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Pseudo-Hans Döbringer/David Lindholm LS 2005

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This is the general foreword to the unarmoured[1] fencing on foot, note this well.

1 Young knights learn
 to love God and honour women
2 that your honour may grow.
 Practice knightly things and learn
3 arts that help you
 and grant you honour in war.
4 Wrestle well;
 grab the lance, spear, sword and falchion.
5 Do this manly
 and make it useless in other hands.
6 Strike threefold and hard in there,
 rush in regardless if you hit or miss,
7 so that in understanding this
 you will be known as a wise man.
8 This you shall know,
 that all things have length and measure.
ⅰ Do what you wish to do
 with good understanding.
ⅱ In earnest or in play
 have good heart with measure.
ⅲ Thus you beware
 and look with good cheer;
ⅳ this is what you shall do
 and how you go against him.
ⅴ For good heart and force
 makes your opponent weak,
ⅵ govern yourself after this;
 never give an advantage for nothing.
ⅶ Do not be rash;
 do not first do four or six.[2]
ⅷ With your overconfidence
 be moderate, which is good for you.
ⅸ He is a brave man
 who fights his own weaknesses.
ⅹ It is no shame
 to flee when four or six (foes) are at hand

This is a general teaching of the sword.

9 If you want to display skill,
 go with the left and follow right with the strikes,
10 and left with right
 is how you will fence with strength.
11 If you only strike after,
 you will have little joy from his art,
12 strike him wherever you wish,
 and no changer[3] will come within your shield.
ⅺ Do not strike to the sword;
 instead go for the openings,
13 To the head, to the body
 and do not forget the withdrawing.[4]
14 Do with the entire body
 what you wish to do firmly.
15 Hear what is bad;
 do not fence above left if you are a right hander.
16 And if you are a left hander
 then leave the right behind
ⅻ and fence rather
 from high left to low (on the right).
17 Before[5] and after,[6] from these two things
 the whole art stem,
18 weak[7] and strong,[8]
 in an instant,[9] note that word well.
19 Thus you may learn
 with work and defend artfully,
20 if you frighten easily,
 do not learn how to fence.
ⅹⅲ Knowledge[10] and skill,[11]
 cunning,[12] prudence[13] and wisdom,[14]
ⅹⅳ reason, secrecy,
 reach, foreknowing and readiness.[15]
ⅹⅴ this fencing desire
 and cheerfully do.

Here follows a general teaching. Before all know and note that the point of the sword is the centre and also its centre and core and from this comes all fencing and all returns to it. So the hangings and the turnings[16] is the hanging in and the going around of the centre and from these good fencing will be done, and it is so thought out and discovered that a fencer who like so always strikes or thrusts at the point [of the opponent's weapon] do not always hit well. But with these techniques striking,[17] thrusting[18] or cutting,[19] stepping in or out,[20] stepping around[21] or a leap,[22] will hit the other. And if someone shoots or steps forward with the point and lengthens or moves it forward, the other cannot hurt or shorten you with turnings or stepping out. Then the opponent cannot come into safe techniques and pieces such as the strike, thrust or cut. For Liechtenauer’s art is founded on principles of all the fencing skills and on the art of the sword. Strikes, thrusts and cuts as you will hear later here, how to do techniques and defend against what the other does, and how to do one out of the other if one (technique) is defended against, then the other technique will hit and have success.

Secondly know and note that not one thing on the sword is without its use or reason. Therefore you should use the point,[23] both edges,[24] cross guard[25] and pommel[26] and all that is on the sword. As they are meant to be used in the art of fencing as is done in the exercises as you will find hereafter see and hear.

Also know and note that when he says that you should show art, then he intends that the artful fencer should place his left foot forward and strike with it from the right side straight at the man with true strikes as soon as you see how you can take him and reach him with your own steps. Also when you want to fence strongly, then fence from the left side with the whole body and with full force to the head and to the body wherever you can hit – and never to his sword, but as if he[27] does not have a sword or as if you cannot see. And you shall not disdain any following or contacts made, but always work and remain in motion so that he cannot come to blows.

He[28] also means that you should not step straight in with the blows, but from the side at an angle so that you come in from the side where you can reach him easier than from the front. When you strike or thrust at him, he will not be able to defend with other techniques and neither lead it away by changing through as long as the strikes or thrusts are to the man, to the openings to the head and the body with steps and leaps in from the side.

