Meyer's longsword 101 - Chapter 11 - Fencing from the stances: Mittelhut (Middle guard), Longpoint

Mittelhut

Meyer says he wasn't going to include this guard in the longsword section, but he has included it because no other guard can teach the roses. He doesn't explicitly say what the 'roses' are, but the best explanation I've seen is that it is basically the act of circling your opponent's blade, either below or sometimes above. Often this seems to be done as a sort of Krumphau from one side then a krumphau from the other back to your starting position, but it could probably be other actions too.

Play 1

If your opponent is in longpoint...

#	You	Opponent
1	Middle guard	Longpoint
2	Perform a Rose: Basically cut a low krumphau under their blade from right to left, then cut a higher krumphau back, left to right, so that you are in a position close to your original middle guard. Now cut a krumphau over their arms at their head.
3		Optional: Make a thrust
4	if they thrust at you, cut a krumphau on their blade
5	Cut a Round and the cut at their nearest opening

Play 2

They cut at you when you are performing the rose cut...

#	You	Opponent
1	Middle guard	High guard
2	Cut the rose, left to right and back again
3		Cut from above at head during their rose cut
4	Cut a Krumphau onto their hands or sword from the left
5	Cut an unterhau from the left at their right arm

Longpoint

"Longpoint was actually called the Breaking Window [Brechfenster] by the old [masters], because all other sequences can be broken from it. While it can be sufficiently gathered from previously taught sequences how one should fence from this stance based on a similar one, I want to demonstrate something about the same stance using examples because Longpoint is, after all, the end of all binds."

Play 1

"In the onset, bind your opponent on their sword using the High cut, and take note: As soon as they lift their sword back upward, cut at them, in that moment in which they lift their arms, from below between their two arms at their chin."

Play 2

You are in a bind...

#	You	Opponent
1	Longpoint	Longpoint
2	Circle your blade under theirs to the other side.
3	Cut a false edge cut from the left, or onto their sword and yank to the right, then cut a false edge cut from the right with cross hands to their head.

Play 3

"Item: bind on them toward their in-flying cut, and as soon as the blades touch together: Thrust your pommel through under your right arm (also step well out toward their left side during this) and lift upward using crossed hands. Cut with the long edge through the Roses from below from both sides behind their arm at their head."

#	You	Opponent
1	?	They cut at you from above
2	Bind on their cut, then krumphau over their blade to the left
3	Cut an unterhau at them from both sides

Play 4

"Item: take note: in that moment in which you bind onto the opponent:

• release your left hand from the pommel, and quickly grip their blade in the bind onto yours with [your left hand]. Afterwards, move your right hand, including the hilt, through below.

• Then hit upward toward your right to take their sword."

Play 5

"Item: if one binds on your sword with extended sword, then take note: in that moment in which the bind touches together, change through quickly below, and flick your weak obliquely/horizontally at their ear from the other side. You will learn to make many lovely sequences from this change through, so you should consider this diligently."

Play 6

"Item: If you take note that one wants to bind on you or cut, guide your sword toward them, as if you also wanted to bind on.

• Take note: in that moment in which the blades should just barely touch together, thrust your pommel quickly upward and turn the blade up through the Roses from below. Catch their cut in this way on your long edge as the small picture in figure N on the right side indicates. After you have received their cut in this way (as mentioned), you can complete the same sequence in two ways:

Firstly, in that moment in which the swords have touched together:

• Move your blade through completely underneath.

• Yank their [blade] out toward your right side.

• Let your hands snap around in the air or crosswise over each other and strongly cut with the short edge at their head. This is a masterful progression that will not fail you (even if they cut from above in a different way).

Secondly: if you have received their sword, in that moment in which the swords clash together:

• Step well to their left side and cut back with the long edge from outside over their left arm at their head. This last cut approaches unexpectedly, very fast, safely, and strongly."