Sigmund ain Ringeck/Christian Trosclair 2022

Here begins the interpretation of the recital.

In this, the knightly art of the long sword lay written; which Johannes Liechtenauer, may God be merciful to him, who was known to be a high master of the art, had composed and created. he had allowed it to be written in veiled and misleading words, for the reason that the art should not become common. And Master Sigmund ein Ringeck, fencing master to the highborn prince and noble Lord Albrecht, Pfalzgraf of Rhein and Herzog of Bavaria had these very veiled and misleading words glossed and interpreted as lay written here in this little book, so that any fencer that can otherwise fight can fully absorb and understand it.

The foreword of the recital.

1	Young knight learn  To have love for god, honor women
2	So that you expand your honor.  Practice Knighthood and learn
3	Art that decorates you  And in war exalts you 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 storm in,  Keep rolling, engage or let pass.
7	Thus the intellectuals hate him,  Yet this one sees glories.
8	Hold yourself to this:  All art has a time and place.

This is the text of many good common lessons of the long sword

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

Gloss. Note this is the first lesson of the long sword: In which you shall learn to make the cuts properly from both sides, that is, if you otherwise wish to fence strongly and correctly. Look at it like this: When you wish to cut from the right side, then see to it that your left foot stands forward. If you then make a descending cut from the right side, then support the cut with the right foot. If you do not do that, then the cut is spurious and incorrect, because your right foot remains behind. Therefore the cut is too short and can not posses its correct path downward to the correct other side in front of the left foot.

The same when you cut from the left side and [you] do not support the cut with the left foot. Thus the cut is also spurious. Therefore make sure from whichever side you cut, that you support the cut with the same sided foot, so that you can conduct all your plays with strength and all other cuts shall be hewn like this as well.

Again, the text about a lesson

11	Whoever chases after cuts  They permit themselves little opportunity for art.
12	Cut from close proximity whatever you wish  No change gets past your shield
13	To the head, to the body  Do not omit the stingers
14	With the entire body  Fence whatever you desire to conduct with strength.

Gloss. When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, you should not watch nor await their cut as they conduct it against you. Because all fencers that look out and wait upon the opponent's cut and wish to do nothing else than parry, they allow themselves little opportunity from art because they often become struck with it.

Another. You shall note that everything that you wish to fence with, conduct that with the entire strength of the body and with that, cut in from close at the head and at the body, so they can not disengage in front of your point and with that cut, in the binding of the swords, you shall not omit the stingers to the nearest opening. That will be delineated hereafter in the five cuts and in other plays.

Again, a lesson.

15	Hear what is bad.  Do not fence lefty from above if you are a righty
16	And if you are lefty,  In the right [you] are also severely hindered.

Note the gloss. The lesson hits upon two people, one left and one right. The first cut, understand it like this: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, if you subsequently judge and decide to strike the opponent, then do not hew the first cut from the left side. Because it is weak and with it, cannot not hold fast when one binds strongly against it. Therefore cut [from] the right side, so you may work strongly with art. Whatever you wish.

The same is if you are lefty. Then do not cut from the right side as well, because the art is quite awkward [when] a lefty drives from the right side. It is also the same [of] a righty from the left side.

This is the text and learn a lesson about before and after.

17	Before and After, the two things  Are the singular origin of the entire art.
18	Weak and strong  Indes, note them with this word
19	So that you may learn  To work and ward with art.
20	Whoever frightens easily  Never learns to fence.

Gloss. Note this is so that you shall fully understand the before and the after before any confrontations. Because the two things have one origin that gives rise to the entire art of fencing.

Look at it like this: The before, this is so that you shall always come forth with a cut or with a thrust to the opponent's opening the moment before they do the same to you so that they must parry you. Then work swiftly with your sword in front of you from one opening to the other within the parry. So they can not come with their plays before your work. But if they rush in on you, then come before with the wrestling.

Here note that which is called the after.

Note. If you can not come into the before, then wait upon the after. These are the breaks of all plays that they conduct upon you.

Look at it like this: When the opponent comes before such that you must parry them, swiftly work Indes to the nearest opening during the parry, so that you hit them the moment before they accomplish their play. Thus you have seized the before and they remain after.

You shall also note in the before and after how you shall work with the word Indes according to the weak and according to the strong of their sword.

And understand it like this: From the hilt of the sword up until the middle of the blade the sword has its strength. With that you may resist when someone binds you against it. And farther from the middle up until the point, it has it's weak which can not cannot resist. And when you understand these things properly, you can correctly work with art and with that protect yourself and furthermore teach princes and lords so that they may properly remain steadfast using the same art in in play and in earnest, but if you frighten easily, you should not learn the art of fencing because a heart drained of blood does no good when it becomes rattled by any art.

The text of the five cuts

21	Learn five cuts  From the right hand, whoever invests in these,
22	We swear to them  To gladly pay them back in skills.

