SEVERAL REMARKS ON THE BLOßFECHTEN SECTION OF CODEX WALLERSTEIN Journal of Western Martial Art

by Grzegorz Żabiński
 
 

1.0 Abstract

The paper deals with selected aspects of Blossfechten (unarmoured combat) with the longsword as depicted in one of the most renowned, yet still unpublished source of medieval swordsmanship known as Codex Wallerstein (Universitaetsbibliothek Augsburg, I. 6.4°.2). Firstly, the author deals with the very structure of the manuscripts, proving that it actually consists of two different manuals (the one from late fourteenth-early fifteenth century, the other from about mid-fifteenth century, which were later put together). Furthermore, the question of the way in which the section under analysis was accomplished is discussed: it is suggested that the images were put in first, and then provided with relevant comments. Next, the author attempts classifying the weapon presented in the section by means of comparing it to a well-known and commonly accepted typology of Robert E. Oakeshott. Moreover, several remarks concerning the functionality of such particular types of weapon are introduced. Furthermore, the author deals with several general fighting principles as presented in the manuscript, trying to affiliate them to the school of German swordsmaster Johannes Liechtenauer; however, he notices several similarities to other fencing manuals, with special regard to that of Fiore dei Liberi. Then, the comments concerning particular plates and fighting actions presented on them are provided. Next, the author attempts to show several similarities between the actions presented and those depicted in other medieval fencing manuals. Finally, conclusions and suggestions for further research (comprising in the first instance the necessity of a critical edition of the manuscript) are provided.
 

2.0 Introduction

The aim of this paper is to comment on the unarmoured long sword fighting as presented in one of the best known late medieval Fechtbuch, the Codex Wallerstein. The manuscript containing this manual is preserved in the collection of the Universitätsbibliothek Augsburg (I.6.4?.2). The codex is a paper quarto manuscript, written in Middle High German, containing 221 pages (108 numbered charts, and several unnumbered ones at the beginning), numbered every odd one in the upper right corner, starting from page 4 which is given No. 1. Page 1 contains a date 1549, a name of one of the manual’s owners,[1]Vonn Baumans, and the word Fechtbuch, while pages 2 and 3 are blank. This manual seems to consist of two different Fechtbücher (for the sake of convenience called further A and B), which were put together and later given a common pagination.[2] Part A (No. 1 recto—No. 75 recto, and No. 108 verso; thus consisting of 151 pages) is probably from the second half of the fifteenth century, on account of both the representations of arms and armour on No. 1 verso (full plate armours and armets) and No. 2 recto, andthe details of costumes on No. 108 verso.[3] On the other hand, part B (No. 76 recto—No. 108 recto; 66 pages) is probably of much earlier origin, which, on account of the details of armour (bascinets without visors or bascinets with early types of visors; mail hauberks; garments worn on the cuirasses) can be dated to late fourteenth—early fifteenth century.[4]

As mentioned, it is difficult to deal extensively with the history of the codex without having the real manuscript at one’s disposal—anyway, it is not the purpose of this contribution. However, it is worth noticing that this Fechtbuch belonged once to one of the most famous sixteenth-century authors of combat manuals, Paulus Hector Mair;[5] and it was he who was the author of the contents of the manuscript (No. 109 recto), and several minor remarks on the number of pages for particular sections of the manual, which were inserted on some places in the codex.

Codex Wallerstein, like many other medieval and Renaissance Fechtbücher, contains a wide range of sections devoted to particular weapons and kinds of fighting: part A comprises sections on long sword (Bloßfechten), wrestling (Ringen), dagger (Degen), and falchion (Messer), and consists of images provided with relevant comments. On the other hand, part B–comprising the long sword Bloßfechten, Harneschfechten ‘armoured combat’ with long swords, long swords together with shields, lances and daggers, judicial shields and swords, judicial shields and maces, unarmoured wrestling–consists of images only, without any comments or explanations. This manual, as many other fighting manuals,[6] puts considerable stress on judicial duels, which is certified by several elements typical for such kind of fighting. For example, No. 1 verso and No. 2 recto,[7]present a remarkable scene of a duel on a fenced yard, with coffins already prepared for both combatants; moreover (apart from such obvious elements like judicial shields and maces), one’s attention is drawn by the crosses on the garments of combatants in part B.[8]

