Sigmund ain Ringeck/Keith Farrell 2010

Here begins the explanation of the epitome.

In which lies recorded the knightly art of the longsword, composed and formed by Johannes Liechtenauer, who was a great master in the art, may God be merciful to him. He wrote the markverses with deep and hidden words, so that the art would not be widely known. And these deep and hidden words have been by Master Sigmund ain Ringeck, fencing master to the highborn prince and noble Lord Albrecht, Count Palatine of Rhine and Duke of Bavaria, recorded and explained in this little book which now follows, so that every fighter who otherwise can fight, shall be able to take these and understand them.

Foreword to the epitome.

1	Young knight, learn  to always honour women, and love God,
2	so increase your honour.  Practice chivalry and learn
3	arts which improve you  and in the battle bring honour.
4	Wrestle well, understand the lance,  spear and sword and use the knife
5	like a man.
6	Cut fiercely!  Storm forwards: Hit or miss;
7	The well-experienced hate that  which seeks to cut them.
8	This you shall understand:  all arts have length and measure.

Many good general lessons about the longsword.

9	If you would like to see skill,  see that you go to the left then right with the cuts.
10	And left with right,  if you want to fight strongly.

Glosa. This is the longsword's first lesson; that you shall learn to cut properly from both sides, so that you can fight strongly and correctly. When you want to cut from the right side, stand with your left foot forwards; and when you want to cut from the left side, stand with your right foot forwards. If you cut with an Oberhau from the right side, follow after the cut with your right foot. If you do not do this then the cut is poor and insincere, because your right side lingers behind. Then the cut becomes too short and cannot follow the correct arc down towards the other side, in front of the left foot.

Similarly the cut is incorrect if you strike from the left side and do not follow after the cut with the left foot. So mark well, from which side you strike, that the foot follows after the cut. In this manner you can perform all of your techniques correctly and with strength. And in the same way should all the other cuts be performed.

A further lesson

11	He who goes after the cut,  receives little joy from his skills.
12	Cut closely, then do what you want  so he cannot to change-through your defence.
13	Strike to the head, to the body,  do not refrain from swift strikes.
14	Fence with the whole body  if you want do this with strength.

Glosa. When you come against him in Zufechten you shall not await his attack, and neither shall you wait to see what he is thinking about doing to you. All fencers who are hesitant and wait for the incoming attack, and do nothing other than to ward it away, they gain very little joy from this sort of practice because they are often beaten.

Always fight with the strength of the whole body! Cut close into him, to the head and to the body, so he cannot change-through in front of your point. And when the cut ends up in the bind you shall not hesitate but shall quickly and fluently make attacks against the nearest opening, using the five strikes and other techniques that will be described later.

Another lesson.

15	Hear what is bad,  do not fence from the left if you are right-handed,
16	and if you are left-handed,  you are weak from the right.

Glosa. This lesson applies to two types of people: those who are left-handed and those who are right-handed. When you come against him in Zufechten, if you are right-handed and want to strike him, you must not throw your first cut from your left side. That is because this is weak and cannot bring strength to bear if he binds the strong of his blade against you. Therefore, cut from your right side, so you can be strong and skillful in the bind and can do as you will.

Similarly, if you are left handed, do not cut from the right, because the art is pointless when a left-hander tries to fence from the right side. Likewise this statement applies to a right-hander fencing from the left side.

A lesson about "Before" and "After".

17	"Before" and "After", these two things,  all other skills spring from these.
18	"Weak" and "Strong",  "Instantly", mark well these words.
19	So you can learn  to work skillfully and defend yourself.
20	If you become gentle and timid,  you will never learn anything about fencing.

Glosa. Mark well that more than anything else you must understand "Before" and "After", because these two concepts are the grounding from which all fencing comes. Mark also: "Before" means that you shall always perform a strike or thrust against his openings, before he does the same to you. Then he must defend against you! And work deftly both in the defence and in moving your sword from one opening to another, so he cannot have the chance to perform his own techniques between yours. But if he rushes in close to you, deal with him through wrestling.

Mark, that which is called "After".

Mark, that if you cannot come in the "Before", wait for the "After". This will defeat all techniques that he does against you. When he comes at you so that you must defend yourself against him, so work deftly "in the Instant" with your defence against his nearest opening, so strike him before he can finish his technique. Thus you win the "Before" and he is left in the "After".

