Hit in Fourth against Third
Plate
Translation
The Fourth here seen to have wounded a Third came about because both were in Third at clear wide measure (netta misura larga), and he who wounded moved with the sword and went to gain the enemy blade on the inside (acquistare la nimica dalla parte interiore). The other, recognizing his adversary's design and seeing him uncovered beneath the sword-hand, lowered the point in order to wound him there with that Third. But the striker, who had moved nothing but the point, seeing him come underneath to wound, and ceasing to go to the sword (restando di andare alla spada), directed that point to the body, turned the hand into Fourth, and carrying the hilt to the enemy weak (portando il finimento al debile nimico) parried and wounded in the same time (ha parato, & ferito in medesimo tempo).
This succeeded through the ignorance of the one who moved, who did not perceive that the enemy's motion was so small that he could not reach him before that time was finished. Therefore he ought not to have gone in. It would have been well enough merely to lower the point in the same manner, without approaching and without moving the feet; for if the enemy had then come on with this wound, he would have had great convenience to defend and offend in various ways.
The important wording here is that he stops going to the sword and sends the point to the body instead. Fabris is explicit that the attempted gain of the blade is abandoned the instant a better direct wound appears.
Analysis
- You move only the point to gain the enemy blade on the inside (acquistare la nimica dalla parte interiore).
- The enemy sees the opening below your hand and lowers his point to wound there in terza.
- You stop going to the blade (restando di andare alla spada).
- You direct your point to the body, turn to quarta, and carry the hilt to the enemy weak.
- You parry and wound in the same tempo (parato e ferito nel medesimo tempo).