Steel Marginalia
[56]

Fourth against mandritto in sgualembro

De lo Schermo, overo Scienza d'Arme
Salvator Fabris · Book I · Thrust in Fourth to the throat.

Plate

Enemy in Third outside delivering descending diagonal mandritto to face; striker passes left foot, hand in Fourth, excluding the cut and thrusting to the throat
Enemy in Third outside delivering descending diagonal mandritto to face; striker passes left foot, hand in Fourth, excluding the cut and thrusting to the throat De lo Schermo, overo Scienza d'Arme · Copenhagen, 1606 · Plate 56

Translation

Here one sees another wound in Fourth, but against another Fourth, which may be caused because the striker has gone to find the enemy blade, which was in Third on the outside, and because that enemy has turned a mandritto in sgualembro to the face, keeping the arm in correctness and operating only with the wrist. Therefore the striker immediately passes the left foot forward, turning the toes of that foot outward; and, likewise turning the hand into Fourth, extending the arm and bending the body as much as possible, he meets the enemy blade while it is descending, before it has fallen into presence, excludes it on the outside, and with that same Fourth wounds the enemy in the throat.

Fabris says expressly that this is and remains the true way by which one ought to parry a mandritto to the head when one is constrained to parry. By passing with the left foot in this fashion, the sword not only goes farther forward to wound, but is also stronger and better able to resist the force of the cut; whereas with the right foot it is much weaker. Thus the plate is both a wound and a model of correct forced defense against the descending forehand cut.

Doctrinal note

Fabris says this is the true method of parrying a mandritto to the head when one is constrained to parry (quando l'huomo è astretto di parare), because by passing with the left foot in this manner, the sword both reaches farther and is stronger, and can better resist the blow of the cut. With the right foot it would be much weaker.

Analysis

Initial guards Enemy in Third outside.
Wound Thrust in Fourth to the throat.
  1. You go to find the enemy blade outside.
  2. He cuts mandritto in sgualembro to the face, with the arm in line and working only from the wrist.
  3. You immediately pass the left foot forward, toes turned outward.
  4. At the same time you turn the hand into quarta.
  5. You extend the arm and bend the body as far as possible.
  6. You meet the enemy sword in its descent before it comes into presenza.
  7. You exclude it outside and hit him in the throat.

Translation note

Johnson's "mandiritto in sgalembro" should be kept more faithfully as: mandritto in sgualembro / descending diagonal mandritto.
The Steel Marginalia · HEMA Study Group Notes in the margins. Truth in the bind.