Hans Lecküchner, The Art of Combat with the Langes Messer

Summary

<Inside cover. In the hand ofjohan Tettelbach:>

To his serene highness, the noble prince and lord Philip Ludwig, count palatine of the Rhine, duke in Bavaria, count of Veldenz and Sponheim, my gracious prince and lord.

Your princely grace's submissive and obedient superintendent of Burglengenfeld, Johan Tettelbach. 24 August 1579

<Copperplate ex-libris of Palatine Library on middle right. Added in the middle in a 19th or 20th-century hand:>

Formerly (1664) in Dtisseldorf; cf. Cbm. C. 555.

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<lr. This page bears the stamp of the Bavarian Royal Library at Munich>

This is the reverend Hans Leckuchner of Nuremberg's art and epitome of falchion-combat, of which he himself authored both the text and its explanation, for the high-born prince and lord, Duke Philip, count palatine of the Rhine, archsteward and elector, and duke in Bavaria.

The Prologue

If you wish to consider

and study falchion-combat,

then learn that which adorns you,

and ennobles you in sport and in earnest,

with which you will intimidate

and surprise the masters artfully.

Here begins the prologue on the falchion. And it says that he who wishes to fight with the falchion should learn the true art, and pay heed to the system described here. For if he can well conduct himself with true art before princes and lords, he shall deservedly be more highly praised for his skill, above other masters who do not know about this matter and do not know how to conduct themselves in it. For there are many masters of the sword who do not know about the way of the falchion nor are truly able to comprehend it. But he who knows how to conduct himself in these matters will find many earnest techniques with which he can well surprise and artfully overwhelm the masters, so that they will be hit, pushed, controlled, cast, or pinned in spite of themselves.

If one merely parries,

regardless of his skill, he will be harmed.

Now that the master has ended the prologue, he gives you a good precept. Understand it as follows: when you come to the opponent in the onset, you should not stand still with your falchion and wait for his cuts, since combatants who do nothing but parry are always getting hit.