Dusack

[1] Fencing in Dussack, techniques in all Kinds of One handed Weapons Thorough Descriptions

Firstly are the guards, therein are namely Four which are not made so that one should wait in them how it is previously and partially reported above in the sword. But rather has more divisions there with one knows One from the other to distinguish, namely thus, when one fights from the Steer, he will generally use such Strikes and Stücken, that are assigned to the Steer therefore he who will fight with them, thus should he pay attention from which or through which division he goes against in fighting, thus that he may know best, with what cuts or Stücken he should lay on against him, in that he in the Before runs off, then your fighting and your cuts to him and techniques will be correctly cut in and soon put, it must usually give way to harm.

[2] And should you know thus with the four guards that the opponent is divided into four parts, how in the above figure it is shown, the two from High are called the Ox, the other two are called the Plow take an example, when you hold the weapon high, to the right or the left thus you stand in Ox or Steer, what cuts and strikes you do from the Ox, you can also do from the other high guards. And you should yourself not mistake that more than four are known. Steer, Watch, Wrath whose names spring from their intentions and take this first as not only an example, I Hold my weapon above, prepared to strike over my head, that the point is behind me, which I call the Watch, not that he is always in Ox, but rather because my plan is to have prepared or ready strikes and pay attention and watch where he will give cuts to me, then be very ready to cut into the openings, thus I would like to say he who stays in Ox, holds good watch.

[3] Item Thus one in Wrath Guard stays, may I say, he opposes you wrathfully in Ox, from which comes the name's use, but this is premature and will further, as much as, hereafter, needfully enough, and understandingly be given and taught.

[4] Next are the cuts, which even if I would set forth and report to you, of all twelve, yet there are still not more than four main cuts, from which the others all have sprung from, namely, first the High Cut, second the Wrath Cut, third the Middel Cut, and the fourth an Low Cut, than slashing or Crooked so that no one can make cuts, or cut him usefully either from above, or diagonally, Item athwart, or bring from under, thus there are many kinds of names and alterations to the cuts, hence, so named that quite a few are carried out during the cuts, for example, thus I stand before one in the same work, and can't come at all to the openings, thus I cut strongly from above a Knock Strike not that I intend to hit or strike through but rather that I crash on to him and wrench into a cut and with this he will also do this to me, and would thus give room to the openings, from which a High Cut comes nicely. This cut has the name Knock Cut, therefore that my naming this is only about the clashing on that is to be done.

[5] From the Four Openings

And thirdly, should one protect the openings, and learn to recognize them on the arms of the man, therein one should be aware, of he who leads diligently the defense when each are up high, thus he is open below.

[6] Item Thus he who is low is even likewise open high, as is he who proceeds too far to the side, further but more importantly, the four divisions of the man, the Before and the After, strong and weak, Item the looping round, and the Circle, slices, and likewise, how it is previously presented and taught in the Sword and should be used here, as before.

[7] Follow the Guards and they are given these Names

Watch or Luginslandt, Steer, Wrath, Boar, Changer, Side Guard.

[8] Item: The Slice, the Bow, which are the two displacings, one from under, the other from above.

[9] The Cuts

[10] These figures painted here are the paths through the man to which and through which one Cuts, the first line has three parts, namely on the Head, on the Arm and thus that one strikes Outright. Thus also the Wrath Guard winds, displaces, namely the three depictions, firstly through the face, to the other, through the Middle of the man, and thereafter through to the Legs and is nevertheless just a cut from one of the inward cuts, through his face or through the Middle of the man or through the Legs.

[11] In summation: What comes from above, or that which cuts to the head or arms and feet thus is called from the High Cuts, thus that which would be cut from the Shoulder diagonally to the man, whether to the face or Body, high or from under, are called the Wrath Cuts and may also be done with the crooked or straight edge from which reason the cuts are well named for the limbs that they will be cut to. In Rappier hereafter follows and remains that the cut is still basically a Wrath Cut or a Middle Cut and thus it is created with all four cuts.

