The Noble and Worthy Science of Defense, To the reader 1

The Noble and Worthy Science of Defense · To the reader 1

An Epiſtle vntounto the common Reader.

IN ſetting out of a booke, friendly Reader, this I know, that there is no better a thing to be obſerued then order, for except there be an order in all things, all runneth to confuſion, but what doe I meane to talke of orders, which am no Scholler, nor hauehave no learning; but only a little experience, which God and nature hath beſtowed vponupon me. As it is vnpoſſible to build a Chuch without lyme or ſtone, no more can a workman worke without tooles, yet to auoide idleneſſe, ſomthing I will make of it, although I cannot make it ſound to ſo good a tune as I would, for want of learning, for I was neuer at Oxford but while I baited my horſe; nor at Cambridge but while one Sturbridge faire laſted: wherefore if you doe examine mee concerning learning, I ſhall anſwer you as the fellow did the gentleman, who asking him the way to London, a poke full of plumbes ſir ſaid he; or as he which came from a Sermon was aſked what he heard there; he ſaid it was a good Sermon, and the Preacher ſpake well, but he could not tell one word what hee ſaid, no more can I anſwer one word ſcholler-like or according to learning; yet both at Oxford and Cambridge I looked vponupon the Schollers, and they looked vponupon me, and ſo I became a little the older, but neuer the wiſer; wherefore if I ſhould continue tempering this booke ſo long till I had put it in order, I ſhould reſemble thoſe, which doe make their apparell ſo long of the neweſt faſhion, vntil they are quite out of faſhion, or like as the fidlers doe their ſtrings, who wreſt them and temper them ſo long, vntill they bring them out of all time, tune, and reaſon, leaſt I ſhould doe ſo I will let it goe with this drafte as it is: but gentle Reader looke not heere to gather grapes of thornes, nor figs of thiſtles: nor of a wild and a barren tree, nothing elſe but wilde and barren fruit, yet amongſt duſt, ſometimes there are pearles found, and in hard rockes gold and ſtones of great price, I hauehave heere as it were mixed wheat and rye, barlye and oates, Beanes and Peaſe altogether, now take a little paines to ſeparate that graine which thou likeſt beſt for thine owne benefit. I giuegive thee here a friendly caueat, to prepare thy ſelfe in a readines, for although thou art at quiet now, yet doſt thou not know how ſoone thou ſhalt be vrged to take weapons in hand, as my ſelfe and many others hauehave beene, when I leaſt thought vponupon it, therefore to hauehave iudgement and skill in weapons is good, although thou neuer hauehave occaſion to vſe it. The Prouerbe ſaith cunning is no burthen, the ſame mouth which at one time ſaith, I will liue quietly, for I will make no brawles with any, yet at another time he again will ſay, oh that I had skill, for then wold I bee reuenged on ſuch a one that hath iniuriouſly wronged me. Therfore for ſuch a cauſe be prepared before hand, for if the King were ſure that he ſhould neuer hauehave wars, what neede had he then to prouide armour and weapons, but in the time of peace hee prouideth himſelfe; the wiſe Mariner prouides in a calme for a ſtorme, for things doubtfull are to be dreadfull. It is better to liue in feare then in ſecurity, and to this purpoſe Tully hath a prety ſaying which goeth thus; hee which deſireth peace let him prouide for wars, but I feare mee that the tyde will be ſpent, before I can double this point, and therefore here I will caſt anchor, and will ride in this rode ſomething longer then I would, for feare leaſt I caſt my barke away on a lee ſhore, for want of water; theſe words of warineſſe doe I vſe becauſe there are many which no ſooner out of the ſhell, but are caſt away like an addle egge.

