Weapons of the Fechtschule: Longsword

Gründtliche Beschreibung / der freyen Ritterlichen und Adelichen Kunst des Fechtens / in allerei gebrauchlichen Wehren / mit vielen schönen und nützlichen Figuren gezieret und fürgestellt.
Durch Joachim Meyer / Freifechter in Strasburg
ANNO MDLXX

Thorough Descriptions / of the free Knightly and Noble Art of Fencing / in all common Defenses / with many beautiful and useful illustrated Figures presented and explained.
By Joachim Meyer / FreeFencer in Strasburg
YEAR 1570

Contents of the premiere Book on Fencing with Swords / and its Ordered Descriptions of such to behold / and on which this Knightly Art's foundations can be laid.

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I'm divulging the Art of Fencing with these Knightly and Manly Weapons, which at the current time for us Germans is of greatest necessity, to which my best understanding and abilities are well and truly described for uptaking, and although the lesson given is obvious, that fencing with the sword is not the sole origin and wellspring for all other fencing arts, it is celebrated among other weapons for artfulness and manlyness, and because of it I have what's needed for good understanding from which to make progress, and thus quickly, so onward I see with clarity how with wise handling all this can be applied in other arts and disciplines.

Firstly attain your target for comprehension and skill to present, then from Mastering this art move with diligence to seek on, that one balances habit thus with curiousity to learn more shortly the fighting one wishes to understand.

Then thirdly, achieve the ability to extend the art in your own right, and from your clarity attain and exude the proper judgement in Stance and Strikes so that Youth will not have to learn this art unguided and, because of your unspoken word, ill is wrought and they thus learn wrongly to the detriment of the art. Once achieved, we need your words and thoughts in this art, first from notes you would clarify, then onto subjects important to read in training, then to other subjects you want to develop further, so that the discipline of fencing grows on properly understood principles you have contributed to, rather than standing on mindless buffoonery, thus greater the difference between buffoonery and fencing will become, and the Knightly art of Fencing will grow from Warriors far and wide, particularly to Citizens at large, but beware the Buffoon, to whom the unseemliest losses are and who is found everywhere in the world, until all are put away.

Fencing with Sword is nothing other than a discipline, wherein your force strives together with your sword in placement so that one with the other, using care and agility, artfulness, delicacy and manlyness, are at need the same both in strikes and in other handwork one is obliged to, excepting when one is not in a serious situation, thus by such discipline one will be more dangerous and more skillful, and when needing to protect one's body be more effective.

This can be advanced in three stages and be organized thus, namely as the Start, the Middle and the End, where the three stages each have one aim which you shall fence through, and must do one by one to advance, that you thereby know with which strikes or stances you will engage your counterpart and then frontally attack as you would in the Middle stage's handwork, letting fly to work against the openings, keeping the initiative such that his attacks are preempted.

The Last is as you are fulfilled and will, with harm neither inflicted nor received, withdraw.

I call the Start pre-fencing, where one stands against another in pretense to fence. The Middle is the work or handwork, when one of the participants shall endure longer in the handwork than his opponent fencer, and displace in all withdrawals. The End is the resolution, where one fencer shall withdraw without damage from his opponent and strike away if desired.

The initial pre-fencing is the face off from the Stances to the strikes, which are of two kinds, namely the Lead Stances and the Secondary Stances, we start with the Lead Stances.

There are four Lead Stances, the Roof or Upper Guard, the Ox, the Fool, and the Plough. There are eight Secondary Stances, Wrathful Guard, Window Breaker, Long Point, Crossed Guard, Unicorn, Key, Iron Door, Changer. The strikes with the Sword are many, belonging to two groups, which are common to both the direct and indirect strikes which we shall name. The first group is named the Lead or Principal strikes, on which all other strikes are based, and which are four, Over, Under, Middle, and Wrathful strikes. The others are named the secondary or outside build strikes, which are twelve in number, namely the Glance, Curve, Short, Slide, Bounce: Single and Double, Blind, Wound, Crown, Knee Hollow, Plunge, and Change Strike. Beyond these strikes come the proper Master Strikes, which we shall also name, from which all masterful and artful moves with the Sword are made and accomplished with varying grips, these are Wrath, Bent, Traverser, Glancer and Splitter which are all used when wanting to conclude and complete, and which I will describe to you. Just as I introduced pre-fencing, so I have clearly spoken and introduced the Strikes to you.

The second or Handwork in the Middle Stage involves the greatest art, where all your withdrawals in the fight can be advances. Look not only to how one can use the sword in binding, Winding, Changing, Enticing, Following After, Cutting, Doubling, Flowing off to leave be or in whatever shape you've cut, Hewing, Advancing, Twitching and Jerking, Adjusting, Grappling, Charging In, Throwing, and End Wrestling. An important concept is Targetting, through which one must come to understand Man and Sword, and through which one comes to understand proper stance and footwork, and from which how one shall handle one's point.

That brings us to the end, which flows from the Middle, and has the greatest Practical use, by which one ends each case, from thereof Withdraw soundly, in order to report what happened, and so arrange it all in the first chapter of Sword Fighting, from the Master Principles onward, so on to officially profess more skill in this Weapon, and by using this Book you shall Teach the initiates, and so after shall this art drive on to become more useful at need, and shall from others range farther to be sufficiently retold.

Such input I have seen fit to make for purposes of clearer understanding, so that with this Book each onward going shall become easier to understand, thus easier to modify, and thus initially to learn, and thus I shall see such Knightly arts grow onward, and will now with the first Letter of this chapter, whose first purpose is to teach usefulness, instruct by moving on to present the Four Targets.

Von dem Manne und desselbigen theilunge. Cap. 1.

Of One and One's Own Divisions
Chapt. 1

From One's divisions one shall come to understand the Openings and Stances, to and from which one will fence, ongoing to grasping the Middle or Handwork which will in the course of this Book be described, even though at first I was willing to sit and describe this subject alone without any other considerations. Then we move on to examine Fencing in all its components and arts, to be at first known from lessons, then from there to be shown, and then onward to be handled, and you shall at first want to take care to demonstrate how it's properly done, so that not only the Middle or Handwork is attained, but that the Openings shall be minded, from lessons thereon to note taking, and going forward I shall not leave my written lessons behind me to be forgotten.

Now we will visualise a man in four quarters or parts, Above and Below and on both the Right and the Left. Beyond this and how you view yourself, I dare not describe further, but if you care to look, you see that humans are arranged in high and low and right and left parts. In order to better understand my meaning, examine the figure on the right side of the picture above.

And if these four parts weren't already addressed enough for one, against them the Ancient German Fencer will need to strike with the various strikes as they are known among us Germans at this time, so special in their Handywork with the Winding, these will fight the furthest and against the Greatest since all of humanity in common is divided in the above named four parts. We see how the the Upper Vertices meet, and Below how the Chin and Throat are relevant. Onward we see the Right and Left parts which are joined across the Ears, both sides are relevant, both right and Left ears will be addressed.

Be however you are, but don't think that such divisions are too Childish to think about, like all things they can be improved upon, and so you must therefore respect their proper place, that while they can be furthered and presented alone, through these divisions all concepts to be learned in fencing can be grouped, and from one well and fountain they spring forth to flow. At the same time, Fencing is shown to be like nothing else, in that two persons with similar weapons can thus fight one another, whereby one can hurt the other through his skill or both will persevere to protect and defend themselves at need. In addition my need is to know then how in all weapons such concepts can be understood in the short term and be shown and explained, and if not to be returned to, until the Person can explain the sections, so by them if the opposing fencer tries to mark one or another part, one knows with proper displacement how to smoothly move to secure themselves. Or if one or another intends to aim for an opening, he can also strive to undertake this strike correctly. Then each one shall probe to hit the four points, be met there, and have to guard against same, and thus must always be on Guard, ready to displace.

The means to learn what follows from the Stances, Strikes, and Targets is undertaken here more easily, in that these descriptions and presentations are enough for one to flow on.

Von dem Schwerdt und seiner außtheilung. Cap. 2

Of the Sword and its Divisions
Chapt. 2

Now we will clarify this and why it is done in fencing, namely how one or another are like the parts of one's body which one strikes away from in knightly fashion or accordingly defend them at need. Just like the parts of the human are quickly understood, so it's again apparent from noting why and how certain relative parts of the sword work against others to bring success, and similarly how you should know these labels or overviews before you try yourself likewise, so thus onward from nothing else than your Sword shall you cause communication, and meanwhile have wisdom not in only one device, but also shortly know cuts with the short edge, then with the long, then with the strong, and with the weak, then will you charge on to success from the Sword's necessities and from heeding this Art's known elements also have something to say.

We define the form and figure of the Sword's parts as its Pommel, Point, Cross or Hilt, Haft or Grip, and the Blade, about which, though without evaluation, we will now say several words.

The Blade has basically two underlying divisions, where the first is the Strong and Weak, the other the Short and Long edges, those being the forward and trailing edges.

The Strong of the Sword is the name for the part running from the Cross or Hilt to the middle of the blade, the Weak is from the middle to and with the point or end itself, from which the Long and Short edges grow.

The Long Edge is the full length of edge from the fingers onward, directed against your opponent, the Short or half edge is the one nearest the thumb, between the thumb and index finger, first finger pointing at the fencer's self, as if it is imitating the other's weapon. We will speak as well of the spine of the sword, as shown in the previous illustration.

From the overlying parts of the sword springs forths the correct total view, which is very useful in fencing, namely that the Sword is outwardly grouped in four parts and divisions, as is seen in the previous illustration.

The first to be named is the Bind or Haft, including Pommel and Cross, for charging, Wrenching, Grappling, Throwing, and of service in other work.

The second is the Strong, as was counted, used in Cutting, Winding, Impacting, and otherwise where the Strong is useful in fencing.

The third part is the Middle, which lies between strong and weak on the halfway part and is used when needing to close in the changeful work, where it will be resorted to at every opportunity when needed.

The fourth is the Weak, through which Changing, Rushing, Slinging, and similar such will duly be used in fencing, of which in what follows there will be many examples and pieces.

Von den Legern oder Huten. Cap 3.

