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Difference between revisions of "Paulus Hector Mair"

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| <p>'''Register'''</p>
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<p>Hereafter follows the register, which encompasses all weapons that are set out one after another in this artistic fencing book.<ref>Mair writes “''Kunstfechtbuch''”; “art of fencing” would be “''Fechtkunst''”. It is not clear whether this is just a question of usage or a deliberate difference.</ref></p>
 
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| <p>The sword is the age-old main piece, which is also held in much knightly practice by Jews, heathens and Christians, and in which still today mastery is attempted. For which 136 positions with much variety, breaks and hews to the highest art are included, with poses and narrative.</p>
 
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| <p>The dussack, which the ancients called knife, and which the good people of Sparta used intensively and through it achieved great honour, has with poses and narrative 44 positions.</p>
 
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| <p>The short staff has its origin with the Romans and Persians, is used instead of the short spear<ref>''Schäfflin'' (javelin).</ref> and has good 22 positions in the book.</p>
 
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| <p>The long pike, now a formidable fighting tool, but not very old, has 12 plays in the book.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Dresd.C.93 017r.png|1|lbl=017r}}
 
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| <p>The halberd, a very old weapon first invented by the fighting women called Amazons, is described and depicted with 20 good positions.</p>
 
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| <p>The ancients have also applied an art of fencing to the scythe, which also has its special attack and defence, of which in this book you will see 10 pieces.</p>
 
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| <p>Then there is also and old weapon which the Sarmatians, Huns and other peoples used for ages called the flail, of which the book holds 8 plays.</p>
 
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| <p>The peasant staff is a weapon when in straits, it’s not that someone will lose his life by it, but it provides relief in defence, in this book 8 plays.</p>
 
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| <p>Further weapon against weapon, as when one is overtaken without warning or unawares, serious and well thought-out in this book 36 plays.</p>
 
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| <p>In the same vein regarding the sickle, fencing in which brings 16 plays into the book.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Dresd.C.93 017v.png|1|lbl=017v}}
 
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| <p>The dagger has its origin with the ancient Germans, is also referred to as awl in the law of Hermann the German King, and in a tight spot a dangerous weapon, which takes a lively, courageous man, has many attacks which serve the preservation of life, of which 64 plays follow each other in this book.</p>
 
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| <p>Out of dagger comes wrestling, which are taught and learnt together and one through the other, in sum, it includes defences and plays which are very important and which soon lead to victory or death, and of these wrestling plays there are 130.</p>
 
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| <p>Then the fight with the buckler in the Italian<ref>“''Welsch''” refers to neighbouring peoples speaking a romance language, so it could mean French, Italian, Spanish or Romansh. The Cod. icon. 393 text translates to “Fencing on foot, in which we use round shields and Spanish swords, in the fashion of the Italians, is 56 plays”).</ref> fashion with the side-sword, this book has 56 plays.</p>
 
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| <p>The poleaxe was also invented and used by the aforementioned Amazons, and it is surprising to hear that two such important weapons had their origin with this female tribe, and I would have doubted it if Aventinus and many others had not convincingly reported so. This poleaxe has in the book 16 serious plays.</p>
 
| <p>{{section|Page:MS Dresd.C.93 017v.png|5|lbl=-|p=1}} {{section|Page:MS Dresd.C.93 018r.png|1|lbl=018r|p=1}}</p>
 
| <p>{{section|Page:MS Dresd.C.93 017v.png|5|lbl=-|p=1}} {{section|Page:MS Dresd.C.93 018r.png|1|lbl=018r|p=1}}</p>
 
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| <p>Similarly the fight with the long shield and spear is set forth in 16 plays.</p>
 
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| <p>The fight in armour on foot has 86 instances.</p>
 
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| <p>There are still many good plays regarding the fight and prove great manliness, that is the mounted fight, comprising 73 quite artful plays.</p>
 
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| <p>Injunction to and instruction on a fighter’s mood, and of which disposition he should be, follow hereafter.</p>
 
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| <p>Whosoever wants to engage in the knightly art of fencing, in whichever arms they may be, fighting mounted or on foot, he must have these attitude or attributes, to whit, if he wants to perform the plays, he shall have four qualities, that is strong as a courageous lion, keen-eyed as an eagle, fast as a lynx and cunning as a fox. Who has just one of these qualities in him will not be easily cheated and his superiority not easily surrendered. For therewith he may prove and achieve his manliness in the knightly art to his own praise. But if he has none of these in him, he will not achieve much of note or honour, except to suffer great injury, along with the scorn and the ignominy.</p>
 
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| <p>Now follow the plays, and the sword first hereafter.</p>
 
