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Pseudo-Hans Döbringer
| Here begins Master Liechtenauer's art of fencing | |
|---|---|
| Hie hebt sich an meister lichtenawers kunst des fechtens | |
| Author(s) | Unknown |
| Ascribed to | Pseudo-Hans Döbringer |
| Date | before 1495 |
| Genre | |
| Language | Early New High German |
| Manuscript(s) | MS 3227a |
| First Printed English Edition |
Żabiński, 2008 |
| Translations | |
"Pseudo-Hans Döbringer" is the name given to an anonymous 15th century German fencing master.[1] At some point in the 15th century (or possibly the last decade of the 14th), he dictated a gloss on and expansion of the teachings of the grand master Johannes Liechtenauer, including the only biographical details of the master yet discovered; it is even speculated that he was personally acquainted with Liechtenauer, who was still alive at the time of the writing.[2] These comments were written into MS 3227a, a commonplace book, by an equally unknown scribe.
Contents
Modern HEMA
The first transcription of the long sword gloss was completed in 2001 by Grzegorz Żabiński and posted on ARMA-PL. This was the foundation of the first translations.
In 2005, David Lindholm ("and friends") completed the first English translation of the long sword and posted in on the ARMA site. A second English translation, including all fencing sections, was completed in 2006 by Thomas Stoeppler; he intended to contribute it to a never-realized book with a complete translation of MS 3227a and never released it publicly until he allowed it to be posted in Wiktenauer in 2013. The first Spanish translation of the long sword was also completed in 2006 by Francisco Uribe (based on Lindholm's English) and posted on esgrimahistorica.cl; the first French translation of the long sword was then completed in 2007 by an anonymous author and posted on the ARDAMHE site.
In 2008, Żabiński's English translation of the long sword was published by Paladin Press, along with his transcription, as “Unarmored Longsword Combat by Master Liechtenauer via Priest Döbringer” in Masters of Medieval and Renaissance Martial Arts. 2008 also saw the first transcription of all fencing teachings in 3227a by Dierk Hagedorn for his site Hammaborg, and a German modernization of the long sword by Bertram Koch which was posted on Lupi-venaritis. Hagedorn's transcription formed the basis of Francesco Lanza's Italian translation, which he posted on a blog called “Hanko Döbringer in Italiano” from 2009-11.
A new English translation was self-published by Jay Acutt in 2010 (under the pen name James Wallhausen) as Knightly Martial Arts: An Introduction to Medieval Combat Systems. The first Polish translation was authored by Maciej Hammer and submitted to the Uniwersytet Jagielloński as part of his master's thesis.
In 2017, Christian Trosclair authored a new translation of the long sword as part of his ongoing project to translate the entire Liechtenauer tradition, and he donated it to Wiktenauer.
Most recently, a new English translation by Michael Chidester and a revised transcription by Dierk Hagedorn was published by HEMA Bookshelf in 2021 as “The Foundation and Core of All the Arts of Fighting”: The Long Sword Gloss of GNM Manuscript 3227a.
Treatise
Draft Translation |
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Here begins Master Liechtenauer's Art of Fencing with the Sword on Foot and on Horse, Bare and in Harness. And before all material matters and views, you shall note and know that there is but one art of the sword and it was identified and worked out for possibly many hundred years. And this is the foundation and core of all of the arts of fencing. And this is what Master Liechtenauer had acquired and formulated quite completely and correctly. Not that he identified and worked it out himself, as was written before, rather he had traveled through many lands and through that sought out the legitimate and truthful art for the sake that he would truly experience and learn it. And this art is earnest, complete and legitimate and it moves in the nearest and shortest way, simple and straight; just as if you had wanted to cut or thrust your opponent and you had bound a thread or cord to the point or edge of your sword and guided or pulled that very point or edge to the opponent's opening, then you would have cut or thrust according to the nearest and shortest and most decisive of all, as you would prefer to just deliver that. This is because the legitimate fencing just mentioned will not have elegant and grandiose parries, nor wide, indirect fencing. With those, people choose to dither and delay themselves. As one finds according to many ungrounded masters that say they have uncovered and worked out some new art and understand the art of fencing better and more greatly, day by day. But I would like to see one person that could conceive and perform just one application or one cut that does not come from Liechtenauer's art. They will often just only mix-up and pervert an application. In this, they give it a new name, each according to their own head. And they conceive of wide, indirect fencing and parrying, often doing two or three cuts in place of a single cut, just because they wish renown. They will be praised by the ignorant for their elegant parries and wide, indirect fencing as they fiendishly pose themselves and deliver wide and long cuts, tediously and cumbersomely. With those, they quite severely delay themselves and miss their targets and also provide solid openings with these because they have no measuredness in their fencing. And anyway, this does not belong in earnest fencing, Though in particular I admit that through exercises and drills in school-fencing it might possibly be good for something. But earnest fencing will proceed swiftly, simply and completely direct without any dithering nor delay as if a string or something like it determined the measure and trajectory. When you want to cut or thrust whoever stands there before you, then truly no cut nor thrust backwards or to the side, nor any wide fencing nor multiple cuts helps you to possibly end it with them. With these, you dither and delay yourself so that you lose the chance to do so. Rather, one must initiate their cut straight and directly to the person, to the head or to the body according to what is closest and surest only at the moment you are able to take and to get to them swiftly and quickly and preferably with one strike. For with four or six, you choose to dither and as a result the opponent approaches effortlessly. This is because the Vorschlag is one great advantage of this fencing as you will hear hereafter in this text. Therein Liechtenauer identifies just five cuts with other plays that are utilized in earnest fencing and teaches it according to the correct art, conducted straight and direct toward the closest and surest as simply as it can only derive and abandons all of the drumwork and newly invented cuts carried out by the ungrounded masters, which even still fundamentally derives from his art. |
[13v] HIe hebt sich an meister lichtenawers kunst des fechtens mit deme swerte czu fusse vnd czu rosse / blos vnd yn harnüsche / Vnd vor allen dingen vnd sachen / saltu merken vnd wissen / das nür eyne kunst ist des swertes / vnd dy mag vor manchen hvndert Jaren seyn fvnden vnd irdocht / vnd dy ist eyn grunt vnd kern aller künsten des fechtens / Vnd dy hat meister lichtnawer gancz vertik vnd gerecht gehabt vnd gekunst / Nicht das her sy selber haben fvnden vnd irdocht / als vor ist geschreben / Sonder / her hat manche lant / durchfaren vnd gesucht / durch der selben rechtvertigen vnd warhaftigen kunst wille / das her dy io irvaren vnd wissen wolde / Vnd dy selbe kunst ist ernst gancz vnd rechtvertik / Vnd get of das aller neheste vnd kors körtzste / slecht vnd gerade czu / Recht zam wen eyner eynen hawen ader stechen welde / vnd das man im denne eynen vadem ader snure an seynen ort ader sneyde des swertes bünde / vnd leytet aber czöge den selben ort ader sneide off ienes blössen / [14r] den her hawen ader stechen selde / noch dem aller nehesten · kortzsten · vnd endlichsten / als man das nür dar bregen mochte / wen das selbe rechtvertige vechten / wil nicht hobisch vnd weislich paryren haben / vnd weit vmbefechten / mit deme sich lewte mochten lassen vnd vorzümen / Als man noch manche leychmeistere vindet dy do sprechen / das sy selber newe kunst vinden vnd irdenken vnd meynen das sich dy kunst des fechtens von tage czu tage besser vnd mere / Aber ich wölde gerne eynen sehn der do / möchte nür eyn gefechte / ader eynen haw / irdenken vnd tuen / der do nicht aus lichtnawers kunst gynge / Nür das sy ofte eyn gefechte vorwandeln vnd vorkeren wöllen / mit deme / das sy im newe namen geben / itzlicher noch seyme hawpte / Vnd das sy weit vmbefechten vnd paryrn irdenken / vnd oft vör eynen haw / czwene ader dreye tuen / nür durch wolstehens wille / do von sy von den unvorstendigen gelobt wollen werden / mit dem höbschen paryrn vnd weit vmbefechten / als sy sich veyntlich stellen / vnd weite vnd lange hewe dar brengen / lanksam vnd trege / mit deme sy sich gar sere vorhawen [14v] vnd zeümen / vnd sich auch do mite vaste blos geben / wen sy keyne mosse yn irem fechten nicht haben / vnd das gehört doch nicht czu ernstem fechten / zonder czu schulvechten durch vbunge vnd gebrawchunge wille mochte is wol eczwas gut seyn / Aber ernste vechten wil risch slecht vnd gar gerade dar gehen / an alles lassen vnd zümenüss / zam noch eyner snuren / ader zam itzlichs besunder gemessen vnd gewegen were / wen sal eyner eynen slaen ader stechen / der do vor im stet / zo hilft in io keyn slag ader stich / vor sich vn ader hindersich / ader neben sich / noch keynerley weitvechten / ader vil hewe / das mit eyme möchte enden / mit deme her sich zümet vnd last / das her dy schantcze vorsleft / Sonder her mus io / slecht vnd gleich czu hawen / czum manne / czu kop / ader czu leibe / noch dem aller nehesten / vnd schiresten als her in nür gehaben mag vnd irreichen / v/risch vnd snelle vnd liber mit eyme slage wen mit viern ader sechen mit deme her sich möchte lassen / vnd das iener leichte e queme denne her / wen der vorslag / eyn gros vorteil ist / of deme vechten / als du es als hernoch wirst horen yn dem texte / Do nennet lichtnawer / nür fümff hewe / mit andern stöcken / dy do nütcze seyn czu erstem vechten / vnd leret dy noch [15r.1] rechter kunst slecht vnd gerade dar brengen noch dem aller nehesten uvnd schiresten / als mag is nür dar komen / Vnd lest alles trummel werk / vnd new fvnden hewe vnderwegen / von den leichmeistere / Dy doch gruntlich aus syner kunst dar komen / |
Also note this and know that one cannot speak or explain or write about fencing quite as simply and clearly as one can easily indicate and inform it by hand. Therefore act on your judgement and extract the best of it and therein, exercise the bulk of that yourself in play which you think is the best in earnest. Because practice is better than empty art. That is to say, practice is fully sufficient without art but art is not fully sufficient without practice. |
[15r.2] ¶ Auch merke das / vnd wisse das man nicht gar eygentlich vnd bedewtlich von dem fechten mag sagen vnd schreiben ader auslegen / als man is wol mag / is wol mag czeigen vnd weisen mit der hant / Dorvmbe tu of dyne synnen vnd betrachte is deste bas / Vnd ube dich dorynne deste mer yn schimpfe / zo gedenkestu ir deste bas in ernste / wen ubunge ist besser wenne kunst / denne übunge tag w tawg wol ane kunst aber kunst tawg nicht wol ane übunge / |
Also know that a good fencer shall, ahead of all confrontations, command and clasp their sword certainly and surely with both hands between the hilt and the pommel. Because in this manner, they hold the sword much surer than when they grasp it by the pommel with one hand and it also strikes much harder and surer like this, when the pommel overturns itself and swings itself in accordance with the strike. For that strike arrives much harder than when one grasps the sword by the pommel. If someone yanks back their strike in this way by their pommel, they cannot possibly arrive so completely and so strongly, because the sword is just like a scale. |
[15r.3] ¶ Auch wisse das eyn guter fechter sal vör allen sachen syn swert gewisse vnd sicher füren vnd fassen / mit beiden henden / czwischen gehilcze vnd lac klos / wen alzo helt her das swert vil sicher / den das hers bey dem klosse vasset mit eyner hant / vnd slet auch vil harter vnd sürer / alzo / wen der klos öberwirft sich vnd swenkt sich noch dem slage das der slag vil harter / dar kumpt / den das her das swert mit dem klosse vasset / wen alzo / czöge her den slag / mit dem klosse weder / das her nicht zo voelkömlich vnd zo stark möchte dar komen / Wen das swert [15v.1] ist recht zam eyn woge / den ist eyn swert gros vnd swer / zo mus der klos auch dornoch swer syn / recht zam noch eyner wogen |
For if a sword is large and heavy, so must the pommel also be accordingly heavy, just like a scale. Also know that when you fence with someone, so shall you fully pay attention to your steps and be sure in them just as if you shall stand upright upon a scale, stepping backwards or forwards according to necessity, suitably and appropriately, swiftly and quickly. And your fencing shall completely proceed with good spirit and good demeanor or sense and without any fear as you will hear about hereafter. |
[15v.2] ¶ Auch wisse wen eyner mit eyme ficht / zo sol her syner schrete wol war nemen / vnd sicher in den seyn / wen her recht zam of eyner wogen stehen sal · hindersich · ader vorsich · czu treten / noch deme als sichs gepürt / gefüge vnd gerinklich / risch vnd snelle / vnd gar mit gutem mute / vnd guter gewissen ader vornunft / sal deyn fechten dar gehen / vnd an alle vorchte / als man das hernoch wirt hören / |
You shall also have measuredness in your applications accordingly as it necessitates itself and you shall not step too wide, so that you may better adjust yourself to another's steps, done backwards or forwards according to that as it will necessitate itself. Also the situation often necessitates two short steps for one long. And often the situation necessitates that one must execute a little rush in with short steps and often that one must do it a good step or a spring. |
[15v.3] ¶ Auch saltu mosse haben yn deyme gefechte dornoch als sichs gepürt / vnd salt nicht czu weit schreiten / das du dich deste bas eynes- / andern schretes irholen magest / hinderdich / ader vordich czu tuen / noch deme als sich wörde gepuren / vnd das / Auch gepüren sich oft czwene korcze schrete vor eynem langen / vnd oft gepürt sich das eyner eyn lewftcheyn mus tuen / mit korczen schreten / vnd oft das eyner eynen guten schret ader sprunk mus tuen / |
And whatever you wish to sensibly conduct in play or in earnest, you should make that out of place and disordered in the eyes of the opponent so that they do not identify what you intend to conduct against them. And then as soon as[3] you arrive at the opponent and have their measure so that you think you will take and get to the opponent well in this, Then you shall boldly storm toward the opponent and swiftly and quickly descend upon their head or body. Hit or miss, you will have always won the Vorschlag which does not allow the opponent to come into action with anything as you will better hear hereafter in the common lore, etc. |
[15v.4] ¶ Vnd was eyner redlichs wil treiben czu schimpfe / ader czu ernste / das sal her eyme vor den ogen / fremde vnd vorworren machen / das iener nicht merkt was deser keyn im meynt czutreiben / [16r.1] Vnd als bald wenn her denne czu im kumpt vnd dy moße also czu im hat das in dünkt her welle in nu wol haben vnd irreichen / zo sal her kunlich czu im hurten vnd varen / snelle vnd risch / czu koppe ader czu leibe / her treffe ader vele / vnd sal io den vorslag gewynnen / vnd ienen mit nichte lassen czu(n?) dingen komen / als du bas hernoch wirst hören yn der gemeynen lere etc |
One shall also always prefer to target the upper openings rather than the lower and go in over their hilt with cuts or with thrusts, boldly and quickly, because you meet with the opponent much better and further over the hilt than under it. And one is also much surer of all fencing in this way and one of the upper strikes is much better than one of the lowers. But if it so happens that you are nearer to the lower, then you must target that, as this often occurs. |
[16r.2] ¶ Auch sal eyner allemal liber den öbern blößen remen / denne den vndern / vnde eyme ober deme gehilcze yn varen / mit hewen ader mit stichen / künlich vnd risch / wenn eyner irreicht eynen vil bas / vnd / verrer öber dem gehilcze · den dorvnder / vnd eyner ist auch alzo vil sicher alles fechtens / vnd der obern rure eyne / ist vil besser denne der vndern eyne / Is wer denne / das is alzo queme das eyner neher hette czu der vndern das her der remen müste / als das ofte kumpt |
Also know that you shall always come up on the right side of the opponent in your applications. Because you can better take the opponent in all confrontations of fencing or wrestling than directly in front of them. And whoever both knows and delivers this play well, they are not a bad fencer. |
[16r.3] ¶ Auch wisse / das eyner sal io eyme of dy rechte seiten komen / yn seyme gefechte / wen her eyme do yn allen sachen / des fechtens ader ringens / bas gehaben mag / denne gleich vorne czu / vnd wer dis stöcke wol weis / vnd wol dar brengt / der ist ist nicht eyn bözer fechter etc |
Also know when you wish to fence earnestly, stick to a polished play, whichever one you wish that is completely natural right then and take it to the opponent earnestly and keep it in your mind and being, when you wish to do it, just as if you would say: "This I mean to truly conduct" and this shall and must have success with the help of God. In this way, it cannot fail you at all. You do what you should whenever you boldly storm in and let fly with the Vorschlag, as one will often hear hereafter. |
[16v] ¶ Auch wisse / wen eyner ernstlich wil fechten / der vasse im eyn vertik stöcke vör / wels her wil / das do gancz vnd gerecht sey / vnd neme im das ernstlich vnd stete in seynen syn vnd gemüte / wen her of eynen wil / Recht zam her sölde sprechen · das meyne ich io czutreiben / vnd das sal vnd mus vorgank haben mit der hölfe gotes zo mag is im mit nichte velen / her tut was her sal / wen her kunlich dar hort vnd rawscht / mit dem vorslage / als man das hernach oft wirt horen / |
In all fencing |
[17r] cCZu allem fechten · |
Motion, that beautiful word, |
[17v.1] mMOtus · das worte schone / |
Here note that constant motion according to this art and lore arrests the opponent in the beginning, middle and end of all fencing. In this way you complete the beginning, middle and ending in one fluid motion without pause and without the hindrance of your adversary and you do not allow the opponent to come to blows with anything. Because of this, the two words, The Before, The After, that is the Vorschlag and the Nachschlag, arise. Continuously and at one time as if left without any middle.[6] |
[17v.2] ¶ Hie merke · das · frequens motus · beslewst in im / begynnüs / mittel · vnd ende / alles fechtens / noch deser kunst vnd lere / alzo das eyner yn eyme rawsche / anhebunge / mittel / vnde endunge / an vnderlos vnd an hindernis synes wedervechters volbrenge / vnd ienen mit nichte lasse czu slage komen / wenn of das gent dy czwey wörter · vor · noch · das ist / vorslag vnd nochslag / inmediate & / in vna hora / quasi vnum post reliquum sine aliquo medio / |
Draft Translation |
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This is the general preface of the unarmored fencing on foot. Mark this well.
