Lew/Christian Trosclair LS 2022

A short commentary of the afore pictured stances in the sword further accompanies

1	Young knight learn  To have love for god, honor maidens and women
2	Then accumulate your lessons  and learn
3	Art that decorates you  And in war exalts with honor.
4	Use the good grips of wrestling,  Lance, spear, sword, and Messer
5	like a man  And render them useless in other's hands.
6	Attack suddenly and engage  Let it hang or let it go.
7	So that one can masterfully praise  Your knowledge

Here it begins, a good general lesson of the long sword, yet there is much good, concealed art locked herein.

9	If you wish to examine the art,  Go left and right with cutting
10	And left with right  If you desire to fence strongly.

The first lesson of the long sword is that before anything you should learn to cut correctly. That is, if you wish to otherwise fence strongly. Look at it like this. When you stand with the left foot forwards and cut from your right side, this cut is then spurious and incorrect. Because when your right side remains behind it, the cut becomes too short thereby and its correct path down to the other side in front of the left foot cannot happen.

Or if you stand with the right foot forwards and cut from the left side, if you do not then also follow the cut with your left foot, then the cut is again spurious. Therefore, see to it that when you cut from the right side that you always follow the cut with the right foot. Do exactly the same when you cut from the left side so that your body brings itself correctly into balance with it. In this way, the cuts become long and are conducted correctly.

11	Whoever chases after cuts  Allows themselves to enjoy little of the art.

Gloss. This means when you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, you do not stand still and wait around for their attacks until they initiate one at you. Know that all fencers that just watch for someone's cut and then will do nothing other than parry, they allow themselves to enjoy quite little of the art, because by doing so, they become gravely struck.

12	Cut from close proximity whatever you wish  No change enters your shield
13	To the head, to the body  Do not omit the blows
14	With the entire body  Fence whatever you desire to conduct with strength.

Look at it like this, when you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing. Whatever you subsequently wish to fence, drive that with the entire strength of the body and with that, cut in at the opponent's head from close proximity and at that moment, you simultaneously constrain them so that they must parry and cannot come to any disengaging in front of that because you come too close to them with your point. If they then come strongly against your sword with an act of parrying, then give them a wound on their left arm and with that, step back before they come to their senses.

15	Hear what is bad therein  Do not fence on the left if you are a righty
16	And if you are a lefty  You also quite awkward in fencing

This is a good lesson that touches upon a lefty and a righty and know this, however you shall cut, do it such that someone cannot overcome the weakness in your sword in the initial cut and look at it like this, when you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, if you are a righty and wish to fence strongly, then do not cut the first cut from the left side by choice because it is weak and with it you cannot hold fast when they bind you. But if you cut from the right side, then you may hold very strongly in opposition and work whatever you wish at the sword.

In the same way if you are a lefty, then again do not cut the first cut from the right side. For it is quite undependable art for a righty to drive from the left side and it is also the same for a lefty from the right side.

17	Before and After, the two things  Are the singular origin of all art.
18	Weakness and strength  Indes, note them with this word
19	So that you may learn  To work and ward with art.
20	If you frighten easily  Don't ever learn to fence.

This means that before anything you shall see and understand the two things correctly. This means the before and the after and weakness and strength and the word Indes, because the entire art of fencing comes from those. When you correctly see and understand the [two] things and do not forget the word Indes in all plays therein that you conduct, then you are indeed a good master of the sword and can teach princes and lords well so that they can keep to the proper art of the sword in play and in earnest.

Item. When you come first with your cut or whatever such that they must parry you, then work swiftly Indes with your sword in front of you or otherwise with other plays and do not let them come any further with any work.

Item. When the opponent comes first with their cut, such that you must then parry them, then Indes work swiftly with your sword or whatever during the act of parrying so that you deprive them of the before with the after, this is called before and after.

Item. Now before anything, you shall know about the weakness and strength of the sword. Look at it like this: From the hilt to the midpoint, that is the strong, from the midpoint to the point is the weak and how you should work according to the weak and with the strong at the sword, you shall find all of that written hereafter.

21	Learn five cuts  From the right hand, against the defences
22	Because we believe  In skills that pay off easily

Note there are five concealed cuts. Whoever can break them with the proper art without harm, they will be praised by other masters and is appropriate that their skills shall become better valued than the others. And how you shall execute these cuts with three plays, you will find all of these written hereafter.

23	Wrathcut Crooked and Crosswise,  If the Eye Cocker keeps with the Parter,
24	The Fool parries.  Pursuing, overrunning, displaces
25	Disengage, Suddenly withdraw,  Rush through, cut off, press the hands
26	Tilt and Turn to uncover with  Slash, catch, sweep, stab to clash with

Gloss: Note the correct chief components of the art of the long sword will be named for you here as they designate each with its name so that you can see and understand all the better.

First note the five cuts

The first is called the wrathcut
The second, the crooked cut
The third, the crosswise cut
The fourth, the cockeyed cut
The fifth, the part cut

Item: Now note the plays after this.