The distribution of sections devoted to particular kinds of combat in part A is very uneven: the most prominent place is held by unarmoured wresting (No.15 recto—No.20 verso, and No.33 recto—No. 74 recto: 94 pages), followed by unarmoured long sword combat (No.3 recto—No 14 verso, and No.21 recto—No.21 verso: 26 pages), unarmoured dagger combat (No. 22 recto—No.28 verso: 14 pages), and finally, unarmoured falchion combat (No. 29 recto—No. 32 verso: 8 pages). Apart from that, section A contains an image of a man-at-arms (No. 1 recto), the scene of a judicial duel (No. 1 verso—No.2 recto), a rather ridiculous piece of advice on how to kill a peasant with a knife (No.74 verso), and the depiction of four persons in courtly costumes (No. 108 verso).[9] Although such presentation of the material is not a peculiarity of this manuscript (another example could be Talhoffer’s Fechtbuch aus dem Jahre 1467, where, for example, comments on long sword unarmoured combat are divided into two sections),[10] the fact that sections on particular weapons are mixed with one another to such extent makes the researcher wonder about the way in which the manuscript was actually written. It could be tentatively suggested that the scribe proceeded gradually, writing or copying particular sections as he had access to relevant data, without caring about putting the material in a coherent order. Moreover, the scribe of part A was in all probability not very familiar with the Kunst des Fechtens. To support this point of view, one can refer to No. 9 verso and No. 10 recto, when the scribe simply confused the comments to two images with each other—at least, he realized his mistake and provided the images with relevant explanations. On the other hand, it could be supposed that the manuscript was first illustrated, and then provided with comments; however, the fact that the scribe confused the comments for two entirely different techniques speaks a lot about his knowledge of the subject. 

Of interest is the fact that in the first seven plates of the long sword section (No. 3 recto—No. 6 recto) there are headings with general fighting principles:[11] written just above the first line of the comments, and with a different script, they are in all probability later additions.

The aim of this contribution is to present brief remarks on the long sword section of part A of the manuscript: for the audience’s convenience, the relevant pages will be referred to from now on by single numerals, without the use of recto—verso division. Thus, the numeration will be as follows:
 

-No. 1 recto: plate 1,

-No. 1 verso: plate 2,

-No. 2 recto: plate 3,

-No. 2 verso: plate 4,

-No. 3 recto: plate 5,

-No. 3 verso: plate 6,

-No. 4 recto: plate 7,

-No. 4 verso: plate 8,

-No. 5 recto: plate 9,

-No. 5 verso: plate 10,

-No. 6 recto: plate 11,

-No. 6 verso: plate 12,

-No. 7 recto: plate 13,

-No. 7 verso: plate 14,

-No. 8 recto: plate 15,

-No. 8 verso: plate 16,

-No. 9 recto: plate 17,

-No. 9 verso: plate 18,

-No. 10 recto: plate 19,

-No. 10 verso: plate 20,

-No. 11 recto: plate 21,

-No. 11 verso: plate 22,

-No. 12 recto: plate 23,

-No. 12 verso: plate 24,

-No. 13 recto: plate 25,

-No. 13 verso: plate 26,

-No. 14 recto: plate 27,

-No. 14 verso: plate 28,

-No. 21 recto: plate 41

-No. 21 verso: plate 42.

 

