Period Fencing Manuals from SCA link

Royal Armouries MS I.33, Sword and buckler manual (Germany, c.1300).

This anonymous combat manual is Germanic in origin and dated as either late thirteenth
or early fourteenth century. It is expected that Royal Armouries in Leeds, who currently
own the manual, will publish a work on the manual, but this has not yet been
forthcoming. Images from the manual can be viewed at ARMA's manuals site.

Liechtenaur, Johann, Kunst des langen Schwertes or Kunst des Fechtens

(Germany, c.1389).

There's two recent facsimile reprints of this manual, which appears to have been
reproduced several times. The first is by Hans-Peter Hils, Meister Johan Liectenaurs Kunst
des langen Schwertes (Frankfurt-am-Main, Bern, New York, 1985). The second older book
is Martin Weirschin's Meister Johann Leichtenaurs Kunst des Fechten (Munich, 1965).

Fiore de' Liberi da Premariacco, Flos duellatorum in armis, sine armis, equester,
pedester (Italy, c.1410).

There are two main manuscripts for this manual. The first is the lost Pisani-Dossi
manuscript, a copy of which was published and edited by Francesco Novati, Bergamo,
1902. The second is the manuscript held at the Getty Museum, MS Ludwig XV, 13. An
English translation can be found at www.vararmouries.com/wildrose/fiore/fiore.html.

Talhoffer, Hans, Fechtbuch aus den Jahre (Germany, 1443, 1459, 1467).

Facsimile copies of some of Talhoffer's work can be found at the HACA site. A long-
awaited modern English edition is also finally available! "Medieval Combat: A 15th Century
Manual of Swordfighting and Close-Quarter Combat", Translated by Mark Rector. Greenhill
Books/Lionel Leventhal; (September 2000) ISBN: 1853674184)

Monte, Pietro, Exercitiorum, atque artis militaris collectanea (Milan, 1509).

Probably one of the most frustrating manuals known to modern fencing scholars, due to
it's exceptionally low availabilty. Tantalising glimpses of Monte's manual can be found in
Angelo's "Martial Arts of Rennaisance Europe".

Pauernfeindt, Andre, Ritterlicher kunst der Fecterey (Vienna, 1516).

Manciolino, Antonio, Opera nova (Venice, 1531).

An English translation of this manual by William Jherek Swanger can be found on

www.drizzle.com/~celyn/jherek/EngManc.pdf.

Marozzo, Achille, Opera nova (Modena, 1536).

A pdf fascimile copy of this manual in the original Italian can be found at
jan.ucc.nau.edu/~wew/fencing.html in the manuals section. An explanation on Marozzo's
system written by Giovanni Rapisardi can be found at jan.ucc.nau.edu/~wew/other/gr/.

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William Wilson has an article about Marozzo's Progression at
mac9.ucc.nau.edu/~wew/marozzo/, and an English translation at
jan.ucc.nau.edu/~wew/fencing/sca/marozzo-sca.pdf. This translation does not include the
plates, however these can be found in the Italian language facsimile.

Auerswald, Fabian von, Ringer Kunst (Wittenberg, 1539).

Agrippa, Camillo, Trattato di scientia d'arme (Rome, 1553).

A pdf fascimile copy of this manual can be found at William Wilson's site.There are also an
explanation of Agrippa's manual written by Roger Siggs at
jan.ucc.nau.edu/~wew/fencing/sca/CamilloAgrippa.pdf.

Di Grassi, Giacomo, Ragione di adoprar sicuramente l'arme (Venice, 1570).

A pdf facsimile copy of the original Italian language manual can be found at William
Wilson's site.

Meyer, Joachim, Gründtliche Beschreibung der kunst des Fechtens (Strasbourg,

1570).

Dall'Agocchie, Giovanni, Dell'arte di scrimia (Venice, 1572).

Sainct Didier, Henri de, Traicté contenant les secrets du premier livre de l'espée
seule (Paris, 1573).

