Dusack, Chapter 9: The Ox (Stier)

[1] About the Bull and its sequences

Chapter 9

This stance is not dissimilar from the Plummet [Cut] and is one of the best stances from which all kinds of techniques can be fenced using all of the cuts that are appropriate for attacking in the Before.

For this stance, position yourself like this: stand with the left foot forward, hold your dusack with your hilt to the right next to your head so that the front end extends toward your opponent’s face (as the large portrait on the left shows in the Figure [B] printed previously, although they are in mid-step). And the stance is nothing more [or less] than a gathered thrust from above.

[2] The first sequence, in which it is taught how you should reach past with simultaneous cuts from the Bull, with an appended Middle Cut including a thrust and a Cross Cut afterwards

When you move into the guard of the Bull in the Onset, and your counterpart cuts at you from their right, whether from above or below: leap well out from their strike toward their left side. Cut through simultaneously with them, with an extended arm, at their face and toward the hand in which they hold their weapon (ensuring that you remain with your weapon above theirs). Cut strongly enough that your dusack shoots around above your head into the Plummet (that is into the left Bull). From there, cut a Middle Cut back through toward their face (with the outward flat facing toward their right), so that your dusack shoots around above your head into right Bull. These two cuts should move quickly and strongly one after the other. Afterwards, threaten with a thrust from there. At the halfway point [of the thrust], pull the thrust back and cut two strikes through the cross.

[3] The second sequence, in which is taught how you should cut through their arm (in that moment in which they lift), and how you should cut simultaneously and above their weapon at their head (in that moment in which they cut back)

When you move into this guard, pay attention: as soon as they have cut, in that moment in which they lift for the strike, cut through across or from below from your right toward their hand. Afterwards, in that moment in which they cut back, cut again quickly from outside and over their right arm at their head with powerful steps outward toward their right out from their strike.

[4] The third sequence, how you should counteract and cut in response from the Bull if they cut outwardly at you (that is, at your right)

If they cut at your right side when you stand in Bull, whether from above or below: step with your right foot toward their right and out to the side and toward them. Extend your dusack away from you toward their right. Let your front end hang toward the ground in this push forward and rebuff their strike with the dusack from your left toward your right. This setting off and step outward should take place together with one another. As soon as their cut touches on the outward flat of your dusack in this counterposture: withdraw your dusack back upward and away from theirs toward your left to strike. Cut outwardly above their right arm at their head, and step around toward their right simultaneously with this cut.

Or, if you have rebuffed their strike with the hanging dusack through the Arch, and they pull up from your counterposture to cut: step with a doubled step well out on their right side. Simultaneously with the steps outward, pull your dusack upward around your head and cut slantwise upward from your right with the curved edge, under their dusack, at their inward arm bone or flat (as can be seen in the subsequent Figure [I]). This Low Cut must take place in that moment in which they pull up to cut, so that your dusack arrives at your left shoulder. From there, cut two strikes long through the cross.

[5] The fourth sequence is a rule in which it is taught how you should safely catch all cuts in all stances, whether they come from the right or the left

This is a good rule, therefore: whenever you have cut with diligence or have cut through into one of the stances and they cut in response, swiftly and unexpectedly, you shall move out of that same stance with the point toward their face (such that your long edge is turned towards their in-flying strike in this push forward to catch [their strike]) in such a way that you stand in Longpoint at the end of the thrust.

As an example of this, when you move in the Onset into the aforementioned Bull in front of your opponent and your counterpart cuts from their right toward your left: step quickly with your right foot out toward their left (somewhat to the side). In that moment in which they cut in: thrust toward their face with arm extended. In this thrust, turn the long edge toward their incoming cut, so that you counteract their strike and thrust simultaneously. If they defend against your thrust and guide it upward: lift your hilt up toward your left. From there, cut a Low Cut through their right. Then cut quickly back straight from above through their face, with another step forward of your right foot.

[6] What you should fence from the Bull toward an opponent who does not want to cut first

In the first Onset, when you become aware that they don’t want to cut or attack first with their sequences, take diligent note how they want position themselves into a guard or stance, so that you can see whether they hold their hand too high or low, or also too far outward toward one side in their fencing.

Therefore, pay attention: as soon as you observe that they hold their hand, including the weapon, too high, you fence at them in this way, namely, from the aforementioned Bull, step and cut through from your right, across from below and underneath their dusack (while they hold it too high), upward at their face and toward their right hand (in which they hold their weapon) so that that you arrive into the Wrath Guard on the left after the end of this Low Cut. From there, cut again with the long edge (as before), powerfully and strong, upwardly toward their right through their face. In conjunction with this Low Cut, you should step farther toward them with your right foot (which you have forward anyway) so that with this upward cut you arrive into the right High Guard. From there, cut a Cross Strike through their face quickly, long, and strong.

