Pseudo-Hans Döbringer/Michael Chidester LS 2021

This is the general preface of the unarmored fencing on foot. Mark this well.

1	Young knight, learn.  Revere God. Ever honor women,
2	Thus cultivate your honor.  Practice knightcraft and learn
3	art that decorates you  and in wars serves you well.
4	Wrestling's good grips,  Lance, spear, sword and messer,
5	manfully brandish  and in other hands ruin.
6	Attack suddenly and storm in,  keep moving fluidly, engage or let pass.
7	Thus the intellectuals hate him,  Yet this one sees glories.
8	Thereupon you hold,  all things have time and place.
ⅰ	And whatever you wish to conduct,  you shall stay in the realm of good reason.
ⅱ	In earnest or in play,  have a joyous spirit with moderation
ⅲ	so that you may pay attention  and consider with a good spirit
ⅳ	whatever you shall command  and whip up against the opponent.
ⅴ	Because a good spirit with authority  makes someone's rebuke timid.
ⅵ	Thereafter, orient yourself.  Give no advantage with anything.
ⅶ	Avoid imprudence.  Do not step in front of four or six
ⅷ	with your overconfidence.  Be modest, that is good for you.
ⅸ	It is a brave man  that dares to confront their equal.
ⅹ	It is not shameful  to flee four or six at hand.

This is a general lesson of the sword:

9	If you wish to show skill,  Move yourself left and right with cutting.
10	And left with right  Is what you strongly desire to fence.
11	Whoever chases after cuts,  They permit themselves to enjoy the art in small amounts.
12	Cut from close whatever you wish,  No changer comes on your shield.
ⅺ	Do not cut to the sword.  Rather, keep watch of the openings.
13	To the head, to the body,  Do not omit the stingers.
14	With the entire body  Fence whatever you desire to conduct strongly.
15	Listen here to what is bad:  Do not fence from above left if you are right.
16	And if you are left,  You are severely hindered on the right.
ⅻ	So always prefer  To fence from above left downwards.
17	The Before, The After the two things  are the wellspring of all art.
18	Weak and strong,  Indes, mark this word with them.
19	So you can learn  To defend yourself with art and work.
20	If you terrify easily,  Never learn any fencing.
ⅹⅲ	Audacity and swiftness,  Prudence, astuteness and ingenuity,
ⅹⅳ	Acumen, concealment,  Measure, obscuration, scouting and skill
ⅹⅴ	Fencing will have  And bear a joyous spirit.

General gloss hereafter. First of all, note and know that the point of the sword is the axis, the dividing point and the core of the sword from which all applications depart and come back into it.

Thus the hangings and the windings are the angulations and the rotations of the axis and of the core. From them, quite a few good plays of fencing also come.

And they were identified and worked out so that a fencer who initiates a cut or thrust directly into the point may not hit every single time of course, they can hit someone by stepping out and in and by lateral stepping or springing with those same cutting, thrusting or slicing plays.

And if you mislaid or overextended the point of your sword by overshooting or by overstepping, then you can realign and withdraw and shorten it again by winding or stepping back in such a fashion that you again come into the certain plays and precepts of fencing. From them, you can deliver cuts, thrusts, or slices.

For according to Liechtenauer's art, these cuts, thrusts and slices all come from the applications and precepts of the art of the sword, as you will hear hereafter about how one play and precept comes from the other and how one fashions one of these from the other such that if the one will be warded off, then the other hits and has success.

Secondly, note and know that no part of the sword was neither invented nor conceived without a purpose. Namely, a fencer shall utilize the point, both edges, the hilt, the pommel and the like on the sword in accordance with its particular precept in the art of fencing, which these practices possess and promote in accordance as well, as you will hereafter see and hear each in particular.

Also note and know by this, when he speaks, "If you wish to examine the art, etc", that he means that a skilled fencer, they shall advance the left foot and cut from the right side directly to the opponent with threatening cuts as long as they see where they can fully obtain and fully reach the opponent with their stepping.

And he means: "when someone wishes to fence strongly", so shall they fence out from the left side with the entire body and full power to the head and to the body alone wherever they can hit and never to the sword, in particular, they shall do it as if the opponent has no sword and as if they cannot see it and they shall not omit any stingers nor wounds, rather always be in work and in contact so that the opponent cannot come to blows.

He also means that you shall neither move nor step directly behind your attacks, rather, do it somewhat sideways and curved around so that you come to the side of the opponent, where you can get at them better with everything than by frontally on.

Whatever you subsequently cut or thrust at the opponent at that moment, cannot be defended nor lead off well by them by disengaging in any way nor by any other techniques, provided that the cuts and thrusts go in directly to the openings, be it to the head or to the body, with lateral movement and stepping.