Note the recital sets down five concealed cuts. Many masters of the sword do not know to say that you should not learn to make other cuts, when from the right side, against those that position themselves against you in defense. And if you select one cut from the five cuts, then one can connect during the first strike. Whoever can break that without their harm, will be avowed by the masters of the recital such that their art shall become better rewarded than any other fencer that cannot fence against these five cuts. And how you shall hew the five cuts, you find that in the same five cuts written hereafter.

This is the text of the plays of the recital

23	Wrathcut Crook and Cross,  If the Eye Cocker keeps with the Parter,
24	The Fool parries.  Pursuing, Overrunning, places the attack
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

Note the gloss. Here the proper principal plays of the art of the long sword are named as each are specifically titled with their names that you can better understand them.

Another. Now note the first cut called the wrath-cut
The second the crooked cut
The third the crosswise cut
The fourth the cockeyed cut
The fifth the scalp-cut
The sixth this is the four guards
The seventh the four parries
The eighth Pursuing
The ninth the overrunnings
The tenth the displacements
The eleventh disengaging
The twelfth yanking back
The thirteenth the rush throughs
The fourteenth the cut offs
The fifteenth the hand presses
The sixteenth the hangings
The seventeenth this is the winds

And how you shall uncover with the hanging and winding and how you shall conduct all the forenamed plays, you find that all written hereafter.

This is the wrath-cut with its plays

27	Whoever cuts at you from above,  The wrath-cut point threatens them

Gloss. Look at it like this: When one cuts in from above from their right side, you also cut in a wrath-cut strongly from your right shoulder with them using your long edge. If they are subsequently soft against the sword, then shoot the point in forward long at their face and threaten to stab them.

Yet another play from the wrath-cut

28	If they become aware of it,  Then take off above without concern

Gloss. When you shoot the point in during the wrath-cut, then if they become aware of the point and parry the thrust with strength, then drag your sword upwards up off away from theirs and cut in again at their head from above on the other side against their sword.

Yet another play from the wrath-cut

29	Be strong in turn  And thrust. If they see it, take it again[sic]

Gloss. When you cut in with the wrath-cut, if the opponent parries it and remains strong against the sword with it, then be strong again against them against their sword and rise up with the strong of your sword into the weak of their sword and wind your hilt forwards in front of your head against their sword and then stab them in the face from above.

Yet another play from the wrath-cut

When you thrust-in from above during the winding, as was before, if the opponent then rises up with their hands and parries the high thrust with their hilt, then remain standing like that in the winding and set the point down between their arms and the breast.

A break against the taking off

Note. When you bind with someone strongly against their sword, then if they drag their sword upwards up off away from your sword and cuts in again from above at your head on the other side against your sword to your head, then bind strongly with the long edge from high towards their head.

Here note a good lesson.

30	Note this precisely:  Cut, thrust, guard; soft or hard,
31	Indes and before after[sic]  Without rush, your war is not hasty.
32	Whoever hunts the war  Above, will be exposed below.

Gloss. This is what you shall quite precisely note when one with a cut or with a thrust or otherwise binds against your sword: whether they are soft or hard upon the sword. And when you have sensed this, you shall know Indes which is the best: whether you rush upon them with the before or with the after. But you shall not allow yourself to be too hasty with your war with your onrush. For the war is nothing other than the windings upon the sword.

Another. Conduct the war like this: When you cut in with the wrath-cut, then as soon as the opponent parries, rise sufficiently up with your arms and twist your point into the upper opening. Then if they parry the thrust, keep staying in the winding and stab the lower opening with your point. Then if they chase the sword further by parrying, then pass through below their sword with your point and hang your point in from above into the other opening of their right side. In this way they become ashamed above and below if you can otherwise conduct the passage correctly.

How one shall properly find cuts and thrusts in all windings

33	In all winding  Learn to properly find cut, thrust.
34	You shall also with that gauge,  cut, thrust or slice
35	In all encounters  Of the masters, if you wish to dishonor them.

Gloss. This is how you shall properly find cut, thrust and slice in all windings. So when you wind, you shall immediately gauge which of the three is best to conduct. So that you do not cut when you should thrust, and not slice when you should cut, and should not thrust when you should slice. And note when someone parries the one, that you hit them with the other. So if one parries your thrust, then conduct the cut. If someone rushes in, then conduct the under-slice into their arm. Note [this] in all collisions and bindings of the sword, if you wish to confound the masters that sets themselves against you.

About the four openings

36	Know to target the four openings;  Thus you strike wisely.
37	Go upon all  Without doubt how he bares.

Gloss. You shall here note the four openings on the opponent that you should always fence to. The first opening is the right side, the second is the left side above the girdle of the opponent. The other two are also the right and the left sides below the girdle. Precisely observe the openings in the onset with which they uncover themselves against you. Artfully target these without danger with the shooting in of the long point, with pursuing and otherwise with all techniques and and do not heed them as they bare against you with their techniques. Thus, you fence wisely and from this strike strikes that are excellent and with this do not allow them to come to their plays.

The text and the gloss about the doubling and about the mutating. How they break the four openings.

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

Gloss. This is for when you wish to set yourself up against the opponent in such a way that you will break the four openings with art. Conduct the doubling to the upper openings against the strong of their sword and the mutating to the other openings. For I say to you truthfully, that they cannot defend themselves from that and can neither come to strikes nor to thrusts.