Therefore I would not hauehave yong ſprigs ſpoiled in the bloſome, I meane I would not hauehave yong branches or young entereres into the world imbarke themſelues in the ſhip of fooles, for feare leaſt they caſt themſelues away in a manner, before they hauehave had any beginning, for I hauehave knowen many blaſted in the budding in a manner, before they came to know cheeſe from chalke: onelyonly for want of inſtruction, and likewiſe ſome againe hauehave periſhed, and yet not for want of inſtruction, but they hauehave knowen what was good for them, and yet would not ſeek it, but hauehave delaid the meanes, as many delay their repentance, till the latter day, or till it be too late, not much vnlike a ſluggard, which rowſing himſelfe, and looking abroad in the morning, he ſeeth that it is high time to riſe, yet ſluggiſhly he lyeth downe againe to ſleepe, and ſo forgetteth himſelfe; euen ſo many periſh, ſome for want of good counſell, and ſome for lacke of forecaſting a miſchiefe before it doe light vponupon them. It is ſaid that we muſt not tempt God. Math. 4. but I hold it a tempting of God to preſume wholly vponupon him for all occaſions whatſoeuer, without ſeeking other meanes which is commonly known, and by God prepared for vsus: as if we were ſicke men we ought to take the Phyſitians counſell, and if wounded we muſt ſeeke for helpe of a Chyrurgian, if our houſe be on fire we muſt powre on water, and if we fall in a ditch, we muſt not lye ſtill without vſing other meanes beſides, ſaying God helpe vsus, but for this and all other things God hath appointed meanes, we muſt ſeek and then no doubt God will giuegive his bleſſing with it, but wee muſt not preſume how careleſly ſoeuer we liue, or how deſperately ſoeuer we dye, nothing can hinder vsus of our ſaluation, but ſo far deceiued I feare me are ſuch, that there is a thunderbolt of miſchiefe prepared for their ignorāce herein. Our Sauior Chriſt would not preſume ſo much of the mercy of God the Father, as when he was vponupon the pinacle to caſt himſelfe downe, but hee came downe by other meanes, for the ſtayres were made for the purpoſe; God the father might otherwiſe hauehave ſaued Noah without any Arke if it had pleaſed him, but Noah had warning that ſuch a thing ſhould be, whereupon he ſought a meanes to ſaue himſelfe by making the Arke, therefore he that will not be prepared before hand with oyle in his Lampe, or with skill in his weapons, when there is meanes to be found, he may be ſhut out of heauen as the fiue fooliſh virgins were if hee chance to bee ſlaine ſuddenly, as many a man hath been, by dying without repentance.

Indeed if there were no meanes then if we did with humbleneſſe come vntounto God, no doubt then I ſay but God would miraculouſly defend his ſeruants, as hee did the children of Iſrael when their enemies were behind them, and the red ſea before them, then there was no meanes nor helpe left them, but only in the Lord, but then the Lord ſtopped not his eares nor ſhortned not his armes, but gaue them paſſage with his outſtretched arm thorow the red ſea, and then againe they being in the wilderneſſe, there was neither meate nor drinke, and then and there againe the Lord ſent them foode from heauen, and he alſo made the hard rockes guſh foorth riuers of water. The Mariner in diſtreſſe throweth ouer boord the Marchants goods which are in ſhip, and yet then finding ſmall hope of life he cutteth down the maſts of the ſhip, and ſo he throweth them and the ſayles ouerboord, which ſhould be the onelyonly meane to bring them to land, but then theſe Mariners being bereft of al hope, they rely wholly vponupon God, which neuer leaueth in diſtreſſe thoſe which truſt in him, but then he miraculouſly doth defend them, and bring them into a ſafe harbor contrary vntounto mans expectation.

So not onelyonly here in this place, but as I goe on I will ſhew ſome examples out of the booke of God and from the Philoſophers and other Schoole men, and the application to be applied vntounto our ſelues, for there is nothing written but hath beene written for our learning, and of thoſe we are to learne counſell of which hauehave runne through the brambles, briers, and the miſchiefe of the world.

