize in the binding up of the swords whether they are soft or hard with it. These hangings from both sides are the plows from both sides.
↑ "With him" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
↑ "Or test" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ Sentence omitted from the Augsburg and the Dresden.
↑ sach: thing, or disagreement, contention, dispute, or the thing underlying the disagreement, contention or dispute.
↑ ^{Jump up to: 284.0} ^284.1 ^284.2 ^284.3 ^284.4 ^284.5 ^284.6 Word omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
↑ A. "and".
↑ ^{Jump up to: 286.0} ^286.1 ^286.2 ^286.3 ^286.4 ^286.5 Word omitted from the Augsburg and the Dresden.
↑ The word »es« is almost illegible.
↑ G: against their cut
↑ ^{Jump up to: 289.0} ^289.1 ^289.2 ^289.3 ^289.4 ^289.5 Word omitted from the Augsburg.
↑ nachbinden: "attach to the end or behind something".
↑ "With the long edge" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
↑ "From the sword" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ "With the point" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ D. "or"; word omitted from the Augsburg.
↑ abziechen.
↑ Glasgow: Here note how you shall stand in the long point and what plays you shall conduct from it.
Note. When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, advance your left foot the moment before they bind against your sword and hold your point long from extended arms against their face or against their breast. Then if the opponent cuts in from above at your head, then wind against their cut with your sword and thrust into their face.
↑ D. Mörck Ee: "Note, before".
↑ "just near" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
↑ "When he… the sword" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ A., D. "the".
↑ D. "hews from above to below".
↑ Corrected from »ausgerattñ«.
↑ D. "to the other side to the opening".
↑ "Your sword" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
↑ This last sentence is highlighted.
↑ Sentence omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
↑ Glasgow: This is a lesson in which the art of the recital is artfully tied together. You learn it in this manner so that you will be fully and completely practiced and educated in the art, and as a consequence of this, so that you can swiftly bring to bear any application or play against those you fence with in such a way that you correctly know how to execute your breaks against their plays in such a way that you can complete your work from any particular break using the three wounders.
↑ shifting, balance
↑ "Art of" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ A., D. "shortened for you to understand".
↑ "Quite well" omitted from the Augsburg.
↑ Dresden reverses these.
↑ "Also so that… play" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ wägen: "to have weight, to lay on a scale, to estimate"; it has a bunch of other senses that are provocative to the action at hand, such as: "to poise, balance, to stir up or agitate, to incite a response", but there's not enough in the text to make it a defensible choice.
↑ "And properly estimate" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ "The sword" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
↑ D. "understand".
↑ "With strength" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ "And thrust" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ "Of the" omitted from the Glasgow.
↑ "-In the point above" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
↑ A. "and".
↑ Glasgow: Another. Now you shall know that you shall also execute four windings from the two lower bindings alongside all applications as from the upper bindings. In this way the upper and lower windings total eight. And remember that you shall execute one cut, one slice, one thrust in particular from each winding. These are called the three wounders. From those one can execute them from the eight windings, arriving at twenty-four. And you shall properly learn to execute the eight windings from both sides, in such a way that you step in with each winding and with that consider their attack in no other way than whether they are soft or hard against your sword. And when you have sensed the two things, execute the play that is called for in that winding. Whenever you do not do this, you will become struck by all windings.
↑ D. "and"; omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
↑ "And shall" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
↑ "You step towards" omitted from the Dresden.
↑ D. "wounder".
↑ Word omitted in Vienna.
↑ Throw
↑ Phrase omitted in Dresden.
↑ Pushes out
↑ Push
↑ “Hand” in Dresden.
↑ “schreit” ("screech") in all three versions, it seems to refer to a step.
↑ Phrase only in Dresden.
↑ Verchossen
↑ Drop it
↑ Phrase only in Dresden.
↑ “Sword" in Vienna and Rostock, it has been opted for “Hand” since the title refers to a technique with a bear hand.
↑ Armoured
↑ Gouges
↑ "he grips you" in Vienna and Rostock.
↑ Word omitted in Dresden.
↑ “then yank, then yank” in Rostock.
↑ "gemächten", translated as "face" to confirm if right.
↑ "reÿß", translated as "tear" to confirm if right.
↑ Stab at you
↑ “stabbing-through” in Rostock.
↑ The transcription David was translating from didn't have 122rv and 125rv in their proper place, so he assumed that content was missing.
↑ Phrase omitted in Dresden.
↑ Word omitted in Dresden.
↑ "well to" in Dresden.
↑ Phrase omitted in Dresden.
↑ Missing in Rostock from this point on.
↑ Word omitted in Dresden.
↑ Phrase omitted in Dresden.
↑ "when" in Dresden.
↑ "upwards" in Dresden.
↑ Phrase omitted in Dresden.
↑ Phrase omitted in Dresden.
↑ Pieces
↑ Word omitted in Dresden.
↑ Word omitted in Dresden.
↑ Only in Dresden.
↑ "breaking" in Dresden.
↑ Pulls out
↑ Pieces
↑ Phrase omitted in Dresden.
↑ Word omitted in Dresden.
↑ “you” in Dresden.
↑ "guard" in Dresden.
↑ Gauntlet
↑ Tear on the right, I think this means step in from your right, as opposed to turning to your right.
↑ Only in Dresden.
↑ Word omitted in Dresden.
↑ Original: “streyffen”, modernized “streifen”, to brush, streak, graze, lightly touch.
↑ Original: “undter augen”, this phrase appears numerous times throughout the text, is likely some kind of idiom or turn of phrase, but not sure exactly what it means.
↑ Original: “iren”, formal “you”, rather than the informal (dein-) which is almost always used. Could also be “their”.
↑ Original: “ableyttest,” - “ableiten,” literally to lead away, also to derive, deduce, divert, drain, deflect, channel off.
↑ “Zu dem treffen,” could be in the sense of the two fencers meeting each other, or one lance connecting to the other, or a lance landing a hit. Context indicates that it is the first for this one.
↑ “Schaff griff,” the translation “sheep hold” is not conclusive, it may also refer to a type of water carrier that is held in a similar way to the hold. It may also be related to how one would carry a sheep when shearing or otherwise.
↑ Original: “sytigklich,” or “sittiglich,” at the time meant “moderately” in the sense of slowly or not too fast, modern “sittlich” means morally or ethically.
↑ Original: “taschn haw.” A “tasset” is a piece of armor that covers the side of the thigh. It is possible that the last part of this hew aims for a gap in the armor on the back of the leg. This translation is not conclusive.
↑ Original: “auß,” however the Dresden version says “vff” here, and “aus” does not make sense.
↑ “Zawm,” - “zaum,” literally “bridle,” context continually indicates that they are talking about the reins.
↑ Original: “ob dich das roß vertrueg,” literally “if the horse make a fool out of you.” Likely means something like if the horse moves in a way that you don’t expect, or if the horse runs away while you’re trying to do something.
↑ Original: “schütten”.
↑ Original: “gehultz,” could be modernized to “hilt,” which is a term that could mean multiple parts of the sword today, but they are talking about the crossguard.
↑ “Stoss,” could also mean push, strike, or bash.
↑ “Twer,” also often translated as thwart, cross, crosswise.
↑ The verb is missing in this sentence, in the Dresden version “heng” (hang) is used here.
↑ Corrected from »geradt«.
↑ “Verschlingst” - “verschlingen,” to devour, engulf, scarf, etc.
↑ Unclear, could be “when he hews in to you, parry…” Unclear because “hawt” is used instead of “haw,” also the construction of the sentence is not typical. The Dresden version is much clearer that you are the one hewing in and he is parrying.
↑ “Zu vor auß,” in the sense of bringing something to the forefront.
↑ Engages - “greyff… an,” (angreiffen), attacks - “velt… an” (anfallen), these words have roughly the same meaning. You are both engaging in wrestling against each other.
↑ “Aliud,” Latin.
↑ Likely an error intending “your,” as it is in the previous passage.
↑ “Gewappent,” - “gewappnet,” wearing armor.
↑ “Jagen,” to hunt, seems to mean when someone is riding behind another, rather than “gleich” (equally) or “zusammen” (together), when both riders ride toward one another.
↑ “Muß er das swert fallñ lassñ,” literally “he must let the sword fall.”
↑ Original: “dich massen,” to measure or moderate yourself, different original word from “moderately” early in the text, which was translated from “sittiglich.”
↑ Original: “schünre,” translated as “schnüre,” meaning “laces” or “cords.”
↑ “vier haubt ringñ”

