Ringeck's armored fencing translation by Ramses Castro
Some notes:
Grammar could feel a little strange since it's the authors intention to keep the text as close to the original as possible.
Translation is based on transcriptions made by Dierk Hagedorn of Dresden (1504 - 19), Vienna (1512) and Rostock (1570).
After working on Ringeck's longsword manuscripts, is the author's opinion that this texts belong to a different person, given the amount of words not found in Ringeck's longsword texts ("Vorgesatzte", "Überÿlt", "Händhäbe", etc.), the recurring usage of some particular phrases ("setz im an" for instance), and others that are not particularly to the usage of armor and should not be as prominent if it where the same person.
As for the texts themselves, none of them have any illustrations on their specific section referring to armored combat, it seems Rostock is based on Vienna, or at least they share a common text that they could be based on, wile Dresden seems like an independent hastily made copy with around a quarter of the words with some variation, overlined, missing or added.
Lastly, the text follow the format of the longsword secction in regards as titles, the usage of "Glosa" on seccments dedicated to specific parts of the rhymes and "item" when talking about topics outside them.
At the end would be added some notes regarding missing words or differences in the phrases between the three texts.
This work is open sourced and open to changes.
Original texts found in:
Image extracted from folio 4v of the "KK5013 Gladiatoria" Manuscript.
[1] Here listen itself in the earnest fight from mounting and from foot
All hear itself master Johannes Lichtenauer's fence in armor to Battle, that he has let be written with hidden words, they hereafter in this little book explained and unhide, so that each fencer who can understands art might, that another fencer can not.
[2] This is the preface of the text
1. Who dismounts
Fence on foot begins
2. The arrange with spear
Two Stances have in right carry
Explanation: Note, that you should understand this this way, when two on foot in armor one to the other will fence, then each man should have three wear, a spear, a sword and a dagger, and the first that you should bring is the long spear, with it you should rightly carry it in both arrangements, in two stances, as that here after will be explained.
[3] This is the text of the two stances
3. Spear and point
The forth-thrust stab in fear
4. Spring against right by
If he notice, yank to his the face put in
Explanation: This is the first stance with the spear, when you both form the saddle are dismounted, So then stand with the left foot forward and hold your spear by the wrap, and step this way to him all the way, that your left foot remains forward, and wait that you before him can shoot towards him and follow quickly the shoot against him with the sword, so that he can not have know which to shoot out and grab1 the sword.
[4] The second stance with spear
Note: If you your spear will not throw, then hold it near your right side to the lower guard, and go this way to him, and stab artfully from below to the face, before than he does to you, if he then stabs to you equally or miss-places, then push him out with the spear in the high guard, so you remain with his point out to the left arm and with it then hang with the point over his arm in his face, if he push then out and miss-places with the left arm, then jerk and place the point under his left armpit in the opening.
[5] The text on how one should jerk
5. If you wish yank from the stab
With the yank learn before to break
Explanation: Note, that is, that you should well learn that you this way must jerk “to someone that do not in-places that you yank-through”2 , and take it this way, when you stab to him from the lower guard, if he out-places with the spear, that his point aside near to you goes out, so then yank through and stab to the other side, or if he holds you with the other out-placing with the point in front of your face, then do not jerk and remain with the spear on the side, and work with the winding to the next opening that you might like.
[6] This is the text
6. Note, if he will notice
From harm and to flee
7. You should follow him
Yes, surely becomes that taken
Explanation: Note, this is how you should race after with the spear, note, when you come forward with a stab, if he out-places and wish himself with the spear to pull it off, then follow him after with the point, strike him with it, then push him out from you, if he will from the point underneath flee and went to you to a side, so then wait that the same side charged and wisely take him with wrestling and with arm breaking as you will found written here.
[7] The text about wrestling to battle
8. If you will wrestle
Beneath leg right learn spring
9. Bar forward shoot
That before the leg artfully shoot at
Explanation: This is, when you go to him to wrestle, then you should know how you front or behind to the leg spring and it should happen with not more than one step.
[8] Item note then act this way
When you hold him in the wrestling, and he against you, then see which foot he set forward, if he have the left forward then kick in his left foot3 off with your right and with the kick then spring with your right foot behind his left and push him with the right knee behind, behind his his left knee and push him with both hands over that same knee.