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[18r] Das ist eyne gemeyne vorrede / des blozfechtens czu fuße / Das merke wol JVng Ritter lere · | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is a general lesson of the sword:
General gloss hereafter.[6] First of all, note and know that the point of the sword is the axis, the dividing point and the core of the sword from which all applications depart and come back into it. Thus the hangings and the windings are the angulations and the rotations of the axis and of the core. From them, quite a few good plays of fencing also come. And they were identified and worked out so that a fencer who initiates a cut or thrust directly into the point may not hit every single time of course, they can hit someone by stepping out and in and by lateral stepping or springing with those same cutting, thrusting or slicing plays. And if you mislaid or over extended the point of your sword by overshooting or by overstepping, then you can realign and withdraw and shorten it again by winding or stepping back in such a fashion that you again come into the certain plays and precepts of fencing. From them, you can deliver cuts, thrusts, or slices. For according to Liechtenauer's art, these cuts, thrusts and slices all come from the applications and precepts of the art of the sword, as you will hear hereafter about how one play and precept comes from the other and how one fashions one of these from the other such that if the one will be warded off, then the other hits and has success. |
[18v] Das ist eyne gemeyne lere des swertes wWIltu kunst schawen · ¶ Glosa generalis huius sequitur / ¶ Von allerersten merke vnd wisse / das der ort des swertes · ist das czentrum vnd das mittel vnd der kern · des swertes · aus deme alle gefechte gen / vnd weder / yn in komen · So sint dy hengen / vnd dy winden / synt dy anhenge vnd dy vmlewfe des czentrums vnd des kerns [19r.1] aus den auch / gar vil guter stöcke des fechtens komen / vnd sint dorvm fvnden vnd irdocht / das eyn fechter / der da gleich czum orte czu hewt ader sticht / nicht wol allemal treffen mak / das der mit den selben stöcken / hawende stechende ader sneydende / mit abe / vnd czutreten / vnd mit vmbeschreiten ader springen eynen treffen mag / vnd ab eyner syn ort des swertes / mit schißen ader mit voltreten / vorlewst ader vorlengt / zo mag her in mit winden ader abetreten / weder / irlengen vnd / ynbrengen vnd körczen / alzo das her weder yn gewisse stöcke vnd gesetze kümpt des fechtens / aus den her hewe stiche ader snete brengen mag / wen noch lychtnawers kunst / zo komen aus allen gefechten vnd gesetze des f der kunst des swertes / hewe stiche vnd snete / als man wirt hernoch hören / wy eyn stöcke vnd gesetze aus dem andern kumpt / vnd wy sich eyns aus dem andern macht / ab eyns wirt geweret / das daz ander treffe vnd vorgank habe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Secondly, note and know that no part of the sword was neither invented nor conceived without a purpose. Namely, a fencer shall utilize the point, both edges, the hilt, the pommel and the like on the sword in accordance with it's particular precept in the art of fencing, which these practices possess and promote in accordance as well, as you will hereafter see and hear each in particular. |
[19r.2] ¶ Czu dem andern mal merke vnd wisse / daz keyn dink an dem swerte / vmbe züst funden vnd irdocht ist / zvnder eyn fechter / den ort / beide sneiden · gehilcze · klos / vnd als das am swerte ist / nütczen sal / noch dem [19v.1] als itzlieichs syn sönderleichs gesetze hat yn der kunst des fechtens / noch dem als dy Übunge hat vnd findert / als du itzlichs besvnder hernoch wirst sehen vnd hören / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Also note and know by this, when he speaks, "If you wish to examine the art, etc", that he means that a skilled fencer, they shall advance the left foot and cut from the right side directly to the opponent with threatening cuts as long as they see where they can fully obtain and fully reach the opponent with their stepping. And he means: "when someone wishes to fence strongly", so shall they fence out from the left side with the entire body and full power to the head and to the body alone wherever they can hit and never to the sword, in particular, they shall do it as if the opponent has no sword and as if they cannot see it and they shall not omit any stingers nor wounds, rather always be in work and in contact so that the opponent cannot come to blows. |
[19v.2] ¶ Auch merke vnd wisse / mit deme als her spricht wiltu kunst schawen etc / meynt her / das eyn kunstlicher fechter / der sal den linken fuz vorsetzen / vnd von der rechten seiten mete hawen / gleich czum manne / mit drewe hewen / zo lang / bis das her siet wo her ienen wol gehaben mag / vnd wol dirreichen mit seinen schreten / Vnd meynt / wen eyner stark wil fechten zo sal her von der linken seiten of fechten / mit ganczem leibe vnd mit ganczer kraft / czu köppe vnd czu leibe wo her nur treffen mag / vnd nummer czu keyn swerte / zvnder her sal tuen / zam iener keyn swert habe / aber zam hers nicht sehe / vnd sal keyne czecken ader ruren nicht vormeiden / zonder vmmermer in erbeit vnd in berürunge seyn das iener nicht czu slage mag komen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
He also means that you shall neither move nor step directly behind your attacks, rather, do it somewhat sideways and curved around so that you come to the side of the opponent, where you can get at them better with everything than by frontally on. Whatever you subsequently cut or thrust at the opponent at that moment, cannot be defended nor lead off well by them by disengaging in any way nor by any other techniques, provided that the cuts and thrusts go in directly to the openings, be it to the head or to the body, with lateral movement and stepping. |
[19v.3] ¶ ¶ Auch meynt her das / eyner den hewen nicht gleich sal noch gehen vnd treten · zonder etwas beseites / vnd krumbes vmbe / das her ieme an dy seite kome / do her in bas / mit allerleye gehaben mag / denne vorne czu / was ′her ′denne[9] nür of ienen hewt ader sticht das mag im iener mit keynerleye durchwechsel ader andern gefechten / gel / wol weren ader abeleiten / nür das dy hewe ader stiche gleich czum manne czu gehen keyn den blößen / czu koppe ader czu leibe / mit vmbeschriten / vnd treten / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Also note and know by this when he speaks, "The Before, The After the two things, etc" that he means the five words: The Before, The After, Weak, Strong, Indes. The entire art of Master Liechtenauer's rests upon these very words which are the foundation and the core of all fencing on foot or on horse, bare or in harness. |
[20r.1] ·;· ¶ Auch merke vnd wisse / mit deme als her spricht / vor · noch · dy zwey dink etc / do / nent her dy fünff wörter ·/· vor · noch · swach · stark · Indes ·/ an den selben wörtern / leit alle kunst / Meister lichtnawers / vnd sint dy gruntfeste vnd der / kern / alles fechtens czu fusse ader czu rosse / blos ader in harnüsche / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
By the word "The Before", he means that every good fencer shall possess and have won the Vorschlag every time they hit or miss. As Liechtenauer says: "Attack suddenly and storm in, keep moving fluidly, engage or let pass". Whenever you either walk or rush toward the opponent, just as soon as you can see that you can reach them with a step or with a spring, then wherever you see them open somewhere, you shall move in with confidence, be it to the head or to the body, boldly without any fear, wherever you can most certainly get them. For in this way, you always win the Vorschlag, not matter if the opponent ends up safe or not. And you must also be shrewd in your stepping and shall have measured them correctly so that you do not step too short nor too long. Now, whenever you execute the Vorschlag, if you connect, seamlessly follow up that hit. But If the opponent wards off your Vorschlag,whether it be a cut or thrust by leading off or controlling with their sword, then while you’re still against your opponent’s sword, as they are leading you away from the opening in which you targeted, you must quite precisely note and feel whether they are soft or hard, weak or strong against your sword in their leading off and defense of your cuts and thrusts. If it then happens that you clearly feel how the opponent lies in their application at that moment, and they are strong and hard; Indes, at the moment you completely notice and feel that, you shall, Indes or during the time the opponent defends themselves, be soft and weak and in that, before the opponent can come to blows, you shall then execute the Nachschlag. That is to say that you shall immediately, while the opponent defends themselves and wards off your Vorschlag (be it cut or thrust), seek other applications and plays. With these, you shall again storm in and keep moving fluidly toward their openings such that you stay continuously in movement and in action. In this way you confound and rattle them. Thus the opponent has altogether so much to manage with their defending and warding off that they, the defender, cannot come to their blows. Because if you defend yourself and fixate on the oncoming strikes, you are always in greater danger than those that strike at you because you must always either ward off those strikes or must allow yourself to be hit. Thus, it is difficult to come to blows. About this Liechtenauer says: "I say to you truthfully, no one defends themselves without danger. If you have understood this, the opponent cannot come to blows if you otherwise perform according to the five words. This lecture completely gets at this and all fencing". |
[20r.2] ¶ Mit deme worte · Vor · meynt her das eyn itzlicher guter fechter / sal alle mal den vorslag haben vnd gewinnen / † {her treffe ader vele / als lichnawer / spricht / Haw dreyn vnd hurt dar / rawsche hin trif ader la var} wenne her czu / eyme gehet ader lewft / als balde als her nur siet / das her in mit eynem schrete / ader mit eynem sprunge / dirreichen mag / wo her denne indert in blos siet / do sal her hin varn / mit frewden / czu koppe ader czu leibe / künlich an alle vorchte wo her in am gewisten gehaben mag / alzo das her ia den vorslag gewinne / is tu ieme wol ader we · vnd sal auch mit dem / in synen schreten gewisse sein / vnd sal dy haben recht zam gemessen / das her nicht czu korcz ader czu lank schreite / wen her nü den vorslag / tuet / trift her zo volge her dem treffen vaste / noch · weret · her aber iener den vorslag alzo das her im den vorslag / is sy haw ader stich mit syme swerte / abeweiset vnd leitet / Dy weile her denne ieme noch / an syme swerte ist / mit deme als her wirt abe geweist / von der blößen / der her geremet / hat / zo sal her gar eben fülen vnd merken [20v.1] ab iener in syme abeleiten vnd schützen der hewe ader stiche / an syme swerte / weich ader herte / swach ader stark / sey / Ist denne das her nü wol fület / wy iener in syme geferte ist / Is das iener stark vnd herte ist / Indes / das hers nü genczlich merkt vnd fület / zo sal her ader Indes ader vnderdez das sich iener zo schützt / weich vnd swach dirweder syn / vnd in dem selben / · e · den / das iener czu keyme slage kome / zo sal her denne den nochslag tuen / das ist / das her czu hant / dy weile sich iener schützt vnd sich des vorslags weret / is sy haw ader stich zo sal her ander gefechte vnd stöcke hervör süchen / mit den her aber czu synen blößen hurt vnd rawschet / alzo dis her vmmermer in bewegunge vnd in berürunge sy · das her ienen als irre / vnd betawbet mache / das iener mit syme schützen vnd weren / alzo vil czu schaffen habe / das her / der schützer / czu syner slege / keyne komen mag / wen eyner der sich sal schützen / vnd der slege warnemen / der ist alle mal in grösser var / denne der /· der da slet of in / denne her mus ia dy slege weren / ader mus sich laen treffen / daz her selber mülich / czu slage mag komen / Dorvm spricht lichtnawer / Ich sage vorware · sich schutzt keyn man ane vare / Hastu vornomen · czu slage mag her kleyne komen / Tustu anders noch den fünff wörtern / of dy dese rede gar get / vnd alles fechten | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is why a peasant often strikes a master, because they have been bold and have won the Vorschlag according to this lesson. |
[20v.2] Dorvm slet oft / eyn bawer eyn meister / wen her küne ist vnd den vorslag / gewinnet / noch deser lere / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Because with the word, "The Before", as was spoken about earlier, he means that you should boldly storm in and keep moving fluidly toward their openings with a good Vorschlag or first strike, without any fear, to the head or to the body. You either hit or miss in such a way that you suddenly rattle the opponent and startle them such that they do not know what to do about it and also before they recover themselves against it again or come back at you, that you then immediately execute the Nachschlag and the opponent has truly so much to manage to defend and to warding off that they cannot possibly come to blows. Because if you execute the first strike or the Vorschlag and the opponent then wards, in that very warding off and defending, you always come into the Nachschlag's earlier than the opponent comes to their first. Then you can immediately start to work with your pommel or possibly come into the crosswise cuts (these are especially good) or else cast the crosswise cut over the sword. By this you arrive at other applications or else you can initiate many other things before the opponent comes to blows as you will hear how you fashion from one to the other such that the opponent cannot come away from you unstruck if you otherwise execute according to this lesson. That is to say you shall execute the Vorschlag and the Nachschlag promptly and swiftly after each other as if it were possible to accomplish it together with a single thought and with single strike. |
