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Difference between revisions of "Sigmund ain Ringeck"

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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>1</small>
 
| <small>1</small>
| He who dismounts<br/>begins fencing on foot
+
| He who dismounts<br/>&emsp;begins fencing on foot
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>2</small>
 
| <small>2</small>
| He places his spear<br/>two stances to wield weapons right
+
| He places his spear<br/>&emsp;two stances to wield weapons right
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>When two fight together in coats of mail, then each of them will have three different weapons: A spear, a sword and a dagger. And the begining of the fight will occur with the spear. So you should prepare yourself with two ground positions, just as is now explained.</p>
 
<p>When two fight together in coats of mail, then each of them will have three different weapons: A spear, a sword and a dagger. And the begining of the fight will occur with the spear. So you should prepare yourself with two ground positions, just as is now explained.</p>
Line 2,023: Line 2,023:
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>3</small>
 
| <small>3</small>
| Spear and point then before stabs,<br/>stab without force
+
| Spear and point then before stabs,<br/>&emsp;stab without force
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>4</small>
 
| <small>4</small>
| Spring wind attack him<br/>onward disengage to face him on
+
| Spring wind attack him<br/>&emsp;onward disengage to face him on
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>When you are both down from the horses, Then stand with your left foot forward and hold the spear ready to throw. And close to him thus; so that the left foot always stays in front. And wait, so that you can throw before him. And follow on at once shooting forward with the sword, then he cannot safely cast against you, and grip the sword.</p>
 
<p>When you are both down from the horses, Then stand with your left foot forward and hold the spear ready to throw. And close to him thus; so that the left foot always stays in front. And wait, so that you can throw before him. And follow on at once shooting forward with the sword, then he cannot safely cast against you, and grip the sword.</p>
Line 2,063: Line 2,063:
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>5</small>
 
| <small>5</small>
| If you will stab ahead<br/>with disengaging break the defense
+
| If you will stab ahead<br/>&emsp;with disengaging break the defense
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>When you stab from the lower guard, and he sets [it] aside with his spear, and his point to the side and goes beyond you [pushes out], then jerk through and stab him to the other side. Or if he stays with the point before his face, then don't jerk. But remain with the spear on his and wind to the next opening, that he opens to you.</p>
 
<p>When you stab from the lower guard, and he sets [it] aside with his spear, and his point to the side and goes beyond you [pushes out], then jerk through and stab him to the other side. Or if he stays with the point before his face, then don't jerk. But remain with the spear on his and wind to the next opening, that he opens to you.</p>
Line 2,078: Line 2,078:
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>6</small>
 
| <small>6</small>
| Mark if he will pull back<br/>from injury and will fly
+
| Mark if he will pull back<br/>&emsp;from injury and will fly
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>7</small>
 
| <small>7</small>
| Then you should close<br/>to wisely deploy blocks
+
| Then you should close<br/>&emsp;to wisely deploy blocks
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>When you stab and he sets aside and loosens himself from the bind, then follow quickly with the point. Strike him with it. Then press [push] him in that way back. If he now wishes to flee backwards before the stab and turns aside close to you. Then run in on this side and grip him with such wrestleing grips and arm breaks, just as you find described in the following.</p>
 
<p>When you stab and he sets aside and loosens himself from the bind, then follow quickly with the point. Strike him with it. Then press [push] him in that way back. If he now wishes to flee backwards before the stab and turns aside close to you. Then run in on this side and grip him with such wrestleing grips and arm breaks, just as you find described in the following.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>8</small>
 
| <small>8</small>
| If you would wrestle<br/>legs back rightly teach springing
+
| If you would wrestle<br/>&emsp;legs back rightly teach springing
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>9</small>
 
| <small>9</small>
| trap before shooting<br/>That you shoot front leg artfully
+
| trap before shooting<br/>&emsp;That you shoot front leg artfully
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>When you come in to fight him, then you should know, just as you should step in front or behind his leg, you should no longer need to step.</p>
 
<p>When you come in to fight him, then you should know, just as you should step in front or behind his leg, you should no longer need to step.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>10</small>
 
| <small>10</small>
| From both hands<br/>if you would conclude well with art
+
| From both hands<br/>&emsp;if you would conclude well with art
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>You should control all wrestling techniques on both sides. therefor you'll counter all that he attempts against you. When you have sprung with your right foot behind his left foot and he climbs back with his left foot, then follow him quickly to the other side with your left foot to behind his right foot. And throw him over over your knee with or lock his knee with both of your legs, as described earlier.</p>
 
<p>You should control all wrestling techniques on both sides. therefor you'll counter all that he attempts against you. When you have sprung with your right foot behind his left foot and he climbs back with his left foot, then follow him quickly to the other side with your left foot to behind his right foot. And throw him over over your knee with or lock his knee with both of your legs, as described earlier.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>11</small>
 
| <small>11</small>
| If you've been reversed<br/>the sword against spear will go seek
+
| If you've been reversed<br/>&emsp;the sword against spear will go seek
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>12</small>
 
| <small>12</small>
| The weapon will take the stab<br/>Spring to wrestle reach to him
+
| The weapon will take the stab<br/>&emsp;Spring to wrestle reach to him
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>When you have thrown your spear and he has kept his, then place yourself in the following position: Grip your sword in the middle of the blade and place it before your left knee in the guard. Or hold it next to your right side in the lower guard.</p>
 