[1] Jens P. Kleinau. "Schirrmeister, Schermeister, Schirmmeister". Hans Talhoffer ~ A Historical Martial Arts blog by Jens P. Kleinau], 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2015.

[2] The Fellowship of Liechtenauer is recorded in three versions of Paulus Kal's treatise: MS 1825 (1460s), Cgm 1507 (ca. 1470), and MS KK5126 (1480s).

[3] For a different perspective, see Christian Henry Tobler. "Chicken and Eggs: Which Master Came First?" In Saint George's Name: An Anthology of Medieval German Fighting Arts. Wheaton, IL: Freelance Academy Press, 2010.

[Hoffman-4] {Jump up to: 4.0} ^4.1 Werner J. Hoffmann. "Mscr.Dresd.C.487: Siegmund am Ringeck, Fechtlehre". Tiefenerschließung und Digitalisierung der deutschsprachigen mittelalterlichen Handschriften der Sächsischen Landesbibliothek - Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek (SLUB) Dresden. Retrieved 26 May 2015.

[5] Dresden fol. 31r.

[6] Dresden fol. 20r.

[7] Dresden fol. 27r.

[8] MS M.Ⅰ.29 is signed and internally dated on folio 158r.

[9] MS E.1939.65.341 is internally dated on folio 22r.

[Dornhoffer-10] Friedrich Dörnhöffer. Albrecht Dürers Fechtbuch. Vienna: F. Tempsky, 1910.

[11] The origin of Reichstadt Nr. 82 is detailed on folio Ⅱr.

[12] The only date, 1570, is given on folio 123 (between the first and second sections of Meyer's rapier text); the rest of the manuscript shows a few different hands and was likely compiled prior to its acquisition by Meyer. See Joachim Meyer. The Art of Combat. A German Martial Arts Treatise of 1570. Trans. Jeffrey L. Forgeng. London: Frontline Books, 2014. pp 32-33.

[13] Medel's section of the Cod. Ⅰ.6.2º.5 is internally dated on folio 21r.