The first, these are the four guards
The second, the four parries
The third, the pursuing
The fourth, the overrunning
The fifth, the displacing
The sixth, the disengaging
the seventh, the sudden withdrawal
The eighth, the slipping through
The ninth, the cutting off
The tenth, the hand pressing
The eleventh, these are the hangings
The twelfth, these are the windings.

In this way, the cuts and the plays seventeen. You will find them and what you should fence from them written identically one after the other hereafter.

Here it begins, the skills of the longsword. First, the wrathcut.

Wrathcut with its plays

27	Whoever makes a descending cut at you  The point of wrathcut threatens them
28	If they become aware of it  Then abscond above without concern

Item. now that the wrathcut breaks any descending cut with the point and is yet nothing more than a simple peasant strike. Execute it like this. When the opponent cuts at your head from above from their right side, then cut from your right side from above with them as well, wrathfully, directly and without any act of parrying, up atop their sword and let your point shoot in directly forwards into their face or breast. Then if they become aware of the point and parry with strength, then rise upwards with your sword, against their sword's blade, to the top, up off away from their sword and cut at their head. This is called absconding above.

Another

Item: When you wish to make the wrathcut, you can strike with the right hand and with the left hand fully up in from behind. Thereafter you bring down your point below with an inverted hand and go through.

Item: You can also abscond and rise up with your sword no further than just to their point. Indes, strike back in at their head.

Item: A break against the absconding

When they abscond above and cut at the right side of your head, wind your sword inward a little with your short edge on theirs, and Indes, strike at their head with the long edge.

Item: another break

Indes, if they abscond, then step to the side away from their strike and work with their cut to their nearest opening.

Another

Item: When you have struck from the wrathcut with your inverted hand and the opponent rises up and parries you, then pass through just so to their right side with your inverted hand against their belly and wrap your right elbow and your sword over theirs and hold firm, so that you have locked them. Or drag your right side to your left and wrench back strongly so that you take their sword from them and your point goes into their face.

29	Be strong in turn  Wind. Stab. If they see it, then take it below

This means when you cut in wrathfully with the opponent, if they withstand this with strength and you do not wish to abscond above, be strong in turn, and rise up to your right side with your arms, and turn the short edge against their sword and thrust in from above at their face. If they become aware of the thrust and rise up and parry, stay like this in the winding and lodge against your point against them below.

Item: If you have wound to your right side like this and the opponent has parried your thrust, then wind a little back to your left, and lodge against your point right down into their breast as well. Then if they parry your point, suddenly withdraw your sword back toward yourself and strike again at their head. Then if they parry that, abscond above or undertake other work from there.

Another

Item: When you have absconded above and the opponent has parried in this fashion for the second time and sticks with you, then rise sufficiently up with your arms and wind your short edge into the weak of their blade and stab them in their face or wind to your right side against their blade into their weak and again stab them in their face (You can also make both windings from each other) and thrust with your point.

30	Precisely note this  Cut, stab, position, soft or hard
31	Indes and before and after  And guard that your war is not hasty

This is a lesson when the opponent binds against your sword with a cut or with a thrust. You should not let yourself be too hasty with the war, that is with the windings. You then precisely note forward whether it is soft or hard when one sword clashes against another or is in the bind. And as soon as you sense this, then wind Indes and work with the war, according to the soft and according to the hard, to the nearest opening. And this is called the before and the after, which you have learned of before.

32	For the one whose war takes aim from above  They will be shamed from below.

Know that the windings and the work from them with the point to the four openings, that is called the war. Conduct it like this: When you cut in with the wrathcut, then as soon as they parry, rise up with your arms and wind your point in from above into the upper opening of their left side against their sword. Then if they displace the thrust, then remain standing with the winding like this and let your point sink back down . If they then chase your sword with an act of parrying, then seek the lower opening of their right side with your point. If they then chase your sword with another act of parrying, then rise up to your right side with your sword. In this way they will be exposed above and below, if you conduct it correctly.

33	In all winds  Learn to find cut, stab, slice
34	Also with that you shall gauge  Cut, stab or slice
35	In all encounters  Of the masters, if you wish to dishonor them.

Know that you must be quite polished with all winds on the sword, because each one of the windings has three distinct plays, that is, one cut, one thrust and one slice; and whenever you wind on the sword, you must gauge and recognize quite accurately so that you do not conduct the incorrect play that is called for in the winding so that you do not cut when you should thrust and not slice when you should cut and also not thrust when you should slice. And you shall conduct that in such a way that when the opponent parries the one, you hit with the other. Furthermore, you should always find the correct plays that are by rights appropriate to conduct in all engagement of and windings against the sword if you otherwise wish to dishonor and confound the masters that set themselves against you. And the number of windings on the sword and how you shall conduct them, you shall find them in the last chapter of the recital which says, "Who hangs well..."

Item: When you wish to make a cut and a thrust and a slice, do it like this. Hew the wrathcut in boldly from your right side. Indes, wind your point in, to their left side and thrust at the left side of their face. Indes, step to their right with your left foot and slice them across both their arms with your long edge.