<p>When you have thrown your spear and he has kept his, then place yourself in the following position: Grip your sword in the middle of the blade and place it before your left knee in the guard. Or hold it next to your right side in the lower guard.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>13</small>
 
| <small>13</small>
| Hit long from left hand<br/>Spring wisely and then see
+
| Hit long from left hand<br/>&emsp;Spring wisely and then see
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>14</small>
 
| <small>14</small>
| If he will seek away<br/>from injury and hit
+
| If he will seek away<br/>&emsp;from injury and hit
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>15</small>
 
| <small>15</small>
| so that his openings<br/>are harassed by the sword's point
+
| so that his openings<br/>&emsp;are harassed by the sword's point
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>When you stand in the lower guard, and he jabs above to you, and he holds the spear, so that the point in front broadly juts over the hands. Then strike his spear down to the side with your left hand , and spring to him setting the point on him.</p>
 
<p>When you stand in the lower guard, and he jabs above to you, and he holds the spear, so that the point in front broadly juts over the hands. Then strike his spear down to the side with your left hand , and spring to him setting the point on him.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>16</small>
 
| <small>16</small>
| Leather and gloves<br/>under the eyes seek the openings rightly
+
| Leather and gloves<br/>&emsp;under the eyes seek the openings rightly
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>Then you must quickly recognise his openings. At first try and strike him in the face, but also in the armpits, in the palms of the hands, or in from behind the gloves, or in the knee pits, between the legs and on all the limbs, where the coat of mail joins inside. Because these are the best place in which to strike him. And you should know precisely, how you can strike these openings. Therefore you will not aim at a more remote one, when you could hit a closer one with greater ease.</p>
 
<p>Then you must quickly recognise his openings. At first try and strike him in the face, but also in the armpits, in the palms of the hands, or in from behind the gloves, or in the knee pits, between the legs and on all the limbs, where the coat of mail joins inside. Because these are the best place in which to strike him. And you should know precisely, how you can strike these openings. Therefore you will not aim at a more remote one, when you could hit a closer one with greater ease.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>17</small>
 
| <small>17</small>
| Bring the forbidden wrestlings<br/>to the lesson wisely,
+
| Bring the forbidden wrestlings<br/>&emsp;to the lesson wisely,
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>18</small>
 
| <small>18</small>
| to lock find<br/>the strength to wend over with
+
| to lock find<br/>&emsp;the strength to wend over with
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>When he runs in, then drop your sword and use carefully the wrestling, that belong to the battle fight. These shall not be taught or shown in publicly accessible fencing schools, so is it from all to show sword mastery closed. Because he will to the earest fight to use dignity, and there are arm breaks, leg pieces, testicle thrusts, death strikes, knee thrusts, finger breaks and eye grips [gouges] and more.</p>
 
<p>When he runs in, then drop your sword and use carefully the wrestling, that belong to the battle fight. These shall not be taught or shown in publicly accessible fencing schools, so is it from all to show sword mastery closed. Because he will to the earest fight to use dignity, and there are arm breaks, leg pieces, testicle thrusts, death strikes, knee thrusts, finger breaks and eye grips [gouges] and more.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>19</small>
 
| <small>19</small>
| With all weapons<br/>turn the point to the openings
+
| With all weapons<br/>&emsp;turn the point to the openings
 
|}
 
|}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Dresd.C.487 096v.png|3|lbl=-}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Dresd.C.487 096v.png|3|lbl=-}}
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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>20</small>
 
| <small>20</small>
| Where one in defense<br/>draws the sword visibly to him
+
| Where one in defense<br/>&emsp;draws the sword visibly to him
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>21</small>
 
| <small>21</small>
| That one shall strongly<br/>defend right mark well
+
| That one shall strongly<br/>&emsp;defend right mark well
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>When both javelins have been thrown and the sword fight begins, then you should before all things pay attention to the four guards with the half sword. From them stab always to his upper opening. If he then jabs or binds with your sword. Then your should immediately notice if he is hard or soft at the sword. And when you have noted that, then use the strong against him, as is described in the following.</p>
 
<p>When both javelins have been thrown and the sword fight begins, then you should before all things pay attention to the four guards with the half sword. From them stab always to his upper opening. If he then jabs or binds with your sword. Then your should immediately notice if he is hard or soft at the sword. And when you have noted that, then use the strong against him, as is described in the following.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>22</small>
 
| <small>22</small>
| Before and after the two things<br/>teach testing wisely with springing away
+
| Before and after the two things<br/>&emsp;teach testing wisely with springing away
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>You should in all things know the before and after. Because all skill in the fight comes from it. Take note, that you come before him with strikes and stabs, then he must move. And straight away, when he binds with his sword, set your techniques on, so he cannot get his techniques through your assult. This is the before.</p>
 
<p>You should in all things know the before and after. Because all skill in the fight comes from it. Take note, that you come before him with strikes and stabs, then he must move. And straight away, when he binds with his sword, set your techniques on, so he cannot get his techniques through your assult. This is the before.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>23</small>
 
| <small>23</small>
| Follow all hits<br/>with strength if you will weaken him
+
| Follow all hits<br/>&emsp;with strength if you will weaken him
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>24</small>
 
| <small>24</small>
| If he guards then disengage<br/>stab as he goes backward
+
| If he guards then disengage<br/>&emsp;stab as he goes backward
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>25</small>
 
| <small>25</small>
| If he fights extended, <br/>then be artfully instructed
+
| If he fights extended,<br/>&emsp;then be artfully instructed
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>You should use the travelling after against the strong fencer, that with outstretched arms, long reach fights. But otherwise possesses nothing else from the art.</p>
 
