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Pol Hausbuch (MS 3227a)/84r - 85r

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Complete Translation Complete translation

by Thomas Stoeppler

Transcription

by Dierk Hagedorn

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:[1]

[84r] Hie hebt sich an fechten mit de~ degen

WEr do wil fechten lernen mit deme degen • der sal merken vnd wissen / daz daz swert vorñ gespiczt sol sein solsein vnd ist gesehñ in allexandria

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 mess° das czu kamp stiche / key~ dir gestalt vnd gericht / ist / das saltu mt dyner linken hant / mit yngrif(?) aus winden / alzo das du im syn arm begrif dyn° linke~ hant / vnd das dir syn messer ober dyme arme sey / zo wend im den arm mit dem mess° öm / zu muss her is lassen
Also one may defend this winding with four different methods.[2]

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.

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.

Auch mag eyner das windñ eyme fyerleyw das weren / Czu~ erste~ / wen im eyner alzo mit der linken hant noch dem mess° greift zo sal her den ort lassen of gen / yn dy hö alzo das her mt vorworfner hant daz mess° vm keret vnd den ort of / zo ist ienes winden alles vorlorn / vnd du magst dy weyle tue~ was du selber wilt / Czu~ ander mol / wen im eyner greift noch dem mess° als vor / als balde als her das nur merkt / zo rükke her vnd czihe syn mess° rich risch [84v] vnd sterklich an sich / ader key~ im weder / vnd sneid im durch arm hant / dawmen ader was her begreift mit dem rücken / vnd czihñ 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 deñe iener das were~ vnd andere bröche / zo sal her desem syner hãt noch volgen / alzo als her im den arm begriffen hat / zo mag her im of den rücke kome~ / wy leichte her aber nicht noch volget alzo / das her harte weder helt / zo nympt her schaden / vnd deser from~e
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 hãt mit syn° linke~ hant begriffen / vnd gevange~ hat / zo sal her mit syn° rechte~ hant / gar snelle auch dar varn / czwische~ syn° linken hãt mt der her iene~ begriffe~hat / vnd czwische~ ienes dege~ / vñ mt vorworfn° hãt / das syn dawme / vnde~ / vnd d° kleyne vi~ger obñ kome / vnd winde im deñe den den dege~ 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 deñe das dezer mit deme were~ vnd wi~den / laz ist vnd trege / mt deme / alz her ieme den arm begriffen hat / vnd in gar veste helt / zo sal iener mit syme / dege~ im drewe~ vnd of in dringe~ / recht zam her in mt gewalt wölle steche~ / vnd den ort io key~ sy deses gesichte kere / zo wil daz selbe / des° / vaste were~ / Indes / zo sal deseriener / deñe / ausweñig / deses arme~ / ader yñewenig / den degen auswinden vnd würge~ / vnd snelle weder czu varn / mt dem dege~ of das aller neste / wen des° / mt deme als im ien° alzo derwt vnd of in dri~gt / mt dem dege~ / zo besorgt her sich nicht vor deme auswinden / vnd hat nicht / achtu~ge dorof / vñ mt deme wirt her ge / [85r] tüscht / vñ das get of dy wört° / vor / noch / alzo das eyn° mt eyme dinge eyme vor drewe / recht zam her das selbe io meyne czutreibñ / zo wil es deñe ien° io were~ / vñ hat nicht achtu~ge of eyn and°s / Indes als is deñe ien° am mynste~ getrawt / zo sal deser dar varn / mit deme das her meynt czutreibñ vñ vor im / mute hat gehabt / vñ mt deme pñcipio tewscht mã vil lewte mete /
  1. Latin passage follows ; very difficult.
  2. Please note that there are only three methods described against the turning-out.