You shall also know how you can use "the Instant" against his "weak" and "strong" parts of the sword. From the hilt of the sword to the blade's centre the sword is "strong", and with this you can meet against his blade when you bind against it. And further, from the middle to the point the sword is "weak", which should not be brought against his blade. And when you really understand these things you can work skillfully and defend yourself well, and later teach princes and lords, so that they with these same skills can protect themselves well in play and earnest. But if you become frightened easily you should not learn fighting arts, because a weak and frightened heart—it does not help you—it defeats all of your skills.

The Five cuts.

21	Learn five cuts from the right hand.  He who can defend himself with these,
22	he should be praised,  his skill rewards him well.

Glosa. Mark well, the teaching verses present five secret cuts, which many swordmasters do not know to speak about. You will learn not to strike any other cuts when you come from the right side against one who stands against you in defence. And try if you can to hit an opponent with the first strike using one of these five cuts. The one who can counter with these against an opponent without being hurt will be praised by the master of the markverses, and his skill shall reward him more than another fencer who cannot fence with the five cuts. And how you shall throw the five cuts you will find hereafter recorded in the verses that talk about these same five cuts.

The techniques of the markverses.

23	Wrath strike, crooked strike, crosswise,  squinting, with Parting
24	breaking the Fool,  follow after, go over,
25	cut, change through, twitch,  rush in, slice, press the hands,
26	hanging guard, and with openings,  strike, catch, sweep and thrust with the point.

Glosa. Here are listed the correct and most important techniques in fighting with the longsword, they are named specifically so that you may understand them better. They are seventeen in number and begin with the five cuts.

The first cut is called the wrath strike,
the second is the crooked strike,
the third is the crosswise strike,
the fourth is the squinting strike,
the fifth is the parting strike,
the sixth: these are the four guards,
the seventh is the four displacements,
the eighth is travelling after,
the ninth is the over reaching,
the tenth is the setting aside,
the eleventh is changing through,
the twelfth is the twitching,
the thirteenth is the running through,
the fourteenth is the cutting],
the fifteenth is the hand pressing,
the sixteenth is the hanging,
the seventeenth: this is the windings.

And how you will perform the hanging and windings, and how you shall perform all these named techniques, all this you will find written hereafter.

Do the Zornhau with these techniques.

27	That which cuts from above,  the Zornhau threatens him with the point.

Glosa. When someone cuts against you from above from their right side, so cut with a strong Zornhau (wrath strike) with the long edge from your right shoulder. If he is weak in the bind, thrust in with the point along his blade to his face, and threaten to stab him.

Another technique from the Zornhau.

28	If he recognises this,  so lift off above without danger.

Glosa. When you thrust after a Zornhau and he becomes aware of the point and strongly defends against the thrust, twitch your sword up, over and away from his sword and cut him on the other side of his sword up into his head.

Another technique from the Zornhau.

29	Become stronger against  and thrust! If he marks this, take it below.

Glosa. When you cut in against him with a Zornhau and he defends himself and holds backs, strong against you in the bind, so become strong again against him in the bind and push up with the "strong" of the sword against the "weak" of his sword, and wind your hilt high in front of your head, and thrust down from above into his face.

Another technique from the Zornhau.

When you use the winding against him and thrust down from above—as mentioned already—and he pushes up high with the hands and uses the hilt to defend against your upper thrust, so stand in the winding and thrust your point downwards between his arms and chest.

A counter to the taking-away.

When you bind strongly against him and he twitches away his sword up and over your sword and in the bind cuts against you on the other side of your sword to your head, so bind (strike) strongly with the long edge in against his head.

A good lesson.

30	Note to train this:  cut, thrusts, guards--soft and hard.
31	"Instant" and "Before", "After" without hurry.  Do not seek close combat prematurely.
32	Those who aim for close combat  before they are ready, are cut down.

Glosa. When one binds against your sword with a cut or thrust or anything else, you must find out whether he is soft or hard in the bind. And when you find this, you will "Instantly" know what is best to do, to attack him with "Before" or "After". But in the attack you shall not be too hasty to go into close combat, because close combat is nothing other than the windings in the bind.

Perform close combat like this: when you cut against him with a Zornhau, when he defends himself quickly, you shall go up in an orderly fashion with the arms and wind against his sword with your point in against the upper opening. If he defends against this thrust, stand in the winding and thrust with the point into the lower openings. If he follows further after the sword in self defence, go under his sword with the point through to the other side and hang your point over in against the other opening on his right side. In this way he will be cut down in close combat both above and below, because you (unlike he) can perform the movements correctly.