<p>You should use the travelling after against the strong fencer, that with outstretched arms, long reach fights. But otherwise possesses nothing else from the art.</p>
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|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>26</small>
 
| <small>26</small>
| If he grabs on strong<br/>in the shot face him on
+
| If he grabs on strong<br/>&emsp;in the shot face him on
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>When he has set to you and pushes you back, then stab him in the palm of the hand, which holds the sword in the middle. When he the hands reversed, then stab up from below again in the same guard.</p>
 
<p>When he has set to you and pushes you back, then stab him in the palm of the hand, which holds the sword in the middle. When he the hands reversed, then stab up from below again in the same guard.</p>
Line 2,728: Line 2,728:
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>27</small>
 
| <small>27</small>
| If he shoots with the striking point<br/>Meet without force
+
| If he shoots with the striking point<br/>&emsp;Meet without force
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>28</small>
 
| <small>28</small>
| Teach to twist the point<br/>with both hands to the eyes
+
| Teach to twist the point<br/>&emsp;with both hands to the eyes
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>The "percussive point" is the strike with the pommel. When he comes over with a strong strike in this way, then hold the sword over your left knee in the lower guard. If he then strikes to your head - and is a strong man - then strike his strike with your swoord in front of your left hand over to his right. And drive in with the sword in the upper guard.</p>
 
<p>The "percussive point" is the strike with the pommel. When he comes over with a strong strike in this way, then hold the sword over your left knee in the lower guard. If he then strikes to your head - and is a strong man - then strike his strike with your swoord in front of your left hand over to his right. And drive in with the sword in the upper guard.</p>
Line 2,802: Line 2,802:
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| <small>29</small>
 
| <small>29</small>
| You must guard<br/>the forward foot with the strike
+
| You must guard<br/>&emsp;the forward foot with the strike
 
|}
 
|}
 
<p>When you strike with the pommel, then you should aim at all his extremities that he sets forward. When you would strike, then hold your sword in the guard over your head and do so, as if you where going to stab him in the face. Then release the sword with your right hand and grab the blade next to your left. Strike with the pommel to his forward foot or his forward hand, whilst he holds the sword on the blade. You will also strike from the right lower guard.</p>
 
<p>When you strike with the pommel, then you should aim at all his extremities that he sets forward. When you would strike, then hold your sword in the guard over your head and do so, as if you where going to stab him in the face. Then release the sword with your right hand and grab the blade next to your left. Strike with the pommel to his forward foot or his forward hand, whilst he holds the sword on the blade. You will also strike from the right lower guard.</p>

Revision as of 21:45, 3 September 2017

Sigmund ain Ringeck
Period 15th century
Occupation Fencing master
Nationality German
Patron Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria
Movement Fellowship of Liechtenauer
Influences Johannes Liechtenauer
Influenced
Genres Fencing manual
Language Early New High German
Archetype(s) Hypothetical
Manuscript(s)
First printed
english edition
Tobler, 2001
Concordance by Michael Chidester
Translations

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

The identity of Ringeck's patron remains unclear, as four men named Albrecht ruled Bavaria during the fifteenth century; assuming that Ringeck was a personal student of Johannes Liechtenauer further narrows the list down to just two. If the MS 3227a is correctly dated to 1389, then Liechtenauer was a 14th century master and Ringeck's patron was Albrecht I, who reigned from 1353 to 1404. If, on the other hand, Liechtenauer was an early 15th century master (an associate of H. Beringer) and the Fellowship of Liechtenauer was assembled to fight in the Hussite Wars of the 1420s and 30s, then Ringeck's patron would have been Albrecht III, who carried the title from 1438 to 1460.[3] Albrecht IV claimed the title in 1460 and thus also could have been Ringeck's patron; this would probably signify that Ringeck was not a direct student of Liechtenauer at all, but a later inheritor of the tradition. That said, Albrecht IV lived until 1508 and so the Dresden, Glasgow, and Salzburg manuscripts were likely created during his reign.

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

Stemma

While there are four texts commonly attributed to Ringeck, glosses of the three sections of the Recital of Johannes Liechtenauer (long sword fencing, short sword fencing, and fencing from horseback) as well as an addendum to the long sword material covering fencing from a low guard called side guard or iron gate, only the long sword gloss actually bears his name. The others are associated with Ringeck largely due to the previously mentioned misattribution of the entire MS Dresd.C.487 (Dresden), but this is not an entirely unreasonable attribution to make considering the other two glosses are always accompanied by Ringeck's long sword. All three glosses seem to be based on those of the anonymous author known as "pseudo-Peter von Danzig", which are attested from the 1450s; it is also possible that Ringeck and pseudo-Danzig were the same person, and the gloss found below is simply the only branch of the larger stemma that retained its attribution (though that can't be demonstrated with existing information).

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

Provisional stemma codicum for Ringeck

The earliest extant version of Ringeck's gloss (apart from the segments that are identical with the pseudo-Danzig) consists of just eight paragraphs added by Hans von Speyer as addenda to certain sections of the pseudo-Danzig gloss in his 1491 manuscript M.I.29 (Salzburg).[8] A ninth paragraph was integrated by Speyer into pseudo-Danzig's introduction to the Krumphaw, so that Ringeck's explanation of how to use the Krump as a counter-cut compliments pseudo-Danzig's explanation of how to use it to break the guard Ochs.