[12] Further, one should note when one cuts one of the four cuts through the stated line, and he is High or Middle, thus should one always cut out to the next line to the displacing.

[13] Thus in Zufechten I come into the Steer and cut a Middle Cut through his face strongly, at once I cut from my left through the under weakly on his right line, displacing against his hand.

[14] Meanwhile, I have given here to you a general rule throughout the whole of Dussack fencing, thus will I now as before, set forth an example of the technique which without the togetherness of the guards and cuts, together with the Pulled cuts, namely deceiving, no defeat comes, for they are based on the cuts from the shortest explanation (which is necessary) and their counters.

[15] High Cut

The High Cut breaks all other cuts with suppressing or extra length and always goes through the Watch or from the Luginslandt and is a blissful and still artful cut to use.

[16] Wrath Cut

Wrath Cut is also from above, but in those from the first it is differentiated of those from straight from above, this goes however diagonal from the shoulder and is known as the correct Father Strike, Wrath Cut or also the Battle Cut for this reason then, he who is strongest is greatest amongst all.

[17] Middle Cut

Middle Cut is an athwart cut wherein one should know as common.

[18] Low Cut

Low Cut is a weak cut, but where he with cleverness will use it, it is very useful.

[19] Crooked Cut

Crooked is thus, grab around the grip well so that you have the Dussack crooked, thus if he cuts or not, so step immediately out and cut with the crooked edge, through the Diagonal Wrath or Middle Athwart Line.

[20] Whacker

Whacker is thus, in the onset cut a strong cut onto his displacement and in that it clashes, or rests thus wind the cut into a thrust over his displacement line, that's called the Whacker.

[21] Buzzer

The Buzzer is thus, take hold of your grip crooked as the first figure here shows, in those cuts that he would give to you from somewhat on high, then cut through in a stroke from under and athwart to his arm, so that the Dussacks are both in the wind above, and again you shoot around to the displacement. It is or is called therefore a Buzzer, because of the sound from the fast rushing wind that it makes.

[22] Wind Cut

Wind Cut is thus when one would cut athwart well outside his right arm over his arm line, thus quickly in a rip, wind out again. You can do the Wind Cut through a High, Middle or Low Cut.

[23] Knock Cut

Knock Cut is here sufficiently clarified by examples.

[24] Constrainer

Constrainer is a strong taking away from your left to his right it is with the Flat or the Long, also I wind a special technique afterwards about the Constrainer.

[25] Short Cut

Short Cut is a throwing in from the left against or over his right, which will also be clarified afterwards in a special Stück.

[26] Failer Cut

Mark when you come near to him, and the both of you are standing high in the displacing, thus cut from his right shoulder a circle so soon as he is convinced and will strike, thus cut him beside the hilt to the head.

[27] Now follow the techniques on the guards together with the cuts, and have diligence with the cuts when they again make you open, even though he doesn't seem far. While I amply teach next, but follow firstly the Quick Cut.

[28] Quick Cut

Mark thus when you stand before one in the Bow, and he will not cut so pull upwards into the Watch as if you would cut from high especially if he does nothing, wind in the air and cut with the long edge from under to his right arm quickly and jerk the Dussack again around to your left shoulder, from there cut a defense strike through his right, to the arm or above the arm through to his face, and then cut Cross or a Driving Cut.

[29] Item If he cuts from above in the Before, thus displace upwards towards your left and cut through quickly from your left to his right it is under or above the Dussack thus you come with your Dussack beside your right side, from there cut again athwart from under with the long edge strongly through his arm, or if he cuts against your strike so that your Dussack comes to your left shoulder, cut away directly from the over line.

[30] High Cut on the Steer

Item: Thus when you may reach him, in the on going, in the Bow thus cut a long cut through his displacement to the face and cut quickly to the displacing, upwards from outside against his weapon, right away work inside and outside to the Openings.

[31] Item In every cut are three things to think about, that namely you provoke, take, and cut after or hit.