Also note and know by this when he speaks, "The Before, The After the two things, etc" that he means the five words: The Before, The After, Weak, Strong, Indes. The entire art of Master Liechtenauer's rests upon these very words which are the foundation and the core of all fencing on foot or on horse, bare or in harness.

By the word "The Before", he means that every good fencer shall possess and have won the Vorschlag every time they hit or miss. As Liechtenauer says: "Attack suddenly and storm in, keep moving fluidly, engage or let pass". Whenever you either walk or rush toward the opponent, just as soon as you can see that you can reach them with a step or with a spring, then wherever you see them open somewhere, you shall move in with confidence, be it to the head or to the body, boldly without any fear, wherever you can most certainly get them. For in this way, you always win the Vorschlag, not matter if the opponent ends up safe or not.

And you must also be shrewd in your stepping and shall have measured them correctly so that you do not step too short nor too long.

Now, whenever you execute the Vorschlag, if you connect, seamlessly follow up that hit.

But If the opponent wards off your Vorschlag, whether it be a cut or thrust by leading off or controlling with their sword, then while you’re still against your opponent’s sword, as they are leading you away from the opening in which you targeted, you must quite precisely note and feel whether they are soft or hard, weak or strong against your sword in their leading off and defense of your cuts and thrusts.

If it then happens that you clearly feel how the opponent lies in their application at that moment, and they are strong and hard; Indes, at the moment you completely notice and feel that, you shall, Indes or during the time the opponent defends themselves, be soft and weak and in that, before the opponent can come to blows, you shall then execute the Nachschlag.

That is to say that you shall immediately, while the opponent defends themselves and wards off your Vorschlag (be it cut or thrust), seek other applications and plays. With these, you shall again storm in and keep moving fluidly toward their openings such that you stay continuously in movement and in action. In this way you confound and rattle them. Thus the opponent has altogether so much to manage with their defending and warding off that they, the defender, cannot come to their blows.

Because if you defend yourself and fixate on the oncoming strikes, you are always in greater danger than those that strike at you because you must always either ward off those strikes or must allow yourself to be hit. Thus, it is difficult to come to blows.

About this Liechtenauer says: "I say to you truthfully, no one defends themselves without danger. If you have understood this, the opponent cannot come to blows if you otherwise perform according to the five words. This lecture completely gets at this and all fencing".

This is why a peasant often strikes a master, because they have been bold and have won the Vorschlag according to this lesson.

Because with the word, "The Before", as was spoken about earlier, he means that you should boldly storm in and keep moving fluidly toward their openings with a good Vorschlag or first strike, without any fear, to the head or to the body. You either hit or miss in such a way that you suddenly rattle the opponent and startle them such that they do not know what to do about it and also before they recover themselves against it again or come back at you, that you then immediately execute the Nachschlag and the opponent has truly so much to manage to defend and to warding off that they cannot possibly come to blows.

Because if you execute the first strike or the Vorschlag and the opponent then wards, in that very warding off and defending, you always come into the Nachschlag's earlier than the opponent comes to their first.

Then you can immediately start to work with your pommel or possibly come into the crosswise cuts (these are especially good) or else cast the crosswise cut over the sword. By this you arrive at other applications or else you can initiate many other things before the opponent comes to blows as you will hear how you fashion from one to the other such that the opponent cannot come away from you unstruck if you otherwise execute according to this lesson.

That is to say you shall execute the Vorschlag and the Nachschlag promptly and swiftly after each other as if it were possible to accomplish it together with a single thought and with single strike.

It is also entirely possible to come to this if the opponent wards the Vorschlag, they must ward it with their sword. In this way, they must come against your sword.

And then if the opponent is somewhat sluggish and lax, it is then possible for you to remain against their sword and you shall immediately wind and quite precisely note and feel whether or not they will withdraw themselves from your sword.

If the opponent withdraws, just as you both come together against swords and the points extend to the openings against each other, then with the opponent's withdrawal, before they can recover themselves again for a new cut or thrust against you, immediately follow them with your point, with a good thrust to their breast or anywhere straight forward, wherever you can connect the surest and closest, in this way the opponent cannot come away from your sword with anything unharmed.

This is because when the opponent delivered a new cut or thrust wide around with their withdrawal, you were surely closer at hand to the opponent with your following as you sent your point forwards, targeting them against their sword according to what is closest and shortest.

Truly in this way, you always come earlier into your Nachschlag's or Nachstich's than the opponent can get to their first.

And this is what Liechtenauer means by the word, "The After".

The moment you have executed the Vorschlag, you shall immediately execute the Nachschlag seamlessly off the previous action and stay continuously in motion and action and continuously conduct one after the other. If the first fails, the second, third, or fourth hits and the opponent truly cannot come to blows, because you cannot have any greater advantage of fencing than when you execute these five words according to this lesson.