[21r.1] Wenne mit dem wrote · vor · als e gesprochen ist / meynt her / das eyner mit eyme guten vorslage ader mit dem ersten slage / sal eyner kunlich an alle vorchte dar hurten vnd rawschen / keyn den blössen czu koppe ader czu leibe / her treffe ader vele / das her ienen czu hant als betewbet / mache vnd in irschrecke / das her nicht weis was her keyn desem solle weder tuen / vnd auch · e · denne sich iener weder keyns irhole / ader weder czu im selber kome / das her denne czu hant den nochslag tue / vnd im io zo vil schaffe / czu weren vnd czu schützen / das her nicht möge czu slage komen / denne wen deser den ersten slag / ader den vorslag tuet / vnd in iener denne weret / in dem selben weren vnd schutzen / zo kumpt deser denne alle mal · e · czu dem nochslage den iener czu dem ersten / den her mag / czu haut czu varn mit dem klosse / ader mag / in dy twerhewe komen / dy czu male gut syn / ader mag sost das swert dy twer vor werfen / do mite her in ander gefechte kumpt / ader sost mancherleye mag her wol beginnen / · e · denne iener czu slage kumpt / als du wirst horen wy sich eyns aus dem andern macht / das iener nicht mag von im komen vngeslagen / tut her anders noch deser lere† {Wenne her sal mit eyme gedanken / vnd zam mit eyme slage / ab is möglich were / den vorslag vnd nochslag tuen / risch vnd snelle noch eynnand[er]}[10] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
It is also entirely possible to come to this if the opponent wards the Vorschlag, they must ward it with their sword. In this way, they must come against your sword. And then if the opponent is somewhat sluggish and lax, it is then possible for you to remain against their sword and you shall immediately wind and quite precisely note and feel whether or not they will withdraw themselves from your sword. |
[21r.2] ¶ Auch möchte is wol dar czu komen / ab iener den vorslag weret / zo müste her in weren mit dem swerte / vnd alzo müste her desen io an syn swert komen / vnd wenn denne ienui eczwas trege vnd las were / zo möchte deser denne an dem swerte bleyben / vnd sal denne czu hant winden / vnd sal gar eben merken vnd fulen / ab sich iener wil abeczihen von dem swerte / ader nicht / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
If the opponent withdraws, just as you both come together against swords and the points extend to the openings against each other, then with the opponent's withdrawal, before they can recover themselves again for a new cut or thrust against you, immediately follow them with your point, with a good thrust to their breast or anywhere straight forward, wherever you can connect the surest and closest, in this way the opponent cannot come away from your sword with anything unharmed. This is because when the opponent delivered a new cut or thrust wide around with their withdrawal, you were surely closer at hand to the opponent with your following as you sent your point forwards, targeting them against their sword according to what is closest and shortest. Truly in this way, you always come earlier into your Nachschlag's or Nachstich's than the opponent can get to their first. And this is what Liechtenauer means by the word, "The After". The moment you have executed the Vorschlag, you shall immediately execute the Nachschlag seamlessly off the previous action and stay continuously in motion and action and continuously conduct one after the other. If the first fails, the second, third, or fourth hits and the opponent truly cannot come to blows, because you cannot have any greater advantage of fencing than when you execute these five words according to this lesson. |
[21r.3] ¶ Czewt sich iener ab / als sy nü vor mit eynnander an dy swert sint komen / vnd dy orter keyn eynnander recken / czu den blossen / E denne sich / denne iener keyns haws ader stichs / of eyn news weder [21v.1] irholen mag mit syme abeczihen · zo hat im deser czu hant / mit syme orte noch gevolget / mit eynem guten stiche czu der brost / ader söst vorne czu wo her in am schiresten vnd nehesten getreffen mag / alzo das im iener mit nichte / ane schaden von dem swerte mag komen / wenn deser hat io / czu hant mit syme nochvolgen / neher czu ieme / mit dem als her synen ort / vor / an dem swerte gestalt hat keyn ieme / noch dem aller nehesten vnd körczsten / wenn das iener mit syme abeczihen / of / eyn news solde hewe ader stiche / weit vmbe / dar brengen / alzo mag io deser alle mal · e · czu dem nochslage ader stiche komen / · e · denne iener czu dem ersten / Vnd das meynt lichtnawer mit dem worte / noch / wenn eyner im den vorslag hat getan / zo sal her czu hant an vnderloz / of der selben vart den nochslag / tuen / vnd sal vmmermer in bewegunge / vnd in rürunge syn / vnd vmmmer eyns noch dem andern treiben / ab ym das erste vele / das daz ander das dritte ader daz vierde treffe / vnd io ienen nicht lasse czu keyme slage komen / Wen keyn / mag grosser vorteil of fechten haben / den der nach der lere / deser fünff / wörter tuet / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
But if the opponent stays with you against your sword, as they have come against it with their warding and defending and this has drawn them out such that you have remained with them against the sword and have not yet executed the Nachschlag, then you shall wind and stay with them in this way against their sword and you shall quite precisely note and feel whether the opponent is either weak or strong against your sword. |
[21v.2] ¶ Ist aber das iener an dem swerte bleybt / mit dem als her mit syme weren vnd schutzen desem an syn swert ist komen / vnd is sich alzo vorczagen hat das deser mit im an dem swerte ist bleben / vnd noch nicht den nochslag hat getan · zo sal deser winden / of vnd mit im alzo an dem swerte stehen / vnd sal gar eben merken vnd fülen / ab / ien swach ader stark ist an dem swerte / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Then if you note and feel that the opponent is strong, hard and fixed against your sword and at that moment intends to force their sword out, you shall then be weak and soft in response and you shall yield and give way to their strength and you shall let their sword push through and travel with their forcing such that when they do that, you shall then deftly let their sword promptly and swiftly slide draw away, and you shall deftly speed in towards their openings, either to their head or their body with cuts, thrusts and slices only where you can approach the closest and the surest. Because when you are weak and soft in response and let their sword slide away and you yield to them in this way, the harder and the surer the opponent pushes and presses with their sword, the further and the wider they then push their sword away such that they become completely open so that you can then hit our wound them according to desire before they can recover themselves from their own cut or thrust. |
[21v.3] ¶ Ist denne das deser merkt vnd fület / das iener stark herte vnd veste an dem swerte ist / vnd desen / nü meynt syn swert hin dringen · zo sal deser denne swach vnd weich dirweder syn / vnd sal syner sterke weichen vnd stat geben / vnd sal im syn swert / hin lassen preln vnd wer varn / mit syn dringen daz her tuet / vnd deser sal denne syn swert snelle [22r.1] lassen abegleiten · vnd abeczihen / balde vnd risch · vnd sal snelle dar varn keyn synen blossen / czu koppe ader czu leibe / wo / mit hewen stichen vnd sneten / wo her nür / am nehesten vnd schiresten mag czu komen / wen e · herter vnd · e · sürer iener dringt vnd druckt mit syme swerte / vnd deser denne swach vnd weich dirweder ist · vnd syn swert lest abegleiten / vnd im alzo weicht / · e · verrer vnd · e · weiter denne ieme syn swert wek prelt · das her denne gar blos wirt / vnd das in denne deser noch wonsche mag treffen vnd rüren / · e · denne her sich selber / keyns haws ader stichs irholen mag / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
But if the opponent is weak and soft against the sword in this way, just as you clearly note and feel that, you shall then be strong and hard against their sword in response and you shall then move in strongly with your point while against their sword and keep moving on in fluidly, directly to their openings, wherever you can, that is closest, just as if a cord or thread were bound at the end of your point, which guides your point to their opening in the shortest way. And with the thrust that you just executed, you become fully aware whether the opponent is so weak that the opponent lets your sword force them out and allows themselves be struck. |
[22r.2] ¶ Ist aber iener an dem swerte swach vnd weich · also das is deser nü wol merkt vnd fület / zo sal deser denne stark vnd herte dirweder syn / an dem swerte / vnd sal denne mit syme orte sterklichen an dem swerte hin varn vnd rawschen keyn iens blossen gleich vorne czu / wo her am nehesten mag / Recht zam im eyn snure ader vadem / vorne an synen ort were gebunden / der im synen ort of das neheste / weizet czu ienes blossen / vnd mit dem selben stechen das deser tuet / wirt her wol gewar / ab iener zo swach ist / daz her im syn swert lest alzo hin dringen vnd sich lest treffen Ist aber ab her stark ist vnd den stich weret vnd abeleitet / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
But if the opponent becomes strong against your sword in turn and defends and leads off your thrust in this way, such that they force your sword away, you shall again become weak and soft in response and shall allow their sword to slide away and yield to them and swiftly seek their openings with cuts, thrusts and slices, however you readily can. And this is what Liechtenauer means by the words, "Soft and Hard". And this follows the authorities. As Aristotle spoke in the book Perihermanias: "Opposites positioned near themselves shine greater, or rather; opposites which adjoin, augment. Weak against strong, hard against soft, and the contrary." For should it be strong against strong, then the stronger would win every time. Therefore Liechtenauer undertakes fencing according to the more equitable and durable art, so that one weaker and cunning with their art wins as surely as one stronger with their strength. How could the art work differently? |
[22r.3] ¶ Is das her stark wirt weder an dem swerte / vnd desem syn swert abeweiset vnd den stich weret / also das her desen syn swert vaste hin dringt / zo sal deser aber swach vnd weich dirweder werden / vnd sal syn swert lassen abegleiten / vnd im weichen / vnd syne blossen rischlichen süchen / mit hewen stichen ader mit sneten wy her nür mag · Vnd das meynt lichtnawer / mit desen wörter / · weich · vnd herte / vnd das get of dy auctori=[22v.1] tas / als aristotyles spricht in libro peryarmenias · Opposita iuxta se posita · magis elucescunt / vel / opposita oppositis amantur / Swach weder stark / herte weder weich / et equatur / Denne solde stark weder stark syn / zo gesigt allemal der sterker / · dorvm get lichtnawer fechten noch rechter vnd worhaftiger kunst dar / das eyn swacher mit syner kunst vnd list / als schire gesigt / mit / als eyn starker mit syner sterke / worvm were anders kunst / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Therefore fencer, learn to feel well in the manner Liechtenauer spoke: "Learn the feeling. Indes, that word slices sharply", because when you are against the sword of the opponent and at that moment clearly feel whether the opponent is weak or strong against the sword, Indes or during that, so then you can consider and know what you shall execute against the opponent according to the aforementioned lore and art well. Because the opponent truly cannot withdraw themselves from harm with anything. Liechtenauer said it: "Strike such that it snaps whoever withdraws before you". |
[22v.2] ¶ Dorüm fechter lere wol fülen / als lichtnawer spricht / das fülen lere / Indes daz wort / sneidet sere / den wen du eyme am swerte bist vnd fülest nü wol ab iener swach ader stark am swerte ist · Indes · ader dy weile · zo magstu denne wol trachten vnd wissen was du salt keyn im tuen / noch deser vorgesprochen lere / vnd kunst / wen her mag sich io mit nichte abe czihen vom swerte ane schaden / Den lichtnawer spricht / slach das her snabe / wer sich vör dir czewt abe / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
If you act according to this lesson, persisting in this way well so that you always have possessed and won the Vorschlag and as soon as you execute that, you then execute the Nachschlag (that is, the second, the third or the fourth strike, be it cut or stab) afterwards in one fluid motion, immediately without refrain then the opponent can never come to blows. If you then come onto the sword with them, be sure in feeling and execute as was written before. |
[22v.3] ¶ Tu noch deser lere / zo bestestu wol alzo das du io den vorslag habest vnd gewinest / vnd als balde / als du den tuest / zo tu denne dornoch in eyme rawsche / inmediate an vnderloz den nochslag / das ist den andern / den dritten / ader den vierden slag / haw aber stich / das io iener nicht czu slage kome / kömstu denn mit im an daz swert / zo bis sicher an dem fulen / vnd tu als vor geschreben ist / wen dis ist der grunt des fechtens das eyn man vmmermer in motu ist / vnd nicht veyert vnd kömpt is denne an das fulen / zo tu / ut supra potuit(?) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Because this is the foundation of fencing, that one is always in motion and does not pause and when the act of feeling arrives, then execute as it is laid out above. And whatever you conduct and initiate, always have measure and moderation. Like, if at one moment you won the Vorschlag, then don't do it so impetuously and so powerfully that you then cannot recover yourself for the Nachschlag. About this, Liechtenauer spoke: "Thereupon you hold, all things have moderation and measure". And also understand this in the stepping and in all other plays and precepts of fencing, etc. |
[22v.4] ·Vnd was du treibest vnd beginnest / zo habe io moße vnd limpf / als ab du im den vorslag / gewinnest / zo tu in nicht zo gehelich vnd zo swinde / das du / dich nicht nich denne mogst irholen des nochslags / Dorüm spricht lichtnawer / Dorof dich zoße / alle dink haben limpf vnd moße / vnd daz selbe vornym och von den schreten / vnd von allen andern stöcke vnd gesetze des fechtens etc
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This is the text, wherein he names the five cuts and other plays of fencing.
[No gloss] |
[23r.1] Das ist der / text / in deme her nennet / dy fünff / hewe vnd andere stöcke des fechtens fFVnf hewe lere · | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about the Wrath cut, etc.
