New Guards

· Porta di ferro alta

The Assault

Start: Being in the guardia alta

1: I want you to make a . [Forward or back?]

2: Now throw a mandritto above the arm and .

3: I want you to . In this passing step give a roverso in the right temple . Your sword should .

4: In one time and give a fendente with a tramazzone to his head . Your and your sword will not pass into a porta di ferro alta .

5: For your enemy may attack your head. In this attack I want you to bring your sword and buckler forward together, that is in the guardia di testa with the arms well extended . With this you will parry the attack of your enemy

6: and issue immediately a mandritto tondo to the leg that goes under the arm,

7: throwing in one true time a roverso sgualembrato .

8: And when you have thrown said roverso cut with a high montante and in this cut .

9: Now for embellishing the play. Make a and cut with a fendente at the rim of the brochiero .

10: The arm should be well extended and in one time .

11: Immediately and in this step punch with the brochiero . That is with the pommel of the sword against the brochiero and your sword will go in the guardia di testa with the arm well extended .

12: Countering, move the point of the sword towards the ground. Now you will touch the false edge of the sword to the high outside of the brochiero . Pass in this touching with your . In this passing step cut with a montante at the rim of the brochiero . Your will now be in the guardia alta with the right foot close to the left and the arm with the brochiero well extended. The wrist is watching high and sword arm well-formed and extended in the guardia alta. That is the pommel of the sword watches the face of the enemy and your right foot is tight.

Notes

In step 1 Marozzo doesn’t say if the large step with the right foot is forward or back, so the diagram shows both.

If it says “do not pass into [guard]” that basically means a feint.

The first half is another of those actions that involves dodging to one side of the opponent than the other.

Steps 9 thru 12 is basically a dance move, back-back-forward-forward. Or if you prefer, a bait. Like the first assault, you are retreating with hope that the opponent is foolish enough to follow.