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

The 1508[9] Glasgow, in contrast, is written in a clear and tidy hand and its long sword gloss includes 31 painted, if somewhat low-grade, illustrations (presumably copies of the originals). Its text is generally longer than equivalent passages in the Dresden, including additional information and variations, but like the Dresden it appears to be incomplete in its present form: the first 39 paragraphs of the long sword gloss from the Dresden have no equivalent in the extant manuscript, which begins in the middle of the Twerhaw, and only the first 6 paragraphs of the short sword gloss are included before the manuscript switches to the pseudo-Danzig gloss for the remainder of the verses. On the other hand, it contains the full gloss of the mounted fencing verse, including the half missing from the Dresden.

The third version from this period is another fragment, published by Freifechter Andre Paurñfeyndt in 1516 as part of his treatise Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey ("Foundation of the Chivalric Art of Swordplay")[10] and containing only the material on fencing from low guards; in characteristic fashion, Paurñfeyndt does not attribute this material to Ringeck. The section is illustrated by the same crude woodblock art as the rest of his book, though their connection to Ringeck's original text is doubtful. (Paurñfeyndt's text would be reprinted by Christian Egenolff four times between 1531 and 1558,[11] transcribed by Lienhart Sollinger into the Cod. I.6.2º.2 in 1564,[12] and translated to Walloon and printed by Willem Vorsterman in 1538.[13])

The remaining two versions of Ringeck's text come from later in the 16th century. In 1553, Paulus Hector Mair produced the Reichstadt Nr. 82 (Augsburg) based on the papers of the late master Antonius Rast.[14] Included in this manuscript was a version of the pseudo-Danzig long sword gloss that is largely complete up to couplet 95 of the Recital where, with no explanation, it switches over to Ringeck's gloss for the remainder of the text (speculatively, perhaps the rest of Rast's copy of Ringeck was not among the papers Mair purchased, so he attempted to fill the gap using the copy of pseudo-Danzig that he already possessed).

The final version, Rostock, is third substantial one (along with Dresden and Glasgow); it was probably created in the 1560s and was owned by Freifechter Joachim Meÿer until his death in 1571.[15] It contains nearly all of Ringeck's presumed gloss of the short sword verses, but only an abbreviated (thought still extensive) version of the long sword gloss. Rostock's long sword gloss only includes key passages and omits most of the follow-on plays to each of the Haupstucke, and also omits the entire section on fencing from the low guards; like Glasgow it directs readers to consult Ringeck's illustrations, but unlike Glasgow these illustrations were never added to the manuscript (nor was room left for them).

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

Due to the fragmentary nature of the stemma at the moment and the lack of anything resembling an autograph or archetype, for the long sword translation below all versions were treated as co-authoritative: whenever feasible the longest sample was given preference, and the differences between versions detailed in the footnotes.

(A final text of interest is the 1539 treatise of Hans Medel von Salzburg,[16] which was acquired by Mair and bound into the Cod. I.6.2º.5 after 1566.[17] Medel demonstrates familiarity with the teachings of a variety of 15th century Liechtenauer masters, including pseudo-Danzig and Hans Seydenfaden von Erfurt, but his text primarily takes the form of a revision and expansion of Ringeck's long sword gloss. While enough of Ringeck's original text survives Medel's editing that it too can be shown to not derive from any other surviving manuscript, the amount of unique and altered content is such that it is not included in the concordance below, nor used in the translation.)

Treatise

Additional Resources

  • Lindholm, David and Svard, Peter. Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Art of the Longsword. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 2003. ISBN 978-1-58160-410-8
  • Lindholm, David and Svard, Peter. Sigmund Ringeck's Knightly Arts of Combat: Sword-and-Buckler Fighting, Wrestling, and Fighting in Armor. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 2006. ISBN 978-1-58160-499-3
  • Tobler, Christian Henry. Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship. Highland Village, TX: Chivalry Bookshelf, 2001. ISBN 1-891448-07-2
  • Wierschin, Martin. Meister Johann Liechtenauers Kunst des Fechtens. München: Beck, 1965.
  • Żabiński, Grzegorz. The Longsword Teachings of Master Liechtenauer. The Early Sixteenth Century Swordsmanship Comments in the "Goliath" Manuscript. Poland: Adam Marshall, 2010. ISBN 978-83-7611-662-4