[32] Example

He who stands before you in the Bow, now may you not be unmindful of striking to his advantage, thus he makes you rush while he after is not weakened, so do to him now thus, when one stands before you in the Bow, thus cut him the first through his Bow not that you would, but rather, with it you cut him where he is open, when he goes out to cut. and when he has cut, then you must suppress or ground his strike with a High Cut, as soon as you have cut the first the second is taken, then cut the third long after.

[33] Item Go at him with a cut and displace his strong cut with the Bow from under, the third, cut him after to the Openings, if he cuts, however without strength, then take his cut with a Suppressing strike and cut after to the next opening.

[34] Item Take note when he goes out to strike, thus cut him after besides his hilt to the face and that must happen, while he has his Dussack in the air to strike.

[35] Item Cut him a Buffalo Cut, as soon as he cuts after, thus displace and cut after him through to his forward limb and come quickly again in the displacing.

[36] Item Cut him initially a long High Cut to his head near by his hilt and allow this quickly to run off besides his right, and cut a long cut after to his face, and the two cuts should go hand in hand.

[37] A Good Stuck from the Steer how it follows

If you encounter one who is in the Slice how this figure shows, thus step and cut from your right Crooked under his right arm through so that you connect near his knuckles with the crooked point, the other take him strongly away with the flat upwards through his right arm from your left, so that your weapon again flies around your head, with this thrust over his right arm to the face, if he defends this, thus cut him to the face.

[38] Item In the onset cut in with long edge strongly through his face, so that your Dussack again shoots over your head athwart to the displacement from your right, step instantly and quickly with your left around his right and cut him Crooked over his right arm to the head if he defends, thus cut him forwards to the face or cut him Crooked to the left at the head.

[39] Middle strike with the Throwing In

Item If you encounter one who is in the Slice or Straight Parrying how this figure shows. Thus send yourself in the Middle Guard to your left side and throw at him your crooked edge from outside over his right arm and Pull the long edge to your left, through his face, if he defends this, and he drives above you thus cut before him long to the face.

[40] Item Mark when you encounter one who is in Straight parrying or in the Slice thus come in the Zufechten into the Side Guard on your left side, throw the half edge over his right arm to his face, the second proceeds from under with the long edge through his face. The third a Middel Cut after from your right, if one defends these thrown strikes, thus cut nimbly to the face.

[41] But if one cuts to you when you thus stand in the Side Guard so take away the strike from your left with the Flat Instantly step with the left foot to his right side and thrust him over his right arm to the face, cut quickly after through his face or to the Next opening.

[42] Constrainer

The first is a taking out from your left and a winding out with the Flat, the other is a Strong cut from your left through his face with the long edge with a twofold strike through the Cross.

[43] A Good Stuck from the Constrainer

Mark in Zufechten you come into the Slice, allow him not too close to you as soon as he would strike to you, thus pull under his strike, through to your left side avoid his striking through and cut quickly from your left, over his right arm, two high strikes to the head with this you go twice to him.

[44] Rose Cut

Item: In the Zufechten cut him from above outside his right arm, (go) under and through him, so that your Dussack comes around again in a Circle above your head, let it low and nimbly run out next to your left, cut him from your right to his face.

[45] Item Thrust him outside from over his right arm going under and through so that your Dussack again comes outside over his Arm grab with your left hand over your right arm on your incoming blade by the hilt, Pull to you, and to your right side, thus you have taken his Dussack.

[46] Failer Strike

Mark when you can come close to him and both of you are standing high in the displacement, thus cut from his right corner, fail with a circle, and then as soon as he witnesses this failing and will strike, then cut him beside the hilt to the head.

[47] Item When one cuts to you, thus yield with your displacement and allow his cut to fall, step and cut from outside as soon as his right arm falls through, then next through his face. See that you are nimble again in displacing.

[48] A Stuck on the left

Cut him outside his left arm fail through that your Dussack comes to your low left side, as soon as he cuts, then cut with him together, ahead of the line to his face, step with the left well on his right.

