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Chapter 10

Elements of Fencing (handy work)

Meyer:

Handtarbeit

Handwork

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.

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.

Meyer:

Anbinden, Bleiben, Fülen.

Binding, Staying, Feeling.

These are names for when the swords are in contact with each other. Staying is two modes, 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.

Talhoffer:

Tafel 32


 
From the Bind, thrust away with the elbows.

It seems that the tafel shows how to extract away from a bind by thrusting the sword "with the elbows." This seems to mean a quick forearm thrust designed to extract yourself away from a bind to re-establish range.

Egenolph:

Remaining

Get ready in the high guard or “Hochort” and strike with the long edge at his left ear and let him think that you want to twitch but remain with the short edge at his left ear. Then twitch and let follow a strike with the long edge.

Break.

When somebody remains with the short edge at your left ear, remain at the other side, too. If he twitches first, he will hit himself.

Engaging at the sword

When somebody binds above, test if he is hard or soft at his sword. If he is hard in his binding, wind down through out of the roses against his face to the left ear. This way you are going to wind his sword away and expose him. But when he twitches back and strikes, move upward and displace.

Break.

When somebody binds above and is strong in the binding, that you cannot twitch and he also does not want to twitch, then lift your pommel upward and move the point between his hands. If you now twitch backward to your body, he must let go.

Meyer:

Nachreisen.

Following After

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), and follow cunningly under his sword from below with the long edge and strike the next opening.

Danzig:

Of Following After

Teach following After twofold or cut in the defense. Take the work two ways and there after begin to test if the threat is light or hard. Learn to feel Just As it would be cut hard. Following After one hits twice, the olden cut to make with it.

Egenolph:

The fourth guard is named Pflug”. When somebody strikes impetuously at you, step triangular [traverse] with the right foot and displace quickly with the flat so that his sword slips down. Then make a step with your left foot and strike with the true edge.

Ringeck:

The "Traveling After" (Nachreisen):

There are two kinds of Nachreisen, and you should learn both. Use the first against an Oberhau. If he raises the sword to strike, travel after him with a strike or a thrust and hit him in the upper opening before he can complete the strike. Or fall on his raised arms with the Lange Schneide (long edge) and push him away from you.

Another Nachreisen

When he strikes an Oberhau and brings the blade down with the strike, travel after him with a strike on the head before he can get his sword up again. But if he wants to thrust at you and pulls the sword back to prepare for the thrust, travel after him and thrust at him, before he can do it himself.

The "Abnahmen" from the outside

Note, there are two "Abnahmen" from the Outside, which are two "Nachreisen" at the sword (am Schwert). Do them like this: If his strike falls short, travel after him. If he displaces that, stay at the sword (maintain blade contact) and check whether he's hard or soft in the bind. When he pushes up your sword with strength, place your blade on the outside of his blade and thrust at his lower opening.

The second Abnahmen from the outside

Also, if you fence against him with low strikes or other techniques, and he forestalls this and winds against your sword from above, so that you cannot move it up, maintain strong contact with his sword from below. If he then attacks, your high opening follow with your sword, take the weak of his blade with your long edge, push it down and thrust into his face.

A third Nachreisen

When he strikes short in front of you, travel after him with a strike to the high opening. If he moves up and winds against your sword from below, note: as soon as the swords clash together, fall on his arms with the long edge and push him away from you. Or cut through his face. Practice this from both sides.

Goliath:

Text regarding the Traveling After

Double travels after hits one with the ancient cut made

Analysis

That is you shall travel after to both sides and not forget the cuts inward. Take this on when he would strike before you from high on the right or left side, then strike after him driving to the opening he makes and bind below on the sword, so mark as soon as one sword glides on the other, then cut him Just Then to his throat or let your long edge fall on his arm and cut closely.

Goliath:

A good travel-after on the sword out of low strikes

When you fence against him from low strikes or out of a strike, or stand against him in the guard named Fool, if he feints then with the sword onto yours as and when you come out of this, then stay low with your sword on his and raise them up above yourself, if he winds on the sword bringing his point at your face or chest, then don't let him come off the sword and from there follow after him to work your point to the next opening. If he strikes over from the sword then follow or travel after him with the point but, as before, mark that you shall, from all strikes and guards, follow after him as soon as you can when he has struck or opened with the sword before you, and when you yourself have opened or struck, wait so that you will not be followed after, mark this on both sides.