Gloss. Here note and know that Liechtenauer calls a descending cut struck from the shoulder the wrathcut, because when someone is in their wrath and fury, there is no cut as ready as this descending cut straight from the shoulder to the opponent. What Liechtenauer means by this is when the opponent begins to strike with a descending cut, you shall counter cut the wrathcut against them in such a way that you soundly shoot the point against them. If they ward off your point, then immediately withdraw above and move in suddenly on the other side of their sword. But if they defend that, then be hard and strong in the sword and boldly and immediately wind and thrust. If they defend your thrust, separate and immediately initiate a cut below where you hit their legs. in such a way that you continuously conduct one after the other, so that the opponent cannot come to blows. And the aforementioned words: "The Before, The After, Indes, Weak, Strong" and "cuts, thrusts and slices"; you shall fully consider these all at once and in no way forget them in your applications. |
[23r.2] Das ist von deme Czornhawe etc ~ wDEr dir oberhawet · ¶ Glosa ¶ Hie merke vnd wisse das lichtnawer / eyn öberhaw slecht von der achsel / heisset den czornhaw / Den eyn wen eym itzlichem in syme grymme vnd czorne [23v.1] zo ist im keyn haw als bereit / als der selbe oberhaw slecht von der achsel / czum manne / Dorüm meynt lichtnawer / Wenn dir eyner czu hewt / mit eym obirhaw / zo salt du keyn im weder hawen den czornhaw / alzo das du mit dyme ort vaste keyn im schisset / wert her dir dyn ort / zo czewch balde oben ab / vnd var czu der andern syten dar / syns swerts · wert her dir daz aber / zo bis harte vnd stark im swerte / vnd wind / vnd stich balde vnd kunlich / wert her dir den / stich / zo smeis vnd haw balde vnden czu / wo du trifst / czun beynen / alzo das du vmmermer eyns noch dem andern treibest / das iener nicht czu slage kome / Vnd dy vorgesprochen wörter · vor · noch · Indes · swach · stark / vnd · hewe · stiche · vnd · snete · der saltu czu male wol gedenken / vnd mit nichte vorgessen in deme gefechte | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
You shall also not seriously rush with the war, because if something fails you above, then you hit below as you will hear about how you fashion one cut, thrust, and slice from the other according to the legitimate art. |
[23v.2] ¶ Auch saltu nicht sere eylen mit deme krige / den ab dir eynes velet oben / des du remest / zo triffestu vnden als du wirst hören wy sich eyns aus dem andern macht / noch rechtvertiger kunst / besunder hewe stiche snete | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
And you shall not cut at the opponent's sword, rather at the opponent, rather to the head and to the body, wherever you can, etc. One can also look at it where the first verse could go like this: "Whomever you cut the wrathcut over, the point of the wrathcut threatens them, etc." Just act according to this lesson and be continuously in motion. You either hit or not such that the opponent cannot come to blows. And always step out well to the side with cuts. |
[23v.3] ¶ Vnd salt nicht czu eyns swerte hawen / zonder czu im selber / czu koppe vnd czu leibe / wo eyner mag etc Auch mag man vornemen / das der erste verse mochte alzo stehen / wem du öberhewest czornhaw / deme drewt der ort / des czornhaws etc Nür tu noch deser lere / vnd bis vmmermer in / motu / du treffest ader nicht / daz iener nicht czu slage kome vnd schret io wol besytz aus / mit den hewen / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Also know that there are only two cuts, all other cuts come from them regardless of how they possibly come to be named. That is the descending cut and the rising cut from both sides. They are the chief cuts and foundation of all other cuts as these cuts fundamentally and by principle come from the point of the sword, which is the core and the axis of all other plays here as was written about well before. And from those two cuts come the four parries from both sides. With them you disrupt and break all cuts, thrusts or positions. And from them you also come into the four hangings. From them you can conduct the art well as one shall hear hereafter. And however you may fence someone in particular, you shall ever and always turn your point toward the opponent's face or breast so that the opponent must continually discourage themselves. Thus they cannot preempt you, for you are closer to them than they are to you. |
[23v.4] Auch wisse das nur czwene hewe seyn aus den alle ″ander ″hewe[13] wy dy komen wy dy vmmer genant mögen werdn / das [24r.1] das ist der öberhaw · vnd der vnderhaw / von beiden seiten · dy sint dy hawpt hewe vnd grunt aller ander hewe / wy wol dy selben vrsachlich vnd gruntlich / auch komen aus dem orte des swertes / der do ist der kern vnd das czentrum aller andern stocke / als das wol vor ist geschrebn # {vnd}} aus den selben hewen komen dy vier vorsetczen von beiden seiten / mit den man alle hewe vnd stiche ader leger / letzt vnd bricht / vnd aus den man auch yn dy vier hengen kumpt / aus den man[14] wol kunst treiben mag / als man hernoch wirt horen} Vnd wy eyn man nur ficht / zo sal io allemal den ort keyn eyns gesichte / ader brust keren / zo mus sich iener alleczeit besorgen · das her icht · e kome wenn her · wen her io neher czu im hat wenn iener / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
And if it happens that the opponent has won the Vorschlag, then you shall be secure and sure and be quick with turning. And as soon as you have turned, you shall immediately speed in promptly and swiftly. And your point shall always seek the opponent's breast, turning and positioning yourself against it, as you will hear of better hereafter. And the point, as soon as you come against the sword of the opponent, shall always come about a half an ell away from the opponent's breast or face and take especially good care that you intend to arrive inside that and certainly in the most direct way and not wide around, so that the opponent cannot come first because of you. Provided you will not allow yourself to become lax and hesitant and ward too lazily nor be willing to arrive too wide and too far around. |
[24r.2] Vnd ab is alzo queme / das iener den vorslag gewunne / zo sal deser sicher vnd gewis / vnd snelle seyn mit dem wenden / vnd als bald als her im gewendet hat / zo sal her czu hant czuvaren rich risch vnd balde / vnd syn ort sal allemal iens brust begeren vnd sich keyn der keren vnd stellen / als du hernoch wirst bas horen / Vnd der ort / als bald her eyme an das swert kumpt / mit dem swerte / der sal allemal kawme üm eyne halbe ele · verre · von iens brust ader gesichte seyn / vnd des gar wol war nemen ab her yndert dar komen möchte / vnd io of das neste / vnd nicht weit üm / das iener icht · e · queme wen deser / ab sich deser icht lassen vnd zümen würde / vnd czu trege wer / ader czu weit wolde dar komen vnd czu verre üm / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about the four openings, etc, etc.
Gloss. Note here that Liechtenauer partitions a person in four parts, just as if he drew a line right down the front of their body from the top of the head to down between their legs and a second line that crosses over their body at their waist, In this way they become four quarters: a right and a left above the girdle and also below the girdle in the same way. These are the four openings, each of which have their particular applications. He takes aim of these and never the sword, only the openings. |
[25r.1] Das ist von den vier blössen etc etc vVIer blößen wisse · ¶ Glosa ¶ / Hie merke / daz lichtnawer / der teilt eyn menschen yn vier teil / recht zam das her eym von der scheitel / eyn strich vorne gleich neder machte an sym leybe / bis her neder czwischen syne beyne / Vnd den andern strich by der görtel · dy czwere öber den / leib / zo werden vier vierteil eyn rechtes vnd eyn links öber der görtel / vnd alzo auch vnder der gortel / das sint dy vier bloßen / der hat itzlichs syne sonder gefechte / der reme vnd nummer keyns swertes / zonder der bloßen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
About the four openings, how one breaks them.
[No gloss] |
[25r.2] Von den vier blössen / wy man dy bricht wWIltu dich rechen / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about the crooked cut, etc.
Gloss. What Liechtenauer means by this is that if you will command this cut well, you shall step well out sideways[15] to the right side, then deliver your attack and you shall crooked cut fully and swiftly and you shall throw or shoot your point over the opponent's hilt onto their hands and you shall cut to the opponent's flats. Then if you hit their flat, remain strong upon it and press firmly and you shall cut with your flats. Then if you hit their sword, remain strong upon it and press firmly and you shall look for whatever you can subsequently deliver most decisively and directly using cuts, thrust or slices and you shall not cut too short with anything and you shall not forget about disengaging, when it merits it |
[25v] Das ist von deme krumphawe / etc kKRump auf / behende · ¶ Glosa ·¶· Hie merke vnd wisse das der krumphaw / ist eyn oberhaw der do mit eyme guten ausschrete / krumbes dar / get / zam noch eyner seiten · Dorüm meynt lichtnawer / der den selben haw wol wil furen / der sal wol beseicz aus schreiten czu der rechten hant / danne her den haw brengt / vnd sal wol krumphawen vnd behendlichen / vnd sal synen ort / werfen / ader schißen / ieme ober syn gehilcze of / dy hende / vnd sal czu ienes mit syner flechen hawen / wen her denne trift / dy flechen [i]enes [sw]ert / zo sal her stark dor of bleiben / vnd vaste drucken / vnd sal sehen · was her denne am endlichsten vnd geradsten / dar brengen mag / mit hewen stichen ader sneten / vnd sal mit nichte czu korcz hawen / vnd sal des durchwechsels nicht vorgessen / ab sichs gepürt / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
There is one attack called the failer and it comes from the crooked cut and it lay written after the crosswise cut where the hand is drawn and it should lay before the crosswise cut and it comes in crooked and oblique from below, over the hilt of the opponent, shooting in with the point, just like the crooked cut down from above. |
[26v] ☞ ¶ Eyn / haw / heist der veller / vnd kumpt aus dem krumphaw · vnd der stet geschreben noch deme twerhawe / do dy hant ist geschreben / vnd der sal vör deme therhawe [!] sten / vnd der get von vnden dar krumbes vnd schiks / eyme ober deme gehilcze yn / mit ort schissen/ Recht zam der krumphaw von oben neder / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[No gloss] |
[27r.2] # ☞¶ Veller wer füret · | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about the crosswise cut, etc.
Gloss. Here note and know that of the entire sword, no cut is as intrepid, as intense, as definitive and as good as is the crosswise cut. And you undertake the crosswise cut together to both sides, with both edges, the back and the front; to all openings, below and above. And everything that arrives from above, (which are either the descending cuts or whatever else comes down from above) one breaks those and one wards those with the crosswise cuts. You can deliver these well or your sword well, respectively, if you hurl your sword out in front of your head, (to whichever side you wish) just as if you would come into the upper hanging or winding, only that in the crosswise cut, the flats of their sword are turned: one above or upward, the other below or downward; and the edges to the sides They cross, one to the right and one to the left side. And it is quite good to come against the sword of the opponent with these crosswise cuts. And that is because when you come against the sword of your opponent, at the moment it actually happens, they may arduously come away from it, but they will be struck on both sides with crosswise cuts. Just at the point you deliver a crosswise cut, to whichever side it is, be it above or below, always move your sword up with the hilt in front of the head with your hand flipped over, so that you are absolutely warded and covered. And you shall deliver the crosswise cuts with some strength. |
[27r.1] #Das ist von deme Twerehawe / etc tTWere benymmet · [27v.1] ¶ Glosa / Hie merke vnd wisse / das of dem ganczen / swerte / keyn haw / als redlich · zo heftik · zo vertik · vnd zo gut ist als der twerhaw · Vnd der get dar / zam dy twer · czu beyden seiten · mit beiden sneiden / der hindern vnd der vördern / czu allen blossen / vnden vnde oben · Vnd alles das von dem tage dar kumpt / das sint dy öbern hewe / ader was söst von oben neder gehet / das bricht vnd / weret eyner / mit den twer hewen / der dy wol kan dar brengen / ader das swert wol vörwirft / dy twer vor / das hawpt / czu weler seiten her wil / recht zam her in dy obern hengen ader winden wolle komen / Nür das eyner in den twerhewen / dy flechen des swertes / eyne oben ader of / dy ander vnden ader neder kert · vnd dy sneiden / czu den syten / dy twer / eyne / czu der rechten / vnd eyne czu der linken / seiten · Vnd mit den selben twerhewen / ist gar gut eyme an das swert czu komen / vnd wen den eyner eyme an das swert kumpt / wy das nür dar komen ist / zo mag iener mülich von im komen / her wirt von desem geslagen · czu beiden seiten mit den twerhewen / den wy her eynen twerhaw nür dar brengt / czu weler seiten is ist / vnden ader oben / zo get im io das swert oben / mit dem gehilcze / mit vorworfner / hant · vor deme hewpte / das her io wol bewart vnd bedekt ist · Vnd eyner sal dy twerhewe / eczwas mit / sterke dar brengen / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
And when you shall fence for your neck, you shall proceed with the afore-written lore so that you win the Vorschlag with a good crosswise cut. Whenever you close with your opponent, as soon as you realize that you are able to reach the opponent with a step or a spring, you burst in high from the right side with a crosswise cut with the back edge forwards directly to the opponent's head and you shall let your point shoot and you shall come crosswise so completely that the point winds and hinges (or wraps) itself around the opponent's head like a belt. Because when you come in from the side well with a good step or spring offline, the opponent must arduously defend or avert this. And then whenever you win the Vorschlag with the crosswise cut in this fashion on one side, whether you hit or miss, you shall then immediately without pause win the Nachschlag with the crosswise cut on the other side in one fluid motion with the forward edge before any strike or any little thing can somehow redeem the opponent according to the afore-written lore. And you shall then crosswise cut to both sides to ox and to plow. That is, into the upper openings and into the lower ones from one side to the other, below and above, ceaselessly without pause in this way, so that you are constantly in motion and do not allow the opponent to come to blows. And each time you do a crosswise cut above or below, you shall always come completely to the side and throw your sword horizontally from above well in front of your head so that you are well covered. |
[27v.2] ;· ¶ Vnd wen eyner üm synen hals sölde fechten · So solde her schaffen / mit her der vorgeschreben [28r] lere / das her mit eyme guten twerhawe den vorslag / gewunne · wen her mit eyme czu ginge als balde als her irkente / das her ienen dir reichen mochte / mit eynem schrete ader spronge das her denne dar placzte / mit eyme twerhaw oben von der rechten seiten / mit der hindern sneiden ieme gleich oben czu hawpte czu / vnd sal den ort lassen schiessen / vnd sal gar wol tweren das sich der ort wol lenke / vnd winde / ader gorte vm iens hawpt / zam eyn rime / we denne wen eyner wol tweret / mit eyme guten ausschrete ader spronge / zo mag sichs iener mülich schutzen / ader abewenden / Vnd wenn her denne den vorslag alzo gewint mit dem twerhaw her treffe / czu der eynen seyten / her treffe ader vele · zo sal her denne als balde in eyme rawsche immediate an vnderloz / den nochslag gewinnen / mit dem twerhaw czu der andern seiten / mit der vördern sneiden / · e · den sich iener keyns slags ader ichsichcz irhole / noch der vorgeschreben lere / Vnd sal denne twern czu beiden seiten / czum ochsen vnd czum pfluge / das ist / czu den obern blössen vnd czu den vndern / von eyner seiten of dy ander / vnden vnd oben / vmmermer / an vnderloz / alzo das her vmermer in motu sey vnd ienen nicht losse czu slage komen / vnd als oft / als her eynen twerhaw tuet oben ader vnden / zo sal her io wol tweren / vnd das swert oben dy twer / wol vor syn hawpt / werfen / das her wol bedekt sey / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about the cockeyed cut, etc.
