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Difference between revisions of "Joachim Meyer"

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| <p>'''Of the 4 Guards'''</p>
 
| <p>'''Of the 4 Guards'''</p>
  
<p>First of all, the ancients not only used the 4 guards for good in attacking, but also hid our so-called fencing summarily in them, that namely they had told and intended with all high guards the cuts from above. With the Fool, however, all cuts from below were therefore called Fool, because all things from below are to be regarded as contrary to what comes from above. They have therefore composed their whole fencing in two cuts namely from above and from below so that no cut can be thrown, for it must be from above or from below and even if one cuts a middle or Thwart strike, then that cut still has a common name with the high or low cut, then just as no middle cut can be made, unless it will go somewhat from below or above. So by the ox and the plow they intended the thrust, that is, the upper and lower thrust, which, however, in our present time is not in the fencing for several reasons, I will then save oxen and plow together with the thrusts until the rapier, where I will then extensively cover it.</p>
+
<p>First of all, the ancients not only used the 4 guards for good in attacking, but also hid our so-called fencing summarily in them, that namely they had told and intended with all high guards the cuts from above. With the Fool, however, all cuts from below were therefore called Fool, because all things from below are to be regarded as contrary to what comes from above. They have therefore composed their whole fencing in two cuts namely from above and from below so that no cut can be thrown, for it must be from above or from below and even if one cuts a middle or Thwart strike, then that cut still has a common name with the high or low cut, then just as no middle cut can be made, unless it will go somewhat from below or above. So by the Ox and the Plow they intended the thrust, that is, the upper and lower thrust, which, however, in our present time is not in the fencing for several reasons, I will then save Oxen and Plow together with the thrusts until the rapier, where I will then extensively cover it.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 002r.jpg|7|lbl=2r.7}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 002r.jpg|7|lbl=2r.7}}
  
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|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>'''Wrath cut'''</p>
+
| <p>'''Wrath Cut'''</p>
  
 
<p>Wrath cut is done thus, when you are in ''Zufechten'', then come in the Ox or take the sword onto the right shoulder so that the left foot stands forth, step and cut with the long edge from the right diagonally to his left whether to the head or body.</p>
 
<p>Wrath cut is done thus, when you are in ''Zufechten'', then come in the Ox or take the sword onto the right shoulder so that the left foot stands forth, step and cut with the long edge from the right diagonally to his left whether to the head or body.</p>
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| <p>'''Crooked Cut'''</p>
 
| <p>'''Crooked Cut'''</p>
  
<p>Stand with the left foot forward, hold the sword to the right, if one cuts at your opening from above, then step with your right foot well out from his strike to his left side, and cut crooked ''Indes'' with crossed arms between his sword and head with the long edge to his arm.</p>
+
<p>Stand with the left foot forward, hold the sword to the right, if one cuts at your opening from above, then step with your right foot well out from his strike to his left side, and cut Crooked ''Indes'' with crossed arms between his sword and head with the long edge to his arm.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 003r.jpg|1|lbl=3r.1}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 003r.jpg|1|lbl=3r.1}}
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>'''Thwart cut'''</p>
+
| <p>'''Thwart Cut'''</p>
  
 
<p>Stand how it is described above and hold the sword to the right like before, if one cuts at you from above then step and cut with the short edge to his strike so that the hands are high and point hangs slightly downwards and the thumb is placed under the shield.</p>
 
<p>Stand how it is described above and hold the sword to the right like before, if one cuts at you from above then step and cut with the short edge to his strike so that the hands are high and point hangs slightly downwards and the thumb is placed under the shield.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>'''Scalp cut'''</p>
+
| <p>'''Scalp Cut'''</p>
  
<p>The scalp cut is a straight cut from above to the head.</p>
+
<p>The Scalp Cut is a straight cut from above to the head.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 003r.jpg|3|lbl=3r.3}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 003r.jpg|3|lbl=3r.3}}
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>'''Squinter cut'''</p>
+
| <p>'''Squinter Cut'''</p>
  
 
<p>In the ''Zufechten'' come as described before and hold the sword as described before, if one cuts at you then step and cut in with crossed hands from above simultaneously with him like all things from the Crooked cut are told.</p>
 
<p>In the ''Zufechten'' come as described before and hold the sword as described before, if one cuts at you then step and cut in with crossed hands from above simultaneously with him like all things from the Crooked cut are told.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>'''Blind cut'''</p>
+
| <p>'''Blind Cut'''</p>
  
 
<p>In ''Zufechten'' come into the right Plow, instantly step and heave the hands upwards to the hanging on the right side, threaten him to the right with the haft, instantly flick with the flat and crossed hands to his left ear.</p>
 
<p>In ''Zufechten'' come into the right Plow, instantly step and heave the hands upwards to the hanging on the right side, threaten him to the right with the haft, instantly flick with the flat and crossed hands to his left ear.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>'''Rebound cut'''</p>
+
| <p>'''Rebound Cut'''</p>
  
 
<p>So, in the ''Zufechten'' come into the right Ox, instantly pull the sword around the head step and cut with the inside flat horizontally onto his sword, allow the hands to rebound and strike in again with the flat overhand.</p>
 
<p>So, in the ''Zufechten'' come into the right Ox, instantly pull the sword around the head step and cut with the inside flat horizontally onto his sword, allow the hands to rebound and strike in again with the flat overhand.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>'''Wrist cut'''</p>
+
| <p>'''Wrist Cut'''</p>
  
 
<p>Item: if one stands in Speak Window and the other is too, or otherwise comes high so that his blade hangs down to the lower left, then cut with a horizontal strike up from below between the pommel or behind the pommel to the hands.</p>
 
<p>Item: if one stands in Speak Window and the other is too, or otherwise comes high so that his blade hangs down to the lower left, then cut with a horizontal strike up from below between the pommel or behind the pommel to the hands.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>'''Clash cut'''</p>
+
| <p>'''Clash Cut'''</p>
  
 
<p>In the ''Zufechten'' go with your sword through the Ox, step and strike overhand with the flat to his left ear so that your half edge slides downwards to his right shoulder.<ref>Note: this translation could be interpreted to mean “so that your half edge slides downward [presumably on his blade], hitting his right shoulder”. Meyer used the words ''mit Glitschen = to slither, to slide, to glide, to move with sliding.</ref></p>
 
<p>In the ''Zufechten'' go with your sword through the Ox, step and strike overhand with the flat to his left ear so that your half edge slides downwards to his right shoulder.<ref>Note: this translation could be interpreted to mean “so that your half edge slides downward [presumably on his blade], hitting his right shoulder”. Meyer used the words ''mit Glitschen = to slither, to slide, to glide, to move with sliding.</ref></p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>'''Winding cut'''</p>
+
| <p>'''Winding Cut'''</p>
  
 
<p>If one stands before you with outstretched arms in the Long Point, then come in the ''Zufechten'' with the right foot forward, the sword in Hanging Point, Instantly pull around the head and cut with the long edge from the left outside and over his right arm so that your sword appears to swing between his head and sword to his left shoulder, pull back around again to the horizontal cut or Long Point.</p>
 
<p>If one stands before you with outstretched arms in the Long Point, then come in the ''Zufechten'' with the right foot forward, the sword in Hanging Point, Instantly pull around the head and cut with the long edge from the left outside and over his right arm so that your sword appears to swing between his head and sword to his left shoulder, pull back around again to the horizontal cut or Long Point.</p>
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| <p>'''Of the four openings and divisions of the man how one should use (them) in the Sword'''<ref>The text starts matching the Lund manuscript again here (beginning on folio 7v), continuing until the Figures.</ref></p>
 
| <p>'''Of the four openings and divisions of the man how one should use (them) in the Sword'''<ref>The text starts matching the Lund manuscript again here (beginning on folio 7v), continuing until the Figures.</ref></p>
  
