What to do if you are called for the judicial duel with mace and shield

The Folios 128r-129v of the KK5126, Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria, do contain some recommendations for a participant of a mace – shield duel in a judicial court. The most interesting thing for us is that it is not absolutely expected that the fighters must die. It is asked for regulations, what will happen if someone wins or loses. A fighter may call a defined number of times for the “staff” such that the duel will be stopped and is continued. Eventually the duel is paused, so that everyone gets a rest.

Transcription was done by Carsten Lorbeer, Julia Lorbeer, Andreas Meier, Marita Wiedner in their project “Pragmatische Schriftlichkeit“. The first translation draft was done by Daniel Jaquet, second by me.

Tout zw dem erstn sol im sein fursprech wandel dingenn vnd alle recht die ein chempfer von rechtz wegenn habenn sol es sey warner lüsner grieswartl vnd was ein chempfer habenn sol	First he should inquire before the assembly about all things and rights which a fighter should have according to the law, may it be an advisor, a listener and a grid-wardner, and what a fighter should have (possess or be equipped with)
Jtem wenn er sein warn benennt so sol er fragenn wie er warnenn sol das er recht thu vnnd nicht vnrecht	When his advisor is named, he should ask how he should advise, so that he does it lawfully and not unlawfully.
Jtem er sol auch fragenn ob er vnd der warner wol zw dem chempfer gen müge dy weyl er an seiner rue siczt vnnd mit in ir notturfft redenn	He should also ask if he and the advisor may go to the fighter while he is seated at his rest-place and speak to him (negotiate) about their claims.
Jtem er sol aber fragenn ob er ein sig gewinne oder verlornn ob er vnnd sein warner wol zw im gen mügen vnd ir noturfft wol mit ym redenn also so er wider an sein rue chumbt ym chrais	He should then ask wether he won or lost victory, if he and his advisor may go to him and talk about their claims, when he his back again at his rest-place in the circle.
Jtem wenn er denn grieswertel oder lusner genannt so sol er in fragenn wie er lüsen Sol das er recht thue vnnd nicht vnrecht	When the grid-warden or the listener is named, then he should ask how he should loose so that he does it lawfully and not unlawfully
Jtem er sol auch fragenn wie er mit der stängenn thun sol das er recht thue	He should also ask how he should handle the staff so that he does it lawfully
Jtem er sol auch fragenn ob ir ainer der stangenn begert wie er die vntterstossenn sol das er recht thue vnnd nicht vnrecht	He should also ask, if one requires the staff, how he  should push down the staff, so that he does it lawfully and not unlawfully
Jtem er sol auch fragenn was die grieswertel oder lusner hornn oder sehenn wie sy das furbringen das sy recht thunn vnnd nicht vnrecht	He should also ask what the grid-warden or the listener should listen or see and how they should bring it forward, so that they do it lawfully and not unlawfully.
Jtem er sol auch fragenn was die grieswärtl ein müetiglich sagenn als die das gesehenn oder gehort habenn ob es icht billichenn do bey beleyb	He should also ask, if that, what the grid-warden say unanimously, when they had seen or listen something, will rightfully stay that way.
Jtem er sol auch fragenn ob die griswertel mit ein ander nicht stössig sein vnd nit vber ains mochten wern zw sagenn was dann dy vrtailer gesehenn oder gehort hiettenn ob es nit billichenn do peleybe das weybe leyb vnd das die auch dar vmb sagenn süllenn	He should also ask, if the grid-warden, are not related to each other, that they do not reject together, what the judges had seen or listened, such that it not stays rightfully, what should stay, and should be said by them too.
Er sol auch fragenn es sey grieswertl oder vrtailer wie sy darvmben sagenn sullenn das sy recht thunn das man das ausfunndig[6] mach	He should also ask, may it be the grid-warden or the judge, that they should say, that they process the law,  that one can find [in a book].
Es sol auch denn chempfer frag[e]n wellicher ein anchlager sey ob er icht billich[e]n die wal vnnd die vorfart hab zu dem chrais zw siczenn mit seinem stull wo er wil	He should also then ask which fighter shall be the first to strike, if he has the right to choose and to have the advantage to be the first to enter the circle to sit with his chair where he wants.
Er so auch denn chempfer fragenn wie manigen cholben er habenn sul vnd was er habenn sol zw dem champf	He should also ask how many maces he should have and what he shall have for the combat.
Er sol auch fragenn ob er ein cholbenn verwürff der aus dem chrais chemb was recht werr	He should also ask what the regulation is, when he loses a mace outside of the circle.
Er sol auch fragenn ob er ein cholbenn verwürff der im chrais be lib ob im der nicht, billichenn zw staten wider chem ob er sein begert	He should ask too, if he loses a mace, which remains inside of the circle, if he will have the right to get it back, if he requires it.
Jtem er sol fragenn ob sein grieswärtl ycht billichenn ein cholbenn bey im habenn sull oder eins begert das er im denn mocht zw pringenn das das (sic) er Recht dar ann tat vnnd nicht vnnrecht	He should ask if his grid-warden is allowed to have a mace on him or is allowed to request one, that he may bring to him, so that he does it with Right and not unlawfully.
Er sol fragn was aus dem chrais chem es wer an hennden am leyb an ann[7] fuessenn ain[8] schilt ann cholbenn was darvmb Recht sey	He should ask what can go outside the circle, may it be a hand, a body, a foot, a shield, or a mace, what is the regulation on this.
Er sol fragenn wie manige stanngenn er beger[e]nn sul vnd wie offt er den Sig domit v[er]lorn hab	He should ask how many staffs, he is allowed to request for, and after how many he would lose the victory.
Er sol fragenn ob man sy nicht billich[e]n beschauenn sul ob sy nichtz vngleichs oder vnpillichs bey in hettenn	He should ask, if they should not be rightfully proved, such that they are not of the same size or his is uncorrectly.
Er sol auch frag[e]n ob man die schilt vnnd anndern Zeug nicht billichenn beschauen sull	He should also ask if one should not be allowed to check  the shield and other things if they are correct.
Er sol fragn wie offt er sein zue habm sull vnnd wie lanng	He should ask how often he may have his rest and how long.
Er sol fragenn wie er auf stenn sull zw dem champf	He should ask how he should stand up in the combat.
Er sol fragenn ob icht pillichenn beleyb panalenn puntten vnd artikel[e]n als die vor mit recht ertaylt sein wordenn vnd in dem puech geschribenn stenn	He should request that the all the formerly as given law declared and approved paragraphs and articles were written in(to) the book.
Er sol frag[e]n welcher des chambs der nyderlig wie man zw dem selbm richt[e]n sol er sol fragenn wer richtenn sull	He should ask, if someone steps back from the fight, how he will be judged and by whom.
Er sol fragn ob yemand steurt oder lerm[m]it mit wortten oder mit werckenn was darvmb recht sey vnnd ob man das icht billichenn verpiett vnd wie man das verpietenn sull	He should ask, if someone disturbs or makes noise, by words or any other means, what the law says on this, and if it is not rightfully forbidden, and how it is forbidden.
Ob auf lauff hinder dem ring geschehe ob das denn chempfernn kain schadn pring[e]n sold	If a crowd gathers behind the circle, what are the precautions, that this will not bring any problems to the fighter