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| <p>'''Of the three structures'''<ref?Mair here uses “''die Wag''” (pl. “''Wagen''”), which I am assuming refers to “balance scale” (''die Waage'', pl. ''Waagen''), and by extension the structure providing for the balance. It could also be derived from “''wagen''” (to dare), but the derivation is not convincing. A derivation from “''der Wagen''” (cart, carriage) is linguistically not supported. The other two MS do not contain this passage, so a comparison is not possible.</ref></p>
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<p>Three things are to be closely focussed on, in mounted fighting or on foot, that is the three structures, the upper, middle and lower structure, that is: If you are standing high with both thighs together upright in the highest stance, that is Upper Structure. But if you are medium low, that is the Middle Structure. But if you stand low, that is the Lower Structure. With this teaching you need to be familiar, so you know what the structure is or how to execute it.</p>
 
| {{section|Page:MS Dresd.C.93 019r.png|1|lbl=019r}}
 
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| <p>'''The six vulnerabilities'''</p>
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<p>There are six vulnerabilities with every person, which every fencer shall have in good practice, memory and knowledge, that is one vulnerability on the tip of your chin, one in the front of your throat, one behind each elbow, one in front at the fist, one in the middle of the arm and in the back of each knee. So these are the six vulnerabilities of each human, which a practiced [fencer] can exploit from one advantage to the next, and can work from as he pleases.</p>
 
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{{section|Page:MS Dresd.C.93 019r.png|2|lbl=-|p=1}} {{section|Page:MS Dresd.C.93 019v.png|1|lbl=019v|p=1}}
 
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| <p>Assume one [fencer] not familiar with these six vulnerabilities, he will not achieve much, whereas otherwise he is able to artfully defeat an attacker by taking advantage of these six vulnerabilities.  These six vulnerabilities are to be sought on the right and on the left side of every person.</p>
 
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| [[File:Mair scythe 01.jpg|300x300px|center]]
 
| [[File:Mair scythe 01.jpg|300x300px|center]]
| <p>'''Two High Cuts with the Scythe'''</p>
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| <p>'''[1] Two High Cuts with the Scythe'''</p>
  
 
Present yourself like so in this piece: When you both are going together, stand with your left foot ahead and hold your scythe on your right side with your left hand at the lower grip, your right on the middle one. At that moment cut to his left side, in around toward his right arm. If he cuts at you like that and you also are standing with your left foot toward him, and you too are holding your scythe on your right side with your left hand at the lower grip, your right at the middle one, then leap in a triangle and set his cut off outside in front with your scythe on your right side. Now step in there out of triangle with your left leg and cut at his neck. If he cuts high at you in that way, then step backwards with your left leg and parry his cut outside in front on your scythe. In the same moment, nimbly step in there again and wind your scythe behind your head and out from there with a cut from your left side to the right side of his head, and with that, step back away from him.
 
Present yourself like so in this piece: When you both are going together, stand with your left foot ahead and hold your scythe on your right side with your left hand at the lower grip, your right on the middle one. At that moment cut to his left side, in around toward his right arm. If he cuts at you like that and you also are standing with your left foot toward him, and you too are holding your scythe on your right side with your left hand at the lower grip, your right at the middle one, then leap in a triangle and set his cut off outside in front with your scythe on your right side. Now step in there out of triangle with your left leg and cut at his neck. If he cuts high at you in that way, then step backwards with your left leg and parry his cut outside in front on your scythe. In the same moment, nimbly step in there again and wind your scythe behind your head and out from there with a cut from your left side to the right side of his head, and with that, step back away from him.
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| [[File:Mair scythe 02.jpg|300x300px|center]]
 
| [[File:Mair scythe 02.jpg|300x300px|center]]
| <p>'''Two Low Cuts'''</p>
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| <p>'''[2] Two Low Cuts'''</p>
  
 
If you are both coming together, then conduct yourself like this in this piece: Stand with your right foot in front and hold your scythe in a low cut with your right hand at your middle grip, your left at your lower one. At that moment step doubly in a triangle and cut to his right arm from behind your head so that your arms come crosswise one over the other. If he cuts at you like this, and you also stand with your right foot toward him, and you hold your scythe in a low cut, your right hand at your middle grip, your left at the lower one, then go up out of your low cut and take his cut away on the outside of your scythe on your right side. At that moment, step in a triangle on your left side with your left leg and wind your scythe behind your head and back out to his head, so that your arms come crosswise, one over the other. In the same moment, step back from him with a good parry.
 