But if the opponent stays with you against your sword, as they have come against it with their warding and defending and this has drawn them out such that you have remained with them against the sword and have not yet executed the Nachschlag, then you shall wind and stay with them in this way against their sword and you shall quite precisely note and feel whether the opponent is either weak or strong against your sword.

Then if you note and feel that the opponent is strong, hard and fixed against your sword and at that moment intends to force their sword out, you shall then be weak and soft in response and you shall yield and give way to their strength and you shall let their sword push through and travel with their forcing such that when they do that, you shall then deftly let their sword promptly and swiftly slide draw away, and you shall deftly speed in towards their openings, either to their head or their body with cuts, thrusts and slices only where you can approach the closest and the surest.

Because when you are weak and soft in response and let their sword slide away and you yield to them in this way, the harder and the surer the opponent pushes and presses with their sword, the further and the wider they then push their sword away such that they become completely open so that you can then hit our wound them according to desire before they can recover themselves from their own cut or thrust.

But if the opponent is weak and soft against the sword in this way, just as you clearly note and feel that, you shall then be strong and hard against their sword in response and you shall then move in strongly with your point while against their sword and keep moving on in fluidly, directly to their openings, wherever you can, that is closest, just as if a cord or thread were bound at the end of your point, which guides your point to their opening in the shortest way.

And with the thrust that you just executed, you become fully aware whether the opponent is so weak that the opponent lets your sword force them out and allows themselves be struck.

But if the opponent becomes strong against your sword in turn and defends and leads off your thrust in this way, such that they force your sword away, you shall again become weak and soft in response and shall allow their sword to slide away and yield to them and swiftly seek their openings with cuts, thrusts and slices, however you readily can.

And this is what Liechtenauer means by the words, "Soft and Hard".

And this follows the authorities. As Aristotle spoke in the book Perihermanias: "Opposites positioned near themselves shine greater, or rather; opposites which adjoin, augment. Weak against strong, hard against soft, and the contrary." For should it be strong against strong, then the stronger would win every time.

Therefore Liechtenauer undertakes fencing according to the more equitable and durable art, so that one weaker and cunning with their art wins as surely as one stronger with their strength.

How could the art work differently?

Therefore fencer, learn to feel well in the manner Liechtenauer spoke: "Learn the feeling. Indes, that word slices sharply", because when you are against the sword of the opponent and at that moment clearly feel whether the opponent is weak or strong against the sword, Indes or during that, so then you can consider and know what you shall execute against the opponent according to the aforementioned lore and art well.

Because the opponent truly cannot withdraw themselves from harm with anything. Liechtenauer said it: "Strike such that it snaps whoever withdraws before you".

If you act according to this lesson, persisting in this way well so that you always have possessed and won the Vorschlag and as soon as you execute that, you then execute the Nachschlag (that is, the second, the third or the fourth strike, be it cut or stab) afterwards in one fluid motion, immediately without refrain then the opponent can never come to blows.

If you then come onto the sword with them, be sure in feeling and execute as was written before.

Because this is the foundation of fencing, that one is always in motion and does not pause and when the act of feeling arrives, then execute as it is laid out above.

And whatever you conduct and initiate, always have measure and moderation. Like, if at one moment you won the Vorschlag, then don't do it so impetuously and so powerfully that you then cannot recover yourself for the Nachschlag.

About this, Liechtenauer spoke: "Thereupon you hold, all things have moderation and measure". And also understand this in the stepping and in all other plays and precepts of fencing, etc.

This is the text, wherein he names the five cuts and other plays of fencing.

21	Learn five cuts  from the right hand against the weapon
23	Wrathcut Crook and Cross,  If the Eye Cocker keeps with the Parter,
24	The Fool parries.  Pursue and Overrun, disrupt attacks
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

[No gloss]

This is about the Wrath cut, etc.

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.
29	Be strong in turn Wind.  Stab. If they see it, then take it below
30	Precisely note this  Cuts, thrusts, position, soft or hard
31	Indes and Before, After  Without rush, your war is not hasty.
32	For the one whose war takes aim  Above, they will be shamed below.
33	In all winds  Cut, stab, slice learn to find
34	Also with that you shall  Gauge cut, stab or slice
35	In all encounters  Of the masters, if you wish to dishonor them.
ⅺ	Do not cut to the sword,  Rather, keep watch for the openings
ⅹⅵ	Of the head, of the body  If you wish to remain without harm
ⅹⅶ	You hit or miss  Considering as follows so that you target the openings
ⅹⅷ	In every lesson,  Turn the point toward the openings.
ⅹⅸ	Whoever cuts around widely,  They will often be shamed severely.
ⅹⅹ	In the most direct way possible,  Deliver sudden cuts, stabs wisely.
ⅹⅺ	And one shall also always step  To their right side
ⅹⅻ	So that you can begin  Fencing or wrestling with advantage.