The doubling

Another. When you cut in from above with the wrath cut or otherwise, if the opponent parries you with strength, then 'Indes' shove your sword's pommel under your right arm with your left hand and against their sword with crossed hands, strike the opponent across their mouth from behind their sword's blade between the sword and the opponent or else strike them on their head with this play.

Note the mutating

Conduct the mutating like this: When you bind them against their sword with a descending cut or otherwise, then wind the short edge against their sword and rise sufficiently up with your arms and hang your sword's blade over their sword to the outside and thrust to their lower opening. This works on both sides.

The crooked cut with its plays

42	Crook up swiftly  Throw the point onto the hands

Gloss. This is how you shall cut crooked to the hands and conduct the play like this: When the opponent cuts at an opening from your right side with either rising or descending cuts, spring away from their cut with your right foot, all the way to their left side, facing them and strike them with crossed arms with the point upon the hands. And also conduct this play against them when they stand against you in the guard of the ox.

Yet another play from the crooked cut

43	Crook. Whoever fully commits  Disrupts many cuts with stepping.

Gloss. This is how you shall displace the descending cut with the crooked cut. Conduct the play like this: When the opponent cuts in from above from their right side to the opening, step to their left side with your right foot and fall across their sword in the barrier guard with your point to the ground. Conduct this on both sides. You can also strike them on the head from the displacement.

Yet another play from the crooked cut.

44	Hew crooked to the flats of  The masters if you wish to weaken them.

Gloss. This is for when you wish to weaken a master. Conduct the play like this: When the opponent cuts in from their right side, cut crooked against their cut atop their sword with crossed hands.

Yet another play from the crooked cut

45	When it sparks above  So stand aside, that I will laud.

Gloss. This is for when you cut atop the opponent's sword with the crooked cut, strike immediately back up from their sword with your short edge or wind the short edge against their sword during the crooked cut and thrust into their breast.

Yet another play from the crooked cut

46	Don't crook, cut short  Disengage and with that expose them

Gloss. This is for when the opponent wishes to cut in from above from their right shoulder. So you act as if you will bind against their sword with the crooked cut and shorten and pass through under their sword with your point and wind your hilt over your head to your right side and thrust into their face.

Note how one shall break the crooked cut.

47	Whoever foils you crooked,  The noble war confounds them
48	That they do not truthfully knows  Where they are without danger.

Gloss. This is for when you initiate a cut from your right side, from above or below. Then if the opponent cuts crooked onto your sword also from their right side with crossed arms and displaces your cut with it, then remain with the your sword strongly against theirs and shoot the point in long into their breast under their sword.

Another break for the crooked cut

Note. When you cut in from above from your right side, then if the opponent cuts crooked with crossed arms atop your sword from their right side as well and with that presses you down to the ground, then wind towards your right side and rise all the way up over your head with your arms and set your point against their breast from above. Gloss. If they parry this, then remain standing as are you are with your hilt in front of your head and work swiftly with your point from one opening to the other. This is called the noble war. With it you confound the opponent so completely that they do not know where they shall keep away from you with certainty.

The crosswise cut with its plays

49	The cross seizes  Whatever arrives from the roof

Gloss. Note the crosswise cut breaks all cuts that will have been hewn from above down. Conduct the cut like this: When the opponent cuts in at your head from above, spring away from their cut to their left side with your right foot, facing them and in your springing turn your sword forwards with the hilt high in front of your head such that your thumb comes under and strike them with the short edge to their left side such that you catch their cut in your hilt and hit them in the head.

A play from the crosswise cut

50	Cross with the strong  With that note the work

Gloss. This is how you shall work from the crosswise cut using the strong and do it like this: When you initiate a cut using the crosswise cut, remember that you wind against the strong of their sword with yours. then if the opponent holds it strongly at bay, then from against their sword strike them on their head with crossed arms from behind their sword's edge as is made here or slice them across their mouth with this play.

Yet another play from the crosswise cut

Note. When you bind against their sword with the strong of your sword from the crosswise cut, then if the opponent holds it strongly at bay,, then shove their sword away from you, down to your right side using your hilt and immediately strike back around with the crosswise cut at their head to their right side.

Yet another play from the crosswise cut

Another. When you bind against their sword with the crosswise cut, then if they are weak against the sword, lay the short edge against their neck on their right side and spring behind their left foot with your right and drag them over it with your sword.

Another play

Another. When you bind against their sword with the crosswise cut, if they are subsequently weak against the sword, then press their sword down with your crosswise cut and position your short edge out forward against their neck from behind their arms.

Here note the break against the upper crosswise cut

Note. When you bind the opponent from your right side with a descending cut or otherwise against their sword, then if they strike around to the other side using the crosswise cut, then come forth under their sword against their neck with the crosswise cut as well, as is pictured hereafter next to this, such that they strike themselves the same way with your sword.