Then be not wiſe in thine owne conceit, for S. Iohn and Paul ſaith that the wiſe are catched in their owne craftineſſe. Iohn 9. 13.1 Cor. 3.19. If the wiſe are catched what then will become of the ignorant and fooliſh, not onelyonly of this profeſſion, but of all ethers; for there are many of all trades which doe thinke their owne wit beſt, and hating to bee reformed, but I wiſh ſuch to take heede of ignorance pitfall, leaſt they fall into the ſpringle with the woodcocke; for who is ſo bold as blind bayard. But as ſome men of all trades with ſmall skill doe goe on and liue by their trades and yet in a manner but botchers, euen ſo I hauehave often hard many a man ſay, that with a little skill they hauehave ſaued their liues being put vntounto tryall, for thoſe which are in danger of drowning will catch at a ſtraw to ſaue their liues, but for the moſt part it ſo falleth out, that if the father or the maſter be a coward, or vnskilfull in his weapons, then the ſonnes of that Father or the ſeruants of that Maſter, ſeldome prooue good ſoldiers, not much vnlike that ſaying of the Prophet when the mother is an Hitite, and the Father an Ammorite, the child ſeldome prooues an Iſraelite. Ezekiel 45. Then we muſt not follow or goe on being led on blindfoldly, by a cowardly ſort of people, which will ſay that a good eye or a good heart is all that belongs vntounto the defence of a mans body, theſe are they which profeſſing themſelues to be wiſe, are become fooles. Rom. 1.22. Or they may be compared vntounto thoſe which talke of Robin hood and yet neuer ſhot in his bow, ſo this trumpe hauehave I caſt in your way,Then ſhew not thy ſelfe worſe then a beaſt, for beaſt hauehave wit to find out remedies to couer their griefe. for loath I am to leaue you any ſtarting holes to wind out at, but that you may keepe the high beaten way, leaſt in ſeeking by-wayes you wander quite out of the way, yet miſtake me not in thinking that hereby I ſeeme to hale thee on for thy owne good, like a beaſt, for I doe but lead thee with the cords of louelove, and wiſh thee to taſte of this my opinion which I hauehave new broached. And I make no doubt but in tryall it will be no whit diſtaſting vntounto thee, for by experience I ſpeake it that aboue all, skill is the key of the worke, as the eye to the body, or as the Captaine to the ſouldiers, or the pilot to the ſhip; if the eye bee darke in walking, the body falleth, if the Captaine be ignorant, then doe the Souldiers march diſorderly, or if the Pilot bee vnskilfull, the ſhip ſailes in danger, but as I was about to tell you of a ſort of logger-headed aſſes which further more will perſwade their familiar friends, by telling them that skill will doe them no good, for when they hauehave learned skill and afterwards when they ſhall hauehave occaſion to vſe their weapons, then ſuch dunces will ſay that skill will be forgoten & little thought vponupon. Alſo they ſay that a man with a ſword will cut off thy rapier at one blow, but I ſay this is a moſt cowardly kind of ignorāce, for if a skilfull man doe hold the rapier, it is not a hundred blows with a ſword can doe a rapier any harme, no although they light vponupon him. Therefore thoſe which will perſwade any from learning skill with weapons, for the defence of their bodies, may fitly be compared vntounto the falſe Prophets amongſt the Iewes, which perſwaded them that they ſhould not feare nothing, but peace, peace, peace, when the Aſſyrians were in a readineſſe to cut their throats as in the 6 of Ieremy the 14, there you may read it, therefore a prouident care ought to bee had, as Iehoſaphat did when he feared the Moabits to come vponupon him, 2 Chron. 20.3. Dauid liued ſecurely in Ieruſalem, and without feare, which made him forget God, as in the 2. Sam. 11. the whole Chapter is worth the reading; doth not the wiſeſt man that euer wrote ſay, that there is a time of war and a time of peace, Eccle. 3.8. If a man did know what howre the theefe would come, he would ſurely watch, wherefore be aduiſed to deale wiſely, but not like vntounto Pharaoh for he ſaid, let vsus deale wiſely when he dealt moſt fooliſhly Exodus 1.10. and ſo we will goe on.