Gloss. Here note and know that Liechtenauer calls a descending cut struck from the shoulder the wrathcut, because when someone is in their wrath and fury, there is no cut as ready as this descending cut straight from the shoulder to the opponent.

What Liechtenauer means by this is when the opponent begins to strike with a descending cut, you shall counter cut the wrathcut against them in such a way that you soundly shoot the point against them.

If they ward off your point, then immediately withdraw above and move in suddenly on the other side of their sword.

But if they defend that, then be hard and strong in the sword and boldly and immediately wind and thrust.

If they defend your thrust, separate and immediately initiate a cut below where you hit their legs. in such a way that you continuously conduct one after the other, so that the opponent cannot come to blows.

And the aforementioned words: "The Before, The After, Indes, Weak, Strong" and "cuts, thrusts and slices"; you shall fully consider these all at once and in no way forget them in your applications.

You shall also not seriously rush with the war, because if something fails you above, then you hit below as you will hear about how you fashion one cut, thrust, and slice from the other according to the legitimate art.

And you shall not cut at the opponent's sword, rather at the opponent, rather to the head and to the body, wherever you can, etc.

One can also look at it where the first verse could go like this: "Whomever you cut the wrathcut over, the point of the wrathcut threatens them, etc." Just act according to this lesson and be continuously in motion. You either hit or not such that the opponent cannot come to blows. And always step out well to the side with cuts.

Also know that there are only two cuts, all other cuts come from them regardless of how they possibly come to be named.

That is the descending cut and the rising cut from both sides.

They are the chief cuts and foundation of all other cuts as these cuts fundamentally and by principle come from the point of the sword, which is the core and the axis of all other plays here as was written about well before.

And from those two cuts come the four parries from both sides. With them you disrupt and break all cuts, thrusts or positions. And from them you also come into the four hangings. From them you can conduct the art well as one shall hear hereafter.

And however you may fence someone in particular, you shall ever and always turn your point toward the opponent's face or breast so that the opponent must continually discourage themselves. Thus they cannot preempt you, for you are closer to them than they are to you.

And if it happens that the opponent has won the Vorschlag, then you shall be secure and sure and be quick with turning. And as soon as you have turned, you shall immediately speed in promptly and swiftly. And your point shall always seek the opponent's breast, turning and positioning yourself against it, as you will hear of better hereafter.

And the point, as soon as you come against the sword of the opponent, shall always come about a half an ell away from the opponent's breast or face and take especially good care that you intend to arrive inside that and certainly in the most direct way and not wide around, so that the opponent cannot come first because of you. Provided you will not allow yourself to become lax and hesitant and ward too lazily nor be willing to arrive too wide and too far around.

This is about the four openings, etc, etc.

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

Gloss. Note here that Liechtenauer partitions a person in four parts, just as if he drew a line right down the front of their body from the top of the head to down between their legs and a second line that crosses over their body at their waist,

In this way they become four quarters: a right and a left above the girdle and also below the girdle in the same way.

These are the four openings, each of which have their particular applications.

He takes aim of these and never the sword, only the openings.

About the four openings, how one breaks them.

38	If you wish arrange yourself  To artfully break the four openings
39	Double high  Mutate right down
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.

[No gloss]

This is about the crooked cut, etc.

42	Crook up swiftly  Throw the point onto the hands
43	Crook. Whoever besets well  Disrupts many cuts with stepping.
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
46	Don't crook, short cut  With that, look for the disengage
47	Crook whoever bewilders you  The noble war bewilders them
48	For they do not truthfully know  Where they are without danger

Gloss. What Liechtenauer means by this is that if you will command this cut well, you shall step well out sideways to the right side, then deliver your attack and you shall crooked cut fully and swiftly and you shall throw or shoot your point over the opponent's hilt onto their hands and you shall cut to the opponent's flats. Then if you hit their flat, remain strong upon it and press firmly and you shall cut with your flats. Then if you hit their sword, remain strong upon it and press firmly and you shall look for whatever you can subsequently deliver most decisively and directly using cuts, thrust or slices and you shall not cut too short with anything and you shall not forget about disengaging, when it merits it

There is one attack called the failer and it comes from the crooked cut and it lay written after the crosswise cut where the hand is drawn and it should lay before the crosswise cut and it comes in crooked and oblique from below, over the hilt of the opponent, shooting in with the point, just like the crooked cut down from above.

53	The failer misleads  It wounds according to desire from below
54	The inverter constrains.  The one who rushes through also wrestles with it.
55	Take the elbow surely  Spring into their stance.
56	The failer doubles.  If they make contact, make the slice with it.
57	Double it further  Step to the left and do not be lazy
ⅹⅹⅲ	Because all fencing  Will by all rights have speed
ⅹⅲ	Also in it: audacity,  Prudence, astuteness and ingenuity

[No gloss]

This is about the crosswise cut, etc.