References

  1. Jens P. Kleinau. "Schirrmeister, Schermeister, Schirmmeister". Hans Talhoffer ~ A Historical Martial Arts blog by Jens P. Kleinau], 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  2. The Fellowship of Liechtenauer is recorded in three versions of Paulus Kal's treatise: MS 1825 (1460s), Cgm 1570 (ca. 1470), and MS KK5126 (1480s).
  3. For a different perspective, see Christian Henry Tobler. "Chicken and Eggs: Which Master Came First?" In Saint George's Name: An Anthology of Medieval German Fighting Arts. Wheaton, IL: Freelance Academy Press, 2010.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Werner J. Hoffmann. "Mscr.Dresd.C.487: Siegmund am Ringeck, Fechtlehre". Tiefenerschließung und Digitalisierung der deutschsprachigen mittelalterlichen Handschriften der Sächsischen Landesbibliothek - Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek (SLUB) Dresden. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  5. Dresden fol. 31r.
  6. Dresden fol. 20r.
  7. Dresden fol. 27r.
  8. MS M.I.29 is signed and internally dated on folio 158r.
  9. MS E.1939.65.341 is internally dated on folio 22r.
  10. Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey is internally dated on page K4r.
  11. The first three printings of Der Altenn Fechter anfengliche Kunst are undated, but the first edition must have been produced between 1531, when Egenolff set up his shop in Frankfurt-am-Main, and Hans Weiditz' death in 1537; the second and third editions were released some time before Egenolff's own death in 1555. The only dated edition was published by Egenolff's heirs in 1558 (see page XLVIIv).
  12. The material in Cod. I.6.2º.2 based on Paurñfeyndt is internally dated on folio 71r
  13. La noble science des ioueurs d'espee is internally dated on page 35v.
  14. The origin of Reichstadt Nr. 82 is detailed on folio IIr.
  15. The only date, 1570, is given on folio 123 (between the first and second sections of Meyer's rapier text); the rest of the manuscript shows a few different hands and was likely compiled prior to its acquisition by Meyer. See Joachim Meyer. The Art of Combat. A German Martial Arts Treatise of 1570. Trans. Jeffrey L. Forgeng. London: Frontline Books, 2014. pp 32-33.
  16. Medel's section of the Cod. I.6.2º.5 is internally dated on folio 21r.
  17. The record of the Marxbrüder in the manuscript ends on folio 20r with the year 1566, so Mair couldn't have acquired it before then.
  18. 18.00 18.01 18.02 18.03 18.04 18.05 18.06 18.07 18.08 18.09 18.10 18.11 18.12 18.13 18.14 18.15 18.16 18.17 18.18 18.19 18.20 18.21 18.22 18.23 18.24 18.25 18.26 18.27 18.28 18.29 18.30 18.31 18.32 18.33 18.34 18.35 18.36 18.37 18.38 18.39 18.40 18.41 18.42 18.43 18.44 18.45 18.46 18.47 18.48 18.49 18.50 18.51 18.52 18.53 18.54 18.55 18.56 18.57 18.58 18.59 18.60 18.61 Word omitted from the Dresden.
  19. "Known as" omitted from the Dresden.
  20. D. schirmaiste~, R. schiermeister.
  21. Count Palatine
  22. Duke
  23. "and pictured" omitted from the Dresden.
  24. Corrected from »am«.
  25. 25.0 25.1 25.2 Line omitted from the Dresden.
  26. lit: hastening. hasten, maturare, accelerare, see Grimm
  27. alt: instruction
  28. D. Zeck: Tick; R. Zeckruhr: Insect bites.
  29. Possibly "strongly desire to deploy".
  30. 30.0 30.1 "Note, this is" omitted from the Dresden.
  31. "You shall" omitted from the Rostock.
  32. Lit: "Before the moment he comes with his to you".
  33. wiederhalten: lit. "hold against"; to withstand, resist.
  34. Alternately: weapons.
  35. D. Wer dz wäre: "Whoever defends these".
  36. Alternately: avow, legally promise.
  37. Possibly "wages".
  38. Lit: "hew other hews".
  39. "In the same five hews" omitted from the Rostock.
  40. ober is an adjective, oben is an adverb.
  41. R. "the".
  42. 42.00 42.01 42.02 42.03 42.04 42.05 42.06 42.07 42.08 42.09 42.10 42.11 42.12 42.13 42.14 42.15 42.16 42.17 42.18 42.19 42.20 42.21 42.22 42.23 42.24 42.25 42.26 42.27 42.28 42.29 42.30 42.31 42.32 42.33 42.34 42.35 42.36 42.37 42.38 42.39 42.40 42.41 42.42 42.43 42.44 42.45 Clause omitted from the Dresden.
  43. 43.0 43.1 "This is" omitted from the Dresden.
  44. abrucken: "removere" (remove), "absetzen" (offset).
  45. D. wider[sic]: "again".
  46. 46.0 46.1 46.2 46.3 46.4 46.5 D. "the".
  47. D. bind: "bind-in".
  48. R. Jun ger [sic].
  49. R. dem krieg: "the war".
  50. D. hurten: "to rush".
  51. "The hew, or thrust, or cut" omitted from the Dresden.
  52. "Nor thrust… cut" omitted from the Rostock.
  53. 53.0 53.1 53.2 53.3 53.4 Sentence omitted from the Rostock.
  54. 54.0 54.1 54.2 54.3 54.4 54.5 54.6 54.7 54.8 Word omitted from the Rostock.
  55. 55.00 55.01 55.02 55.03 55.04 55.05 55.06 55.07 55.08 55.09 55.10 55.11 Word omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  56. Alternately: ponder, weigh, calculate, estimate, consider.
  57. Codex Speyer (MS M.I.29), ff 17rv
  58. Alternately: avenge, take full legal retribution.
  59. Alternately: straight, upright, properly.
  60. D. schüczen, R. behuetẽ.
  61. Rostock hews off at this point and picks up in the middle of the sixth subsequent play, probably indicating a missing page.
  62. Alternately: part, piece.
  63. aufkrummen: Lat. sursum torquere, twist, turn or bend up; twist, turn, bend, or cast back; avert, deflect .
  64. 64.0 64.1 64.2 64.3 64.4 Word omitted from the Salzburg.
  65. Sic, lit. "your".
  66. "The opening" omitted from the Salzburg.
  67. S. "the over- or under-hew".
  68. Possibly "it".
  69. S. vß gestreckten: "outstretched".