In reading ouer diuers Hyſtories I thereby vnderſtanding the noble acts, and alſo noting the manly mind of theſe who liued many hundred yeeres agoe, whoſe fame ſhall neuer dye, whereas cowardly daſtards which neuer bent their ſtudies in marſhall exploits, ſuch I ſay at their death their fame dyeth with them, and ſo they are quickly raked vp in the aſhes of forgetfulneſſe, and buried in the valley of obliuion. So that if a man wold goe ſearch for the pedigree of their gentility, they ſhall finde it laid vp in a beggars box, or as the Charter of a City written in duſt, whereas on the other ſide the valiant and gallant minded men, although they dye, yet in their life time their manly acts and valiant deedes which they worthily performed, ſome in the warres and ſome at ſingle combat, and ſome at other honorable and laudable exerciſes, whereby they merited to themſelues immortall fame for euer, for to ſome no exerciſe nor weapon came amiſſe as in ſtead of many examples theſe two out of the book of God ſhall be ſufficient, Dauid with his ſling, (as Hercules with his Club) and Sampſon with his Iaw-bone or any other weapon which came next to his hand, but loth I am to trouble you with ſo long an Epiſtle or Preface, yet for an Introduction to the reſt ſomething I muſt ſay and moſt of that which I hauehave and will ſay is ſo neceſſary as the reſt, although it be longer then I would, but we will now to the matter.