Also note and know what he says here, "before, after, the two things do", he names the five words; Before,[29] After,[30] Weak,[31] Strong,[32] in that instant/just as.[33] On these words hinge the whole art of Liechtenauer, and they are the foundation and cornerstone of all fencing on foot or on horseback, in armour[34] or without.[35]

Regardless if you hit or miss, as Liechtenauer says, strike and rush in and then follow no matter if you hit or miss. The word before means that a good fencer will always win the first strike.[36] When you step or leap in to close with the opponent as soon as you see that you can reach him with step or leap, then you shall close with strikes to the openings and fence at the head or the body without any fear at all as you will surely win against him. Therefore when you win the first strike then it is no matter if it is good or painful for the opponent, and you will also be sure in your steps and should do them well measured neither too long nor too short. When you now do the first strike if you hit then follow up the hit quickly, but if the other defends against the first strike whether it was a strike or a thrust and turns it away and leads with his sword, then you shall remain on the sword if you were deflected from the opening and feel if the opponent is hard[37] or soft[38] and strong[39] or weak[40] on the sword. And when you notice this, then be hard or soft against the opponent as he defends himself. And then in an instant[41] should you do the after strike[42] before the opponent has a chance to come to blows, that is as soon as the opponent defends against the first strike as you do that, attack other openings with other techniques speedily. And always be in motion, this will force the opponent to be on the defence and not be able to come to blows himself. For he who defends against strikes is always in greater danger than the one who strikes, since he must either defend or allow himself to be hit if he is to have a chance to strike a blow himself. That is why Liechtenauer says; “I say truthfully, no man can defend without danger”. If you have understood this he will not come to blows, and you already know the five words that this art consists of.

Therefore in all swordplay someone who strikes will often defeat a Master if he is bold and gain the first strike according to this teaching.

With the word before as has been told before, he[43] means that you with a good first strike shall close in without fear or hesitation and strike at the openings, to the head and to the body, regardless whether you hit or miss you will confuse the opponent and put fear into him, so that the he does not know what to do against you. Then before the opponent can gather himself and come back, you shall do the after strike so that he will have to defend yet again and not be able to strike himself. Thus when you strike the first strike and the opponent defends against this, in the defence you will always be first to reach the after strike before the opponent. As soon as you can, you should go with the pommel to the head or come in with the cross strike[44] that is always good to do, or you can throw the sword forward crosswise in and by that enter into other techniques. You can also initiate other good moves since the opponent will not be able to strike. You shall hear how you do one thing from another so that the opponent cannot come at you without being struck, if you act according to this teaching. You shall do with one mind and one strike the first strike and the after strike quickly one after the other,

and when it happens that the opponent defends against the strike, then he will do this with his sword and you will be on his sword. And when the opponent is slow and late then you can remain on his sword and right away turn[45] and note and feel if the other gathers himself in order to move away or not.

If he moves off when you have come on the sword in front of one another and extend the points at one another to the openings, then you shall – before the opponent has time to gather himself in order to strike or thrust – follow him with the point and do a good thrust to the chest or something like that as quickly and directly as you can. That is you should not let him escape unharmed from the sword. Since you know at once that you have a shorter way to the opponent since you already have your point on the[46] sword, as close and as short as possible. Then if you move away to do another strike or thrust and you do a wide movement, then the opponent will always be able to beat you to the with a strike or thrust, then he can hit you with the first strike. And this is what Liechtenauer means with the word [Nach]. When you have done the first strike then you shall without any delay do the and you should also stay in motion and do one thing after another. If the first [attack] does not work then the second, the third or the fourth will hit, and you shall not let the opponent come to blows. Since no one has greater advantage than he who fights according to the teaching of the five words.

But if it is so that the opponent remains on the sword after his defence and is on the sword, and it has occurred that you remain with him on the sword and he has not done the after strike then you shall turn[47] and remain with him on the sword. And you shall notice straight away if the opponent is weakor strong.

If it is so that you feel and notice that the opponent is strong and hard and firm[48] on the sword and intends to push your sword away, then you shall be weak and yielding[49] and give way to his strength and let the opponent push his sword to the side and go with this. You shall then leave his sword quickly and speedily and move away and go at his openings to the head and the body with strikes and thrusts or with cuts, in the simplest and shortest way that you can. Since the harder and surer someone presses and pushes with his sword, while the other is weak against and let his sword yield, the wider his sword is pushed to the side the more open he will become and the other can then hit him as he pleases before the other can gather himself again and attack with a new strike or thrust.