36	Know the four openings  Take aim so that you strike quite wisely
37	Without any fear  Without doubt however they are situated.

This is when you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing. If you subsequently wish to fence surely, then you should not expressly cut at their sword. Rather, you should target the four openings. [The first opening] this is the right side, the second, the left above the belt of the opponent. The other two openings, these are the left and right sides below the belt. Select one of these openings and boldly initiate a cut there and do not worry about what they fence against you. If they then parry, immediately work to the nearest opening in that act of parrying. In this way, focus on the body and not the sword.

38	If you wish to arrange yourself  To artfully break the four openings
39	Double high  Mutate down below
40	I say to you truthfully  No one defends themselves without danger
41	If you have understood this,  They can scarcely come to blows, etc.

This means whenever the opponent cuts in earnestly, if you wish to then set yourself up against them to break the openings with artfulness so that they must allow themselves to be hit without their permission, then conduct the doubling against the strong of the sword and the mutating against the weak. For I say to you truthfully that they cannot protect themselves from strikes and therefore cannot come to blows.

Item. Execute the doubling like this: When the opponent initiates a cut from above from their right shoulder; cut in strongly from above as well in the same way from your right shoulder to their head. Then if they parry that cut with strength, then immediately rise up with your arms and shove your pommel under your right arm with your left hand and strike them upon their head from crossed arms with the long edge from behind their sword's blade.

Item. Or if you have bound their sword with your long edge from your left side, then immediately rise up with your arms and remain like this against their sword, and strike them upon their head from behind their sword's blade with your short edge.

Item. Execute the mutating on the right side like this: When you cut in strongly from above from your right shoulder, if the opponent parries and is soft at the sword, then wind the short edge against their sword to your left side and rise sufficiently up with your arms and hang your point over their sword from above, and with that move up on the arms and thrust into their other opening.

Item. The mutating on the left side: Or if you have bound against the opponent's sword with your long edge, then rise up with your arms and keep the same edge against their sword and again wind the short edge over their sword, and rise sufficiently up with your arms and hang your point over their sword from above and thrust into the lower opening of their left side. In this way, you can also conduct these two plays from all cuts after you have sensed the weakness and strength in the sword.

The crooked cut with its plays

42	Crook up swiftly  Throw the point onto the hands
43	Crook. Whoever parries well  Disrupts many cuts with stepping.

Know that the crooked cut is one of the four parries against the four guards because with them one wars the ox and also the boar and the rising cut. Execute it like this. When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, if they subsequently stand against you and hold their sword in front of their head in the guard of the ox on their left side, then advance your left foot and hold your sword in guard on your right shoulder and from guard, spring well to your right side with the right foot, and strike them from crossed arms with the long edge across their hands.

Item. You also conduct the crooked cut from the barrier guard from both sides. Send yourself into the guard like this. When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, then advance your left foot and hold your sword upon the ground with the point next to your right side such that the long edge of the sword is turned and present yourself open like this with your left side. If they then cut in high into your opening, then spring away from the cut well to the right side, with your right foot facing them and shove the pommel of your sword under your right arm and strike them from the long edge with crossed hands with your point upon their hands.

Item. In this way, send yourself to your left side using the barrier guard. When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, advance your right foot and hold your sword upon the ground with the point by your left side with crossed hands such that the short edge of the sword is up and present yourself open with your right side. Then if they strike at the opening, then step to your left side with your left foot well away from the cut and strike them over their hands during the step with the short edge.

44	Cut crooked to the flats  Of the masters if you wish to weaken them
45	When it sparks above  Then dismount, that I will praise

Note you shall conduct this play against the masters from the bind of the sword. And remember this as well: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, bring your sword into the barrier guard on your right side or hold it atop your right shoulder. Then if they cut at the opening from above, then cut strongly with crossed arms against their cut with the long edge. And as soon as the swords spark together, then Indes wind toward your left side with your sword and rise up with your arms and stab them in the face. Or if you don't want to thrust, then note as soon as it sparks, then Indes cut to their head or to their body with the short edge.

46	Don't crook, short cut  With that, look for the disengage.

This is a break against the guard of the ox. Execute it like this: when you go to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, if they subsequently stay in guard and hold their sword in front of their head on their left side, then throw your sword to your right shoulder and act as if you want to bind against their sword with the crooked cut and cut short and with that disengage below and shoot your point in long into the opening on their other side so that they must parry. With this you come to blows and to other work with the sword.

You can also make this play when they initiate a descending cut from their right shoulder.

47	Crook whoever tricks you  The noble war bewilders them
48	Such that they do not truthfully know  Where they are without danger.

Note whenever you conduct the crooked cut, you must always present yourself open with it. Look at it like this, whenever you cut in or bind against their sword with the crooked cut from your right side, you are open on the left side in the meantime. If they are also crafty and will cut from the sword to your opening and make you stray with agility, then keep your sword against theirs and follow their cut on their sword and wind your point into their face and continue to work with the war, that is, with the windings to the openings so that they become so baffled that they truthfully will not know which regions they should shield themselves from your cuts and your thrusts.