Here note the break against the low cross strike

Note when you bind against their sword from your right side, then if the opponent strikes from the sword around to the other opening of your right side using the crosswise cut, then remain with your hilt above your head and turn your sword's edge downward against their cut and thrust to their lower opening, as is pictured hereafter next to this.

How one shall strike with the cross to the four openings

51	Cross to the plow  Yoke hard to the ox

Gloss. This is how you shall strike to the four openings in one entry using the crosswise cut.

Look at it like this: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, note: when it is suitable, spring toward them and strike them to the lower opening of their left side with the crosswise cut. This is called striking to the plow.

Yet another play from the crosswise cut

When you have struck to the lower opening with the crosswise cut, immediately strike up to the other side at their head in from above using the crosswise cut. This is called striking to the ox and then swiftly strike further, again and again one cross strike to the ox and the another to the plow crosswise from one side to the other and with this make a descending cut in from above at their head and with that withdraw yourself.

52	Whoever crosses themselves well  Threatens the head by springing.

Gloss. This is so that you are to spring sufficiently to the side of the opponent with each and every cross strike so that if you wish to strike them, you can fully connect with their head and be aware that in your springing, you are to be fully covered up above with your hilt in front of your head.

This is the text and the gloss of yet another play from the crosswise cut and is called the failer.

53	Whoever credibly executes the failer  They wound according to desire from below

Gloss. Note all fencers that like to parry will be mislead and struck by the failer. Conduct the play like this: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, act as if you will strike at their head with a free crosswise cut on their left side and snatch your sword away during the cut and strike to the lower opening of their right side using the crosswise cut, as is pictured just after to this. In this way the opponent is triggered and struck below according to desire.

Yet another play from the crosswise cut and this is called the inverter

54	The inverter constrains.  The one who slips across also wrestles with it.
55	Take the elbow surely  Spring into their stance.

Gloss. Note you shall conduct this play like so: When you bind against the opponent's sword with a rising or descending cut, invert your sword such that your thumb comes under and thrust at their face from above. In this way, you constrain them such that they must parry and in their act of parrying, seize their right elbow with your left hand and spring in front of their right foot with your left and shove them over it. Or rush through using the inverter and wrestle as you will find hereafter in the slipping through.

Yet another play from the failer

56	Double the failer  If they make contact, make the slice with it

Gloss. Note this is called the double failer. For the reason that one shall conduct a double misdirection in one sortie. Conduct the first like this: When you come to the opponent with the initiation of fencing, spring toward them with your right foot and act as if you will strike at their head with a cross strike to their left side and snatch your strike away hitting their head on their right side.

Yet another play from the failer

57	Double further  Step in left and do not be lazy

Gloss. This is for when you have struck at the opponent's head on their right side with your first misdirection as was just pictured. Then take the slice into their arms from below and immediately strike back around to the right side of their head and with that from crossed arms pass over their sword with the short edge and spring left, that is to your left side and slice them with the long edge through the jaw.

The cockeyed cut with its plays

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

Gloss. Note here that the cockeyed cut is a cut that intrudes into the cuts and thrusts of a buffalo, which acquire dominance with power. Conduct the cut like this: When the opponent cuts in from above from their right side, then you also cut from your right against their cut with upright arms using the short edge into the weak of their sword and strike them on their right shoulder, in this way you strike and parry as one and hit them during the cut. If they disengage, shoot long into their breast during the cut and cut in this way when they stand against you in the guard of the plow or when they will thrust at you from below.

Yet another play from the cockeyed cut

60	Cock an eye, If they short change you,  Disengaging defeats them

Gloss. Note this is a lesson for when you shall cock an eye slyly and quite precisely see whether the opponent fences short against you. You shall recognize it by this: When the opponent initiates a cut and their arms do not extend long with their cut, cut as well and in the cut pass through below their sword with your point and wind your hilt over your head to your right side and stab them in the face as is pictured just below.

Another. All fencers, which fence short, be it from the ox or from the plow, and with all windings in front of the opponent, freely disengage them from both your cuts and from your thrusts with the long point. With this you secure them against your sword such that they must allow you to come to work and to strike them.

Yet another play from the cockeyed cut

61	Squint to the point  And take the neck without fear.

Gloss. Note the cockeyed cut breaks the long point and conduct it like this: When the opponent stands against you and holds their point against your face or breast from extended arms, stand with your left foot forward and with your face, cock an eye slyly at their point and act as if you wish to cut to their point and cut strongly upon their sword with the short edge and with that shoot the point long to their neck with an advance of the right foot.

Yet another play from the cockeyed cut

62	Squint to the top of the  Head if you wish to ruin the hands.

Gloss. Note when the opponent wishes to cut in from above, cock an eye slyly with your face as if you wish to strike their head and cut against their cut with your short edge and strike them upon their hands from against their sword's blade with your point.

This is the part cut with its plays

63	The part cut  Is a threat to the face

Here note the part cut is a threat to both the face and to the breast. Conduct it like this: When the opponent stands against you in the guard of the fool, cut down from above, extended from the top of your head, with the long edge, and remain high with your arms during the cut and hang in at their face with your point.