3. The longswords in part A of Codex Wallerstein

With regard to the length of the long swords in section A, they seem to vary considerably: from about 110-120 cm (plates 5, 6, 7, 8, 20, 24, 25, 26, and 41), through about 130-140 cm (plates 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, and 42) to about 150 cm (plates 9, 10, and 21), or even 160-180 cm (plates 1, 2, and 3); similarly, the lengths of the hilts vary. However, this variety seems to have been caused rather by the illuminator’s style (it is a well-known fact that medieval artists often did not pay much attention to issues of dimensions and proportion) than by a conscious differentiation for the purpose of particular techniques. What is important is the fact that all the long swords can be seen as belonging to one type: ridged blades without fullers, with a diamond-shaped cross-sections, and rigid, sharp points; fig-shaped pommels; simple straight cross-pieces with chappes. According to the commonly accepted typology of Robert E. Oakeshott, the blades could be classified as type XV or XVIII (the difference consist in the fact that a blade type XV has a ridge flanked with deeply hollowed faces, in the case of type XVIII the ridge rises from almost flat faces): it does not seem possible to solve this issue by looking at the images in the manuscript. Actually, one would rather opt for type XVIII, as type XV (which dates back to the thirteenth century) is in the fifteenth century accompanied by a short, one-handed grip. However, it may not be that important, as both types of blades were so similar to each other in the fifteenth century that it is sometimes hard to distinguish them from each other.[12] As regards the cross-pieces, they belong clearly to type 1;[13] the pommels represent the T family and bear the strongest resemblance to the T3 type (plates 1, 2, 3, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 41, and 42).[14]

4. General fighting principles

1. Binden an das Schwert (binding on the sword) and possible actions from that (plates 5, 6, 7, to a degree plate 8, where binding is not the point of departure, but one of consequent elements of action; 9, 10 (a situation similar to 8), 11, 12, 13, to a degree also plates 14, 15, 16, which are put as a sort of outcoming options from the action presented in plate 13;moreover, plates 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 41, 42). As one can see, almost the entire section covers the problem of binding, which could suggest that it was copied from a relevant part of another manual. Obviously, one of most natural and recommended actions from Binden are Winden (winding) techniques (of particular interest is that here they are mostly performed with the short edge) which are presented on following plates concerning Binden: 6, 7 (here winding is used not to hit the opponent but to push his blade aside), 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15 (referred to as Ausserwinn ‘Outerwinding’), 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 28. 

 
2. Schwertsnehmen (taking the adversary’s sword): in general, these techniques result here either from binding (plates 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 42) or from other actions, like supposedly a missed thrust (plate 17).

 
3. Gewappnete Hand  (half-sword) techniques: resulting from binding, these techniques occur either in form of Legen (placing the blade at the adversary’s neck), followed either by a slicing cut or a throw (plates 19, 20, 26) or Stossen (thrusting) (plates 6, 21, 28).

 
4. Werffen(throwing or armlocks) techniques, performed usually, although not always, with the help of the blade (plates 8, 11, 18, 19, 20, 27 and 41).

 
5. Leng and Masse (length and reach, referring to proper distance and stance), as in plates 5 and 6.

 

1. Schwach/Sterck (weak/strong), like in plates 7 and 8.
2. Issue of timing (Vor/Nach/Inndes—‘before’, ‘after’, ‘simultaneously’),as in plates9, 10, 11, 19 and 22.
3. Mention of Bloßen (openings)—plate 7.
4. Überlauffen (overrunning, here presented as dringe in ihn ‘run in him’)—plate 9 and probably 10.

The question of interest, which has provoked a debate among the fencing audience, is definitely the problem of edge-parrying.[20] Although the phrase versecz mit der kurczen sneid (deflect with the short edge) appears in the section (plates 9, and 10), instead it should beunderstood as deflecting done on the opponent’s flat performed with one's own edge, although one cannot exclude an accidental edge-to-edge contact there.
 

5. Particular actions

• Plate 1 A presentation of the angles of cutting.

 
• Plate 2 A scene of a judicial duel.

 
• Plate 3 A scene of a judicial duel.

 
• Plate 5 The length principle: swordsmen are advised to stretch their arms and their swords far from them, and put themselves into a low body position with knees bent, which should secure them with a long reach, and the chance at efficiently responding to the necessities of combat.

 
• Plate 6 The reach principle: having his sword bound by his adversary, the swordsman on the left is advised to wind in his opponent’s face with his short edge, so that he could either hit him with the pommel or thrust at him at the half-sword.

 
• Plate 7 The ‘weak’ principle: binding his opponent on the sword, the swordsman on the right is advised to check whether the adversary is “soft” or “tough”: if he is “tough”, he should wind in his face as before; if he is “soft”, he should find the weak part of his sword, and wind it to his left, so that he could hit his head or find the openings.

 
• Plate 8 The ‘strong’ principle: the swordsman on the left strikes an Oberhau at his adversary: if the latter parries the stroke, the attacker is advised to find the weak part of the defender’s sword and bind it with his cross-piece, so that he could place his short edge on his neck and throw him on the ground.