49	The crosswise cut seizes  Whatever arrives from the roof.
50	Cross with the strong  Remember your work with it.
51	Cross to the plow  Yoke it hard to the ox
52	Whoever crosses themselves well  Threatens the head by springing

Gloss. Here note and know that of the entire sword, no cut is as intrepid, as intense, as definitive and as good as is the crosswise cut.

And you undertake the crosswise cut together to both sides, with both edges, the back and the front; to all openings, below and above.

And everything that arrives from above, (which are either the descending cuts or whatever else comes down from above) one breaks those and one wards those with the crosswise cuts.

You can deliver these well or your sword well, respectively, if you hurl your sword out in front of your head, (to whichever side you wish) just as if you would come into the upper hanging or winding, only that in the crosswise cut, the flats of their sword are turned: one above or upward, the other below or downward; and the edges to the sides They cross, one to the right and one to the left side.

And it is quite good to come against the sword of the opponent with these crosswise cuts.

And that is because when you come against the sword of your opponent, at the moment it actually happens, they may arduously come away from it, but they will be struck on both sides with crosswise cuts.

Just at the point you deliver a crosswise cut, to whichever side it is, be it above or below, always move your sword up with the hilt in front of the head with your hand flipped over, so that you are absolutely warded and covered.

And you shall deliver the crosswise cuts with some strength.

And when you shall fence for your neck, you shall proceed with the afore-written lore so that you win the Vorschlag with a good crosswise cut.

Whenever you close with your opponent, as soon as you realize that you are able to reach the opponent with a step or a spring, you burst in high from the right side with a crosswise cut with the back edge forwards directly to the opponent's head and you shall let your point shoot and you shall come crosswise so completely that the point winds and hinges (or wraps) itself around the opponent's head like a belt.

Because when you come in from the side well with a good step or spring offline, the opponent must arduously defend or avert this.

And then whenever you win the Vorschlag with the crosswise cut in this fashion on one side, whether you hit or miss, you shall then immediately without pause win the Nachschlag with the crosswise cut on the other side in one fluid motion with the forward edge before any strike or any little thing can somehow redeem the opponent according to the afore-written lore.

And you shall then crosswise cut to both sides to ox and to plow. That is, into the upper openings and into the lower ones from one side to the other, below and above, ceaselessly without pause in this way, so that you are constantly in motion and do not allow the opponent to come to blows.

And each time you do a crosswise cut above or below, you shall always come completely to the side and throw your sword horizontally from above well in front of your head so that you are well covered.

This is about the cockeyed cut, etc.

58	The cockeyed cut breaks into  Whatever the buffalo cuts or thrusts
59	Whoever threatens to change,  The cockeyed cut robs them of it.
60	Cock an eye. If they short you,  Disengaging defeats them.
61	Cock an eye at the point  And take the neck without fear
62	Cock an eye at the top of the head  If you wish to ruin the hands.
ⅹⅹⅳ	Cock an eye against the right  If it is that you desire to fence well.
ⅹⅹⅴ	The cockeyed cut I prize,  If it does not arrive too lazily.

Gloss Here note and know that the cockeyed cut is a descending cut from the right side with the back edge of the sword in which the left side is designated and it genuinely goes in askance or oblique, stepped off to one side to the right with a twisted sword and hand flipped over.

And this cut breaks that which the buffalo, that is a peasant, might strike down from above as they tend to do. (Just like the crosswise cut breaks this as well, as was written before)

And whoever threatens with disengaging, they will be dishonored by the cockeyed cut.

And you shall cut cockeyed fully and sufficiently long and shoot the point firmly. Otherwise, you will be harried by disengaging and you shall cut cockeyed with the point to the throat, boldly without fear and...

And wherever you see swords
 Yanked from their sheaths by the both of you
Right then you shall become strong
 And precisely pay attention to their steps all at once.
The Before, The After, the two things
 Gauge and pounce by precept
Follow up all hits
 If you wish to make a fool of the strong.
If they defend, then suddenly withdraw.
 Thrust. If they defend, press into them.
The windings and the hangings,
 Learn to artfully carry out.
And gauge the opponent's applications
 To see if they are soft or hard.
If they fence with strength,
 Then you are artfully equipped.
And if they attack wide or long,
 Shooting defeats them
With your deadly rigor
 If they defend themselves, hit without fear.
Attack suddenly and storm in,
 keep moving fluidly, engage or let pass.
Do not attack the sword,
 Rather keep watch for the openings
You hit or miss
 Then keep it in your mind that you target the openings
With both hands
 Learn to bring your point to the eyes.
Always fence with sense
 And win the Vorschlag every time.
The opponent hits or misses,
 Immediately take target with the Nachschlag's
On both sides,
 Step to the right of the opponent
So that you can begin
 Fencing or wrestling with advantage.