[14] The record of the Marxbrüder in the manuscript ends on folio 20r with the year 1566, so Mair couldn't have acquired it before then.

[15] Sydney Anglo. The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2000. pp 312-315.

[16] Paragraphs 1-84.

[17] Paragraphs 85-121.

[18] Rostock adds: and pictured

[word-d-19] {Jump up to: 19.00} ^19.01 ^19.02 ^19.03 ^19.04 ^19.05 ^19.06 ^19.07 ^19.08 ^19.09 ^19.10 ^19.11 ^19.12 ^19.13 ^19.14 ^19.15 ^19.16 ^19.17 ^19.18 ^19.19 ^19.20 ^19.21 ^19.22 ^19.23 ^19.24 ^19.25 ^19.26 ^19.27 ^19.28 ^19.29 ^19.30 ^19.31 ^19.32 ^19.33 ^19.34 ^19.35 ^19.36 ^19.37 ^19.38 ^19.39 ^19.40 ^19.41 ^19.42 ^19.43 ^19.44 ^19.45 ^19.46 ^19.47 ^19.48 ^19.49 ^19.50 ^19.51 ^19.52 ^19.53 ^19.54 ^19.55 Word omitted from the Dresden.

[20] "Known as" omitted from the Dresden.

[21] D. schirmaiste~, R. schiermeister.

[22] Count Palatine

[23] Duke

[24] "and pictured" omitted from the Dresden.

[25] Corrected from »am«.

[26] t: All art has length and measure

[line-d-27] {Jump up to: 27.0} ^27.1 ^27.2 Line omitted from the Dresden.

[28] t: hastening. hasten, maturare, accelerare, see Grimm

[29] t: instruction

[30] Zeck: Tick. (Rostock)Zeckruhr: Insect bites

[31] ssibly: 'strongly desire to conduct'

[32] D. Zeck: Tick; R. Zeckruhr: Insect bites.

[33] Possibly "strongly desire to conduct".

[mdi-d-34] {Jump up to: 34.0} ^34.1 "Note, this is" omitted from the Dresden.

[35] "You shall" omitted from the Rostock.

[36] Lit: "Before the moment he comes with his to you".

[37] wiederhalten: lit. 'hold against'. To withstand, resist

[38] wiederhalten: lit. "hold against"; to withstand, resist.

[39] Alternately: weapons.

[40] D. Wer dz wäre: "Whoever defends these".

[41] Alternately: avow, legally promise.

[42] Possibly "wages".

[43] Lit: "hew other hews".

[44] "In the same five hews" omitted from the Rostock.

[45] ober is an adjective, oben is an adverb.

[46] R. "the".

[clause-d-47] {Jump up to: 47.00} ^47.01 ^47.02 ^47.03 ^47.04 ^47.05 ^47.06 ^47.07 ^47.08 ^47.09 ^47.10 ^47.11 ^47.12 ^47.13 ^47.14 ^47.15 ^47.16 ^47.17 ^47.18 ^47.19 ^47.20 ^47.21 ^47.22 ^47.23 ^47.24 ^47.25 ^47.26 ^47.27 ^47.28 ^47.29 ^47.30 ^47.31 ^47.32 ^47.33 ^47.34 ^47.35 ^47.36 ^47.37 ^47.38 ^47.39 ^47.40 ^47.41 ^47.42 ^47.43 ^47.44 Clause omitted from the Dresden.

[di-d-48] {Jump up to: 48.0} ^48.1 "This is" omitted from the Dresden.

[49] abrucken: "removere" (remove), "absetzen" (offset).

[50] Rostock: 'nider' => 'down'

[51] D. wider[sic]: "again".

[52] Rostock: "wind stark..." => "twist strongly"

[the-d-53] {Jump up to: 53.0} ^53.1 ^53.2 ^53.3 ^53.4 D. "the".

[54] D. bind: "bind-in".

[55] Rostock garbles Indes with 'Jun ger'

[56] Rostock: "dem krieg"

[57] Rostock: has "arbaiten(to work)" instead of "hurten"

[58] R. Jun ger [sic].

[59] R. dem krieg: "the war".

[60] D. hurten: "to rush".

[61] Rostock adds: "der heúe, oder stich, od shnit"

[62] "The hew, or thrust, or cut" omitted from the Dresden.

[63] "Nor thrust… cut" omitted from the Rostock.

[sentence-r-64] {Jump up to: 64.0} ^64.1 ^64.2 ^64.3 Sentence omitted from the Rostock.

[word-r-65] {Jump up to: 65.0} ^65.1 ^65.2 ^65.3 ^65.4 ^65.5 ^65.6 ^65.7 ^65.8 Word omitted from the Rostock.

[word-dr-66] {Jump up to: 66.0} ^66.1 Word omitted from the Dresden and the Rostock.

[67] Alternately: ponder, weigh, calculate, estimate, consider.

[68] Alternately: avenge, take full legal retribution.

[69] Alternately: straight, upright, properly.

[70] D. schüczen, R. behuetẽ.

[71] Rostock hews off at this point and picks up in the middle of the sixth subsequent play, probably indicating a missing page.

[72] Alternately: part, piece.

[73] aufkrummen: Lat. sursum torquere, twist, turn or bend up; twist, turn, bend, or cast back; avert, deflect .