Danzig:

Of overrunning

He who roams under, run over that he will be shamed. When it glides above then I will praise the strong Make your work, the hard hit double.

Ringeck:
The Overrunning.

When he crosses swords, with a cut or thrust to the lower openings, then you will not set him aside. Rather wait, until you may strike or cut at his head. So you defeat him because the Oberhau and thrust have longer reach then Unterhauw.

Goliath:

Text on the overrunning

He who roams below overrunning will then shame him. When it glides thus strong above I will praise that well, make your work or hit hard twice. That is when you come to him with pre-fencing, if he then strikes you below to the low openings then don't displace him but strike him strongly from above to his head, or if he strikes to you with upstrikes, then mark as and when he comes out with the upstrike, then shoot the point long to his face or chest and beset him high so he won't want to reach you below. All high attacks break and baffle the low ones. If he drives then to you below on your sword, then stay with the long edge strong on his sword and work nimbly to the next opening, or let him work and Just Then you can hit him.

Meyer:

Schneiden Cutting

When during the handwork one's right skull is targeted, then you rush from your opponent with quick and agile 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.

Meyer:

Umbschlagen

Slashing Around

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.

Meyer:

Ablauffen

Flowing Off

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.

Egenolph:

Pull away

When somebody binds at your sword and remains strong in the binding, move with your hilt over both his hands and pull them down towards you again. You create an opening and hit him.

Meyer:

Verführen

Misleading

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.

Egenolph:

Mistake/feint

Take the mistake out of the high guard. Strike short through to his left ear and step with your left foot to his right side. The other strike long to his right ear. Stay high with good displacement.

Break.

Beginning from the “Ochs” strikes down against him through the roses and place him your false edge in his face. Turn short away and let follow a strike with the true edge.

(“Through the roses” = circular strike with the lowest point of the arc at the thigh).

Rule.

Strike through against his blow and step with the right foot in triangle, that you nearly expose yourself. Give him a cause to strike to your opening. After that, step with your left foot and hit him with your hand.

Goliath:

Feints mislead from below after wants to pull

Analysis

Feinting is a part in which many fights become blended and you want to pull after and strike to those who will displace and fence to the sword and not the body. Mark when you come to him in pre-fencing, then move as if you would strike to the head in a free downstrike, and twitch off the strike and strike him with a traverse to his lower opening on either the left or right side as you will, and see that you keep the hilt over your head and thus also drive the traverse strike.

Meyer:

Verfliegen

Flying Off

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.

Meyer:

Absetzen

Putting Away

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.

Danzig:

Of setting aside

Teach to set aside artfully stabbed strikes. He who stabs to you meets your point and his breaks. From both sides hit always if you will advance. 

Ringeck:

The Absetzen
You must learn the art of setting aside so that his cuts and thrusts may be broken.
Do it like this. When he stands before you, as though to strike your lower opening, then take the guard of the plow on your right side to open your left. When he strikes to your left wind against his sword to your left and take one step with your right foot toward him: so you achieve your thrust and he has been displaced.


The Second Set-aside.
When you stand opposite him in the guard of the plow on your left side and he strikes towards your open left side move your sword high to your left side, with the hilt before your face. Take one step towards him with right foot and thrust through his face

Goliath:

Text on how one shall set aside stabs and strikes

Teach setting aside weapons artfully laid strikes stabs, stab out from you, your point hits and breaks his, hit from both sides, at all times you will stride

Analysis

Observe the parrying, when you come to him in pre-fencing drive thus if he stands against you as if he would stab: put your left foot forward and stand against him in the guard of the Plough on your right side and give an opening with your left side, if he stabs to that opening then wind the sword onto his stab to your left side with the short edge on his sword, setting it aside, and stride then with your right foot and stab him Just Then to his face or chest.

Another Element

When you stand in the guard of the plough on your right side and he strikes high to your head's left side, then ward off with the sword and wind it against his strike on your left side with the hilt in front of your head, and stride then with your right foot, and stab to his face or chest driving this piece to both sides.

Meyer:

Schlaudern

Slinging

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.

Meyer:

Zucken

Twitching

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.

