Paul Kal’s Fechtbuch

Bavaria, 2nd half of the 15th century (not after 1479)
Parchment
Paul Kal (around 1420–after 1485) was the fencing master of Duke Louis IX of Bavaria-Landshut from 1450 to 1479, acting as fencing trainer, but also actively fighting in battles. Among his four manuscripts of the fencing book, three have dedications to the duke, indicating that they were created in the environment of the Bavarian-Palatine court. This one has the dedication on fol. 2r, and the author himself is presented making a pledge of allegiance (fol. 4r). From this codex for further fencing books today in Bologna, Vienna, Gotha and Solothurn today have been copied. Besides the fencing figures, the codex has presentations of Germanic judicial fights, already prohibited at this time, but practised nevertheless.
Fol. 6r: The excellent drawing shows an allegorical fencer figure with a hawk's head, a lion's heart and a hind's feet. The inscriptions explain this combination: "Ich hab auge als ein falk das man mich nit beschalk" (I have eyes like a hawk, so that I cannot be betrayed), "Ich hab hercz als ein leb das ich hin czü streb" (I have a heart like a lion that I may struggle hard), "Ich hab fües als ein hind das ich hin czü und dar von spring" (I have feet like a hind to spring forward and away).