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| <p>'''Low Cut'''</p>
 
| <p>'''Low Cut'''</p>
  
<p>Low Cut and Middle Cut, although they are certainly weak, are nevertheless great and artful when done at speed, they also take both the High Cuts.<ref>These descriptions differ in wording from the Lund.</ref> Firstly, when someone cuts a High Cut at you, then step out from his cut and cut it away from you. Then always break his strike with another cut in the After.
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<p>Low Cut and Middle Cut, although they are certainly weak, are nevertheless great and artful when done at speed, they also take both the High Cuts.<ref>These descriptions differ in wording from the Lund.</ref> Firstly, when someone cuts a High Cut at you, then step out from his cut and cut it away from you. Then always break his strike with another cut in the After. Note however, a good rule to break the cuts, do not allow a cut to go too wide. The sooner you catch him in the air, or a Middle Cut in the distance, or an Low Cut down low, the less strength his cut has, but the further his hand gets with the cut, the stronger he is. Whoever can well understand this rule can easily break, bar and suppress all ''Stucken'', according to his pleasure.</p>
Note however, a good rule to break the cuts, do not allow a cut to go too wide.
 
The sooner you catch him in the air, or a Middle Cut in the distance, or an Low Cut down low, the less strength his cut has, but the further his hand gets with the cut, the stronger he is.
 
Whoever can well understand this rule can easily break, bar and suppress all ''Stucken'', according to his pleasure.
 
</p>
 
 
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| <p>Secondly, every cut has three distinctions in use or in cutting, namely, a Provoker, a Taker and a Hitter, understand it like this: if he stays before you and will not strike, cut or otherwise work, and you are unable to hit him freely either, because he remains in his advantage, so then strike in with a High or Low Cut, not that you desire to hit him, but rather to Provoke him out from his advantage to counter strike at you, take this incoming strike away with another cut, that is called the Taker, and with the taking out you cause him to become open, cut at once to this opening, that is called the Hitter.</p>
 
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| <p>'''Example'''</p>
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<p>If someone stands in the Bow, then cut through with a Wrath Strike on his Bow, so that you have made yourself open, as soon as he cuts in at you, then take away his strike with a Middle Cut from the left, and when he pulls up to parry, then cut in from under to the face, on this Low Cut, where it is from afar, shall one pay good attention to in all fighting.</p>
 
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| <p>The third you should pay attention to the changers or cuts, to change up one cut into another. As an example, cut the first from your right diagonal through his left, strike the next from above and from your left through his right middle line, the third an Apex Cut<ref>''Apicem'' id from Latin: Apex Cut or a Scalp Cut; as also used in the Lund.</ref> from above, another, cut from your left from below through his right strike line, the next through his left Middle line from your right, the third from above and from your left through his right shoulder or strike line, the fourth from your right through his left away to the head.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 037v.jpg|2|lbl=37v.2}}
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 037v.jpg|2|lbl=37v.2}}
  
 
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| rowspan="2" | [[File:MS Bibl. 2465 038r.jpg|400px|center]]
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| <p>Crooked Cut is when you cut in with a High or Middle with the short edge, as depicted in the first part.</p>
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<p>Item: If one overruns you with High Strikes, then capture his strike in the air, ''Indes'' grab with your left hand under your blade onto his hilt and cut Crooked under and behind his shoulder to the back of his head.<ref>Possible translation of ''anckell'': “back of head”, as the image clearly shows a strike there.</ref></p>
 
| {{paget|page:MS Bibl. 2465|038r|jpg|lbl=38r}}
 
| {{paget|page:MS Bibl. 2465|038r|jpg|lbl=38r}}
  
 
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| <p>Item: In the approach, grip the Dussack crooked and thrust the first from above to the face, pull the thrust back to you and cut Crooked through the middle line from your right through his left and let it to fade into a Double Round, then next cut a Roarer from your right, the third is a long Cross Cut from above.</p>
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| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 038v.jpg|1|lbl=38v.1}}
 
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| <p>'''Then the Whacker is:'''</p>
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<p>When you cut in at his opening and in striking you wind the cut into a thrust as the figure for the Winding Cut shows.</p>
 
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| <p>Item: when you cut in with a High Cut at him and when it clashes then thrust in on his weapon, as soon as he wards off your thrust, then drive with the hilt under his parry into his head.</p>
 