Danzig:

Of twitching

Step close in binding that twitching gives good finding. Twitch to hit his twitch finds more work, do this always as twitching all hits will attain you the mastery.

Ringeck:

The Twitching.

When you move in to strike him from your right with an Oberhau to the head and he binds your sword, take a single step towards him, maintaining pressure against his sword. Then jerk your sword backwards and away from his to disengage. Then strike his head from the other side. If he sets this aside, then hit him on the other side and work skillfully to his upper openings with Duplieren and other pieces.

Goliath:

Text on Twitching on the sword

Step close in binding that twitching gives good finding. Twitching to hit his twitch finds more work, do this always as twitching all hits will attain you the mastery.  Know to drive the Twitching against masters who bind strongly on the sword and stay on the sword in the bind, and wait to see if he would strike off from you or pull off of the sword, that you can then follow after to the opening to reach or touch the same master, then drive the twitching against him thus: strike him strongly from the right side high to the head, if he drives forward in the strike strongly with the sword and will displace or strike to the sword, then twitch your sword nimbly as and when you bind on and stab him on the other side, do this against all hits and binds of the sword.

Mark here another twitching

When he has bound onto your sword and then stays against you in the bind waiting to see if you would pull off of the sword, then do as if you would twitch yet stay on the sword and pull your sword on the half edge to you and stab him soon again on the sword to the face or chest, if you don't hit rightly with the stab then work with doubling or any other element that is the best for you.

Meyer:

Doplieren

Doubling

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 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.

Meyer:

Verkehren

Turning

Turning 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.

Meyer:

Umbschnappen

Clipping

Clipping is two modes, 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.

Meyer:

Fehlen

Missing

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.

Meyer:

Zirckel

Circle

When you stand in the bind before your opponent, and both you and he drive the swords forward 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.

Meyer:

Rinde

Rounds

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

Meyer:

Winden

Winding

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.

Meyer:

Durchwinden

Winding Through

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.

Meyer:

Wechseln

Changes

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.

Danzig:

Of changing through

Learn to change through from both sides with stabs hard on your bind. Find changes through by poking.

Ringeck:

The Change Through

Do it like this: if he wants to engage you in a bind against Cut or Thrust,
so let the point/thrust slide through under his sword and stick/stab him in
the other side. There you find him exposed.

Goliath:

Text on how one shall change through

Teach changing through from both sides, with weapon bound well from you, find changes through by poking

The change through is much and you shall drive it properly against the fencer who likes to displace and strike to the sword, not to the body's openings, this you shall learn well, drive with leading ahead to the man who does not attack or come forward while you are changing through. Drive the change through thus. When you come to him with pre-fencing then strike him a high strong one, if he strikes then in return against your sword and not your body, then in the strike let the point sink through, swiping below the sword as and when he binds on your sword, and stab to his chest on the other side. If he is aware of the stab and drives the sword stabbing right after with displacement, then change through and always do this when he drives with displacement against the sword.

Another

When you come to him with pre-fencing then set your left foot forward and hold the long point into his face, if he strikes from above down onto or from below onto your sword and will smite it away or bind strong on it, then let your point sink below it and stab to the other side. This drives against all strikes where your opponent strikes to the sword.

Mark this

You should change through while the opponent truly engages, then you change through and do it thus, when he displaces you and lets his point go outward to the side, then change through inward and stab him on the other side. If he stays with the point at your face or against other openings then don't change through but stay on his sword and work on it to the next opening so he can't travel or engage again.

Egenolph:

Changing through

Fighting rule.

Pose like before. Grab with your left hand in the middle of your blade and thrust to his face.

When he displaces your thrust step and let your left hand go of the blade. Move your pommel over his both hands, place your blade at his throat and when he loses the balance throw him.

Break.

When somebody places his blade at your throat and wants to throw you, take your right hand off the sword, push upward at his left elbow and he has to turn.

Rule.

When somebody has put his blade at your breast, grab his sword at the point with your left hand and thrust with your sword behind his left leg. Press your breast forward in his direction and throw him with a push of your left hand against his breast backwards over your sword.

Meyer:

Abschneiden

Cutting Off

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. 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.

