Armoured and Un-Armoured Longsword
[22] This is the text and the gloss on yet another of the Wrath-hew:
Be Stronger against, Wind, Stab. If he sees, then take it down.
(Krakow/ “Goliath” version of Pseudo-Peter von Danzig’s Glossa, book from c.1510, text from before 1452)
Mark when you stand in the high guard and he stabs low to you Then stab from above down between his sword and his forward hand and push the pommel to the ground and wind your point on his sword's blade through below his sword and attack him to his right side.
(illustration from Krakow/ “Goliath” version of Pseudo-Peter von Danzig’s Glossa, book from c.1510, text from before 1452 - actually text is from the 1452 Rome version of P-PvD, since Krakow is not transcribed on Wiktenauer for the armoured section)
Here we see two kinds of longsword fight. The immediate difference should be obvious. In the first, the fencers aren’t wearing armour. One isn’t wearing shoes, giving a great example to those of use who fence in toe shoes.
In the second, they’re in armour. Full harness, head to foot.
This necessitates a different kind of strategy. In the first image, the plan is simple - stab them in the face from as far away as possible. In the second, both fencers are holding their sword in the “half-sword”, “shortened sword” grip with the non-dominant hand on the blade.
This grip gives better control of the point and better leverage. You need these because in order to hurt an armoured opponent, you need to get the point into the gaps in his harness (inner thigh, armpits, inner elbow, visor etc.) and these are small targets.
The downside, obviously, is a lack of reach. However, without the point control and leverage of the half-sword grip, it’s unlikely that a regular gripped thrust could find the harness’s openings.