If you are both coming together, then conduct yourself like this in this piece: Stand with your right foot in front and hold your scythe in a low cut with your right hand at your middle grip, your left at your lower one. At that moment step doubly in a triangle and cut to his right arm from behind your head so that your arms come crosswise one over the other. If he cuts at you like this, and you also stand with your right foot toward him, and you hold your scythe in a low cut, your right hand at your middle grip, your left at the lower one, then go up out of your low cut and take his cut away on the outside of your scythe on your right side. At that moment, step in a triangle on your left side with your left leg and wind your scythe behind your head and back out to his head, so that your arms come crosswise, one over the other. In the same moment, step back from him with a good parry.
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| [[File:Mair scythe 03.jpg|300x300px|center]]
 
| [[File:Mair scythe 03.jpg|300x300px|center]]
| <p>'''Two Middle Cuts'''</p>
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| <p>'''[3] Two Middle Cuts'''</p>
  
 
Hold yourself like this with this piece: When you are both closing together, stand with your left foot in front and hold your scythe on your right side, with your [left]* hand at your lower grip, your right at your middle one. At that moment, follow in after with your right leg and cut around his body with your scythe toward his right side. If he cuts a middle cut to you like this, and you also stand with your left foot toward him, and you also hold your scythe on your right side with your right hand at your middle grip, your left at your lower one, then step in there in a triangle with your right leg and wind your scythe behind your head and out again so that your arms come cross-wise over each other with a cut toward the right side of his body. If he cuts at you with a middle cut like this, then go inside to him with your scythe at his scythe. Shove strongly with it away from you on your right side. In that moment, step with your left leg to his right side and cut to his head. Step away from him with it.
 
Hold yourself like this with this piece: When you are both closing together, stand with your left foot in front and hold your scythe on your right side, with your [left]* hand at your lower grip, your right at your middle one. At that moment, follow in after with your right leg and cut around his body with your scythe toward his right side. If he cuts a middle cut to you like this, and you also stand with your left foot toward him, and you also hold your scythe on your right side with your right hand at your middle grip, your left at your lower one, then step in there in a triangle with your right leg and wind your scythe behind your head and out again so that your arms come cross-wise over each other with a cut toward the right side of his body. If he cuts at you with a middle cut like this, then go inside to him with your scythe at his scythe. Shove strongly with it away from you on your right side. In that moment, step with your left leg to his right side and cut to his head. Step away from him with it.
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| [[File:Mair scythe 04.jpg|300x300px|center]]
 
| [[File:Mair scythe 04.jpg|300x300px|center]]
| <p>'''Taking Away Against a High Cut'''</p>
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| <p>'''[4] Taking Away Against a High Cut'''</p>
  
 
If you are both going together, then hold yourself like this in this piece: Stand with your left foot in front and hold your scythe in front of your body, toward the man, with your right hand at the middle grip, your left at your lower one. In that moment quickly cut toward his head. If he cuts high to you like this, and you are also standing with your left foot toward him, and you are holding your scythe high in front of your face with your right hand at your middle grip, your left at your lower one, then take away his high cut with your haft on your left side. If he has taken you away in this manner, then wind through underneath and quickly cut* to him with the point of your scythe toward his head. If he wishes to set you aside and cut at you like this, then go up with your scythe and take him away on the outside your scythe on your right side. At that moment, cut toward the left side of his head. With that, step backwards from him.
 
If you are both going together, then hold yourself like this in this piece: Stand with your left foot in front and hold your scythe in front of your body, toward the man, with your right hand at the middle grip, your left at your lower one. In that moment quickly cut toward his head. If he cuts high to you like this, and you are also standing with your left foot toward him, and you are holding your scythe high in front of your face with your right hand at your middle grip, your left at your lower one, then take away his high cut with your haft on your left side. If he has taken you away in this manner, then wind through underneath and quickly cut* to him with the point of your scythe toward his head. If he wishes to set you aside and cut at you like this, then go up with your scythe and take him away on the outside your scythe on your right side. At that moment, cut toward the left side of his head. With that, step backwards from him.
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| [[File:Mair scythe 05.jpg|300x300px|center]]
 
| [[File:Mair scythe 05.jpg|300x300px|center]]
| <p>'''Crossed Cut against a Straight One'''</p>
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| <p>'''[5] Crossed Cut against a Straight One'''</p>
  
 
Conduct yourself like this in this piece: When you are closing with each other, stand with your right foot in front and hold your scythe straight to the man with your left hand at your lower grip, your right at your middle one. At that moment, cut around his body toward his right leg*. If he cuts low at you like this, and you are also standing with your left foot toward him, and you hold your scythe toward the man with cross-wise arms, then take it away below with your haft on your left side. At that moment, quickly cut toward his neck. If he cuts high at you like this, then step around on your right side with your left leg and take away his cut with your hilt on your right side. In that moment cut toward his left (forward) leg. If he cuts low at you in this manner, then set your lower grip of your scythe before your left leg and step with your right to your left and with that, take his low cut away. In the same moment, go up and cut toward his neck. Step back away from him with it.
 
