Académique Documents
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Keith Farrell
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The MS Best.7020 is an interesting manuscript dating from the 1500s. It contains some similarities to the Marxbrder
fencing syllabus described by Hans Sachs in 1548, although the content of the manuscript appears to be somewhat
unique and does not appear to be a part of the Liechtenauer tradition like so many of the other manuals. However,
some lines of text are similar to Liechtenauer's verses. The lesson will look at some of the longsword material from this
manual and will note the similarities and differences compared to the Liechtenauer tradition of unarmoured longsword
fencing. James Wallhausen made the translation of the manuscript that has been used to prepare this lesson and a
copy of it is available here: http://paleo.eskirmology.co.uk/best-7020-fechtbuch/
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The four positions: Upper right, upper left, lower right, lower left; like what we know as Vom Tag and
Pflug on the right and the left.
The four engagements on the sword: With each movement, step forward and strike: [to his] upper
left opening, binding with the short edge; then [to his] upper right opening, binding with the long edge;
then [to his] lower left opening, binding with the short edge; then [to his] lower right opening, binding
with the flat.
The lion (der leue): Place yourself in dy wage and with your head not too high, cut the four points
with strength so you have a lions bite, and you may make another two good strides forward.
The wing (der flogel): Bind to his upper left with the short edge, strike at his lower right opening
with the long edge, back round and vertically down to his head with the short edge, then round and
down with the long edge into the lower left position.
The flinch (das verzoking): Pretend to bind him on the right but cut round from the left; from a left
cut, if he makes to bind with you, cut round from the right; if he makes to bind with you, circle out with
the point and cut down with the long edge through him into the lower left position. Thus you are not
open to exposure/feeling (fuhlen).
The iron door (dy yser porte): Start in lower left position, let the point sink to the ground; cut the
flogel and strike round (short edge) from the right into the schilt, then strike (long edge) from the left
down into the trench cut (den gassen hewe) on the right.
The fool (der olber): Start in the lower right position, then turn the point and hold the schilt in
front of the head therewith to break what the opponent strikes from the roof.
The squinter (der schilder): Feint left and strike right, or feint right and strike left, so you proceed
against the opponent with a joyful expression.
The bell ringer (der scheller): Chime once, twice, three times against his blade so that you make
his openings.
The ox (der ocks): Place the pommel at the chest and thrust at his face. Cut round with the flogel
(including short edge follow-up) and then do the squinter (feint left and cut right).
The golden cut (den gulden hewe): Aim to bind him from your right with two or three strikes after
each other (eg: wechsel, ouer hewe, short edge low bind (like what we know as a Zwerhaw)) then step
to the left and let fly at his head.