[9] Item, note one other
When you jump with the right foot behind his left, then step4 with your left behind both legs and take his left knee between the both knees and hold it with it firmly and push him with the left hand forward, "in the head"5, with the hew and with the right pull him behind, off to the side.
[10] This is the text
10. From both hands
If you with art skillfully want to end
Explanation: This is, that you all wrestling should know to try from both sides, that is if you wish to end him with art, as you come to him, and that take it this way, when you with the right foot spring behind his left, if he steps then in the spring with his left foot to push, then follow him quickly to the other side with your left foot behind his right and throw him over the knee or kick him on that knee with your leg as before written is.
[11] This is the text how one itself should arrange with the spear against the sword
11. If he himself forward push
The sword against spear becomes pulled
12. The thrust becomes taken
Spring catch, wrestle hasten to him
Explanation: Note, this is when you your lance have miss shoot and he kept his, then arrange yourself this way against him with the sword, grip middle with the left hand, on the middle of the blade, and let the sword close to you middle of that knee, your left knee in the guard or hold it near your right side in the lower guard.
[12] Item: Or if he stabs to you underneath, then set the stab out towards to your left hand and spring with the right behind his left and take him with the pommel from over his right shoulder around the neck and throw him over the knee.
[13] Item: Note, if he stabs you then with the lance above, then go off and set his stab out towards your left hand with the sword off your left side and spring to him and wait the in-placement, if you do not want to come that, then let your sword fall and wait the wrestling.
[14] Item: If he stabs to you with the lance when you stand in the lower guard, then set his stab out with the sword towards your left hand, off to his right side, and wait the in-placement or the wrestling.
[15] The text about out-pacing with bear hands
13. Strike long from the left hand
Spring wisely and then catch
14. If he will draw
From scabbard grasp and press in
15. That in the opening
With the swords point troubled
Explanation: When you stand in the lower guard, if he stabs you from above with the spear and have catch that, that the point is away from the hand and goes out “and stabs with it above you”6, then hit him with your “left hand”7 in middle of his spear out away, and hold your sword quickly against with the left hand middle in the blade and spring to him and set it in, etc.
[16] Item: If he stabs you with the spear underneath to the stomach, then take his spear in the left hand and hold it with it firmly and stab him with the right beneath towards the stomach and push him than his spear firmly forward yourself and will your the off the hand races, then let the spear over him off the hand go, then if he gives himself an opening then hold your sword quickly with the left hand against middle of the blade and follow him quickly after and set him in.
[17] The text about the openings
16. Leather and gauntlets
And in the eyes the opening rightly seek
Explanation: This is, when you with an armed man will in-place, then you should the opening precisely take. The first is in the face, other below the armpit, other in the palms, other behind the gauntlets, other in the knee pits, other between the legs, other in all articulations of the armor his joint inside have, When he is steady, the best for winning and the openings you should rightly know to seek on the man, that you should not go after one far target when can take you a near one, that with all weapons that to the battle belong, etc.
[18] The text about the hidden wrestling
17. The hidden wrestling
Carefully learn to wrestle
18. To your enemy find
The strong with it overtake
Explanation: This is when one to the other charges, then let your sword fall and wait with it carefully the wrestling that to the battle belongs hear that is forbidden from all known mastery of the sword, that to one to them are often teach to no one, nor learned nor should seek to reveal, because they to the battle fencing belong, and they are the arm breaking, leg breaking, testicles hits, the death hit, knee hit, finger dislocation, eye griping and more like that.
[19] Here you should note the wrestling
Item: If "you grip someone"8 above with wrestling and you wish with strength to pull or push him, then hit the right arm out over his left forward by his hand and press then with both hands on his chest and spring with the right foot behind his left and throw him over that knee of the foot.
[20] Item: If he grips you on with wrestling and he holds to you then not firmly, then hold his right hand with your right and pull him from you with the left hold him by the elbow and step with the left foot to his right, And pull in this way over it or throw him by the chest off with the arm and break him then this way.
[21] Item: Hold with the left hand his left forward by the hand and pull him to you, and hit your right arm with strength over his left in this bend the arm breaking and break with the left hand his left over his right and spring with the right foot behind his right and throw him from there, etc.
