Dusack, Chapter 3: The Four Cuts

[1] About the four cuts, with four good rules about how one should learn and execute them correctly, including numerous appended examples

Chapter 3

Following the previous explanation of the stances or guards and their respective uses, I now arrive at the major element of fencing and that is, indeed, the cuts, which arise from the stances. There are, however, no more than four [cuts] from which the others have their origin and provenance (as will be subsequently demonstrated). Because these four cuts form the correct foundation of all fencing, I want to explain the same in an organized fashion as a service to the good-natured reader—and not just merely how they are cut, in and of themselves, but also how they can be taught and executed in many useful ways. This is so that you can see and recognize how one technique always develops from another and how the originating one offers assistance to the other [or derivative] one. However, I have considered that the four cuts cannot actually and properly be taught—much less be understood by students—without prior know-ledge and understanding of a few lines which serve to assist in the instruction in the cuts. Therefore, it will necessarily follow that I will first teach those lines: their extent, their shapes, and their names. Since the cuts don’t number more than four, the routes or lines through which they are cut are also four.

Thus, about the first [line], it is the upright line through which the High Cut is guided and cut and is therefore named the hair line, because the opponent is divided into left and right by this line. The second [line], the slanted or hanging line through which the Wrath Cut is guided, is called the wrath line (after the Wrath Cut), otherwise also called the strike line. The Middle Cut is completed through the third [line], the crosswise or middle line. The fourth, upwardly slanted line indicates the path for the Low Cut, just as it shows the path for the Wrath Cut from the other side from the top downward. Thus, the Low Cut is also guided upward through the same line through which the Wrath Cut is cut downward (slantwise from above).

That point where you imagine the four lines intersecting is the same as the chin. Thus, the crosswise or middle line crosses the opponent across both shoulders. This locates the intersection correctly, and you can then cut, not only the four major cuts, but you can also use this to direct the other cuts surely and well. However, you should not opine that you are not permitted to guide the cuts no lower or higher than the lines indicate, but instead you should understand that you merely learn to guide and cut the cuts this way [through the lines] in the beginning.

Secondly, you should also take note: when your counterpart cuts at you, and you want to cut equally at them, you must guide your cut exactly at the height of their line; otherwise, you don’t counteract nor are you guarded by your cuts. If you guide your cut toward your [counter]part in the Before and they are not ready to oppose your cut with any strike, you can then cut under or over their dusack at their body regardless of where the lines indicate (as will be sufficiently taught later in the sequences).

In the fourth chapter, after the lengthy discussion about several methods for learning to cut the cuts through the abovementioned lines, I will continue about the use and usefulness of the cuts, and how or which one counters another, as you will require no small measure of support in order to understand and correctly cut the sequences.

[2] The first rule about how you should guide the four cuts, cut by cut, from one side, each through its associated line, firstly halfway, that is up to Longpoint; secondly, completely through the line

Stand with your left foot forward, hold your du-sack in Bull (or as the larger portrait on the left shows in the Figure [B] printed previously). Step and cut straight from above down through the upright line up to the point at which the lines cross over one another. Then you stand with an arm ex-tended in Longpoint. Regarding this, examine the larger portrait (also on the left) in the subsequently-printed Figure [C]. From there, let the forward part of your dusack sink and drop downward toward your left. In that moment in which the forward part drops downward, simultaneously pull your hilt (with a hanging blade) upward and around your head to a strike. During this and while you pull your dusack up for another cut, simultaneously pull your rearmost foot up to the front right until you again have a complete step forward with your right foot for your prepared cut. Cut again through the upright line (as previously), but not farther than to the intersection of the lines (into Longpoint). From there, remind yourself not to cut farther (namely, as before), and execute one cut three or four times. As many times as you have now cut forwards, you should also cut and step backwards. As you previously moved the rearmost foot up to the frontmost (so that you could step farther forward with the front), when you want to step backwards in the cut, you must yield with the front [foot] back to the rearmost [foot] in that moment in which you pull up to strike. As you previously advanced with the right foot for the strike, you must now step back with the rearmost and left [foot] during the cut, identically to how you previously cut the High Cut through the upright line up to the point. Thus and in this way, you should also complete the other cuts through their respective lines.

[3] Namely, the Wrath Cut through the slanted hanging line, the Middle Cut through the crossing [line], and the Low Cut through the upward slanting line. And always not farther than up to the center point, again letting it drop down toward your left and recovering by pulling your hilt upward for another identical cut. These cuts should serve you, in that you learn to stop all of your cuts at the halfway point (before they are then completed) and turn into a counterposture, so that you can receive your counterpart’s cut in the complete course [of the cut] with identical cuts.

