The play with the 2 hand sword in verse
“The Man Who Wol” MS Harley 3542: ff 84-85
“The Man Who Wol” MS Harley 3542: ff 84-85
Man þt wol to þe to hond swerd lern boþe close & clere
He most haue a goode eye boþe fer & nere
& an in stop . & an owte stop . & an hauke qa rter. A cantel . a doblet . an half for hys fere
Too rowndys . & an halfe wt a goede chere .
This ys þe ferst cowntere of þe toohond swerd sere
Bynde he- to gedere & sey god spede .
Two qa rters & a rownde a stop þn hy- bede
A rake wt a spryng þere þn hy- a byde .
Ffalle i- wt an hauke & stride noȝte to wyde
Smyte a re- ny- g qa rter owte for hys syde
Ffal a po- hys harneys yf he wole a byde
Come in wt a rake in eur y a syde
An hole rownde & an halfe . Wath so ht be
tyde
.iiij. qa rters & a rownd . & aue- ture stroke wyth
Bere vp hys harnes & gete þn þe gryth
Dobyl vp lyȝtly & do as y seye
Ffal in wt an hauke & bere a goede eye
He most haue a goode eye boþ
& an in stop . & an owte stop . & an hauke q
Too rowndys . & an halfe w
This ys þ
Bynde he
Two q
A rake w
Ffalle i
Smyte a re
Ffal a po- hys harneys yf he wole a byde
Come in w
An hole rownde & an halfe . Wath so h
.iiij. q
Ber
Dobyl vp lyȝtly & do as y seye
Ffal in w
The man that will to the two hand sword learn both close and clear.
He must have a good eye both far and near.
And an in-step, an out-step. And a hawk quarter. A cantle, a doublet, a half for his fear.
Two rounds-and-a-half with a good cheer.
This is the first counter of the two-hand sword sere [several].
Bind here together and say Godspeed.
Two quarters and a round a stop then he bede [prayer].
A rake with a spring there then he abide.
Fall in with a hawk and stride not too wide.
Smite a raining quarter out for his side.
Fall upon his harness if he will abide.
Come in with a rake on every side.
A whole round-and-a-half. [Wath] so it betide.
Four quarters and a round, and aventure stroke with.
Bear up his harness and get then the gryth [peace].
Double-up lightly and do as I say.
Fall in with a hawk and bear a good eye.
He must have a good eye both far and near.
And an in-step, an out-step. And a hawk quarter. A cantle, a doublet, a half for his fear.
Two rounds-and-a-half with a good cheer.
This is the first counter of the two-hand sword sere [several].
Bind here together and say Godspeed.
Two quarters and a round a stop then he bede [prayer].
A rake with a spring there then he abide.
Fall in with a hawk and stride not too wide.
Smite a raining quarter out for his side.
Fall upon his harness if he will abide.
Come in with a rake on every side.
A whole round-and-a-half. [Wath] so it betide.
Four quarters and a round, and aventure stroke with.
Bear up his harness and get then the gryth [peace].
Double-up lightly and do as I say.
Fall in with a hawk and bear a good eye.
A spryng & a rownde & stap in wyth
Spare noȝth a- hauke yf he lye in þy kyth
Smyte a re-ne-g qarter fore owte of þy honde
A byde a pon a pe-dent & lese not þy londe
Smyte i- þe lyfte foete & cleue ryȝt dovne
Geder ovte of þy ryȝte hond & smyte a- hauke rovnde
Ffresly smyte þy strokis by dene .
And hold wel þy lond þath hyt may be sene
Spare noȝth a
Smyte a re
A byde a pon a pe
Smyte i
Geder ovte of þy ryȝte hond & smyte a
Ffresly smyte þy strokis by dene .
And hold wel þy lond þath hyt may be sene
A spring and a round and step in with.
Spare not a hawk if he lie in thy kyth [country].
Smite a raining quarter fore out of thy hand.
Abide upon a pendent and lose not thy land.
Smite in the left foot and cleave right down.
Gather out of thy right hand and smite a hawk round.
Freshly smite they strokes by dene
[noise]. And hold well they land that it may be seen.
Spare not a hawk if he lie in thy kyth [country].
Smite a raining quarter fore out of thy hand.
Abide upon a pendent and lose not thy land.
Smite in the left foot and cleave right down.
Gather out of thy right hand and smite a hawk round.
Freshly smite they strokes by dene
[noise]. And hold well they land that it may be seen.
Thy rakys . þy rowndis . þy qa rters a bowte[85]
Thy stoppis . þy foynys . lete he- fast rowte
Thy spryngys . þy quarters . þy rabetis also
Bere a goede eye & lete þy hand go
Ffy on a false hert þt dar not a byde
Wen he seyþ rovndys . & rakys re- inyng by hs side
Ffle not hastly for a lytil pryde
Ffor lytil wote þy adur sary wath hy- shal be tide
Thy stoppis . þy foynys . lete he
Thy spryngys . þy quarters . þy rabetis also
Ber
Ffy on a false hert þ
Wen he seyþ rovndys . & rakys re
Ffle not hastly for a lytil pryde
Ffor lytil wote þy adu
Thy rakes, thy rounds, thy quarters about.
Thy stops, thy foins, let him fast rout.
Thy springs, thy quarters, thy rabatis also.
Bear a good eye and let they hand go.
