Incipit liber duellandi et dimicandi et uocatur Flos duellatorum in armis sine rmis equester et pedester conpositus per me florium de liberis de cividato austrie aquilegensis diocesis quondam domini benedicti de nobilti prosapia liberorum natus.
FLORIUS foroiuliensis de liberis de ciuidato austrie aquilegensis diocesis, quondam domini benedicti progenitus, cunctis ludo armorum intendere uolentibus pedestribus sceu equitibus salutem in domino et optatorum prosperum euentum.
Cum a primordio iuuentutis appetitu naturali ad belicosos actus fuerim inclinatus, me monuit per processum etatis industria ad plurima huius artis ingenia capescenda, uelut ensis lancee dagardi nec minus brachii ludendi pedester vel equester:
quorum omnium deo dante plenariam notitiam sum adeptus expertorum magistrorum exemplis multifariis et doctrina ytalicorum ac alamanorum et maxime a magistro johane dicto suueno, qui fuit scholaris magistri Nicholai de toblem mexinensis diocesis, ac etiam a pluribus principibus ducibus marchionibus et comitibus et ab aliis innumerabilibus et diuerssis locis et prouinciis.
Jam uero declinante huius exercicii proposito, ne forte tantum milicie iochalle negligenter deperiret, quod equidem in gueris uel alio quolibet tumultu peritis uiris prestantissimum subsidium elargitur, disposui librum conponere prelibate artis utilliora concernentem, uarias in eo pingendo figuras et exemplo ponendo; quibus inuasionum modis defensionum ue pariter et astutiis uti possit inspesserit, armiger siue pugil.
Quicunque ergo generos animi hoc nostrum opus quoddam quasi thesaurum dilligat et recondat, ne quando inter rurales nullatenus propaletur: ipsos enim obtusi senssus et agilitati ineptos ac ut iumenta oneribus applicandos cellum generauit. Auapropter ab hoc preciso archano censeo reppellendo et per opositum ad ipsum comitandos reges duces principes et barones, ceteros denique curiales et alios habilies in duello iuxta illud: "Imperatoriam mayestatem non sollum armis decoratam" etc.
Nec quuisquis in volumine presenti falssam rem aut errorem non permisctum credat opositum; quoniam ambigua resecando, sollummodo uisa et a me probata et inuenta describuntur.
Incipiamus itaque intencionem nostram exponere cum omnipotentis auxilio, cuius nomen sit benedictum et collaudatum in seculla.
Amen.
Latin text transcribed from original script by Marco Rubboli and Luca Cesari, "Fiore dei Liberi - Flos Duellatorum, Manuale di arte del combattimento del XV secolo", il Cerchio, 2002
Here starts the book on dueling and fighting called the Flower of Battles with harness and without, on horse and on foot, composed by me Fiore de' Liberi of Cividale d'Austria in the Diocese of Aquileia, son of Sir Benedetto of the noble house of the Liberi.
To all those who want to learn how to handle weapons on foot and on horse, Fiore from Friuli de' Liberi from Cividale d'Austria in the Diocese of Aquileia, son of Sir Benedetto, wishes health in the Lord and a good result to all their endeavors.
Because I was attracted by a natural desire, since adolescence, to the practice of combat, I applied myself very diligently, with the passing years, to the many secrets of the art of fighting with the sword, the spear, the dagger, and also unarmed, on foot and on horse.
Thanks to God, I received all this knowledge from various teachers and from lessons from expert masters from Italy and Germany, and in particular from Master Giovanni called Suveno, who was a scholar of Nicolo' from Metz, and from many Princes, Dukes, Counts and many others in diverse places and provinces.
And so, taking a break from the practical exercises, in order to avoid that this martial discipline, which is of so great assistance to expert people in war and any other occasion, wouldn't get lost and forgotten, I have decided to write a book about the aspects more useful and refined of such an art, drawing on it pictures and adding some examples, thanks to which the armed man and the wrestler can make use of techniques and cunnings both for attack and defense.
Moreover, any nobleman who studies this work of ours should take great care for it as it were a treasure, so that it will not be divulged among the peasantry, which Heaven created dull and only for the use of heavy work, like animals of burden. Therefore, one must keep this precious and secret science away from them and bring it to Kings, Dukes, Princes, Barons and other noblemen entitled to duelling.
No one should think that in this book there are false or erroneous concepts because, eliminating the ambiguities, I have described in it only techniques that I have invented, or seen, or tried.
Let us then start our work with the help of the Omnipotent, whose Name be blessed and praised through the centuries.
Amen.
Translation of Fiore de Liberi's printed words by Hermes Michelini of Calgary, 2001, Knights of the Wild Rose.