The Noble and Worthy Science of Defense, Conclusion
The Authors Concluſion.
NOw (gentle Reader) I doe intreate thee to beare with my rudeneſſe, I am no Scholler, for I do proteſt I neuer went to Schoole ſix moneths in all my life, nor I neuer did write one line of this Booke by the direction of any other teacher; nor did I euer aske the opinion of any other Profeſſor, ſince the time that I was firſt taught, and that was when I was yong; and then I had ſome of my skil in London, and ſome in other places, where it was my chance to trauell. Againe, I did write this Booke by peecemeale; for after I firſt beganne, I leſt off writing a weeke, and ſometimes a monethmonth together, before I writ againe; and ſo forgetting oftentimes what I had written before. Againe, ſome chiefe notes I hauehave left out, which I thought I had written of before: wherefore they ſhall follow in my ſecond Booke. Now (Gentle Reader) for thy benefit I hauehave begunne, if there be any other that find fault, and cannot amend it, let them iudge of their wit that heare them talke: but if I ſhall heare thoſe my ſelfe ſpeake againſt this Booke which doe not goe about to amend it, then if they were as good as George a Greene, yet would I not be feared with deedes, much leſſe with words, but will anſwer them, not onelyonly with words, but with weapons, for this Booke was printed in haſte, at the carneſt requeſt of ſome friends of mine. Alſo I wrote it to profite thoſe that can not come where Teachers are▪ and againe, there are few which teach this Arte that doe trauell, the reaſon is, as I thinke, they are little ſet by when they come into the country amongſt you: Now it is not enough to hauehave this booke in thy pocket, but to exerciſe thy body with all, that thereby thou maiſt hauehave the perfect skill thereof in thy head, and ſo praying thee to excuſe me in the groſſe penning of it, and beare with me a little the rather in that I was neuer Scholler, as I ſaid before, and as it plainely appeareth by the groſſe penning of it, but my folly herein ſhalbe vponupon my head, yet I pray thee let it paſſe a little the rather, and giuegive it your good word, for becauſe I hauehave taken paines in hope to doe thee good, but not for any gaine (I proteſt before God) but onelyonly becauſe I know it ſo laudable an exerciſe, and more commendable then any other, wee ſee daily theſe bookes ſcoffed at, which were made by learned and good Schollers, for if there were one which excell ten thouſand, yet eueryevery one will not ſpeake well of him, but he ſhall hauehave in ſpight of his teeth back-biters and fault-finders, much more my ſelfe being the leſt of ten thouſand muſt not ſtabbe eueryevery one which will ſpeake in diſcommendations, both of me and my Booke, but if I may eſcape handwhich are vſually contemnors of ſuch laudable exerciſes: then I accompt that I hauehave made a good hand.
For herein I hauehave ſhowen but my owne opinion and iudgement in ſetting out this booke, now I doe not ſay it is other mens opinions: for none but my ſelfe was counſell, nor had any hand in this matter; therefore I make no queſtion that other men are of other mindes, yet obſeruing theſe rules, and bearing theſe leſſons in memory, they may ſerue thy turne aſwell as they hauehave ſerued mine all the daies of my life hetherto: but yet beleeue what you liſt of it, and leaue what you like not, now if in my good intention and true meaning I bee vndeſeruedly wronged, I thinke it wilbe by none but ſuch pot-companions which cudgell there wits and beate their braines to ſhift for mony to that vſe which often-times makes the ſonne ſo hardy as to call his father knaue, or worſe.
Now if my booke doe come vntounto the view of any ſuch, I will impute it vntounto the Idleneſſe of their braine, or vntounto the ſpitefulneſſe of an enuious minde, which will neuer commend nor allow any other mans man-hood, opinion or iudgement to bee ſo good as their owne, not much like vntounto the proude Pharizee, who ſaid that his life in all reſpect was better then any other, now miſtake mee not, for I doe not ſay ſo, becauſe you ſhould thinke that this worke cannot bee mended, for it is farre from my thought to thinke that this booke is ſo wel penned as to be without fault, or to pleaſe all, neither is it ſo wel as it might hauehave beene, if my leiſure would hauehave ſerued me to amend ſome faults which I know in it my ſelfe, indeed, I muſt confeſſe that there are many in this land of this noble and worthy art beſides my ſelfe, which might hauehave taken this matter in hand, becauſe many of them are more fit both for wiſdome and learning, but I ſee they hauehave not gone about it, wherefore if any blame me for ſhewing my good will, I hope thoſe which hauehave knowen mee and ſeene my behauiour wil anſwere for me with reaſonable ſpeech againſt thoſe which obiect againſt me: no, if reaſon will not rule them, but like Balaams Aſſe, will ſtriue againſt weapons, then I pray you referre the quarrell vntounto my ſelfe, and let me anſwere my owne wrong which I hauehave done them heerein, for I had rather looſe my life in defence of my reputation and credit, if there were ſuch a danger in fighting, then my friend ſhould looſe one drop of bloud in my quarrell: therefore while I am liuing, wrong me not, for hee which fighteth for another, ſeeketh his owne deſtruction, ſo praying you if I hauehave offended any, let me anſwere it my ſelfe while I am liuing, for when I am dead hee deales vnchriſtianlike, that will abuſe me: and ſo I reſt,
Thine euer to helpe thee hereafter in what I may, Thy friend, IOSEPH SVVETNAM.
End of the text · Joseph Swetnam, The Noble and Worthy Science of Defense (1617)