<p>First, the man is divided into two parts namely left and right as shown by the (vertical) line in the above figure<ref>Note: The Lund also mentions “the figure above” yet that figure does not appear in the Lund! Here it does, and it could be a representation of Meyer himself?</ref> from above to below but then into two parts namely in the lower and upper, which the two upper parts are divided in the Ox the other two to the plow.
+
<p>First, the man is divided into two parts namely left and right as shown by the (vertical) line in the above figure<ref>Note: The Lund also mentions “the figure above” yet that figure does not appear in the Lund! Here it does, and it could be a representation of Meyer himself?</ref> from above to below but then into two parts namely in the lower and upper, which the two upper parts are divided in the Ox the other two to the Plow.
  
 
| {{paget|Page:MS Bibl. 2465|008r|jpg|lbl=8r}}
 
| {{paget|Page:MS Bibl. 2465|008r|jpg|lbl=8r}}
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|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>First of all, you should notice when someone comes near to you in such a way that you are in a bind or standing close, and you have the (sword) above the head in the speaking window or Roof, and one cuts directly at your fingers or fists, then cut against his incoming strike with a Thwart cut, and step well out from his strike, to the side to which you have cut the Thwart, then thwart again at once back around to the other opening, When you are well prepared for it and understand it well, then you can always hit him as often as he cuts at your fingers.</p>
+
| <p>First of all, you should notice when someone comes near to you in such a way that you are in a bind or standing close, and you have the (sword) above the head in the speaking window or Roof, and one cuts directly at your fingers or fists, then cut against his incoming strike with a Thwart cut, and step well out from his strike, to the side to which you have cut the Thwart, then Thwart again at once back around to the other opening, When you are well prepared for it and understand it well, then you can always hit him as often as he cuts at your fingers.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 013v.jpg|2|lbl=13v.2}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 013v.jpg|2|lbl=13v.2}}
  
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<p>'''Interpretation'''</p>
 
<p>'''Interpretation'''</p>
  
<p>This is a fairly good rhyme when you are in the ''Zufechten'', thus pay attention to when he is nearly close to you, and will position himself in a guard, don’t allow him to rest, but rather fight through to the first opening while he is taking up his guard, then act as if you would strike strongly, but don’t do it, fly away after and boldly attack once your blade is nearly halfway on his or you have it at his shoulders, now thwart strike around, wrench out and slice through the arms and whatever other work my become you, don’t forget the stepping, let your body go well, when you threaten to cut, then the same will deceive the opponent.</p>
+
<p>This is a fairly good rhyme when you are in the ''Zufechten'', thus pay attention to when he is nearly close to you, and will position himself in a guard, don’t allow him to rest, but rather fight through to the first opening while he is taking up his guard, then act as if you would strike strongly, but don’t do it, fly away after and boldly attack once your blade is nearly halfway on his or you have it at his shoulders, now Thwart Strike around, wrench out and slice through the arms and whatever other work my become you, don’t forget the stepping, let your body go well, when you threaten to cut, then the same will deceive the opponent.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 014v.jpg|4|lbl=14v.4}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 014v.jpg|4|lbl=14v.4}}
  
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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>43</small>
 
| <small>43</small>
| '''Who cuts crooked well<br/>With stepping many cuts are hindered'''
+
| '''Who cuts Crooked well<br/>With stepping many cuts are hindered'''
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>This you must understand when one cuts at you from his upper right, then cut against him and step with your right foot well to his left side, now turn the sword crosswise with arms crossed thus you come over his sword in the Barrier guard, now slice ''Indes'' to his jaw and neck with the long edge, hence it has noble and good works and goes with the correct ''Indes''.</p>
 
<p>This you must understand when one cuts at you from his upper right, then cut against him and step with your right foot well to his left side, now turn the sword crosswise with arms crossed thus you come over his sword in the Barrier guard, now slice ''Indes'' to his jaw and neck with the long edge, hence it has noble and good works and goes with the correct ''Indes''.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>44</small>
 
| <small>44</small>
| '''Cut crooked to the flats<br/>You will weaken the Masters'''
+
| '''Cut Crooked to the flats<br/>You will weaken the Masters'''
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>Understand this when one cuts from above at you from the Guard of the Roof, thus also cut against him from your right side but with crossed arms, thus you come with your short edge onto his flat and weaken his strike, now cut ''Indes'' the upper slice between his sword and the man, thus you come however to the previous work, and do not forget to step with the right foot to his left side, thus the higher the ''Stuck'' goes the better it is and you are parrying well.</p>
 
<p>Understand this when one cuts from above at you from the Guard of the Roof, thus also cut against him from your right side but with crossed arms, thus you come with your short edge onto his flat and weaken his strike, now cut ''Indes'' the upper slice between his sword and the man, thus you come however to the previous work, and do not forget to step with the right foot to his left side, thus the higher the ''Stuck'' goes the better it is and you are parrying well.</p>
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| '''When it clashes above,<br/>move away, this will I praise'''
 
| '''When it clashes above,<br/>move away, this will I praise'''
 
|}
 
|}
<p>This is the best saying in the whole ''Zedel'', for he who understands it correctly, is a fencer, as soon as or as often as it clashes or flashes above, that is, when you see the strike is coming or has come on your sword, so move off, that is searching wrathfully, and once he is open, strike a thwart to the left ear, correctly with the long edge, that is what drives all of fencing, when someone strikes on to your sword blade, that you move off, search for openings with the Thwarter, Slice, Strike around, wrench out into the snapping, slice secretly, ''Indes'' fly away or fail, and what openings he gives you should be considered, do not forget to step.</p>
+
<p>This is the best saying in the whole ''Zedel'', for he who understands it correctly, is a fencer, as soon as or as often as it clashes or flashes above, that is, when you see the strike is coming or has come on your sword, so move off, that is searching wrathfully, and once he is open, strike a Thwart to the left ear, correctly with the long edge, that is what drives all of fencing, when someone strikes on to your sword blade, that you move off, search for openings with the Thwarter, Slice, Strike around, wrench out into the snapping, slice secretly, ''Indes'' fly away or fail, and what openings he gives you should be considered, do not forget to step.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 017r.jpg|1|lbl=17r.1}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 017r.jpg|1|lbl=17r.1}}
  
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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>46</small>
 
| <small>46</small>
| '''Cut crooked with short cut<br/>Show with it the Changing through'''
+
| '''Cut Crooked with Short Cut<br/>Show with it the Changing through'''
 
|}
 
|}
Note when someone cuts at you from his right shoulder, so do as if you would bind onto his sword with the Short cut, that is with the half edge, but do not do it, rather cast your sword short and through in under his, it is a good and secret going through, now thrust to his right breast, so you must go well to his right, the long edge comes upwards with the thrust, now search for an opening, allowing the sword to fly low, if the opponent is close to you, then push his hands, slice ''Indes'', wrench away, if someone fails at your opening, then cut that strongly away, do not forget to step.</p>
+
Note when someone cuts at you from his right shoulder, so do as if you would bind onto his sword with the Short Cut, that is with the half edge, but do not do it, rather cast your sword short and through in under his, it is a good and secret going through, now thrust to his right breast, so you must go well to his right, the long edge comes upwards with the thrust, now search for an opening, allowing the sword to fly low, if the opponent is close to you, then push his hands, slice ''Indes'', wrench away, if someone fails at your opening, then cut that strongly away, do not forget to step.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 017r.jpg|2|lbl=17r.2}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 017r.jpg|2|lbl=17r.2}}
  