Goliath:

Of the cutting off

Cut off the hard driving both from below

That is what you shall drive when one binds strong on your sword from above or feints from there, and so take this when you pre-fence from the under strike or from striking out from or standing against him in the Fool's guard, if he feints out then with the sword as and when you come out from this, then stay low on your sword and raise the short edge closely above you, if he then hits your sword closely below then strike low with your sword on his sword's blade, go off behind you from his sword, and soon again strike in to the other side of his sword high to his mouth.

Yet another

When you pre-fence with low strikes or rush in the Fool's guard, if he feints out then with the sword near to your hilt as and when you come out from this so that your point goes out to your right side, then drive out nimbly with the pommel over his sword and hit him on the head with the long edge, or if he binds onto your sword so that your point goes off to the left side, then drive with the pommel over his sword and hit to his head with the short edge. This is called the clipping.

Danzig:

Of cutting off

Cut off hard; from below be driven in both. Four are the cuts. Two below, two above.

Egenolph:

Cutting off

(Poem: “Schneid ab die herten ...”)

Rule.

When somebody is standing in the “Pflug”, “uberschiess” your sword with short or true edge before he is able to work with his sword and you will hinder him to twitch or strike.

Meyer:

Hendtrucken

Hand Thrusting

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 flat, and thus you come under his sword, yet pay attention 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.

Meyer:

Verschieben

Displacement

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.

Ringeck:

The Walkthrough.

When he holds his sword aloft to strike you a powerful blow then will you hold your sword with the left hand on the pommel above your head and the blade over your back. Duck under his right arm and spring your right foot behind his right foot. In the spring grip him with your right arm around his body. Take him on the right hip and throw him to the ground.

A Second Walkthrough.

When he holds his sword aloft to strike you a powerful blow then will you hold your sword with the left hand on the pommel above your head and the blade over your back. Duck under his right arm, leave your right leg in front of his and grip him with your right arm around his back, then throw him behind you.

Meyer:

Hengen

Hanging

From the preceding, 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 flat, to then work with Winding to the next opening.

Talhoffer:

Tafel 6

 
Against the lower openings. - Also at the lower openings.

First Look: these combatants are both in the free hanging point stance and attempting to plunge a thrust against the lower openings. Both are also binding the opponent's blade in a blade play meant to hold off the thrust. The guy on the right has crossed his stance and is in trouble.

Second look: there's probably a lot of winding in this engagement. The guy on the right is still in trouble.

Danzig:

Of two hangings

Two hangings will be from one hand, from the ground, in all drives. Strike to stab stances hard or light.

Goliath:

Text on the two low hangings

Two hangings will be up from the earth on one hand, in all driven strikes stab stances light or hard

The two hangings from the ground would be the plough on both sides and when you would fence or have fenced from it then in striking and in stabbing and in all bindings of the swords you should feel therein if he is light or hard on the sword from which you should drive four windings and from each winding particularly one strike, one slice, one stab and still all other drives as it is from the two high hangings.

Meyer:

Außreissen

Wrenching Out

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 endeavor 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.

Meyer:

Sperren

Blocking

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.

Meyer:

Verstüllen

Forestalling

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.

Meyer:

Ubergreiffen

Overgripping

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.

Egenolph:

Gripping over

“Ubergreiffen” take out of the high guard. Grip with your right hand over your cross guard into the blade, so that your fingers are standing in the flat of the blade. If somebody is hitting at you, hit him with strength that you just out do his sword, twitch him your flat of the blade at his right ear, and go high in a displacement.

Break.

When somebody makes the “over gripping” at you, capture him the strike and twitch shortly. Follow with a long strike or break it with the feint cut or the crown cut.

Meyer:

Einlauffen

Charging In

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.

Danzig:

Of charging through

Charging through let’s hang with the pommel grip should you grapple. He who would charge through strongly against you, you mark with.

Goliath:

Text on charging through with grappling on the sword

Let Charging Through hang with the pommel grip should you wrestle. He who would charge through strongly against you, you mark with it.

The charging through and grappling are twofold with the sword when he charges through to grapple the body, then right after send the arm grapple, and pay attention to drive against the fencer who gladly charges.