49	The cross seizes  Whatever arrives from the roof

Gloss: Note the crosswise cut breaks the roof guard and any cut that is cut down from above. Execute the crosswise cut like this, when you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, if they then stand facing you and hold their sword upwards with outstretched arms, high over their head, in guard and watches you, then note when you come close to them, advance your left foot and hold your sword with the flat on your right shoulder. If they then lift a foot in your direction and threaten to strike you, then you come before and spring well to your right side with your right foot and in the spring turn your sword in front of your head by the hilt in such a way that your thumb comes under and strike them on the left side of their head with your short edge.

Item. When they come first with the descending cut, then step to their left side with your right foot, and strike into the strong of their blade with the crosswise cut such that their strike is parried. Indes, shove your pommel up sideways to your right side with your left hand such that you strike them at their left ear. Or, you can double that while you have crossed them at their strong. Or, if they are so strong that you cannot come to this, then shove their sword away with your hilt and strike around to your right side and seek the other opening.

Item. But if they come forth with the cut earlier than you, then spring away from the cut with your right foot sufficiently to your right side with the afore written act of parrying and strike them with the crosswise cut in the afore named place.

Item. A break against the upper and lower cross strike

When you have bound against their sword with a descending cut and strike around the crosswise cut high or low, then keeping the hilt in front of your head, twist your sword forwards either way and stab them in the nearest opening with the point. This enters from both sides.

Item. When one binds you with a free descending cut and cuts the lower crosswise cut to your right side, then stay standing like this and lay the short edge against their neck.

50	Cross with the strong  Note your work with it.

Note This is so that when you cut with the crosswise cut, you shall do it with strength. If they parry, then rise up to the weak of their sword with the strong of your sword. If you then seize the weak of their sword with your strong, work over their sword to either the lower opening or high against their neck by mutating. But if you cannot come to that, then work behind their sword with a strike to the head using doubling.

Item. But if they are so strong with their act of parrying, that you cannot get to that play, then shove their sword away with your hilt and strike them on the other side with the crosswise cut. Or, if they will rush in on you, then take the slice under their arms.

Item. When you wish to take initiative with a crosswise cut to their left side, don't hit, and swiftly strike to their right side. If they then strike at your right, then Indes, slice into their hands at the joint of their right hand.

51	Cross to the plow  Yoke hard to the ox
52	Whoever crosses themselves well  Endangers the head with springing

Note you have heard before that the ox and the plow are two guards or two positions, but here they designate the four openings. The ox: these are the two openings on the left and right side of the head. Similarly, the plow is also the left and right side of the lower half of someone's waist. You shall put all four openings to the test in one sortie with the cross strikes.

Item. Here note the crosswise cuts to the four openings

Item. When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, if they then stand opposite you in the roof guard, spring facing them well to your right side with your right foot and strike them through total art at the ox opening of their left side with a crosswise cut from above. If they then parry your strike, immediately strike down to the plow opening on their right side, further driving the cross strike swiftly over and over, one to the ox opening and the other to the plow, from one side to the other crosswise, to the head and to the body.

Item. you should also remember that you shall always spring out to one side with each and every cross strike so that you can really hit the opponent in the head with it and be mindful that you will be well covered with your hilt up in front of your head.

53	The failer misleads the believer  Wounding from below according to desire.

Note the failer is a play with which the fencers that like to parry and that strike at the sword and not to the openings of the body become confused and wounded according to desire.

Another

Item. Execute the failer like this: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, then make a rising cut from both sides. If you subsequently come against the opponent with the rising cut from your right side, then shoot your point long into their breast with it, so that they must parry. Then immediately spring to their right side with your left foot and act as if you will strike them with the crosswise cut, abort the cut and strike immediately back around to the left side. Or if you come against them with your rising cut from the left side, then shoot in the point long and high and conduct the remainder of the application like it was just written above.

54	The inverter constrains  Slipping through and also wrestles with it.
55	Take the elbow surely  Spring into their stance

Note that you shall deliver the inverter covertly in the initiation of fencing. For with it, you constrain the opponent such that you can rush through and properly seize them with wrestling.

Item. Execute the inverter like this: When you, with the initiation of fencing, have moved half way into it, move the other half forward toward the opponent over and over with the left foot in front and make a free rising cut from the right side after each advance in accordance with the left foot and with the cut invert and turn the long edge of the sword and as soon as you bind against their sword with that, Indes, hang your point in from above and stab them in the face. If they parry your thrust and rise up high with their arms, then rush through. But if they stay low with their hands during the act of parrying, then seize their right elbow with your left hand and hold firmly and spring in front of their right foot with your left and shove them over it like this.

Item. And how you shall rush through, you shall find that written hereafter in the part which says: "Rush through, let the pommel hang if you wish to grapple".