[49] Item Cut him failing through from outside his arm like before then next take him away with the Flat from your left through his right so that your Dussack flies above, step and cut Indes two wind strikes to his face, one into the other from your left to his right.

[50] Wrath Strike

Mark when you find someone in left Wrath Guard how this figure shows, thus come into Steer and thrust him to the face with displacing, that he must defend, thus cut him nimbly through the face the other is a High strike to the head.

[51] A Good Attack from the Steer

Mark thus in Zufechten that you come into the Steer against the left Wrath or a similar guard, thus cut the first Crooked in from your right from below with a step to, through to his left side the other also from your right from above so that your Dussack shoots around from your left, over your head, into the Plunge, instantly cut hard with the long edge from your lower left through the Scalp Line, and then a Middle Cut after or step with displacing to him.

[52] A Good Stuck from the Steer

If you are approached by one who is in the Slice, thus step and cut Crooked from your right under and through his right arm so that you connect on his knuckles with the crooked point, the other, take him out strongly from your left with the Flat over his right arm, so that your weapon again flies around over your head and with your cut going over his right arm to his face, if he defends this, thus cut him to the face.

[53] Low Cut

Item: When you have warded a strike twice, thus catch his strike in the air on the Bow, Indes wrench with the short edge from below, to your right through his displacement, then at once Cut Crosswise through his face.

[54] A Stuck

Mark when one strikes over, Crooked to your head, thus set him off with your slice, from your right, grab with your left hand over your right down onto his right hand by the joints and drive with your hilt from under and break upwards.

[55] Plunging to the Head

Or when you thus have caught one's hand as described above, then heave upwards and go through under his right, stoop down to the ground and grab with your right hand and your Dussack around behind his Leg, how you may do in all Grabbing, heave upwards, thus he falls on his head.

[56] Item Note in the Zufechten, that you come with the left foot forwards hold the Dussack besides your right, grab the handle well so that you have the Dussack Crooked, Indes step cut then Crooked over his Bow Line, wrench downwards to your left side, step out with your right behind his right Strike then outside over his right arm to the face or to his left with a step out.

[57] Item Mark thus when you stand in right Wrath Guard, thus step and cut the first from under through his left, the second also from under through his right, both Crooked, the third, from above through his left, the fourth also from above through his right so that your Dussack again stays over your head in the Plunge, the fifth a Middel Cut through his left, the sixth a High Cut.

[58] In Zufechten cut from your lower left, out to his right arm, as soon as he clashes, then thrust into his face, if he parries that, thus grab his Dussack in the Middle and take him downwards to your left side.

[59] Work for Running in

Mark thus when you come close together, then work him high over his displacement firstly with a Crooked Cut over his displacement to the left ear.

[60] Item If he displaces you, thus cut a Crooked Cut outside and over his right arm to the right ear If he displaces once again, thus cut Crooked under his arm to the face. The Fourth strike is a Thwart strike to his left ear from under with the long edge so that your hilt is well gripped, in these four strikes you should always be high with the hilt, above your head to the displacing.

[61] Follow Several Good Rules from the Fencing in Bow

The first Rule is when someone strikes to you from the Bow, thus step with your left foot behind you right and follow with to his left and have instantly let your haft go above you Then when his strike clashes on your weapon Hoist the weapon(s) through his face, so that your Dussack flies above your head step and cut outside from your left over his right arm from this Rule are many nimble Lists to use with deception.

[62] The Second Rule is thus when one strikes to you from above, thus drive with the Bow upwards against his strike, wind out his strike to your left side, thus come with your Dussack on your left shoulder wind after likewise with your Body and Dussack to your left side Indes step nimbly again to him and cut him outside over his right arm, pull the hilt nimbly upward to you and strike him through the face.

[63] The Third Rule is thus; When one would cut to you, thus Note however that you are not too close, and that you move out from his Cut, then Pull your weapon upwards to you and yield your forward foot back to the rear foot and out from his cut, and take then his strike with out displacing, as soon as his strike falls to the ground, so follow with a cut and with a step to him. Thus the attacker has been attacked instead.