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| '''That he in truth<br/>Will not know where to go without danger'''
 
| '''That he in truth<br/>Will not know where to go without danger'''
 
|}
 
|}
<p>That ''stuck'' is nearly like the previous, then when you cut in at him from above or below, and he will do a crooked cut to your strike, but fails halfway to you above your sword, then position your sword under his with a thrust to his breast, step well to his right side, now seek to work from the previous ''stuck'', that both ''stuck'' give nearly the same understanding.</p>
+
<p>That ''stuck'' is nearly like the previous, then when you cut in at him from above or below, and he will do a Crooked Cut to your strike, but fails halfway to you above your sword, then position your sword under his with a thrust to his breast, step well to his right side, now seek to work from the previous ''stuck'', that both ''stuck'' give nearly the same understanding.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 017r.jpg|3|lbl=17r.3}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 017r.jpg|3|lbl=17r.3}}
  
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| <p>'''To the Ox hard together'''</p>
 
| <p>'''To the Ox hard together'''</p>
  
<p>When someone stands in the ox, so do it (thwart) until he must start fencing from the guard, and when he first starts to work he stays in the ox and does not want to get out of the Side Guard, thus he must defend and attack, when he has attacked, then hold yourself to the saying, “When it clashes above, move away, That I will Praise” When coming from below strike to strike, thwart to thwart, step to step, slice to slice, that moves forth.</p>
+
<p>When someone stands in the Ox, so do it [Thwart] until he must start fencing from the guard, and when he first starts to work he stays in the Ox and does not want to get out of the Side Guard, thus he must defend and attack, when he has attacked, then hold yourself to the saying, “When it clashes above, move away, That I will Praise” When coming from below strike to strike, Thwart to Thwart, step to step, slice to slice, that moves forth.</p>
 
|  
 
|  
 
{{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 017v.jpg|5|lbl=17v.5|p=1}} {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 018r.jpg|1|lbl=18r.1|p=1}}
 
{{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 017v.jpg|5|lbl=17v.5|p=1}} {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 018r.jpg|1|lbl=18r.1|p=1}}
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| <p>'''The Double Squinter'''</p>
 
| <p>'''The Double Squinter'''</p>
  
<p>Item At the Start, thus cut against his cut from your right, with a Squinter to his sword, when this clashes, then reverse your sword on his blade and slide off to your left, step out with the right, continuing towards his left side, allow your blade to drive around your head and cut the next Squinter to his head, also from your right above and in deep to his left. Then cut a double squinter, nimbly, one into the other, stepping to his left, this is a very swift ''Stück'' against slow fencers who fight with their arms far from themselves.</p>
+
<p>Item At the Start, thus cut against his cut from your right, with a Squinter to his sword, when this clashes, then reverse your sword on his blade and slide off to your left, step out with the right, continuing towards his left side, allow your blade to drive around your head and cut the next Squinter to his head, also from your right above and in deep to his left. Then cut a Double Squinter, nimbly, one into the other, stepping to his left, this is a very swift ''Stück'' against slow fencers who fight with their arms far from themselves.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 23v.jpg|3|lbl=23v.3}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 23v.jpg|3|lbl=23v.3}}
  
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|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>'''For everything that comes from the Roof<br/>The thwart may displace this<br/>In the Onset drive the thwart strongly<br/>Note also you Reverse and Fail with it.'''</p>
+
| <p>'''For everything that comes from the Roof<br/>The Thwart may displace this<br/>In the Onset drive the Thwart strongly<br/>Note also you Reverse and Fail with it.'''</p>
  
 
<p>If one cuts at you from above, thus Thwart strongly against his strike, you force him to fall so much lower with his cut, when it connects you must then thrust your pommel through under your right, reverse, press downwards, let the blade snap around again with the short edge in his face, yet such that in the reversing and snapping around you remain with the slice on his arms.</p>
 
<p>If one cuts at you from above, thus Thwart strongly against his strike, you force him to fall so much lower with his cut, when it connects you must then thrust your pommel through under your right, reverse, press downwards, let the blade snap around again with the short edge in his face, yet such that in the reversing and snapping around you remain with the slice on his arms.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>'''To Plow and ox you are quick<br/>Threaten the cut at once against the target.'''</p>
+
| <p>'''To Plow and Ox you are quick<br/>Threaten the cut at once against the target.'''</p>
  
 
<p>This verse is very clear, how the others also are, namely that you should quickly cut the Thwart to the Ox and Plow, to the lower and upper opening, to the left and right, nimbly crosswise, diagonally opposite to all four parts, how with other names, thus you will see the four openings, further reported hereafter, extensively.</p>
 
<p>This verse is very clear, how the others also are, namely that you should quickly cut the Thwart to the Ox and Plow, to the lower and upper opening, to the left and right, nimbly crosswise, diagonally opposite to all four parts, how with other names, thus you will see the four openings, further reported hereafter, extensively.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>Next you will learn from the rhyme, how with the High Cuts you shall deceive, thus you step forth, then position yourself with comportment and cut a powerful Thwart to his left, if he would go against your sword, whether from above or below, do not allow it to connect, but pull away again and Thwart Cut to his right, against his head, you may also threaten him with the thwart to his lower left, then thwart from above.</p>
+
| <p>Next you will learn from the rhyme, how with the High Cuts you shall deceive, thus you step forth, then position yourself with comportment and cut a powerful Thwart to his left, if he would go against your sword, whether from above or below, do not allow it to connect, but pull away again and Thwart Cut to his right, against his head, you may also threaten him with the Thwart to his lower left, then Thwart from above.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 27r.jpg|1|lbl=27r.1}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 27r.jpg|1|lbl=27r.1}}
  
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| <p>'''Twice or Double failing'''</p>
 
| <p>'''Twice or Double failing'''</p>
  
<p>'''Item''' In the ''Zufechten'', before you correctly come to him, thus cut through besides your right, so that your weapon shoots over in plunging, step on your way, with the right foot to him, let your sword drive around the head and pull a high strike from the Roof while in the air, but cross your hands, threaten to cut with the short edge, if he whisks this from him and will set on, thus wind you hand around again and convert your Crooked edge into a thwart, let the thwart also not proceed, but rather fail and run past, then strike the other, to his right side, that is double failing, these two Failers will be accomplished in the air when you wind around his blade, yet you can terminate this therein when you will, to the displacing or in a winding, thus when he would reach to you, that you with your ''Stück'' would not like to come to him, but when you have deceived him, that he feels he must displace you, thus is the Double Failer very good and goes very quickly.</p>
+
<p>'''Item''' In the ''Zufechten'', before you correctly come to him, thus cut through besides your right, so that your weapon shoots over in plunging, step on your way, with the right foot to him, let your sword drive around the head and pull a high strike from the Roof while in the air, but cross your hands, threaten to cut with the short edge, if he whisks this from him and will set on, thus wind you hand around again and convert your Crooked edge into a Thwart, let the Thwart also not proceed, but rather fail and run past, then strike the other, to his right side, that is double failing, these two Failers will be accomplished in the air when you wind around his blade, yet you can terminate this therein when you will, to the displacing or in a winding, thus when he would reach to you, that you with your ''Stück'' would not like to come to him, but when you have deceived him, that he feels he must displace you, thus is the Double Failer very good and goes very quickly.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 28v.jpg|1|lbl=28v.1}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 28v.jpg|1|lbl=28v.1}}
  
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|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>Item, if he thwarts from under, so that you can't come from below thus catch his Thwart on your shield with diverting, so that your blade hangs over his.</p>
+
| <p>Item, if he Thwarts from under, so that you can't come from below thus catch his Thwart on your shield with diverting, so that your blade hangs over his.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 29r.jpg|2|lbl=29r.2}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 29r.jpg|2|lbl=29r.2}}
  
Line 2,190: Line 2,190:
 
<p>Chasing is multiple and varied, and should be done with great cautiousness against fencers who fight with long and free cuts, and have no proper art.</p>
 
<p>Chasing is multiple and varied, and should be done with great cautiousness against fencers who fight with long and free cuts, and have no proper art.</p>
  