A play from the part cut

64	With their turn  Firmly threatens the breast.

Gloss. This is for when you hang your point in at the opponent's face from above using the part cut. Then if the opponent firmly shoves you upward with their hilt in their act of parrying, spin your sword around high in front of your head using your hilt and set the point against their breast from below., withdraw it with slicing. Gloss. Note when you cut in from above using the part cut, if they parry hard over their head with their hilt, this parry is called the crown, and they rush in on you with it, then take your lower slice under their hands into their arm, and press firmly upward, so that the crown is broken again.</ref>

How the crown breaks the part cut

65	Whatever comes from them,  The crown takes that away

Gloss. Note when you cut in from above using the part cut, if the opponent parries high above their head with their hilt, this parrying is called the crown and they rush in on you with it.

How the slice breaks the crown.

66	Slice through the crown  So you break the hard beautifully
67	Press the thrust  Withdraw it with slicing.

Gloss. Note when the opponent parries the part cut or otherwise another cut with the crown and uses that to rush in, take the slice under their hands into their arm and press firmly upwards, so that the crown is broken again and turn your sword from the lower slice into the upper slice and withdraw yourself with it.

This is the text and the gloss on the four leaguers

68	Four leaguers alone:  Keep to those and flee the common;
69	Ox, plow, fool,  From-the-roof are not disgusting to you.

Gloss. Note, this is that you shall not hold to any leaguer other than solely to the four which will be named here.

Item. The first guard is called the ox; arrange yourself thusly: Stand with the left foot forwards and hold your sword near your right side with the hilt in front of your head, and let the point hang against the face (as stands pictured next to this).

Item. The second guard is called the plow; arrange yourself thusly: Stand with the left foot forward and hold your sword with crossed hands near your right side over your knee such that the point stands against the face (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).

Item. The third guard is called the fool; arrange yourself thusly: Stand with the right foot forward and hold your sword with outstretched arms with the point upon the ground (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).

Item. The fourth guard is called from-the-roof; arrange yourself thusly: Stand with the left foot forwards and hold your sword upon your right shoulder (as stands pictured hereafter next to this), or hold it with outstretched arms over your head; and how you shall fence from the guards, you find it all written in this book.

This is the text and the gloss of the four displacements which break the four leaguers

70	Four are the displacements  Which also severely injure the leaguers.
71	Guard yourself from displacing  If it happens, it severely beleaguers you.

Gloss. Note, you have heard before that you shall fence solely from the four leaguers, so you should also just know that the same four [displacements] break the four leaguers. And the four settings, they are the four hews.

The first hew is the crooked-hew, which breaks the guard that is named the ox.

Item. The second is the thwart-hew, which breaks the guard from-the-roof.

Item. The third is the squint-hew, which breaks the guard of the plow.

Item. The fourth is the parter, which breaks the guard that is named the fool.

And guard yourself from all displacements which the simple fencers conduct; they allow the point to go out before the man (low or high on a side), and whoever does that cannot seek the opening on the man. Therefore do not parry, and [instead] note when he hews, thus you also hew; and when he thrusts, so thrust as well; and how you shall hew and thrust, you find that written in the five hews and in the setting-aside.

This is the text and the gloss of a play against the displacement

72	If you are parried,  And as it is arriving,
73	Hear what I advise:  Rip off. Cut quickly with hurry.

Gloss. This is as it arrives that you are becoming parried: so note if one displaces an over-hew, go to him in the displacing with the pommel over his forward-placed hand, and with that wrench downwards, and with the wrenching strike him there on the head with the sword (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).

Yet another play against the displacement

Item. Note, when you hew an under-hew from the right side: if he then falls with the sword onto yours so you cannot come up with it, swiftly drive over his sword with the pommel and wrench your blade from his [from] below and strike him with the snapping, with the long edge to the head (as stands pictured hereafter next to this); or, if he falls onto your sword against your left side, so strike him with the short edge.

This is the text and the gloss of yet another play against the displacing

74	Set-upon four ends;  Learn to remain thereupon if you wish to finish.

Gloss. This is when you cleave-in from your right shoulder: if you wish to quickly finish with him, so note when he displaces [and] strike quickly around with the thwart, and with the strike grasp your sword in the middle of the blade with the left hand, and set the point into the face (as stands pictured next), or set-upon him to the four openings to whichever you can best come.

This is the text and the gloss of yet another play against the displacement

Item. Note, when you set the point into his face with the half-sword (as stands done before next to this): if he displaces that, jab him with the pommel to the other side to his head, or spring with the right foot behind his left and with the pommel drive around his neck, over his right shoulder, [and] around the front of the neck, and with that, back him over your right leg (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).

This is about racing-after

75	Learn the racing-after,  Doubly or cut into the weapon

Gloss. Note, this is so that you shall learn the racings-after quite well, because they are dual, and the first conduct thusly: when he wishes to cleave-in above him, so note while he yanks up the sword to the strike, [and] race-after him with a hew or with a thrust, and hit him to the upper opening before the moment he descends with the hew, or fall with the long edge above him onto his arm and with that, press him from you.

