Lessons on the English Longsword

Additional Manuscript 39564, Cottonian Titus A XXV, and Harleian MS 3542 are believed to be the only surviving martial arts texts of medieval England. All written before 1500, these incredibly rare texts on the art and lore of the longsword have now been transcribed, translated, and boldly interpreted for modern students of the medieval combat arts. In Lessons on the English Longsword, authors Brandon Heslop and Benjamin Bradak combine dedicated scholarship with years of rigorous physical training to provide the most complete look yet at the little-known English tradition of the noble longsword, including:

• full transcriptions and translations of the three texts, insights into training methods in medieval England, and a useful, comprehensive lexicon of terms
• detailed photographic interpretations of the texts to serve as a visual reference in the study and application of the art of swordsmanship
• a convincing case for a de facto pan-European art of the longsword, linking the techniques and training of the English tradition with the better-known German and Italian traditions
• a focus on two important aspects of medieval swordsmanship found in the English manuscripts but seldom touched upon in the numerous German and Italian sources: set training forms and the facing of multiple opponents
• a separate chapter on the cryptic poem Man Yt Wol, which unlocks the mysteries of the -"Liechtenauer's verses" of medieval England

Knights born and knights made. Battle-hardened squires and hired champions fighting to the death in trials by combat. Masters of Defence, men-at-arms, and mercenaries. Robber barons, outlaws, murderous brigands, and the private yeoman defending his lifeblood, family, and property. This is their deadly art. Learn their secrets of steel in Lessons on the English Longsword.