Then thus, by reaſon of diuers errors which are in ſundry mens teaching of this noble arte of defence, I therefore being pricked forward by the earneſt requeſt of ſome of my friends, to deſcribe the rules of weapons, which I by my ſtudy hauehave inuented, and by practiſe brought to perfection, and likewiſe for my countries benefit, I meane to better the vnskilfull in knowledge, I hauehave thought it good to open plainly the beſt grounds, which belongeth to our Engliſh weapons, that are now in vſe, ſo far as my ſimple inuention by great practice hath attained vntounto. Another reaſon which moued me hereunto was where ſome doe find out many hidden ſecrets which they bury in the earth againe with their bodies, or elſe if they make it known, it ſhall bee to ſuch a faithfull friend as they louelove and affect dearely, all writers that euer wrote did write either for profit or pleaſure: ſome to profit others, and ſome to pleaſure themſelues; and ſome hauehave wrote common and neceſſary things for their owne poſterity after them; I write but of common things, yet not ſo common as neceſſary, and therefore my meaning is to make my ſecret ſtudy known ſo plainly as I can vntounto all the world, for the benefit of many thouſand yet vnborne, for eueryevery man hath or ſhould hauehave skill in his weapons, the reaſons ſhall follow, as occaſion ſhall ſerue hereafter more at large; but as yet I know the greateſt number are blinded in an ignorant conceit, I meane ſuch as doe thinke to ouercome their enemies if occaſion doe ſerue by quickneſſe of the eye, or by a kind of valorous reſolution, which for the auoiding of this and ſuch like abuſes, I hauehave here and there put downe ſundry reaſons in this booke, although they be not in order, yet take a little paines to ſeeke them out, for I wrote this booke at ſuch leaſurable fits as time would permit me; now for affection ſake ſome will ſay it is well done, and others againe will ſay it is reaſonable and indifferent, and ſo I pray you let it paſſe, for if I ſhould perceiue it ſhold goe for ſtarke nought, then ſhould I account my time and labor very ill beſtowed; but yet this I know, if it were ten times worſe then it is, yet would it be welcom to a number of my old friends and familiar acquaintance, ſuch as were the cauſe of this my idle time ſpending, who were earneſt with me for the ſetting foorth of this worke. Lo this is the anchor whereon my hope dependeth, but yet I make a doubt leaſt that my booke may light into the hands of ſome enuious mates, who neuer knew me, yet will not ſticke to ſay vponupon the very firſt fight, oh this is ſuch a mans worke, I know well enough what hee could doe, and yet will not fully giuegive vp their verdit, but onelyonly ſhake the head, with a wry mouth and a ſmiling countenance, throwing it from them, and ſo ſeeming by their ſilence that they could further diſgrace mee, but will not. Indeed it is a more eaſier matter for ſuch to find fault with a part of my booke then to amend the whole, but I could wiſh ſuch learne before they take vponupon them to controule, but thoſe which are wiſe and kind, will accept of my good will, for I hauehave giuen out this but as a theame; let a wiſer then I rime vponupon it, and although it ſeeme but as it were a glimpſe of the noble Art of defence, in regard of the ſubſtance, yet ſome will perceiue day at a little hole; wherefore trauell further in it, till you find out the ſubſtance, like a good Surgion ſearch the wound to the bottome before thou lay a plaſter, I meane reade it ouer before thou giuegive iudgement; and then play the wiſe mans part which is to ſpeake little, although he thinke much; indeed I muſt confeſſe a vanity in my ſelfe and that I hauehave deſerued blame, becauſe ſo bluntly I hauehave ſet foorth ſuch an vnperſerued peece of worke, but my reaſons in the latter end of the book may a litle excuſe me, but in the mean while let it be neuer the worſe welcome vntothee, for that it hath my poore name vntounto it, I ſpeake this becauſe I know there are ſome will ſpeake they care not what, to diſgrace they know not whom, without rendring any reaſon at all, out onelyonly out of a dogged humor, or an idle braine, ſome finding fault with the gards, and ſome becauſe I hauehave written of things which belongeth not to the matter or ground of this worke, and ſome becauſe it is a booke of pictures, accounting a book of pictures fit for children and fools; to anſwer ſuch I ſay when a child or a foole doth looke in a glaſſe, he doth thinke there is a baby on the other ſide, but when men of diſcretion looke in a glaſſe, they do not think ſo; therefore as by the Heathen we may learne many good leſſons, euen ſo a man of vnderſtanding may learne wiſedome, and gaine experience of a foole; I wrote not this altogether to pleaſure thoſe that are skilfull already, for this booke can ſteed them but little, for the whole and ſound need not a Phyſition, but the ignorant and vnskilfull may profit by this booke as much if with diſcretion they take regard in their practiſe according to my direction, as if my ſelfe were in perſon to teach them, but both the skilfull, and vnskilfull, the wiſe and the fooliſh may here learne one leſſon or other, which they neuer learned before; yet I know not how eueryevery one will take this my preſumption, in aduenturing to ſet out a booke hauing no learning, yet I pray you reade it ouer firſt, and then iudge, but yet be ſlow in condemning mee, for I hauehave done my good will, now he which can make a ſimple thing better, he ought ſo to handle the matter, that although he get credit himſelfe, yet condemne not me for ſhewing the beſt I could; therefore ſo iudge of mee behind my backe as you would hauehave others iudge of you, but if you iudge well and like well of it, then ſhall you hauehave the ſecond part with ſix weapons more, but I will firſt ſee what will become of this firſt part, let it commend or condemne it ſelfe, for great braggers cannot better it, nor diſſembling ſpecches impaire it, neither will I maintaine for well done, all that I hauehave done, but if you accept it then I hauehave all my deſire, if otherwiſe good will ſhall beare the blame for my preſumption: but why doe I make a dought of any euill ſpeeches, which deſerus no blame, againe this I know that there is none which ſtandeth in ſo much need of good words as thoſe which goe about to couer diſhoneſt deeds, wherefore I may ſay as that great Captaine Marius who hauing occaſion to vſe a ſpeech before the people of Rome, in his concluſion hee ſaid, although my words are not well ſet in order I waigh not ſo much ſo that my deeds be good.