Gloss Here note and know that the cockeyed cut is a descending cut from the right side with the back edge of the sword in which the left side is designated and it genuinely goes in askance or oblique, stepped off to one side to the right with a twisted sword and hand flipped over. And this cut breaks that which the buffalo, that is a peasant, might strike down from above as they tend to do. (Just like the crosswise cut breaks this as well, as was written before) And whoever threatens with disengaging, they will be dishonored by the cockeyed cut. And you shall cut cockeyed fully and sufficiently long and shoot the point firmly. Otherwise, you will be harried by disengaging and you shall cut cockeyed with the point to the throat, boldly without fear and...[18] |
[28v] Das ist von deme schilhawe :~ sSChiler in bricht · Glosa / Hie merke vnd wisse das eyn krumphaw schilhaw / ist eyn öberhaw von der / rechten seiten / mit der hindern sneiden des swertes / dy die linke seite ist genant / vnd get recht zam schilende ader schiks dar / czu eyner zeiten aus geschreten / czu der rechten / mit vorwantem swerte / vnd vorworfner hant · Vnd der selbe haw der bricht als das püffel / das ist eyn pawer / mag geslaen / von oben neder als sie phlelen [!] czu tuen / Recht zam der twerhaw auch das selbe bricht / als vor ist geschreben / Vnd wer mit durchwechsel drewt / der wirt mit dem schilhaw beschemet / Vnd eyner sal wol schilhawen vnd lank genuk / vnd den ort vaste schissen / anders her wirt gehindert / mit / durchwechsel / Vnd / eyner sal / wol schiln mit dem orte / czu dem halse kunlich ane vorchte / Vnd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
And wherever you see swords |
[29v] wWO man von scheiden / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about the part cut, etc.
[No gloss] |
[30r] Das ist von deme scheitelhawe etc ~ dDEr scheitelere · | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Liechtenauer hardly maintains anything about these four positions, only that they come from the over and under hangings from which one may surely deliver applications. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about the four positions, etc.
Gloss, etc. Here he names the four positions or four guards, about which there is something to be held. Yet a person shall absolutely not lay too long in them in any confrontation. For Liechtenauer has a particular proverb: "Whoever lays there, they are dead. Whoever sets themselves in motion, they yet live." And that pertains to those positions that a person shall preferably set themselves in motion with applications. Because if you idle in the guards, you might lose your moment to act by doing that. |
[32r.2] Das ist von den vier leger / etc ~ vVIer leger alleyne · ¶ Glosa etc ¶ Hie nent her vier leger ader vier huten / do von etzwas czu halden ist / Doch vor allen sachen / zo sal eyn man io nicht czu / lange dorynne legen / Wenn lichtnawer hat eyn sölch sprichwort / wer do leit der ist tot / wer sich rüret der lebt noch / vnd das get of dy leger das sich eyn man sal liber ruren mit gefechten denn das her / der huten wart / mit dem her vorsloffen möcht dy schancze | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The first guard, plow, is this. When you lay the point forward, upon the earth. Or to the side after displacing, this is also called the barrier-guard or the gate. |
[32r.3] ¶ Dy erste hute / pflug is / dy / wenn eyner den ort vor sich of dy erde legt ader czu der seiten / noch dem abesetzen / das heyssen ander / dy schranckhute / ader dy pforte | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The second guard, ox is the high hanging from the shoulder. |
[32r.4] / Dy ander hute ochse / ist das oberhengen / von der achsel | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The third guard, the Fool, is the low hanging, with it one breaks all cuts and thrusts whosoever commands it correctly |
[32r.5] ¶ Alber io bricht · ·Dy dritte hute / alber / ist das vnderhengen / mit der man alle hewen vnd stiche / bricht / wer dy recht füret/ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The fourth guard, the Roof, is long point. If you direct it with extended arms, the opponent cannot hit it well with neither cut nor thrust. It can also aptly be called the hanging over the head. |
[32r.6] ·Dy vierde hute / vom tage / ist der lange ort / wer den wol furet mit gestragtem armen / den mag man nicht mit hewen / noch mit stichen wol treffen / Is mag auch wol heissen / das hengen ober dem hawpte | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Also know that one breaks all positions and guards by attacking with these such that if you boldly initiate an attack, then the opponent must always come forwards and defend themselves. That is why Liechtenauer doesn't maintain much about the positions and guards, rather he prefers to craft it so that the opponent discourages themselves, thus he gains the Vorschlag, as has been shown above. |
[32r.7] ¶ Auch wisse / das man alle leger vnd huten bricht mit hewen / mit deme / daz man eyme kunlich czu hewt / zo mus io eyner of varn vnd sich schutzen / Dorüm helt lichtnawer nicht vil von den legern ader huten / zunder her schaft liber daz sich eyner besorge vor im / mit dem das her den vorslag gewint / ut potuit s[upra?] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about the four parries
Gloss. Note here that the four parries are on both sides, with one upper and one lower on each side and they disrupt or break all guards or positions. And however you carry off or dismiss the opponent's cut, thrust or slice with your sword, be it from above or below, can fully be termed parrying. And if you are parried, as that happens, withdraw swiftly and quickly initiate a cut together in one flurry. |
[32v.1] Das ist von vier vorsetczen / etc etc vVIer sint vorsetczen · ¶ Glosa /:· ¶ Hie merke / das vier vorsetczen sint / czu beiden / seiten / czu itlicher seiten / eyn obers / vnd eyns ünders / vnd dy letczen ader brechen / alle [21] huten ader leger / vnd wy du von oben / ader von vnden / eyme / hewe stiche ader snete / mit deyme swerte abeleitest / ader abweisest / das mag wol heissen vorsetczen / Vnd ab dir vorsatz wirt wy das dar kumpt / zo czewch rislich abe · vnd haw snelle mete czu / yn eyme hurte / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
But if it happens that you parry someone or avert a cut or thrust, you must immediately step in and accompany them on the sword so that the opponent cannot withdraw from you and then you must do whatever you can. To the extent you hesitate and delay, you take harm. You must also turn and rotate your point toward the opponent's breast every time, so that they must discourage themselves. |
[32v.2] Ist denne das du eyme vorsetzt / ader abewendest eyn haw ader stich / zo saltu / czu hant czu treten vnd nochvolgen am swerte das dir iener icht abeczihe / vnd salt denne tuen was du magst / wy leichte du dich last vnd zümest zo nymmestu schaden / Auch saltu wol wenden / vnd allemal deyn ort keyns eyns brust keren / zo mus her sich besorgen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Also a good fencer shall fully learn how to come against the sword of the opponent and they must do that well with the parries, because they come from the four cuts (from each side, a descending cut and a rising cut) and move into the four hangings. For as soon as one parries from above or below, so shall they immediately come into the hangings. And like you avert all cuts and stabs with the forward edge, it is as such with the parries. |
[32v.3] ¶ Auch sal eyn guter fechter / wol lernen / eyme an das swert komen komen / vnd das mag / her wol tuen / mit den vorsetczen / wen dy komen aus den vier hewen / von itzlicher seiten / eyn öberhaw vnd eyn ünderhaw / vnd gen yn dy vier hengen wenn als bald als eyner vorsetzt von vnden / ader von oben / zo sal her czu hant yn dy hengen komen · Vnd als her mit der vördern sneiden / alle hewe vnd stiche / abewendet / als ist es mit den vorsetczen / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about the pursuing, etc, etc
[No gloss] |
[33r] Das ist von nochreisen etc etc nNOchreisen lere · | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about the overrunning. Fencer look into this.
[No gloss] |
[33v] Das ist von öberlawfen · ffechter sich czu / WEr vnden remet · | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about displacing. Learn this well.
[No gloss] |
[34r] Das ist von abesetczen / das lere wol ~ lLEre abesetczen · | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about the disengaging, etc, etc.
Gloss. Here note that disengaging goes in completely straight on both sides, down from above and up from below if it is to be otherwise conducted swiftly. Now if you wish to disengage down from above on the right side, then make a descending cut straight at them then you shoot your point in over their hilt to their left side in such a way that you hit the same little hole and little window completely straight between the edges and the hilt. If you connect, then you have won. If they ward it so that they lead off and press your point offline with their sword, then from that side let your point sink right around to the other side, under their sword, not wide around, rather, sink below against their sword so that you can keep close and from there move in quite swiftly over their hilt with a good, full thrust and when you feel that you connected, fully follow through. And the way you execute it on one side, be it from below or above, you execute it on the other. |
[34v.1] Das ist vom durchwechsel / etc etc dDVrchwechsel lere · ¶ Glosa /:~ ¶ Hie merke / das durchwechsel gar gerade czugehet / czu beiden seiten / von oben neder / vnd von vnden of / wer is anders rischlich treibet / · Wiltu nu / czu der rechten hant / von oben neder durchwechseln / zo haw eyn öberhaw gleich czu ym / alzo das du dynen ort schüst / ym czu seyner linken seiten öber dem gehilcze yn / alzo das du das selbe löchel vnd fensterleyn / io gerade treffest / czwischen der sneiden vnd deme gehilcze / triftz du / zo hastu geseget / gesigt / · wert her dir das / mit deme das her dyn ort abe/weist vnd hin drückt / mit seyme swerte / So la dyn ort sinken von der selben seiten vnder seyme swerte herüm / czu der andern seiten / nicht weit üm / zonder vnden an sym swerte / zo du neste magst / vnd da var ym gar rischlich / öber dem gehilcze yn / mit eyme guten volkomen stiche / vnd wen du fülest das du trifts / zo volge wol noch Vnd alz du von eyner seiten tust / vnden ader oben / zo tu von der andern | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
And whoever binds with you, swiftly keep moving fluidly to their opening against their sword with your point. If they ward, then disengage as before or wind and feel their application whether it is soft or hard. Thereafter look to send cuts, thrusts, or slices to the openings. |
[34v.2] ¶ Vnd wer mit dir anbindet / zo rawsche an sym swerte hin keyn seyner blöße / mit dym orte / wert her zo durchwechsel / also vor / ader wind vnd füle sein geferte / ab is sey weich ader herte / dornoch süch hewe stiche / ader snete / keyn den blößen / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about withdrawing suddenly. Fencer note.
[No gloss] |
[35r] Das ist vom Czücken / Fechter merke / tTRit nü in bünde · | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about rushing through. Look closely.
[No gloss] |
[35v] Das ist von durchlawfen / nü sich dDVrchlawf loz hangen · | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about cutting off, etc, etc
[No gloss] |
[36r] Das ist von abesneiden etc etc ~ sSNeit abe dy herten · | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about the hand pressing, etc, etc.
Also know as soon as you avert the opponent's cut or thrust by turning, you must immediately step in and swiftly storm into the opponent To the extent you hesitate and delay yourself, you take harm. |
[36v.1] Das ist von hende drücken/ etc etc dDEyn sneide wende · ¶ Auch wisse / als bald / als du mit dem wenden / eyme eyn haw ader stich / abe wendest / zo saltu czu hant czu treten / vnd rischlich dar varn czu eyme / wy leichte du dich last vnd zümest / zo nymstu schaden | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Also note and know that one with the forward edge of the sword, from the middle of that side to the hilt, averts all cuts and thrusts. And the closer the opponent's cut or thrust comes to the hilt of your forward edge, the moment you have turned that edge, the better and the more powerfully you can avert those cuts or thrusts. Because the nearer to the hilt, the stronger and the mightier. And the closer to the point, the weaker and the frailer. Therefore, whoever wishes to be a good fencer, they shall first and foremost learn to avert well. For if they turn that away well with this, they come immediately into the windings. From them they can conduct the skill and beauty of the technique well. |
[36v.2] ¶ Auch merke vnd wisse / das man mit der vördern sneiden des swertes / vom mittel der selben sneiden / bis czu deme gehilcze / alle hewe ader stiche abewendet / Vnd · e · neher eyme / eyn haw ader stich czu syme gehilcze kumpt / of der selben sneiden / mit deme als her im gewendet hat dy selbe vörder sneide / · e · bas / vnd · e · kreftiger / her dy selben hewe ader stiche / abewenden mag / Wenne · e · neher czum gehilcze · e · sterker vnd · e · mechtiger / Vnd · e · neher / czum orte / · e · quesw [?] · e · swecher vnd · e · krenkher / Dorüm wer eyn guter fechter wil seyn / der sal vör allen dingen lernen wol abewenden / Wen mit dem das her wol abewendet kumpt her czu hant yn dy winden / aus den her wol kunst vnd höbscheit mag treiben dez gefechtez / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The forward edge of the sword is called the right edge and all cuts or thrusts are ruined by turning it. |
[36v.3] ¶ Dy vörder sneyde / am swerte · heist dy rechte sneide / vnd alle hewe ader stiche sint vortorben mit dem wenden | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This is about the hanging. Fencer learn this, etc.