Fie on a false heart that dare not abide.
When he sees rounds and rakes raining by his side.
Flee not hastily for a little pride.
For little knows thy adversary what he shall betide.
Thy stops, thy foins, let him fast rout.
Thy springs, thy quarters, thy rabatis also.
Bear a good eye and let they hand go.
Fie on a false heart that dare not abide.
When he sees rounds and rakes raining by his side.
Flee not hastily for a little pride.
For little knows thy adversary what he shall betide.
Lete strokys fast folowe aftr hys honde
And hauk rovnde & st wt a stop & stil þt þu stond
Greue not gretly þov þu be tochyd a lyte
Ffor a- aftr stroke ys betr yf þu dar hy- smyte
A gode rovnde wt an hauke & smyte ryȝt dovne
Gedyr vp a doblet & spare not hys crovne
Wt a rownde & a rake a byde at a bay
Wt a re- ny- g qarter sette hy- oute of hys way
Thys buþe þe lettr þt stondy- in hys syȝte
To teche . or to play . or ellys for to fyȝte
These buþe þe strokys of þy hole grovnde
Ffor hurte . or for dynte . or ellys for deþys wond
And hauk rovnde & st w
Greue not gretly þov þ
Ffor a
A gode rovnde w
Gedyr vp a doblet & spar
W
W
Thys buþ
To teche . or to play . or ellys for to fyȝte
These buþe þe strokys of þy hole grovnde
Ffor hurte . or for dynte . or ellys for deþys wond
Let strokes fast follow after his hand.
And hawk round and ? with a step and still that thou stand.
Grieve not greatly though thou be touched a lite.
For an after-stroke is better if thou dare him smite.
A good round with a hawk and smite right down.
Gather up a doublet and spare not his crown.
With a round and a rake abide at a bay [noise].
With a raining quarter set him out of his way.
These are the letters that stand in his sight.
To teach, or to play, or else to fight.
These are the strokes of your whole ground.
For hurt, or for strike, or else for death’s wonde [parry].
And hawk round and ? with a step and still that thou stand.
Grieve not greatly though thou be touched a lite.
For an after-stroke is better if thou dare him smite.
A good round with a hawk and smite right down.
Gather up a doublet and spare not his crown.
With a round and a rake abide at a bay [noise].
With a raining quarter set him out of his way.
These are the letters that stand in his sight.
To teach, or to play, or else to fight.
These are the strokes of your whole ground.
For hurt, or for strike, or else for death’s wonde [parry].
GLOSSARY OF FIGHTING TERMS
Bokeler - shield boss, metaphor for protection
Cross - poss. "across" in some references, or the cross-guard of the sword
Doubil Rowndys - (i.e. "double rounds") two "Rowndes", poss. horizontal cuts
Foyne - a thrust, foin
Harneys - harness, suit of armour
Hauke - (i.e., a "hawk") vertical downward blows from a high overhead guard, such as the Italian posta de falcone
Cross - poss. "across" in some references, or the cross-guard of the sword
Doubil Rowndys - (i.e. "double rounds") two "Rowndes", poss. horizontal cuts
Foyne - a thrust, foin
Harneys - harness, suit of armour
Hauke - (i.e., a "hawk") vertical downward blows from a high overhead guard, such as the Italian posta de falcone
Hauke snatch - possibly a cut where the sword is quickly pulled back ?
Koc stappis - (i.e. "cock steps") poss. short, skipping steps, like a rooster
Menyd - possibly meaning intent, purpose, or disposition, although the Oxford English Dictionary suggests "Menys" means "to menace"
Qrter / Quarter - a vertical cut or a blow to a limb, as in "quarter haukes" being strikes to the extremities
Rabetis - (i.e., "rabbits"), "rabet" is a term used for parries by the 15th century knight and chronicler/poet Olivier de la Marche (thus, "hawks" and "rabbits" may refer to blows and parries)
Koc stappis - (i.e. "cock steps") poss. short, skipping steps, like a rooster
Menyd - possibly meaning intent, purpose, or disposition, although the Oxford English Dictionary suggests "Menys" means "to menace"
Qrter / Quarter - a vertical cut or a blow to a limb, as in "quarter haukes" being strikes to the extremities
Rabetis - (i.e., "rabbits"), "rabet" is a term used for parries by the 15th century knight and chronicler/poet Olivier de la Marche (thus, "hawks" and "rabbits" may refer to blows and parries)
Rake - poss. a draw cut or slice as a rake; shot
Rolling Stroke - poss. a molinello-style cut
Rownd - A swinging stroke or circular cut (i.e., a molinello), perhaps a follow through from one line of attack to another as opposed to a "return in line"
Renyng - poss. "raining" as in falling blows
Stroke Auentur - poss. a strike made at a chance opening (stroke a venture)
Wastyd - perhaps a feint or strike thrown purposely short
Wote - as in "to wit" (or "such that") ?
Rolling Stroke - poss. a molinello-style cut
Rownd - A swinging stroke or circular cut (i.e., a molinello), perhaps a follow through from one line of attack to another as opposed to a "return in line"
Renyng - poss. "raining" as in falling blows
Stroke Auentur - poss. a strike made at a chance opening (stroke a venture)
Wastyd - perhaps a feint or strike thrown purposely short
Wote - as in "to wit" (or "such that") ?