Conduct yourself like this in this piece: When you are closing with each other, stand with your right foot in front and hold your scythe straight to the man with your left hand at your lower grip, your right at your middle one. At that moment, cut around his body toward his right leg*. If he cuts low at you like this, and you are also standing with your left foot toward him, and you hold your scythe toward the man with cross-wise arms, then take it away below with your haft on your left side. At that moment, quickly cut toward his neck. If he cuts high at you like this, then step around on your right side with your left leg and take away his cut with your hilt on your right side. In that moment cut toward his left (forward) leg. If he cuts low at you in this manner, then set your lower grip of your scythe before your left leg and step with your right to your left and with that, take his low cut away. In the same moment, go up and cut toward his neck. Step back away from him with it.
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| [[File:Mair scythe 06.jpg|300x300px|center]]
 
| [[File:Mair scythe 06.jpg|300x300px|center]]
| <p>'''Two Arm-cuts'''</p>
+
| <p>'''[6] Two Arm-cuts'''</p>
  
 
If the two of you are going together, then conduct yourself like this in this piece: stand with your right foot ahead and hold your scythe toward the man in a high cut, with your right hand at your middle grip, your left at your lower one. In that moment cut outside to his right arm. If he cuts high at you like this, and you are also standing with your right foot toward him, and you hold your scythe toward the man with your right hand at your middle grip, your left at your lower one, then set him aside with your lower grip. At that moment cut at him from below to the inside of his right arm. If he cuts at you from below in this way, then exchange your left hand from your lower grip to the middle one, and your right to where your left stood at the lower grip, thus you escape from his cut. In that moment, quickly cut at him from underneath toward his right arm and with that, step back away from him in a good parry with your scythe.
 
If the two of you are going together, then conduct yourself like this in this piece: stand with your right foot ahead and hold your scythe toward the man in a high cut, with your right hand at your middle grip, your left at your lower one. In that moment cut outside to his right arm. If he cuts high at you like this, and you are also standing with your right foot toward him, and you hold your scythe toward the man with your right hand at your middle grip, your left at your lower one, then set him aside with your lower grip. At that moment cut at him from below to the inside of his right arm. If he cuts at you from below in this way, then exchange your left hand from your lower grip to the middle one, and your right to where your left stood at the lower grip, thus you escape from his cut. In that moment, quickly cut at him from underneath toward his right arm and with that, step back away from him in a good parry with your scythe.
Line 5,195: Line 5,201:
 
|  
 
|  
 
| [[File:Mair scythe 07.jpg|300x300px|center]]
 
| [[File:Mair scythe 07.jpg|300x300px|center]]
| <p>'''A Cut against a Taking-away'''</p>
+
| <p>'''[7] A Cut against a Taking-away'''</p>
  
 
Conduct yourself like so in this piece if you are both coming together: Stand with your left foot forward and hold your scythe straight before your body, with your right hand at your middle grip, your left at your lower one. In that moment, quickly cut toward his right arm. If he cuts at you like this, and you stand with your right foot toward him, and you hold your scythe toward the man with your left hand at your lower grip, your right at your middle one, then go up with your scythe and take his cut away with it on your right side. At that moment, cut toward his right arm with your scythe. If he cuts at you like this, then take that away on your haft, between your two hands. In that instant, let your left hand loose from your lower grip and step back away with your left leg, thus you escape out from his cut. Next, grab hold of your lower grip again with your left hand and step around and in again with your left leg. With that, cut to the right side of his neck and step back from him.
 
Conduct yourself like so in this piece if you are both coming together: Stand with your left foot forward and hold your scythe straight before your body, with your right hand at your middle grip, your left at your lower one. In that moment, quickly cut toward his right arm. If he cuts at you like this, and you stand with your right foot toward him, and you hold your scythe toward the man with your left hand at your lower grip, your right at your middle one, then go up with your scythe and take his cut away with it on your right side. At that moment, cut toward his right arm with your scythe. If he cuts at you like this, then take that away on your haft, between your two hands. In that instant, let your left hand loose from your lower grip and step back away with your left leg, thus you escape out from his cut. Next, grab hold of your lower grip again with your left hand and step around and in again with your left leg. With that, cut to the right side of his neck and step back from him.
Line 5,207: Line 5,213:
 
|  
 
|  
 
| [[File:Mair scythe 08.jpg|300x300px|center]]
 
| [[File:Mair scythe 08.jpg|300x300px|center]]
| <p>'''A High Cut against a Low One'''</p>
+
| <p>'''[8] A High Cut against a Low One'''</p>
  
 
When you are both coming together, then conduct yourself like so in this piece: Stand with your right foot forward and hold your scythe straight toward the man. At that moment, quickly cut below toward his left (forward-placed) leg. If he cuts low to you like this, and you stand with your left foot toward him, and you hold your scythe high on your right side, your left hand at your lower grip, your right at your middle one, then go to him with your scythe around the left side of his neck. Pull him to you with it, thus you are free from his low cut. If he cuts high at you like this and pulls you to him, then let your left hand go from your lower grip, put it on his haft and shove strongly upward, thus you take away his high cut. In that moment, grab hold of your lower grip again with your left hand and step back with your right leg, thus you are able to cut his left foot away.
 