Yet another racing-after

Item. When he begins to hew you downward from above, and if he then allows his sword to go down to the earth with the hew: so race-after him with an over-hew to the head before the moment he comes-up with the sword, so is he struck.

Or if he will thrust you, note the moment he yanks the sword to him for the thrust, so race-after him and thrust him before he completes his thrust.

About the outer-cattle-drives

76	Two outer-cattle-drives,  You work begins thereafter,
77	And test the attacks,  Whether they are soft or hard.

Gloss. Note, the two outer-cattle-drives are the two racings-after upon the sword; conduct it thusly: When he mis-hews himself before you, race-after him. If he then displaces you, so remain with the sword upon his and test whether he is soft or hard with the attack. If he then, with the sword, lifts that of yours upwards with strength, then extend your sword outside over that of his and thrust to his low opening.

The other outer-cattle-drives

Item. When you fence cautiously from the under-hews (or otherwise from the under-attacks): if he then lays over you and winds upon your sword before you come up with that, [and] then remains strong with your sword below upon his winding and works to your upper opening, so follow-after with the sword and take weak of his sword with the long edge, and press down and stab him in the face.

This is the text and the gloss about the feeling and about the word "in-the-moment"

78	Learn the feeling;  In-the-moment, that word hews severely.

Gloss. This is so that you properly learn the feeling and the word "in-the-moment", and shall understand that the two things belong to the same and are the greatest arts of fencing.

Item. And understand it thusly: When you come to him with the onset and one binds another on the sword, so in that you shall feel with the hand (that is, perceive), just as the swords spark together, whether they have bound soft or hard, and as soon as you have perceived that, think of the word "in-the-moment"; that is, in that same swift perceiving of the soft and of the hard, you shall work to the nearest opening, so [he] becomes struck before he will have his insight.

Item. Note, you shall think of the word "in-the-moment" in all bindings of the sword, because

in-the-moment doubles
and in-the-moment mutates,
in-the-moment runs-through,
and in-the-moment changes-through,
in-the-moment takes the cut;
in-the-moment wrestles,
and with in-the-moment, take the sword.
In the art, In-the-moment does whatever your heart desires.

In-the-moment is a sharp word; with it, any fencer who knows nothing of the word becomes hew. And the word "in-the-moment" is also the key in which all of the art of fencing becomes unlocked.

This is yet another play text and gloss about racing-after

79	Traveling-after twice:  If one joins, make the farewell cut with it.

Gloss. Note, this is when he mis-hews himself before you: so race after him with a hew to the upper opening; if he then drives up and binds under you upon the sword, so note just as soon as one sword sparks on the other, [and] so fall upon him from the sword with the long-edge over his arm, and also press him from you (as stands pictured next), or cut him from the sword through the mouth. Deploy this to both sides.

This is the text and the gloss about running-over

80	Whoever aims below,  Run-over, then they become shamed.
81	When it sparks above  Then strengthen, this I will laud.
82	Make your work  Or press hard twice.

Gloss. Note, this is when he targets the lower openings with a hew or with a thrust in the onset: you shall not displace him, rather await, such that you run-over with a hew above into the head or set-upon the point above (as stands pictured hereafter next to this) so that he becomes shamed from you, because all over-hews and all settings-upon over-reach the lower.

This is the text and the gloss: how one shall offset hews and thrusts

83	Learn to offset:  Skillfully injure, hew, thrust
84	Whoever thrusts upon you,  Such that your point hits and his breaks,
85	From both sides;  Hit any time if you wish to step.

Gloss. This is so that you shall learn to offset hews and thrusts alike with art, such that your point hits him and, in that, his becomes broken, and understand it thusly: When someone stands against you and holds his sword as if he will stab you from below, so stand counter against him in the guard of the plow from your right side, and give yourself an opening with the left. If he then under-thrusts to the same opening, wind with the sword against his thrust to your left side and step into him with the right foot, so that your point hits and his fails (as stands pictured next).

Yet another play from setting-aside

Item. Note, when you stand against him in the guard of the plow from the left side: if he then hews to the upper opening of your left side, then drive up with the sword, and wind to the left side against his hew (such that the hilt is in front of your head), and step into him with your right foot and stab him in the face (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).

This is the text and the gloss about Changing-through

86	Learn to change-through  From both sides; stab with violence
87	Whoever binds upon you,  The Changing-through finds him swiftly.

Gloss. This is so that you shall learn the changing-through well, and conduct it thusly: When you cleave-in or thrust to him in the onset, if he will then bind on the sword with a hew or with a displacement, allow the point under his sword and slip through, and with that, thrust-in to him violently at the other side, thus you find the opening upon him swiftly (as stands pictured).

Item. If he then becomes aware of the thrust and drives after it with the displacing, then but change-through to the other side.

Item. Another.

As you come to him, set your left foot forward and hold the long [point] against his face. If he then hews to the sword (over or under) and will strike it away, allow your point to sink downwards and stab him to the other opening of the other side, and do that against all hews.

