Second against a passed Fourth
Plate
Translation
This wound in Second against a Fourth passed with the left foot is easily derived from this: the one who made the Fourth went to find the enemy sword on the outside, that sword being in Third, and the other disengaged from that Third. The first wished to wound in Fourth through the enemy weak while passing beyond with the left foot; but the man who had disengaged, in that same time, lowered his point beneath the enemy hilt, likewise passing with the left foot and bending the whole body over that foot, and turned the hand into Second, so that he came greatly to remove himself from the presence of the enemy point and to make this wound.
This wound may also have happened in another way: both being in Third on the inside, the striker widened with the point, making a slight turn of the fist toward Fourth; and the other, seeing that opening, wished to gain his weak and wound him in the same time by passing with the left foot. But before this one reached the weak, the first lowered the point beneath the enemy hilt, where it could not be found by that enemy; and in one and the same time he carried the body out of presence and bent it over the left foot that had passed, and thus, being so low and already far advanced, could penetrate as far as the enemy body.
Moreover this wound may have happened because both were in Third on the outside, and the one who is wounded went to find the enemy blade, and the striker in that same time turned a mandritto to the head with the wrist, keeping the arm steady. The wounded man turned from Third into Fourth for defense of the head, and passed beyond with the left foot to wound in the same time. At that very instant the one who had thrown the cut held his sword close to the enemy blade without touching it, and in that instant turned the hand into Second, lowering the point beneath the enemy hilt and passing forward with the left foot, with the body bent so much that the point which was meant to wound in the chest passed above. Thus one sees very well how dangerous parrying is, even if one wounds in the same time; and therefore, when it can be dispensed with, it is always best not to parry.
Analysis
- Enemy in quarta goes to find your terza outside.
- You disengage in terza.
- He wants to hit with quarta through your weak while passing with the left foot.
- In that same time you lower your point under his hilt.
- You also pass with the left foot.
- You bend the whole body over that foot.
- You turn the hand into seconda.
- You move far from the presenza of his point and wound.
- Both are in terza inside.
- You widen with the point and make a slight turn toward quarta.
- He sees the opening and tries to gain your weak and wound while passing.
- Before he reaches your weak, you lower the point under his hilt.
- He cannot find your point.
- In one tempo you carry the body fuori di presenza and bend over the passed left foot.
- Already advanced and low, you penetrate to the body.
- Both are in terza outside.
- Enemy goes to find your blade.
- You threaten mandritto at the head with the wrist only.
- He changes terza → quarta to defend and passes with the left foot to hit in the same time.
- You check your sword near his without touching.
- Then immediately turn the hand into seconda, lower the point under his hilt, pass with the left foot, and bend the body deeply.
- His point passes over.