When you are both coming together, then conduct yourself like so in this piece: Stand with your right foot forward and hold your scythe straight toward the man. At that moment, quickly cut below toward his left (forward-placed) leg. If he cuts low to you like this, and you stand with your left foot toward him, and you hold your scythe high on your right side, your left hand at your lower grip, your right at your middle one, then go to him with your scythe around the left side of his neck. Pull him to you with it, thus you are free from his low cut. If he cuts high at you like this and pulls you to him, then let your left hand go from your lower grip, put it on his haft and shove strongly upward, thus you take away his high cut. In that moment, grab hold of your lower grip again with your left hand and step back with your right leg, thus you are able to cut his left foot away.
Line 5,219: Line 5,225:
 
|  
 
|  
 
| [[File:Mair scythe 09.jpg|300x300px|center]]
 
| [[File:Mair scythe 09.jpg|300x300px|center]]
| <p>'''A Taking-Away against a High Cut'''</p>
+
| <p>'''[9] A Taking-Away against a High Cut'''</p>
  
 
Present yourself like this in this piece: If you are both coming together, stand with your right foot ahead and hold your scythe extended toward the man, with your left hand at the lower grip, your right at the middle one. At that very moment, cut toward his head. If he cuts high to you like this, and you also stand with your right foot toward him, and you hold your scythe extended in front of your face, with your left hand at the lower grip, your right at the middle one, then take it away with the haft of your scythe on your right side. In the same instant step in a triangle with your right leg and cut him with your scythe behind and around your head to the right side of his neck. If he cuts at you from above like this, then go against him again and take away his cut to the outside on your scythe. At the same moment, follow in after with your left leg and cut toward his head. Step back away from him with this.
 
Present yourself like this in this piece: If you are both coming together, stand with your right foot ahead and hold your scythe extended toward the man, with your left hand at the lower grip, your right at the middle one. At that very moment, cut toward his head. If he cuts high to you like this, and you also stand with your right foot toward him, and you hold your scythe extended in front of your face, with your left hand at the lower grip, your right at the middle one, then take it away with the haft of your scythe on your right side. In the same instant step in a triangle with your right leg and cut him with your scythe behind and around your head to the right side of his neck. If he cuts at you from above like this, then go against him again and take away his cut to the outside on your scythe. At the same moment, follow in after with your left leg and cut toward his head. Step back away from him with this.
Line 5,231: Line 5,237:
 
|  
 
|  
 
| [[File:Mair scythe 10.jpg|300x300px|center]]
 
| [[File:Mair scythe 10.jpg|300x300px|center]]
| <p>'''A High Cut against a Cut to the Groin'''</p>
+
| <p>'''[10] A High Cut against a Cut to the Groin'''</p>
  
 
When you both are coming together, then present yourself like so in this piece: Stand with your left foot forward and hold your scythe extended before your body toward the man, with your right hand at the lower grip on your right side, your left at your middle one. At that moment, quickly cut toward the right side of his neck. If he cuts high at you like this, and you are standing with your right foot toward him, and you hold the scythe in a low cut, with your left hand at your lower grip in front of your face, your right at your middle one, then take away his high cut with the haft of your scythe on your right side. In that moment, cut between both his legs to his crotch. If he cuts you from below in this way, then be sure to go down and force his scythe away with the haft of your scythe, thus you take away his shot to your crotch with it. In that instant go up again with your scythe and cut toward the right side of his neck. With this, cut it to the ground.
 
When you both are coming together, then present yourself like so in this piece: Stand with your left foot forward and hold your scythe extended before your body toward the man, with your right hand at the lower grip on your right side, your left at your middle one. At that moment, quickly cut toward the right side of his neck. If he cuts high at you like this, and you are standing with your right foot toward him, and you hold the scythe in a low cut, with your left hand at your lower grip in front of your face, your right at your middle one, then take away his high cut with the haft of your scythe on your right side. In that moment, cut between both his legs to his crotch. If he cuts you from below in this way, then be sure to go down and force his scythe away with the haft of your scythe, thus you take away his shot to your crotch with it. In that instant go up again with your scythe and cut toward the right side of his neck. With this, cut it to the ground.

Revision as of 03:00, 21 January 2015

Paulus Hector Mair

"Mair", Cod.icon. 312b f 64r
Born 1517
Augsburg, Germany
Died 10 Dec 1579 (age 62)
Augsburg, Germany
Occupation
  • Civil servant
  • Historian
Movement
Influences
Genres
Language
Manuscript(s)
First printed
english edition
Knight and Hunt, 2008
Concordance by Michael Chidester
Translations Traduction française
Signature Paulus Hector Mair Sig.png

Paulus Hector Mair (Paulsen Hektor Mair, Paulus Hector Meyer; 1517 – 1579) was a 16th century German aristocrat, civil servant, and fencer. He was born in 1517 to a wealthy and influential Augsburg patrician family. In his youth, he likely received training in fencing and grappling from the masters of Augsburg fencing guild, and early on developed a deep fascination with fencing treatises. He began his civil service as a secretary to the Augsburg City Council; by 1541, Mair was the City Treasurer, and in 1545 he also took on the office of Master of Rations.

