h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So, after another two week gap (respectively: working late & lurgy) I returned to the class...

This week was a bit different in that most of what we did came from the German School. We started with what seemed a weird combination of boxing and wrestling, taken from the Codex Wallerstein (anon. c. 1470), which ultimately proved to be very similar in execution to Fiore's dagger work (with the punches replacing the stabs). After about an hour of this we moved, once again, onto the longsword...

Again the lessons were taken from Wallerstein and unlike Fiore's work dealt with offense over defence... It was an interesting technique, reliant on predicting where the parry is going to be made and then pulling your attack just as the blades meet, pulling your sword back or dropping the blade, then delivering a thrust to the breastbone or throat. Very nasty.
This took up the rest of the lesson, as it's something Alan's still experimenting with... and I really want to get a copy of Wallerstein now.

*makes note to wear armour if I ever meet Mr D after dusk*

Sounds fun