Steel Marginalia
[59]

Another Second against Fourth

De lo Schermo, overo Scienza d'Arme
Salvator Fabris · Book I · Thrust in Second while passing with the left foot.

Plate

Both fencers inside in Third; striker feints Fourth; enemy turns with counter-Fourth; striker converts to Second, passes left foot, wounds before enemy recovers
Both fencers inside in Third; striker feints Fourth; enemy turns with counter-Fourth; striker converts to Second, passes left foot, wounds before enemy recovers De lo Schermo, overo Scienza d'Arme · Copenhagen, 1606 · Plate 59

Translation

Here is another wound in Second, again against a Fourth. Both are in Third on the inside. The striker stands in a stronger position than the enemy and feints as if he wished to wound in Fourth through the enemy weak. The enemy, believing the thrust to be coming, turns the body with the right foot and makes a Fourth through the opposing weak in order to meet him in the time of his coming. But the striker, seeing that action, immediately turns into Second, lowering both point and body, and passing with the left foot makes the wound by continuing right to the enemy body before the wounded man can recover, since he has not passed but only turned, and the left foot has remained fixed.

Likewise, the striker may have gone to find the enemy blade on the outside, and the enemy disengaged in Third to the inside; but in that very time the striker feints a Fourth, whereupon the enemy wishes to make a counter-Fourth through the enemy weak, turning the body out of presence in order to meet him as he comes. Seeing the danger, the striker changes from Fourth into Second and makes the wound shown, while the enemy blade passes vainly above. Again the superiority of the passing Second over the merely turning Fourth is the operative principle.

Analysis

Initial guards Both in Third on the inside; alternate from outside engagement.
Wound Thrust in Second while passing with the left foot.
Version 1
  1. You are in the stronger position.
  2. You feint a quarta through his weak.
  3. Thinking the thrust is real, he turns with the right foot and makes a counter-quarta through your weak.
  4. Seeing that, you immediately change to seconda.
  5. You lower point and body.
  6. You pass with the left foot.
  7. You continue to the body before he can recover.
  8. He had only turned, not passed, so he cannot recover as quickly.
Version 2
  1. You go to find the enemy blade outside.
  2. He disengages inside in terza.
  3. In that time you feint in quarta.
  4. He tries a counter-quarta through your weak, turning the body out of presenza.
  5. Seeing the danger, you change quarta → seconda and wound.
  6. His point passes vainly above.

Translation note

This is not just "another Second against a Fourth," but: a Second that defeats a turned or counter-Fourth by passing.
The Steel Marginalia · HEMA Study Group Notes in the margins. Truth in the bind.