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| <p>Item: In ''Zufechten'' allow yourself to bind on with him from below, then thrust in quickly on his bind, then immediately grab low on his Dussack together with yours and wind it from his hand out to your left side. Note: In grabbing, the open hand should be towards you.
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 038v.jpg|4|lbl=38v.4}}
 
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| <p>Roarer, this cut gets its name from the fast-rushing wind (sound) that in part, is made by the flat running through the air.</p></p>
 
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| <p>Note: when one cuts at you from above, then step out to his right side and cut outside and over his arm, spring well into his right, thrust in at his face, then cut him at once to the face.</p>
 
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| <p>Note: when you both come together in the ''Zufechten'', as soon as he brings his weapon in the air to strike, then wind off or parry his strike with a Thwart Cut in front of the hand, how it is shown here. Then wind the crooked edge inwards to the face in a flick, wind through out to your left, and cut long after.</p>
 
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| [[File:MS Bibl. 2465 040r.jpg|400px|center]]
 
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| <p>Note: when two stand in front of each other in a bind in the bow and each one of them waits on the other's cut, then sink yourself and cut in with the long edge straight forth, hard against his Dussack, so that it bounces against his weapon, with this you provoke him to cut to your opening, as soon as he moves up then capture his hilt with your left hand and cut beside his hilt to his head as depicted.</p>
 
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| <p>Item: when one cuts at you from above, note instantly when he draws up, then pull your weapon to your left shoulder and cut in with the half edge from your left horizontally at the same time as him, thus you meet and take his cut away how it is shown here. Item: Short Cut, is also cutting through short.</p>
 
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| [[File:MS Bibl. 2465 041r.jpg|400px|center]]
 
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| <p>Note: when one cuts a High Strike at you, and is still close to you, so pay attention to when he draws his hand up, then strike in with him with the half edge overhand, how it is depicted here.</p>
 
| {{paget|page:MS Bibl. 2465|041r|jpg|lbl=41r}}
 
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| [[File:MS Bibl. 2465 041v.jpg|400px|center]]
 
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| <p>When you have hit simultaneously with one, then wind ''Indes'' quickly with your hilt outside and over his right hand onto his wrist joint, jerk downwards towards your breast and break him like you see depicted here.</p>
 
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| <p>Item: If one cuts in with an High Cut at the same time as you, overhand, how it is taught above, then ''Indes'' and quickly grab with your left hand onto his Dussack near by his hilt wind down from his hand over his right shoulder or arm, thrust with your dussack on his elbow, step with your left behind his right and throw him over.</p>
 
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| <p>Item: Bind him on his parrying, how it is shown here, if he permits then cut with the short edge beside your left up from below strongly with a rush up through the scalp line, and to the jaw, then proceed above and cut a Middle from your right through his face, cut the third from your left above and through his right, the fourth cut away through his left.</p>
 
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| <p>'''A very good ''Stuck'' using three Middle Cuts''' by which many will be hurt</p>
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<p>When you have bound on to him with the half edge over hand, then note whether it fairly glances or will, then snap around and do as if you would cut to his right ear with the half edge, but don't do this, rather pull your hand back around and cut the first Middle Cut from your right above his hilt through his face, the second from your left below his hand strongly through, the third from your right again in to his face.</p>
 
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| <p>'''Two types of Constrainers'''</p>
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<p>The first is a taking out from your left and a turning away with the flat. The second is a strong cut from your left through his face with the long edge with a double stroke through the Cross.</p>
 
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| <p>Item: If you are positioned in left steer then continue stepping with the right foot, and cut strongly to his right arm, from below, with this it provokes him to cut, when he goes to cut and brings his hand into the air, then cut quickly to his face from the inside beside his hand.<ref>Note: First paragraph of Two Constrainers appears in Lund 55v.1, but it does not include second paragraph found here from left steer.</ref></p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Bibl. 2465 043r.jpg|3|lbl=43r.3}}
 
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| <p>'''An example from the Constrainer Cut'''</p>
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<p>Note: In ''Zufechten'' come into the Slice, do not let him too close to you, as soon as he cuts from above at you, then pull through under his strike to your left side giving way out from his strike, cut quickly from your left over his right arm with two High Strokes to his head, thus you constrain him.</p>
 