[4] Secondly, you should cut completely through the abovementioned lines. Therefore, position yourself to stand with the dusack as taught above. From there, cut completely through the upright line with extended arm and turn your right side well into the cut toward your left, so that your du-sack passes back by your left in this cut. In that moment in which your dusack moves back through next to your left, simultaneously pull your hilt upward next to your left, around your head, and up into the Watchtower again to strike. Then you stand as the portrait shows on the right in the Figure designated with the letter B printed previously.

In that moment in which you pull your dusack up to strike (as mentioned), you should simultaneously draw your rear foot up to the front [foot] so that you can step forward with the right [foot] for this cut (as was taught just prior to this). Step farther forward with the right foot and cut from the Watchtower again straight from above (as previously), completely through the upright line. Perform one cut three or four times, backwards and forwards, until you are well practiced.

As you now complete the High Cut through the upright line, you should also cut the other three completely through their associated lines in this way. So that you can better understand this (because it is hard for an inexperienced [person] to do), I want to set down here the Low Cut: in which way it is to be completely cut through the line.

[5] Thus, stand with the left foot forward, hold your dusack in the previously-mentioned Bull, step and cut upward from the bottom of the rising line through their face with the long edge. In this cut, turn your hand in the air so that your thumb faces your left and your short edge rises up to your left shoulder in the completion of the cut. At that point, turn your right side (as mentioned above) following your cut well toward your left as soon as you have arrived close to the left shoulder with this cut. Pull the hilt quickly back upward around your head for another stroke and afterwards draw your left foot up to the right.

Then, cut again from your right from the bottom of the slanted line upward through their face (with a step forward of your right foot) so that you come to your left shoulder as before. From there, gather yourself again for another cut.

Execute then another cut like this, three or four times in a row, backwards and forwards, as you have done with the previous half-cuts. As you have previously been taught to catch the stroke of your counterpart with the half-cuts, now learn to rebuff and cut away their cuts by cutting through with these.

[6] The second rule, how you should execute the cuts through a line counter to one another

For the second, after you can now cut the four cuts from your right (each one halfway and completely through its line as was just taught) you should then also learn to cut each line from both sides counter to one another. Thus, stand with the right foot forward (yet with the feet not too far apart from each other) so that you can step forward into the first cut, and then step and cut from your right from above completely through the upright line with extended arm, so far that—in that moment in which your dusack runs back through next to your left—it shoots into left Bull. Following this, cut strongly and powerfully from below through the upright line (with the long edge upward) so that your dusack shoots around over your head, through the Plummet, [and] back into right Bull.

In these cuts, you should always keep your right foot forward when standing and stepping so that you can step forward for each strike and recover for a further step (as taught above). In this way, strongly execute the High Cut from your right from above together with the Low Cut from your left from below through your opponent’s face. And allow both the High Cut from above to plummet headlong from above and the Low Cut to shoot around upward from below such that the front end always points toward their face after shooting forward.

As you have now cut through the upright line from below and above (opposite one another) you should also cut through the other two lines—namely, the slanted hanging line and the crossing line—always from both locations opposite one another.

[7] However, when you want to cut through the upward rising line from your right (which is designated with the two letters D and H opposite one another), you shouldn’t allow it to shoot through but simply drive upward over your forward right thigh (from your right from below) up into the left Wrath or to your left shoulder, slanted through the abovementioned rising line up and down counter to one another. You have already been taught at length about this driving and why it is appropriate and useful in the Sword [Section].

[8] The third rule about the beginning of the misleading and how one should pull the cuts back and change into another

As you have now learned to move through each line opposite one another, you should furthermore also learn to pull the cuts back, namely like this:

After you have positioned yourself into a stance in front of your opponent according to opportunity, step and cut from above with arms extended and the long edge along the upright line to the head, and Indesly take note whether they want to oppose your cut by counteracting.

As soon as you perceive this [to be the case], don’t allow your cut to touch or to hit their counterposture, but instead pull your cut quickly back before it meets with their counterposture, and cut strongly and powerfully next to your left [side] from below upward through the same upright line (as the portrait on the right in this Figure [D] indicates).

[9] Then, in turn, cut the first next to your left side from below almost up to their counteraction and, in that moment in which it should now just touch, pull it quickly back upward around your head and cut from above through the upright line (that is, through their face).