[7] An example and sequence, how you bring someone down who holds their weapon high in fencing and how you should arrive above the [weapon] at their head or face

In the Onset, step toward them with your right foot and thrust underneath their dusack toward their face or chest (as the upper and smaller scene in the Figure which is designated with the letter K teaches). As soon as they drop down to counteract the thrust (since they must counteract if they otherwise don’t want to get hit in the face), pull your dusack back around your head. In that moment in which they drop down with their dusack: cut straight and across above the same through their face. Afterwards, cut the third straight from above through the upright line with another step forward of your right, so that you arrive in left Change [Guard] at the end of the cut. From there, move quickly to the counterposture outside of their right arm with the long edge upward and toward their weapon. Bind on their dusack from below and take diligent note: as soon as they lift up from your weapon and pull upward to cut, in that moment in which they pull upward, cut hard next to their hilt, from above, downward through their face.

For this cut, you should step with the right foot farther around toward them, so that you bend your upper body far forward following the cut and you stand with your feet wide apart (so that you can arrive that much earlier back at the counterposture with your dusack).

[8] How you should oppose an opponent who holds their weapon too low

If they hold their dusack low in their counterposture—namely, in the Arch—so that you can see and reach their face well above their hilt: from Bull, step and cut from your right above their hilt, across through their face and thus close to their hilt so that you touch and hit them with the abovementioned cut. In that moment in which your cut flies in through their face, simultaneously pull your hilt back upward. During this, step with your left foot behind your right toward their left and follow with the right further toward the abovementioned side. During these steps, cut the second quickly straight from above through their face.

These two cuts—namely, the Crossing [Cut] and then the High [Cut]—should always be completed with the steps just taught, quickly and fast in series. Then the sequence comes off well.

[9] An example and sequence about an opponent who cuts quickly in response, how you should cut through the Weak of their dusack (to provoke), then catch their cut, and then cut through their face (with the curved edge to the right and with the long to the left)

Furthermore, if they hold or guide their dusack extended far in front of themselves and are also ready to cut quickly in response: step and cut the first from your right (from the abovementioned Bull) toward their left, this time through the Weak of their dusack.

They will want to quickly cut in response to this cut, in the opinion that they can overtake you. Therefore, pull your hilt quickly upward around your head after the first strike and cut the second (also from your right), across toward their cut (to which your first cut has provoked them and shifted them upward), so that you catch them with the [second cut] while they are still flying in (as the large scene toward the right side shows in the Figure which is designated with the letter G).

As soon as their cut touches or beats on the long edge of your dusack: step around quickly with your left foot out toward their right side. Simultaneously with this step, pull your dusack back up from their weapon around your head and cut with the curved edge outside of their right arm at their head (as the smaller scene between the larger also teaches you in the abovementioned Figure [G]). They must counteract that (if they otherwise don’t want to be hit). In that moment in which they want to defend against this and counteract, they expose their face, so you should quickly cut through strongly at it with a step backward of your left foot. After this cut, move quickly back into a good counterposture.

[10] An example and sequence, how you should break through the counterposture of your counterfencer from below and above with force

If your counterpart opposes you in a stance (regardless of which stance it is), position yourself in the Onset into the guard of the Bull also on the right. From there, threaten them with a powerful thrust from above toward their left. As soon as they rise to oppose your thrust, pull the same uncompleted [thrust] quickly back towards yourself and upward toward your right. Catapult strongly and powerfully from there, with the curved edge upward, toward their left through their face and counterposture.

In association with all of this, you should always step in this way: namely, in that moment in which you threaten the thrust, lift your right foot to step, and pull the threatened thrust so quickly that you set the lifted foot back down with the completion of the Low Cut, so that the step forward and the strike are completed together.

[11] Following this Low Cut, cut quickly from above through their face, powerfully and long in front of yourself, with additional steps outward toward their left. When you execute the outward rip from below, with the High Cut, swiftly one after the other, with their associated steps, the sequence moves well.

[12] If another opposes you with this sequence, counter it like this, namely: in that moment in which you are moving upward toward their thrust to catch it, and you perceive that they will withdraw and want to cut from below, step with your right foot well toward their right side and drop down with the long edge strongly from above onto their in-flying Low Cut, so that, in this drop, the front end of your dusack extends toward your opponent’s right side. Block their Low Cut like this, so that they cannot move through. From there, pull quickly back up toward your left shoulder. From there, cut again at their head, from outside and over their right arm.

If they were to break through with their upward rip: Catch their High Cut above [yourself] on the long edge (assuming that you have deflected the previous Low Cut from above without injury) and take diligent note, in that moment in which their cut beats or touches on your counterposture, your dusack should immediately be pulled toward your left shoulder (as before) and cut at their closest opening. Or in that moment in which you have received their High Cut on your counterposture, thrust at them quickly (before they recover) underneath their dusack at their face. They must defend against this and thus give you space at an upper opening.