Mair's martial background is unknown, but as a citizen of a free city he would have had military obligations whenever the city went to war, and as a member of a patrician family he likely served in the cavalry. He was also an avid collector of fencing treatises and other literature on military history. Like his contemporary Joachim Meÿer, Mair believed that the Medieval martial arts were being forgotten, and he saw this as a tragedy, idealizing the arts of fencing as a civilizing and character-building influence on men. Where Meÿer sought to update the traditional fencing systems and apply them to contemporary weapons of war and defense, Mair was more interested in preserving historical teachings intact. Thus, some time in the latter part of the 1540s he commissioned what would become the most extensive compendium of German fencing treatises ever made, a massive two-volume manuscript compiling virtually every fencing treatise he could access. He retained famed artist Jörg Breu the Younger to create the illustrations for the text,[1] and hired two Augsburg fencers to pose for the illustrations.[2] This project was extraordinarily expensive and took at least four years to complete. Ultimately, three copies of this compendium were produced, each more extensive than the last; the first (MSS Dresden C.93/C.94) was written in Early New High German, the second and most artistically ambitious (Cod.icon. 393) in New Latin, and the third and final version (Cod. 10825/10826) incorporated both languages.

Beginning in the 1540s, Mair began purchasing older fencing manuscripts, some from fellow collector Lienhart Sollinger (a Freifechter who lived in Augsburg for many years) and others from auctions. Perhaps most significant of all of his acquisitions was the partially-completed treatise of Antonius Rast, a Master of the Long Sword and three-time captain of the Marxbrüder fencing guild. The venerable master left in incomplete when he died in 1549, and Mair ultimately produced a complete fencing manual (Reichsstadt "Schätze" Nr. 82) based on his notes. Ultimately, he owned over a dozen fencing manuscripts over the course of his life, including the following:

He also used several printed books as source material for his compendia, and presumably owned copies, including Der Altenn Fechter anfengliche kunst (compiled by Christian Egenolff), Opera Nova by Achille Marozzo, and Ringer Kunst by Fabian von Auerswald.

Mair not only spent incredible sums of money on his fencing interests, but generally lead a lavish lifestyle and maintained his political influence with expensive parties and other entertainments for the burghers and patricians of Augsburg. This habit of living far beyond his means for decades exhausted his family's wealth, eventually leading him to sell the Latin version of his fencing manuscript (netting the princely sum of 800 florins) and finally to begin embezzling money from the Augsburg city coffers. This embezzlement was not discovered for many years (or perhaps was overlooked due to the favor his parties garnered), until finally in 1579 a disgruntled assistant reported him to the Augsburg City Council and provoked an audit of his books. Mair was arrested, tried, and hanged as a thief at the age of 62. After Mair's death, his effects (including his library) were sold at auction to recoup some of the funds he had embezzled.

Whether viewed as an unwise scholar who paid the ultimate price for his art or an ignoble thief who violated his city's trust, Mair remains one of the most influential figures in the history of Kunst des Fechtens. By completing the fencing manual of Antonius Rast, Mair gave us valuable insight into the Nuremberg fencing tradition; his own works are impressive on both an artistic and practical level, and his extensive commentary on the uncaptioned treatises in his collection serves to make potentially useful training aids out of what would otherwise be mere curiosities. Finally, in purchasing so many important fencing treatises he succeeded in preserving them for future generations; they were purchased by the fabulously wealthy Fugger family after his death and ultimately passed to the Augsburg University Library, where they remain to this day.

Treatise

Much of Mair's content represents his revision and expansion of the older treatises listed above, including adding descriptive content to uncaptioned images. Where available, these images are displayed in the left-most column, labeled "Source Images", for comparison purposes. Mair's own illustrations appear in the second image column.

Additional Resources

  • Hunt, Brian. "Paulus Hector Mair: Peasant Staff and Flail." Masters of Medieval and Renaissance Martial Arts. Ed. Jeffrey Hull. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-58160-668-3
  • Knight, David James, and Hunt, Brian. The Polearms of Paulus Hector Mair. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-58160-644-7