56	Double the failer  If they make contact, make the slice with it
57	Double further  Stride in left and be not lax

Note this is called the double failer and conduct it like this: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, then advance your left foot and hold your sword on your right shoulder and when you see that they are high, then spring well out to your right side with your left foot counter to them and act as if you will make a free crosswise cut to the left side of their head, abort the cut and spring all the way around to their right side with your left foot and strike them in the head with the cross strike. If they then parry and you hit their sword, then step on past close to them, on the same side and slice from behind their sword's edge into their mouth by doubling with the short edge or fall across their arms with your sword and slice. Execute this to both sides. You can also conduct the same way from a descending cut as you can from the cross strikes, if that is what you wish to do.

The Squinter-the with its techniques

58	The cockeyed cut breaks inside  Whatever the buffalo cuts or thrusts
59	Whoever threatens to change,  The cockeyed cut robs them of it.

Know that the cockeyed cut is a good, strange, and grim play, for it breaks in by cut and by thrust with violence and goes in with an inverted sword. This is why many masters of the sword have nothing to say about this cut and the guard that is called here, the plow as well.

Item. The cockeyed cut is conducted like this: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, then advance your left foot and hold your sword on your right shoulder. If they then cut at your head from above, then twist your sword and spring forward with your right foot and cut long from outstretched arms with your short edge against their cut up over their sword, into their face or breast. If they are then crafty in this way and aborts during the cut of your sword and disengages below, then remain with your point in front of their face from long arms so that they can neither harm you, nor come through below.

Item. Another play.

When you stand opposite the opponent and hold your sword on your right shoulder. If they then stand opposite you in the guard of the plow and threaten to stab you from below, then cut in long from above with the short edge by means of the cockeyed cut and shoot your point into the face or breast of the opponent in such a way that they cannot reach you with their thrust from below.

Item. Another.

When you stand opposite the opponent and have your sword on your right shoulder, if they then stand in retaliation opposite you in the guard of the plow and threaten to stab you from below, twist the cut with the short edge in long from above in such a way that they cannot reach you with their thrust from below.

60	Cock an eye. If they shortchange you,  Disengaging defeats them.

This is a lesson. When you start to move in with the initiation of fencing, you shall cock an eye or look to see whether your opponent fences with you short. And understand the shortening of the sword like this: When the opponent does not extend their arms long from themselves during the cut, they are shortened. If you bring yourself into the fool's guard and they will fall upon that with their sword, they are again shortened. If they fence against you from either ox or plow, that is also shortened and all windings in front of the opponent, these are all short and you shall disengage such fencers. With that, you constrain them so that they must parry, so that you can then strike and work freely with the sword and with wrestling as well.

Item. Another lesson.

When you move toward the opponent with the initiation of fencing, you shall cock an eye to see whether the opponent fences shortly against you. You shall recognize it like this: When the opponent initiates a cut at you, if they then do not extend their arms long from themselves during the cut, their sword is shortened. And all fencers that fence too shortly, freely disengage them, from either cuts or from thrusts using long point. With this you zero in on them against your sword such that they must allow you to come into a bind and allow themselves to be struck.

61	Cock an eye at the point  Take the neck without fear

Note this is a play against long point using a deception of the face. Execute it like this: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, if they then stand and hold their point against your face or breast, hold your sword on your right shoulder and focus your eyes upon their point and act as if you wish to cut there and cut strongly against their sword with your short edge via the cockeyed cut and shoot the point long at their face with a step forwards of your right foot.

62	Cock an eye at the top of the head  If you wish to ruin the hands

Item. When the opponent stands against you in long point, then if you wish to strike them atop their hands, focus your eyes on their face or at their head and act as if you wish to strike them there and strike them on their hands with your point via the cockeyed cut.

56	Double the failer  If they make contact, make the slice with it
57	Double further  Stride in left and be not lax

This is how you should drive the failer to both sides and look at it like this. When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, advance your left foot and hold your sword on your right shoulder and when you see that they are suitable to you, then spring towards them, well out to your right side with your right foot and act as if you will cut them with a descending cut on the left side of their head. If they then speed forward with an act of parrying, then suddenly yank the cut back up and immediately spring around to the left side of the opponent with your left foot and in your spring, act as if you will strike them on the right side and suddenly withdraw and spring back around to their left side with your right foot and with that, strike in freely on the same side.

The parter with its plays

63	The part cut  With its turn
64	The face  And the breast is firmly endangered.
65	Whatever comes from it  The crown removes it.
66	Slice through the crown  So that you break it beautifully
67	Press the sweeps  By slicing withdraw it

Know that the part cut breaks the fool's guard and is quite threatening to the face and breast with its turn.

Item. Execute the part cut like this: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, if they then bring themselves into the fool's guard, advance your left foot and hold your sword high above your head with outstretched arms in the roof guard and spring at them with your right foot and cut down from above strongly and keep your arms high and drop your point down into their face or breast. Then if they parry with the crown such that the point and the hilt both stand up against their sword; and they rise up with it and push your point upwards, then rotate your sword under their kron, into their arms using the slice and press. In this way, the crown is broken again. And during the pressing, take the slice and withdraw yourself with it and step close to them if they parry again.

Item. When you wish to execute the part cut to the opponent, you can let your point go through alongside, down below their hands and extended out long into the right side of their face.