[13] An example and sequence, how you should goad an opponent upward with body language (including cuts) so that you can better injure their arm bone with the curved edge

Take note: when you are in the Onset, observe diligently whether your counterfencer wants to position themselves into the Arch. As soon as you have recognized this, step and guide a powerful High Cut from the guard of the Bull (with serious body language) toward their left. However, don’t allow the cut to hit or touch, but take diligent note. As soon as they lift to counteract your cut: pull it quickly toward your left, back around your head. During the withdrawal, rotate your grip even more than when you want to cut farther, with the curved edge forward in the hit. In that moment in which they lift to capture your cut: cut underneath their dusack from your right (from inside) at their arm and upward toward their left (as you can learn and take note of in the portrait on the right in the next Figure [I]). However, in this cut, you should not come [any] closer to them than that you can just reach their arm between their elbow and their hand with the outermost [point] of your dusack. After this cut, let your dusack move up around your head and cut a Middle Cut, including a High Cut, through their face, etc.

[14] A good sequence from the Dangerous Cut which can also be properly fenced from the Bull

If you find your counterpart in Arch: step and cut a powerful cut from above, strongly at their hilt. They will cut quickly and soon in response. Therefore, take note that you don’t move through with your cut, but instead, as soon as your cut beats on theirs, let your blade drop downward next to their right arm and pull your hilt simultaneously back upward. In that moment in which they pull up to strike, cut the second quickly, next to their hilt and inwardly through their face (while they are still rising into the air for their strike).

Observe at the same time that you don’t move closer with your foot than that point from which you can easily reach them with the outermost point of your [dusack].

[15] Another from the Awakener

In the Onset, take note when you find an opponent in Arch: in order to counteract, step and cut a powerful cut from the right Bull. As soon as the cut beats or touches on their counterposture, turn the front end over their dusack and inward at their face. Thrust in on top of their dusack, so that they must counteract and defend upward. Therefore, take note: in that moment in which they lift up, pull your dusack around your head and cut from your right across toward their left at their face (while they are still high with their dusack). If they counteract the second from above: remain with your dusack on theirs in the bind and turn your point on their dusack and inward toward their face again. If they also defend against this: move your point through under their right arm and thrust outwardly over their right arm at their face. If they defend against the thrust: let your dusack move around your head and cut a Middle Cut across through toward the closest opening.

[16] A good sequence from the Bull with which you can break through powerfully

In the Onset, take note as soon as you can now reach your counterpart: step and cut a strong cut powerfully through their counterposture with arm extended, so that at the end of the cut, your dusack sweeps around next to your left arm with the front end behind you (when seen from the outside). From there, again cut strongly and powerfully upwards from below through their right. Cut the third from your right toward their left (whether from above or below) through their dusack, through their face.

[17] A general rule to counter all kinds of sequences

Although I had initially planned to order and set a counter to be assigned to each sequence, it appears to me that it would be good to put this off, especially as in my other book (which I will possibly allow to be published in time and for the good of the art), I have set and described many nice sequences, including their counters. Therefore, I will merely present a general rule here, from which you can take and learn all kinds of counters. In addition, the art of fencing is such that you cannot easily know or hurriedly take note what kind of sequences they want to fence against you, to say nothing of the fact that you would have to be able to quickly know how it is countered.

Therefore, I always hold with the fencer, who knows many sequences and few counters, and also knows to carefully fence using the same in the Before and After, and allows the other to concern themselves with the counters. This fencer is so prepared with sequences that, if one of theirs is countered, they have two others at that point which are already in the works.

The general counter which I will set here is this: namely, when you have been overpowered with cuts by your counterfencer so that you must counteract them, move with a strong counterposture under their cut and hold them back so that they can’t get through with the same [cut] and so that they must pull their dusack back around from yours. While they are thus lifting from your dusack for another strike, thrust straight in front of you at them and toward their face. While doing this, turn the long edge toward that point which you see that they will cut in from again. This will counteract them.

However, if you cannot hold up their cut because, perhaps, they are too strong for you and will break through with strength, take note: in that moment in which their strike drops through toward the earth from your dusack, or moves out to the side, you should thrust straight at their face (while their dusack is still moving through), and you should complete this thrust before their weapon has completely dropped down to the ground.

If they oppose you with untrustworthy cuts, in that moment in which they guide their dusack around from one point to another: once again thrust at them straight forward from Longpoint toward their face or their chest. While doing this, pay diligent attention to the point where they want to attack from with their cut. Turn the long edge toward that same point (with the hilt upward). During this, remain with your front end equally in front of their face or chest. As soon and as often as you then observe your opportunity, let a cut fly at their closest opening.

And that is the correct summary and final opinion on all counters. Namely, as often as two cuts touch or bind together, in that moment in which they beat in the bind, you thrust forward on their dusack (regardless of whether their dusack moves away from yours).

You should consider and take note of this rule in all hits, thus you will easily counter whatever they fence at you and you will also be able to drive them and their sequences away from you.

Correspondingly, if your counterfencer does not want to cut and positions themselves in the same stances before you so that you absolutely can’t cut in at an opening without [careful] consideration, the following will also be of interest. You should therefore practice and have good knowledge of countering all of the stances and driving [your opponents] out of [the stances] (namely, if your counterfencer positions themselves in a stance, regardless of the guard, thrust straight at their face from Longpoint).

From whichever side they strike out at your thrust, cut in at that same side. There will subsequently be more instruction about this.