[word-s-74] {Jump up to: 74.0} ^74.1 ^74.2 ^74.3 ^74.4 ^74.5 Word omitted from the Salzburg.

[75] Likely a scribal error and should be "his".

[76] "The opening" omitted from the Salzburg.

[77] S. "the over- or under-hew".

[78] Possibly "it".

[79] S. vß gestreckten: "outstretched".

[80] Sentence omitted from the Salzburg; instead, it segues into the Lew gloss of the same verse, describing how the Crooked hew breaks the Ox.

[81] This phrase has no verb, likely due to scribal error; it has been completed based on the version in the treatise of Hans Medel.

[82] Rostock begins again at this point.

[83] "Cut" omitted from the Dresden.

[84] S. "Item".

[Note_on_32-35-85] {Jump up to: 85.0} ^85.1 Paragraphs 33 and 35 are substantially similar and are likely based on the same original text. However, they contain significant differences in the beginning of the play and it is unclear which represents the original version; the version found in Rostock and Salzburg seems to refer to the technique in 32, whereas the Dresden refers to 34 (not found in the others). In this compilation, the two versions are displayed separately, first that of the Rostock and Salzburg (33) and then that of the Dresden (35).

[86] S. "if".

[87] S. "his".

[88] S. "the".

[89] S. "where he shall guard himself".

[90] D. has the word "Gloss" here; this appears to be a scribal error, as it corresponds to the position of the phrase "as is pictured here-after" in the Rostock, and all instances of that phrase were removed by the scribe of the Dresden.

[91] "Komp" added below the line in a different hand.

[92] Rostock adds: "Stehe mit dem lincken fûs vor, und halt dein schwert an deiner rechtenn achsel und ..." => "Stand with your left foot forwards and hold your sword by your right shoulder and ..."

[93] "Stand with… shoulder, and" omitted from the Dresden.

[94] terally "breaks"

[95] Rostock: supplies the missing verb, 'windest'

[96] D. "thwart".

[wiederhalten-97] {Jump up to: 97.0} ^97.1 Alternately, wiederhalten: to struggle or resist.

[98] ternately, wiederhalten: to struggle or resist

[word-grs-99] Word omitted from the Glasgow, the Rostock, and the Salzburg.

[100] "Or otherwise" omitted from the Salzburg.

[101] "-Cut" omitted from the Dresden, the Glasgow, and the Rostock.

[102] Clause omitted from the Dresden; struck out in the Rostock.

[clause-dr-103] {Jump up to: 103.0} ^103.1 Clause omitted from the Dresden and the Rostock.

[104] Rostock: "unternn" => "lower"

[105] R. "wind".

[106] "With the over-hew" omitted from the Glasgow.

[107] R. unternn: "lower".

[108] "Next to" omitted from the Rostock.

[109] Glasgow adds albeg: "always, continually".

[110] The Rostock title matched the Dresden

[111] Or "connects"; alternately: rouses, stirs (ostensibly your opponent).

[di-gr-112] "This is" omitted from the Glasgow and the Rostock.

[113] "Will strike" omitted from the Dresden.

[114] G. twerhaw: "thwart-hew".

[115] R. "wind".

[116] "Or left" omitted from the Glasgow.

[117] Everything from "and steal away" to the end of the sentence is omitted from the Dresden.

[118] Alternately: to turn around.

[119] "And strike in" omitted from the Dresden.

[120] tted in Dresden

[121] t omitted in the Glasgow

[122] D. "is".

[right-d-123] {Jump up to: 123.0} ^123.1 D. "right".

[124] D. mit auß: "with from".

[125] As a thief would break into a house.

[word-gr-126] {Jump up to: 126.0} ^126.1 ^126.2 ^126.3 Word omitted from the Glasgow and the Rostock.

[127] Word is doubled in the Glasgow.

[128] annehmen: receive, accept, take up, assume, claim, obtain, etc.

[129] "Into the weak of his sword" omitted from the Rostock

[130] "Upright, elevated, straight, at a right angle"; Glasgow gives auff gerackten, which may be a misspelling of pPvD's aus gestrackten, "out-stretched".

[131] "With upright arms… right shoulder" omitted from the Rostock.

[clause-dg-132] Clause omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.

[133] R. "pictured here".

[word-g-134] {Jump up to: 134.00} ^134.01 ^134.02 ^134.03 ^134.04 ^134.05 ^134.06 ^134.07 ^134.08 ^134.09 ^134.10 ^134.11 ^134.12 ^134.13 ^134.14 ^134.15 ^134.16 ^134.17 ^134.18 ^134.19 ^134.20 ^134.21 ^134.22 ^134.23 ^134.24 ^134.25 Word omitted from the Glasgow.

[135] Corrected from »seiner«.

[136] S. bestetigstu: "to plant".

[137] G. abent: "evening", clearly an error; Medel: anwinden: "winding-upon".

[word-dg-138] {Jump up to: 138.0} ^138.1 ^138.2 ^138.3 ^138.4 ^138.5 Word omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.

[139] "To his point" omitted from the Rostock.

[140] "To his point" omitted from the Glasgow.

[141] S. "You may also do this".

[142] "A free over-hew" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.

[143] "With the visage" omitted from the Salzburg.