The Four Leaguers follow hereafter

68	Four positions alone  Defend from those and eschew the common
69	Ox, plow, fool,  From-the-roof are not despised by you

Gloss: Note the four positions. These are the four guards that you shall fence from. The first guard is called the ox.

Item. Put yourself into the ox like this: stand with the left foot forwards and hold your sword on your right side with your hilt in front of your head, such that your short edge faces you and maintain your point against your opponent's face.

Item. Put yourself into the ox on the left side like this: Stand with your right foot forwards and hold your sword on your left side with your hilt in front of your head such that your long edge faces you and maintain your point against your opponent's face.

Item. The second guard is called the plow. For this, put yourself together like this: advance your left foot and hold your sword with crossed hands down on your right side with your pommel near your right hip such that your short edge is up and your point lifts up forwards against your opponent's face.

Item. Put yourself into the plow on the left side like this: advance your right foot and hold your sword down at your left hip by your left side such that your long edge is turned up and your point lifts up against your opponent's face.

Item. The third is called the fool and put yourself together like this: advance your left foot and hold your sword in front of you with extended arms with your point upon the ground and such that the short edge is up.

Item. The fourth guard is called roof guard and put yourself together like this: advance your left foot and hold your sword high above your head with outstretched arms and turn your long edge forwards and let your point hang a little to the back and stand in guard like this.

Of the Four Forfendings

70	Four are the parries  That severely disrupt the positions
71	Guard yourself from parrying  If it happens by necessity, it hurts you

Note you have heard previously about the four guards, you shall now know that there are four parries with which you shall break the four guards. Know that no actual parries are called for in this, because it is the four cuts that break the four guards.

The first is the crooked cut which breaks the guard of the ox

The second is the crosswise cut which breaks the roof guard

The third, this is the cockeyed cut, which breaks the guard of the plow

The fourth, this is the part cut, which breaks the guard here called the fool.

And how you shall drive the correct play of the four cuts against the guards, you will find written previously in the cuts. To this end, guard yourself from parrying against the guards if you wish to otherwise not be harmed by strikes.

72	If you are parried,  Note as it happens.
73	Heed what I advise:  Break loose quickly, cut with violence.

Note, this is for when the opponent has parried you and will not draw themselves away from your sword and fully intends to not let you come to any play. In this case act as if you will withdraw yourself, away from their sword and suddenly withdraw your sword to you, just to the mid-part of your blade and together with that rise up with your sword and strike quickly with the short edge or at the opponent's head via doubling.

Item. One other.

When the opponent has parried you, race up toward their point with your sword against their sword's blade as if you would abscond above, then remain against the sword and cut straight back to their head against their edge.

74	Lodge against four regions  Learn to remain upon them if you wish to finish

Know that lodging is an earnest play because it moves into the area of the four openings, and it is appropriate to conduct when you wish to give an immediate conclusion using the sword.

Item. Execute lodging like this: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, bring yourself into the guard of the ox or of the plow with your sword. Then if the opponent will cut in from above or initiate a thrust from their right side, come forwards with a parrying action, shoot in the long point to the nearest opening of their left side, and see if you can lodge against them.

Item. Or if they cut from their left side, come forwards with a parrying action and shoot the point straight in at the nearest opening of their right side.

Item. Or if the opponent initiates a cut up from below from their right side, then shoot the point straight in at the nearest opening of their left side.

Item. Or if the opponent initiates a cut up from below from their left side, then shoot the point straight in at the lower opening of their right side and always take care of the execution of the lodging during this. Then if they become aware of your shooting in and parry, then stay atop that using your sword and swiftly work to the nearest openings.

Item. You should also know this: As soon as you both come together into the fight and as soon as they lift up their sword and will strike around, just then, you shall fall into point and thrust at the nearest opening. But if they won't conduct anything with the sword, then you should do that with your sword and as soon as or at the moment you complete a strike, at that moment, Indes, you fall into point. If you can conduct the lodging correctly, then the opponent must move or shift hard. It has to allow you a wound.

75	Learn to pursue  Twice or slice into the weapon
76	Two couplings to the outside  The work begins thereafter
77	And gauge the opponent's application  Whether they are soft or hard

Gloss. Note pursuing is diverse and varied and is required to be executed with great caution against the fencers that fight from free and lengthy cuts or will not otherwise keep to the proper art of the sword.

Item. The first play about the game-pursuing

Execute it like this: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, then advance your left foot and stand in roof guard, quite precisely observing what your opponent fences against you. Then if they cut in long from above from their right shoulder, do not parry them and see to it that they do not reach you with their cut. Then mark the moment during the cut that their sword goes down towards the ground, then spring into them with your right foot and cut in from above into the opening of their right side before they come back up with their sword, in this way they are struck.

Item. Another play. When the opponent over-commits themselves attacking and you cut behind that, then if they immediately rise up with their sword and parry, then stay strong against their sword using your long edge. if they then lift up with their sword, then spring well behind their right foot with your left and strike them on the right side of their head with a crosswise cut or whatever and immediately work back around to their left side using duplieren or with whatever other plays dependent on you sensing whether they are soft or hard against the sword and this is the coupling to the outside.

