Mair Unarmored Longsword Sequence (c. 1550)
This sequence comes from the Vienna manuscript
of Paulus Hector Mair's treatise on the martial arts, which has
both a German and a Latin text. The techniques are very close to
those found in sources from the 1400s.
A Throw with a Thrust
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[Black (on the left) and Red
(on the right) are in their guards]. |
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Red strikes a [High] Cut; Black strikes in against the
cut to parry, [stepping forward on Right foot]. |
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Black releases Left hand to come to Half-Sword, [winding
through with pommel to Left side]. |
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Black brings hilt over Red's sword and pulls toward
himself, [stepping Left foot behind Red's Right]. |
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Black brings the foible in front
of Red's neck to Slice. |
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The counter to this sequence
begins as above. Red steps around to face Black on
Left foot,
lifting hilt [with crossed hands] over his head to escape the Slice. |
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Red steps back on Left foot, delivering High Cut from
Right; Black parries. |
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Red Winds into Right Ox to thrust at
Black's face. |
In Mair's manual, this sequence reads:
A Throw with a Thrust [Mair (Vienna) 45r]
Item, when you come together in the Approach, then position
yourself thus: stand with your left foot forward, and strike in above at the
same time as him; meanwhile, release your left hand from your pommel, and grasp
the middle of your sword's blade; press his sword toward you with your hilt, and
set your tip on his neck, thus you slice him; meanwhile press toward your left
side, and lift his right lower leg up with your left, thus you cast him with the
tip of your sword.
If he tries to cast you thus, and you have your right foot
forward, then step with your left foot to his right side, push with your true
edge strongly upward, your hilt over your head; thus you get out of his throw.
Then pull your left leg back, and strike at his upper opening. If he parries
that, then hang and wind, and thrust with your point at his face.
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