<p>Do it thus: In the ''Zufechten'', when you approach him with your left foot forward and you hold your sword in the Roof Guard, if he cuts long from above at your head, then do not displace him, but rather see that you escape from him with your head and sword, so that he does not connect, but let him fail, in this he falls with his sword and cut to the ground, below you, then step quickly with the right foot close to him and cut in forcefully from above to his head before he recovers or comes up again, if he however drives up quickly and displaces, then remain hard on his sword and feel if he goes through strongly upwards, thus allow your sword quickly to be soft and go upwards, step and cut around with a thwart to his right.</p>
+
<p>Do it thus: In the ''Zufechten'', when you approach him with your left foot forward and you hold your sword in the Roof Guard, if he cuts long from above at your head, then do not displace him, but rather see that you escape from him with your head and sword, so that he does not connect, but let him fail, in this he falls with his sword and cut to the ground, below you, then step quickly with the right foot close to him and cut in forcefully from above to his head before he recovers or comes up again, if he however drives up quickly and displaces, then remain hard on his sword and feel if he goes through strongly upwards, thus allow your sword quickly to be soft and go upwards, step and cut around with a Thwart to his right.</p>
 
|  
 
|  
 
{{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 30v.jpg|2|lbl=30v.2|p=1}} {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 31r.jpg|1|lbl=31r.1|p=1}}
 
{{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 30v.jpg|2|lbl=30v.2|p=1}} {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 31r.jpg|1|lbl=31r.1|p=1}}
Line 2,236: Line 2,236:
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>Similarly when you come with the thwart strike against one another over-handed, it is with the long, short or flat.</p>
+
| <p>Similarly when you come with the Thwart Strike against one another over-handed, it is with the long, short or flat.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 34v.jpg|1|lbl=34v.1}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 34v.jpg|1|lbl=34v.1}}
  
Line 2,365: Line 2,365:
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>And should you know thus with the four guards that the opponent is divided into four parts, how in the above figure it is shown, the two from High are called the Ox, the other two are called the Plow take an example, when you hold the weapon high, to the right or the left thus you stand in Ox or Steer, what cuts and strikes you do from the ox, you can also do from the other high guards. And you should yourself not mistake that more than four are known. Steer, Watch, Wrath whose names spring from their intentions and take this first as not only an example, I Hold my weapon above, prepared to strike over my head, that the point is behind me, which I call the Watch, not that he is always in Ox, but rather because my plan is to have prepared or ready strikes and pay attention and watch where he will give cuts to me, then be very ready to cut into the openings, thus I would like to say he who stays in Ox, holds good watch.</p>
+
| <p>And should you know thus with the four guards that the opponent is divided into four parts, how in the above figure it is shown, the two from High are called the Ox, the other two are called the Plow take an example, when you hold the weapon high, to the right or the left thus you stand in Ox or Steer, what cuts and strikes you do from the Ox, you can also do from the other high guards. And you should yourself not mistake that more than four are known. Steer, Watch, Wrath whose names spring from their intentions and take this first as not only an example, I Hold my weapon above, prepared to strike over my head, that the point is behind me, which I call the Watch, not that he is always in Ox, but rather because my plan is to have prepared or ready strikes and pay attention and watch where he will give cuts to me, then be very ready to cut into the openings, thus I would like to say he who stays in Ox, holds good watch.</p>
 
|  
 
|  
 
{{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 44v.jpg|2|lbl=44v.2|p=1}} {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 45r.jpg|1|lbl=45r.1|p=1}}
 
{{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 44v.jpg|2|lbl=44v.2|p=1}} {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 45r.jpg|1|lbl=45r.1|p=1}}
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|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>Next are the cuts, which even if I would set forth and report to you, of all twelve, yet there are still not more than four main cuts, from which the others all have sprung from, namely, first the High Cut, second the Wrath Cut, third the Middel Cut, and the fourth an Low Cut, than slashing or Crooked so that no one can make cuts, or cut him usefully either from above or diagonally.</p>
+
| <p>Next are the cuts, which even if I would set forth and report to you, of all twelve, yet there are still not more than four main cuts, from which the others all have sprung from, namely, first the High Cut, second the Wrath Cut, third the Middel Cut, and the fourth an Low Cut, than slashing or Crooked so that no one can make cuts, or cut him usefully either from above, or diagonally, '''Item''' athwart, or bring from under, thus there are many kinds of names and alterations to the cuts, hence, so named that quite a few are carried out during the cuts, for example, thus I stand before one in the same work, and can't come at all to the openings, thus I cut strongly from above a Boch strike not that I intend to hit or strike through but rather that I crash on to him and wrench into a cut and with this he will also do this to me, and would thus give room to the openings, from which a High Cut comes nicely. This cut has the name Boch Cut, therefore that my naming this is only about the clashing on that is to be done.</p>
 
|  
 
|  
 
{{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 45r.jpg|3|lbl=45r.3|p=1}} {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 45v.jpg|1|lbl=45v.1|p=1}}
 
{{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 45r.jpg|3|lbl=45r.3|p=1}} {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 45v.jpg|1|lbl=45v.1|p=1}}
 
|-
 
|
 
| <p>'''Item''' ''Uberzwerch'' or bring from under, thus there are many kinds of names and alterations to the cuts, hence, so named that quite a few are carried out during the cuts, for example, thus I stand before one in the same work, and can't come at all to the openings, thus I cut strongly from above a Boch strike not that I intend to hit or strike through but rather that I crash on to him and wrench into a cut and with this he will also do this to me, and would thus give room to the openings, from which a High Cut comes nicely. This cut has the name Boch Cut, therefore that my naming this is only about the clashing on that is to be done.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 45v.jpg|2|lbl=45v.2}}
 
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
Line 2,390: Line 2,385:
  
 
<p>And thirdly, should one protect the openings, and learn to recognize them on the arms of the man, therein one should be aware, of he who leads diligently the defense when each are up high, thus he is open below.</p>
 
<p>And thirdly, should one protect the openings, and learn to recognize them on the arms of the man, therein one should be aware, of he who leads diligently the defense when each are up high, thus he is open below.</p>
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 45v.jpg|3|lbl=45v.3}}
+
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 45v.jpg|2|lbl=45v.2}}
  
 
{{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 46r.jpg|1|lbl=46r.1}}
 
{{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 46r.jpg|1|lbl=46r.1}}
Line 2,478: Line 2,473:
 
| <p>'''Crooked Cut'''</p>
 
| <p>'''Crooked Cut'''</p>
  
<p>Crooked is thus, grab around the grip well so that you have the Dussack crooked, thus if he cuts or not, so step immediately out and cut with the crooked edge, through the Diagonal, Wrath, ''Uberzwerch'', or Middle Line.</p>
+
<p>Crooked is thus, grab around the grip well so that you have the Dussack crooked, thus if he cuts or not, so step immediately out and cut with the crooked edge, through the Diagonal Wrath or Middle Athwart Line.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 48v.jpg|2|lbl=48v.2}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 48v.jpg|2|lbl=48v.2}}
  
Line 2,812: Line 2,807:
 
| <p>'''A Fast ''Stück'''''</p>
 
| <p>'''A Fast ''Stück'''''</p>
  
<p>'''Item''' grab around the grip so that you have the Dussack crooked, how it is reported above. Thus Cut a wide springing high strike from your right, over the hands and over his Bow Line so that your right side comes well to his left side, throw a strike at him in a squint again from below through the Low Line to his face so that your hand remains high, cut nimbly a Short Cut.</p>
+
<p>'''Item''' grab around the grip so that you have the Dussack crooked, how it is reported above. Thus Cut a wide springing high strike from your right, over the hands and over his Bow Line so that your right side comes well to his left side, throw a strike at him in a Squint again from below through the Low Line to his face so that your hand remains high, cut nimbly a Short Cut.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 63v.jpg|4|lbl=63v.4}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 63v.jpg|4|lbl=63v.4}}
  