This is the text and the gloss about yanking

88	Tread near in binding;  The yanking gives good opportunities.
89	Pull: if it connects, yank more.  If he works, cut so that it does him woe.
90	Pull in all hits  Of the masters if you wish to deceive them.

Gloss. This is when you come to him with the onset: so cleave-in strongly above from the right shoulder to the head. If he then binds you with displacing (or otherwise on the sword), so tread near to him in the bind on the sword and withdraw your sword from his above, and cleave-in again above to the other side to his head (as it stands pictured next to this). If he displaces that too a second time, so strike-in again above to the other side, and work swiftly according to the upper openings which may occur to you with the doublings (or otherwise with other plays to his nearest opening).

Or act as if you will yank and [then] remain upon the sword, and quickly thrust-in again upon the sword to the face. If you then do not quite hit him with the thrust, so work with the doubling or otherwise with other plays.

This is the text and the gloss about running-through

91	Run-through, allow to hang  With the pommel, grasp if you wish to wrestle.
92	Whoever strengthens against you,  Run-through. With that note.

Gloss. Note, this is when one runs-in to the other: if he then drives up with the arms and wishes to overwhelm you above with strength, so drive up as well with the arms, and hold your sword with the left hand near the pommel over your head and allow the blade to hang behind over your back, and run-through with your head under his right arm and spring with the right foot behind his right, and with the spring, drive him well forward with the right arm around the body, and clasp him thusly to the right hip and throw him in front of you (as stands pictured here).

This is yet another play about running-through

Item. Note, when he wishes to overpower you with strength by running-in with the sword high: so hold your sword with the left hand near the pommel and let the blade hang over your back. Run-through with the head under his right arm, and remain with the right foot forward before his right and drive in well behind him with the right arm around the body, and clasp him upon your right hip and throw him behind you (as stands pictured here).

A wresting at the sword

Item. When one runs-in to the other: so release your sword from the left hand and hold it with the right, and shove his sword from you to your right side with your hilt, and spring with the left foot in front of his right and drive him well back with your left arm around the body, and clasp him to your left hip and throw him in front of you.

Though watch that it does not fail you.

Yet another wresting at the sword

Item. When one runs-in to the other: so release your sword from the left hand and hold it in the right, and shove his sword from you to your right side with the hilt, and spring with the left foot behind his right and drive him forward with the left arm under his chest (well around the body), and throw him backward over your foot.

Yet another wresting at the sword

Item. Note, when you run-in with another: so release your sword from the left hand and hold it in the right, and drive him outside with the pommel over his right arm and with that yank downwards, and seize his right elbow with the left hand and spring with the left foot in front of his right, and back him thusly over the foot to your right side (as stands pictured next to this).

Yet another wresting at the sword

Item. Note, when one runs-in to the other: so drive with the left arm over his right, and with that seize his right arm with an inverted hand and press his left over your left with the right arm, and spring with your right foot behind his right and turn yourself away from him to your left side, and thus you throw him over your right hip (as stands pictured next to this).

Yet another wresting

Item. When someone runs-in at the sword, etc.: so let your sword fall and invert your right hand, and with that seize his right hand outside and clasp it near the right elbow with the left, and spring with the left foot in front of his right and shove his right arm over your left with the right hand, and with that lift it upwards; thus is he locked and thus [you] may break the arm, or throw him in front of you over the leg.

A sword taking

Item. Note, when one runs-in to the other: so invert your left hand and with that drive over his right arm, and with that seize his sword by the grip between both hands, and back to your left side (as stands pictured next to this); so you take the sword from him.

This will vex him badly.

This is yet another sword taking

Item. Note, when he binds on your sword (with displacing or otherwise): so seize both swords in the middle of the blade with the left hand inverted and hold them tightly together, and drive through below with the pommel with the right hand against the left side over both his hands, and with that back yourself upward to the right side. So you keep both swords (as stands pictured next to this).

This is the text and gloss about cutting-off

93	Cut away the hard [ones]  From below in both drivings.
94	Four are the cuts:  With two below, two above.

Gloss. Note, there are four cuts; conduct the first thusly: when he runs-in and drives up high with the arms, and will overpower you above against your left side with strength, so twist your sword and fall under his hilt, into his arms with the long edge with crossed hands, and press-upward with the cut (as stands pictured next to this); or, if he runs-in against your right side, fall into his arm with the short edge and press upwards as before.

Yet another cut

Item. When you bind strongly on his sword (with a hew or otherwise): if he then allows his sword to snap-away from yours and strikes you above to the head, so twist your sword with the hilt in front of your head and cut-through his arm below, and with the cut, set the point below upon his chest.

This is the over-cut

Item. Note, conduct the cut thusly: when one binds on the sword against your left side, and he then strikes around from the sword to the right side (with the thwart or otherwise), so spring from the hew with the left foot to his right side, and fall with the long edge above over both arms and press him from you (as stands pictured here). Deploy this to both sides.

