Manciolino's First Assalto: The first engagement section.
Starting in Guardia Alta with feet together (right foot forwards)
- Pass forward with right foot into a wide stance, delivering a Mandritto to the opponent's face that goes into Sopra il Braccio, and come back with a Riverso lowering your sword into Coda Lunga e Stretta. [I suggest that the step coincide with the first cut. I guess this is an invitation, the second cut parries the opponent's counter-attack.]
- Pull your right foot near your left, raising a Montante to Guardia Alta.
- Pass forward with right foot, delivering a Fendente into Guardia di Faccia. [I pondered whether this finished in third, as Manciolino does not say Faccia is in fourth. Sam suggested rotating into fourth makes it easier to stop the cut at chin height]
- Pass with the left foot towards the opponent's right side, delivering a Stramazzone into Cinghiara Porta di Ferro.
- Pass forward with the right foot into a wide stance, deliver a sideways Falso to the opponent's face, so that afterwards the sword lifts into Guardia Alta. [The Falso has to be lateral to clear the buckler; this makes the transition to Alta more like two moves than one]
- Pull your right foot near the left and deliver a Mandritto to the head or face, that goes Sopra il Braccio.
- Pass forward again with your right foot into a wide stance, delivering a Mandritto to the opponent's face, that goes Sotto il Braccio.
- Pull the right foot next to the left, defending with the buckler. [No cut!]
- Pass forward with your right foot, delivering a Falso up to Guardia di Faccia, followed by two Stramazzoni the last of which puts you into Porta di Ferro Stretta.
- Pull the right foot next to the left, cutting a Montante up to Guardia Alta.
We're working from the translation by Tom Leoni, here slightly abbreviated and with my Capitalisation.
Comments: That's quite a few moves to string together, so we did well, especially as neither Sam nor Lorna had seen this section before. Much of the action consists of stepping forwards onto the right foot then stepping back to put the feet together (so the left foot need not move). The exception is the pass left into Cinghiara Porta di Ferro.
I think I'm starting to see how some of the pieces fit together. Consider step 8, where you withdraw slightly while in Sotto il Braccio. I imagine this drawing a Fendente from the opponent, which is parried by the Falso. This puts the opponent's sword on the outside, making the Stramazzone a natural follow-up. The combination is intended to smash through the opponent's defence.
Next week we'll return to the "Embellishment" and see if we can sandwich the above passage between two Embellishments.