[144] "To his head" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.

[145] D., G. "the head".

[146] Rostock:The part cut is a threat to the face, with its turn, the breast is firmly threatened. Gloss. Note the part cut is conducted like this: cut in with your long edge at the opponent's head down from above from your part. If they parry, then hang your point in with your long edge over their hilt and thrust into their face, as is pictured here.

[147] R. includes couplet 64 with this gloss.

[148] R. denn Schaytler: "the parter".

[clause-r-149] {Jump up to: 149.0} ^149.1 ^149.2 ^149.3 Clause omitted from the Rostock.

[150] D. der lange: "long, high, tall, or lofty".

[151] "To his head" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.

[152] "If he displaces" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.

[153] einhangen: to adhere, stick to, cleave to, hold on to, engage deeply.

[154] "With the long… and thrust him" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.

[155] Glasgow: Another. If the opponent firmly shoves your point upwards with their hilt, then twist your sword with your hilt high in front of your head, such that the thumb comes below and place the point under their hands upon their breast, as is pictured here.

[156] Rostock: One other play. What comes from them, the crown takes that away, Slice through the crown, so you break the hard beautifully, press the thrust [in pPvD, this is 'strich' not 'stich'. So: "press the strike"], withdraw it with slicing. Gloss. Note when you cut in from above using the part cut, if they parry hard over their head with their hilt, this parry is called the crown, and they rush in on you with it, then take your lower slice under their hands into their arm, and press firmly upward, so that the crown is broken again.

[157] Kehr has two etymologies: one is "to turn", the other is "to sweep away" or to "carry off"; the gloss supports the first derivation.

[fast-158] Alternately: strongly, firmly, steadfastly.

[159] R. includes this couplet with the previous gloss.

[160] G., R., S. "Item".

[161] D. "hang-in"; "strike-in and" omitted.

[162] "The point" omitted from the Salzburg.

[sentence-gr-163] Sentence omitted from the Glasgow and the Rostock.

[164] D., G., R. "you".

[165] D., G., S. "the".

[166] "In the displacement" omitted from the Salzburg and the Rostock.

[167] "Of the parter" omitted from the Dresden, the Rostock, and the Salzburg.

[168] S. fast vber sich: "firmly upward".

[clause-dgs-169] Clause omitted from the Dresden, the Glasgow, and the Salzburg.

[170] "His hands" omitted from the Dresden, the Glasgow, and the Salzburg.

[171] G. "since".

[172] Rostock combines the glosses for couplets 65-67 into a single paragraph; they have been separated here according to their presentation in Dresden and Glasgow.

[173] PvD, this is 'strich' not 'stich'. So: "press the strike"

[174] D., G. Schon, lit. "already", "yet".

[175] D. stuch, R. stich: "press the thrust".

[176] D., G., S. "cut".

[clause-drs-177] {Jump up to: 177.0} ^177.1 Clause omitted from the Dresden, the Rostock, and the Salzburg.

[178] S. "well broken".

[179] "From the under-cut" omitted from the Salzburg.

[180] "And wind your sword… withdraw yourself" omitted from the Rostock.

[181] Imperative of fliehen.

[182] t: unpleasant, repugnant

[md-d-183] "Note, this" omitted from the Dresden.

[184] "Will be" omitted from the Glasgow.

[haist-r-185] {Jump up to: 185.0} ^185.1 ^185.2 ^185.3 "Is called" omitted from the Dresden

[186] "With the hilt" omitted from the Dresden.

[187] G. auß gestrackten: "upstretched".

[188] "It all" omitted from the Dresden.

[189] "In this book" omitted from the Glasgow.

[190] G. "Guard yourself displacing crossed in front".

[191] D. instead continues "that the four displacings, they are the four hews".

[192] Setzen", possibly a shortening of versetzen, "displaces".

[193] D. "oxen".

[194] terally "breaks"

[195] S. other.

[196] "they allow the... do not parry" omitted from the Dresden and Glasgow.

[197] S. Item

[198] R. "This is when one displaces your over-hew"; S. "If your over-hew is parried and it comes nearing upon him".

[199] D. "in front of".

[200] G., S. versetzte: "shifted, misplaced, displaced, parried".

[word-dgr-201] Word omitted from the Dresden, the Glasgow, and the Rostock.

[202] "And wrench… his below" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.

[203] "The head" omitted from the Salzburg.

[clause-ds-204] {Jump up to: 204.0} ^204.1 Clause omitted from the Dresden and the Salzburg.

[205] S. "also".

[206] Glasgow: This is the text and the gloss of yet another one of the plays against the parry.
Lodge against four regions
Learn to remain upon them if you wish to finish
Gloss. This is for when you cut in from above from your right shoulder. If you wish to quickly finish with the sword, note when the opponent parries, then immediately strike around using the crosswise cut and grasp your sword in the middle of the blade with your left hand during the crash and set the point into their face as is pictured next or lodge against them at whichever of the four openings you can best get to.

[207] G. mit dem schwert: "with the sword".

[208] D. "grasp with the sword".

[209] G. magst: "may".

[the-g-210] {Jump up to: 210.0} ^210.1 ^210.2 G. "the".