Gloss, etc. Here note and know that there are two hangings on each side: one downward hanging and one upward hanging. With them, you can come against the sword well, because they arise from the descending cuts and the rising cuts. Just as you bind with the opponent against their sword or however else you come against their sword, you must remain against their sword and you shall wind and you shall stay against their sword in this way with them, completely at ease, with a good spirit and boldly without any fear. And you must quite precisely see, recognize and consider whatever they will do or what their situation is, which they will let fly against you. And standing in this manner against the sword, Liechtenauer calls this a speaking window. And just when you stand with the opponent against the sword, you must quite precisely note and feel whether their application is soft or hard. Thereafter, you shall then orient yourself as is often spoken before. Then if it happens that the opponent for whatever reasons withdraws themselves from your sword just a bit before you act, then you must immediately pursue and must execute cuts or thrusts whichever you can most surely deliver, before they come to anything at all, For you are always closer to the opponent with this because you stay against their sword and extend your point toward them. If the opponent withdraws with their [cut or thrust], immediately come forward with your point, before they can recover themselves from or carry out their strike. But if they stay with you against your sword, then always gauge and note whether they are soft or hard against your sword. If it happens to be that they are soft and weak, then you shall swiftly and boldly go all in and storm in with your strong and shall force and press their sword out and seek their openings to the head, to the body; just wherever you can get to. If the opponent is subsequently hard and strong against the sword and intends to force and shove you firmly out, you must then be soft and weak against their strength and yield to their force with your sword. And in that yielding as their sword drives and glides out, as was written about before, in that or while that happens, before they can recover themselves again, so that they cannot come to any strikes or thrusts, you must take advantage of their openings with cuts, thrusts or slices wherever you can most surely take control of them, according to the afore written lore swiftly, boldly and quickly so that they can never come to blows. That's why Liechtenauer says: "I say to you truthfully, no one defends themselves without danger. If you have understood this, they can scarcely come to blows". By this he means that no one can defend themselves without danger or harm if you do this according to the written precepts. If you execute and win the Vorschlag, then the opponent must continually defend or allow themselves to be struck. For when you execute the Vorschlag, whether you hit or miss; you must swiftly execute the Nachschlag in one fluid motion before the opponent comes to any blows. For whenever you wish to execute the Vorschlag, you must execute the Nachschlag in one thought and mind in the same way, just as if you intended to execute them as one thing, if it were possible. That's why Liechtenauer says: "The Before, The After the two things, etc". Because if you execute the Vorschlag, whether you hit or miss, you then always execute the Nachschlag in one fluid motion, swiftly and quickly so that the opponent cannot come to blows with anything and you shall orchestrate it in such a way that you always preempt the opponent in all situations of fencing. And as soon as you preempt the opponent and win the Vorschlag, immediately execute the Nachschlag. If you are obligated to not execute the Vorschlag, you always have the Nachschlag available in the sense and in the spirit that you are always in motion and do not either dawdle nor hesitate with anything. Rather, you always conduct one after the other swiftly and quickly, so that the opponent cannot possibly come to anything. Truly, if you do this, whoever comes away from you unstruck, they must be quite gifted. For with this skill or with this advantage, it often happens that a peasant or someone unlearned strikes a good master by it because they execute the Vorschlag and boldly storm in. Because however briefly the Vorschlag is overlooked, the opponent hits Indes and they wound and kill in this way. Because if you focus on the blows and will attend to the defense of them, you are always in greater danger than the one who attacks you and wins the Vorschlag. Therefore orchestrate it that you are the first in all confrontations of fencing and arrive on the right side of someone, where you are robustly surer of everything than the opponent. |
[37r] Das ist von hengen / ffecht° daz lere / etc cCZwey hengen werden · ¶ Glosa etc ¶ Hie merke vnd wisse das czu itzlicher seiten sint czwey hengen · Eyn vnderhengen / vnd eyn öbirhengen / mit den du eyme wol an das swert magst komen + {wen}} dy komen aus den öberhewen vnd vnderhewen} / Wen das nu geschiet / das du mit eyme an bindest / ader wy du süst mit im an das swert kömps zo salt du an dem swerte bleyben vnd salt vnd salt winden · vnd salt alzo mit im gar [37v] frölichen / mit gutem mute / vnd künlichen an alle vorchte · an dem swerte stehen / Vnd salt gar eben sehen / merken vnd warten was her wolle tuen / ader was syne sache sey / der her keyn dir pflegen wölle / Vnd daz stehen / alzo an deme swerte / das heisset lichtnawer eyn sprechvanster · Vnd wen du nü mit im alzo an dem swerte stehst / zo salt du gar eben merken vnd fülen syne geferte / ab sie sint weich aber herte / dornoch salt du dich denne richten als vor ofte gesprochen ist · Ist / das her sich vör allen sachen / · e · denne du noch ichsicht begynnest / abe czewt von deme swerte / zo salt du czu hant noch volgen vnd salt in slaen hawen ader stechen was du am schiresten magst dar brengen / · e · den her czu keynerleye dinge kome + {wenne}} du hast io neher czu im mit dem das du am swerte blibest / vnd dyn ort keyn im reckest / wenn iener mit syme abe czihen / den · e · her sich eyns slags erholt dir dar brengt / zo var czu hant dar mit dyn orte /} / Bleibt her aber mit dir an dem swerte / zo prüfe / io vnd merke / ab her sy weich aber herte an dem swerte / Ist das her ist / weich vnd swach / zo saltu rischlichen vnd künlichen volvaren vnd dar hurten / mit dyner sterke / vnd salt / im syn swert hin dringen vnd drücken / vnd süchen syne bloßen / czu koppe ader czu leibe / wo du nür czu magst komen / Ist iener aer denne herte vnd stark an deme swerte / vnd meynt dich vaste hin dringen vnd stossen zo saltu denne weich vnd swach seyn / keyn syner sterke / vnd salt syner sterke vnd syme dringen mit dynen swerte entwychen / [38r] vnd yn dem weichen als im syn swert im hin prelt vnd wischt / als vor auch von deme geschreben ist / In deme ader dy weile als das im geschit / · e · denne her sichs weder irholen mag / dar her czu keyme slage ader stiche kome / Zo saltu selber syner blössen war nemen / mit hewen stichen ader sneten / wo du in am schiresten gehaben magst / noch der vorgeschreben lere / risch / künlich vnd snelle das io iener mit nichte czu slage kome Dorvm spricht lichtnawer / ich sag vorwar · sich schutzt keyn man ane var / Hastu vornomen / czu slage mag er kleyne komen / Do mitt meynt her / das sich keyner mag ane var ader ane schaden schutczen / Is das du tust noch der geschreben lere / Ab du im den vorslag gewynnest vnd tust den mus io iener weren / ader mus sich lasse slaen / wen du denne den vorslag tust / du trefst ader velest / zo saltu rischlich vnd in eyme rawsche den nochslag tuen / · e · denne iener czu keyme slage kome / Denne wen du den vorslag wilt tuen / zo saltu recht / zam yn eyme gedanke vnd mute den nochslag auch tuen / recht zam du sy mit eynnander wellest tuen / wenn is möglich were / Dorvm spricht her / vor · noch · dy cwey dink etc den tust du den vorslag / du treffest / ader velest / zo tu io / in eyme rawsche / risch vnd snelle den nochslag / das iener mit nichte [38v] czu slage kome / vnd alzo saltu schaffen das du yn allen sachen des fechtens io · e · komest denne iener / vnd als balde als du / · e · kummest denne iener / vnd den vorslag gewinnest / zo tu czu hant den nochslag / · Wen du salt keyn vorslag tuen / du habst io / den nochslag auch mete ym synne vnd ym mute / also dastu vmmer in motu seist / vnd mit nichte feyerst ader last / zonder vmmermer eyns noch dem andern treibst · risch · vnd snelle das iener czu keynen dingen moge komen / · Vorwar tustu / das / zo mus her gar eyn guter syn der ungeslagen von dir kummet / · Wenne mit der selben kunst / ader mit dem vorteil das / kumpt is oft / das eyn pawer ader eyn ungelarter eyn guten meister / slet / mit deme · das her den vorslag tuet / vnd künlich dar hurt / den wy leiche ist das obersehen / das in/deß trift vnd in alzo beschemet vnd slet / denne eyner der der slege war nymmet / vnd des schütczens wil warten / der ist io in grosser var / denne iener der do of in slet / vnd den vorslag gewynnet / Dorvmme schaffe / das du yn allen sachen des fechtens der erste bist / vnd io eyme of dy linke rechte / seiten komest / do bist du wol aller dinge sicher denne iener / | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gloss. Here note and know that the winds are the rightful art and foundation of all fencing of the sword. From them, all other applications and plays come. And one might tediously be a good fencer without the winds, exactly like many ungrounded masters, who dismiss it and say whatever comes from the winds is quite weak and deem it "from the shortened sword". About this, they are simpletons and approach it naively and sing paeans about how they fight "from the long sword". Whoever goes about with extended arms and with extended sword and with the utter fiendishness and strength fueled by the entire power of their body, they will unlikely stay lively throughout and that is agonizing to behold when they stretch themselves out like this just as if they would run down a hare. And that is completely against the winds and against Liechtenauer's art because there is no strength to respond. Why would anyone's art differ? You should always prioritize strength. |
[39v] vVOn beiden seiten / [40r] ¶ Glosa /:· Hie merke / das dy winden / sint dy rechte kunst / vnd gruntfeste alles fechten / des swertes / aus den alle ander gefechte vnd stöcke komen / vnd is mag mülich eyn guter fechter / syn / ane dy winden / Wy wol etzliche leychmeistere · dy vornichten / vnd sprechen is sy gar swach was aus den winden kumpt / vnd nennen is / aus dem korczen swerte / dorvmbe das sy slecht vnd eynveldik dar gen / vnd meynen das sy / aus dem langen swerte gefochten / was dar get / mit gestracken armen / vnd mit gestrakten swerte / vnd was gar veyntlich vnd stark von allen kreften des leybes dar get / nur durch wol stehens wille / vnd das is grawsam an czu sehen ist / wenn sich eyner alzo strekt / recht zam her eynen hazen wolle irlawfen / vnd daz ist alles nicht / weder dy winden vnd weder lichtnawers kunst / wen do ist keyne sterke weder / denne worvmme wer anders kunst / solde allemal dy sterke vörczihen / |
Draft Translation |
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Here the plays and the prescriptions of the unarmored fencing of Master Liechtenauer are recapped and elaborated differently with shorter and simpler speech so as to grant greater and better understanding and comprehension than as it was written before in the rhymes and glosses, unclearly and incomprehensibly. Thus with this short conversation, that will be overcome. |
[64r] HIe vornewt man · vnd vor / anderweit / dy stöcke vnd gesetze / des blozfechtens / meister lichtnawers · mit korczer vnd mit slechter rede / durch grösser vnd besser vorstendunge vnd vornemunge wille / Ab vor ichsicht ist geschreben · in den Reymen vnd in der glozen / unbedewtlich vnd unvornemlich · das · daz mit slechter rede körtzlich werde öberlawfen / | ||||||||||||||||
First note and know that Liechtenauer's fencing lays entirely upon the five words: Before, After, Weak, Strong, Within. These are the foundation, the core and fundamentals of all fencing. And however much one is able to fence, if he doesn't know about the fundamentals, he will often be shamed by his art. And these same words were often explained before. At that moment, they were just getting at someone being in constant motion and to not celebrate nor idle so that the opponent cannot come to blows. Because before and after signify 'forestrike' and 'afterstrike' as was often written before. And this gets to that which is called 'start and finish', 'beginning and end'. Because a good, earnest fencer fences with someone such that he will slay them with his art and not become struck and this cannot be done without 'beginning and end'. If he will subsequently begin well, then he will ensure that he always has and wins the forestrike and not the opponent. Because the one who strikes at their opponent, they are always surer and better prepared by reason that the opponent must take heed of and watch out for your strike. When he subsequently executes and wins the forestrike, whether he hits or misses, he shall then immediately and without pause in that same rush, execute the afterstrike. That is, the second, the third, the fourth or fifth strikes, be it hew or stab in such a way that he is always in motion and executes one after another without pause so that he does not allow them to ever come to blows. Liechtenauer says about this: I say to you truthfully, no one defends themselves without danger (and without harm).[22] If you have understood this, he can hardly come to blows. Just do as was often written before and be in motion. The word Within gets at the words before, after because when one executes the forestrike and the opponent wards it, 'within' and during the moment that opponent wards it and defends themselves, they can come to the afterstrike well. It also gets at the words 'weak', 'strong'. These here signify 'the feeling' because when one is on the sword with their opponent, and feels whether they are strong or weak. Thereafter they then execute according to the often written lessons. And the fundamentals will have these principles in all confrontations: Speed, audacity, prudence, astuteness and ingenuity, etc. And also measure in all things. Now if he wins the forestrike, then he shall not do it so entirely forceful so that he cannot recover himself for the good of the afterstrike and shall also not step too wide so that he can recover himself for the good of another step forwards or backwards, if it bears itself. As Liechtenauer spoke: Thereupon you hold, all things have length and measure. Therefore one shall not be hasty and shall think through ahead for themselves what they will execute and then shall bravely execute and driving that swiftly to the head or to the body and never to the sword. Because if one quite wisely hews that at the head or at the body, that is, to the four openings; they nevertheless often comes to the sword without permission. If the opponent defends themselves such that he defends themselves with the sword, then in this way it comes to the sword. |