This is the text and the gloss about the transformation of the cut

95	Turn the edge  To flatten; press the hands.

Gloss. Note, this is when you come in your running-in with the under-cut below into his arm (such that your point goes out against his right side): so with that, press firmly upwards with the cut, and amid the pressing spring with the left foot to his right side, and turn your sword with the long edge above over his arms (such that your point goes-out against his left side), and with that, press his arm from you. Thus have you transformed the under-cut into the over; conduct this to both sides.

This is the text and the gloss about the two hangings

96	The two hangings happen  From one hand from the earth.
97	In every drive,  Hew, thrust, leaguer; soft or hard.

Gloss. Note, there are two hangings from one hand and from one side from the earth; conduct it thusly: When you bind onto his sword against your left side with the lower setting-aside, so hang your sword's pommel against the earth, and thrust-up to him from below out of the hanging to the face. If he then shoves your point upward with the displacing, so remain thusly upon the sword and also drive up with him, and hang the point from above down to the face, and in the two hangings you shall swiftly conduct hew, thrust, and cut [with] every drive. Thereafter, as you [are] in the binding-on of the sword, with that, perceive (or test) whether he is soft or hard. (The hangings from both sides, this is the plow from both sides.)

This is the text and the gloss about the speaking-window

98	Make the speaking-window;  Stand freely, seek out his thing,
99	Strike him such that it snaps  Whoever withdraws before you.
100	I say to you in truth:  No one protects themselves without danger.
101	If you have correct understanding,  He may barely come to strikes.

Gloss. Note, this called the speaking-window: when he binds you on the sword with hews or with displacing, so remain strong from extended arms with the long edge upon the sword, with the point in front of the face, and stand freely and seek out his thing (whatever he will conduct against you).

Item. If he strikes-around from the sword with an over-hew to the other side, so bind-after with the long edge against his hew with strength, above into the head.

Or if he strikes-around from the sword with the thwart, so fall into his arms with the over-cut.

Or if he yanks his sword to himself and wishes to thrust you below, so race-after him upon the sword with the point, and set-upon him above.

Item. Note, if he does not wish to withdraw nor strike-around from the sword, so work upon the sword with the doubling (or otherwise with other plays) as you thereafter perceive the soft and the hard upon the sword.

Here note how you shall stand in the long-point and what plays you shall conduct from it

Item. Note, when you come just near to him with the onset: so set your left foot forward before when he binds you on the sword, and hold your point long with extended arms against the face or against the chest. If he then hews-in from above to your head, so wind against his hew with the sword and thrust into his face.

Or if he hews from above to below, or from below up into the sword, and wishes to strike the point away, so change-through and thrust to the other opening or side.

Or if he hits your sword with strength with the hew, so allow your sword to snap-around, so you hit him in the head.

Or if he runs-in, so conduct the cut or await the wrestling.

Watch that it does not fail you.

This is the text about the conclusion of the entire Recital

102	Whoever commands well and properly breaks,  And tenaciously corrects completely,
103	And breaks apart,  Each into three wounders;
104	Whoever properly hangs well,  And with that brings the winding,
105	And considers the eight windings,  With proper movement;
106	And yet I mean your one  Of the windings are triple,
107	So are they simply counted  Twenty and four.
108	From both sides  Learn eight windings with stepping,
109	And test the drives [for]  Nothing more than soft or hard.

Gloss. This is a lesson, therein the art of the record is skillfully understood. It is taught thusly so that you shall be quite well practiced and accomplished in the art. Also, so that you can appropriately command any attack and play according to that which you fence with, so that you therefore correctly know to conduct your break against his plays, so that you may work with three wounders from each particular break.

Item. You shall also properly hang upon the sword and from the hangings you shall bring eight windings, and you shall also consider and properly estimate the windings, so that you know to conduct which one of the said three.

Here note how you shall conduct the hangings and the windings

Item. Understand it thusly: there are four bindings-on of the sword, two over and two under. You shall only conduct two particular windings from each binding-on of the sword.

Item. Do it thusly: When you come to him with the onset, if he then binds-on to you above against your left side, so wind the short edge upon his sword and drive well up with the arms, and hang-in your point to him above and thrust into his face. If he displaces the thrust with strength, allow your point to hang-in above upon the sword, and wind to your right side and thrust. These are two windings on one side of the sword.

Item. Or if he binds-on above against your right side, wind the long edge upon his sword also against your right side and drive well up with the arms, and hang-in your point to him above, and thrust-in the point above into his face. If he displaces the thrust with strength, allow your point to hang-in above upon the sword, and wind to your left side and thrust. These are four windings from the two over-bindings-on, from the left and from the right sides.

Item. Now you shall know that you shall also conduct four windings from the two under-bindings-on with all attacks, as from the over[-bindings-on]. Thus the windings, over and under, become eight. And remember that you shall conduct one particular hew, or one cut, or one thrust, from each winding. And this is called the three wounders. From those, one can and shall conduct them from the eight windings into twenty-four instances. And you shall properly learn to conduct the eight windings from both sides, so that you step in with each winding, and you test his attack, no more than if he is soft or hard upon the sword. And when you have sensed these two things, conduct the play into the winding which is called for. Whenever you do not do this, you become struck by all windings.