  70. Sentence omitted from the Salzburg; instead, it segues into the Pseudo-Peter von Danzig gloss of the same verse, describing how the Crooked hew breaks the Ox.
  71. Codex Speyer (MS M.I.29), ff 18v
  72. Likely a scribal error here, omitting a verb.
  73. Rostock begins again at this point.
  74. "Cut" omitted from the Dresden.
  75. S. "Item".
  76. 76.0 76.1 Paragraphs 34 and 35 are substantially similar and are likely based on the same original text. However, they contain significant differences in the beginning of the device and it is unclear which represents the original version; the version found in Rostock and Salzburg appears to combine elements of this device with that of paragraph 33 (which they omit), but since Salzburg is the oldest known copy, it may be that the creator of the Dresden decided to split it up into two paragraphs himself. In this compilation, the two versions are displayed separately, fir that of the Rostock and Salzburg (34) and then that of the Dresden (35).
  77. S. "if".
  78. S. "his".
  79. S. "the".
  80. S. "where he shall guard himself".
  81. Codex Speyer (MS M.I.29), ff 20v-21r
  82. D. has the word "Gloss" here; this appears to be a scribal error, as it corresponds to the position of the phrase "as is pictured here-after" in the Rostock, and all instances of that phrase were removed by the scribe of the Dresden.
  83. "Komp" added below the line in a different hand.
  84. "Stand with… shoulder, and" omitted from the Dresden.
  85. D. "thwart".
  86. 86.0 86.1 Alternately, wiederhalten: to struggle or resist.
  87. Word omitted from the Glasgow, the Rostock, and the Salzburg.
  88. "Or otherwise" omitted from the Salzburg.
  89. "-Cut" omitted from the Dresden, the Glasgow, and the Rostock.
  90. Clause omitted from the Dresden; struck out in the Rostock.
  91. 91.0 91.1 Clause omitted from the Dresden and the Rostock.
  92. Codex Speyer (MS M.I.29), f 21v
  93. R. "wind".
  94. "With the over-hew" omitted from the Glasgow.
  95. R. unternn: "lower".
  96. "Next to" omitted from the Rostock.
  97. Glasgow adds albeg: "always, continually".
  98. Or "connects"; alternately: rouses, stirs (ostensibly your opponent).
  99. "This is" omitted from the Glasgow and the Rostock.
  100. "Will strike" omitted from the Dresden.
  101. G. twerhaw: "thwart-hew".
  102. R. "wind".
  103. "Or left" omitted from the Glasgow.
  104. Everything from "and steal away" to the end of the sentence is omitted from the Dresden.
  105. Alternately: to turn around.
  106. "And strike in" omitted from the Dresden.
  107. D. "is".
  108. G. inserts "so with that take the cut under his arms and" here, but this seems to be a mistake (based on the fact that it's not possible).
  109. 109.0 109.1 D. "right".
  110. D. mit auß: "with from".
  111. As a thief would break into a house.
  112. 112.0 112.1 112.2 112.3 Word omitted from the Glasgow and the Rostock.
  113. Word is doubled in the Glasgow.
  114. annehmen: receive, accept, take up, assume, claim, obtain, etc.
  115. "Into the weak of his sword" omitted from the Rostock
  116. "Upright, elevated, straight, at a right angle"; Glasgow gives auff gerackten, which may be a misspelling of pPvD's aus gestrackten, "out-stretched".
  117. "With up-right arms" omitted from the Rostock.
  118. "And strike… right shoulder" omitted from the Rostock.
  119. 119.0 119.1 119.2 Clause omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  120. R. "pictured here".
  121. 121.00 121.01 121.02 121.03 121.04 121.05 121.06 121.07 121.08 121.09 121.10 121.11 121.12 121.13 121.14 121.15 121.16 121.17 121.18 121.19 121.20 121.21 121.22 121.23 121.24 121.25 121.26 121.27 121.28 Word omitted from the Glasgow.
  122. Corrected from »seiner«.
  123. S. bestetigstu: "to plant".
  124. G. abent: "evening", clearly an error; Medel: anwinden: "winding-upon".
  125. "To his point" omitted from the Rostock.
  126. "To his point" omitted from the Glasgow.
  127. R. includes couplet 64 with this gloss.
  128. R. denn Schaytler: "the parter".
  129. 129.0 129.1 129.2 129.3 Clause omitted from the Rostock.
  130. D. der lange: "long, high, tall, or lofty".
  131. "To his head" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  132. "If he displaces" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  133. einhangen: to adhere, stick to, cleave to, hold on to, engage deeply.
  134. "With the long… and thrust him" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  135. Kehr has two etymologies: one is "to turn", the other is "to sweep away" or to "carry off"; the gloss supports the first derivation.
  136. Alternately: strongly, firmly, steadfastly.
  137. R. includes this couplet with the previous gloss.
  138. G., R., S. "Item".
  139. D. "hang-in"; "strike-in and" omitted.
  140. "The point" omitted from the Salzburg.
  141. Sentence omitted from the Glasgow and the Rostock.
  142. D., G., R. "you".
  143. D., G., S. "the".
  144. "In the displacement" omitted from the Salzburg and the Rostock.
  145. "Of the parter" omitted from the Dresden, the Rostock, and the Salzburg.
  146. S. fast vber sich: "firmly upward".
  147. Clause omitted from the Dresden, the Glasgow, and the Salzburg.
  148. "His hands" omitted from the Dresden, the Glasgow, and the Salzburg.
  149. G. "since".
  150. 150.0 150.1 Codex Speyer (MS M.I.29), f 28v
  151. Rostock combines the glosses for couplets 65-67 into a single paragraph; they have been separated here according to their presentation in Dresden and Glasgow.
  152. D., G. Schon, lit. "already", "yet".