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Revision as of 02:06, 3 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
  • Otto von Solms
  • Johann Casimir
  • Johann Albrecht
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. The above text appears somewhat synonymous with pages 44-45 of the Lund Dussack section, except that in the Lund Meyer says there are 12 cuts and yet here he says there are 16.
  37. This text also appears in the Lund pg 45, yet there Meyer gave an alternate name to the Watch guard as Luginslandt, here he does not mention Luginslandt. Additionally, Meyer does not include the Blind Cut in the Lund, yet here he does and it also appears in 1570 Dussack. In addition, here Meyer names the Slice and the Bow as guards. Yet in the 1560 he lists them with the guards but says they are the two parrys. Here he gives a separate paragraph about these two.
  38. Above text also appears in Lund 47v.1.
  39. The translation for this paragraph is incomplete. The missing part says something like "thus trap his hand as is drawn here, step behind him, and". ~MCC
  40. Lund 57v.1 Zornhau.
  41. The first paragraph “A good attack from the Steer” is synonymous in the 1560 57v.2. Last two paragraphs here are not found there.
  42. Unclear.
  43. Found in Lund 60v.1.
  44. Abrauschen = to shoot off.
  45. The second rule omits this sentence found in the Lund, “so that your Dussack comes onto your left shoulder”, and rather Meyer says here, “lift simultaneously your body together with the Dussack to your left side”. Then the Lund synonymously says “turn your body well after your Dussack upon your left side”.
  46. These two paragraphs found in Lund 61v.1 and 62r.1; with above noted differences.
  47. The 4th rule and other paragraph synonymous with Lund 62r.2, 62r.3
  48. The Counter to the Bow is synonymous with Lund 62v.1, except that here Meyer added the target of striking besides his parry to the face, ad also changed last line to read: “This technique often works as has been shown previously in the Bow”, while in the Lund he says “This technique often works as has been shown previously in the Bow and Change.” So he omitted the word Wechsel or Changer here.
  49. It refers to the picture set at the page with the number 31.
  50. Found in Lund 63r.1 63r.2 63r.3.
  51. Above paragraph “Breaking in over the Bow” is found in Lund 63v.1. Here Meyer added schenkel (thigh), also he added another line to the next; “zum gesicht das dein versatzung hoch pleibt” The third paragraph here is not found in the Lund.
  52. First paragraph here found as last and separate para in 63v.1 Lund. Meyer changed words here on the last line of the second paragraph from hand to haft, “so that your haft remains high”.
  53. Durcken Zug = this may mean Turkish Cut. A slice using a drawing motion, usually with a curved blade.
  54. Kniebugen = crook of knee, bend of knee.
  55. These descriptions differ in wording from the Lund.
  56. Apicem id from Latin: Apex Cut or a Scalp Cut; as also used in the Lund.
  57. Possible translation of anckell: “back of head”, as the image clearly shows a strike there.
  58. Curious typographical sign.
  59. Unclear.
  60. Note: First paragraph of Two Constrainers appears in Lund 55v.1, but it does not include second paragraph found here from left steer.
  61. Unclear.
  62. The isolated “s” seems a mistake and not the beginning of an unfinished word.
  63. 63.0 63.1 63.2 orig. dolchen; all instances of "dagger" in this document are dolchen excepy when footnoted.
  64. orig. ararmschirleinn
  65. orig. stichen, "thrust"/"stab" (context dependent); instances of stabbing that use other verbs will be footnoted.
  66. orig. Armschiene - seemingly a part of the armour
  67. orig. geordinirtt
  68. orig. schießen; see here
  69. orig. findt
  70. orig. spis
  71. orig. schwertt
  72. orig. sebell
  73. 73.0 73.1 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
  74. 74.0 74.1 orig. Anngreiffen; "attacking" or "grappling"; cf. angreifen
  75. orig. zimlich
  76. alt. "endure"
  77. 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.
  78. orig. noch eines Idenn woll gefalen
  79. orig. Reren; cf. Rohre/Röhre
  80. orig. lest
  81. orig. Schranckenn
  82. 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
  83. orig. donerschlag; a strike with the hilt of the longsword while holding the blade
  84. orig. vnnd las Inn vorverthobenn; messy ink makes it difficult to transcribe; possible alt. "and read above beforehand"
  85. A blunt strike, as opposed to a cut or slice. See here.
  86. orig. versezen; alt. "parrying"
  87. Unclear.
  88. 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
  89. orig. erlang
  90. see nachreissen
  91. 91.0 91.1 91.2 91.3 91.4 91.5 91.6 orig. stehenn; often coupled with ansezen in this section; alt. "stand against"
  92. orig. uchsen
  93. 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
  94. orig. greifest