Of the Stances or Guards
Chapt. 3

At all times and in all fencing, when wanting more ability and understanding, and in furthering and learning more of this Knightly art, the proper and basic elements are required in order to advance. Basically this is done because in fencing, one must fence such that One becomes one with one's Sword, and although this was already stated correctly and sufficiently in the two previous chapters, so here in the third chapter, in order to clarify, it will be examined further, from which onward all fencing shall be fully known and further examined in three parts: the Start, Middle, and End as above was already stated. Onward from the Start, two basic underlying principles shall and must be attained, namely how from the Stances one shall execute the strikes, which will be named and counted, and how one thus comes to success will be clarified. Though the Guards or Stances are delicate, they are still advantageous positions for warding one's entire body with the Sword, in which the fencer, as is often seen, will come before his opponent with proper placement, position, and stance, and so be unfound and last through the rushing by waiting through to advance onward, and immediately react to what's coming and with advantage and wisened speed grapple and strike against your opponent's own stances, that he can go on striking without harming you, yet must give away his openings as he works against yours, and so he must either withdraw or strike away from his intended target, and so have his advantage minimised, his blade withdrawn and retreating, and you can then strike in your own efforts. Since the Stances or Guards have the four sections of ones body as their obvious origin, in that one is divided into four quarters, Over, Under, Left and Right, so also one's opponent is divided and thus shall be encountered, as four Targets, and relative to them there are the four Primary Stances or Guards, from which all others originate and spring forth, which are the Ox, Plough, Roof and Fool, from which one comes to understand the secondaries which, in due order, one comes to deploy, which are the Wrathful Guard, Long Point, Changer, Close Guard, Iron Door, Hanging Point, Key, and Unicorn.

Ox (Ochs)

The high parts are guarded with the Ox, which is two moded, Right and Left, thus one can stand in the Ox in two modes, namely the Right and Left modes. The right Ox will first be described, stand with your Left Foot forward, holding the Sword with the hilt next to your head, high and on the right side, so that your forward point is directed against your opponent's face. For the Left Ox reverse this, namely stand with your Right Foot forward, hold your hilt near your head on its Left Side as said above. Thus you have been told of both Ox Guards or Stances, which is being shown by the Left Figure of illustration B above.

Plough (Pflug)

The low parts are guarded with the Plough, whose two modes are similar figures for two sides, the Right and the Left, and so are named the Right and Left Plough, and both will become for you nothing else than stabs outward from below. The Right Plough is described as follows, stand with your right foot forward, hold your weapon with the hilt near your forward knee and your point pointing in your opponent's face, as if you intend to stab him from below. While you are in the Right Plough, step forward with the Left foot and stand similarly to be in the Left Plough. The Right Plough is shown by the figure on the Right of the above illustration.

Roof (Tag)

The Guard of the Roof, which is also known as the High Guard, is explained as follows. Stand with your Left Foot forward, hold your Sword high over your head so its point is directly above, consider the figure on the left of the image above, illustration C, which indicates how one can operate from above, that all slashes can from the Roof or High Guard be fenced, which is why this Guard is named the Roof.

Fool (Olber)

Fool is my adaptation of the word Jester, a name which leaves so much to be desired, in that from this Stance no successful finishing strikes can be made, one just uses them to gain an opening against the opponent through displacements to block strikes, which can be used to measure a Foolish and naive person who is not ready for counterstrikes to be struck against them. This will now be described. Stand with the Left leg forward, hold your Sword with the Point stretched out in front of you aimed at the ground in front of your forward foot, with the short edge above, the long edge below. Thus you stand in this Guard rightly, as you can see in the illustrated figure above on the right.

Wrathful Guard (Zornhut)

The Wrathful Guard is known as such since the stance has a wrathful bearing, as will be shown. Stand with your left foot forward, hold your sword out from your right shoulder, so that the blade hangs behind you to threaten forward strikes, and mark this well, that all strikes out from the Guard of the Ox can be intercepted from the Wrathful stance, indeed leading from this stance shows unequal bearing from which One can entice onward, whereupon one can move quickly against the other as needed, as is shown by the Figure in illustration E (on the left).

Long Point (Langort)

Stand with your Left foot forward, hold your Weapon with outstretched arms out in front of your face, so that you stand and point forward at your opponent's face, and thus you stand in the Guard of the Long Point, which you can see in the picture in illustration A.

Changer (Wechsel)

This Guard shall now be fully described, stand with your Right foot forward, hold your weapon with the point or Weak stretched out from close at your side aimed at the ground, so that cuts with the short edge are threatened against your opponent, such as can be seen from the right figure in illustration D above.

Close Guard (Nebenhut)

To put yourself into this guard, stand with your Left foot forward, hold your sword close to your right pointed at the ground with the pommel above, and with the short edge against you.

Iron Door (Eisenport)

What the right Iron Door is, which you will find out should you go farther onto Rapier Fencing, that while it is used in stabbing with the Sword as by us Germans, this guard is also easily deflected and sent to the ground. Although at this time it is used by the Italians and other nations, it covers like the Crossed Guard, and so of the Iron Door no further report is therefore required.
There is a basic underlying division, and here I will shortly clarify both, and so will now describe the Iron Door. Stand with your right foot forward, hold your sword with the grip in front of the knee, with straightly hanging arms, that your point stands upward out at your opponent's face. In addition, keep your Sword in front of you to shut like an iron door, and when you stand with feet wide and so come to lower your body, you can clear all strikes and stabs out and away from you.

However, the Crossed Guard is when you hold your Sword with crossed hands in front of you with the point at the ground, which is seen from the figure in illustration F.

Hanging Point (Hangetort)

Since you'll need to be in the correct Hanging Point during the work, look at the figure to the right of the above illustration. Even if the arms needn't be as stretched as here will be shown, still put yourself into the named Guard. Stand with the right foot forward, hold your weapon with outstretched arms before you, so that the blade hangs somewhat toward the earth, this stance is very close to the Ox in similar form, only different in that in the Ox your arms are strongly held in high mode, but here shall be directly outstretched before your face, letting the Sword hang toward the Earth, therefore it is named Hanging Point.

Key (Schlüssel)

The Key is shown by the left figure in illustration D, stand with your Left foot forward, and hold your Sword with the haft and crossed arms in front of your chest, so that the short edge lies on your Left Arm, and the point is aimed at your opponent's face. Thus is this stance or guard rightly made.

Unicorn (Eynhorn)

Come into pre-fencing with your Left foot forward, wings out from both sides, as if you would stand in the forenamed Key guard, drive with crossed hands overhead on your Right, so that the point is aimed high above and outward, thus it is named Unicorn, and stand as shown by the figure on the Right of illustration E.

And thus are named the count of the Stances or Guards, and now all in the work phase will be fully and shortly examined. After this point in all fencing, you will Strike, Strive, Displace, or float to work for what you wish, and not remain in a stance, but always drive from one to the other, as one or the other must soon become afflicted, thus you especially must move on to keep the working initiative, and will lead out from one to another of the above cited stances, which I will clarify with a few words about the strikes through the lines or pathways.

Firstly if you will execute the high or Splitting Strike, you will find yourself in three Stances, first in the start you will stand in the Roof, in the Middle in the Long Point, and end up in the Fool, so you have moved directly from above through the Line from A to E via three Guards or Stances. If you then drive farther on upward from below to displace with crossed hands, you will find yourself in three more Stances, at the start in the Iron Door, in the Middle the Hanging Point, and in the end full above you in the Unicorn, then grip your Sword with the haft before your chest, so that the half edge lies on your left arm. Now you stand in the Key, and thus you come have onward and drove on along Line A and E from one stance into the other.

The other lines to consider are on the right where we will now examine two strikes. One is from the right Ox striking the high quarter, with the H - D line being addressed, the other is from the Left high part going to the right lower part, along the B - F line. How you will strike through these will be further described here, and then I will soon take you farther through all Strikes and Stances on both sides, both Right and Left, which will be fully described, and of this I will disclose all favourable methods shortly but will start by describing only one method. Firstly or initially move into the Wrathful Guard, from which also comes the strike's name, that is the Wrathful Strike, which is named for its wrathful bearing and intent, then midway through the strike move into the Long Point, and at the end move into the Changer. Should you strike onward from here with the Long edge, you will then go farther through three more Stances, which start with the Low Guard, onward through the middle with the Long Point, and end above you in the Unicorn, striking through the Line cited above. Thus from either side as you wish, you will start from the Changer and go through the Long Point into the Wrathful Guard. You can similarly strike out with your Sword from the Hanging Point, from which you drive over in front of you to move into the Guard of the Ox. Thus you find always, when taking the indicated Lines, one moves through them via at least three stances.

It is a good Fencer who does not rush and who waits longer in his Stances, so that as soon as he can reach his opponent he can take initiative, then sieze the moment and Fence on to take the pre-named paths, as waiting longer allows many displacements, from which one eventually can come to strike, as will be described below.

The Stances are also very useful towards the divisions and openings, thus if one comes into a Stance without danger before Striking, he can soon be mindful of what path to take from pre-fencing. These then serve not just for careful and sensible changes from one Stance to the other, but also to entice the opponent, such that he will be made unable to know what you shall Fence with. Lastly this is also good and useful for all from here on, in that you will easily know and recognise your opponent's divisions, and what he can safely fence with, and so thus oppose him more sensibly.

Now much has been said about this art's start, namely the pre-fencing against your opponent, which faces off through the Stances to the Strikes. Now the rest of the art will follow and we will move onto other parts, and in due form onto the next chapter, which is Of The Strikes.

Von den Häuwen Cap. 4

Of The Strikes
Chapter 4

Now I come to write of the artful and free Knightly exersize, namely to the Strikes, which is a major Heading in Fencing in that the basics are given here, the number is told, each is described, and how they are executed to the full, will here be noted and told, and from here alone the friendly reader will afterward be reminded, that between the Sword Fighting times, when our forefathers and the ancients used them, and our time, there is a great difference, in that not only the point was used, as is today, but of old much more of the Sword was used in the strikes, and they fenced sharply with both strikes and stabs, and thus shall I present this and other points of knowledge.

However, as of now the Strikes with the Sword belong to two underlying principles, as in the direct and turned strikes. The Direct strikes are named such as they strike against the opponent with the long edge and outstretched arms. There are four, the Over, Wrathful, Middle and Under Strikes, and from these all the others come forth, and in the world will still be found none conceived as such, and of them not one of these will be feebly grasped and joined by you. These are named the Lead or Principal Strikes.

The Turned Strikes are thus, when in Striking one's opponent handles the Sword wrongly so that he cuts not with full or Long edge, but somewhat with the half edge, fleche, or meets you in the corners, face this with the Slide, Short, Crown, Glance, Bend, Traverse, Bounce, Blind, Wind, Knee Hollow, Plunge, and Changer Strikes. Thus you come to the four above cited Strikes, and from there the various strikes are named.