How one in all windings shall find correct cuts and thrusts.

33	In all windings  learn correctly to find the cut and the thrust.
34	You shall also test  with cut, thrust or slice,
35	in all fights  if you want to beat the masters.

Glosa. That is to say that you should in all windings find the correct cut, thrust or slice in this manner: when you wind, you shall become immediately aware of which the three will work best for you to use. This is so that you do not cut when you should thrust, and that you do not slice when you should cut, and so that you do not thrust when you should slice. And mark: when your opponent defends against the one, you should strike with the other. Also: if one defends against your thrust then use the cut. If he rushes in towards you, use the lower slice against his arm. Remember this in all fights and binds with the sword, if you want to defeat the masters who set themselves against you.

The four openings.

36	Learn four openings,  aim to strike these with safety,
37	without any risk,  without doubt about what he can do.

Glosa. Here you will learn about people's four openings, against which you will always fence. The first opening is on the right sight, the second on the left side, above the man's belt. The other two are likewise on the right and left sides under the belt. Always pay attention to the openings in Zufechten. His openings you shall skillfully seek without danger: with thrusts with the the outstretched point, with travelling after and with all other techniques. And do not pay heed to what he tries to do with his techniques against you, but fence with belief and throw strikes that are excellent and that do not allow him to come at you with his own techniques.

Explanation of doubling and mutating: how these break the four openings.

38	If you would like to find revenge,  skillfully break up the four openings:
39	double over,  mutate below correctly.
40	Certainly I say this:  no master defends himself without risk.
41	If you have understood this,  he can hardly come to blows.

Glosa. When you would like to skillfully break up the four openings for him, use the doubling against the upper openings and the mutating against the other openings. Certainly I say to you that he cannot defend himself against this, and can succeed with neither cut nor thrust.

Doubling

When you cut in with a Zornhau or another Oberhau and he defends himself strongly, so "Instantly" thrust your pommel in under your right arm with your left hand, and cut him in the bind over the face with crossed hands, between the sword and the man. Or cut him with the sword in the head.

Mutating

When you bind against his sword with an Oberhau or something similar, so wind the short edge against his sword and go up in an orderly fashion with the arms; and hang your sword blade over his sword on the outside and thrust into him through the lower openings. This can be done on both sides.

Do the Krumphau (crooked strike) with these techniques.

42	Strike the Krumphau deftly,  cast the point towards the hands.

Glosa. This is how you shall strike the Krumphau against the hands. When he cuts from his right side against an opening with an Oberhau or Underhau, take a spring away from the strike with your right foot, far out to his left side; and cut with crossed arms with the point to the hands. And even try this technique against him when he stands against you in the Ox guard.

Another technique from the Krumphau.

43	He who uses the Krumphau well  with a step, he is able to defend against cuts.

Glosa. This is how you shall set aside all Oberhau attacks with the Krumphau. When he cuts in from above against your openings from his right side, step with your right foot out to his left side and throw your blade across his sword with the point to the ground in the Barrier guard. Test this on both sides. And from this setting aside you can cut him in the head.

Another technique from the Krumphau.

44	Cut crookedly against the flat side  of the masters, if you want to weaken them.

Glosa. When you want to weak a master, use this technique: when he cuts in against you from above from his right side, strike crookedly with crossed hands against his cut above the sword.

Another technique from the Krumphau.

45	When it comes from above  stand back, this I shall praise.

Glosa. When you cut a Krumphau onto his sword, so cut immediately back up from the sword with the short edge, in and down from above onto his head. Or wind the Krumphau with the short edge against his sword and thrust into his breast.

Another technique from the Krumphau.

46	Do not Krump, cut short,  then see changing-through.

Glosa. When he wants to cut in from his right shoulder, pretend that you want to bind against his sword with a Krumphau. Cut short; and go through with the point under his sword and wind your hilt to your right side over your head, and stab him in the face.

How one should counter the Krumphau.

47	Krumps that foil you;  the Noble War confuses him,
48	so that he truthfully  does not know where he shall be without danger.

Glosa. When you cut against him from above or from below, from your right side; if he also cuts crookedly from him right side with crossed arms to your sword and thus foils your strike, so bind strongly with your sword. And shoot your point against his breast under the long edge of his sword.

Another counter against the Krumphau.

When you cut in against him from above from your right side and he also cuts crookedly from his right side with crossed arms onto your sword and thus presses it down towards the ground, wind towards your right side; go with your arms up over your head. And thrust with your point from above against his breast.

