Gründtliche Beschreibung / der freyen Ritterlichen und Adelichen Kunst des Fechtens / in allerei gebrauchlichen Wehren / mit vielen schönen und nützlichen Figuren gezieret und fürgestellt.
Durch Joachim Meyer / Freifechter in Strasburg
ANNO MDLXX
Thorough Descriptions / of the free Knightly and Noble Art of Fencing / with various Customary Weapons / with many beautiful and useful illustrated Figures affected and presented.
By Joachim Meyer / FreeFencer in Strasburg
YEAR 1570
As of summer 2003 this translation is no longer being updated. There are numerous errors in this translation, particularly in the chapter preambles. Most of them are minor but are errors nonetheless.
The original transcript can be found here courtesy of Die Freifechter. Transcribed by Alexander Kiermayer. Translated by Mike Rasmusson.
Note #1: Each "page" of this translation is actually a full plate covering both the recto and verso sides of each plate in the original book.
Overview.
Page 2
Chapter 1, Of Man and His Divisions
Page 4
Chapter 2, Of the Sword and its Divisions
Chapter 3, Of the Stances or Guards
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Chapter 4, Of the Strikes
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Chapter 5, Of Displacing, a Useful Concept
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Chapter 6: Of the Withdrawal
Chapter 7: A Lesson in Stepping
Chapter 8: Of Before, After, During, and Just As
Chapter 9: A Guide to the Elements
Chapter 10: How one shall fence to the four Openings
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Chapter 11: Fencing from the Stances
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40