Now from these both come five for further reading, as the Master Strikes will be named, not that one can thus fully use the weapon Rightly, and Master this art so soon, but that from them one can Master all proper artful pieces which will be acted on from knowing them here, and thus you can Fence properly at need, and become an artfully striking Fencer, who retains all Master principles at the same time, and against whom nothing can be borne. These Strikes are Wrathful, Bent, Traversal, Glancer, and Splitter.

How all these are done I will show you in due order, and firstly speak of the Direct Strikes, of which the first will be the Over Strike.

Over Strike (Oberhauw)

The Over Strike is a strong strike directly from Above, against your opponent's head or scalp, therefore it is also called Vortex Strike.

Wrathful Strike (Zornhauw)

The Wrathful Strike is a serious strike from your Right Shoulder, against your opponent's left ear, or through his face or chest, consider how it's done through two lines, with the lines drawn through the upper right and crosswise over one another, showing yourself crossed. This is the strongest beyond all others in that all one's strength and manliness is laid against one's opponent in fighting and fencing, therefore the ancients also named it Straight Strike or Father Strike. Along the considered lines you can move onwards, etc.

Middle or Upper Traversing Strike (Mittel oder Uberzwerchhauw)

The Middle or Traversing Strike can execute most effects the Wrathful Strike can, the difference is only that while the Wrathful Strike is a serious high point, the upper traverse is brought full on. How the upper lines are traversed is shown in both illustration C (background) and illustration G (background). Such lines are also applicable to Dussack.

Under Strike (Underhauw)

This you execute thusly, strike so that you move into the Right Ox (more is said about this in the next chapter) and thus can bring your opponent fencer into range, and step to strike from below traversing above into their left arm, while coming into position with the hilt high above your head, and thus complete. Regarding this, see the figures fighting against the left in the background of illustration B.

Glancing Strike (Schielhauw)

The Glancing Strike is also a High strike, but has been so named in that one closes with a small glancing blow, which is done thus: put yourself in the Guard of the Roof or Wrath (as shown in the third chapter) with your left foot forward, from which you will be striking, and while striking be sure to wind your short edge against his strike, and hit with evening hands at the same time as closing with him, step fully with your Right Foot toward his left side, and so take his head off, thus have you done it rightly, and will stand as shown by the figures fighting on the left side of illustration G.

Bend Strike (Krumphauw)

This strike is described thus: stand in the Wrath Guard with your left foot forward, when your opponent strikes, step with your right foot fully away from his strike and against his left side, strike with the long edge and crossed hands against his strike, or between his pommel and blade, high traverse over his hands, and fully overshoot his arms to lay on the blade, as shown in illustration D by the figures on the upper right hand side.

Thwart (Zwerch)

You send yourself into the Thwarter thus: assume the primary stance of Wrathful Guard to the right (as shown in the previous chapter), that is you put your left foot forward and hold your sword over your right shoulder, as if you would strike a wrathful strike, and when your opponent strikes you from the roof or above, strike closely with your short edge, breaking against his strike from below, holding your hilt high above to displace near your head, and strike to close by stepping full onto his Left side, thus displacing and closing against the other as shown by the left background figures of illustration H. This can be executed to the left thus striking his right side with a changed point, in that you will strike against his right by engaging with the long edge.

Short Strike (Kurtzhauw)

This is a secretive attack, and is described thus: when your opponent strikes you from above, stand as if you would respond with a Bent Strike, that is to bind his sword with the half edge, but let it fall and drive through under his sword, strike with the half edge and crossed arms over his right arm to hit his head, thus you have closed off his sword with the long edge, and accomplished the Short Strike, and stand as is shown by the smaller figure (mid background) on the left of illustration B fighting against the right.

Slide Strike (Gliitzhauw)

The Slide Strike is described as follows: when you are attacked from above, hit with even or free hands against his strike, aiming at his upper left opening, let your blade's midsection ride up his blade so that the short edge will swing over his hands and hit his head.

Bounce Strike (Prellhauw)

There are two of these: one is single time, the other is double. The single is described thus: when your opponent strikes you from above, engage his strike with a Traverser, and, similar to the Slider, twitch your Sword up near your head, and from your left side hit his ear with an out-winding far weak, as is shown by the foreground figure on the right side of illustration K (above), so that the Sword will bounce back in the strike, so you can twitch it back over your head while bouncing back, strike leftward with the strong, thus it is completed.

The double is executed thus: if from pre-fencing your opponent raises his sword high to strike, then stand in the Right Ox (as shown in the next chapter), twitch your Sword above you, and strike with an in-winding weak with your strong on his blade so that you bring your pommel down as you follow the spindle of the strike, as is shown by the left foreground figure of illustration I (below), and in the strike step with your right foot full onto his left side, and thus glide or move to follow it over him, twist to close against his left side, and out-wind to hit again with even hands at the same opening with a level weak, so that it bounces thus strongly. Thus have you done it right.

Blind Strike (Blendthauw)

Bind your opponent's sword from your right side, wind through in the clash against his left side with your hilt or haft below, when your opponent tries to swipe away the winding, quickly move the weak with crossed hands from your right toward his left against his head, that is the forward point, wind your hands through again or twist out to your left with the half edge. Thus you have fully executed the Blind Strike, which can be made in many ways and from there further on in places.

Wound Strike (Windthauw)

The Wound Strike is described as follows: if your opponent strikes from above, then strike against his sword with crossed hands from the left and below, so that your pommel sits under your right arm, and thus quick to glide, step strongly from him from your left side with your left foot, swing your sword's pommel out farther in an arc toward your left side so that the swing moves your long edge over his right arm behind his pommel or hits atop his right arm, as is shown by the figure in the right side foreground of illustration H, and closely thereafter your sword flies out from close to your side, and again strikes against the hands through the cross, so it is done.

Crown Strike (Kronhauw)

This you hold thus: when you stand in the Plough or in a similar stance (which are discussed in an earlier chapter) which allow stabs from below, and your opponent strikes at you from above, then drive above you with a high traversing cross, intercept his strike above on your riccasso or quillons, and as soon as he slides, bring your pommel up high and strike with the half edge behind his blade onto his head, thus you have rightly executed the Crown Strike.

Knee Hollow Strike (Kniechelhauw)

This strike takes its name from the joint against which it is tried, and is completed thus: when at first you hold your hands high above your head, and your opponent is moving under his sword so his head is held between both arms, then strike with a traversing strike under his sword's pommel, with a view to his knee hollows or to the joints between hand and arm. If he holds his hands much too high, then strike with a rising traverse Strike from below up against the knob of his elbows, thus is it completed.

Plunge Strike (Sturzhauw)

Although this strike is an Over Strike, be aware that between one and the other lies a minor difference, from which comes this strike's name of Plunge Strike, that one strikes through by plungeing from above, and that the point comes against one's opponent's face from the Ox, and can thus be executed from the start or pre-fencing.

Change Strike (Wechselhauw)

The Change Strike is nothing other than changing from one side to the other, from above to below and back again, before striking your opponent, thus make it so.

Rusher or Twitch-Pull (Schneller oder Zeckrur)

Rusher or Twitch-Pull is basically a move which is not struck alone should you strike, but will be a quickener. It will be completed in the middle or full work stage, when one has been joined, and is taken from above or on both sides, or from below against your opponent with the weak or outer part of the blade, the weapon catches on or rushes in as a swing above or under his blade.

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In short, this was only a description of the usual Sword Fighting Strikes which, on the one hand, you will use to know the blows, steps, and strikes skillfully, which were described here, but on the other hand come to know what fencing can be, thus have I willingly described to the kindly Reader all the close forms of how to place each of the just described strikes, which satisfies the one hand, and on the other hand moving onward to skillful flowing can be accomplished. From there on I have undertaken to go farther with supporting descriptions for good onward progress.

Even though onward many of the strikes and their results will be questioned, which is why they are demonstrated, because the four Principle Strikes along with the Glancing Strike are sufficient to grasp and understand the other countering strikes, I must then remind the gentle reader that, in this art, everything up till now rests upon fully grasping the five Master Strikes, and indeed similarly all grows onward from here only in furthering this art to more flowful and useful levels, and from other sections move onward to find the art, and behave according to the underlying differences, thus you have firmly wrapped this art into another and thus more easily and lightly grasped it by being prepared for different views.

Vom versetzen ein nützliche vermanung Cap. 5

Of Displacing, a useful concept
Chapt. 5

Fencing is based on two prerequisite parts, namely first on the Strikes which you initially put against your opponent, with the other being displacement, which is how you judge and work off of your opponent's Strikes, and you do not do this weakly. How you accomplish the Strikes and the elements of striving has already been sufficiently clarified, because displacing, or how one properly meets every opposing strike with your weapon and therewith put them away at need so as not to have your body injured, cannot be learned without first learning the Strikes. Because you have now learned the Strikes you can approach the subject of how you displace those Strikes, and come to learn and understand these just as the Strikes have now been heeded and cannot be dismissed, and will be solidified from noting and treating the basics with special care. Be first aware that the parries are twofold, the first is without any particular advantage and is resorted to only for blocking parries from which you cannot do more with your weapon in that you oppose your opponent's strike to avoid being damaged, but then seek not to damage him, but only to withdraw as you wish without being injured by him.

When you are forced to these parries with force and strong bearing, see that you steady yourself by stepping back, and thus be able to come into the "Before" again with advantage from the parry, to this Liechtenauer did speak.

Before displacing guard yourself. Place yourself well for effort. (Vor versetzen hüt dich. Geschichts dir not es mühet dich.)

With which he didn't completely warn against parrying, namely that you should teach only strikes and how to damage, as was told above. When you will succeed from displacing, it does much, thus you should displace stoutly. Thus it is used not only to return strikes, on the other hand it also keeps an eye on preventing his strikes from moving in closely, so that no more fencing can then be built or similarly be attempted without problem.

However, to be more useful I will with one stroke put forward Strikes and Displacing here, and only teach you how you will need to displace such strikes, which also need to be shown as two points. First how you will intercept and put away your opponent's strike, or set it aside in one blow, then second when you meet his advancing weapon and rush in with one blow to his body.