[211] This is about pursuing.
Learn to pursue
Double or slice into the weapon
Gloss. Note this is so that you shall quite fully learn about Pursuing, and conduct it like this: When the opponent wishes to cut in from above, note the moment they draw up their sword for the strike, pursue them with a cut or with a thrust into the opening, before they ever come down with their cut.

[212] Alternately: defense.

[213] "And hit him" omitted from the Rostock.

[moment-d-214] {Jump up to: 214.0} ^214.1 "The moment" omitted from the Dresden.

[215] D. wieder-kommen: to meet, to encounter, to run into".

[216] "Or fall… from you" omitted from the Rostock.

[217] Corrected from »dem«.

[218] Or if the opponent cuts down from above and allows their sword to go down to the earth with their cut, then pursue them with a descending cut to their head, before they come up with their sword, so that they are stricken.

[line-r-219] Line omitted from the Rostock.

[220] R. "or".

[221] "If he then" omitted from the Rostock".

[222] D. haw: "hew".

[223] Mähnen, menen, mennen. To drive cattle, to impel an animal to move(in particular a driver or rider with a cattle-drive). To exert command over something reacting. To lead.

[224] tain blade contact

[225] geim: "watchfully, to observe, cautiously, with foresight".

[word-gs-226] Word omitted from the Glasgow and the Salzburg.

[227] S. "the feeling work thusly".

[228] "You come… onset and" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.

[229] S. "soft or hard".

[230] S. "feeling".

[231] "To the nearest opening" omitted from the Salzburg.

[232] D., G. gewar, S. ÿnnen.

[word-ds-233] Word omitted from the Dresden and the Salzburg.

[234] D. "winds".

[235] D. blitzscht: "flashes".

[236] Corrected from »arnn«.

[237] D. "Item".

[238] G. "note".

[239] Schier has the sense of approaching quickly and closely.

[240] Glasgow: This is the text and the gloss about yanking back
Tread close in binds,
So that yanking back gives good opportunities.
Suddenly withdraw. If they engage, suddenly withdraw more.
If they work, slice so that it does them woe.
Suddenly withdraw in all engagements
If you wish to make a fool of the masters
Gloss. This is for when you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, cut in strongly from above, from your right shoulder to their head. Then if they bind you against their sword by parrying or otherwise, then in the bind step close to them and suddenly withdraw away your sword up off from theirs and cut in again from above on the other side at their head as it is pictured next to this, and work swiftly to their nearest opening by doubling or otherwise by other plays.

[241] Zucken has the connotation of yanking something hard or quickly, like yanking or snatching; there is an essence of agitation in the yank.

[242] "On the sword" omitted from the Dresden.

[243] Beginning of sentence in Glasgow reads "and work swiftly with the doubling.

[244] D. "(and with other plays)".

[245] Rostock: "and allow the blade to hang down behind you"

[back-r-246] {Jump up to: 246.0} ^246.1 R. "hang down behind you".

[247] G. "next to this".

[248] R. "when in the running-in he also drives-up with the arms".

[249] This last sentence is highlighted and a drawn hand is pointing to it.

[250] Corrected from »dim«.

[251] Glasgow: Note. When one rushes in the other, pass over their right arm with your left and with that seize their right arm with an inverted hand and press their left over your left using your right arm and spring behind their right foot with your right and turn yourself away from them to their left side and throw them over their right hip as is pictured here next to this.

[line-g-252] Line omitted from the Glasgow.

[253] D. "left hand inverted".

[your-d-254] D. "your".

[255] "With an inverted hand" omitted from the Dresden.

[his-g-256] {Jump up to: 256.0} ^256.1 G. "his".

[257] "Thus you" omitted from the Glasgow.

[258] Corrected from »rechtem«.

[259] Corrected from »sinem«.

[260] This sentence is underlined

[261] D. "One other wrestling at the sword".

[clause-g-262] Clause omitted from the Glasgow.

[sentence-g-263] Sentence omitted from the Glasgow.

[264] Glasgow adds: in the middle of the blade

[265] D. "A sword taking".

[266] Glasgow: traverse

[267] Read: "attacks".

[268] "With strength" omitted from the Glasgow.

[far-g-269] {Jump up to: 269.0} ^269.1 G. far: "drive".

[270] D. "Yet another cut".

[271] "He then" omitted from the Dresden.

[272] "And press… pictured here" omitted from the Dresden.

[273] Glasgow: This is the text and the gloss about the transformation of the slice
Turn your edge
To flatten, press the hands
Gloss. This is for when you in your onrush come into the opponent's arms with the lower slice such that your point goes out toward their right side, then with that press firmly upwards and during the pressing, spring to their right side with your left foot and turn your sword up over their arms using your long edge, such that your point goes out toward their left side. In this way have you transformed the lower slice into the upper. Conduct this on both sides.

[274] G. "your".

[275] "With that" omitted from the Dresden.

[276] "With the cut" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.

[clause-ag-277] Clause omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.

[sentence-d-278] Sentence omitted from the Dresden.

[279] Rostock: This is the text and the gloss about the two hangings the sword
Two hangings emerge
From the ground out of each hand
In every application
Cut, Thrust, Position, Soft or Hard
Gloss. Note there are two hangings from each hand and from each side of the ground. Execute them like this: When you bind against the opponent's sword using the lower displacement toward your left side, hang your sword's pommel [down] toward the ground and from that hanging thrust up at their face from below. Then if the opponent shoves your point upward by parrying, then remain like this against their sword and rise up as well and hang your point down from above in their face and in these two hangings you shall swiftly conduct all applications [with] cut, thrust and slice thereafter as you either perceive or recognize in the binding up of the swords whether they are soft or hard with it. These hangings from both sides are the plows from both sides.