I hauehave made this of bricke and ſtones, as Auguſtus ſaid of Rome at the firſt, but now Rome is built with marble: euen ſo I wold wiſh that ſome expert and learned perſon or other would pull downe this rude begun worke of mine and build it vp with marble, for the worke it ſelfe if it were workmanlike handled, deſerueth to be written in leters of gold, and to remain for euer, but firſt it muſt be twice or thrice diſtilled as they doe their Roſaſolis, for firſt it is Aquavitae, & then in the ſecond and third diſtillation, there is beſtowed greater charge and more excellent matter ariſeth of it.

I hauehave but roued at skill in weapons, yet I am ſure that I hauehave ſhot ſo neere the marke that ſome will account me for a good Archer, otherwiſe they would neuer hauehave beene ſo important with me to hauehave me put my directions in writing, and when it was in writing ſo many deſired Copies, that amongſt ſo many friends I knew not which to pleaſure firſt, but eſpecially and aboue all the late high and mighty Prince Henry whom I well hoped that he ſhould hauehave liued to hauehave beene the ninth Henry and the tenth worthy of the world, for what did any of the other nine worthies doe, but this good Prince was as likely, if he had liued to hauehave performed as much as any of them; for what hath beene done but may be done againe. But as I was about to ſay, this good Prince had the peruſing of this book and earneſtly perſwaded me to print it, but I had not leiſure to finiſh it before death vntimely tooke him away to my griefe and many more, for all the whole kingdome was nothing but mourning. Death were kind if he tooke none, but thoſe which offended, but oh moſt vnkind death, for thou in taking away that good yong Prince, haſt taken away him which neuer offended, for there was neuer the like ſeene in one ſo yong, for his wiſedome, learning, and kind curteſie, to all which came to ſee his Princely ſelfe, talking ſo mildly and familiarly to eueryevery one which did ſo reioyce and glad the hearts of all true and louing ſubiects, and alſo cauſed him in his fame to be ſpoken of, for Kings and Princes are talked of at poore mens tables, and good words he deſerued, as euer any earthly creature did. For beſides his skill in Muſicke, hee was able by his learning to diſcourſe with any forraine Prince whatſoeuer, alſo his admirable and well riding of a great horſe, and his excellent running at tilt or ring; likewiſe his cunning in weapons, for the fight on horſebacke or on foote, and for toſſing the pike neuer ſo many feates ſeene in any Prince, inſomuch that it made ſtrangers ſtand amazed to behold him; at a word hee had experience in all artes or ſciences, thereby ſeeming as it were deſirous to truſt more to his owne valour, if occaſion ſerued, then to the goodneſſe of his horſe. And ſo to make an end leaſt of the ignorant I get the name of a claw-blacke, and alſo another doubt I hauehave, leaſt vndertaking ſo difficult a taske, and being not able to diſcharge it according vntounto the dignity and worthineſſe thereof, the which I cannot doe, and therefore I will not wade ſo far in ſo dangerous a riuer, but that I may eaſily eſcape out, wherefore like the finger of a diall I will point, it muſt be the clocke which telleth you the iuſt time of the day, I hauehave drawne his Highneſſe in bare colours, and ſo I leaue the oily colours vntounto thoſe which are learned, you may ſee by a taſt what wine is in the butte, and ſo to our matter againe. Now he which will practiſe after my direction, thou maiſt a little the rather attaine vntounto that perfect knowledge in the Art or skill with thy weapons hauing an able body by agility to preſerue that skill which