Thus such countering Strikes are created by necessity, that therewith will come closing displacement and engaging. However without backtracking, you will want to attain more understanding and wisdom, and so I will give an example of displacing with the Zwerchhau.

The second Art of parrying is when you displace and injure your opponent with one strike, which the ancients undertook with special praise, from which these spoken words grew: a proper fencer displaces not, as his opponent strikes so he too strikes, as his opponent steps so he too steps, as his opponent stabs so he too stabs.

Of the first shall you now know, that the Oberhau impairs all other strikes as in the Wrath, Middle or High Traverse, and Under Strike, from above it blocks down below you, from this know when to spring against his strikes, and close to his strikes which he releases with strength so that you then rightly engage, his weapon thus weakened that you then can strike another full to his body before he can rightly take it. As the Oberhau blocks all secondary strikes down from above, so will it drive off all from the Wrath or Upper Traverse strike, and thus it also takes the Under with strong placing, and be there with help from stepping out with the Oberhau above one's self.

When however two similar strikes come together thus with your orderly stepping, in that you step a little before or after the other, so that it's placed in an eyeblink, then you bring up your displacement. This displacement is brought on with the principal and direct strikes, the other displacement however is when you closely displace and step, then hit with the countering strikes, as in the Glance, Slide, Crown and Traverse strikes, and with them then complete, thus have you heard above about clearing every strike.

Then such countering strikes are taken onward from there as foundations, so that with close displacement comes hitting. However, because I should not backtrack, but direct you to more understanding and knowledge, I will give an example of displacing with the Zwerchhau.

Place yourself into the Wrathful Guard, if you are then struck from above, then step with the right foot forward against your opponent's side, and strike with a traverse to that side, short cut a high traverse to close in with it, thus that you take his strike onto the strong of your blade, catching it near your quillons and, with the farther end of your sword, hit his left ear, thus have you thus closely displaced and hit with a second.

The other strikes, which still can be hit with further displacement, as in with the Short Strike and missing etc. will not really be reckoned into fencing, especially since only accident or chances will be given that way, and One so therewith leads on to provoke, operating wrathfully, and drive from one's advantage, which often times cannot be sent to without danger, and so because of this no other displacement will be shown.

Handwork (Handtarbeit)

All in the first part of fencing up until now, both the Stances and Strikes, were sufficiently and properly done, and from thus we come ahead, that you come to your opponent as equals under the sword, and so first push one's self to strive seriously, so that you drive against him accurately and forcefully into the Middle work such as Misleading, Following After, Changing, Doubling, Hitting After, setting the Prize thus as the goal all Fencers work toward and wish to attain and keep with quick work.

Because it doesn't start off fully and immediately, where you neither close nor safely attack, then from there on the largest art lies, which is fully grasped here in this chapter of handwork. Since similar things must happen in various ways, on this you'll have advice in every special word and way, which will be through lessons, and from there through demonstration you shall fully draw clearly and rightly how it is done and understood.

And now stands the whole Handwork applied in binding or staying, Following After, Cutting, Chopping Down, Walking Around, Misleading, Flowing Off, Putting Away, Displacing, Twitching, Doubling, Overturning, Capturing, Avoiding, Circling, Channeling, Winding, Winding Through, Changing, Changing Through, Cutting Away, Hand Punching, Shooting Ahead, Hanging, Moving Out, Blocking, Adjusting, Grappling, Closing, etc.

Binding, Staying, Feeling. (Anbinden, Bleiben, Fülen.)

These are names for when the swords are in contact with each other. Staying is two moded, firstly when the swords stop each other, watch what One wants to fence with then and where you can attack your opponent if you will. Then there is the other with which one sends strikes, when you set yourself as if you sought to recover from a strike, only to slash quickly and come inward again with the short edge, thus back to the Before to strike with the long edge. Now mark the word "feeling" which means so much, as it therewith sends or finds, you will become aware how hard or soft on your sword he is, etc.

Following After (Nachreisen)

This is an especially good handwork, and therein the need and will to know will be raised if you want to rise and become a Master at low cost, thus conduct yourself in Following After: When your opponent starts to move his sword above or below himself so as to prepare to strike, you rush at his targets and thus preemptively intercept his Strike, which then can be joined against as you come to want or need, with this one fences and sweeps away with your strike. Since you soon require better understanding, I will clarify this to you with an example.

When one fences against you, take on whatever part his sword takes, if leading first in the right Ox, that is in the high right quarter, thus you shall take off as soon as he changes his sword from there to the other side or off to seek a strike, move similarly and strike after it with cunning, and of course you'll need to pick a strike and target, against which you close and soon you'll want your displacement. However if he fences out of the Low Guard, thus mark that as soon as he drives out, (he fences from either left or right side), follow cunningly under his sword from below with the long edge and strike the next opening.

Slicing (Schneiden)

When during the handwork one's right skull is targetted, then you rush from your opponent with handy and ridding blows, you can block and impede him better with no other move than with the cut, which you, though you will treasure it in all instances as special as here, will hold in reserve. You must however complete the cuts thus: after you entangle your opponent's sword with the bind, you shall strive thereon, feel if he would withdraw or flow off from the bind, as soon as he flows off, drive against him with the long edge on his arm, thrust the strong or quillons from you in the swing, let fly, and as he himself seeks to retrieve, strike then to the next opening.

Slashing Around (Umbschlagen)

Is named from hitting around with the sword, when you have bound from your right against his left, from this bind leave off again, strike or rush around to the other side.

Flowing Off (Ablauffen)

On whichever hand you bind on your opponent's sword, so move while retrieving your hand, and let yourself flow off below you with the half edge, and twitch under to bring your riccasso high overhead to strike, and drive such to both sides.

Misleading (Verführen)

Remember this: when you show your intent, as if you mean to fence to one of your opponent's openings, absolutely do not do so, but instead slash the strike unto another opening, to which you should come properly without injury, and thus Misleading enables many moves, such as facing with the Glancer Strike, Hacking, Flying, Beckoning, Off Flowing, Twitch, Circle and others. In addition, Misleading is not only performed with the sword, but also by presenting various initial stances, which are not yet more techniques, because techniques are the fencer's distinction, toward which you direct yourself throughout fencing at every single distinction and habit which then shall be set upon with wrath. This quickly clears hands fenced slowly, thus Misleading likewise requires forms which will be directed in the work.

Flying Off (Verfliegen)

Withdrawing thus is shown: when you in either pre-fencing or full work strike at your opponent's opening, but he drives to intercept your strike in the air, do not allow him to put his blade onto your sword, but twitch off the strike with one flight in the air to another opening, which will work very well against this, follow only after your sword and your body will not come to be hurt.

Setting Aside (Absetzen)

Now in all Fencing moves, as above were shown, two things are necessary, namely strikes, and strikes which clear or displace with the sword. So mark that this handwork is the proper clearing or displacing, with which you won't address the strikes badly and not strike onward again, but move at the same time to address his opening during the withdrawal. As you come during pre-fencing into the Changer, and as he strikes to you then from Above, drive above yourself with the long edge against his strike, and step at the same time with your right foot against his left and offset him, then as soon as he glides, wind the short edge, and rush at him against his head.

Slinging (Schlaudern)

Is nothing other than how you let a strike fly in a Sling to your opponent's head, for this put yourself in the Fool's guard, and pull your sword back though close to your right, step with your right foot to your opponent while pulling your sword back to you, and sling your strike to his head. This Slinging Strike shall fly out even like a stone is thrown from a sling, whatever more you need note on Slinging you will find described in sections after here.

Twitching (Zucken)

Twitching is one very good handwork with which you can masterly mislead your opponent, and which shall be operated thus: After you have bound against your opponent with the long edge or have struck in to an opening, handily twitch over yourself again as if you want to strike to the other side, however don't drive ahead, but handily execute the strike with the short edge again onto the point, from which you are exited.

Doubling (Doplieren)

Is a strike or move made double in this wise: Strike first from your right to his ear, as then when the swords glide together, thrust your sword's pommel through under your right arm, driving at the same time out with both arms, and hit him with the the short edge behind his blade onto his head. This handwork will therefore be called Doubling, because through it a double or twofold strike will be accomplished, first with long and then with short edge.

Inverting(Verkehren)

Inverting is: bind onto your opponent's sword against his left, and just as the pommel moves under your right arm, thrust through, if he at the same time would come at your head in a strike against your right, push your blade or arms from you with crossed hands so as to ward him below you so that he cannot work onward, however make your required space to work.

Clipping (Umbschnappen)

Clipping is two moded, the first is when you, as just now was told, come at him in a flip his arm or blade, thus stopping his blade or arm with quillons stiff under you, and under this let the blade Clip to his head.

However, the other is where he closes to you with a Loop under him, retreat with the left foot towards his right, and at the same time reach over his right arm with the pommel above, pull back under yourself, and let the sword edge come under his blade to clip against his head, such that your hands come to cross over each other.

Feinting (Fehlen)

Missing can be wanted each time, however it will be useful and resorted to properly and in the suitable time which only the advancing fencer knows, thereby you will effect a false strike with advantage, that you seek to attain another from there, and take it soon. When you strike at one opening, and your opponent would displace you, don't pull the strike but let it flow off nicely, and strike to another opening, as in this example. In advancing come into the right Wrath, and as soon as you can reach him, step and strike at the left ear unto his sword, however in the strike, even and then pull it, thus lift the pommel and let the blade miss and flow off near his left, and twitch over the head, as to then strike him on the other side, out over his right arm to his head.

Circle (Zirckel)

When you stand in the bind before your opponent, and both you and he drive the swords foreward in the air overhead, but neither will give away an opening to the other, then the Circle is an especially good work model at need which you will execute thus: Strike with the half edge and crossed hands from above toward his right side forward through above, so that both your hands stay overhead, but in striking cross your right hand boldly over your left, thereby you will want to reach or graze his right ear with the half edge, the sword thus clips him with your arms under yourself, then step with the right foot to take on his right side or to bring yourself back, and strike a direct splitting strike to his head.

Rounds (Rinde)

The rounds are two things, Single and Double. The single round is when you twitch off your sword from your opponent's blade or opening in a swing overhead, and let fly over in the air so that you make a round circle. The double round is this: when you so twitch strongly off from his sword, that it goes over your head two times in full swing overhead, one time to each side, thus both single and double rounds are very serviceable also to Leading On, such that you will see and drive farther onward.