Line 3,036: Line 3,031:
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
| <p>'''Item''' Take out his incoming thrust with the short edge from the changer strongly, upwards, so that your weapon flies around in the air, into the right Ox, and Instantly throw him a thrust from under through the right plow, to his Groin or forward positioned thigh.</p>
+
| <p>'''Item''' Take out his incoming thrust with the short edge from the changer strongly, upwards, so that your weapon flies around in the air, into the right Ox, and Instantly throw him a thrust from under through the right Plow, to his Groin or forward positioned thigh.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 72v.jpg|2|lbl=72v.2}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 72v.jpg|2|lbl=72v.2}}
  
Line 3,128: Line 3,123:
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| rowspan="2" | [[File:MS A.4º.2 77r.jpg|400px|center]]
 
| rowspan="2" | [[File:MS A.4º.2 77r.jpg|400px|center]]
| <p>'''Mark''' When one thrusts at you from above, thus wind your hilt above you into left ox, set off his thrust upwards, and when they connect, then thrust him inside to the face, Instantly allow your point to sink towards the Ground, and allow the blade where by, to run through to your left, thrust over the hands to his face Pull your hilt upwards so that the blade runs off besides your right, and cut outside from your left through his right shoulder thus you shoot into the right Changer.</p>
+
| <p>'''Mark''' When one thrusts at you from above, thus wind your hilt above you into left Ox, set off his thrust upwards, and when they connect, then thrust him inside to the face, Instantly allow your point to sink towards the Ground, and allow the blade where by, to run through to your left, thrust over the hands to his face Pull your hilt upwards so that the blade runs off besides your right, and cut outside from your left through his right shoulder thus you shoot into the right Changer.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 76v.jpg|1|lbl=76v.1}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 76v.jpg|1|lbl=76v.1}}
  
Line 3,148: Line 3,143:
 
| <p>'''Three Ongoing Thrusts from the Left Plow from one side'''</p>
 
| <p>'''Three Ongoing Thrusts from the Left Plow from one side'''</p>
  
<p>Thus if one approaches you in the Iron Door or also in the left Plow, then thrust the first from the plow outside of his right arm line so that your point on the right now runs off besides your left through into left Ox, thrust through from there quickly through your left Ox, inwards to his chest, allow instantly again the Point to run off downwards and then through besides your left, and thrust the third from your left over your hand to the face, these three thrusts happen as one runs into the next, from one thrust.</p>
+
<p>Thus if one approaches you in the Iron Door or also in the left Plow, then thrust the first from the Plow outside of his right arm line so that your point on the right now runs off besides your left through into left Ox, thrust through from there quickly through your left Ox, inwards to his chest, allow instantly again the Point to run off downwards and then through besides your left, and thrust the third from your left over your hand to the face, these three thrusts happen as one runs into the next, from one thrust.</p>
 
|  
 
|  
 
{{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 78v.jpg|2|lbl=78v.2|p=1}} {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 79r.jpg|1|lbl=79r.1|p=1}}
 
{{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 78v.jpg|2|lbl=78v.2|p=1}} {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 79r.jpg|1|lbl=79r.1|p=1}}
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|-  
 
|-  
 
|  
 
|  
| <p>If one displaces you and will not cut but wait on your cuts, then cut away his displacement from your left, he is from under or ''Uberzwerch'', with that he is drawn away to cut immediately after he does this, thus suppress his strike from you with a strong Roof Strike on the strong of his blade the third cuts quickly after to the opening.</p>
+
| <p>If one displaces you and will not cut but wait on your cuts, then cut away his displacement from your left, he is from under or athwart, with that he is drawn away to cut immediately after he does this, thus suppress his strike from you with a strong Roof Strike on the strong of his blade the third cuts quickly after to the opening.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 85r.jpg|3|lbl=85r.3}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 85r.jpg|3|lbl=85r.3}}
  
Line 3,368: Line 3,363:
 
| <p>'''A Good ''Stuck'''''</p>
 
| <p>'''A Good ''Stuck'''''</p>
  
<p>'''Mark''' Thus when you must defend in the After, thus to you one comes with a Knebel pike in the air, over you, and you only have a Rappier or other similar single handed weapon, then hold the weapon ''Uberzwerch'' for your left foot on the earth, if he strikes a powerful diagonal, thus drive upwards with your weapon and spring to him under his strike, guard yourself in the spring with the head out from his strike and allow his strike to clash and stay on your weapon and grab quickly with the left hand on his staff, instantly cut nimble to his hands.</p>
+
<p>'''Mark''' Thus when you must defend in the After, thus to you one comes with a Knebel pike in the air, over you, and you only have a Rappier or other similar single handed weapon, then hold the weapon athwart of your left foot on the earth, if he strikes a powerful diagonal, thus drive upwards with your weapon and spring to him under his strike, guard yourself in the spring with the head out from his strike and allow his strike to clash and stay on your weapon and grab quickly with the left hand on his staff, instantly cut nimble to his hands.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 88v.jpg|1|lbl=88v.1}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS A.4º.2 88v.jpg|1|lbl=88v.1}}
  

Revision as of 13:31, 2 April 2024

Joachim Meyer
Born ca. 1537
Basel, Germany
Died 24 February 1571 (aged 34)
Schwerin, Germany
Spouse(s) Appolonia Ruhlman
Occupation
Citizenship Strasbourg
Patron
  • Georg Johann Ⅰ
  • Heinrich von Eberst
Movement Freifechter
Influences
Influenced
Genres Fencing manual
Language Early New High German
Notable work(s) Gründtliche Beschreibung der... Kunst des
Fechtens
(1570)
Manuscript(s)
First printed
english edition
Forgeng, 2006
Concordance by Michael Chidester
Translations
Signature Joachim Meyer sig.jpg

Joachim Meyer (ca. 1537 - 1571)[1] was a 16th century German cutler, Freifechter, and fencing master. He was the last major figure in the tradition of the German grand master Johannes Liechtenauer, and in the later years of his life he devised at least four distinct and quite extensive fencing manuals. Meyer's writings incorporate both the traditional Germanic technical syllabus and contemporary systems that he encountered in his travels, including Italian rapier fencing. In addition to his fencing practice, Meyer was a Burgher and a master cutler.[2]

Meyer was born in Basel,[3] where he presumably apprenticed as a cutler. He writes in his books that he traveled widely in his youth, most likely a reference to the traditional Walz that journeyman craftsmen were required to take before being eligible for mastery and membership in a guild. Journeymen were often sent to stand watch and participate in town and city militias (a responsibility that would have been amplified for the warlike cutlers' guild), and Meyer learned a great deal about foreign fencing systems during his travels. It's been speculated by some fencing historians that he trained specifically in the Bolognese school of fencing, but this doesn't stand up to closer analysis.[4]

Records show that by 4 June 1560 he had settled in Strasbourg, where he married Appolonia Ruhlman (Ruelman)[1] and was granted the rank of master cutler. His interests had already moved beyond smithing, however, and in 1561, Meyer's petition to the City Council of Strasbourg for the right to hold a Fechtschule was granted. He would repeat this in 1563, 1566, 1567 and 1568;[5] the 1568 petition is the first extant record in which he identifies himself as a fencing master.

Meyer probably wrote his first manuscript (MS Bibl. 2465) in 1561 for Georg Johann Ⅰ, Count Palatine of Veldenz,[6] and his second (MS A.4º.2) in 1568 for Otto (later Count of Solms-Sonnewalde).[7] Both of these manuscripts contain a series of lessons on training with long sword, dusack, and rapier; the 1561 also covers dagger, polearms, and armored fencing. His third manuscript (MS Var.82), written between 1563 and 1571 and containing a dedication at the end to Heinrich, Count of Eberstein, is of a decidedly different nature. Like many fencing manuscripts from the previous century, it is an anthology of treatises by a number of prominent German masters including Sigmund ain Ringeck, pseudo-Peter von Danzig, and Martin Syber, and also includes a brief outline by Meyer himself on a system of rapier fencing based on German Messer teachings.