  153. D. stuch, R. stich: "press the thrust".
  154. D., G., S. "cut".
  155. 155.0 155.1 Clause omitted from the Dresden, the Rostock, and the Salzburg.
  156. S. "well broken".
  157. "From the under-cut" omitted from the Salzburg.
  158. "And wind your sword… withdraw yourself" omitted from the Rostock.
  159. Imperative of fliehen.
  160. alt: unpleasant, repugnant
  161. "Note, this" omitted from the Dresden.
  162. "Will be" omitted from the Glasgow.
  163. 163.0 163.1 163.2 163.3 "Is called" omitted from the Dresden
  164. "With the hilt" omitted from the Dresden.
  165. G. auß gestrackten: "upstretched".
  166. "It all" omitted from the Dresden.
  167. "In this book" omitted from the Glasgow.
  168. G. "Guard yourself displacing crossed in front".
  169. D. instead continues "that the four displacings, they are the four hews".
  170. Setzen", possibly a shortening of versetzen, "displaces".
  171. D. "oxen".
  172. S. Item
  173. R. "This is when one displaces your over-hew"; S. "If your over-hew is parried and it comes nearing upon him".
  174. D. "in front of".
  175. G., S. versetzte: "shifted, misplaced, displaced, parried".
  176. Word omitted from the Dresden, the Glasgow, and the Rostock.
  177. 177.0 177.1 Codex Speyer (MS M.I.29), f 31r
  178. "And wrench… his below" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  179. "The head" omitted from the Salzburg.
  180. 180.0 180.1 Clause omitted from the Dresden and the Salzburg.
  181. S. "also".
  182. G. mit dem schwert: "with the sword".
  183. D. "grasp with the sword".
  184. G. magst: "may".
  185. 185.0 185.1 185.2 G. "the".
  186. Alternately: defense.
  187. "A strike" omitted from the Dresden.
  188. "And hit him" omitted from the Rostock.
  189. 189.0 189.1 "The moment" omitted from the Dresden.
  190. D. wieder-kommen: to meet, to encounter, to run into".
  191. "Or fall… from you" omitted from the Rostock.
  192. Corrected from »dem«.
  193. Line omitted from the Rostock.
  194. R. "or".
  195. "If he then" omitted from the Rostock".
  196. D. haw: "hew".
  197. Mähnen, menen, mennen. To drive cattle, to impel an animal to move(in particular a driver or rider with a cattle-drive). To exert command over something reacting. To lead.
  198. geim: "watchfully, to observe, cautiously, with foresight".
  199. Word omitted from the Glasgow and the Salzburg.
  200. S. "the feeling work thusly".
  201. "You come… onset and" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  202. S. "soft or hard".
  203. S. "feeling".
  204. "To the nearest opening" omitted from the Salzburg.
  205. D., G. gewar, S. ÿnnen.
  206. Codex Speyer (MS M.I.29), f 33v
  207. Word omitted from the Dresden and the Salzburg.
  208. mitmachen: "join, unite, combine, participate".
  209. D. blitzscht: "flashes".
  210. D. "Item".
  211. G. "note".
  212. Schier has the sense of approaching quickly and closely.
  213. Zucken has the connotation of yanking something hard or quickly, like yanking or snatching; there is an essence of agitation in the yank.
  214. "On the sword" omitted from the Dresden.
  215. Beginning of sentence in Glasgow reads "and work swiftly with the doubling.
  216. D. "(and with other plays)".
  217. 217.0 217.1 Sentence omitted from the Dresden.
  218. 218.0 218.1 R. "hang down behind you".
  219. G. "next to this".
  220. R. "when in the running-in he also drives-up with the arms".
  221. Word omitted from the Dresden and the Rostock.
  222. Corrected from »dim«.
  223. Line omitted from the Glasgow.
  224. D. "left hand inverted".
  225. 225.0 225.1 D. "your".
  226. "With an inverted hand" omitted from the Dresden.
  227. 227.0 227.1 G. "his".
  228. "Thus you" omitted from the Glasgow.
  229. Corrected from »rechtem«.
  230. Corrected from »sinem«.
  231. D. "One other wrestling at the sword".
  232. 232.0 232.1 232.2 232.3 Clause omitted from the Glasgow.
  233. Sentence omitted from the Glasgow.
  234. D. "A sword taking".
  235. Read: "attacks".
  236. "With strength" omitted from the Glasgow.
  237. 237.0 237.1 G. far: "drive".
  238. D. "Yet another cut".
  239. "He then" omitted from the Dresden.
  240. "And press… pictured here" omitted from the Dresden.
  241. G. "your".
  242. "With that" omitted from the Dresden.
  243. "With the cut" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
  244. Clause omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
  245. Remainder of fragments from Rast Fechtbuch (Reichsstadt "Schätze" Nr. 82), ff 13r-14v
  246. "With him" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
  247. "Or test" omitted from the Dresden.
  248. Sentence omitted from the Augsburg and the Dresden.
  249. sach: thing, or disagreement, contention, dispute, or the thing underlying the disagreement, contention or dispute.
  250. 250.0 250.1 250.2 250.3 250.4 250.5 250.6 Word omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
  251. A. "and".
  252. 252.0 252.1 252.2 252.3 252.4 252.5 Word omitted from the Augsburg and the Dresden.
  253. The word »es« is almost illegible.
  254. 254.0 254.1 254.2 254.3 254.4 254.5 Word omitted from the Augsburg.
  255. nachbinden: "attach to the end or behind something".
  256. "With the long edge" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
  257. "From the sword" omitted from the Dresden.
  258. "With the point" omitted from the Dresden.
  259. D. "or"; word omitted from the Augsburg.
  260. abziechen.
  261. D. Mörck Ee: "Note, before".
  262. "just near" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