Winding (Winden)

The word Winding is known in good German as the Wind, whose work shall thus be done: when you have bound onto your opponent's sword from your right against his left, then hold fast in the bind and wind the far part of your blade inward against his head, and then again out. So that you will be told how to always stay stiff onto his sword in the bind, such will be shown in this example.

Strike once from the Roof, thus binding from your right with a hard traverse onto his sword, and just as he slides, thrust your pommel through under your right arm, and wind the short edge thus in a rush inward against his head, in this all but stay with the edge hard against his sword, if he would beware of the rush and displace, or if you feel that he will fall down to your openings from above, then pull the pommel from under your arm again to your left above you, and hit him again with the short edge through the traverse to his left ear.

Winding Through (Durchwinden)

If you bind with a Traverse Strike, as was described before here, wind the short edge inward against your opponent's head, then step through under it with the right foot between you and him, against your opponent's right side, and wind through at the same time with your hilt under your blade from your left side, and drive him with your pommel winding out over your right arm, step back with the right foot, and travel at the same time from your right side out under him, and slash in with the long edge to the head, thus have you not only wound through, but also wrenched over with the pommel.

Changes (Wechseln)

A skilled fencer will have Changes, so then be skilled at such and only Change at the right time, and only when you need, and not give away your openings without cause. However he who will be experienced in fencing will need the knowledge of Changes, for is it an artful work and belongs to fencing with all this, that while it only works against the sword and not against the body, the Changes are many. Change in opening from one side to the other, change before the attack from one stance to another. Remember in the attacks to change through against the strikes, thus in the pre-fencing strike from your right a direct Wrath or High strike against your opponent's left side, strike him against the sword and not to his body, thus let the point flit under his sword with crossed hands with the strike, step and strike in to the other high target, see however that you carefully ensure that he does not attack or set upon you by following after, to this in the beginning come into the Long Point, and stretch likewise long from you, if he strikes at your sword, and will hit out or wind, then let the point drop under yourself through sinking, and work him to the other side, if he swipes after and will displace, then change through again, bite onward again to another opening or work to stand yet rightly, then after you can strike.

Cutting Away (Abschneiden)

Cutting Off shall you drive thus: hold the sword with outstretched arms long from you, or sink into the Fool's guard, strike your opponent then with a long strike from you, and thus cut away from you to both sides with the long edge, so as long as you keep your advantage, that you onward will come to work properly at need.

In Cutting Off chasing is also held well to be done together with the cut, thus concerning this Liechtenauer spoke in a quote.

Cut off the hardened / From both be driven. (Schneidt ab die herten / Von beiden geferten.)

That is cut the hard strike from you off from both sides. Apart than this, Cutting Off will be described more only after here in examples and other defenses.

Hand Hitting (Hendtrucken)

Hand thrusting is almost the same as the Cutting to the arm, of which is told above, and not otherwise shown, how to be done with the Over and Under cuts, unless you run one through with oafish hitting, so drive him under his strike with the Crown or other high displacement, or go under yourself by hanging, and catch his sword on your blade's spire (fleche), and thus you come under his sword, yet pay attention when when he with his strike goes off from your defense again over you, that you follow after him with the strong of your sword, and take him with the hilt from below to drive the strong, that you trap him with both the strong and your blade, thrust at him with the hilt above you, and strike long against the opening.

Displacement (Verschieben)

When you stand in the right wrath, and you will be struck at, let the blade hang behind you, and send your hanging blade over your head and under his blade, that you catch his strike on your flat, and your thumbs stand broad across your hilt under you, to then wind or otherwise further work as you want, whatever you can best take onward.

Hanging (Hengen)

From the preceeding, Hanging is to be understood clearly, this you do thusly: When you stand in the Plough and your opponent strikes to you, drive your grip above you so that the blade hangs somewhat toward the ground, and take his strike thus on your blade's fleche, to then work with Winding to the next opening.

Wrenching Out (Außreissen)

If you bind once from your right, overturn your sword in the bind, and pull out to your left side, so that you both stand close together in the meeting, thus endevour that you can come at him with the pommel from below and wrench over yourself, or you rush him from Above to grapple over the arm with the pommel, or to whatever way the winding wants to happen, then wrench out under you, that you thereafter come farther to hear more.

Blocking (Sperren)

Mark when one stands before you in the Changer or Fool's guard, and cunningly drop with long edge upon his blade, and just as he glides or pulls, cross over your hands, and block him so that he can't come out, or when he strikes in front of you, drop with crossed hands onto the blade and block him.

Forestalling (Verstüllen)

Forestalling shall be driven thus: if one comes working unto you with all sorts of actions against the four targets, and strives then to move overhead, drop a cut onto his arm or his sword and let him not come further, especially not where he wants to, thus follow after him with the cut hard on his arm, and forestall thus his advance that he can't work on, and as soon as you see your opportunity, thrust out with your edge and let fly to the next opening.

Overgripping (Ubergreiffen)

Overgripping is thus: Strike from your right to his upper left opening, however in the strike grip with the fingers out over the cross or hilt while holding the thumb on the haft, then with the left hand raise the pommel and slash in with hanging blade over or behind his displacement to the head.

Charging In (Einlauffen)

Charging In is nothing other than a charge in under your sword, that both swords come together, beyond this belong grappling and throwing, so that you from here on will attain understanding, will I retain all until now, and now move on to the third section of my list.

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What the dear reader heard only up until now, on knowing how to engage your opponent with the strikes, moving also through the middle where you will want to come further in the handwork without damage, is meanwhile however not enough without the third, which will be making a good withdrawal. Thus I will give you proper and clear direction in Withdrawing in the following chapter.

Von dem Abzug. Cap. 6.

Of the Withdrawal
Chapter 6

If, as has been said, one has started, and in nearly half the efforts is rebuffed in every action, thus indeed making all the same all a bad end, thus come back to the before and do it well, not to execute and downfall, and observe how daily, that now with this you shall not be opposed in fencing, that afterwards you will go on grasping this and have safety after hitting, with honour's first test at last, which one would then overcome, thus I with this will show and clarify how the withdrawal shall be done.

This then will be heeded in particular, that after every attack always know the three wisdoms of withdrawing, either at first before your opponent, or at the last after him, or even at the same time with him. If you would withdraw before him then exert yourself, that you drive out before you with the most wary moves, that he must shoot to drive high, just as he would then see what you would employ in front, strike through at the same time as the withdrawing stroke, and drive on away as you will then first be wary.

If you would withdraw after him, mark that this will be seen as two different concepts, firstly when you wait for your Opponent's withdrawal, thus when he strikes away, that you cunningly follow after his withdrawal above his blade. The second is when you stall with faking, as if you would withdraw before him, however handle your strike artfully indeed and guardingly behind, thereby when he rushes against you, you strike a false strike to him and decline, so that you cover your weapon against him and can strike to an opening. However, when you want to withdraw at the same time as him, then place yourself that you can cover his blade by stepping out and away from the strike, and when he strikes away on his right, you will be on his left, where however he strikes from his left, you step out at his right, and at the same time as him, strike in.
While you will bring all this with you, in this section you will be instructed on his point, such that enough can and will be retained.

Ein Ermanung von den Tritten. Cap. 7.

A Lesson in Footwork
Chapt. 7

Here we take on a special wonder, one that drives fencing, in that I will do right from Footwork, and explain that onward nothing is built on so much as footwork and, if soon that will be laid down, then one must mark such as is said and would be learned, even though so much is laid from here, in that from it one gives driving, and giving artfulness to all fencing is shown. Lest the steps not be taken rightly, to this the ancient Fencer also explained and put forth his twelth verse.

Who steps only after the strikes, deserves less joy in his art.

That is that every strike must have its own step, which shall happen at the same time with the strike, when you will judge from other parts in your roles as you need, then you step earlier or later, thus it happens around your move, and comes the same way with you in your strike, onward you then learn to make the steps right, so that your opponent cannot operate as he wants, which can be brought from stasis, especially so that you offset his grounding or likewise his place. In grasping onward now let yourself mark this, and position yourself as if you would make large and far steps, but actually stay closer with your feet correct, here onward however when he thinks you would step to him, be quick unto him with wide steps, and grab on, from here on so much is laid, that also all this is to be learned and likewise taken in fencing, and such must be made known.

The steps are done in three different ways, firstly backward and forward, what these are can't be clarified much, when namely one steps to or from someone. The other ones are the steps to the sides, which will be placed through a triangle, all are described. Stand in a direct line with your right foot in front of your opponent, and with the left behind the right step toward his left, this is the first. The second which is done double you do thus: Step as before with the right foot against his left, then follow with the left behind the right somewhat to the side to his left, and then again with the right farther to his left. The third type is the broken or stolen steps, these are accomplished thus, stand yourself as if you would step forward with your right foot, but set yourself low, then step back with it behind the other foot. Since these are the same as described in Rapier, I will thus leave it for now.

Vom Vor, Nach, Gleich und Indeß. Cap. 8.

Of Before, After, During, and Just As.
Chapt. 8.

Up until now were the proper Leading parts of all Fencing with the Sword, how many they were, how you named them, and how they shall be made and accomplished were actually clarified in good order, that from them now you can drive closely from your place, and bring such parts into the work.

Meanwhile however your opponent has needed to judge this as well, so be prepared, that you too can oppose all such, that is from noting how you know first with what opportunities you can approach him, then evaluate the opportunity, and place appropriately in the fight, which you show daily in driving, but at the same time no part will ever be as good as intended, which is to be useful in the fight, if it is off track and not to proper time.

Thus because of this pay attention in all three parts to all things, namely in pre-fencing or the onset, in the middle or handwork, and following thereafter in withdrawing, to the Before, Same, After, and Just As, which if not heeded will be of no help in fencing.
The Before is so named as you first take on the opponent with your strikes, and then drive forward that he cannot come to his intended target, so you must displace with care, as he wants to shoot before you.

The Same is when both you and your opponent bring forth your strikes at the same time, which is also a part of the expression "Just As".

The After is, however, when you withdraw from your opponent as was outlined above, where you cannot accomplish your objective, in that between Before and After a stand off changes and ends, so that soon your opponent and soon again you, become the same. Whichever is in the After, that is striving so that he always must displace, shall think of the words "Just As", and thereon not forget, that through them the Before will again be achieved, that he then can withdraw without damage, however he who does not pay attention to this, if he too soon undertakes to strive to you, will indeed never learn to fence well.

Just As (Indes)

The expression "Just As" has much meaning in that its origin is from the latin word "Intus" and is taken into fencing as such, which is applied in the Winding and similar work, however that this seem not only thus, you must hear what follows.