¶ Czu dem ersten merke vnd wisse / das lichtnawers fechten leit gar an den fünff wörtern · vor · noch · swach · stark · Indes · / Dy eyn grunt / kern vnd fundament / seyn alles fechtens / vnd wy vil eyner fechtens kan · weis her nür des fundamentz nicht / zo wirt her oft bey seyner kunst beschemet / vnd dy selben wörter sint vor oft aus gelegt / wen si nür of das gehen das eyner vmmermer in motu sey vnd nicht veyer ader lasse · das iener icht czu slage kome / wen · vor · noch / bedewten / vorslag / vnd nochslag / als vor oft ist geschreben / vnd das gehet of das / daz do heisset / principium vnd finis / anhebunge vnd endunge / wen eyn ernster guter fechter · ficht dorüm mit eyme / das her mit syner kunst eynen wil slaen / vnd nicht geslagen werden / vnd das mag her nicht tuen an anhebunge vnd ane endunge / wil her denne wol anheben / zo schaffe her das her io den vorslag / habe vnd gewinne / vnd nicht iener / den eyner der do slet of eynen / der ist io / [64v] sicher / vnd bas bewart / dez halben denne iener der / der slege mus war nemen · vnd · warten / wen her denne den vorslag gewint vnd tuet / her treffe ader vele / zo sal her denne dornoch / immediate ane vnderloz in dem selben rawsche den nochslag tuen / das ist den andern slag / den dritten den vierden ader den fümften / is sey haw ader stich alzo das her vmmermer in motu sey / Vnd eyns noch dem andern treibe / ane vnderloz das her io ienen nicht las czu slage komen / Dorüm spricht lichtnawer Ich sage vorware / sich schützt keyn man ane vare + {sine dampno} / Hastu vornomen / czu slage mag her kleyne komen / Tu / nür als vor oft geschreben ist / vnd bis in motu / Das wort Indes get of dy wörter · vor · noch · den wen eyner den vorslag tuet / vnd iener den weret · Indes · vnd dyweile das in iener weret vnd sich schützt zo mag deser wol czu dem nochslag / komen / Auch get is of dy wörter · swach · stark / dy do bedewten daz fülen / den wen eyner an dem swerte ist / mit ieme · vnd fület · ab iener stark ader swach ist / dornoch tut her denne noch der oft geschreben lere / [65r] andern schretes hindersich ader vorsich ab sichs gepürt möchte irholen / als lichtnawer spricht Dorof dich · zoße / alle dink haben lenge vnd moße / Dorvm sal eyner nicht gehe syn / vnd sal sich vor / wol bedenken was her treiben wil vnd das selbe sal her denne künlich treiben vnd eyme rischlich dar varn czu koppe ader czu leibe / vnd mit nichte czum swerte / wen ab eyner im eyme gar gewislich eyme hewt czu koppe ader czu leibe / daz ist czu den vier blossen / dennoch kumpt ist oft czum swerte an eyns dank / Is das sich iener schützt / zo schützt her sich mit dem swerte / alzo das is dennoch czum swerten kumpt / | ||||||||||||||||
Liechtenauer says about this:
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Dorüm spricht lichtnawer / Haw nicht czum swerte / |
Here begins the fighting with the staff Who will learn to fight with the staff he shall first before all know and mark that a staff shall rightly be twelve spans long, and that the fighting with the staff is taken from the sword, and as one fights with the sword so he fights also with the staff; and the principles that there pertain to the sword such as, Before, After, Braveness, Quickness, Cunning, Prudence ect… They pertain also to the staff. |
[78r] Hie hebt sich an fechten mit der stangen WEr do mit der stangen wil fechten lernen der sal von aller ersten wissen vnd merken / das eyn stange von rechte / sal czwelf spannen lang / seyn / vnd das daz fechten mit der stangen / ist / aus dem swerte genomen / Vnd als eyner ficht mit dem swerte / zo fechte her och mit der stangen / Vnd dy principia / dy do gehoren czum swerte / als · vor · noch · kunheit · rischeit · list klukheit etc dy gehoren och czu der stangen / |
Here begins the fencing with the langen Messer Because the sword was designed based on the knife, anyone who wants to learn fencing with the long knife should know that the foundation and principles that belong to the sword also belong to the knife. |
[82r] Hie hebt sich an fechten mit dem langen messer WEr do mit dem langen messer wil fechten lernen / wen aus dem langen messer / ist / das swert genomen vnd funden / Der sal von ersten / merken vnd wissen das · daz fundament vnd dy principia / dy do gehoren czum swerte / dy gehoren auch czum messer / |
A man has only two hands, and from the hand he has two strikes from above and also from below. From these come thrusts and cuts with the winding, just as it does with the sword. And each man has four steps, one forward and one backward and one to each side. All elements of this are based on this writing, which here explain the foundation and the principles. |
[82v] ¶ Eyn man hat nür czwn hende / vnd hat von ider hant czwen slege oben / vnd vnden auch czwene / aus den komen stiche vnd snete / als of dem swerte ist / mit den winden / Vnd eyner hat vier schrete / vorsich eynen vnd hindersich eynen / vnd czu itzlicher syten eynen / dornoch sichs gepürt / noch dem gesetze des gefechtes / Off dise geschreben rede / mit sampt dem fundament vnd principia do sint alle dink auf gebawet / deser kunst / |
Also know that no part of the knife has been invented and constructed for no reason and you should use and handle everything correctly, as the art demands. Also, there should be no part or limb of the man be idle and passive when it happens that the art demands to be used. |
¶ Auch wisse recht zam nichtes nicht am messer üm zost ist irdocht vnd gemacht / zonder daz man is alles bedern vnd nütczen sal / noch dem als sichs gepürt / vnd als dy kunst fordert vnd begert ader heist / als sal och keynerleye dink noch gelid am menschen syn / daz do / feyer vnd ruge / wen is dorczu kumpt / daz syn dy kunst begert vnd fordert / czu der selben erbeit / |
Also know that the right hand should be the enemy of the left and left be the enemy of the right. And one hand should displace and lead off and the other should do damage. |
¶ Auch wisse das dy rechte hant der linken veynt sal syn / vnd dy linke der rechten / vnd dy eyne hant sal hin setczen vnd abeweisen / vnd dy ander sal schaden tuen / |
Also know that there are two shield steps, which are useful for many fencing techniques: One step backward and one forward and these steps are done by crossing one leg over the other in a slinging or slanting motion. |
¶ Auch wisse / das czwene schilt trete syn / dy czu allerleye gefechte gut vnd nütcze syn / cz eyn hindersich vnd eyn vörsich / vnd syn dy schrete wen man eyn beyn öber das ander kewczeweis leit vnd slewst / ader schrankt / |
Here begins the fencing with the dagger Whoever wants to learn fencing with the dagger he should note, that the blade should be sharp at the point as it is seen in Alexandria:[25] |
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If the dagger, or the short knife that is used in duelling, is turned against you, wind it from your opponent with an inverse grip of your left hand. So that you grab his arm with your left hand and that his knife comes down over your arm ; then turn his arm and knife around and he will loose it. |
¶ Der degen / ader das kurcze messer das czu kamp stiche · keyn dir gestalt vnd gericht / ist / das saltu mit dyner linken hant / mit yngrif(?) aus winden / alzo das du im syn arm begrif mit dyner linken hant / vnd das dir syn messer ober dyme arme sey / zo wend im den arm mit dem messer öm / zu muss her is lassen |
Also one may defend this winding with four different methods.[27] |
¶ Auch mag eyner das winden eyme fyerley er (?) das weren / |
The first is, when someone tries to grab the knife with the left hand, he should turn the point upwards so that he turns around the knife with an inverse grip with the tip pointing upwards, so one winding is defeated. And then you can do what you want. |
¶ Czum ersten / wen im eyner alzo mit der linken hant noch dem messer greift zo sal her den ort lassen of gen / yn dy hö alzo das her mit vorworfner hant daz messer vm keret vnd den ort of / zo ist ienes winden alles vorlorn / vnd du magst dy weyle tuen was du selber wilt / |
The second is, when someone again goes for the knife as above, as soon as he notices this, so pull the knife quickly and strongly back towards himself or push it against him again and cut through his arm, hand or thumb whatever he can get with the pulling and instantly he will be free to thrust again. |
¶ Czum ander mol / wen im eyner greift noch dem messer als vor / als balde als her das nur merkt / zo rükke her vnd czihe syn messer rich risch [84v] vnd sterklich an sich[28] / ader keyn im weder / vnd sneid im durch arm · hant / dawmen ader was her begreift mit dem rücken / vnd czihen Indes zo wirt seyn stechen weder frey als · e · |
If someone wants to defend and then break the second method, so he should follow the hand of the so he may get behind the opponent. However, if he does not follow but holds against with strength, he will sustain damage and the other one will win. |
¶ Wil denne iener das weren vnd andere bröche / zo sal her desem mit syner hant noch volgen / alzo als her im den arm begriffen hat / zo mag her im of den rücke komen / wy leichte her aber nicht noch volget alzo / das her harte weder helt / zo nympt her schaden / vnd deser fromme |
Also, when he managed to grab and hold the arm or hand with his left hand, so he drive his right hand quickly between his left holding hand and the dagger. And with an inverted grip, so that the thumb faces downwards and the small finger upwards, grab the dagger and turn it out of his hand. |
¶ Auch / wen her ym den arm / ader dy hant mit syner linken hant begriffen / vnd gevangen hat / zo sal her mit syner rechten hant / gar snelle auch dar varn / czwischen syner linken hant mit der her ienen begriffen hat / vnd czwischen ienes degen / vnd mit vorworfner hant / das syn dawme / vnden / vnd der kleyne vinger oben kome / vnd winde im denne den den degen alzo aus / |
Now if the adversary is slow with the defending and winding, and as soon as he holds the arm tightly, the he should threaten with the dagger, turn the point against his face and press upon him, just as he would intend to thrust him with brute strength. Now the adversary will want to defend this quickly; and Indes he should wind or squeeze out the dagger outwards from the adversaries arm or inwards and then quickly go for him again with his dagger to the nearest target. This is possible because when he presses in with his dagger using threatening strength, the adversary will not think about the possible winding out and will not expect it - So he will be fooled. And this is based on the words Vor and Nach, and it means that someone threatens with one technique just as he would really intend to do it, so the one who wants to defend will be fooled if he is not prepared for the second technique. And then, as soon as the adversary does not expect it, he should rush in with the method he already wanted to do. And with this principle you can deceive many people. |
¶ Ist denne das dezer mit deme weren vnd winden / laz ist vnd trege / mit deme / alz her ieme den arm begriffen hat / vnd in gar veste helt / zo sal iener mit syme / degen im drewen vnd of in dringen / recht zam her in mit gewalt wölle stechen / vnd den ort io keyn sy deses gesichte keren / zo wil daz selbe / deser / vaste weren / Indes / zo sal deseriener / denne / auswendig / deses armes / ader ynnewenig / den degen auswinden vnd würgen / vnd snelle weder czuvarn / mit dem degen of das aller neste / wen deser / mit deme als im iener alzo derwt vnd of in dringt / mit dem degen / zo besorgt her sich nicht vor deme auswinden / vnd hat nicht / achtunge dorof / vnd mit deme wirt her ge=[85r] tüscht / vnd das get of dy wörter / vor / noch / alzo das eyner mit eyme dinge eyme vor drewe / recht zam her das selbe io meyne czutreiben / zo wil es denne iener io weren / vnd hat nicht achtunge of eyn anders / Indes als is denne iener am mynsten getrawt / zo sal deser dar varn / mit deme das her meynt czu treiben vnd vor im / mute hat gehabt / vnd mit deme principio tewscht man vil lewte mete / |
This is about wrestling Whoever wants to learn wrestling, he should note at first that the principles Vor, Nach, speed, courage deceit and wits etc also belong to wrestling. And know that all grace and skill comes from wrestling and all fencing comes basically from the wrestling. At first the fencing with the long knife and from that the fencing with the long swords comes and so on. |
[86r] Das ist von deme Ringen :~ wDEr / do wil lernen Ringen / der sal czu dem ersten / merken vnd wissen das dy principia / vor · noch · Rischeit kunheit list vnd klugheit / etc dy gehören och czu deme Ringen / Vnd wisse das alle höbischeit kompt von deme ringen vnd alle fechten komen ursachlich vnd gruntlich vom ringen / Czum ersten das fechten mit dem langen messer / aus dem kumpt das fechten mit dem swerte / etc |
Know that Master Liechtenauers wrestling with its different running-ins and other techniques is difficult and hard to understand because it was his intention that not everyone who reads it can understand it. |
[87r] ¶ Merke Ringen in czulawfen mancher wezen vnd geverte / meister lichtnawers / vnd das ist gar swer vnd unbedewtlich / wen das das ist sein zete gewest / dorvm das ist nicht yderman vorneme / der is wörde lezen |
The first technique is good for finding an opportunity how he can be trapped or thrown. Listen what I teach: When he comes running at you so see to it that you bump him off from you to both sides. And practice stepping, bumping and winding so you will find many openings. And learn the second: Learn to put both legs in front and how to break hands whoever he may grab you: Wind your hands around his so his must slide off, high and low, everywhere. With this you throw him: When he grabs your shoulders hard, you should do nothing else but put your hands crosswise up from below and grab his and press your hands over his. And as you press pull his hands apart and push them away. |
¶ Das erste geverte gut ist do mite suche alle mol deine list / wy her gevalle alle mol / höer was ich lere / wenne her lewft czu dir / zo merke / daz du en stozest von dir / czu peiden zeiten / alle mol lere schreiten / stozen vnd winden / mache blözen do man mite windet vnden czur zeiten / Peide peyn vorsetczen / vnd hende brechen / wo her dich an greift / zo winde deine hende vm syne / vnd syne müßen denne gleiten / oben vnden öberal / do mite machstu im einen val / Wen her an dy achsel greift harte / zo machstu / vnd salt nicht / anders tun / wenn du salt deine / hende / legen die twere legen / ober syne drücken / vnd in dem selben drücken / dyne hende von eynnander czücken / vnd syne weg drücken |
This is the set-up for six felling techniques by putting one leg in front or not. And if your hands are quick or slow, do it as you wish, it is all the same. 1st follow-up from the break of the grab: The first note, that you may grab around, one hand pressing against his heart and putting one leg in front you will throw him down using your whole body. |
¶ Dornoch vnd dorof / gen sechs vallen ader wezen / alle mol pein vorsetczen / ader nicht / wy du selber wilt / vnd las dy hende endelich gen / ader lang fan wy du selber wilt / zo ist es als eyns / Doraus das erste merke / das du en mögst üm greiffen / vnd dyne hant an syn hercze drucke / vnd eyn peyn vorsetcze / zo wurfstu en ober daz selbe peyn mit sym ganczen leybe |
The second is done after the set-up by grabbing the elbow, putting one leg in front and throwing over one leg. |
¶ Das ander get noch dem broche / alzo daz du mögst an synen elbogen greifen / vnd eyn peyn vorsetczen / vnd en ober das selbe peyn geworfen |
The third is done after the setup when he has pushed the adversary’s hands high, he should keep pressing, and step in front with one leg, and press forward will all strength while jerking his hands upwards and then pushing them away. |
¶ Das dritte get aus dem broche / wen her of gewirft die hende / zo mag her sy wol drucken / mit eyn peyn vorsetczen vnd vorsich stozen mit ganczer kraft / vnd syne hende / mit dynen henden oberrücke hin weg stoßen / |
The fourth is after the grab is broken. Then drive your hand against his face from the front against his nose or chin and drive the other hand behind his back. And then by putting one leg in front you throw him over it. |
¶ Das vierde ist / wen her erste mal gebricht / dornoch var im mit dyner hant / an syn antlitz / [87v] czu vor aus an dy naze / ader kynne / vnd mit der / andern hant an den rucke / vnd mit eyn peyn vorsetcze / vnd wirf in dorober |
The fifth is, that you may push him at the chest with one hands and grab his head with the other, and by putting one leg in front you throw him on the head. |
¶ Das fünfte ist / das du en magst an dy prust stozen / aber mit eyner hant an das hewpt greifen / mit eyn peyn vorsetczen / wirfstu en of den kop |
The sixth is, that you may grab him by the elbow and by putting one leg forwards throw him on the side, and press with your hand his to the ground. Remember that these techniques described above can be done with one leg forward or without, as you wish. |
¶ Das sechste ist / das du en magst nemen dornoch / mit eyner hant / pey dem elbogen / mit eyn peyn vorsetczen wirf in of dy zeite / vnd drücke mit dyner hant dy syne wol czu der erden / Vnd merke das du allen dezen vorgnanten geverten / magst peyn vorsetczen / ader lossen / wy du wilt |