But if the opponent is weak and soft at the sword and you notice this well and feel, then you should be strong and hard against the sword and should let your point go straight and hard on his sword, at his openings as directly as possible. Just as if there was a thread tied to your point leading you in the shortest way to the opponent’s openings. And this thrust you should do when you are notice that the opponent is weak and allow his sword to be pushed back and allows himself to get hit,

or if he is strong and defends and displaces the thrust.[50] If the opponent remains strong at the sword and deflects the sword and defends against the thrust, that is that he pushes the sword swiftly away, you should be soft and yielding and let your sword yield before you and then speedily go at his openings with strikes, thrusts or cuts in any way you can. This is what Liechtenauer means by the words soft and strong. And this comes from the authorities as Aristotle said in the book Peri Hermanias; opposed near him set wise men shine forth or abandon opposition. Weak against strong, hard against soft and vice versa. Because when it is strong against strong, the stronger one will always win. That is why Liechtenauer’s swordsmanship is a true art that the weaker wins more easily by use of his art than the stronger by using his strength. Otherwise what use would the art be?

Therefore learn well to feel in the swordplay. As Liechtenauer says, "learn how to feel. In an instant/just as is a sharp word". Thus when you find yourself on another’s sword and feel well if he is weak or strong at the sword, then at once[51] follow and know what is appropriate for you to do according to the aforesaid teaching and art. Then he will not be able to leave your sword without getting hurt. Thus Liechtenauer says “Strike so that he moves, if he withdraws from you”.

After this teaching you understand how you will win the first strike and as soon as you have done this, then quickly and without any delay do the after strike that is the second, third or fourth strike, cut or thrust so that he cannot come to blows himself. If you then find yourself on his sword, then be sure that you feel and do as before has been described, since this is the basic tenet of swordsmanship: that a man is always in motion and never at rest, and it is also based on feeling, so do as it is stated above.

No matter what you do or attempt to do, always have measure[52] and length.[53] If you have won the first strike then do not perform it too slowly, but move fast so that you can gather yourself for the after strike as well. That is why Liechtenauer says “Always know this, that all things have length and measure”. And understand this in relation to stepping and all other pieces of swordsmanship.

This is the text where the five strikes and other pieces are mentioned.

21 Five strikes learn
 to do from the right side against the defence.
23 Rage strike,[54] crooked,[55] cross,[56]
 squinting,[57] with the scalp strike.[58]
24 The Fool[59] counters,[60]
 attack after,[61] and run over[62] hurt the strokes last.
25 Change through,[63] withdraw,[64]
 running through,[65] cutting away,[66] pressing the hands.[67]
26 Hanging,[68] turning[69] with the openings,
 strike, grasp thrust with thrusts

This is regarding the Rage strike[70]

27 When someone strikes at you from above,
 strike a rage strike and draw[71] the point at him,
28 If he notices this,
 take away from above without fear,
29 be stronger, turn against it,
 and take it down. If he notices this, then go down.
30 Note this;
 strike, thrust, guards, soft or hard.
31 At once[72] and the before the after –
 do not haste into war,
32 what the war strikes from
 above, is ashamed from below.
33 In all turnings,
 strikes, thrusts and cuts learn to find.
34 You shall also
 try strikes, thrusts or cuts
35 in all meetings
 with the masters if you wish to fool them.
ⅺ Do not strike at the sword,
 but always to the openings,
ⅹⅵ to the head, the body
 if you wish to remain unharmed.
ⅹⅶ If you hit or miss,
 always search for the openings,
ⅹⅷ in all teachings
 turn the point to the openings.
ⅹⅸ He who strikes widely around,
 he will often become seriously shamed.
ⅹⅹ Always strike and thrust
 at the closest openings.
ⅹⅺ and you shall also step
 towards the right side.
ⅹⅻ

Glossa. Here note that Liechtenauer strikes an upper strike[73] from the shoulder, it is called the rage strike.

When you are angry and raging, then no strike is as ready as this upper strike struck from the shoulder at the opponent. That is why Liechtenauer means that when someone strikes an upper strike against you, then you shall strike a rage strike at him; that is you move quickly in towards him with your point leading. If he defends against your point, then go quickly up and over to the other side of his sword. If he defends against that as well, then be hard and strong in your sword and turn[74] quickly and skillfully. If he defends against your thrust then throw and strike quickly below and you will hit him in the legs. That is you should always try one after the other so that he never has a chance to come to blows himself. And the aforesaid words – Before, after, at once, weak, Strong, strike, thrust, and Cut, these you should think on well and never forget in your swordplay.