The expression "Intus" and what it means I will let remain Latin, however the expression "Indes" (Just As) is a good German expression and has in itself an important meaning to handy application, that one always and quickly take care, as in when you at first slash to the left, to then at the same time observe the opening to the right, then thirdly on to make sure that you attain the observed opening, where or with what actions you want to come unto it, that you don't then make openings for your opponent and take damage. Thus retain the meaning of "Just As" so that you observe sharply, which can be much observing and undertaking, also seek to learn faking to your opponent sufficiently, since he needs to have senses in his part, and similarly what Openings you will bring, and where you will be open. Then in all these things to which the expression "Just As" have meaning, stands the whole art of fencing (as Liechtenauer said) and where you don't undertake such to carefully and securely drive all strikes, will you advance lightly to your damage, as then all fencers will observe, which one thus overpowers and (as one said) tops out and nullifies as wanted.

Anleitung auf die stuck, wie sie können und sollen aus den bißher
erklehrten stücken gemacht werden.
Cap. 9
A Guide to the Elements, how you can and shall be successful
from the elements previously clarified.
Chapter 9
While up till now all these cited and clarified elements are actually nothing other than a start and elementary part of all Fencing with swords and shall be taken as such, then note how and when I sieze various elements from here before showing with what ease these shall be undertaken. Now you must retain all writings in your thoughts and memory, also know thoroughly what each and every art and distinction is, thus you will come to write a fully correct word, that from here on serviceable and heeded letters will flow orderly one to another from the quill. Thus shall you also retain the previously clarified elements, and that way you realise as often as you come to fence with someone, you will fail with anything other than this, thus success will come from taking note. However, just like every letter cannot be applied to each and every word, thus it is also impossible to undertake all the previously cited elements in every engagement.

Therefore you shall pay attention, as the situation requires, to how your opponent poses against you, and also observe the person, if they are quick or slow, large or small, and then know how to apply your work to him and how to oppose him. Just as every full fight, as was indicated above, is divided into three parts, namely the Pre-Fencing, the Middle, and the Withdrawal, these three parts are clarified in due order, and what is advised in every undertaking, thus in the beginning your first need is various strikes through the stances, with which you will best engage and overtake your opponent as intended, and in the first phase when you engage and close to him, or maybe come to be under his sword, then forward you must have still more moves with which to bring the part to its conclusion, which you then learn from the second section of this book, namely the Handwork, that you force ahead to all four openings, and he then cannot come to do damaging work to you, or similarly as when you have made it sufficiently ineffective. And in order to bring the engagement to its end, you must lastly add more letters to this word, and seek onward to the third section of this book, how the engagement shall be ended, and you withdraw without damage, or your opponent allowed one. Because of this see that you then force the Middle Work, that you first come to withdraw though defense, as then much will be learned in various engagements, or you incite so that he strikes you away and then at the same time you strike over his sword while stepping out, and justifiably want to take and claim your withdrawal. So that with this you will understand it entirely, I will present an entire engagement in all three parts.

In the pre-fencing come into the right Changer, pay attention that as soon as his sword shows bearing to strike, then before him handily strike through above you, and strike with a Traverse from your right at the same time as his, in the strike step on to his left side, if he drives his strike directly at your head, then hit with your Traverse to his left ear, however mark that he doesn't strike straight to your head by winding his strike with the long edge against your Traverse in the displacement, thus pull the strike with a long Traverse handily to his right ear, step just then with your left foot to his right, now you have attacked out of the change with two traverse strikes to each side over against the other. This you take now from the first part to this attack, Forward you will step on to Middle work, then bring yourself to the other part thus, if he slashes from your sword over to the other side, then move after him with a cut against his arm, hit with the strong of your blade, or with your hilt in a jerk away from you, just as he still threatens from the thrust, and still has not yet reached you, then drive to rush out with crossed arms and slash him with the short edge over his right arm to his head; and so that when he reaches you from the thrust, but where he stops you and sweeps away through displacing, then let your sword fly off again, and traverse to his left ear while you step away with your left foot; or where he doesn't go off or slash around, but stays with the cut or long edge outward, then loop your sword so that your half edge comes at his, ride his sword thus on your right side, but just then let it clip off into the air, so that your hands come together again crosswise high over your head, to then slash him as before, as he reaches from the ride with the short edge over his head, step back following with the left foot, and strike a high traversing middle strike with the long edge from your right to his half, and just as it glides, then pull off to your right with a high strike. Thus you see now how there's always one part after the other, the application and ordering through must be conceived and executed together, which makes up an entire part of Fencing. Lastly mark here also that the entire engagement can be completed in two or three strikes, where you rush to engage in the first strike, and with the second strike off again and in this strike commit either to the first or last meeting, which needs to be undertaken correctly, or you will lead on there to a third strike. Namely engage with the first, follow after with a second, but when the proper time such must be shown, that you have something worth saying, then mark how one speaks such that you will learn yourself, after which you will learn all other parts in fencing and here on retain your lessons with diligence.

Wie man nach den vier Blössen fechten sol.
Cap. 10.
How one shall fence to the four Openings
Chapt. 10
While up until now, artful reader, my attentive clarification of all servicable elements of sword fighting, such that each would be seriously raised by diligent practice, will be sufficient guide to understand all parts set after here, therefore I will now go forward to show, in one Stance after another, how one will behave therein and also how all fencing from it shall be. While forward you will come to judge all your strikes and actions from or against Man's four divisions, following on you must similarly be prepared to address the four openings, necessary to go on to the onset of Fencing from the stances. That I properly report on this part, I will now set out and give the following example:

In the pre-fencing when you come near to your opponent, then strike out in front of him from your right, through his face one time, twice, thrice, so that in the third strike before him (see that you keep your left foot forward) come into the long point, from there let the forward part of your blade flow off to your left, and just then with your blade level and sinking below you, pull back under it with your grip above you, step and strike first from your right against his left ear, as soon as the strike hits on, then quickly twitch to fly off again, and strike the second from below diagonally against his right arm, however in this strike keep your cross high over your head, and step to him with your left foot a little to his right together with your strike from below, and hit on with this as well, should you nimbly move your sword over you to your right, and thus from your right strike to his lower left opening, as the right is pulled or hit then twitch off again to over your head, and strike the fourth seriously against his right ear, from then traverse over and pull out. The first four Strikes shall be nimble and quick from one opening to another for your steps to be successful.

However while in the onset there are three ways for your Sword or sword's blade to hit and move, firstly with the Long edge as was already taught, then with the Short, and lastly with the flech, therefore observe that you can also slash handily to all four openings with the short edge as well as you did before with the long, then still at the last with the flech, and similarly to what was shown before now with the half edge, fly freely from one opening to another, namely with the inwinding flech to the right, and slash with the outwinding (that is with level or even flech to his left).

However if you would become practiced in this, then you shall always change with the first strike, and when you first strike to his upper left opening, and then the second is to his lower right opening, and then further as taught above (as is shown by the outer digits in the printed figure), then you shall again strike first to his lower left, then a second to his upper right, and then further as the second set of digits in the previous figure show. The next strike is first struck to his upper right then to his lower left, then further as shown by the third set. The last strike is first struck to his right, then further as is shown by the inner digits, and first learn this as instructed with the long then with the half edge, then lastly with the flech as judged into the work. When you can do such, then follow ahead to the next part, namely that you must understand the four openings before the strikes just taught can be retained, or onward your sword's blade will be held off and you will be repulsed with better countering strikes, these are thus the two Main Elements of Fencing, the Origins from which all other elements flow forth, onward follows the third, a large element which is and is named the Practice. One comes to the Practice thus: when you can lead your strikes from the stances to all of Man's divisions, which in the First part of fencing must be taken in the Before thus into the work, and yet your opponent is the same, and is also nimble in the Second stage of displacing, working off or stopping you and your strikes, so that you cannot reach your chosen destination for your strikes, then we come thus to the Third part which is the Practice, which is the most cunning, and teach it as you did the strikes where you were aware, that while every point can be futile or pointless, twitch off closely and nimbly from there to strike again onward, or feint over to let it go off and then lead on to another opening. When he also displaces himself, then twitch off yourself as well, and thus let fly from one opening to another so long and much as you are able to reach to a hit. However, so that such lessons will be marked and understood , I will demonstrate with a few good examples so that my objective will be simply and distinctly taught, presented, and set out, with which the goodly Reader will sufficiently judge all secondary and ongoing elements, and thus can take understanding from it in the Middle work thus:

When you have struck as taught above in the Pre-Fencing, and have closed in the strike, then let the first and second hit on hard as above, then don't let the third hit on, but twitch nimbly then hit off again in a backward flight, so that the fourth can thus hit on quickly.

Note: hit the first and twitch the second and the third in a quick flight, and let the fourth hit, still likewise launch the first and second bites to the Openings, and indeed twitch them off again and then lead into the next target, in this disengagement you can and also should attack with the first, changing off to things taught before in the numbered lessons, namely that you now twitch and feint from this then to another, and meanwhile still have care and attention where he would engage your own openings, that you then soon be on his sword with a bind, from this twitching now move farther on to Flowing Off and Missing and the like. Thus when you would lead a strike to the man's now known sections, and yet then take care that he displaces such strikes, then don't twitch off again, but (in that he is unaware of your observance) then close by the same side miss to let it fully flow off on over and strike nimbly to another opening, being first on the outside right (what you led with). Example:

As you have rebounded through the offstriking to the strikes as was taught above, then step and strike high from your right against his left ear, as soon as he clears this, nimbly let your blade sink below you with the half edge near your left side, and then pull your pommel and grip above you, and nimbly strike to his right ear with the short edge, so that your hands become crossed in this strike.

Note: let the first hit hard against his left ear, nimbly let the second flow off missing near his right as instructed before, and hit deep to his left ear, thus onto it nimbly (whereas you hit the first hard unto him) as well, letting it flow off to both sides, and still attack on to the next target as it opens, all these diagonally and with crossed arms as was taught, also against each other single and double, judged in the work against your need and opportunity. Then farther, as was taught, drive the blade in the full work first with the long edge then with the short, and also with the fleche, against his sides in full flight to the high and low openings.