 
• Plate 9 The ‘before’ principle: binding his opponent, the swordsman on the left must defend his head from his adversary: he is advised to deflect the stroke with his short edge and rush in at the opponent to make him strike again—if the adversary strikes from the other side, it should be countered by putting the sword on his shoulder to his ear.

 
• Plate 10 The ‘after’ principle: the swordsman on the left is being threatened with his adversary's Oberhau: he is advised to deflect the stroke with his short edge. If the opponent delivers another stroke, the swordsman on the left should hit his sword with his short edge in order to bind his adversary’s sword and hit the back of his head.

 
• Plate 11 The ‘simultaneously’ principle: if the opponent binds the swordsman on the left on his sword and tries to wind in his face or perform another action, the swordsman is advised to counter-wind simultaneously, hit his arms strongly and push him back to throw him on the ground.

 
• Plate 12 The swordsman on the left binds his adversary, who winds him in his face: the swordsman on the left is advised to counter-wind and hold his opponent’s sword on his cross-piece to prevent him from passing in front of his sword and doing any further action.

 
• Plate 13 The swordsman on the right binds his adversary on the sword, and the opponent tries to wind in his face: the swordsman on the right is advised to counter-wind in order to push his opponent’s sword up, and then to deliver a twisted stroke (Verzuckter Schlag) in his elbow.

 
• Plate 14 A continuation of plate 13: if the opponent parries the stroke, the swordsman on the right is advised to hit his opponent’s sword downwards with his pommel and then to put his own short edge on the opponent’s neck in order to deliver a slicing cut.

 
• Plate 15 A continuation of plate 13: it the opponent parries the stroke, the swordsman on the right is advised to hold his sword on the adversary’s blade, and together with a step forwards with his right foot, to strike at the opponent’s left arm.

 
• Plate 16 A continuation of plate 13: if the opponent parries the stroke, the swordsman (now depicted on the left) is advised to hit with his left hand in his adversary’s arms, and, having stabbed with his sword between himself and his opponent’s sword, to place his blade on his adversary’s neck in order to break his arm and deliver a slicing cut against his neck.

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• Plate 17 If the sword of the swordsman on the left was grasped under his adversary’s left arm, who wants to deliver a stroke or a thrust, the swordsman on theleft is advised to thrust forward with his sword and, having grasped his own blade with his left hand, to apply an armlock in order to break his opponent’s arm.

 
• Plate 18 A continuation of plate 16: if the adversary attempted hitting the swordsman on the left in his elbow and the latter parried the stroke, and then the opponent tries to stab between himself and the blade of the swordsman on the left in order to hit his neck, the swordsman on the left is advised to grasp the opponent’s blade in his left hand and to put it on his neck in order to throw him on the ground.

 
• Plate 19 If the swordsman on the left is bound on the sword by his adversary, he is advised to wind with his short edge in his face, and to go simultaneously forward with his left foot, to hit the opponent’s arms with his pommel, and, having grasped his own blade with his left hand, to place it at the adversary’s neck in order to throw him on the ground.

 
• Plate 20 The adversary binds the swordsman on the left on the sword and winds him in his face: the swordsman on the left is advised to counter-wind and hit the opponent’s arms with his pommel as above, and then to place his sword on his adversary’s neck or head in order to throw him on the ground.

 
• Plate 21 If the opponent tries to wind the swordsman on the left in his face, the latter is advised to grasp his blade with his left hand and to thrust above his adversary’s blade into his testicles.

 
• Plate 22 If the swordsman on the left is bound on the sword by his opponent, he is advised to wind with his short edge and rush simultaneously in him, and then to grasp his hilt between his hands with his own left hand, and to hit his face with the pommel in order to take his sword away.

 
• Plate 23 If the swordsman on the left is bound on the sword by his adversary, who wants to wind him in his face, the former is advised to grasp both blades with his left hand, and to pull them towards his left; then, he should go against his opponent’s hand and hit from under through it, in order to take his adversary’s sword away.