Finally, on 24 February 1570, Meyer completed an enormous treatise entitled Gründtliche Beschreibung, der freyen Ritterlichen unnd Adelichen kunst des Fechtens, in allerley gebreuchlichen Wehren, mit vil schönen und nützlichen Figuren gezieret und fürgestellet ("A Thorough Description of the Free, Chivalric, and Noble Art of Fencing, Showing Various Customary Defenses, Affected and Put Forth with Many Handsome and Useful Drawings"); it was dedicated to Johann Casimir, Count Palatine of Simmern,[6] and illustrated at the workshop of Tobias Stimmer.[8] It contains all of the weapons of the 1561 and '68 manuscripts apart from fencing in armor, and dramatically expands his teachings on each.

Unfortunately, Meyer's writing and publication efforts incurred significant debts (about 300 crowns), which Meyer pledged to repay by Christmas of 1571.[1] Late in 1570, Meyer accepted the position of Fechtmeister to Duke Johann Albrecht of Mecklenburg at his court in Schwerin. There Meyer hoped to sell his book for a better price than was offered locally (30 florins). Meyer sent his books ahead to Schwerin, and left from Strasbourg on 4 January 1571 after receiving his pay. He traveled the 800 miles to Schwerin in the middle of a harsh winter, arriving at the court on 10 February 1571. Two weeks later, on 24 February, Joachim Meyer died. The cause of his death is unknown, possibly disease or pneumonia.[5]

Antoni Rulman, Appolonia’s brother, became her legal guardian after Joachim’s death. On 15 May 1571, he had a letter written by the secretary of the Strasbourg city chamber and sent to the Duke of Mecklenburg stating that Antoni was now the widow Meyer’s guardian; it politely reminded the Duke who Joachim Meyer was, Meyer’s publishing efforts and considerable debt, requested that the Duke send Meyer’s personal affects and his books to Appolonia, and attempted to sell some (if not all) of the books to the Duke.[1]

Appolonia remarried in April 1572 to another cutler named Hans Kuele, bestowing upon him the status of Burgher and Meyer's substantial debts. Joachim Meyer and Hans Kuele are both mentioned in the minutes of Cutlers' Guild archives; Kuele may have made an impression if we can judge that fact by the number of times he is mentioned. It is believed that Appolonia and either her husband or her brother were involved with the second printing of his book in 1600. According to other sources, it was reprinted yet again in 1610 and in 1660.[9][10]

Contents

Treatises

Joachim Meyer's writings are preserved in three manuscripts prepared in the 1560s: the 1561 MS Bibl. 2465 (Munich), dedicated to Georg Johannes von Veldenz; the 1563-68 MS A.4º.2 (Lund), dedicated to Otto von Solms; and the MS Var. 82 (Rostock), including notes on teachings from Stephan Heinrich von Eberstein and which Meyer may have still been working at the time of his death in 1571. Dwarfing these works is the massive book he published in 1570 entitled Gründtliche Beschreibung der ...Kunst des Fechtens ("A Thorough Description of the... Art of Fencing"), dedicated to Johann Kasimir von Pfalz-Simmern. Meyer's writings purport to teach the entire art of fencing, something that he claimed had never been done before, and encompass a wide variety of teachings from disparate sources and traditions. To achieve this goal, Meyer seems to have constructed his treatises as a series of progressive lessons, describing a process for learning to fence rather than merely outlining the underlying theory or listing the techniques. In keeping with this, he illustrates his techniques with depictions of fencers in courtyards using training weapons such as two-handed foils, wooden dusacks, and rapiers with ball tips.

The first section of Meyer's treatise is devoted to the long sword (the sword in two hands), which he describes as the foundational weapon of his system, and this section devotes the most space to fundamentals like stance and footwork. His long sword system draws upon the teachings of Freifechter Andre Paurenfeyndt (via Christian Egenolff's reprint) and Liechtenauer glossators Sigmund ain Ringeck and Lew, as well as using terminology otherwise unique to the brief Recital of Martin Syber. Not content merely to compile these teachings as his contemporary Paulus Hector Mair was doing, Meyer sought to update—even reinvent—them in various ways to fit the martial climate of the late sixteenth century, including adapting many techniques to accommodate the increased momentum of a greatsword and modifying others to use beats with the flat and winding slices in place of thrusts to comply with street-fighting laws in German cities (and the rules of the Fechtschule).

The second section of Meyer's treatises is designed to address new weapons gaining traction in German lands, the dusack and the rapier, and thereby find places for them in the German tradition. His early Lund manuscript presents a more summarized syllabus of techniques for these weapons, while his printed book goes into greater depth and is structured more in the fashion of lesson plans.[11] Meyer's dusack system, designed for the broad proto-sabers that spread into German lands from Eastern Europe in the 16th century,[12] combines the old Messer teachings of Johannes Lecküchner and the dusack teachings of Andre Paurenfeyndt with other unknown systems (some have speculated that they might include early Polish or Hungarian saber systems). His rapier system, designed for the lighter single-hand swords spreading north from Iberian and Italian lands, seems again to be a hybrid creation, integrating both the core teachings of the 15th century Liechtenauer tradition as well as components that are characteristic of the various regional Mediterranean fencing systems (including, perhaps, teachings derived from the treatise of Achille Marozzo). Interestingly, Meyer's rapier teachings in the Rostock seem to represent an attempt to unify these two weapon system, outlining a method for rapier fencing that includes key elements of his dusack teachings; it is unclear why this method did not appear in his book, but given the dates it may be that they represent his last musings on the weapon, written in the time between the completion of his book in 1570 and his death a year later.

The third section of Meyer's treatise is omitted in the Lund manuscript but present in the Munich and the 1570, and covers dagger, wrestling, and various pole weapons; to this, the Munich adds several plays of armored fencing. His dagger teachings, designed primarily for urban self-defense, seem to be based in part on the writings of Bolognese master Achille Marozzo,[13] but also include much unique content of unknown origin (perhaps the anonymous dagger teachings in his Rostock manuscript). His staff material makes up the bulk of this section, beginning with the short staff, which, like Paurenfeyndt, he uses as a training tool for various pole weapons (and possibly also the greatsword), and then moving on to the halberd before ending with the long staff (representing the pike). As with the dagger, the sources Meyer based his staff teachings on are largely unknown.