In the first attack strike a long downstrike to his left ear, just as he glides then twitch both hands above you, so that your pommel will be under your right arm as you thrust through to him above you, and strike handily from below with the long edge to his left, just then step to him with your left foot behind your right and come through this strike to bring your grip high over your head. Onward again first strike an understrike with the long edge to his low opening while advancing your right foot, twitch handily near your right above you again, and strike the second from above also to his left while backstepping with your left behind your right as before, from which you will stand guarded behind your blade.

Note: twitch with a high strike from the right with the half edge to his left, but in the air cross over your hands and slash with the half edge to his left ear, as is shown by the top two figures in illustration C, twitch your hands again thus crosswise over you, and slash again with a traverse from below to his left ear, then again onward strike the traverse from below to his left with an advance step, twitch nimbly near your left above you, and thrust through in this off-twitch with your pommel under your right arm, and quickly again with crossed arms from your high right into his left, in this way slash with the flech below and above on the one side, that goes to both sides, and mark when you will slash to the lower right opening, which will be with the flech, long or short, then your hands will cross, but when you slash to his hight righ opening, then your hands will not always be crossed, from here mark the following example:

Thus in advancing shoot through before him and slash with the half edge from your left to his right ear, without crossing your hands, but with your pommel staying out toward your left, twitch nimbly overhead to your right, and crossing your hands over in the air, slash with crossed hands to his lower right opening from your left, in all moves keep your pommel full behind your blade, stepping double steps out to your right, thus you can both slash with the flech and with the long edge, from below and above, near your right, as I taught you before, that you shall twitch and turn the strikes from one opening to another, thus you shall twitch and address both high and low openings on one side. Basically, when you drive a strike to his high openings, and notice that he does not strike, but your sword drives on to engage, see that you then not let your strike hit on, but lead your strike to his low opening, but where he does get under the strike, then drive your strike ahead against the strong of his blade. From this work grows winding at the Sword, namely when you have bound onto his sword from your right against his left, then stay stay hard on his blade, thrust your pommel through under your right arm unseen to him, stay thus forward on his sword, and then pull your pommel out again and wind your short edge out to his head. Thus you again find three edges and flech, namely the outwinding and inwinding long edge, also the outwinding and inwinding short edge, and similarly the inwinding and outwinding flech, all on both sides.

Thus you understand that the third part of fencing is nothing other than the right Practice, as was reported above, the first two Lead parts in fencing, which will be taught though Practice, where you change at every opportunity, namely in the first Lead Part with the stances and strikes, flowing off, changing through, flying off, and letting miss. That such strikes can be trapped with displacement and clearing, likewise in the second Lead Part, displacement, teach the Practice of how you displace, follow after him, cut, punch, etc. Therewith you will end the strikes that he sends to you, or at the least prevent them from reaching their intended destination. And that is the sum of all Practice, namely that you firstly engage your opposing fencer through the stances, with manly strikes and without damage to your target, by showing cunning and agile misleading as can be shown, and after you then engage him to break through with the obligatory or similar handwork, from which you either securely withdraw at your pleasure, or where he must retreat from you and you follow ahead after him. Since going forward such Practice will be needed and extended in many arts to be the same both in name and in fencing, as you found fully described before here in the handwork chapter, I will now drive further to describe fencing from the stances.

Auß den Legeren zufechten.
Cap. 11.
Fencing from the Stances
Chapt. 11
Since much now concerns the Stances, I will thus not keep you long in each for the same reason they were given still only half composed, but going onward, since you will need to know, when you present your sword and (while you are twitching off the guard he aimed to you) you would strike, as soon as you come out from the farthest point (where you have begun to pull back your sword), then from here on you should lead your sword against him again with agility, like how it will be handled from the Guard of the Roof, the Guard through which you bring about the Downstrike. Thus when you move to the Downstrike (to do such) you will then in the outermost point of this move come to be in the guard named Roof, you can now not only (just as you seek to strike) strike then and thus drive ahead with your Downstrike, but can also persist to stay. This is the reason, namely just that you not yet undertake any strike unplanned, but even as soon you have allowed the same considered strike to be drawn against them, you should now lead the strike on from even from here so that as you stay for only an eyeblink at the obvious outermost point, so consider ahead if your chosen strike can either still be led usably to fulfillment, or if through it you can attain a better opportunity applicable elsewhere, where you thus change to a second strike accordingly at the outermost point and thus conclude the Downstrike which you have drawn out with a Traverse. This is the underlying reason for the development of the Stances and is why you stay while in one Guard: to see what the other will take ahead (and then rightly know how to overtake his chosen part) and prevent such just by being certain to see here what his chosen part will be, and such waiting is a great art and experience. Because you now need to know onward how to engage your opponent's oncoming strikes from the Roof with your Sword, I have set the following examples both of when he would strike, or stay and not strike.

The First Part (Das erst stuck.)
And firstly when you come before your opponent and, while striking out or otherwise pulling your sword back (to downstrike) to bring it high above you, he strikes just then to your left at your head, then burst full away from his strike against his left and somewhat toward him, and strike with an outwinding fleche against his incoming strike to meet his sword strongly on the strong so that the forward part of your blade will swing inward over his sword to his head, which is then certainly hit. When you slash at the same time as him and your sword comes to be over his, to hit or not on his strike, then twitch your sword off over yourself again, and strike diagonally upward from below to his right arm, in this strike step out with your left foot full against his right side and bend yourself with your head fully behind your sword's blade, from there nimbly twitch again above yourself and flit the short edge to his left ear, if you see that he will wipe against this, then don't let the impact fail or flow off, but soon cross your hands in the air (the right over the left) and slash him with the short edge deep to his right ear and then traverse over and pull out. Mark here when he would nimbly follow after the Understrike just taught and thus would be hard onto the roof so that you can't come to flow off, then pay attention just then if he would twitch off from your sword, then follow after him with a cut to the arm.
The Second Part (Das ander stuck.)
However if he strikes at your left from below, then step quickly out to his left and strike with the long edge onto the strong of his sword, as soon as your sword moves or glides on his, twitch your sword high above yourself again and slash down with the short edge quickly and deeply to his left ear while stepping forward out to his left, he will then want to rush to displace and then drive above against it, so then strike nimbly with the long edge over again to his right ear and in this slashover step full against his right like before, yet stay with the cross high over your head, and mark as soon as he slashes over then fall further with a cut to his arm, if he is not hurt by this but would evade your work, then follow after him (staying on his arm), and when he makes the smallest extraction, then let fly to another opening and strike him away from you.
The Third Part (Das drite stuck.)
However, if he strikes to your right as you come to be in the High Guard, then step nimbly with your left foot to his right out of his strike, and at the same time fall from above with the long edge onto the strong of his sword and, just as you fall on his sword, thrust your pommel under your right arm, so that you slash at his head with crossed hands fully over or near his sword, if he drives above against your right then let the half edge nearly flow off and step under it full out to his left side, and strike with the long edge directly to his head from above, but twitch nimbly above yourself again and slash with a traverse from below to his left ear with an off set with your left foot, and then strike him away from you.

The Fourth Part (Das vierde stuck.)
Mark in Pre-Fencing when you have come to hold your sword high above in the guard of the Roof to beware that he not then rush to strike, so that you can stay in the Before, cross your hands over your head, (the right over the left) so that it appears as if you would stab to his face, step under this toward him with your right foot and twitch your sword then to your left over your head and strike him thus with the short edge through a crafty traverse from your right to his left ear, twitch nimbly back off again and drive against his lower right opening with a long traverse, let it not stay but twitch above you again in the same flight and let the third flow off deep to his left ear with the short edge, and slash the short edge again with crossed hands into to his right ear, as soon as this hits, step back with the left foot and strike with the long edge from below to his left arm to be as shown by the figure fighting against the right in the left background of illustration G above, mark here when you step off in this Understrike if he would strike to your lower left opening, then step to him with your left foot and fall with crossed hands and the short edge onto his sword, strike him thus an Understrike as shown in the other figure fighting against the right in the just considered picture. Now mark further just as he then pulls his sword over himself again, then pull your sword with crossed hands full to your left and, just as he slashes again, take his oncoming strike from your left against his right with your outwinding fleche, high traverse out strongly so that your sword flies overhead in full flight and your hands cross over each other in the air while your sword flies, then step full against his right, but still keep your hands high and let the half edge flow off in a twitch near his right ear (as this hits or grazes), and just then strike long with an off step. I have described this part in particular as still many good moves can be taken and be fought from here, therefore you should learn not just this alone, but think forward with diligence. Thus I will describe yet another part with a different start.
A Second (Ein anders.)
In the pre-fencing when you come into the Roof or High Guard, then let your blade sink down in front of you, as before, to your left side, and twitch over your head, step and strike a high traversing Middle Strike with the long edge against his left to his neck or throat, as soon as he withdraws, then twitch again over the head, and strike a second high Middle Strike traversing from your left against his right, again at his throat, as soon as it glides then strike the third, a high strike with the long edge direct from above. These three strikes shall go from one to another in a nimble flight. If you want more room then raise your pommel above to your left side, twitch thus overhead, and take your flat or short edge near your left from below through to his right against your right in a wrench out above him, so that your blade again flies over in the air, and strike with the half edge from above down with crossed hands feinting over near his right ear, you can reach further with the short edge by stepping ahead, thus let it engage and strike a strong wrath strike to his left side and following strike away from him. This is indeed a serious and strong sequence in that, since you have the Before, he can only defend.
Breaking the Roof Stance or Guard (Bruch auff das Leger oder Hut im tag.)
If you are aware that after striking outward one can, in a little flight up over the head, stay in the Guard of the Roof, then come in the pre-fencing into the Guard of the Key, from there raise both hands thus crosswise over your head, and at the same time step to him with your right foot, and while stepping strike with the short edge near your right thigh strongly from below through your opponent's Vertex line up above you, so that the sword is above your head, flying off with an upstrike from your left to your right, keep your hands high in the displacement, just as it connects then step nimbly with your right foot to his left and strike with the short edge in a swing to his left ear. From there upstrike twice with a walk, follow the slash with a traverse to his right ear, and just then step at the same time with your right foot backward to your left, thus the Traverse goes deeper. When this happens you can strike as soon as he does.
Or if he comes ahead to you going high, then pay attention then if he will go to the low guard, then follow him nimbly with two strong understrikes from both sides out of whatever guard or stance suits you, just as long as you strike nimbly from below. One to the other with the half edge in a nimble walk from both sides deep to the head, after this bind nimbly into his blade, if he goes off then follow after. If he stays then wind, wrench out and make your work onward to the next.

