We just added a rather unique new, but uncompleted treatise to our database. This time it is the Codex Guelf 83.4 August 8°, entitled “Das ander Theil des newen kunstreichen Fechtbuches, darin alle fürnembste nutzbarliche vnd geheimbte Stücke, so im Schwerdt, halben Stangen, Helbart, Tolch, Dosacken, Tolchnehmen vnd im Ringen vnd Werffen nützlich können gebraucht werdenn, zu befinden seindt. Anno 1591. Mit handschriftlichen Erklärungen dazu”, written by an anonymous author in 1591.
What makes it unique is the fact that it is not a Liechtenauer treatise and yet teaches both Ringen, longsword, dagger, staff, halberd and dussack.
As such it is the fourth known “original” treatise to handle the dussack, alongside of Andres Paurnfeindt, Paul Hektor Mair and Joachim Meyer (not counting the Meyer-derived Jakob Sutor and Theodor Verolini).
It is also the 2nd proper illustrated treatise to handle the Halben Stangen and the Halberd, with the other being the 1570 treatise of Joachim Meyer.
All this makes this treatise very, very interesting indeed. Not to mention the rather gruesome and gory images showing some sturdy boys whacking the living shit out of each other.
Thanks to Herzog August Bibliothek for providing this!
Gothenburg Historical Fencing School
Me too. It is intriguing, isn’t it? The rapier is of course missing here, but might not have been included. Rossfechten and Harnischfechten likewise.
Or perhaps a bit more flesh for the basics, maybe for the longsword. There is almost no terminology used apart from langen/kurtzen schneid and a few odd, vaguely familiar guards for the dussacken.