Johannes Liechtenauer/Mike Rasmusson LS 2005

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GWo 4a
GWo 4b
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A general lesson in the Long Sword.

9	If you will show art, send yourself to Left and Right in striking,
10	and left with right is how you fence correctly and strongly.
11	He who strikes after deserves a joyless art.
12	Strike closely at him as you will, that nothing comes unto your hilt,
13	head, or body, you allow no attack.
14	With your entire body fence as you strongly can drive:
15	Hear what is bad, fight not to left, if you are right,
16	and if you are left, the right is very limiting;
17	Before and After, the two things, all things come from one spring.
18	Weak and Strong, Immediately: do mark this word,
19	thus you will learn the work and weapon with art,
20	know well that no fencing is never learned,
21	learn Five strikes from the right hand,
22	so the weapon will be exalted by a praiseworthy art.

Text on the recital's parts

23	Wrathful strike, Arc, Cross, Glance, Vertex,
24	Fool displaces, Following After, Overrun lets strike,
25	Change through, Twitch, Run Through, Cut Away, Hand Impact,
26	Hang, Bind with openings, Hit trap strike, Stab with thrusting.

-Zornhau Follows-

27	He who strikes you from above, Wrathful Strike point concludes,
28	Would he first ward, Take off high without driving.
29	To the strong again, Wind stab stab first, take it farther.
30	Mark this well, strike stab stance, light or hard.
31	Immediately and After truly onward the fight will not be awkward.
32	Should the fight roam above, below will he be shamed.
33	In all windings, Strike, stab, cut, learn to find,
34	also should you not test, strike stab or slice,
35	in all engagements, you will lose the mastery.

The Four Openings

36	Know four openings to roam to, thus you hit wisely,
37	in all drives double where he is wary.

Breaking the four Openings

38	If you will reckon to break the four openings with art,
39	double above, transform below right.
40	I say to you be aware onward, you shoot no man without driving,
41	should you strive to hit, then he won't come forth.

Arc Strike

42	Arc out nimbly, throw your point to the hands,
43	Arc to whom would attack, striding much allows strikes.
44	Arc strike to the flat and you will weaken the master.
45	When it clashes above then stand off so will I praise it.
46	Strike an arc not a short, show changes through with it.
47	Arc to him who attacks the noble war will be in the Before.
48	Thus he does not know where the before is without driving.

Cross Strike

49	Cross takes what comes from the Roof,
50	Cross with the strong, mark your work with it.
51	Cross to the Plough, fly hard to the Ox.
52	That is you cross to the head with a spring.
53	Feints mislead from below against his intent to move
54	Inverting forces running through with grappling too,
55	know to take the elbow and spring on the way.
56	Feinting twice hits with a slice,
57	step forward to the left and allow nothing

Glance Strike

58	Glancing breaks what the buffalo strikes or stabs.
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60	Strike shortly where he changes through facing him on.
61	Glance to the point and take his throat without force.
62	Glance above to his head, your leading hand above.

Vertex Strike

63	The top of the face is endangered
64	with your turn, the purpose is
65	to take what comes from the Crown,
66	cut through the crown then break hard
67	as the strike hits his, withdraw with a slice.

Four stances

68	There are only four stances to hold and show in general,
69	Ox, Plough, Fool, from the Roof. You show nothing more.

Four displacements

70	Four are the displacements the four stances allow.
71	Before displacing guard yourself, also place it to your best advantage.
72	If you are displaced so that he comes forth,
73	Hear what I pronounce to you, strike off quick
74	with a direct attack to four endings, stay there and will you learn to conclude.

Following After

75	Following After learn twice or slice with the weapon.
76	Take the work two ways and thereafter begin
77	to test if the threat is light or hard.
78	Learn to feel Immediately if it would be cut hard.
79	Traveling after hits one twice done with the old slice

Overrunning

80	He who roams under, run over then he will be shamed.
81	When it clashes above then stay strong so I praise it,
82	make your work or hit hard twice.

Parrying

83	Teach to parry artfully stabbed strikes.
84	He who stabs to you meets your point and his breaks,
85	always hit from both sides if you will advance.

Changing Through

86	Learn to Change Through from both sides with stabs hard
87	on your bind. Change through in finding the blade

Disengaging

88	Step close in binding that disengaging gives good finding.
89	Disengaging to meet his disengage finds more work, do this always as
90	disengaging all hits will attain you the mastery.

Charging Through

91	Let Charging Through hang with the pommel attack if you would wrestle.
92	He who would charge through strongly against you, you mark with it.

Cutting Off

93	Cut off hard, from below ward in both.
94	Four are the cuts. Two below, two above.

Hand hitting

95	Your cuts twisted to flat hit the hands.

Two Hangings

96	There are two hangings from each hand, From the ground,
97	ward in all. Strike to stab stances soft or hard.

Window Breaker

98	Breaking windows is thus made. Stand gladly showing your intent,
99	hit just as he snaps. He who would swipe you away.
100	I say to you be wary, you shoot no man without driving.
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Closing the verses.

102	He who would direct and counter rightly, and would make an end will aim
103	and specifically counter with only three wisdoms.
104	He who would rightly hang and wind takes
105	and heeds winding to conclude properly.
106	Indeed one in the same windings
107	would step through my twenty-four verses
108	the same on both sides. Learn eight windings with lessons
109	and tests, driving not more, only light or hard;

end of the fencing verses text.