Foreword to the Reader

[1] Foreword to the reader

Because the free knightly exercise and art of fencing has, up until now, not received any particular focus while, at this same time, all other liberal arts have been described and have received consideration to an extent that they have ascended to the very heights, there is no doubt that this can be ascribed to two reasons.

In the first place, it is due to the fact that this knightly art must be seized with both fists and learned through the cooperation of the entire body—that is, it must be taught more through physical experience than from books. Indeed, this reason held me up for a long time, and in weighing the great deal of effort and expense, I almost came to withdraw. However, it appears to me that many people who love honor are also engaged with this for these serious and moving reasons:

The first aspect is namely that this art (which was not prestigious yet still received great consideration) must be learned primarily through exercise of the body, but it is also certain and true that this art, just as many others, is better imagined in the thoughts of learners if they have it written out and placed before their eyes (in addition to good instruction which is set together in the correct order). Consequently, it can also be taught and understood even better through exercise of the body than if it were explained in poor, oral narratives and received piecemeal.

Secondly, the intellectual temperaments [of the students] are not so overburdened by retaining this through manifold considerations, and they can use the time (which they would otherwise waste with such efforts) to turn to their other subjects of study.

Thirdly, those youth, as they grow older and after they have learned from a true master—yet do not have the [master] by them at all times—can be reminded from this [book] and practice each day at the time they have scheduled, so that that which they have learned does not soon lapse from their attention (or as this then commonly occurs, that the larger part is forgotten).

Therefore, this [book] can provide no minor service and benefit for them—and especially for young lords and for others of noble birth, to whom this knightly art is suited more than for others and which they ought to learn.

[2] The second reason is this, namely that this knightly art of fencing can only be written about in books or recorded in written format with difficulty, as it can only be directed in action through the practice of the entire body. Because I have experienced this reason myself, I consider it to be the most important and significant (as others of great comprehension can judge), and as much as the first [reason] demands, I, like others, must acknowledge that (as mentioned above) every art can be understood with less effort when written out in a well-organized manner, and can be grasped by those learning through practice of the body or the hand.

[3] Yet I have no doubt, if anyone had revealed this art and described it in a comprehensive and good organization before our times, then not only would the noble art not have fallen off in the case of so many, but also many abuses would have been completely avoided ([abuses] that must now be forcefully eradicated).

Therefore, I remain in the hope that regardless of whether my writings may be considered by some few as being of little worth, many honest journeymen and young fencers will step forward and not merely keep themselves with diligence and guard themselves from the disordered life—gluttony, drinking to excess, blasphemy against God, cursing, whoring, dicing, and all of that—through which this noble art has been fouled (since this knightly art has been used by many as a cloak to hide all types of vice and sloth, which many honor-loving people, and all honest fencers, additionally lament to the highest heavens). Instead, [that they] give thought to foundationally understanding this art and learning to use [it] in correct, honest seriousness, in order to free themselves from the bonds of useless, boorish tumult, and thus to endeavor in all virile, proper behavior and respectability so that, when they themselves have learned this art correctly and well and they lead an honorable life, they can subsequently stand before others—and particularly the youth—and may thus be considered to be hard working in their service.

[4] If I should then see and sense that my writing were to find a place with some, my efforts would be not merely eased by this fact, but indeed, should instead be provoked to bring more to the light of day (according to my little understanding).

And in order that these young fencers may thus better prepare themselves to knowledgeably use this book, I will additionally state that I compiled a short summary at the beginning in the first chapter of each of the first three weapons, describing the organization in which this same weapon can thus be properly taught and presented, and also placed before their eyes the entire art of fencing in a short summary, which then should serve to increase the understanding of this book.

And the entire art of fencing stands primarily on two principals. The first is contained in the cuts and thrusts, with which cuts and thrusts you intend to injure and lay out your enemies.

The second principal is the counteraction, which is a teaching about how you should rebuff and beat outward those aforementioned cuts when they are guided against you or have been directed toward you by your counterpart.

Now, regarding the first primary technique pertaining to the cuts: you should know that, regardless of how many cuts are presented and taught, there are actually intrinsically no more than four Primary and Principal cuts, from which the others all derive and have their origin, namely: the High Cut, Wrath Cut, Middle or Crossing Cut, and the Low Cut. And no cut, however odd, can be created that is not contained within these, because even though many names are used for the cuts (such as Change, Plummet, Squinter, Crooked and the like), they are not completed outside of the scope of the four. For the Plummet is, in itself, nothing other than a High Cut; however it is named thus because in the cut, it plummets over at the head. Likewise, the Change is also named thus because the sword changes from one side to the other during this cut; this can also occur in other ways, yet it is completed most properly through this diagonal cut. You will find the origin of all of the names and cuts, and how they are to be completed, explained in two weapons, namely the Sword [Section] and especially in the Dusack [Section] (at length in the fourth chapter).