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Additional Resources

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

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Dupuis, Olivier. Joachim Meyer, escrimeur libre, bourgeois de Strasbourg (1537 ? - 1571). In Maîtres et techniques de combat. Dijon: AEDEH, 2006.
  2. Naumann, Robert. Serapeum. Vol. 5. T.O. Weigel, 1844. pp 53-59.
  3. According to his wedding certificate.
  4. The influence of Achilles Marozzo's printed treatise is, however, apparent in the rapier illustrations of his 1561 manuscript and the dagger plays in his book.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Van Slambrouck, Christopher. "The Life and Work of Joachim Meyer". Meyer Frei Fechter Guild, 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
  6. 6.0 6.1 Though as a prince of the Wittelsbach dynasty, he was addressed by the loftiest titles held by the family: Count Palatine of the Rhine and Duke of Bavaria.
  7. Norling, Roger. "The history of Joachim Meyer’s fencing treatise to Otto von Solms". Hroarr.com, 2012. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  8. Whose members included Christoph Maurer and Hans Christoffel Stimmer.
  9. Schaer, Alfred. Die altdeutschen fechter und spielleute: Ein beitrag zur deutschen culturgeschichte. K.J. Trübner, 1901. p 76.
  10. Pollock, W. H., Grove, F. C., and Prévost, C. Fencing. London and Bombay: Longmans, Green, and co, 1897. pp 267-268.
  11. Roberts, James. "System vs Syllabus: Meyer’s 1560 and 1570 sidesword texts". Hroarr.com, 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  12. Roger Norling. "The Dussack - a weapon of war". Hroarr.com, 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  13. Norling, Roger. "Meyer and Marozzo dagger comparison". Hroarr.com, 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
  14. Up to this point, the text matches the Lund manuscript, folia 6r to 7r.
  15. Note: this translation could be interpreted to mean “so that your half edge slides downward [presumably on his blade], hitting his right shoulder”. Meyer used the words mit Glitschen = to slither, to slide, to glide, to move with sliding.
  16. A number in the margin refers to the illustration in page number 13.
  17. The text starts matching the Lund manuscript again here (beginning on folio 7v), continuing until the Figures.
  18. Note: The Lund also mentions “the figure above” yet that figure does not appear in the Lund! Here it does, and it could be a representation of Meyer himself?
  19. The "l" appears to be written over another letter, perhaps a "b".
  20. Note: here I have included this line for clarity from Dr. Forgeng’s 1568 Lund translation: “Therefore every fighter shall know as has been said above, for when two good fighters come together, whoever thinks quicker triumphs quicker.”
  21. Note: the image shows the opponent on the left in Barrier guard with point to the ground, hence Meyer’s advice to “take his blade away from the ground”.
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 Torn page on left.
  23. 23.0 23.1 Torn page on right.
  24. To help illuminate the connections to Liechtenauer's teachings, I've added the verse numbers used in the Johannes Liechtenauer article and the various glosses to Kevin's translation. I've also added a few footnotes, and included my initials to distinguish them from Kevin's notes. Note all the verses in this section are found in Christian Egenolff's 1531 edition of Andre Paurenfeyndt's treatise—except the "First Rhyme", verses 17-20. ~Michael Chidester
  25. Note: the interpretation here is a generalized summary found in the 1570 at Ⅰ.45v—46r
  26. These two lines are a paraphrase of verse 77 of Liechtenauer's Zedel. ~MCC
  27. This rhyming section is reminiscent of the eight-line Indes poem found in several of the 15th century glosses (despite not being part of Liechtenauer's Zedel), but only the last two lines are the same. ~MCC
  28. This rhyme found in Egenolph's 1531 Frankfurt edition of Pauernfeindt, page 4v.
  29. Unclear.
  30. This rhyme found in Egenolph's 1531 Frankfurt edition of Pauernfeindt, page 7r.
  31. Note: gesechen = may be gesehen ENHG
  32. Unclear.
  33. This is a reference to Liechtenauer verses 56 and 79. ~MCC
  34. Liechtenauer verse 57. ~MCC
  35. This is the fourth of Paurnfeyndt's Twelve Rules for the Beginner Fencer, found on page 4r of Egenolff 1531. This is particularly odd because the first line comes from Egenolff, but the second line seems to be from Liechtenauer verse 11, which the rule was based on. The version in the fourth rule is Der darff sich kunst nit frewen. ~MCC
  36. 36.0 36.1 36.2 orig. dolchen; all instances of "dagger" in this document are dolchen excepy when footnoted.
  37. orig. ararmschirleinn
  38. orig. stichen, "thrust"/"stab" (context dependent); instances of stabbing that use other verbs will be footnoted.
  39. orig. Armschiene - seemingly a part of the armour
  40. orig. geordinirtt
  41. orig. schießen; see here
  42. orig. findt
  43. orig. spis
  44. orig. schwertt
  45. orig. sebell
  46. 46.0 46.1 orig. kempff degen; it can mean either “combat sword” or “combat dagger” (Source 1, Source 2). See here for a painting with kempffdegen in its caption
  47. 47.0 47.1 orig. Anngreiffen; "attacking" or "grappling"; cf. angreifen
  48. orig. zimlich
  49. alt. "endure"
  50. Ittem has many potential meanings: "further", "likewise", "the same as", and also simply as a means of 'bullet-pointing' numerous items. I've found that "likewise" works as an apt translation most of the time, but for clarity I will leave it untranslated. See this article.
  51. orig. noch eines Idenn woll gefalen
  52. orig. Reren; cf. Rohre/Röhre
  53. orig. lest
  54. orig. Schranckenn
  55. orig. dringen/thringen; refers to pressing one's point into an opponent['s armour/mail], cf. modern sense of "pushing through a crowd". See this glossary for more information
  56. orig. donerschlag; a strike with the hilt of the longsword while holding the blade
  57. orig. vnnd las Inn vorverthobenn; messy ink makes it difficult to transcribe; possible alt. "and read above beforehand"
  58. A blunt strike, as opposed to a cut or slice. See here.
  59. orig. versezen; alt. "parrying"
  60. Unclear.
  61. orig. ansezen; most likely means "pinned", "planted" (in the sense of placing your weapon or hand against an opponent, in a grappling sense); alt. "attacking" (cf. modern ansetzen). See this glossary for more information
  62. orig. erlang
  63. see nachreissen
  64. 64.0 64.1 64.2 64.3 64.4 64.5 64.6 orig. stehenn; often coupled with ansezen in this section; alt. "stand against"
  65. orig. uchsen
  66. orig. Gelenck. Refers to joints in armour, but also body parts - in the context of armoured fencing, it is most likely referring to the joints in the armour
  67. orig. greifest
  68. 68.0 68.1 68.2 68.3 orig. brich
  69. orig. anbrichen
  70. 70.00 70.01 70.02 70.03 70.04 70.05 70.06 70.07 70.08 70.09 70.10 70.11 orig. stos
  71. orig. goch
  72. 72.0 72.1 72.2 72.3 72.4 72.5 72.6 orig. schlag
  73. 73.0 73.1 73.2 see absetzen
  74. orig. drissel; cf. thrissel
  75. orig. schlag dein beidt vnder dein Recht achsell. From interpretation, the word schlag here doesn't make much sense: it's possible that beidt was intended to be said or written as bindt, as in "put your grip under your right shoulder".
  76. orig. Achsell
  77. 77.0 77.1 see Ringen
  78. 78.0 78.1 see arbeiten
  79. 79.0 79.1 79.2 79.3 79.4 79.5 orig. streich, cf. schlag
  80. 80.0 80.1 80.2 80.3 80.4 80.5 80.6 80.7 orig. inndes
  81. alt. "attacks"
  82. orig. last Er dür die seitten
  83. 83.0 83.1 orig. Ring; alt. lists
  84. orig. vergesezsten
  85. 85.0 85.1 85.2 see abzucken
  86. orig. fies
  87. 87.0 87.1 see gleich
  88. unclear transcription; possibly nim, ergo "take the weight"
  89. Unclear.
  90. orig. zwerchs
  91. 91.0 91.1 orig. degen; see kempffdegen
  92. orig. hawen. A cut or slice, as opposed to a blunt strike. See see here.
  93. 93.0 93.1 93.2 orig. bickell; most likely referring to the artificial, "mason's hammer", pickaxe shape of the crossguard in armoured fencing
  94. orig. klos
  95. orig. Stuck
  96. orig. knefftiglich, interpreted as krefftiglich
  97. orig. verfelen - described earlier in 1561 as a feint whereby you wait for your opponent to react to a strike, then change the direction of the strike
  98. orig. entgehenn
  99. orig. faren/auffaren; cf. fahren
  100. originally transcribed as knefftiglich, but krefftiglich (lit. "powerfully") seems more likely, in my opinion
  101. orig. gerecht; possible mistranscription/misspelling of gemecht, lit. "groin" or "genitals"
  102. 102.0 102.1 102.2 orig. las dein bindt fahren, lit. "let your grip drive"; alt. "release your grip and drive"
  103. Possibly "hauberk"(?).
  104. 104.0 104.1 orig. ausnemen; alt. "take out [the blade with a parry]"; "deflect"(?)
  105. orig. verzoblen; cf. verzögern
  106. lit. oben hutt; contrast Oberhutt
  107. orig. heutt; possible verb form of hutt