 
• Plate 24 The opponent binds the swordsman on the left on the sword, and wants to wind or thrust at him; the swordsman on the left is advised to counter-wind and, having placed his short edge on the opponent’s sword, to wind his adversary’s blade powerfully so that he turns, in order to hit his head.

 
• Plate 25 If the swordsman on the left is bound on the sword by his adversary, he is advised to hit his opponent’s hilt with his right hand between his adversary’s hands, pull it towards himself,then to push it aside with the cross-piece and to hit his opponent’s face with his pommel.

 
• Plate 26 If the opponent binds the swordsman on the left on the sword and wants to wind in his face, the latter is advised to raise his sword, and to hit between his adversary’s hands with his pommel, and, having grasped his own blade with his left hand, to wind in his opponent’s head.

 
• Plate 27 If the swordsman on the left is bound on the sword by his adversary in the hanging guards, he is advised to grasp the opponent’s hilt with his left hand  above the right arm of his opponent, and then to pull backwards.

 
• Plate 28 If the adversary binds the swordsman on the left on the sword, the latter is advised to wind and hit the opponent from above with his pommel; then, he should grasp his blade with his left hand, and treating with his left foot behind his adversary, he is advised to deliver a slicing cut to the opponent’s neck and to stab him.

 
• Plate 41 If the swordsman on the left is bound on the sword by his opponent, he is advised to pretend as if he wanted to wind in his opponent’s face; then, he should hit his adversary’s sword with his cross-piece, and letting his own sword fall above his head, he should hit him from under in his legs in order to throw him on the ground.

 
• Plate 42 If the adversary binds the swordsman on the left on the sword, the latter is advised to grasp both blades with his left hand and to go with his pommel under his opponent’s sword and to pull backwards in order to take awayhis sword.

 

6. Analogies and similarities

• plate 1: similar figure appears in dei Liberi (chart 17a, page 151), demonstrating the angles of attack.[22]
• plate 8: one may search for analogies to Das Solothurner Fechtbuch, plate 77, where the swordsman on the left seems to cut into his opponent’s neck with his short edge; however, in the case of this manual the matter is aggravated by the fact that it was not provided with relevant comments and one has to rely on the editor’s interpretation.[23]
• plate 9: a similar action is presented in Das Solothurner Fechtbuch, plate 84.[24]
• plate 16: a certain degree of similarity may be seen in dei Liberi (chart 20b, page 158, bottom right), although in that case the point of departure of this action is unknown; the same may be said about chart 22a, page 161, top right.
• plate 17: an obvious analogy is depicted in dei Liberi (chart 23b, page 164, bottom right).
• plate 19: similar action is presented in dei Liberi (chart 21a, page 159, bottom right). Although with a different point of departure (binding the swords in a low guard) and a different intention (to cut into the opponent’s face); moreover, the way of holding the opponent’s sword is slightly different (hooking the adversary’s right arm). Moreover, there is an analogy to Talhoffer (plate 24), although the comment there is not very informative.[25]
• plate 21: a similar thrust is depicted in Talhoffer (plate 36), although with a different point of departure (hanging guard in its version of squinting guard), and a different intention (thrusting into the adversary’s throat).
• plate 22: the principle of grasping the opponent’s sword and hitting his face with the pommel appears in dei Liberi, although with different way of grasping (catching the opponent’s right arm, chart 22a, page 161, bottom left; grasping the opponent’s left arm from above, hitting between the adversary’s hands or grasping his pommel from under, chart 24a, page 165, top right, bottom left and right).
• plate 26: similar action is depicted in dei Liberi (chart 21a, page 159, bottom right), although with differences mentioned for plate 19.
• plate 27: a similar way of grasping the adversary’s hilt above his right arm is depicted in Das Solothurner Fechtbuch, plate 90). However, this action is performed from middle guard.[26]
• plate 41: a throw of the adversary while holding his legs is depicted in Talhoffer (plate 34), although with a different point of departure (as a defense against a stroke).

Suggestions for further research

Furthermore, it is of high interest to search for analogies to other fencing manuals of that period, which would not only bring answers to the questions related directly to this manuscript, but would deepen in general the knowledge of medieval swordsmanship. With regard to the very manuscript, one should attempt to determine the existence of any governing principles common for various parts of it (the presence of Waage position both in section on long sword and wrestling was already mentioned), which would potentially connect them into a coherent fighting system.