[5] The second primary technique is completed in two ways. Namely for the first: when your counterfencer crowds you with cuts and thrusts, you catch or deflect the same by offering your extended hilt or weapon, so that you are hastily and quickly equipped and prepared with counterstrikes before they have recovered back from the strike or thrust they have executed. Secondly, those of your counterpart’s cuts and thrusts which they guide toward you can also be deflected and cut away from yourself using the first primary technique—that is, by using identical counterstrikes. Whenever your counterfencer cuts at you with a crossing strike, you can suppress the same (from above down to the ground) using a High Cut and the associated steps outward, and also use the same to cut at their head. In contrast, when they cut from above, you can take out their cut and deflect it away from you using a crossing cut.

[6] The third [primary technique], which I have named the Middle or the Handwork, arises from these two primary techniques through practice. This third technique unites the first two primary techniques in use so closely that the counteraction and injury can sometimes occur together in one strike.

Lastly, the practical aspect arises in and of itself, and teaches how one should use the mentioned techniques correctly and well against an opponent, how you should adapt each to their appropriate point, and how you should direct yourself in the work.

Therefore, if you now want to attack your counterpart with the techniques mentioned, then prior to that, you must divide them in an organized fashion into various parts so that you can use your sequences differently, moving from one point to another according to your advantage. You should also know how to apply the same according to your opponent: if they are tall, small, strong, weak, quick, or slow.

In order that you may always consider this better, stances are used, which are intrinsically nothing more than tarrying or holding the weapon at the outermost point to which you have arrived when pulling up to strike, where you still have space to consider in the middle of the same before you have completed the cut, whether to complete the same cut according to your first intention, or whether it would be more useful to turn to a different point—so that you do not neglect a chance opportunity in the Before or After, but instead (while recalling the word Indes to mind), you have quickly considered all advantages. And this is how, as mentioned, the stances or guards were created.

[7] Not only are youthful adolescents instructed in these two abovementioned primary techniques of fencing (including their assorted circumstances) by their qualified and experienced fencing masters with the greatest diligence, but also all exemplary leaders among all peoples have seriously instructed the men at arms they have under [their authority] in these exercises. Whenever they have no enemies before them and are idle, they personally instruct their men at arms regarding how they should hold their equipment, arms, and weapons according to their advantage, and also to skillfully rebuff the enemy’s strikes and thrusts and correctly set themselves against them, as such is then explicitly read about Hannibal. Because of this, in years just recently past, every proper fencing master was granted additional pay during military campaigns and otherwise.

And now, for the sake of brevity, I will skirt the issue that the art of fencing is numbered as a noble part of war practices. Due to this practice, students are masterfully provoked to deep consideration about how to correctly use all types of advantages, including other, quite useful applications of these practices.

That is also related to the fact that a meeting of fencers is a fine, short presentation of how one should conduct a military campaign against the enemy, as these can properly be compared with one another in this way.

Therefore, [in a manner that is] similar to how it is necessary for a wise, knowledgeable military leader to be best equipped and provided with good equipment for war, including all accessories, and he must have learned through good spy craft about the enemy’s strength, equipment, and intentions, and also be informed about the place or location where the same [enemy] is staying. As a consequence of this, he has considered well beforehand how he would withstand all types of unexpected events and how he will encounter the enemy in the flesh and bring the war to an end. Therefore, it is intrinsically encouraged that [the reader be] practiced and learned in all types of practical aspects in enticing and provoking the enemy out of their advantage (in a cautious and virile way) and then, as soon as he observes his advantage, to know to attack with quick earnestness (in a cautious and virile way) so that he does not unproductively miss out on a chance opportunity—that may perhaps never come to anything—through too long consideration. Consequently, [he must know] to also press seriously onward, and, if his enemy has been weakened, to not be too eager with chasing so that he does not arrive before [the enemy] due to his skill and virility, nor lose due to incautious following after, so he should well observe all opportunities so that he can finally withdraw with the victory.

[8] Likewise, any good fencer (when they have been provided with their equipment) should also pay good attention to all circumstances surrounding the counterfencer (as well as their own), and not attack the [counterfencer] incautiously, but instead the fencer should practice with all types of techniques related to how they can entice and provoke the counterfencer from their advantage. As soon as the fencer sees their advantage, they should attack cautiously, quickly, and swiftly, follow after in a virile and prudent way, and forcefully crowd and frighten the counterfencer with all kinds of techniques to all parts of their body to such an extent that the counterfencer is unable to come to any fruitful work or counter-defense. Immediately, at the point when the fencer has brought their intention into effect, the fencer would withdraw carefully so that they would not receive any injury at the end due to carelessness. However, if it were to occur that the fencer could not gain their intention, the fencer should not tarry long in front of the counterfencer at this time such that the fencer should not work in vain, but instead should observe how they could properly withdraw from the counterfencer so that the fencer could recover for a fresh attack, and thus skillfully equip themselves to deal with the fault that previously prevented the fencer from their intention.