References

  1. Breu is not listed in the Augsburg tax records in 1542-3; given Mair's youth, he most likely hired Breu between his return in 1544 and his death in 1547.
  2. Hils 1985, pp 197-201.
  3. Further, incidentally.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Chronicon Abbatis Urspergensis, the Chronicle of Burchard of Ursberg (13th century), printed in Augsburg 1515.
  5. The amphitheatre of Fidenae (the modern Borgata Fidena, a suburb of Rome), endowed by a freed slave named Atilius, collapsed in 27 BC under the weight of a large crowd of spectators, apparently due to faults in construction. According to the (likely exaggerated) account by Tacitus (Annales, 4.63), a total of 50,000 people died in the collapse.
  6. wohl Gaius Sallustius Crispus Passienus (starb 47 n. Chr.)
  7. The preceding three paragraphs are missing in the Dresden version.
  8. Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (ca. 71 – ca. 135), author of De vita Caesarum (ca. AD 120).
  9. Dresden version: four hundred.
  10. Marcus Antonius Gordianus Pius (225 – 244), Marcus Iulius Philippus (ca. 204 - 249)
  11. Claudius Galenus of Pergamum (AD 131 – 201)
  12. This may be in reference to 2 Timothy 2:4, rendered by Luther (1522) as: Niemant streyttet vnnd flicht sich ynn der narung geschefft, auff das er gefalle dem, der yhn zum streytter auffgenomen hat "None who would fight does meddle in the business of sustenance, so that he may please him who employed him as a fighter". Now Luthers narung "sustenance, nutrition, food" offers itself to an interpretation of "gluttony; carnal pleasure", but it translates pragmateiai biou, meaning "the pragmatics of life", i.e. "everyday business". c.f. Tyndale (1526), who has "No man that warreth, entangleth himself with worldly business, and that because he would please him that hath chosen him to be a soldier"; Dresden has "temporal" (zeitlich) rather than "transient" (zergenglich).
  13. This is a reference to Pliny, Nat. Hist. 30.32: "When a freedman of Nero was giving a gladiatorial show at Antium, the public porticoes were covered with paintings, so we are told, containing life-like portraits of all the gladiators and assistants. This portraiture of gladiators has been the highest interest in art for many centuries now, but it was Gaius Terentius who began the practice of having pictures made of gladiatorial shows and exhibited in public; in honour of his grandfather who had adopted him he provided thirty pairs of Gladiators in the Forum for three consecutive days, and exhibited a picture of the matches in the Grove of Diana."
  14. Anacharsis the Scythian, according to Herodotus (4.46, 76 f.) brother of the Scythian king Saulinos; attributed to him are inventions such as the anchor, bellows and pottery wheel. He was slain by his brother after he returned from a journey to Greece and began to advocate Greek culture to his countrymen. He is sometimes counted as one of the Seven Sages of Athens. Among a number of letters attributed to him is one addressed to the Lydian king Croesus.
  15. Johannes Aventinus (Johann Georg Turmair von Abensberg, 1477–1534), historiographer at the Bavarian court.
  16. Gampar is the seventh king in the (fictional) genealogy of the kings of the ancient Germans going back to the Great Flood in Aventinus' Annales (1522). Aventinus gives Gampar's regnal years as 1711–1667 BC.
  17. Eusebius of Caesarea (ca. 275 – 339)
  18. Pittakos of Mitylene (Lesbos), 7th c. BC, one of the Seven Sages. He led the Mitylenians against the Athenians and arranged a duel with Phrynon, an Olympic champion in pankration, by which to settle the war. He defeated Phrynon by trapping him in a net. The greater Ajay met Hector in place of Achilles (Iliad 7.181), the fight lasted the entire day and Hector was lightly wounded, and the heroes then parted with mutual respect. Porus, "king of India" was defeated by Alexander in the battle of Hydaspes in 326 BC. I have so far failed to identify Pyrechmen and Degmemnus.
  19. Mair gives more detail on this judicial duel of 1409 in the second volume. According to this account, the combatants were Wilhelm Marschalk von Dornsberg and Theodor Haschenacker, and the shields of the combatants were preserved in St. Leonard's church outside of the city until the tower of this church was demolished on 3 November 1542.
  20. Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata ("Sayings of kings and emperors") in Plutarch's Moralia.
  21. Vienna: mit schaden "with damage", Dresden: mit schanden "with dishonour/ignominy".
  22. Tacitus' Germania was unknown during the medieval period; rediscovered in 1455, the text was popularized in German humanism only from c. 1500; it is summarized by Aventinus, who is Mair's source, in his Annales ducum Boiariae (1522), the German-language edition of which (Bairische Chronik 1533) was just about ten years old when Mair wrote his text.
  23. pafese read for gafese (i.e. pavese, the infantry shields comparable to the Roman rectangular shields of the early imperial period)