[64] The Fourth Rule, note then when one is weak to you on your Dussack thus drive out and cut a Buzzer from your right to his arm.

[65] Item When one strikes to you on the strong, so wind the point upwards against his Dussack and wind in on his weak on your right side and cut to him a Buzzer from your left outwards to his arm or cut the Quick Cut. These are four good rules the better to mark, when you are Fighting in the Bow.

[66] Stück with the Bow

Firstly mark when you meet one who is in the Bow, so send yourself into the Changer to your left, the right foot forwards. Step and thrust from under his displacement to the face or chest as soon as you find that you are in the After, so drive instantly and nimbly out with your hilt before the head and remain with the point at his body so that he must defend or strike, thus have care as soon as he goes on to strike, then step to his left and strike him besides his displacement line, this Stück is often on going how it is seen here in the Bow and Changer.

[67] Item If you are a Strong man, so come into Changer like before, cut his forward held Bow with the half edge from under and away from you, cut nimbly after to the face.

[68] Mark when one will wrench your Bow upwards, how it is taught next, thus wind out his wrenching to your left side with the hilt underneath, Indes cut nimbly and likewise with a line to the face, step out from his strike.

[69] Mark when one however thrusts to your face, under your displacement line, how you were taught above, thus wind the thrust out, therewith you make open your face, as soon as he strikes to your opening, so drive under his strike close by his hand, between the both of your hands, and thrust him in the face with your hilt.

[70] Breaking in above the Bow

Mark in the Zufechten that you come with the left foot forwards, hold your Dussack beside your right, grip your handle well that you have your Dussack Crooked, instantly Step, cut Crooked over his Bow Line, wrench downwards to your left side, step out with your right around to his right. Strike then outside above his right arm high above to the head, wherein cut the next Crooked under his right arm to the face or to his left, with a step out.

[71] Item When you cut outside over his right arm diagonally, how it is mentioned above, and he Drives high above you, thus step nimbly out and cut on the Crooked Line to his face.

[72] A Fast Stück

Item grab around the grip so that you have the Dussack crooked, how it is reported above. Thus Cut a wide springing high strike from your right, over the hands and over his Bow Line so that your right side comes well to his left side, throw a strike at him in a Squint again from below through the Low Line to his face so that your hand remains high, cut nimbly a Short Cut.

[73] Item When one stays in the Bow and allows his Dussack to hang downwards thus step and cut through from your right to the weak of his Dussack beneath his arm so that your Dussack comes out to your left side, Indes with the flat above his arm away from your left and cut long after to the opening by his oncoming hand.

[74] The 6 Drivings

The first Driving is thus, stay with the right foot forwards and then High strike and Low strike together so that the Dussack always flies around over your head to the Plunge.

[75] The Second

Stand with the right foot forward as in the above driving, cut from your left Shoulder over your right leg to the Opponent, through the right Strike Line from under and over together strongly through his face.

[76] The Third

Stand as before. Drive the Middle Cuts together through the Middle Line from the right and left.

[77] The Fourth

Is the Cross from above, together drive hard on the opponent's line.

[78] The Fifth

This is two Low Cuts through the Cross, done together from under with the flat.

[79] The Sixth Driving

Is the Double Changer, a choice cut, usually a hard one like from a battlesword. It is done thus:

Stand with the right foot forward and strike the first cut from your upper right and through the opponent's strong Left Line, thus you come into the left Changer, wrench (cut) with the half edge again from under through the same Line, through which you are familiar with, and in the air change and cut from above from your left through his right Strike Line over to your right strongly, thus come to defense of your lower right side, then drive upwards through the same line you were just on, and change again in the air and cut then from your right through the opponents Left Line.

[80] Diligently cut the strikes once or more, one after another always through a line, twice namely once from above and again from below with the short edge, thus with this changing you can break the guards and strikes.