[22] Item: If he goes with the left arm beneath your right through, around your body, then hit him with the right arm strong from above below outside his join of his left elbow, and turn with it from him.
[23] Item: When he grabs you firmly by the arm and you against him, if he stands then straightened with the foot then shove him off with the foot9 on the same knee then break his foot.
[24] Item: You can also with the knee or with the foot hit him to the testicles, when he is aware, however, you should that foresee that he to you by the foot do not hold you, etc.
[25] Item: When he after you grips with open hands or with outstretched fingers, then wait if that in one finger like to grip and breaking it form above and take him with it out of the arena.
Also you win over him with the side and gain even more other great advantage.
[26] The text about a lesson
19. Item, in all lessons
The point against the opening turn
Explanation: That is that you with all three weapons that wear to the battle, to go all the way with the point to the openings should stab with the forth mentioned, and if otherwise can not, you another bring to damage, etc.
[27] The text how one should fence with the sword against sword in battle
20. Where one from the scabbard
Sword are taken by both
21. So should one strengthen
The protection right precisely note
Explanation: That is if they both the spear have not choose and should fence with the sword, then you should before all wrestling note and know the the four guards with the short sword, and therefore stab him all the way to the high opening, if he then stabs you with the same one or bind you in the sword, then you should in the hand note if he is hard or weak on sword, And when you have found out, then use the strength against him that you here after written will see.
[28] The first guard in the half sword
Item: Hold your sword with the right hand by the handle and with the left hold middle in the blade and hold it near your right side over your head and let the point lower hang, to the man, against the face, etc.
[29] Item: If he stands then against you in the lower guard and wish to stab you underneath then stab through from above to below between the sword and his forth-placed hand and press the pommel downward and wind in the point on sword beneath through against his right side and set it in.
[30] Item: Stab him form the first guard to the face, if he values it then yank10 or go through with the stab as before to the other side, and when you in the hew forth-place, then hit your sword under your right armpit with the hilt in the chest and throw him this way from you.
[31] Item note another
Stab him like before, if he miss-place towards his left hand with the sword and keep you with the point towards the face and you will in-place, then hold with the left hand his sword by the point and hold it tight and with the right hand stab him powerfully to the face11.
[32] If he then yanks his sword firmly to himself and you will that out the hands follow, then release the sword, go to the upper wrestling, then, if he gives himself an opening then hold his sword quickly with the left hand against the middle of the blade and follow him after etc.
[33] Item another
If you took his sword and he to yours, then throw his sword to the left hand and hold yours with it against middle in the blade and rotate the point outside over his left hand and set it in.
[34] Item: Or throw in your sword to his foot and hold his left hand with your left and conduct the arm break or otherwise other wrestling, etc.
[35] Item: When you are in the high guard to stab, if he size you then with the left hand in your sword between your both hands, then go in with the pommel winding out or winding in, over his left hand and tear12 off to your right side and set it in, also you can off the high guard with the pommel well hit when it is precisely to you.
[36] The second guard with the short sword to battle
Note, hold your sword with both hands and hold it underneath, towards your right side with the handle near your right knee and that your left foot stands forward and your point to the man goes against the face.
[37] Item: When you this way stand in the guard, if he stands then against you in the high guard and you will from above in-place, then stab before and set the point to his forth-placed hand to the opening on the palm, or stab him over his forth-placed hand through and your sword, and press your pommel against the earth and set it in to the other side.
[38] Item: When he stabs to you from above, then hold with the left hand his sword in front of his left side and with the right set your sword with the hilt in your chest and set it in, etc.
[39] A break against the placing-through13
Item: When you go to stab him from the lower guard, if he stabs you from the high guard through between your forth-placed hand and the sword, then note if he will then with the pommel push downward, then go off to the high guard and set it in.
[40] Item: If you want to stab from the lower guard, if he then goes through with the pommel beneath your sword and will with it out-place, then hold him with the point strong in front of the face, and press him to his right hand this way underneath, if he will wind through and set it in.
[41] Item: If you want to stab strong from the lower guard to the face, if he stabs then towards you from the same one, then hold his sword in the middle with your with left with turned hand and hold they both to together and go with the pommel under through his sword and with the right arm pull from above off to your right side so you take his sword.