This is about the part cut, etc.

63	The part cut  Is dangerous to the face
64	With its turn  And the breast is yet endangered.
65	Whatever comes from it  The crown removes it.
66	Slice through the crown  So that you break it beautifully and hard
67	Press the sweeps  By slicing withdraw it
ⅹⅹⅴ	The part cut I prize  If it does not arrive too lazily.

[No gloss]

Liechtenauer hardly maintains anything about these four positions, only that they come from the over and under hangings from which one may surely deliver applications.

This is about the four positions, etc.

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

Gloss, etc. Here he names the four positions or four guards, about which there is something to be held.

Yet a person shall absolutely not lay too long in them in any confrontation. For Liechtenauer has a particular proverb: "Whoever lays there, they are dead. Whoever sets themselves in motion, they yet live." And that pertains to those positions that a person shall preferably set themselves in motion with applications. Because if you idle in the guards, you might lose your moment to act by doing that.

The first guard, plow, is this. When you lay the point forward, upon the earth. Or to the side after displacing, this is also called the barrier-guard or the gate.

The second guard, ox is the high hanging from the shoulder.

ⅹⅹⅵ	The Fool truly breaks  Whatever the opponent cuts or thrusts
ⅹⅹⅶ	Sweep using hanging  Immediately place the pursuit

The third guard, the Fool, is the low hanging, with it one breaks all cuts and thrusts whosoever commands it correctly

The fourth guard, the Roof, is long point.

If you direct it with extended arms, the opponent cannot hit it well with neither cut nor thrust.

It can also aptly be called the hanging over the head.

Also know that one breaks all positions and guards by attacking with these such that if you boldly initiate an attack, then the opponent must always come forwards and defend themselves.

That is why Liechtenauer doesn't maintain much about the positions and guards, rather he prefers to craft it so that the opponent discourages themselves, thus he gains the Vorschlag, as has been shown above.

This is about the four parries

70	Four are the parries  Which also severely disrupt the positions
71	Guard yourself from parrying  If this happens, it also severely beleaguers you.
72	If you are parried,  And as it happens
73	Heed what I advise:  Strike off, cut swiftly with violence
74	Lodge against four regions  Learn to remain upon them if you wish to finish.
ⅹⅹⅷ	Whoever parries well,  This fencer disrupts many cuts.
ⅹⅹⅸ	Because you swiftly come  Into the hangings by parrying.

Gloss. Note here that the four parries are on both sides, with one upper and one lower on each side and they disrupt or break all guards or positions.

And however you carry off or dismiss the opponent's cut, thrust or slice with your sword, be it from above or below, can fully be termed parrying.

And if you are parried, as that happens, withdraw swiftly and quickly initiate a cut together in one flurry.

But if it happens that you parry someone or avert a cut or thrust, you must immediately step in and accompany them on the sword so that the opponent cannot withdraw from you and then you must do whatever you can.

To the extent you hesitate and delay, you take harm.

You must also turn and rotate your point toward the opponent's breast every time, so that they must discourage themselves.

Also a good fencer shall fully learn how to come against the sword of the opponent and they must do that well with the parries, because they come from the four cuts (from each side, a descending cut and a rising cut) and move into the four hangings.

For as soon as one parries from above or below, so shall they immediately come into the hangings.

And like you avert all cuts and stabs with the forward edge, it is as such with the parries.

This is about the pursuing, etc, etc

75	Learn to pursue  Double or slice into the weapon
76	Two enticements to the outside  The work begins thereafter
77	And gauge the opponent's application  Whether they are soft or hard
78	Learn to feel  Indes, this word cuts sharply
79	Pursuing twice,  Make the old slice with it.
ⅹⅹⅹ	Follow all hits  Then strengthen if you wish to dishonor the masters
ⅹⅷ	In every lesson,  Turn the point against the opponent's face.
ⅹⅹⅺ	With the entire body  Pursue, always keep your point there.
ⅹⅹⅻ	Also learn to swiftly  Pursue, so you can end well.

[No gloss]

This is about the overrunning. Fencer look into this.

80	Whoever takes aim from below Overrun,  then they will be shamed.
81	When it clashes above,   Strengthen, This I wish to praise.
82	Make your work  Or press hard twice.
ⅹⅹⅹⅲ	Whoever presses you down,  Overrun them, slash sharply again.
ⅹⅹⅹⅳ	From both sides  Overrun and remember the slices.

[No gloss]

This is about displacing. Learn this well.

83	Learn to displace  Skillfully disrupt 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 step.
ⅹⅷ	In every lesson,  Turn the point against one's face.

[No gloss]

This is about the disengaging, etc, etc.