Item. Yet another play.

When the opponent over-commits themselves attacking and you cut behind that, then if you bind against the opponent's sword on their left side and then they immediately strike around from their act of parrying to your right side, then Indes, either advance ahead of them below their sword and toward their left side with a crosswise cut across their neck or spring to their right side with your left foot and according to their cut, either strike or cut behind that to their right side or conduct the slice across their arms into their head.

Item. Yet another pursuing

When you fence against the opponent either from rising cuts or from the sweeps or you bring yourself into the fool's guard facing them, then if they fall upon that with their sword before you come up, then stay against their sword like this with yours below and lift upwards. If they will either cut in from the act of parrying or wind in against your sword, then do not let them come off your sword and pursue them thereon and work to the nearest opening during this.

Another

Item. Note, you shall pursue the opponent from all guards and from all cuts as soon as you recognize that the opponent either over-commits themselves attacking or uncovers themselves in front of you with their sword.

78	Learn to feel  Indes, this here cuts sharply

Know that at the sword, feeling and the term Indes is the greatest art and whoever is or wishes to be a master of the sword yet they cannot feel nor marry the term Indes to it, they are not a master. They are a buffalo of the sword. Therefore you shall quite fully study the term Indes and feeling for all situations so that you correctly comprehend it.

Item. Note the ability to feel like this: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing and one binds another against their sword, you shall immediately feel whether they have bound soft or hard while the swords clash together and as soon as you sense soft or hard, then reflect on the term Indes. That is, you shall swiftly work and feel together at once with your sword so that they are struck before they come to their senses.

Item. You shall now know that the ability to feel and the term Indes cannot exist without each other and understand it like this: When you bind against the opponent's sword, then you must feel soft or hard using the term Indes and when you feel, then you must again work Indes. In this way, they always occur with each other, because the term Indes is in all plays.

Note it like so:

Indes doubles,
Indes mutates,
Indes disengages,
Indes slips across,
Indes takes the slice,
Indes wrestles together,
Indes takes the sword,
Indes does what the heart desires,

Indes is a sharp word. With it, all masters of the sword and those that do not understand nor know of this term Indes will be struck down.

79	Pursuing twice,  Make the old slice with it.

This is so that you shall conduct the pursuing to both sides and deliver the slice therein as well. Look at it like this: When the opponent over-commits themselves attacking before you, be it from either the right or from the left side, freely cut behind it into the opening. Then if they rise up and bind against your sword from below, then immediately note when one sword clashes against the other and then, "Indes", fall upon their arm with your long edge and either press downwards with your edge or execute a slice at their mouth.

80	Whoever twists upwards  Overrun it, they will be shamed.
81	When it clashes above,  Strengthen, This I will praise.
82	Make your work  Or press twice.

This is when the opponent initiates fencing from below and how you shall overrun them. Look at it like this: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, then if they initiate a cut from below, do not parry them, rather note when their rising cut moves to oppose you, then cut long from above from your right shoulder and shoot in long either into their face or into their breast and lodge against them such that they cannot reach you from below. And if they rise up from below and parry, then remain against their sword with your long edge and work swiftly to the nearest opening.

Item. Note when you have strongly bound against the opponent's sword, if they from their act of parrying strike around you to your other side, then bind them strongly on their sword again from above towards their head with your long edge and work to the opening as before. Conduct this to both sides.

83	Learn to displace  Skillfully disrupting cuts and thrusts
84	Whoever thrusts at you  Your point hits and theirs breaks
85	From both sides  You will hit every time, if you'll step.

Note when you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, if they subsequently set themselves against you as if they will thrust, then advance your left foot and position yourself in the guard of the plow on the right side and offering yourself open on your left. Then if they thrust into your opening, then wind to your left side with your sword against their thrust, your short edge opposing their thrust and with that displace such that your point stays facing them and with that step in with your right foot and Indes stab them either in the face or in the breast.

Item. Another play

When you stand in the plow on your right side, if the opponent subsequently cuts into your opening on your left side from above, then drive up with your sword and with that wind your hilt in the ox on your left side in front of your head and against their cut and with that step in with your right foot and stab them in their face or breast. This play is also conducted in this way from the plow on your left side.

Item. You can also conduct displacing from either rising cuts or descending cuts. When you are positioned high with your sword and will then make a descending cut, during the cut wind into the ox on your right side and displace cut or thrust to your left side back into the ox. Indes, either thrust or double or make whatever you wish. This goes to both sides.

If you subsequently lay in the switch cut, twist your sword into the plow and displace cut or thrust, "Indes", work swiftly to the nearest opening with every application. This goes to both sides.

86	Learn to disengage  From both sides stabbing sharply with it
87	Whoever binds upon you  Disengaging surely finds or slices the opponent

Know that disengaging is many and varied and you can conduct them from any cut against fencers that cut to the sword and not to the openings of the opponent. You shall learn to conduct them quite well with prudence such that the opponent does not lodge against you while you disengage.