If he defends himself against this, stand with your hilt in front of your head, and work deftly with the point from one opening to the other, this is called "the Noble War." With this you will confuse him so totally that truthfully he will not know where he will find himself.

Do the Zwerchau (crosswise strike) with these techniques.

49	The Zwerchau takes away  that which comes from above.

Glosa. The Zwerchau counters all strikes that cut down from above. When he cuts in from above against your head, spring with the right foot against him away from the cut, out to his left side. And as you spring turn your sword—with the hilt high in front of your head, so that your thumb comes under—and cut him with the short edge against his left side. So you catch his strike with your hilt and strike him in the head.

A technique from the Zwerchau.

50	Zwerch with the "strong";  mark well your work with this.

Glosa. This is how you shall work with the "strong" from the Zwerchau. When you cut against him with the Zwerchau, think that you shall strike powerfully with the sword's "strong" against his. Hold him thus strongly in the bind then cut with crossed arms behind his sword blade, from above against the head, or cut him with the sword to the face.

Another technique from the Zwerchau.

When you bind against his sword from the Zwerchau with your sword's "Strong"; hold him strongly, then push his sword away from you with your hilt, down and out to your right side, and strike immediately round with the Zwerchau against his right side, against the head.

Another technique from the Zwerchau.

When you bind against his sword with the Zwerchau, if he is weak in the bind, so lay the short edge against the right side of his neck and spring with the right foot behind his left; and pull him over it with the sword.

Another technique

When you bind against his sword with the Zwerchau, if he is weak in the bind, so press down on his sword with the Zwerchau; and lay the short edge behind his arms in front of his neck.

A counter against the upper Zwerchau

When you bind against his sword from the right side with an Oberhau or similar attack, if he strikes round with the Zwerchau against your other side, do the same back to him, throw a Zwerchau under his sword against his neck.

How one shall strike against the four openings with the Zwerchau.

51	Zwerch against the plough,  and strike powerfully against the ox.

Glosa. This is how you shall strike against the four openings with the Zwerchau when you go against someone. When you come against him in Zufechten; when it becomes suitable for you, spring against him and cut with the Zwerchau against the lower opening on his left side. This is called "to strike against the plough".

Another technique from the Zwerchau.

When you have cut against the lower opening with the Zwerchau, so strike immediately with the Zwerchau against the other side upwards into the head. This is called "to strike against the ox". And continue to strike quickly a Zwerchau against the ochs and another against the plough, crosswise from one side to the other. And cut him after with an Oberhau in against the head and thus draw yourself back from him.

52	He who Zwerches well with a spring, threatens the head.

Glosa. That is to say, that in all of your Zwerchau strikes you shall take a proper spring out to the side where you want to strike him. So you can strike him well in the head. And see to it in the spring that you are properly protected from above with your hilt above and in front of your head.

A further technique from the Zwerchau, and it is called the feint (Feler).

53	He who does a good feint,  strikes from below how he wishes.

Glosa. With the feint all fencers who quickly leap to the defence are mislead and defeated. When you come against him in Zufechten, pretend that you want to cut him with perhaps an Oberhau to his left side. In this manner you can strike him underneath however you want and defeat him.

Another technique from the Zwerchau, and it is called the turner (Verkehrer).

54	The turner subdues,  runs through and grapples.
55	Take the elbow certainly,  spring against him in the movement.

Glosa. When you bind against his sword with an Oberhau or Underhau, turn your sword so that your thumb comes underneath, and thrust him down from above into the face. In this way you force him to defend himself. And in the defence, grip his right elbow with your left hand and spring with your left foot in front of his right, and stab him over it. Or use the turner to rush through and grapple, in the same way that you will be told for running through.

Another technique from the feint.

56	Feint twofold,  strike him, thus do the cut.

Glosa. This is called the double feint, because in the Zufechten you shall be misleading two times. Do the first like this: when you come against him in Zufechten, take a spring with the foot against him and pretend that you will cut with a Zwerchau against the left side of his head. And change the direction of the cut, to the right side of his head.

Another technique from the feint.

57	Continue doubly with this,  step to the left and do not be slow.

Glosa. That is to say, when you have struck to the right side of his head with the first misleading—about which has just been written—so strike immediately round to the other side of the head, and go with the short edge with outstretched crossed arms over his sword: and "Imlincke", that is to say on the left side, and cut in with the long edge over the face.