  24. Tuisto is the primeval god of the Germanic peoples according to Tacitus. Aventinus euhemerizes him as the grandson of Noah and first king of the Germans (r. 2214–2038 BC). Herman here is not the historical Arminius, but the fifth king in Aventinus' list (r. 1820–1757 BC), founder of the Herminones or continental Germans.
  25. Mair's source is the Turnierbuch of Georg Rüxner (c. 1490), edited in Augsburg by Marx Würsung (1518). Rüxner describes a series of 36 "imperial tournaments" (Reichs-Turniere) between 938 and 1487, beginning with a legendary tournament held in Magdeburg during what Rüxner makes out as the reign of Henry I the Fowler.
  26. the successive Habsburg emperors Frederick III, Maximilian I and Charles V, spanning the period since the supposed disestablishment of the knightly tournament and the establishment of the Brotherhood of St. Mark or Marxbrüder. The Freifechter denounced by Mair seem to represent an early form of the guild later known as Federfechter (unless the term still has a generic meaning, frei as in "unincorporated").
  27. Schlaraffenland is the German adaptation of Coquaigne (Cucania), first encountered in the 15th century (as schlauraff, schluderaffe) and popularised by Hans Sachs (1558). The name seems to originate as an (unattested) medieval slur meaning "lazy idler", schlu(de)r-affe, lit. "drooping ape".
  28. Ligatura non sequitur.
  29. Non sequitur.
  30. Ninus: the legendary founder of Nineveh according to Ctesias (Persica, ca. 400 BC); Ctesias' Sardanapolus corresponds to Ashurbanipal (669 - 627 BC); Ctesias is a rather unreliable source by comparison with Herodotus and the Ptolemaic king list; but in any case knowledge on the Assyrian empire was very limited before the decipherment of cuneiform in the 1850s.
  31. Gideon: Judges 7:4-7; David: Psalm 144:1: "Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight" (KJV).
  32. Mair writes “Kunstfechtbuch”; “art of fencing” would be “Fechtkunst”. It is not clear whether this is just a question of usage or a deliberate difference.
  33. Schäfflin (javelin).
  34. Welsch” refers to neighbouring peoples speaking a romance language, so it could mean French, Italian, Spanish or Romansh. The Cod. icon. 393 text translates to “Fencing on foot, in which we use round shields and Spanish swords, in the fashion of the Italians, is 56 plays”).
  35. 'Long edge' is not listed in ty.
  36. sic : beide
  37. Marginalie unleserlich
  38. ”streck dein leyb und deine armen wol”
  39. sic : seinem ?
  40. The words are marked with numbers above. Probably it is to keep track of word order.
  41. sic : hinndersich
  42. sic : widerumb
  43. sic : seinem
  44. sic : schniten
  45. sic : seinnen ?
  46. 21r
  47. 47.0 47.1 Choosing to read this as equivalent to modern German einengen. “Trapped” as a translation for eineinden follows from this choice. Buyer beware.
  48. Corrections indicate it should be zu Im hinein
  49. The illustration suggests that this action should be done to your left side, rather than to your right.
  50. "Not the lower point". Why the awkward construction here? Why not say superiorem mucronem (or proper Latin equivalent)?
  51. Literally: put
  52. Literally: pull back the left foot
  53. German: his
  54. German: grab with your left hand from below outside over his right arm
  55. rechten
  56. Barred, or bolted.
  57. Pliers, or fire-tongs.
  58. Wrestlers wear a leather collar? Hmmm...
  59. Comb, carder?
  60. A variant on the o-goshi in judo.
  61. sic : Im mit
  62. »sst« oberhalb der Zeile korrigiert aus »fft«
  63. A technique for putting the opponent down head first with his feet in the air.
  64. Dagger pommel?! I have actually no idea what he is thinking here. My only guess is that it was late on Friday afternoon, and must have mistaken ”kopff” with ”knopff”.
  65. Which is what?
  66. Note: Change of grip required, or the illustration does not match.
  67. Dagger transfer necessary at this point.
  68. Note: person on left side starts with the dagger in the left hand according to the illustration.
  69. Note: push down, not out
  70. Arbait - technical term: work, force, struggle
  71. Vienna and Munich MS Latin: right.
  72. read: locitur
  73. Latin: snatch up.
  74. Note: the illustration shows ice-pick grip.
  75. "You will lick it!" Not pleasant if the dagger is lying on it. Especially in cold weather.
  76. May not represent the changing though described.
  77. Note illustration shows ice-pick grip.
  78. Note: left is corrected from a right. Left is correct.
  79. This seems to imply both parallel action and simultaneity.
  80. Reib - strong twisting, bending, rotating motion.
  81. Image shows left.
  82. From the inner side.
  83. From the Latin text
  84. Correct from underich.
  85. Could also mean immediately
  86. Only in the Latin.
  87. Inn - unclear whether directional or locational.
  88. The one in the left hand?
  89. Only in the Latin.
  90. Possible abbreviation of gegen – geg.
  91. Odd squiggle in the middle—f from previous line?
  92. Scribal error for pungito?
  93. Strange squiggle above the c.
  94. Squiggle – looks like the Munich MS symbol for us?
  95. Error for interim?
  96. Written as “in Clinando”
  97. NB, likely scribal error for “laevam”
  98. Second u has three dots almost like ǜ.
  99. Error for dextrum?
  100. sic : verborgnen