[280] "With him" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.

[281] "Or test" omitted from the Dresden.

[sentence-ad-282] Sentence omitted from the Augsburg and the Dresden.

[283] sach: thing, or disagreement, contention, dispute, or the thing underlying the disagreement, contention or dispute.

[word-ag-284] {Jump up to: 284.0} ^284.1 ^284.2 ^284.3 ^284.4 ^284.5 ^284.6 Word omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.

[285] A. "and".

[word-ad-286] {Jump up to: 286.0} ^286.1 ^286.2 ^286.3 ^286.4 ^286.5 Word omitted from the Augsburg and the Dresden.

[287] The word »es« is almost illegible.

[288] G: against their cut

[word-a-289] {Jump up to: 289.0} ^289.1 ^289.2 ^289.3 ^289.4 ^289.5 Word omitted from the Augsburg.

[290] nachbinden: "attach to the end or behind something".

[291] "With the long edge" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.

[292] "From the sword" omitted from the Dresden.

[293] "With the point" omitted from the Dresden.

[294] D. "or"; word omitted from the Augsburg.

[295] abziechen.

[296] Glasgow: Here note how you shall stand in the long point and what plays you shall conduct from it.
Note. When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, advance your left foot the moment before they bind against your sword and hold your point long from extended arms against their face or against their breast. Then if the opponent cuts in from above at your head, then wind against their cut with your sword and thrust into their face.

[297] D. Mörck Ee: "Note, before".

[298] "just near" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.

[299] "When he… the sword" omitted from the Dresden.

[300] A., D. "the".

[301] D. "hews from above to below".

[302] Corrected from »ausgerattñ«.

[303] D. "to the other side to the opening".

[304] "Your sword" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.

[305] This last sentence is highlighted.

[sentence-ag-306] Sentence omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.

[307] Glasgow: This is a lesson in which the art of the recital is artfully tied together. You learn it in this manner so that you will be fully and completely practiced and educated in the art, and as a consequence of this, so that you can swiftly bring to bear any application or play against those you fence with in such a way that you correctly know how to execute your breaks against their plays in such a way that you can complete your work from any particular break using the three wounders.

[308] shifting, balance

[309] "Art of" omitted from the Dresden.

[310] A., D. "shortened for you to understand".

[311] "Quite well" omitted from the Augsburg.

[312] Dresden reverses these.

[313] "Also so that… play" omitted from the Dresden.

[314] wägen: "to have weight, to lay on a scale, to estimate"; it has a bunch of other senses that are provocative to the action at hand, such as: "to poise, balance, to stir up or agitate, to incite a response", but there's not enough in the text to make it a defensible choice.

[315] "And properly estimate" omitted from the Dresden.

[316] "The sword" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.

[317] D. "understand".

[318] "With strength" omitted from the Dresden.

[319] "And thrust" omitted from the Dresden.

[320] "Of the" omitted from the Glasgow.

[321] "-In the point above" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.

[322] A. "and".

[323] Glasgow: Another. Now you shall know that you shall also execute four windings from the two lower bindings alongside all applications as from the upper bindings. In this way the upper and lower windings total eight. And remember that you shall execute one cut, one slice, one thrust in particular from each winding. These are called the three wounders. From those one can execute them from the eight windings, arriving at twenty-four. And you shall properly learn to execute the eight windings from both sides, in such a way that you step in with each winding and with that consider their attack in no other way than whether they are soft or hard against your sword. And when you have sensed the two things, execute the play that is called for in that winding. Whenever you do not do this, you will become struck by all windings.

[324] D. "and"; omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.

[325] "And shall" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.

[326] "You step towards" omitted from the Dresden.

[327] D. "wounder".

[328] Word omitted in Vienna.

[329] Throw

[330] Phrase omitted in Dresden.

[331] Pushes out

[332] Push

[333] “Hand” in Dresden.

[334] “schreit” ("screech") in all three versions, it seems to refer to a step.

[335] Phrase only in Dresden.

[336] Verchossen

[337] Drop it

[338] Phrase only in Dresden.

[339] “Sword" in Vienna and Rostock, it has been opted for “Hand” since the title refers to a technique with a bear hand.

[340] Armoured

[341] Gouges

[342] "he grips you" in Vienna and Rostock.

[343] Word omitted in Dresden.

[344] “then yank, then yank” in Rostock.

[345] "gemächten", translated as "face" to confirm if right.

[346] "reÿß", translated as "tear" to confirm if right.

[347] Stab at you

[348] “stabbing-through” in Rostock.

[349] The transcription David was translating from didn't have 122rv and 125rv in their proper place, so he assumed that content was missing.

[350] Phrase omitted in Dresden.

[351] Word omitted in Dresden.

[352] "well to" in Dresden.

[353] Phrase omitted in Dresden.

[354] Missing in Rostock from this point on.

[355] Word omitted in Dresden.

[356] Phrase omitted in Dresden.

[357] "when" in Dresden.