Wrath Guard (Zornhut)
When at the onset you come into the Wrath Guard, then step as soon as you can reach him and strike a quick Wrath Strike, which he must defend from, to his left ear. Nimbly follow the strike over with an Under Strike against his lower right opening, thus you have now attacked. Under this as and when he is reached for work and the arms show he will strike, then fall low with your sword onto his arm and behind his charge so that he can not come to work, as he will then not be able to rightly defend from this, then thrust to him with an incomplete shove from yourself, that he likewise shows that he would fall, and meanwhile slash to the next opening that you know you have, but if he reaches this and strikes you off, then be there again with the cut or displacement, and fall against his strike on the blade, if he goes off the blade again, then cut him on the arm again, but if he stays on your sword then thrust his sword aside with your hilt and nimbly let your sword fly again to the next opening and swing to him after your need. Thus now you shall fight with all elements of the sword to the body, and from the body to the sword, but where he would twitch or flow off from you, then always use the cut for help, and where you can't cut, then there can be no useful fencing, but where you can do it rightly, then swing to him as you will. He who can break the cut himself, you will find less, but he who cannot rightly lead the cut will soon be broken.
If you stand in the right Wrath stance and your opponent strikes from his right to your left, then with a step of your right foot drive with displacement under his blade and over your head, and catch his strike on your flat with your thumb underneath, and the blade hanging below you somewhat to the ground, but as soon as in glides then step with the left foot to his right side, and wind the short edge under his sword inward to his head, as shown by the small middle figures in illustration L. (Note: the translator suspects images I and L got mixed up in the transcript. Image L seems to be missing.) When you have wound, then hold your sword with the short edge on his, and wrench the sword out following against your right above you, as shown by the small middle figures in illustration F, thus that your hands complete the wrench high in the air and crossed over, and slash in (keeping your hands high) with an inwinding flat to his lower right opening, as soon as he swipes against it in displacement, then don't pull but twitch high again and strike a glide strike to his left ear, but in this strike let the blade swing in deep over your hands and fence quickly away from him.

If your counterpart strikes to you from above, then step and strike to him from your right with a high traversing Middle Strike, thus also through and away from his long edge strike in flight so that your blade flies over with the half edge against his left ear but, as soon as you near it, flow off and twitch over your head from your right to your left, step and slash him with an inverted flat from your left to his right ear, high traversing through the middle line shown on the larger figure on the right of illustration A.

If it happens that he would not strike, then place yourself into the right Wrath stance and drive over your forward thigh thus: Stay standing with your left foot planted and strike seriously from your right over your left leg into the left Changer, from there travel over yourself again with the short edge through the strike line which you just travelled through from above so that your sword comes to your right shoulder again. Do this then once or thrice and, at the last when you see your opportunity, then drive the short edge in a move from your left above in the air over yourself and let it snap over thus into an upstrike to his lower right opening with your third step, and as this is then pulled right, then slash a deep one again with the short edge over your hand to his left ear, in this let your pommel snap full above yourself, thus letting it go deeper, then twitch over again and drive a strike to his lower right opening with two forward steps, and then as such is pulled right, then slash again over your hand with the short edge to his left ear, in this let your pommel snap above yourself thus making it go deeper, twitch over again and drive a strike to his right, yet still soon traverse again to his left with a back step and then pull out.

In the pre-fencing strike into the the right Wrath and, as soon as your opponent goes off, then raise your hands high over your head and let your point shoot forward toward his face as if you would stab, but twitch off again and slash with inverted hands or reversed flat from your lower right out to his left ear or arm together with a retreating step. If he then strikes from above at the same time as you, then nimbly twitch over after the swords meet and slash diagonally deep to his upper right opening with an inward flat so that your hands become crossed, yet then pull out to yourself again as if you would strike to his left but don't, rather twitch off again without engaging and strike thus with the short edge in a circle to his right ear so that the short edge grazes his ear. During this keep your hands high above you and step around with the circle then step back and strike a direct vertex strike to his head, then twitch nimbly above yourself again with a high traversing cross. That is, come over your head into the Crown, from there traverse to both sides, the first on the right with the long edge, the other to the left with the short edge, keeping your thumb always under the ricasso, and pull off.

Rule (Regel.)

When you stand in the Right or Left Wrath, and one strikes to you from below committing to your right or left opening, then strike high outward with the long edge and, just as it engages, then shoot the point on his sword inward to his face, just then drive off with your hands and work to the next opening with elements of going before or after.

Left Wrath Stance (Lincke Zornhut.)

When at the onset you come into the Left Wrath stance, then drive over the right thigh, as above with the left, one strike, two, three, yet then step and strike from your low left out strongly through your right above yourself, so that your sword flies over in the air in an upstrike toward your right, then twitch over your head and strike a strong traverse to his left ear, onward quickly crosswise and high traverse to all four openings: to his left over the hand, be it high or low, that is reversed or inverted with the hand, and on his right with an inward flat, that is under the hand.

With the Ox (Der Ochs mit.)
I hope you have taken and judged how you will apply your strikes and elements against your opponent's four openings with sufficient guidance from the parts taught up to now, also how at times how you should apply a wind, cut, note the flowing off, circle, and flying off with stepping, which are not counted alone as such from this, indeed pre-fencing from all other stances shall also be understood. So now, because the Ox is an especially good stance to engage your opponent, I will give a short lesson and rules on how you shall engage your opponent in the Before, rush, and force displacement from it.
And mark now the first, that you have four available attacks from either side, driven forth through the four leading lines as was explained and made apparent in the initial chapter, the lines being the correct paths for all strikes which would be driven and struck from you to your opponent.

The first of two is when you approach against your opponent with the Plunge Strike, which plunges as you hold your point toward him, and hold it steady (as was taught above) so that your thrust is obviously indicated, from which as soon as you can reach your opponent to attack, be it from below or above, wrathful or high traverse, as is shown through the lines, you will now attack through them from one side striking either high traverse or diagonally against him, be it with long or short edge or with the flat. This you bring on forcefully and nimbly Before him, and must force unto him so that he can not come to other work without your leave, then if he would soon try to work against you, then you will already be at his throat with travelling after, cuts, hits, and similar work following, with which you let no work be accomplished, thus now from this lesson's elementary basis, an example of how to judge this in both attacking and travelling after will be given:

In the pre-fencing when you have come into the guard of the Ox through a plunge, then strike (as soon as you can reach him) a serious and forceful Wrath Strike from your right to his left ear with a long right foot step, as soon as the strike touches or hits, then almost twitch off again and strike over against his left arm, also with the long edge, but with this strike step with your left foot to his right and take your head out to the side behind your blade, just then he may be ready either to strike or otherwise with his sword stretched out ahead to displace, so at first let your blade hang behind you from your right arm, and meanwhile twitch your grip over your head to your right and take his blade (he is stretched out from striking or displacing) with your long edge or flat and strongly and forcefully high traverse out from your right to his left so that you break out fully with your blade, and in this outward stride let your blade fly above again in a traverse over your head against his left ear, from there twitch your sword over your head again and strike a strong strike swinging in to his right ear with the flat outward, in a flat strike as shown by the larger figure on the right hand side of illustration K, also mark diligently that you step fully out with the left foot to his right side in this strike, from this flatstrike or Bounce Strike twitch your sword high over your head, keeping your hands high, and let the blade fly over with the long edge to his right arm, and yet don't impact, but traverse nimbly to his left ear while stepping back with the right foot, and sign off. This play, when you have arranged it thus, gives you thus the cut held (as taught above) in reserve, with which you can make more room, either in fencing the full play, or onward in taking another part.

Note that in the onset when you can reach your opponent from the Ox, as was just taught, then twitch your sword over your head and slash a strong and well aimed high traverse from your right with the flat outward to his left ear, yet from there twitch over your head and slash with an outward flat from the other side, also high traversing here. After these two strikes fence to what you think is a good opportunity. Thus you can always attack crosswise and against each other, which also leads out of fencing.

At times you can also, as opportunity allows, attack seriously from one side high traversing to the other, and this on one side somewhat with the long edge, on the other with the short edge or flat. At the last thus also mark where one would be rushed in this guard, so that you cannot bring any element into the before, then shoot forward just then into his face with a step forward in the long point, and in this shooting forward turn the long edge against his oncoming strike and, as soon as you engage, wind on his sword to the next opening.

Unicorn (Einhorn.)
Note, come into the pre-fencing with your left foot forward and strike above yourself from your right with the short edge, one time, twice, through in front of your face, and the third time stay in the long point with your sword thus stretched out in front of you, turn the long edge above you toward your right so that your pommel goes through under your right arm and your hands cross over one another, drive thus above yourself with crossed hands, thus you stand in the Unicorn, as was told of before, from then strike ahead (seeing that your left foot stays forward) with two consecutive upstrikes, the first from your right, the other from your left, both hard upward near his body so that in the second upstrike your hands cross over again as before. Drive thus nimbly above yourself flying off again into the Unicorn, raise your left foot somewhat up, then soon set it quickly down again, with such faking and displays you pull him in so that he then strikes to your left opening, yet just as he strikes then let your blade sink down in front of you, and then twitch your sword over your head, strike thus with the long edge high traversing from your right (with an advancing step of the same foot) against his oncoming strike, such that you catch his strike in the high traverse on the strong of your sword, as soon as the swords glide together, then burst with your right foot still forward against his left side, and raise your sword above you rushing a bit from his blade. Yet while you (as was told) drive a bit above you, then thrust your pommel through under your right arm so that your hands become crossed, quickly and nimbly with an inward flat oe short edge (with the next intended step out to his left) behind his sword to his head, as the small figures on the left side of illustration C show, you thus expose your left opening, he will rush to do the same, thus do no more then pull your pommel out from under your right arm again, and wind your sword into the long point so that your long edge turns to stand against his blade, thus you stand in direct displacement, as is shown by the other smaller figures in the same illustration, or when you have crossed the half edge inward toward his head with crossed hands, so that you have given an opening on your left side, if he rushes (as described before) to fence the same way, then keep your hands crossed, pull your head full to the right, and shoot to him with your blade fully over his, the closer to his hilt the better, thus wrench his blade out to your left, as is shown by the small figures on the right hand side of illustration D, and, when this wrench out comes near your left side, drive out with your hands and slash over them with the hald edge deep to his left ear, after which you come nimbly with your long edge onto his sword after pulling out at your pleasure.

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