  95. 95.0 95.1 95.2 95.3 orig. brich
  96. orig. anbrichen
  97. 97.00 97.01 97.02 97.03 97.04 97.05 97.06 97.07 97.08 97.09 97.10 97.11 orig. stos
  98. orig. goch
  99. 99.0 99.1 99.2 99.3 99.4 99.5 99.6 orig. schlag
  100. 100.0 100.1 100.2 see absetzen
  101. orig. drissel; cf. thrissel
  102. 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".
  103. orig. Achsell
  104. 104.0 104.1 see Ringen
  105. 105.0 105.1 see arbeiten
  106. 106.0 106.1 106.2 106.3 106.4 106.5 orig. streich, cf. schlag
  107. 107.0 107.1 107.2 107.3 107.4 107.5 107.6 107.7 orig. inndes
  108. alt. "attacks"
  109. orig. last Er dür die seitten
  110. 110.0 110.1 orig. Ring; alt. lists
  111. orig. vergesezsten
  112. 112.0 112.1 112.2 see abzucken
  113. orig. fies
  114. 114.0 114.1 see gleich
  115. unclear transcription; possibly nim, ergo "take the weight"
  116. Unclear.
  117. orig. zwerchs
  118. 118.0 118.1 orig. degen; see kempffdegen
  119. orig. hawen. A cut or slice, as opposed to a blunt strike. See see here.
  120. 120.0 120.1 120.2 orig. bickell; most likely referring to the artificial, "mason's hammer", pickaxe shape of the crossguard in armoured fencing
  121. orig. klos
  122. orig. Stuck
  123. orig. knefftiglich, interpreted as krefftiglich
  124. 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
  125. orig. entgehenn
  126. orig. faren/auffaren; cf. fahren
  127. originally transcribed as knefftiglich, but krefftiglich (lit. "powerfully") seems more likely, in my opinion
  128. orig. gerecht; possible mistranscription/misspelling of gemecht, lit. "groin" or "genitals"
  129. 129.0 129.1 129.2 orig. las dein bindt fahren, lit. "let your grip drive"; alt. "release your grip and drive"
  130. Possibly "hauberk"(?).
  131. 131.0 131.1 orig. ausnemen; alt. "take out [the blade with a parry]"; "deflect"(?)
  132. orig. verzoblen; cf. verzögern
  133. lit. oben hutt; contrast Oberhutt
  134. orig. heutt; possible verb form of hutt
  135. orig. überwegest
  136. 136.0 136.1 orig. schlagen. Probably means "place" in this context.
  137. orig. sez; no accompanying adposition but I assume he means ansezen
  138. listen
  139. orig. Bundtschlag, lit. "grip strike"
  140. orig. fertt
  141. orig. wie nechst
  142. orig. oder Aber fus gesicht, lit. or but foot face, possible alt. "or his foot or face"
  143. orig. wendt
  144. orig. Reüb
  145. orig. geschmidt, lit. smithed. Possibly misspelling of Geschmeidt, which means "jewellery" - perhaps slang for gemecht ("genitals)".
  146. orig. steßen
  147. orig. abgewünnen
  148. Note that he uses the word degen but seems to refer to the aforementioned "threefold" dagger, which he referred to using the word dolchen.
  149. orig. feder
  150. orig. spietzen
  151. Reference in the left margin to picture on page 61.
  152. orig. auf dz schlos am Rucken; alt. "clasp of the back"
  153. orig. Wappenrock
  154. Unclear whether die refers to the dagger or the heart, here
  155. orig. kurz halbenn; alt. "short edge"
  156. orig. concordiren
  157. This word overwrites an initial die.
  158. 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.
  159. The second letter looks a bit like a “b” but it is nonsense. It can be also considered like a small capital “e”.
  160. The first letter corrected from “w” by cancelling the first bow of the letter.
  161. The first letter could also read as an “l", but “b” seems more probable here.
  162. The first letter corrected from “b” by overwriting.
  163. 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.
  164. The writer first wrote hawst but the “s” has been cancelled afterwards.
  165. Recte: und.
  166. The writer first wrote arms but the final “s” has been cancelled afterwards.
  167. The letter “s” has ben cancelled just before the word den.
  168. Above the letter “i” a large circle is drawn as it is used to mark the letter “u”.
  169. Doubling of the word seitten, considered as a mistake and corrected here as the first finished a line.
  170. 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.
  171. An abbreviation sign at the end of the word tends to signify that it should be expanded to hawen, but it has been cancelled.
  172. The “h” is writen above a “e”.
  173. Unclear reading. The word has been corrected, possibly from zu, which, however, cannot be definitely affirmed.
  174. The words und oder after this word are cancelled.
  175. 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.
  176. The first letter appears to be a cancelled “t”; however the reading remains ambiguous.
  177. 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.
  178. 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.
  179. The letter “d” is cancelled just before the “b” of this word.
  180. The initial letter “b” is written above another letter, maybe a “g”.
  181. This first two letters are written above the letter “k”.
  182. A letter “b” or “l” has been written after this word but has ben cancelled.