  263. "When he… the sword" omitted from the Dresden.
  264. A., D. "the".
  265. D. "hews from above to below".
  266. Corrected from »ausgerattñ«.
  267. D. "to the other side to the opening".
  268. "Your sword" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
  269. Sentence omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
  270. shifting, balance
  271. "Art of" omitted from the Dresden.
  272. A., D. "shortened for you to understand".
  273. "Quite well" omitted from the Augsburg.
  274. Dresden reverses these.
  275. "Also so that… play" omitted from the Dresden.
  276. wägen: "to have weight, to lay on a scale, to estimate"; it has a bunch of other senses that are provocative to the action at hand, such as: "to poise, balance, to stir up or agitate, to incite a response", but there's not enough in the text to make it a defensible choice.
  277. "And properly estimate" omitted from the Dresden.
  278. "The sword" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
  279. D. "understand".
  280. "With strength" omitted from the Dresden.
  281. "And thrust" omitted from the Dresden.
  282. "Of the" omitted from the Glasgow.
  283. "-In the point above" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  284. A. "over-windings-upon".
  285. A. "and".
  286. D. "and"; omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
  287. "And shall" omitted from the Augsburg and the Glasgow.
  288. "You step towards" omitted from the Dresden.
  289. D. "wounder".
  290. D. nebenhůtten: "side-guard"; G. Eysenen pfort, "iron-gate"; P. uses both interchangeably in this section.
  291. streichn.
  292. D. "Here note to fence from the side-guards, that is, also the sweeps"; P. "Play in the sweeping-upon".
  293. wiewohl.
  294. G. "Item. Know that one shall execute the sweeps from the iron-gate from the left side because it is not as certain from the right."
  295. 295.00 295.01 295.02 295.03 295.04 295.05 295.06 295.07 295.08 295.09 295.10 295.11 295.12 295.13 295.14 295.15 295.16 Word omitted from Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey.
  296. Clause omitted from the Dresden and Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey.
  297. P. "from his right shoulder".
  298. wiederhalten: lit. "hold against"; "to withstand, resist".
  299. einduplieren.
  300. 300.0 300.1 P. "ear".
  301. "As before" omitted from Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey.
  302. "-Around quickly" omitted from Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey.
  303. "The man and the sword" replaced by "his" in Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey.
  304. "And low with the hands" omitted from the Glasgow.
  305. "-In straight" omitted from the Dresden and Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey.
  306. "At hand" omitted from Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey.
  307. "To your left side" omitted from the Glasgow.
  308. "Off from the sword and strike" omitted from the Dresden.
  309. D. haüpt, G. kopf.
  310. "You lay… guard, or" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  311. stoß; this could either be to stab him or hit him.
  312. "Him under his sword" omitted from the Dresden and Glasgow.
  313. Word omitted from the Dresden and Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey.
  314. P. farñ: "drive".
  315. "Side of" omitted from the Dresden and Glasgow.
  316. "Behind his neck" omitted from Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey.
  317. Marginalia: The word schrit ("a step") appears over the word "sword" in the Dresden, and schret ("a step or make a step") appears under.
  318. obenauf.
  319. D. "opposite".
  320. "As before (to all sides)" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  321. 321.0 321.1 Word omitted from the Glasgow and Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey.
  322. "In front" omitted from the Dresden.
  323. Alternately: "parrying(s)".
  324. 324.0 324.1 I.e. closing-in. It is not "the nach" (after) because nach is neuter and would be das nach. G. also writes die neche. næhe could also be "the boat".
  325. Corrected from »dem«.
  326. Corrected from »dim«.
  327. P. "side-guard".
  328. "And from… stands forward" omitted from Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey.
  329. Sentence omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  330. P. "side-guard".
  331. "With that" omitted from Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey.
  332. P. "convenient".
  333. P. "then escape afterwards".
  334. "Bind on" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  335. 335.0 335.1 335.2 Clause omitted from Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey.
  336. "To the other side" omitted from Ergrundung Ritterlicher Kunst der Fechterey.
  337. P. "So thwart in before to his neck".
  338. P. "From the wrath-cut".
  339. "Fence someone and if [you]" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  340. "With the wrath-cut or otherwise" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  341. P. "arms".
  342. D., G. "will take".
  343. Sic, lit. "you".
  344. "And move… his head" omitted from the Dresden and the Glasgow.
  345. Corrected from »dinem«.
  346. R. and V. seems to match the Pseudo-Peter von Danzig gloss.
  347. Corrected from »geradt«.
  348. The text ends here abruptly, in the middle of a play. Since the page isn't full, it's unclear why the scribe stopped at this point. The subsequent folia come from earlier in the manuscript; they were removed and then added back in at the end.