In all of this, the fencer should diligently apply themselves to gaining information about the counterfencer’s type of fencing and not allow the fencer’s own special techniques to be often viewed, but to keep them proprietary and secret. Thus, there is practically no technique proper to a man at arms that could not also be considered useful in fencing. Therefore, I will let experienced men at arms judge whether the examples of such aforementioned leaders of ancient peoples should be usefully followed today.

[9] Accordingly, I have undertaken this work for the honor of the art, and to describe it inasmuch as my meager understanding allows. I have primarily insisted first on the cuts as the correct principal part of all fencing. Secondly to this, I have envisaged the opponent and their divisions, against which you should direct these cuts and thrusts. Following this as a third, I have desired to show how one should guide the cuts against the divided opponent (who will certainly not work in a clueless manner) through many types of examples. [This is done] not with the expectation that one must absolutely follow these examples, but instead as a view toward how one could be guided to learn and practice through these examples, so that, in a time of need, they would have learned to direct and guide the cuts according to their opportunities and the ability of their own body. Indeed, that the cuts—and how and when one should cut them—are not thus forced into a specific and certain shape, but instead ‘only the market is permitted to be the teacher of the buyer’.

[10] Therefore, when you want to engage in an aspect of this art, it is my advice that you initially (as already often mentioned) first learn to powerfully cut the cuts or the thrusts, in and of themselves, correctly and with extended arms, and also with the addition of the strength of your whole body. Regarding this, you will find a useful pattern for beginning to learn these cuts in the third chapter of the Dusack Section, stipulated by four Rules. When you can now cut those [cuts] correctly and well (as stated), you should then learn the second—that is, to pull the [cuts] skillfully back or to let them fly in a complete motion or course so that you can turn any cut elsewhere in the same fluid motion (before the opponent is correctly aware of it and you would have been aware that it would be in vain at this location) so it should scarcely contact. When this has occurred, only now are you trained and capable of stepping onto the [fencing] space and to begin to learn to direct such cuts in practical exercises, and also in the work against your counterfencer. At this point, the cuts align themselves according to the type, nature, strength, and ability of the fencer, because the weak must seek a different advantage in the cuts than the strong, and this leads to strength.

[11] Now, when two come together with the abovementioned cuts, the two principal elements—that is, the cuts and counteractions—give rise to a marvelous battle because each one would rather cut than counteract, so that now this one strikes that one, then that one swiftly counteracts this one, both fencing with the same techniques around the Before and being above as the stronger.

[12] The practical aspects of this are difficult to conceive of: namely, when and toward which target each cut may be applied and completed at the correct time. Therefore, I have paid assiduous attention through all techniques to the Before and After, such that I hope that the diligent reader may receive a not insubstantial instruction in the practical applications, because there is no separation to be found between the three liminal points, namely between the Before, Simultaneous, and After, except that when two want to come together with weapons, one of the two will cut in the Before, that is first, from which it follows that the second cuts After in response, or both must cut Simultaneously.

Now the one who wants to cut the first strike may well consider whether they might not bring themselves into some risk with this and (if they do not know how to gain the advantage in this) be thus caught and rushed past in their own cut. Likewise, the second must consider, in the cut After in response, whether another advantage may occur by cutting Simultaneously, so that they do not both contact one another, as often happens. Therefore, I have (as stated) explained the differences with diligence and at length in all cuts and techniques, and I have especially taught how one should use some cuts to provoke, to thus bring the counterfencer out of their advantage; some to take, that is, when you have brought them to a cut by using the abovementioned provocation, that you turn that aside with a countercut or receive it with a counterposture; and then for the third, some to hit, as you will see this throughout the Dusack and Rapier [Sections].

And indeed, the true art is found herein, and the practical aspects, in which human rationality, acuity, swift deliberation, caution, skill, and virility become visible and can be distinguished, as this is the point where the skill depends on the person, such that a poor technique may be more productively carried out in the work by a cautious fencer than the best [techniques] may be fenced by a fool.

[13] Since everyone thinks differently than others, and likewise they will act differently in fencing, I considered it to be quite good to treat the cuts in multiple ways (both how one should cut them, and turn aside the cuts which are cut against one) so that anyone, whether they are strong, weak, quick, or slow, can take something from this that is useful for themselves. Because fencing is actually a type of exercise through which the body is directed to guide the weapons in all kinds of quick actions; and because, when one exerts oneself in this, one must then adapt one’s self in the work and guide the weapon as the circumstances demand; thus, the better one is practiced in this, the better one is able to encounter each opportunity as it occurs. However, whatever usefulness regarding the balance and health of the body that is created from this exercise, I will cede to those with greater learning [in this aspect] to recognize.

[14] Whatever is not explained elegantly according to the letter or shape, as it should well be, I would ask the reader to consider well my intention and give me credit, and thus to best receive and take note of my diligence and efforts.

[15] Contents of the Entire Book

Namely, what and how many weapons are to be treated:

Firstly, the Sword as a foundation of all fencing
The Dusack
The Rapier
Dagger
Wrestling
Quarterstaff
Halberd
The Long Pike