Finally, a practical analysis of particular fighting actions should be carried out in order to check their real applicability for the purposes of combat—to a degree, such analysis was carried out by the author (here he would like to express his gratefulness to his friends Bartłomiej Walczak and Russell Mitchell for their cooperation and valuable comments), but it surely did not fully explore all of their possible implications.

Bibliography

1. Anglo, Sydney. The Martial Arts of Renaissance Europe. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2000.
2. Clements, John. Medieval Swordsmanship: Illustrated Methods and Techniques. Boulder: Paladin Press, 1998.
3. Codex Wallerstein. Universitätsbibliothek Augsburg, Cod. I. 6. 4°.2 Available on the webpage of The Historical Armed Combat Association (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/CodexW.htm); and The Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (http://www.aemma.org/onlineResources/library_H.htm)
4. Das Solothurner Fechtbuch (1423). Edited by Charles Studer. Solothurn: Vogt-Schild AG. Available on the webpage of the Historical Armed CombatAssociation (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/Solothurner.htm)
5. dei Liberi da Premariacco, Fiore. Flos duellatorum in armis, sine armis, equester, pedester. Edited by Franceso Novati. Bergamo: Instituto Italiano d’Arti Grafiche, 1902. Also available on the webpage of The Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (http://www.aemma.org/onlineResources/library_H.htm); and The Historical Armed Combat Association (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/Liberi.htm)
6. Dörnhöffer, Friedrich. “Quellen zur Geschichte der Kaiserlichen Haussammlungen und der Kunstbestrebungen des Allerdurchlauchtigsten Erzhauses: Albrecht Dürers Fechtbuch.” Jahrbuch der Kunsthistorischen Sammlungen des Allerhöchstes Kaiserhauses 27.6 (1909): I-LXXXI. Available on the webpage of The Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (http://www.aemma.org/onlineResources/library_H.htm).
7. Edge, David, and John Miles Paddock, Arms and Armor of the Medieval Knight: An Illustrated History of Weaponry in the Middle Ages.New York: Crescent Books, 1991.
8. Hils, Hans-Peter. “Hans Talhoffer: Fechtbuch.” In Wertvolle Handschriften und Einbände aus der ehemaligen Oettingen-Wallersteinschen Bibliothek. Edited by Rudolf Frankenberger, and Paul Berthold Rupp, 96-98. Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag, 1987.
9. Hils, Hans-Peter. Meister Johann Liechtenauers Kunst des langen Schwertes. Europäische Hochschulschriften 3. Geschichte und ihre Hilfswissenschaften 257. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 1985.
10. Houston, Mary G. Medieval Costume in England and France: the 13^th, 14^th, and 15^th Centuries. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1996.
11. Oakeshott, Robert E. The Archaeology of Weapons. Boydell Press, 1964.
12. Talhoffer, Hans.Fechtbuch aus dem Jahre 1467. Edited by Gustav Hergsell. Prague: J.G. Calve’sche K.K. Hof-und Universitäts-Buchhandlung, Ottomar Beyer, 1887. Available on the webpage of The Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (http://www.aemma.org/onlineResources/library_H.htm); and The Historical Armed Combat Association (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/Talhoffer1443-1459Editions.htm).
13. Talhoffer, Hans. Fechtbuch aus dem Jahre 1443. Edited by Gustav Hergsell. Prague: Selbstverlag, 1889. Available on the webpage of The Historical Armed Combat Association (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/Talhoffer1443-1459Editions.htm).
14. Talhoffer, Hans. Fechtbuch aus dem Jahre 1459. Edited by Gustav Hergsell. Prague: Selbstverlag, 1889. Available on the webpage of The Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts (http://www.aemma.org/onlineResources/library_H.htm); and The Historical Armed Combat Association (http://www.thehaca.com/pdf/Talhoffer1443-1459Editions.htm).
15. Talhoffer, Hans. Medieval Combat: A Fifteenth Century Illustrated Manual of Swordfighting and Close-Quarter Combat. Translated and Edited by Mark Rector. London: Greenhill Books, 2000. Available on the webpage of The Historical Armed Combat Association (http://www.thehaca.com/talhoffer.htm)
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