"A masterful technique is done rightfully on the sword."
As you no doubt know, the LLA is committing the next few weeks to Fuhlen of sentiment at the sword. This (as I wrote in in my previous entry) is a method similar to Wing Chun's sticky hands, of knowing what your opponent is doing through tactile sensitivity. There is (I feel) a suggestion that flows through the assorted verses and commentaries of the Liechtenauer tradition that this is the feature or skill that defined mastery in swordplay and that separated the art from chance. "Mastery" lay in this “blade on blade” work. Obviously I have taken the above quote as my starting point but I would like to continue by using other quotes from the same system and putting them alongside other sources I focus my studies on.
“You should not escape “from the sword”
Also
"because a master’s technique is rightful on the sword”
These sentiments stress the importance of maintaining blade contact once established and using your "mastery" to dominate the fight. They are predated by similar logic in the sword and buckler treatise I.33 (1285-1340 approx)
“He who is above sends a blow to the head without a shield strike" [without controlling the opposing sword] "if he is an ordinary combatant But if you would follow the priests advice bind and step.” 1
“the one who is bound can flee where-ever he will if he likes and this is called for in all bindings. But you should be prepared for this so where-ever the bound goes, you should be pursuing him” 2
Both of these statements refer to the importance of “knowing through the sword” (and in this case buckler also) where your opponent’s sword is at all times. The advice of the priest is offering mastery and security through this logic and surety.
The same logic is repeated in a different form much later, by Girard Thibault (Academie de l'espee, 1630):
“These are the two unique foundations of the art of swordsmanship,
Sight is used in order to come to properly into presence, sentiment to do so more surely, by sight one comes to sentiment and by sentiment to the execution itself, So just as light is a guide for the eyes so the eyes are a guide to the sentiment and faculty of motion. But sentiment as it cannot be put to work except through contact, cannot be used except at close range. However it has in exchange very noble advantages by which it aids us and guides us to counter opposing movements not only in time, but also with the requisite exactness and moderation, because it is by this that we always recognise their first beginnings, their diversity of effort, and the route they take: things more necessary than any other, and concerning which sight brings so little of value that it cannot even be taken into account.” 3
Thibault leaves no doubt as to where his loyalties lie; as far as surety, security and immediate/appropriate reaction, tactile has it over visual every time. To reinforce this view I would suggest reading the entire manual, as it is a theme Thibault is fond of throughout the work. It would seem that this principal of security and mastery whilst “on” the sword flourishes not only during the period dominated by Liechtenauer’s teachings, but pre- and post- dates it by some time.
Returning to the Merkverse, however, I am not by any means suggesting that this “mastery” will win you the fight. Bloßfechten verses from the works of Liechtenauer seem acutely aware of the ways to beat a master:
“if you want to beat the masters. Do not strike at the sword, but always to the openings, to the head, the body”
This phrase suggests that to offer a master sword contact would be perhaps foolish; best to strike to where-ever his sword is not.
Other simple tricks suggest again that to prevent a master of the sword using tactile work to his advantage you should:
“Twitch in all fights against the masters, if you want to trick them”.
Also
“Know to drive the Disengaging against masters who bind strongly on the sword and stay on the sword in the bind, and wait to see if he would strike off from you or pull off of the sword, that you can then follow after to the opening... “
Simply put, if someone excels in the sword on sword work, remove your sword and hit them somewhere else. This is the martial equivalent of offering someone a piece of chocolate and each time they reach for it, snatching it away. Were they to follow the tenet of the sword they would hit you first, then take the chocolate.
Furthermore, if you do bind with him while attempting to hit him (or block when he hits at you), this helpful advice is offered:
”If you would like to find revenge, skilfully break up the four openings: double over, mutate below correctly. Certainly I say this: no master defends himself without risk. If you have understood this, he can hardly come to blows.”
Which perhaps puts you in the situation of having to master the bind yourself.
This is reinforced by the following passages:
“In all windings, strike stab slice, learn to find, also should you not test, strike stab or slice, in all engagements, you will lose the mastery”.
Also
“That is you should not displace as the common fencer does. When they displace then they hold their point high or to one side, so understand that they do not know how to use the point in the displacement to seek onward and are often hit. Thus when you would displace, then displace with your strike or with your stab and Immediately search for the next opening with the point, thus you will not be mastered and struck to your damage. ”
The first suggests that you should take each and every opportunity in the sword on sword work to attack, whilst at the same time keeping yourself safe (by this I mean do not simply attack in away that would leave you dead; maintain the surety of the bind whilst seeking out opening for stabs, strikes and cuts).
The second passage expanding on this by illustrating the difference between good force on the sword (pressure with an immediate threat) and bad force (pushing out or parrying with no immediate threat).
So it would seem, at least in the case of Liechtenauer style swordsmanship, that there are two4 ways to beat a master: one to disengage, the other to become a master of the bind yourself.
Such value is put on the tactile side of the art ,however, that it I believe justified the distinction of “mastery”. This term may not be the highly pedestalled MASTER of kung fu movies, but rather simply a way of expressing that this person is an expert with the sword, and as such they are more likely to have familiarised themselves with aspects of the fight which are more easy to control, whereas the non-expert is more likely to use strikes, snatches and running in to wrestle - things that brute strength and athleticism will allow you to use (more) simply. The fullness of the art lies in being able to do all these things. Combat and the arts of defence are as always it seems... paradoxical.
References:
All quotes in bold are from translations of Liechtenauer's Bloßfechten or commentaries on the same by the following researchers:
David Lindholm, Keith Farrell & Mike Rasmusson they are collected in a wonderful PDF by Michael Chidester. Please read the PDF it is an invaluable resource containing full credits for the authors.
The exceptions to this are the passages marked 1 & 2 in the I.33 section, which come from Jeffrey L Forgeng's translation, and the section of Thibault marked 3 which is from the translation by John Michael Greer.
4 I am leaving out the strike to the flats in this article, that is for another day.
All comments in [brackets] are my own.
Please contact me if I have missed anyone and I will correct it immediately.
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