In this way, cut from your right toward their left following the middle line up to their counteraction and also don’t let it touch, but instead, in that moment in which it should just hit, pull back around the head and cut from the other side completely through the same middle line. You should learn to do this through all four lines, just like the previous two cuts. Pulling them back like this is the beginning of all misleading.

[10] The fourth rule, how one should cycle through the cuts, one after another

Fourthly, it is also necessary and useful that you can cycle through the cuts fluidly and through another. This can occur in three different ways. First, I want to show you the reasons for this cycling through the three lines: namely, through the two slanted [lines] (as the hanging and rising) and across through the middle line. Afterwards, [I will be] appending some examples.

When you now cut slantwise through your opponent from your right (from above or below) so that you arrive with your weapon on your left, cut the second quickly again from your left across through their right (following the middle line through your opponent). If you have cut from your left through the slanted line (regardless of whether through the rising or hanging line) so that you arrive through toward your right with the cut, immediately cut from there also through the middle line—as before from your left through their right, but now from your right through their left. As often as you cut through a slanted line from one side, immediately also cut across through the middle line from the other [side].

[11] Furthermore, take note: when you have cut the first through from your right (slantwise from above) and also the Middle Cut from the other opposite side so that you have arrived back on the right side, then don’t cut back from above through the slanted hanging line, but instead cut upward from below through the rising line and thus upward through the second rising line.

Afterwards, cut a Middle Cut again from your right through to your left, so that you can again cut the High Cut slanted through their right. And this forms the foundation for changing all cuts between the two lines as in the slanted and crossing. As often as you cut across from one side, [that is how] often you should cut around again from the other slanted line. Therefore, if you cut from these slanted lines, whether from above or below, cut from the other side across. In order that you can better understand this alternation, I want to set three useful examples here.

[12] Example with six cuts

Therefore, step and cut the first from your right, a Wrath Cut toward their left through the hanging line which is designated with the letters B and F. Cut the second from your left toward their right across through the middle line. Cut the third through from your right toward their left through the upward rising line (strongly with a Low Cut upward) so that your dusack hangs down behind your left shoulder at the end of the cut. From there, cut another Low Cut powerfully slanted upwards through their right [side]. Afterwards, cut the fifth (a Middle Cut) from your right toward their left through their crossing line. Cut the sixth, however, straight from above (following the hair line at the head or through their face) with another step forward.

These six cuts should quickly follow one after the other. For these cuts, always remain with the right foot forward and as you want to step farther forward for the cuts (as you should have one step for each individual cut). Always recover yourself with the rear foot somewhat to the front [foot] so that you can have another advance with the right [foot].

[13] Cycling the Cross [Cuts] by means of the Middle Cut

Cutting the Cross [Cuts] long and alternating from one side to the other by means of the Middle Cut is very good, in which you should always cut the Middle Cut with arms extended strongly in front of you, the other two slanted lines through the cross, and perform it like this:

Namely, cut the first through the slanted line from above, toward their left. Cut the second through also along the slanted line from above, from your left toward their right. Cut the third across through the middle line, from your right toward their left, so that you arrive with your dusack on your left in the Middle Guard. From there, begin again, and cut the first from your left slanted through their right. The second slanted through their left (both from above). The third again a Middle Cut toward their right from your left, and additionally cut back again from your right.

Execute this one [sequence of] cut[s] six or seven [times], one after the other. Always remain with the right foot forward for these cuts.

[14] Cross alternation

Perform the Cross alternation like this: stand with your right [foot] forward (as always) and cut the first from your right through their left Wrath line with a broad step forward. Thus you arrive in the left Change [Guard]. From there, rip back upward through the abovementioned Wrath line (through which you have come downward with the Wrath Cut) with the short edge, upward toward your right shoulder. Let it move around in the air above your head. Cut the second through their right Wrath line slantwise over your forward right thigh, so that your dusack arrives next to your right with the point on the ground. From there, rip upward again with the short edge toward your left shoulder, exactly through the line through which you have cut from above. Let the dusack move around above your head again. Cut again from your right through their left, so that you arrive again in left Change [Guard]. From there, rip upward again through as before, and continue like this.

Powerfully execute one cut [or sequence of cuts] three or four [times], as you please, through your opponent’s face. Thus, you now have the four Primary Cuts, and how you should cut them in many ways. I have treated this so extensively because all fencing is contained in these four cuts, as mentioned above. And it is assured that, if you know well that you can cut the four cuts as mentioned above, all sequences will be easy for you to fence. The additional secondary cuts now follow.