Do the Schielhau (squinting strike) with these techniques.

58	The Schielhau counters  that which a buffalo cuts or thrusts.
59	That which threatens with changing  is robbed by the Schielhau.

Glosa. The Schielhau is a strike which counters cuts and thrusts from the buffalos—those who take their mastery through violent strength. Do the strike like this: when he cuts in against you from his right side, you should also cut from your right side with the short edge with the arms outstretched against his cut, against the "weak" of his sword and cut him on his right shoulder. If he changes through, shoot in with the cut, long edge against the breast. And you can also strike this, when he stands against you in the Plough guard [Pflug] or when he wants to thrust into you from below.

Another technique from the Schielhau.

60	Strike the Schielhau when he closes with you,  change through, against his face.

Glosa. This is a lesson: you shall search with the look and notice carefully, if he fights close to you. This you shall mark when he cuts against you and his arm does not stretch out in the cut, so you will strike too. And in the strike go with the point under his blade to the other side, and thrust in against the face.

Item. All fencers, they who fence short from the oxen, from the plow, and with all windings before the opponent: freely change-through [against] them out of hews and out of thrusts with the long-point. With that, you plant it upon the sword so that they must allow you to come to the binding-on and be struck.

Another technique from the Schielhau.

61	Search with the point  and take his neck without fear.

Glosa. Mark well; to strike the Schielhau breaks the long point; and then do this: when he stands against you and holds the point with outstretched arms towards the face or chest, so stand with the left foot forward and search with the gaze against the point, and pretend as if you want to strike against the point; and strike powerfully with the short edge above his sword, and thrust with the point along with the blade against the neck with a step towards him with the right foot.

Another technique from the Schielhau.

62	Search against the head above  if you want to damage the hands.

Gloss. When he wants to cut in against you from above, so search with the gaze as if you want to hit him above the head. And strike with the short edge against his cut, and strike along his blade with the point onto the hands.

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This is the text and the gloss about the parter, and about the plays thereof

63	The Parter  Is a danger to the face.

Gloss. Here note the parter is really dangerous to the face and to the chest; conduct it thusly: When he stands against you in the guard [of] the fool, hew above with the long edge, down from your part to his head, and with the hew remain high with the arms and if he displaces, so hang-in to him with the point, with the long edge above his hilt, and thrust him to the face (as stands pictured hereafter next to this).

Again a play from the parter

64	With its turn  The chest is quickly threatened.

Gloss. Note, this is when you strike-in and hang the point to the face with the parter: if he then shoves the point firmly upward with his hilt in the displacement of the parter, invert your sword with the hilt high in front of your head (such that the thumb comes below), and set the point under his hands upon his chest (as stands pictured here).

How the crown breaks the parter

65	Whatever comes from him,  The crown takes it away.

Gloss. Note, when you cleave-in above with the parter: if he displaces with the hilt high over his head, this displacement is called the crown, and with it [he] runs-in to you.

This is the text and the gloss: how the cut breaks the crown

66	Cut through the crown,  So you break the hard beautifully;
67	Press the strike,  Withdraw it with cutting.

Gloss. Note, when he displaces the parter (or otherwise another hew) with the crown and with that runs in: so take the under-cut below his hands into his arm and press firmly upwards (as stands pictured next to this); so the crown is broken again, and wind your sword from the under-cut into the over-cut, and with that withdraw yourself.

This is the text and the gloss on the four leaguers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yet another play against the displacement

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is about racing-after

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

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

Yet another racing-after

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

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

About the outer-cattle-drives

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

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

The other outer-cattle-drives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This is the text and the gloss about running-over

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

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

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

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

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

Yet another play from setting-aside

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

This is the text and the gloss about Changing-through

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

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

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

Item. Another.

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

This is the text and the gloss about yanking

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

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

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

This is the text and the gloss about running-through

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

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

This is yet another play about running-through

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

A wresting at the sword

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

Though watch that it does not fail you.

Yet another wresting at the sword

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

Yet another wresting at the sword

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

Yet another wresting at the sword

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

Yet another wresting

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

A sword taking

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

This will vex him badly.

This is yet another sword taking

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

This is the text and gloss about cutting-off

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

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

Yet another cut

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

This is the over-cut

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

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

95	Turn the edge  To flatten; press the hands.

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

This is the text and the gloss about the two hangings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Watch that it does not fail you.

This is the text about the conclusion of the entire Recital

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

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

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

Here note how you shall conduct the hangings and the windings

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

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

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

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