[42] Item this way break that
When you are with someone that with his left hand hold your sword in the middle towards him and you will that chase-out, then note when he your sword takes to the left hand, towards his, then go off in the high guard and set it in.
[43] Item: If you stab him from the lower guard in, agile to the face, if he miss-places then yank and stab him from outside to the face, if he miss-places further, then punch him with the pommel, in front over his right shoulder around the neck and spring with the right foot behind his left and pull in with the pommel over the leg so he falls, etc.
[44] Item break that this way
Whoever that to you with the pommel forward, around the neck goes and with the right foot spring behind your left, then grab his "right arm with your"14 left hand and press the firmly on his15 chest, and turn from him to the right side and take him off your left hip and throw him away from to you, etc.
[45] Item: Also you can from the lower guard also16 hit "with the pommel"17 when it is precise.
[46] The third guard with the short sword/ this is the third guard with the short sword to battle
Item: Hold your sword with both hands as before written is, and hold it over your left knee And therefore break him all his technics with miss-placement, etc.
[47] Item: If he stabs you from the high guard to the face and place the stab out with the sword in front of your left hand against his right side, then go off with the sword in the high guard and set it in.
[48] Item: Or go off with the sword and miss-place the high stab between both your hands and go in with the pommel18 over his forth-placed hand and pull with it underneath and set it in.
[49] Item: Go under through with the pommel over his forth-placed hand and pull with it underneath and set it in, also you can change through underneath with the pommel and in the stab out-place.
[50] Item: Also19 if you winded as here before written that you from the third guard hit, one should the hit with the pommel miss-place.
[51] The fourth guard with the short sword to battle
Item: Hold the sword with both hands as before written is and hold it with the handle underneath your right armpit and set the hilt forward in the right side of the chest that the point against the man stands, and in the guard should you off all three forth named guards come this way. when you to him stab to the opening and that the point stops in the armor then wind all the way your hilt in your chest and push him this way from your way back around and let him not from the point come out, then he can not make stabs nor hew nor hit.
[52] Item: "Note all that you want in-place that is placed in the face or in the neck or in his left shoulder or underneath his left armpit and"20 when you to him has forth-placed, if his is longer than21 yours is, then push him this way from you that the your point from underneath22 off goes and go in fully in his chainmail is placed.
[53] "Item: Or"23 if his is shorter however than yours is, then let your sword with the pommel to your right side underneath slip off to the right hip and that your point above stays and in his chainmail is fully placed, as before, and push him this way from you and let him from the sword not come out.
[54] The text from the “forward” and “behind”
22. Forward and behind are two things
Test knowingly learn with out spring
Explanation: This is that you before all else should know the "forward" and the "behind", because from those two things comes all art to battle, however, then remember that you always come forward before that he is with a slice or with a stab, then he must miss-place you and as quickly as he with the miss-places in the sword bind, then do your technique gracefully, so he can’t before your work his techniques not make and that is called the "forward".
[55] Item here note “what is named”24 the behind
That is the breaking against all techniques that he off to you try to do, and that take it this way, if he comes forward that you must miss-place him, then feel in the hand with the miss-placement with the point the next opening then rotate, with your rotation then work, and that is called the "behind".
[56] Item: Here you should note that in the battle fence you should not be from him more than an step out and one step in, and the take it this way, if he is faster than you, that you to can not reject his approach, then you should only one step to pull with left foot and wait carefully that you in with a step towards the left foot against in-placing or grip him with wrestling.
[57] The text from persecution with the sword to battle
23. Follow all steps
If the strong will you then confuse
24. If he defends then yank
Stab, if he defends pull from him
25. If he extends himself
Then are you artfully instructed
Explanation: Note25 that is, the persecution you should do against the strong fencers those who stretches and wish otherwise do not have the right art.
[58] Item: Against that arrange yourself this way, let you be against him in one guard let himself then also in one, then note precisely when he in his sword yank and26 when he will stab or lift up and will hew, then follow him quickly after with the point to the next opening before that he complete his stab or slice, if he then becomes aware of the in-placement and miss-places but waits with the sword and search on you but find no opening with the point then push however through and do the jerking all the way, as often as he miss-place you going after the sword, with it then27 you come also to the arm break and to other techniques28, And that is the art against all who do long and wait to fence with the sword and not to the man.