[358] "upwards" in Dresden.

[359] Phrase omitted in Dresden.

[360] Phrase omitted in Dresden.

[361] Pieces

[362] Word omitted in Dresden.

[363] Word omitted in Dresden.

[364] Only in Dresden.

[365] "breaking" in Dresden.

[366] Pulls out

[367] Pieces

[368] Phrase omitted in Dresden.

[369] Word omitted in Dresden.

[370] “you” in Dresden.

[371] "guard" in Dresden.

[372] Gauntlet

[373] Tear on the right, I think this means step in from your right, as opposed to turning to your right.

[374] Only in Dresden.

[375] Word omitted in Dresden.

[376] Original: “streyffen”, modernized “streifen”, to brush, streak, graze, lightly touch.

[377] Original: “undter augen”, this phrase appears numerous times throughout the text, is likely some kind of idiom or turn of phrase, but not sure exactly what it means.

[378] Original: “iren”, formal “you”, rather than the informal (dein-) which is almost always used. Could also be “their”.

[379] Original: “ableyttest,” - “ableiten,” literally to lead away, also to derive, deduce, divert, drain, deflect, channel off.

[380] “Zu dem treffen,” could be in the sense of the two fencers meeting each other, or one lance connecting to the other, or a lance landing a hit. Context indicates that it is the first for this one.

[381] “Schaff griff,” the translation “sheep hold” is not conclusive, it may also refer to a type of water carrier that is held in a similar way to the hold. It may also be related to how one would carry a sheep when shearing or otherwise.

[382] Original: “sytigklich,” or “sittiglich,” at the time meant “moderately” in the sense of slowly or not too fast, modern “sittlich” means morally or ethically.

[383] Original: “taschn haw.” A “tasset” is a piece of armor that covers the side of the thigh. It is possible that the last part of this hew aims for a gap in the armor on the back of the leg. This translation is not conclusive.

[384] Original: “auß,” however the Dresden version says “vff” here, and “aus” does not make sense.

[385] “Zawm,” - “zaum,” literally “bridle,” context continually indicates that they are talking about the reins.

[386] Original: “ob dich das roß vertrueg,” literally “if the horse make a fool out of you.” Likely means something like if the horse moves in a way that you don’t expect, or if the horse runs away while you’re trying to do something.

[387] Original: “schütten”.

[388] Original: “gehultz,” could be modernized to “hilt,” which is a term that could mean multiple parts of the sword today, but they are talking about the crossguard.

[389] “Stoss,” could also mean push, strike, or bash.

[390] “Twer,” also often translated as thwart, cross, crosswise.

[391] The verb is missing in this sentence, in the Dresden version “heng” (hang) is used here.

[392] Corrected from »geradt«.

[393] “Verschlingst” - “verschlingen,” to devour, engulf, scarf, etc.

[394] Unclear, could be “when he hews in to you, parry…” Unclear because “hawt” is used instead of “haw,” also the construction of the sentence is not typical. The Dresden version is much clearer that you are the one hewing in and he is parrying.

[395] “Zu vor auß,” in the sense of bringing something to the forefront.

[396] Engages - “greyff… an,” (angreiffen), attacks - “velt… an” (anfallen), these words have roughly the same meaning. You are both engaging in wrestling against each other.

[397] “Aliud,” Latin.

[398] Likely an error intending “your,” as it is in the previous passage.

[399] “Gewappent,” - “gewappnet,” wearing armor.

[400] “Jagen,” to hunt, seems to mean when someone is riding behind another, rather than “gleich” (equally) or “zusammen” (together), when both riders ride toward one another.

[401] “Muß er das swert fallñ lassñ,” literally “he must let the sword fall.”

[402] Original: “dich massen,” to measure or moderate yourself, different original word from “moderately” early in the text, which was translated from “sittiglich.”

[403] Original: “schünre,” translated as “schnüre,” meaning “laces” or “cords.”

[404] “vier haubt ringñ”

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Work	Author(s)	Source
Glasgow Illustrations	Unknown
Translation (Long Sword)	Christian Trosclair	Wiktenauer
Translation (Long Sword)	Keith Farrell	Academy of Historical Arts (AHA)
Translation (Long and Short Sword)	David Rawlings	Historical European Martial Arts Coalition (HEMAC)
Translation (Long and Short Sword)	Jörg Bellinghausen	Association for Renaissance Martial Arts (ARMA)
Translation (Mounted)	Stephen Cheney	Wiktenauer
Salzburg Transcription	Dierk Hagedorn	Index:Codex Speyer (MS M.I.29)
Dresden Transcription	Dierk Hagedorn	Index:Johan Liechtnawers Fechtbuch geschriebenn (MS Dresd.C.487)
Glasgow Transcription	Dierk Hagedorn	Index:Glasgow Fechtbuch (MS E.1939.65.341)
Vienna Transcription	Dierk Hagedorn	Index:Oplodidaskalia sive Armorvm Tractandorvm Meditatio Alberti Dvreri (MS 26-232)
Augsburg Transcription	Werner Ueberschär	Index:Rast Fechtbuch (Reichsstadt "Schätze" Nr. 82)
Rostock Transcription	Dierk Hagedorn	Index:Fechtbuch zu Ross und zu Fuss (MS Var.82)

Sigmund ain Ringeck

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