Item. Execute disengaging like this: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, cut in long at the opponent's head, if they subsequently cut against your sword and not at your body, then let your point disengage below during the cut before they bind against your sword and stab them on the other side. Then if they become aware of the thrust and immediately chase your thrust with their sword with an act of parrying, then disengage again to the other side. And always conduct this when the opponent chases after your sword with an act of parrying on either side.

Item. Another disengaging.

When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, then advance your left foot and hold the long point against your opponent's face. Then if they will cut at your sword from either above or from below and intend to either bat it away or bind against it strongly, then let your point sink down and stab them on the other side and execute this against all cuts.

Item. Note this play quite precisely.

When the opponent has parried you or has otherwise bound against your sword, if at the sword, they do not hold their point toward the openings of your body and let it go out next to you, off to your side, then boldly disengage. But if they remain with their point in front of your face or toward your openings, then do not disengage and remain at the sword and work with that to their nearest opening so they cannot pursue you nor lodge against you.

88	Tread close in binds,  So that withdrawing suddenly gives good opportunities.
89	Withdraw suddenly. If they engage, withdraw suddenly again.  It reveals work that does them harm.
90	Withdraw suddenly from all engagements  If you wish to make a fool of the masters

Know that withdrawing suddenly is appropriate to conduct against the masters that bind strongly against the sword by an act of parrying and against those that remain still at the sword and watch whether someone will either over-commit themself attacking in front of it or draw themselves off the sword. If you subsequently wish to deceive or make a fool of those masters, then conduct a sudden withdrawal against them like this: Cut in strongly from above at their head from your right side, if the opponent speeds toward it and will parry, then suddenly withdraw your sword toward yourself before they can bind against it, then stab them on the other side and do this in all engagements of the sword.

Item. Another play.

When the opponent has bound against you against your sword, if they subsequently stand opposing you in the bind and watch whether or not you withdraw from the sword, then act as if you will suddenly withdraw and stay at the sword and suddenly withdraw your sword towards yourself just to the mid-part of the blade and suddenly thrust back against their sword into their face or breast. If you do not rightly connect with your thrust, then work by doubling or otherwise with other plays, whatever seems best to you.

91	Rush through, let hang  Grab with the pommel if you wish to grapple.
92	Whoever strengthens against you,  Remember to rush through with it.

Wrestling in the long sword

Note slipping through and wrestling are appropriate to conduct against the masters that like to rush in and conduct it like this. When the opponent parries you and with that rises up high with their arms, rushes in and tries to overwhelm you with strength from above, then rise up with your arms as well and hold your sword above your head with your left hand by the pommel and let your blade hang down back across your back and slip beneath their arms to their right side with your head and spring behind their right foot with your right and during the spring move your right arm against the opponent's left side, well around their body and in this way, fasten them against your right hip and throw them down on their head in front of you.

Item. Another wrestling

When the opponent rushes in with uplifted arms and you do the same, slip your head through to their right side and step forwards in front of their right foot with your right and pass your right arm through below the opponent's right arm, around their body and sink yourself down a little and fasten them to your right hip and throw them behind you. You shall conduct this initiation of wrestling on both sides.

Item. Another wrestling

When the opponent rushes in on you to your right and is high with their arms and you are as well, hold your sword in your hand and shove their arms away from you with that and spring forwards in front of their right foot with your left and pass your arm way back around their body and sink yourself down a little and fasten them to your left hip and throw them on their face.

Item. Yet another wrestling

Whenever the opponent rushes in on you and is high with their arms and you are as well, you shall hold your sword in your right hand and shove their arm away from you with that and spring behind their right foot with your left and pass your left arm down through in front of their breast to their left side and fasten them to your left hp and throw them behind you. Execute these two wrestlings on both sides.

Note whenever the opponent rushes in into your sword and holds their arms down so you cannot rush through, conduct these wrestlings written hereafter.

Item. Whenever the opponent rushes in into your sword and holds their arms down, invert your left hand and seize their right with it from the inside, between both of their hands and with that drag them to your left side and strike them across their head with your sword with your right. But if you do not wish to strike, then spring behind their left foot with your right and pass your right arm around their neck, ahead or behind and throw them over your right knee in this way.

Item. Yet another wrestling

Whenever the opponent rushes in on you at the sword and is low with their hands, then let your left hand go forwards away from your sword and with your pommel, pass over their right hand from the outside and press down with it and with your left, catch the opponent by their right elbow and with your left foot, spring in front of their right and push them over it.

Item. Another wrestling

Whenever the opponent rushes in on you at the sword, then invert your left hand and pass over their right arm with it and seize their sword between both of their hands and drag them to your left side with that so that you take their sword from them.

Item. Yet another wrestling

Whenever the opponent rushes in on you at the sword, then let your sword drop and invert your right hand and with it seize their right from the outside and with your left catch the opponent by their right elbow and with your left foot spring in front of their right and with your right hand shove their right arm over your left and lift it upwards so that they are locked. In this way you can either break their arm or throw them over your left leg.