86	Learn to disengage  From both sides stabbing sharply with it
87	Whoever binds upon you  Disengaging surely finds them
ⅹⅹⅹⅴ	If you have disengaged,  Do not slash, thrust nor wind lazily.
ⅹⅹⅹⅵ	Do not cut at the sword  Disengage, with that watch.

Gloss. Here note that disengaging goes in completely straight on both sides, down from above and up from below if it is to be otherwise conducted swiftly.

Now if you wish to disengage down from above on the right side, then make a descending cut straight at them then you shoot your point in over their hilt to their left side in such a way that you hit the same little hole and little window completely straight between the edges and the hilt.

If you connect, then you have won. If they ward it so that they lead off and press your point offline with their sword, then from that side let your point sink right around to the other side, under their sword, not wide around, rather, sink below against their sword so that you can keep close and from there move in quite swiftly over their hilt with a good, full thrust and when you feel that you connected, fully follow through.

And the way you execute it on one side, be it from below or above, you execute it on the other.

And whoever binds with you, swiftly keep moving fluidly to their opening against their sword with your point.

If they ward, then disengage as before or wind and feel their application whether it is soft or hard.

Thereafter look to send cuts, thrusts, or slices to the openings.

This is about withdrawing suddenly. Fencer note.

88	Tread close in binds,  So that withdrawing suddenly gives good opportunities.
89	Suddenly withdraw.  If they engage, suddenly withdraw more. If they work, wind, that does them harm.
90	Suddenly withdraw all engagements of the masters  If you wish to dishonor them
ⅹⅹⅹⅶ	Suddenly withdraw off of the sword  And always be mindful of your path.

[No gloss]

This is about rushing through. Look closely.

91	Rush through, let hang  Grab with the pommel if you wish to grapple.
92	Whoever strengthens up against you,  Remember to rush through with it.
ⅹⅹⅹⅷ	Rush through and shove.  Invert if they reach for the pommel.

[No gloss]

This is about cutting off, etc, etc

93	Cut off the hard ones  From below in both paths.
94	Four are the slices  With two from below, two from above.
ⅹⅹⅹⅸ	Crosswise cut whoever would slice.  It easily evades the harm.
ⅹⅼ	Do not slice in fright,  Always be wary of pursuing.
ⅹⅼⅰ	You can slice well  Any cross, just omit the pursuit.
ⅹⅼⅱ	If you wish to remain without harm,  Then do not be too eager with the slicing.

[No gloss]

This is about the hand pressing, etc, etc.

95	Turn your edge flat  Press the hands.
ⅹⅼⅲ	Another is turning  One's winding. The third, hanging.
ⅹⅼⅳ	If you wish to make the fencers  Weary, then press with collision
ⅹⅼⅴ	Over the hands,  If one cuts, slice swiftly.
ⅹⅼⅵ	Also draw your slices  Up out over the head.
ⅹⅼⅶ	Whoever presses the hands  Without harm, suddenly retracts the forefinger.

Also know as soon as you avert the opponent's cut or thrust by turning, you must immediately step in and swiftly storm into the opponent

To the extent you hesitate and delay yourself, you take harm.

Also note and know that one with the forward edge of the sword, from the middle of that side to the hilt, averts all cuts and thrusts.

And the closer the opponent's cut or thrust comes to the hilt of your forward edge, the moment you have turned that edge, the better and the more powerfully you can avert those cuts or thrusts.

Because the nearer to the hilt, the stronger and the mightier. And the closer to the point, the weaker and the frailer.

Therefore, whoever wishes to be a good fencer, they shall first and foremost learn to avert well. For if they turn that away well with this, they come immediately into the windings. From them they can conduct the skill and beauty of the technique well.

The forward edge of the sword is called the right edge and all cuts or thrusts are ruined by turning it.

This is about the hanging. Fencer learn this, etc.

96	Two hangings emerge  From the ground out of each hand
97	In every application  Cut, Thrust, Position, Soft or Hard
98	Make the speaking window  Stand freely, watch their situation.
99	Strike them so that it snaps  Whoever withdraws themselves before you.
100	I say to you truthfully  No one defends themselves without danger
101	If you have understood  They cannot come to blows
ⅹⅼⅷ	That is, if you remain  Against the sword, also conduct with it
ⅹⅼⅸ	Cuts, thrusts or slices.  With that, note the feeling
ⅼ	Without any preference.  You shall also not flee from the sword
ⅼⅰ	Because master applications  Are against the sword by rights.
ⅼⅱ	Whoever binds against you  The war wrestles with them sharply.
ⅼⅲ	The noble winds  Can also surely find them
ⅼⅳ	With cuts, with thrusts,  With slices you tenaciously find them.
[32]	In all winds  You shall find cuts, stabs, slices.
ⅼⅴ	The noble hanging  Cannot exist without the winds.
ⅼⅵ	Because from the hangings  You shall bring the winds.