The seventh is, that you may reach into his arm with your hand and with the other grab his hand and with your feet kick his foot on the other side where you are holding him and so he falls on his face. Alternatively, you may place your leg behind him so you can throw him on his back and break his arm. |
¶ Das sibende ist / das du magst mit dyner eynen hant in syne arm gereichen / vnd mit der eynen hant syne an greifen / vnd mit dynem eynen fuße / synen füs stozen / an das ander wo du hin greifest / zo vellet her of das antlitz / ader magst das ander peyn hinder in setczen / zo wirfstu in of / den rücke / vnd brichst im den arm |
The eighth is similar to the last one, but he will turn his elbow outward and press it towards the other hand which is in front. And with this shove him to the side. |
¶ Daz achte ist als das do itczunt gesprochen ist / zonder daz her mit eyner hant / syne an greifet / vnd den elbogen auswendig hin lenke / vnd mit der andern hant / an syne ander hant do vorne vnd stoz in of eyne seite / |
[The next sentence /och me was../ does not make any sense.] |
·Och me · was aus dem ersten gen arm das meyn ich hernoch sagen |
Also note that in all techniques you should put the leg in front on the side from which you want to throw him or with which hand you intend wish to throw him. And in all Techniques, if someone traps you by placing his one of his own legs forward, you should kick it away quickly with your other leg and push quickly upwards with your hands and over his back, so he will fall in all trappings. |
¶ Och merke das du in allen geverten / das selbe peyn salt vörsetczen / von weler seiten / ader mit weler hant du in wilt neder werfen / Vnd in allen geverten / wenne man dir vorsetzt / mit eyn peyn / das selbe saltu mit dyme ander peyne / risch hinweg slon / vnd stoz snelle oben mit den henden ober rücke / zo vellet her in allen vorsetczen |
Sometimes the most direct method is that you grab him by one hand and leave his other, and by placing one leg in front and turning around with his hand you lean or break him over the leg and so he will fall very hard. |
¶ Och mag / das / daz neste syn / daz du in nymbest pey der eynen hant / vnd lest im dy ander gen / mit eym peyn vorsetczen / vnd dich mit syner hant vm gekart / vnd neige ader prich in ober [88r] das peyn zo vellet her sere |
The other set up is also that you push away hands high, and here are nine techniques for this. It is done this way, when he holds you at your shoulders so put your elbow in his hand on the inside and push his hand away. And do the same with the other hand. After that you may use the nine techniques that have been described before in breaking the arms. |
¶ Das ander brechen ist / das du och oben salt hende weg stozen / vnd dorof gen och newn geverte / Daz get alzo dar / wen her dich heldit oben pey den achseln / zo lege dein elbogen in syne hant ynnewendig / vnd stoz ym dy hant weg / Vnd och tustu das mit der andern hant / Dornoch magstu dy newn geverte treiben als vor geschreben ist von den arm brechen |
Now learn how you should break low holds, and there are also two methods. Learn, If he holds you, so push with your hand against his joint from both sides and upwards. From this break there are also nine techniques. The second low breaking is when you push hard up into his elbows with your hands and from there you can also use nine techniques as it is written before. This are now four [breakings]. |
¶ Nu merke wy du salt vnden brechen auch czwey Merke wen her dich heldit / zo stoz mit dynen henden an syn gelenke von peider hant / vnd von vnden of / Dorof / gen auch newn / Daz ander das du magst gestozen von of yn dy elbogen / harte mit dynen henden / do magstu auch newne geverte aus brengen / als vor / das syn itczunt vire |
Now learn another four, so that you may break the arms. If he holds you at the shoulders so you should push your hands away downwards with your elbows and so his hands will come at your head. And pull him towards your side, and take care that you grab his arm joint and that you hold his hand back strongly with your head, and with the other hand push away against his chest so you break his arm.[29] If you then place your leg behind him, he will fall very hard. |
¶ Merke aber vire / daz du magst arm brechen / czu dem ersten mal / wen her dich heldit pey den achseln / zo saltu dyne hende mit dyme elbogen / von oben nyder weg / stozen / zo komen syne hende dir an das hawpt / vnd drucke yn czu dir an dyn zeite / vnd merke io das du ym kummest mit dyner hant an synen arm gelenke vnd das du dyn hewpt hinden harte heldist ym den dy hant / vnd mit der andern hant ym an syne brust weg stoze / zo brichstu ym den arm / aber setczist ym dein fus vnder / zo vellet her gar sere |
The other technique is similar to the last one, except that you strike upwards your hands to wind his away; and so his hand will come under your arm and so you can let him run around you, or you put a foot under him and so he will fall. The same methods you may use from the other side, so these are also four. Now this would be eight.[30] |
¶ Das ander geferte ist auch alzo / sunder daz du von vnden of slest dyne hant / zo windestu syne weg / zo kumpt syne hant / vnder dyn arm / zo lestu yn vm lawfen / ader setczest ym eyn fus vnder zo vellet her / Das selbe geverte magstu tun czu der andern hant auch czwei / zo werden auch viere / das werden denne nu achte |
Now learn if you hold close to his body pressing your head hard against his chest and when he then grabs against his chin with one hand and against the head with his other, so push him away. Then push his hands away by placing one leg forward. Now he might kick away your leg with his foot and your body with his hands. And against this you can defend with your wrestling and with your strength. |
¶ Doch merke wenn du/yn ümgreifest mit dem leibe / ader vm den leip / vnd dyn hewpt harte harte heldest an seyne brust / vnd wenn her dir denne an das kynne greifet mit eyner hant / vnd mit der andern an das hewpt / zo stoz yn weg / Dornoch / stoz yn /magstu syne hende / mit eym peyn vörsetczen auch weg stozen / So mag her dir dyn peyn auch weg stozen / mit sym fuße / vnd auch dich oben mit synen henden / das bricht dir denne weder dyn ringen / vnd dyne sterke |
Now there are eight breaks described, and from each break nine Techniques. Now learn another four and from these can be done nine as before. When he grabs you frontally at your chest, so push his hands in yours downwards against your chest as it is written before and from there you also have nine, and this is the first. |
¶ Vor hatzstu nu achte [88v] vnd aus itzlichen newn / Nu merke aber ander vire vnd aus itzlichen gen irer newne als vor / Wen her dich begreift an dyne brust vorne / zo drucke syne hende mit dynen von oben neder an dy brust / als vor / der hastu noch newne / daz ist nu das erstesyme fuze enkegen / vnd wirft dich ober syn hawpt / |
The second is, as before, pushing with your elbow downwards, winding around his hands so you have nine again. |
¶ Daz ander als vor / mit deyme elbogen von oben neder / als vor vm syne hende gewunden / zo hastu doraus arber newne |
The third is pushing upwards against the chest and so you have nine again, |
¶ Das dritte von vnden of pey der brust / gestozen / zo hastu aber newne |
And the fourth is pushing upwards with your bone (Elbow/forearm strike) so you have nine. So you have twelve breaks with nine techniques each. |
¶ Das vierde von vnden of mit dynen knochen / zo hastu ir aber newne / Alzo hastu ir czwelfte / vnd aus itzlichen newne / |
Note, with this lock or pressing you may move someone away from you. Wherever he tries to hold you, at the sleeve, at the hand, at the sleeve at your elbow joint, or with one hand at the chest or anywhere else – you may drive him away with he same strike and winding around. And after that you may push him as you wish so that he may neither get to you nor that he may lay hand upon you anywhere on your body. |
¶ Merke mit dem selben sloffe[31] ader stossen vnd vmmit den magstu eynen von dir brengen / wo her dich an grei fet / Wenn her dich an greifet pey dem ermel / do vorne pey der hant / ader kegen den ermeln an dem gelenke / ader mit eyner hant an dy brust / ader wo her dich an greift / zo magstu yn mit dem selben slon vnd mit winden von dir brengen / vnd dornoch magstu yn stozen wy du selber wilt / das her czu dir / mit nichte komen mag / noch mag / dich recht mit nichte begreifen oberal an dem ganczen leibe / |
Learn another running in, when he leaps towards you, and you have placed a leg into his path, he may avoid you with another leap, grabbing your leg with one hand and pushing against your chest with the other so you are going to fall onto your head – and this is another technique – As soon as he goes for your leg, pull it quickly backwards and pull him with it so he falls onto his face. |
¶ Eyn ander czulawfen merke / wenn her czu dir nü springet / vnd du ym eyn peyn hast vorsaczt / zo mag her mit eym spronge dir entgen / mit eyner hant gegriffen noch dem peyn vnd mit syner ander hant an dy brust gestossen · das du of das hewpt vellest / Das ist do weder / wen her noch dem beyne grei fet / zo czucke is hinderweit / vnd rucke yn noch dir zo vellet her of das antlitzt |
Learn another principle. If he leaps at you, so he may grab you around the body under your arms and by stepping further with his leg he will throw you on your back fairly hard. And this counters it: As soon as he reaches around you, quickly fall to your side, and this is the fast (buesse) for wrestling. |
¶ Merke das ander gesetcze / wen her kegen dir springt / zo mag her dich vnder den armen vm greifen / vnd mit seym peyn hin noch schreiten / wirft dich of den / rucke gar harte / Das ist dorweder / wen her dich zo vm greift / zo valle balde vnd snelle of dy seite dyn / das ist dy beste büße / czu dem ringen / |
Learn the third principle if he leaps or steps at you so that may reach you with his both hands frontally at the chest, and then falls down, pulling you over himself by jumping with his feet against you so that you get thrown away very hard, this is the counter: As soon as he grabs you, let yourself drop on him quickly and follow him, so he may not do anything against you. |
¶ Merke das dritte gesetcze wen her czu dir springt ader schreit / zo mag her dich derwischen mit synen peiden vör dy prust dyn / vnd vellet neder vnd rückt dich of noch ym / vnd springt dir mit syme fuze enkegen / vnd wirft dich ober syn hawpt / [89r] das du verre enweghin schüst / Das ist do wider / wen her dich zo greift / snelle vnd gar balde valle of yn / vnd volge ym / zo mag her dir nicht getun /
|
For further information, including transcription and translation notes, see the discussion page.
| Work | Author(s) | Source | License |
|---|---|---|---|
| Translation (13v - 65r) | Christian Trosclair | Wiktenauer |  |
| Translation (74r) | Michael Chidester | Wiktenauer | |
| Translation (78r) | Betsy Winslow | Wiktenauer | |
| Translation (82r - 89v) | Thomas Stoeppler | Private communication |  |
| Transcription | Dierk Hagedorn | Index:Pol Hausbuch (MS 3227a) | |
Additional Resources
- Alderson, Keith. “Arts and Crafts of War: die Kunst des Schwerts in its Manuscript Context.” Can The Bones Come to Life? Insights from Reconstruction, Reenactment, and Re-creation 1: 24-29. Wheaton, IL: Freelance Academy Press, 2014. ISBN 978-1-937439-13-2
- Burkart, Eric. “The Autograph of an Erudite Martial Artist: A Close Reading of Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Hs. 3227a.” Late Medieval and Early Modern Fight Books. Transmission and Tradition of Martial Arts in Europe: 451-480. Ed. Daniel Jaquet, et al. Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2016. ISBN 978-9004312418
- Burkart, Eric (in German). “Informationsverarbeitung durch autographe Notizen: Die ältesten Aufzeichnungen zur Kampfkunst des Johannes Liechtenauer als Spuren einer Aneignung praktischen Wissens.” 2020. doi:10.26012/mittelalter-25866doi:10.1163/9789004324725_017
- Chidester, Michael. The Long Sword Gloss of GNM Manuscript 3227a. Somerville, MA: HEMA Bookshelf, 2021. ISBN 978-1-953683-13-7
- Chidester, Michael and Hagedorn, Dierk. “The Foundation and Core of All the Arts of Fighting”: The Long Sword Gloss of GNM Manuscript 3227a. Somerville, MA: HEMA Bookshelf, 2021. ISBN 978-1-953683-05-2
- Dürer, Albrecht and Wassmannsdorff, Karl. Die Ringkunst des deutschen Mittelalters. Liepzig: Priber, 1870.
- Hammer, Maciej. Tłumaczenie traktatu szermierczego zawartego w rękopisie Nürnberger Handschrift 3227a z wyszczególnieniem trudności zaistniałych podczas przekładu [unpublished thesis]. Uniwersytet Jagielloński Wydział Filologiczny, 2015.
- Vodička, Ondřej. “Origin of the oldest German Fencing Manual Compilation (GNM Hs. 3227a).” Waffen- und Kostümkunde 61(1): 87-108, 2019.
- Wallhausen, James. Knightly Martial Arts: An Introduction to Medieval Combat Systems. Self-published, 2010. ISBN 978-1-4457-3736-2
- Welle, Rainer. “...und wisse das alle höbischeit kompt von deme ringen”. Der Ringkampf als adelige Kunst im 15. und 16. Jahrhundert. Pfaffenweiler: Centaurus-Verlagsgesellschaft, 1993. ISBN 3-89085-755-8
- Żabiński, Grzegorz. “Unarmored Longsword Combat by Master Liechtenauer via Priest Döbringer.” Masters of Medieval and Renaissance Martial Arts: 59-116. Ed. Jeffrey Hull. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-58160-668-3
References
- ↑ This name stems from the false assumption of many 20th century writers identifying him with Hans Döbringer. It has been argued that this name is inappropriate because the treatise attributed to pseudo-Döbringer (and also pseudo-Peter von Danzig) are not true pseudepigrapha—they are internally anonymous. However, many Ancient and Medieval pseudepigraphic texts were originally anonymous and were assigned their false attributions by later readers, and this is also the case with these two glosses in our fledgling tradition.
- ↑ The manuscript uniformly lacks the typical prayer for the dead when mentioning his name.
- ↑ The silver "soon" was added later above the line
- ↑ lit: entirely finished sword
- ↑ lit: verses
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Latin
- ↑ Possibly: "If one cannot flee, then do something cunning, that is my advice."
- ↑ Text is blacked out.
- ↑ In front of the words “denne” and “her” there are oblique insertion marks, which indicate a reverse order – as shown here.
- ↑ Here the writing is cut off by manuscript trimming.
- ↑ "Wisely" inferred from the summary
- ↑ Supplemented according to fol. 29v.
- ↑ The two words “hewe” and “ander” are interchanged in the manuscript, as indicated by corresponding insertion characters.
- ↑ At this point there is an ink stain which might hide an original “g” (which can only be seen indistinctly).
- ↑ to the side, apart, sidways
- ↑ The page is clipped. only 'cut' remains. This manuscript spells 'haupte' as 'cutpte'
- ↑ "Hew" is inserted in the margin.
- ↑ The comment ends here and remains unfinished.
- ↑ In all other extant versions this is "point"
- ↑ Unlike other places where there are definitely passages originally forgotten and inserted with a caret, such is missing here. Thus, it can be conjectured that this is a later addition or comment.
- ↑ Illegible deleted character.
- ↑ latin: dampno => damno => harm
- ↑ The word »Nicht«, which cannot be clearly assigned, is added on the side of the page.
- ↑ Text cuts off here, and the rest of the page is blank.
- ↑ Latin passage follows; very difficult.
- ↑ Grzegorz Żabiński offers: ++ rape radices viole et mitte contare tibi hinssis debtem urgre et quocumque tetigeris suas operis
- ↑ Please note that there are only three methods described against the turning-out.
- ↑ Korrigiert aus »sin«.
- ↑ Alternate description follows, it hopefully should make the method clearer:
- If he holds you by the shoulders, and you grab his shoulders from the outside. Then you sling your right arm with the elbow over his left and below his right, and push downwards, so his right arm moves up. Take this arm over your head and secure the grip with your left hand behind your head; and then push against his chest with your right again. This will lead to a painful breaking lock.
- ↑ This is a partner exercise, similar to one I know in chinese shuai chiao
- ↑ Oder »slosse«? Unleserlich.