A pdf facsimile copy can be found at www.the-exiles.org/Library.htm. An English

translation is available from Laura Agnotti. Contact her via mail to determine cost and
delivery options. Her address is:
Laura Agnotti, 76 Westmoreland Avenue, Arlington MA 02174 USA (PH: +1-781-643-
6867).

Lovino, Giovanni Antonio, Traite d'Escrime (Milan, c. 1580).

An English translation by Giovanni Rapisardi and William Wilson is available from William
Wilson. Contact him via email to determine cost and delivery options. His email address is
gwylym@infomagic.net.

Viggiani, Angelo, Lo schermo (Venice, 1575).

Note: Although Viggiani's manual was not published until 1575, it was actually completed
prior to his death, and is dedicated by the author on 15 May 1551. An English translation
of this manual by William Jherek Swanger can be found on
www.drizzle.com/~celyn/jherek/EngManc.pdf. He also has a practical guide to Viggiani's
work at www.drizzle.com/~celyn/jherek/practicalviggiani.pdf.

Carranza, Geronimo Sánchez de, Libro que trata de la philosophía de la armas

(Lisbon, 1582).

A pdf fascimile copy of this manual can be found at William Wilson's site.

Falloppia, Alfonso, Nuovo et brieve modo di schermire (Bergamo, 1584).

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Ghisliero, Federico, Regole di molti cavagliereschi esseritii (Parma, 1587).

Di Grassi, Giacomo, His True Arte of Defence, etc (London, 1594).

This is the 'Englished' version published by I.G. gentleman. Several versions of this
manual are available. A pdf facsimile is available at
www.schooleofdefence.fsnet.co.uk/page9.html.

Saviolo, Vincentio, Vincentio Saviolo his Practise in two bookes (London, 1595).

Available in facsimile form in Jackson's book (see References). A transcription is also

available online. Book 1 and Book 2. There appear to be some errors in the transcription,
so it may pay to get a hold of the fascimile copy.

Silver, George, Paradoxes of Defence (London, 1599) and Bref Instructions upon
my Parodoxes of Defence (Sloane MS No. 376, c.1599).

Available in facsimile form in Jackson's book (see References). There is an online

transcription of both Paradoxes of Defence and Bref Instructions. There appear to be some
errors in the transcription, so it may pay to get a hold of the fascimile copy.

Narváez, Luis Pacheco de, Libro de las grandezas de la espada (Madrid, 1600).

Docciolini, Marco, Trattato in materia di scherma (Florence, 1601).

Fabris, Salvator, Scienza e practica d'arme (Copenhagen, 1606).

A pdf fascimile copy of this manual can be found at William Wilson's site.

Giganti, Nicoletto, Scola overo teatro (Venice, 1606).

A pdf fascimile copy of this manual can be found at William Wilson's site.

Capoferro, Ridolfo, Gran simulacro (Siena, 1610).

A pdf fascimile copy of this manual in the original Italian can be found at
mac9.ucc.nau.edu/fencing/manuscripts/capoferro.pdf. A practical guide to Capoferro's
system written by William Wilson can be found at mac9.ucc.nau.edu/manuscripts/pcapo/,
and an English translation by William Wilson and William Jherek Swanger at
mac9.ucc.nau.edu/manuscripts/pcapo/EnglishCF.pdf. This translation does not include the
plates, however these can be found in the Italian language facsimile or as a stand alone
document at mac9.ucc.nau.edu/manuscripts/pcapo/CapoFerro-Plates.pdf.

Swetnam, Joseph, The Schoole of the Noble and Worthy Science of Defence
(London, 1617).

A pdf fascimile copy of this manual can be found at

www.schooleofdefence.fsnet.co.uk/page9.html.

Gaiani, Giovan' Battista, Arte di maneggiar la spada (Loano, 1619).

FROM: http://www.sca.org.au/rapier/guild_manuals.htm#Index