I hauehave here in this booke laid open vntounto thee, for I did vnderſtand many things which my body was not able to performe; now becauſe many at the firſt will waxe weary in their practiſe, yet ſuch wearineſſe is ouercome by often exerciſe, and that new skill once obtained will be ſuch a pleaſure to thee,GiueGive not ouer practice nor reiect not skill becauſe thou canſt not be a maſter of art, or a doctor at the firſt day, for time muſt worke and bring al things to passe, for that is well done which is done by leiſure, for haſt many times makes waſt. that it putteth all wearineſſe out of thy remembrance, now vntill thou haſt skill thou muſt not thinke it a toyle, but ſtriue continually to ouercome wearineſſe: reſolue this with thy ſelfe, that the paine will be nothing ſo weariſome as the gaine of skill will be delightfull and comfortable vntounto thee, and commendable amongſt others: I hauehave made it as plaine and laid it as open as I can expreſſe by words, becauſe I would hauehave eueryevery man expert in weapons, conſidering that skill in weapons is ſo honourable and ſo precious a thing, that in my mind it may be preferred next vntounto diuinity, for as diuinity preſcrueth the ſoules of thoſe which follow it, from hell and the diuell, ſo doth this noble and worthy art of defence defend the body from hurts and skars of thoſe which learne it, but thoſe which neither follow the one nor learne the othet, the firſt fort for ought I know may goe throw fire brands in hell, and the ſecond ſort may ſit in an alehouſe, and there ſhew how many hurts, and likewiſe tell how many wounds he hath about his body; for I hauehave known wany brag of their hurts, and in my conceit they take a pride In that they hauehave ſtood ſo neere the point of a weapon, whereby to receiue wounds, therefore they are willing that the world ſhould know how venturous they hauehave been, but now in my minde if they had skill they need not bee hurt: wherefore skill is not onelyonly auaileable to preſerue and keepe the body without hurts and wounds, but alſo the vſe and practiſe with weapon, doth driue away all aches, griefes, and diſeaſes, it remooueth congealed blood, and breaketh impoſtumes, it maketh the body nimble, and plyant, it ſharpneth the wit, it increaſeth the ſight, and procureth ſtrength, and expelleth melancholy and cholericknes, and many other euil conceits, it keepeth a man in breath, in perfect health, it makes him to be of longe life which vſeth it, it is vntounto him which hath the perfect skil in weapons, a moſt friendly, & comfortable companiō, when he is alone, hauing but only his weapons about him, it putteth him out of all feare, and in the wars and places of moſt danger it maketh a man bold, hardy valiant, and venturous. wherefore they that are once experienced in the skill of weapons will afterwards to the end of their liues enconrage the vnskilfull to learne ſtill, conſidering how neceſſary a thing skill in weapons is, inſomuch that God and nature tollerates the practiſe of this skill in weapons, which is here ment for the defence of mans body, it alſo preſerueth many from murder, alſo in the wars it may likewiſe ſtead a King, gentleman, or any other priuate ſouldier; for if in the wars a ſingle combat is deſired, as that of Golias, there ſtarted out of the army a Dauid who with a godly valour ſtood in the gap, for the good and preſeruation of many mens liues, which no doubt elſe had periſhed in that great and dangerous battell. Therefore it behooueth Kings being challenged by their equalls for the ſafegard and good of their ſubiects and country, to aduenture and hazard their owne liues in hope of a conqueſt, ſo that thereby the wars may ceaſe.