Gloss, etc. Here note and know that there are two hangings on each side: one downward hanging and one upward hanging. With them, you can come against the sword well, because they arise from the descending cuts and the rising cuts.

Just as you bind with the opponent against their sword or however else you come against their sword, you must remain against their sword and you shall wind and you shall stay against their sword in this way with them, completely at ease, with a good spirit and boldly without any fear.

And you must quite precisely see, recognize and consider whatever they will do or what their situation is, which they will let fly against you.

And standing in this manner against the sword, Liechtenauer calls this a speaking window.

And just when you stand with the opponent against the sword, you must quite precisely note and feel whether their application is soft or hard.

Thereafter, you shall then orient yourself as is often spoken before.

Then if it happens that the opponent for whatever reasons withdraws themselves from your sword just a bit before you act, then you must immediately pursue and must execute cuts or thrusts whichever you can most surely deliver, before they come to anything at all,

For you are always closer to the opponent with this because you stay against their sword and extend your point toward them.

If the opponent withdraws with their [cut or thrust], immediately come forward with your point, before they can recover themselves from or carry out their strike.

But if they stay with you against your sword, then always gauge and note whether they are soft or hard against your sword.

If it happens to be that they are soft and weak, then you shall swiftly and boldly go all in and storm in with your strong and shall force and press their sword out and seek their openings to the head, to the body; just wherever you can get to.

If the opponent is subsequently hard and strong against the sword and intends to force and shove you firmly out, you must then be soft and weak against their strength and yield to their force with your sword.

And in that yielding as their sword drives and glides out, as was written about before, in that or while that happens, before they can recover themselves again, so that they cannot come to any strikes or thrusts, you must take advantage of their openings with cuts, thrusts or slices wherever you can most surely take control of them, according to the afore written lore swiftly, boldly and quickly so that they can never come to blows.

That's why Liechtenauer says: "I say to you truthfully, no one defends themselves without danger. If you have understood this, they can scarcely come to blows". By this he means that no one can defend themselves without danger or harm if you do this according to the written precepts.

If you execute and win the Vorschlag, then the opponent must continually defend or allow themselves to be struck.

For when you execute the Vorschlag, whether you hit or miss; you must swiftly execute the Nachschlag in one fluid motion before the opponent comes to any blows.

For whenever you wish to execute the Vorschlag, you must execute the Nachschlag in one thought and mind in the same way, just as if you intended to execute them as one thing, if it were possible.

That's why Liechtenauer says: "The Before, The After the two things, etc". Because if you execute the Vorschlag, whether you hit or miss, you then always execute the Nachschlag in one fluid motion, swiftly and quickly so that the opponent cannot come to blows with anything and you shall orchestrate it in such a way that you always preempt the opponent in all situations of fencing.

And as soon as you preempt the opponent and win the Vorschlag, immediately execute the Nachschlag.

If you are obligated to not execute the Vorschlag, you always have the Nachschlag available in the sense and in the spirit that you are always in motion and do not either dawdle nor hesitate with anything. Rather, you always conduct one after the other swiftly and quickly, so that the opponent cannot possibly come to anything.

Truly, if you do this, whoever comes away from you unstruck, they must be quite gifted.

For with this skill or with this advantage, it often happens that a peasant or someone unlearned strikes a good master by it because they execute the Vorschlag and boldly storm in.

Because however briefly the Vorschlag is overlooked, the opponent hits Indes and they wound and kill in this way. Because if you focus on the blows and will attend to the defense of them, you are always in greater danger than the one who attacks you and wins the Vorschlag.

Therefore orchestrate it that you are the first in all confrontations of fencing and arrive on the right side of someone, where you are robustly surer of everything than the opponent.

108	From both sides  Learn eight winds with stepping.
106	And always unite them.  Combine the winds with three plays
107	So are they twenty  And four. Simply count them.
105	Fencer, mind this  And consider the winds correctly
lxiii	And learn to command them well  So you can attack the four openings
lxiv	Because each opening  Objectively has six wounders.

Gloss. Here note and know that the winds are the rightful art and foundation of all fencing of the sword. From them, all other applications and plays come. And one might tediously be a good fencer without the winds, exactly like many ungrounded masters, who dismiss it and say whatever comes from the winds is quite weak and deem it "from the shortened sword". About this, they are simpletons and approach it naively and sing paeans about how they fight "from the long sword". Whoever goes about with extended arms and with extended sword and with the utter fiendishness and strength fueled by the entire power of their body, they will unlikely stay lively throughout and that is agonizing to behold when they stretch themselves out like this just as if they would run down a hare.

And that is completely against the winds and against Liechtenauer's art because there is no strength to respond. Why would anyone's art differ? You should always prioritize strength.