  108. orig. überwegest
  109. 109.0 109.1 orig. schlagen. Probably means "place" in this context.
  110. orig. sez; no accompanying adposition but I assume he means ansezen
  111. listen
  112. orig. Bundtschlag, lit. "grip strike"
  113. orig. fertt
  114. orig. wie nechst
  115. orig. oder Aber fus gesicht, lit. or but foot face, possible alt. "or his foot or face"
  116. orig. wendt
  117. orig. Reüb
  118. orig. geschmidt, lit. smithed. Possibly misspelling of Geschmeidt, which means "jewellery" - perhaps slang for gemecht ("genitals)".
  119. orig. steßen
  120. orig. abgewünnen
  121. Note that he uses the word degen but seems to refer to the aforementioned "threefold" dagger, which he referred to using the word dolchen.
  122. orig. feder
  123. orig. spietzen
  124. Reference in the left margin to picture on page 61.
  125. orig. auf dz schlos am Rucken; alt. "clasp of the back"
  126. orig. Wappenrock
  127. Unclear whether die refers to the dagger or the heart, here
  128. orig. kurz halbenn; alt. "short edge"
  129. orig. concordiren
  130. This word overwrites an initial die.
  131. The first 10 lines of this paragraph are shorter of 30% than the last four, as if there is a left place here for a picture or a diagram.
  132. The second letter looks a bit like a “b” but it is nonsense. It can be also considered like a small capital “e”.
  133. The first letter corrected from “w” by cancelling the first bow of the letter.
  134. The first letter could also read as an “l", but “b” seems more probable here.
  135. The first letter corrected from “b” by overwriting.
  136. The ink is a bit blurred, particularly in the beginning of the word which results in an ambiguous reading; stucken would be more plausible in this context but does not fit with the appearance of the first couple of letters at all.
  137. The writer first wrote hawst but the “s” has been cancelled afterwards.
  138. Recte: und.
  139. The writer first wrote arms but the final “s” has been cancelled afterwards.
  140. The letter “s” has ben cancelled just before the word den.
  141. Above the letter “i” a large circle is drawn as it is used to mark the letter “u”.
  142. Doubling of the word seitten, considered as a mistake and corrected here as the first finished a line.
  143. Setzen has been written afterwards just under ver- and looks like a catchword; however, the following page does not start with the same word. It could be a mistake of the scribe.
  144. An abbreviation sign at the end of the word tends to signify that it should be expanded to hawen, but it has been cancelled.
  145. The “h” is writen above a “e”.
  146. Unclear reading. The word has been corrected, possibly from zu, which, however, cannot be definitely affirmed.
  147. The words und oder after this word are cancelled.
  148. At this place is a sign that commonly indicates a line break or an end of a paragraph. Here, however, the following text continues in the same line.
  149. The first letter appears to be a cancelled “t”; however the reading remains ambiguous.
  150. The end of this word, sicht is inserted below the line at the right, like a catchword. However, the following written page, fol. 23r, does not start with the same word. Could be a mistake by the scribe or a clue for a missing page.
  151. After this word a large circle is drawn and its only meaning seems to complete the line to the right and avoid a big default in the right alignment.
  152. The letter “d” is cancelled just before the “b” of this word.
  153. The initial letter “b” is written above another letter, maybe a “g”.
  154. This first two letters are written above the letter “k”.
  155. A letter “b” or “l” has been written after this word but has ben cancelled.
  156. The first letter seems to superscribe an initial “I”.
  157. The writer firstly wrote an “m” as a final letter and subsequently cancelled the last leg to get an “n”.
  158. The final letter “t” is written above the line, in replacement for a previously cancelled letter.
  159. This word is written above a previous one, which is unreadable now.
  160. The first letters are difficult to make out due to a (water?) damage.
  161. The first letter of this word has been written above another, now illegible one.
  162. A letter “h” was written in the second position to begin with but cancelled afterwards.
  163. The first letter is curiously composed, but seems to have been readen as a "v".
  164. The second letter has been canceled and corrected by "o" above the line.
  165. The original text is derholhalben derhalben, which seems to be an unnecessary repetition.
  166. Doubling of the word handt, a probable mistake as the first is written a the end of the line. Same mistake as 17r.
  167. Doubling of the words den andern, probable mistake, only it is conserved here.
  168. A lone letter "h" is writen here, perhaps a beginning for “hew”, which was finally written after the digit “4”. Corrected in this edition.
  169. This sentence can be found in the printed book: « und merck wann du zur rechten undern Blöß schlechst, es sey flech, lang oder kurtz » (plate XXIXv from the 1570 edition)
  170. The third letter “h” was cancelled by overwriting it with an “l”.
  171. The letter “a” is crossed out in the beginning of the word.
  172. The first letter was first written in lower case but was corrected with an upper-case letter.
  173. Unclear reading. It appears as if the scribe first intended to write “halber” but noticed his error in the middle of the word. The reverse may be true also.
  174. The "R." has been inserted at the end of the line afterwards.
  175. Right of this place a large blank space remains until the end of the line.
  176. The written put a "n" between sch and enckel and canceled it.
  177. Linck and seitten are reversed in the manuscript but superscribed with “1” and “2” respectively in order to indicate the correct order.
  178. Corrected from Im, the first stroke of the “m” has been cancelled.
  179. Spitz uber- is clearly copied twice, this is probably an eye-skip.
  180. Correction done on sticht by canceling the last letter.
  181. This entire paragraph is justified on the right by a vertical line, unique in the manuscript.
  182. Corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  183. Corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  184. The "st" ligature is inverted.
  185. Typo, should be "wolt, könne".
  186. Originally printed "abzutzest", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  187. Originally printed "verhauren", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  188. The "t" is inverted.
  189. Ⅲ.47v indicates that this was printed "erbangen" and needed to be corrected to "erlangen", but that's not true in any copy available for consult.
  190. Originally printed "mim", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  191. Originally printed "Higur", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  192. Originally printed "Fellen", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  193. Originally printed "gem" (with an inverted g), but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  194. Originally printed "allo", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  195. Originally printed "Atm", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  196. The first 't' is inverted.
  197. Terminal 'e' is inverted.
  198. Originally printed "bleiden", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  199. Originally printed "klnie", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  200. Originally printed "duch", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  201. The second "e" is inverted.
  202. Originally printed "fein", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  203. Originally printed "behendig ich", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  204. Misnumbered 87r.
  205. 205.00 205.01 205.02 205.03 205.04 205.05 205.06 205.07 205.08 205.09 205.10 205.11 205.12 205.13 205.14 205.15 205.16 205.17 205.18 205.19 205.20 205.21 205.22 205.23 205.24 205.25 205.26 205.27 205.28 205.29 205.30 205.31 indes
  206. palm up
  207. Illegible deletion.
  208. oberhauw
  209. ‘right’ is originally written, ‘left’ is written above it
  210. short edge
  211. “Degen”, lit. dagger, could either refer to a sword or dagger.
  212. short edge
  213. Unleserliche Streichung. Illegible deletion.
  214. Unleserliche gestrichen Einfügung oberhalb der Zeile. Crossed out illegible insertion above the line.
  215. Die Schlaufe des »h« trägt ein Diärese. The loop of the “h” carries a diaeresis.
  216. Korrigiert aus »mitelhauw«. Corrected from “mitelhauw”.
  217. Leicht unleserlich. Slightly illegible.
  218. Überschriebens »vom«. Overwritten “vom”.
  219. Inserted by means of a special mark.
  220. Word inserted next to the text.
  221. Inserted nest to the text.
  222. Zwei Worte am Seitenrand nachgetragen. Two words inserted at the margin.
  223. Wort am Seitenrand nachgetragen. Word inserted at the margin.