The Noble and Worthy Science of Defense, Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. which ſheweth vntounto whom skill belongeth, with the fruits of drunkenneſſe.
He which can gouern himſelfe is wiſe, but that muſt proceed from God.MAny will ſay that skill in weapons is a good thing, and fit to be learned of eueryevery man, yet all men will ſay it is pitty that a man without gouernment ſhould know the ſecret skill in weapons, for indeede skil doth moſt chiefly of all belong to a man that hath wit and diſcretion to gouern it, that when he hath skill knoweth how to vſe it as it ought to bee vſed, for a good thing learned and abuſed were better refuſed and neuer learned: for ſome when they hauehave a little more skill then eueryevery common man, then will they thinke by brauing eueryevery man which commeth in their company, by ſwaggering it with proud brags and high lookes, yet I hauehave known ſuch ſwaggering companions which hauehave had more haire then wit, meete with their match and carry away the blowes with diſgrace, and yet themſelues beginners of the quarrell when they might hauehave liued quiet if they would.
Therefore he which weareth the greateſt whiſtle is not the beſt Mariner, nor he the beſt man that maketh the greateſt brags, for ſome will braue a better man then themſelues, and ſwagger it out, and yet ſo little in themſelues that they will ſcarce hold the touching when they come to the ſtone to bee tryed, yet eueryevery ſubiect ought if occaſion ſerue to fight for his King and country, if it be for the Goſpells ſake, and ſometimes in defence of their owne reputation and credit.
Now although this art of defence is ſo fit and neceſſary a thing for all men to be learned, yet withall I doe exhort and earneſtly intreat all ſuch as hauehave skill to vſe it in that faſhion as it ought to be vſed, for if a man had twenty good qualities & yet if he be a drunkard, that one ill quality ouerthroweth all the reſt, like as when a Cow giueth a good ſope of milke, and then afterwards ſtriketh it downe with her foote: ſhe is as much to bee blamed for the loſſe, as commended for the gift, euen ſo a man without gouernment groweth out of fauour both with God & man, for many a man without diſcretion and iudgement many times doth fall out with his familiar friend, and ſo dare one another into the field, preſently vponupon the ſuddaine falling out. Now if wit be in neither of them, then a thouſand to one but murther is committed, for a man with skill may better fight with a hundred in the morning one after another, then with three in an afternoone, vponupon drinke or hot blood; for if you forbeare to kill thou maiſt be killed thy ſelfe, if thou take thy opportunity thou maiſt eaſily kill a drunkard in his owne comming in, for he will come in without feare or wit: for drinke maketh a very coward challenge the beſt man liuing, for in drinke I hauehave knowen many paſſe their words to meete in the field vponupon ſmall occaſion, if with diſcretion the quartell were rightly conſidered vponupon; but their owne ſelues in the morning when they hauehave their right wits about them, then do they many times repent, and wiſh the match were to make, and that their words were vnſpoken which they ſpake the night before. Yet neuertheleſſe when a man hath paſſed his word howſoeuer things fall out, hee muſt and will anſwer the challenge, yea though he looſe his life by it. Loe theſe are the fruits of drunkenneſſe, al other vices may be left, but no bridle will rule a drunkard, nor no counſell will make him forgoe his draunken and ſwiniſh life, drunkenneſſe is the mother of all vices, for drunkenneſſe doth beget and breede all manner of deadly ſins, for by inordinate drinking thy ſoule is endangered, thy body is infected, thy vnderſtanding baniſhed, thy manhood diſtaſted, thy ſubſtance waſted, and beaſtlyneſſe reſembled, and thy buſineſſe neglected, therefore leaue that one vice, and all other will flie away with it: for as I ſaid before it is the only breeder and maintainer of quarrelling and fighting, by fighting God is diſpleaſed, and the Kings Lawes broken; againe if murther be committed, thou looſeſt thy goods, and endangereſt thy life; if thou looſe it not, yet thou ſhalt liue deſpiſed, & hard of all honeſt minds that knowes thee, ſo that thy life will be more loathſome then death, therefore not to fight at all is beſt, except thou be charged vponupon contrary to thy expectation, then defend thy ſelfe, and yet feare as much to kill as to be killed.