[59] “This is”29 the text about in-placing
26. If he attacks also strongly in
The shoot takes him in
Explanation: Note30, this is when one31 have in-placed and push you, then stab him in the palm of the hand that he is holding the sword in the middle, or if he have the hand turned, skillfully then stab from above below but in the same hand32.
[60] Or stab him to his arm beneath the gauntlet and when the stab stops then runs from you, so you gain in the side and otherwise a great advantage.
[61] Or stab him through over his forth-placed hand and your sword from above below and set your hilt in your chest and set it in, etc.
[62] Item: If he have in-placed in your left armpit then step to pull it with the left foot, so that you got his point out and that yours fixed. Also you can increase your sword reach when you with the wrestling your pommel push by your chest.
[63] The text how one should miss-place the strike
27. With same shooting point
He defends himself hit without fear
28. With both hands
The point towards the eyes learn to turn
Explanation: Note, the pommel is the “slaughtering” point, if he will to you with it overrun with strong strikes then hold your sword over your left knee and in the guard, if he strikes you then to the head and is a stronger man, then strike to the slice out with the sword towards your left hand against his right side, and go off with the sword in the higher guard.
[64] Or if he is weaker than you are then step freely in and catch the hit between both hands in your sword and set in the point in the face.
[65] Item: When you the hit with the pommel catch in the middle of your sword, then go with the pommel over his sword forward by the hilt and pull downward from above off your right side so that you take his sword.
[66] Item: If he strike to you with the pommel to the left knee then catch the slice between both your hands in the sword that the pommel hang towards the earth, And go with the pommel under through his sword forward by the hilt and pull from above off to your right side so you pull in his sword off the hands.
[67] Item: Or if he is weak to you with the pommel and33 underneath after the foot, then swing your sword with the pommel to your left side in the earth against his strike and spring with it to him and wait the wrestling.
[68] Item: When you have your sword near your right side in the lower guard, if he strike then with the pommel after the point and let it goes around for you run, then spring artfully towards him, so that he is bad with the pommel over you, that is not harmful to you and set it in.
[69] Item: Also you can race after and in-place where you wish, whilst he with the pommel this way wish to let around himself self run.
[70] This here after is the text about the strike with the pommel
29. The forward foot
With strikes you must keep
Explanation: Note34, this is When you with the pommel wish to hit, so you should do it with quite precisely aim his forth-placed extremity, And that take it this way: When you will hit, then hold your sword in the guard over your head and act as if you wanted to him in the face to in-place, and let your sword go to the right hand, and come with the left holding the middle of the blade and hit in with the pommel to the forth placed-foot or to his forth-placed hand, if he holds the sword in the middle, this way you can also hit to the lower guard from the right side.
[71] Item: You should also quite precisely look when he with the pommel hit to you, that your forth-placed knee or to your forth-placed hand hit, that you in the hit miss-place this way with the before written breaking, so that he might not damage you, etc.
Notes:
1 Word omitted in Vienna.
2 Phrase omitted in Dresden.
3 "Hand" in Dresden.
4 “schreit” ("screech") in all three versions, it seems to refer to a step.
5 Phrase only in Dresden.
6 Phrase only in Dresden.
7 "Sword" in Vienna and Rostock, it has been opted for "Hand" since the title refers to a technique with a bear hand.
8 "he grips you" in Vienna and Rostock.
9 Word omitted in Dresden.
10 “then yank, then yank” in Rostock.
11 "gemächten", translated as "face" to confirm if right.
12 "reÿß", translated as "tear" to confirm if right.
13 “stabbing-through” in Rostock.
14 Phrase omitted in Dresden.
15 Word omitted in Dresden.
16 "well to" in Dresden.
17 Phrase omitted in Dresden.
18 Missing in Rostock from this point on.
19 Word omitted in Dresden.
20 Phrase omitted in Dresden.
21 "when" in Dresden.
22 "upwards" in Dresden.
23 Phrase omitted in Dresden.
24 Phrase omitted in Dresden.
25 Word omitted in Dresden.
26 Word omitted in Dresden.
27 Only in Dresden.
28 "breaking" in Dresden.
29 Phrase omitted in Dresden.
30 Word omitted in Dresden.
31 “you” in Dresden.
32 "guard" in Dresden.
33 Only in Dresden.
34 Word omitted in Dresden.