And you should not rush into war, since if you fail above were you aim, then you will hit below as you will hear how to do one out of the other according to the true art, regardless if it is a strike, thrust or cut.

And you shall not strike at the sword, but at the man himself, to the head or the body anywhere you can. One can also understand the first passage so that when you strike from above with the rage strike, then you are also using the point of the rage strike. Just act according to this teaching, and always be in motion, whether you hit him or not, so that he cannot come to blows. And always step well out to the side with the strikes.

And also know that from two strikes alone come all other strikes that are possible to name: these are the upper strike and the lower strike from both sides. These are the main strikes and form the foundation for all other strikes. They are in themselves basic and come from the point of the sword, which is the centre and core of all other pieces that is well described to you. And from these strikes come the four displacements from each side with which all strikes or thrusts are broken and also all guards, and from them you come into the four hangings and from these one can do fine art as you will hear later. No matter how you fence always aim the point at the opponent’s face or breast, then he will always have to worry that you will be faster since you will have a shorter way to go in to him than he has to you.

And if it happens that the opponent wins the first strike then you must be sure, precise and quick in the turning [75] and as soon as you have turned in to him you shall move at once with speed and your point should always desire his breast and turn[76] and seek its way there as you shall hear later on. And as soon as the opponent binds your sword then your point should not be more than half an ell[77] from the opponent’s breast or face. You shall be careful and note if you can get in behind [his sword] and always go the nearest way and never too wide, so that the opponent does not come before you in case you hesitated and again find yourself to be left hanging or that you defended too weakly or defended too wide and with too much force.

  1. ↑ blossfechten
  2. ↑ I believe Döbringer is referring to strikes. But it might also be opponents
  3. ↑ Wechsler
  4. ↑ Zucken
  5. ↑ Vor
  6. ↑ Nach
  7. ↑ Weich
  8. ↑ Hart
  9. ↑ Indes
  10. ↑ Kunheit
  11. ↑ Rischeit
  12. ↑ List
  13. ↑ Vorsichtikeit
  14. ↑ Klugheit
  15. ↑ Vornuft, vorborgenheit, mosse bevorbetrachtunge, hobsheit, fetikeit
  16. ↑ Winden
  17. ↑ Hawende
  18. ↑ Stechende
  19. ↑ Sneydende
  20. ↑ Abe und czutreten
  21. ↑ Umbeschreiten
  22. ↑ Springen
  23. ↑ Ort
  24. ↑ Sneiden
  25. ↑ Gehilcze
  26. ↑ Klos
  27. ↑ the opponent
  28. ↑ Liechtenauer
  29. ↑ Vor
  30. ↑ Nach
  31. ↑ Weich
  32. ↑ Hart
  33. ↑ Indes
  34. ↑ Harnusche
  35. ↑ Blos
  36. ↑ Vorschlag
  37. ↑ Hart
  38. ↑ Weich
  39. ↑ Stark
  40. ↑ Swach
  41. ↑ Indes
  42. ↑ Nachschlag
  43. ↑ Liechtenauer
  44. ↑ Zwerchhaw
  45. ↑ Wind
  46. ↑ his
  47. ↑ Wind
  48. ↑ Veste
  49. ↑ Weich
  50. ↑ pushes you aside
  51. ↑ Indes
  52. ↑ Limpf
  53. ↑ Masse
  54. ↑ Zornhaw
  55. ↑ Krump
  56. ↑ Twere
  57. ↑ Schiler
  58. ↑ Scheitlere
  59. ↑ Alber
  60. ↑ Vorsatzt
  61. ↑ Nochreist
  62. ↑ Ueberlawft
  63. ↑ Durchwechselt
  64. ↑ Zuckt
  65. ↑ Durchlawft
  66. ↑ Abesneit
  67. ↑ Hende drukt
  68. ↑ Henge
  69. ↑ Wind
  70. ↑ Zornhaw
  71. ↑ or slide?
  72. ↑ Indes
  73. ↑ Oberhaw
  74. ↑ Wind
  75. ↑ Wenden
  76. ↑ Winden
  77. ↑ 30-40cm
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