Some there are which take delight to talke of the arte of defence, and yet hauehave no inſight nor iudgement therein, the prouerbe is verified in ſuch which goeth thus, there are ſome which talke of Robin-hood which neuer ſhot in his bowe, I ſpeake this becauſe a gentleman on a time came to my Schoole and would not play by no meanes, yet he was buſie with his tongue in teaching others, and in diſcourſing of ſeuerall weapons, and ſeuerall guards, but by his words he bewraied his ſmall iudgement, for his ſpeech founded to no ſence nor reaſon, and ſo I being weary with hearing him talke ſo long, and far from the marke which he aimed at, ſo at length I rounded him in the eare, thus, hold your peace, or elſe ſpeake ſoftly, for my vſher laughs you to skorne. But we will to our matter againe, and draw to a concluſion of this Epiſtle, for the neceſſary vſe of weapons. In Luke the twelue there the Lord as it ſeemeth did thinke them to be more better then a coate vponupon a mans backe, he therefore bade his Diſciples generally, goe ſaid he, ſell your coates and buy you ſwords, he ſpake not this to one of them alone, but vntounto them all.

Now the Kingly Prophet Dauid teacheth you where to weare your ſwords, ſaying gird thy ſword on thy thigh, hee doth not bid thee weare it about thy necke in a ſtring, euen ſo as the Lord in many places of the Bible is ſaid to be of many profeſſions, for he is called a ſhepheard, a husband-man, a Phyſition, and Dauid in his 144. Pſalme, in a manner calleth him a fenſer, for there he faith that the Lord did teach his hands to war, and his fingers to fight: He alſo faith in another of his Pſalmes, I am a worme and no man, and yet I feare not what man can doe vntounto me. Other examples bending to this purpoſe hereafter ſhall follow more at large, ſome in one Chapter, and ſome in another, as they come in my mind, and although it hath been my ſtudy and practiſe this twenty yeeres, yet now I hauehave vnfolded eueryevery place, and ſhewed eueryevery wrinkle of theſe few weapons, ſo far as my inuention hath attained vntounto, and I hauehave ſet them downe ſo large and made them ſo plaine, as by words I could any way expreſſe them, ſo that thou maiſt learne them in twenty dayes and leſſe, if not all, yet enough for the ſure defence of thy body, and the reſt ſhall follow in a ſecond booke hereafter, if thou doſt friendly accept of this.

In the meane time arme thy mind to theſe weapons here following, for they are ſufficient for thy defence at ſingle combat, alſo here thou ſhalt find other leſſons no leſſe profitable then delightfull, if thou with content peruſe them, and ſo I will hinder thee no longer from that which enſueth, and therefore ending my Epiſtle with theſe words of the Frier, who often in his Sermon ſaid the beſt is behind, ſo he that readeth but the beginning of a booke, can giuegive no iudgement of that which enueth; then read it ouer, and thou ſhalt not be deluded with the beſt is behind.

I hope I may cal this booke a booke without any offence, for the collier he calleth his horſe a horſe, and the Spaniſh Iennet is but a horſe. Now as this art is called a Noble arte, and not ſo named vnfittingly, being rightly vnderſtood, for there is no art nor ſcience more to bee preferred before this, for that there is none that iumpeth in equality, nor that matcheth in ſingularity or that hath ſo many ſundry ſubtill deuices and ingenious inuentions, as this noble art of defence hath. Now hee that doth but read of this art, yea although he read neuer ſo much, yet without practiſe and by experience in triall, it will be vnperfect, for how can perfection be attained but by practiſe, and therfore it alſo behooueth thee to vſe practiſe with ſundry men, and ſo to make vſe of the diuerſity of each mans skill, and then for thy benefit, like the wiſe phyſition who of many ſimples maketh one compound, or as the bee which by her ſerious induſtry gathereth vertue from ſundry ſorts of hearbs and flowers, & therof maketh her hony, ſhe is not therefore to be condemned of enuy, but rather to be commended of all.

Neither doe I write this booke altogether to profit thoſe inlearning that which they before wanted, but only to ſet them and other willing minds a work which by arte and learning can better ſwim through ſuch a deepe riuer then I can, it ſhould hauehave been better if my learning had been anſwerable to my wil, yet hoping that the wiſe will rather winke at ſmall faults, then raſhly reproue that which may profit the ſimple, for all hauehave not skill and cunning alike, I am perſwaded that ſome will the rather paſſe it ouer with patience, although it be but only for affection to the arte, and ſo hoping that this my worke may bee profitable to all, for ſo it can no way be hurtfull to none, but if you chance to meete with this booke after he hath ſerued out the apprentiſhip of ſeauen yeeres, if God grant me life ſo long you ſhall ſee him in double apparell, and then you ſhall hauehave iuſt cauſe to ſay that his maſter hath fulfilled his couenants, for I wiſh all men well, and eueryevery one an increaſe of skill in all laudable and profitable arts or ſciences, and ſo with this long entry into a little parlor, I leaue you to him whoſe ſeate is in heauen, and whoſe foot-ſtoole is the earth. And reſt,

Thine in the Lord, Ioſeph Swetnam.