At first drive the charge through thus

Mark when he charges and drives high with the arms and would overpower you from above with the strong, then you drive out your arms out too and hold your sword with the left hand close over your head and let your blade hang back behind you and charge through with your head through the arms to his right side and spring with the right foot behind his right and in the spring drive with your right arm against his left side ahead , Well over the body and trap him thus on your right hip and throw him over backward on his head.

Talhoffer:

Tafel 24


Ein Uberfall (schneller, plötzlicher Angriff in der nahen Mensur).
A sudden attack (Quickly jabbed attack in close quarters).

Looking at the illustration, this seems to suggest a quick slicing up-thrust across the opponent's left neck/cheek while closing past a point held in The Plough (right).

Danzig:

Of hand hitting

Your cuts twisted to flat hit the hands.

Goliath:

Your cut twisted to flat hits the hands

Analysis

This is how you shall drive from the two lower cuts to the two high ones, take this thus, when he strides in to your left side with arms stretched overhead then twist your sword ahead and let your long edge fall under his pommel to his arm and almost hit upward and stride with it on his right side and wind the pommel through below and don't come away from his arms with the sword then wind the sword from below to cut above over his arm with the long edge.

Danzig:

Of window breaker

Breaking windows is thus made. Stand gladly showing your intent, hit just as he snaps. He who would show off to you. I say to you be wary, you shoot no man without driving.

Dobringer:

Text on the Window Breaker

  Make the Window Breaker straightly into his intent, strike so that he snaps the weapon you display to him before you, yet I say onward you shoot no man without driving, if you attempt to hit he will make less coming forth

  You have heard before that when you are before the man with the sword, you should place yourself in the four guards from which you shall fence, so now you shall you also know that the window breaker is also a guard with which you can stand securely, and this guard is the long point, the noblest and best sword ward out from which you can fence that forces the man so he must let you hit as you please and make the point come forward again still to hit and to stab

How you shall put yourself in the Window Breaker

When you go to him in pre-fencing with whichever strike, you then come onward as with a low or high strike, then let your point always shoot in long to his face or chest by which you force him to displace or bind on the sword and, when he has thus bound, then stay freely with the long edge strong on his sword and straight into the intent of what he would fence against you, if he seems to go back off of the sword, then follow with it or to an opening; or if he slashes off the sword over to your other side, then bind strongly against his strike high to the head; or if he will not pull away from the sword after slashing over then work by doubling or with other similar elements afterward as you find him weak or strong on the sword.

This is another mode

In addition, this is also the Window Breaker. Mark when you have come to him with prefencing, then set your left foot forward and hold your arms long in the point toward his face or chest, as and when you bind onto his sword and stand freely against what he would fence to you, if he strikes long and high to your head, then drive out and wind the sword into the Ox against his strike and stab to his face; or if he strikes to your sword and not your body then change through and stab him on the other side; If he strides in and his arms are high, then drive below the cut or charge through him with wrestling; If his arms are low, then wait to grapple the arms; thus you drive all elements of the long point.

He who would led, and break rightly, and would finally judge and break especially in only three wisdoms. He who would rightly hang and wind considers eight windings properly. Indeed one in the same windings would step through my twenty-four verses the same on both sides. Teach eight windings with lessons and tests, driving no longer only soft or hard;

Egenolph:

Window cross position

(Poem: „Sprechfenster mach / Stand frölich / besihe sein sach...“)

Rule.

When somebody stands in the window-cross-position, move your pommel over his hilt and between his hands. Grab the crossguard with your left thumb and pull backwards. You create an opening and hit him.

Another.

When somebody binds with you in the window-cross-position and does not move, push with your left hand at his right hand and he has to turn and presents an opening.

Egenolph:

Shooting through

Shooting through you might take out of the high guard. Strike downward from above through the roses, holding the hands wrongly [the German word which was used in the original text is “verkehrt” – I personally tend to think that the author meant that you have to make the strike with crossed arms] and short edge, in his face. Let your blade shortly run down follow with the long edge.

Break.

When somebody uses “shooting through” at you and tries to place the short edge at you, so that you could not work in an other way, take the sword at the point and hit him at the head with the cross guard.

Egenolph:

The running through

Rule.

Remember. When you thrust at somebody and hit him with the point, wind your sword with the pommel under your right shoulder.

Meyer:

A Guide to the Elements, how you can and shall be successful from the elements previously clarified.

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 seize 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 realize 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.

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