  183. The first letter seems to superscribe an initial “I”.
  184. The writer firstly wrote an “m” as a final letter and subsequently cancelled the last leg to get an “n”.
  185. The final letter “t” is written above the line, in replacement for a previously cancelled letter.
  186. This word is written above a previous one, which is unreadable now.
  187. The first letters are difficult to make out due to a (water?) damage.
  188. The first letter of this word has been written above another, now illegible one.
  189. A letter “h” was written in the second position to begin with but cancelled afterwards.
  190. The first letter is curiously composed, but seems to have been readen as a "v".
  191. The second letter has been canceled and corrected by "o" above the line.
  192. The original text is derholhalben derhalben, which seems to be an unnecessary repetition.
  193. Doubling of the word handt, a probable mistake as the first is written a the end of the line. Same mistake as 17r.
  194. Doubling of the words den andern, probable mistake, only it is conserved here.
  195. A lone letter "h" is writen here, perhaps a beginning for “hew”, which was finally written after the digit “4”. Corrected in this edition.
  196. 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)
  197. The third letter “h” was cancelled by overwriting it with an “l”.
  198. The letter “a” is crossed out in the beginning of the word.
  199. The first letter was first written in lower case but was corrected with an upper-case letter.
  200. 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.
  201. The "R." has been inserted at the end of the line afterwards.
  202. Right of this place a large blank space remains until the end of the line.
  203. The written put a "n" between sch and enckel and canceled it.
  204. Linck and seitten are reversed in the manuscript but superscribed with “1” and “2” respectively in order to indicate the correct order.
  205. Corrected from Im, the first stroke of the “m” has been cancelled.
  206. Spitz uber- is clearly copied twice, this is probably an eye-skip.
  207. Correction done on sticht by canceling the last letter.
  208. This entire paragraph is justified on the right by a vertical line, unique in the manuscript.
  209. Corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  210. Corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  211. The "st" ligature is inverted.
  212. Typo, should be "wolt, könne".
  213. Originally printed "abzutzest", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  214. Originally printed "verhauren", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  215. The "t" is inverted.
  216. 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.
  217. Originally printed "mim", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  218. Originally printed "Higur", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  219. Originally printed "Fellen", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  220. Originally printed "gem" (with an inverted g), but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  221. Originally printed "allo", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  222. Originally printed "Atm", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  223. The first 't' is inverted.
  224. Terminal 'e' is inverted.
  225. Originally printed "bleiden", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  226. Originally printed "klnie", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  227. Originally printed "duch", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  228. The second "e" is inverted.
  229. Originally printed "fein", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  230. Originally printed "behendig ich", but corrected on Ⅲ.47v.
  231. Misnumbered 87r.
  232. 232.00 232.01 232.02 232.03 232.04 232.05 232.06 232.07 232.08 232.09 232.10 232.11 232.12 232.13 232.14 232.15 232.16 232.17 232.18 232.19 232.20 232.21 232.22 232.23 232.24 232.25 232.26 232.27 232.28 232.29 232.30 232.31 indes
  233. palm up
  234. Illegible deletion.
  235. oberhauw
  236. ‘right’ is originally written, ‘left’ is written above it
  237. short edge
  238. “Degen”, lit. dagger, could either refer to a sword or dagger.
  239. short edge
  240. Unleserliche Streichung. Illegible deletion.
  241. Unleserliche gestrichen Einfügung oberhalb der Zeile. Crossed out illegible insertion above the line.
  242. Die Schlaufe des »h« trägt ein Diärese. The loop of the “h” carries a diaeresis.
  243. Korrigiert aus »mitelhauw«. Corrected from “mitelhauw”.
  244. Leicht unleserlich. Slightly illegible.
  245. Überschriebens »vom«. Overwritten “vom”.
  246. Inserted by means of a special mark.
  247. Word inserted next to the text.
  248. Inserted nest to the text.
  249. Zwei Worte am Seitenrand nachgetragen. Two words inserted at the margin.
  250. Wort am Seitenrand nachgetragen. Word inserted at the margin.