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As of summer 2003 this translation is no longer being updated.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