Most Gracious and Noble Prince, the many great and kinde fauours which I receiued from the hands of your late Brother deceased, vnto whom I was tutor in the skill of weapons, to my no little credit, which makes me now turne backe to shew my loue in a small measure vnto your Princely selfe, and yet it is as much as I am able, a bunch of grapes is but a small present, and yet King Philip of Mace-
dondon did receiue them, and accept them, and the rather, because a poore man presented them, and therefore I trust your Highnesse will more esteeme the good-will of the giuer, then the value of the gift.

Three things did chiefly encourage me to publish it vnder the glorious name of your gracious Highnesse: The first is, in regard of your Highnesse deepe desire to gain experience in all Arts and Sciences, the which is seene by your Graces fauouring and furthering any man which is endued with any good quality, therein rightly resembling a branch of the same Stocke from whence your Excellency sprang, of whom, in my next Epistle to the Reader I will speake more at large: But at this time, for doubt of beeing offensiue, with the renewing of olde griefes, I stand in a maze, like vnto that childe,
whowho being asked whether he loued his father or his mother best, stood mute as doubting how to answer for feare of displeasing the one of them: euen so in this place will I. Now the second cause of this my Dedication vnto your Excellency is, in respect of my vehement loue wherto in duty I am bound vnto your Princely selfe: and thirdly, that it may passe vnder your Highnesse protection, the better to shroud it selfe from backe-biters and fault-finders, least amongst such it be taken vp like a friendlesse vagarant: Oh therefore let it find fauour, I humbly intreate your Highnesse, although it can little pleasure your Princely selfe, yet it may stead many others, and so doubting least I haue troubled your Highnesse ouer long. I will therefore heere drawe the Curtaines, and commit your Highnesse to the Protection of the Almighty, who euer blesse,
preserue,
preserue and keepe your Highnesse with long life, and prosperous health, and happinesse to the worlds end.
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 haue no learning; but only little experience, which God and nature, hath bestowed vpon me. As it is vnpossible to build a Church without lyme or stone, no more can a workman worke without tooles, yet to auoide idlenesse, something 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 vpon the Schollers, and they looked vpon me, and so I became a little the older, but neuer the wiser; wherefore if I should continue tempering this book 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, sometime there are pearles found, and in hard rockes gold and stones of great price, I haue 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 giue 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 haue beene, when I least thought vpon it, therefore to haue iudgement and skill in weapons is good, although thou neuer haue 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 be 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 haue 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 haue young sprigs spoiled in the blosome, I meane I would not haue young branches or young enteretes into the world imbarke themselues in the ship of fooles, for feare least they cas themselues away in a manner, before they haue had any beginning, for I haue knowen many blasted inthe budding in a manner, before they came to know cheese from chalke: onely for want of instruction, and likewise some againe haue perished, and yet not for want of instruction, but they haue knowen what was good for them, and yet would not seek
it,it, but haue 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 vpon them. It is said that we must not tempt God, Math.4. but I hold it a tempting of God to presume wholly vpon him for all occasions whatsoeuer, without seeking other meanes which is commonly known, and by God prepared for vs: 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 vs, but for this and all other things God hath appointed meanes, we must seek and then no doubt God will giue his blessing with it, but wee must not presume how carelesly soeuer we liue, or how desperately soeuer we dye, nothing can hinder vs of our saluation, but so far deceiued I feare me are such, that there is a thunderbolt of mischiefe prepared for their ignor‹ce herein. Our Sauior Christ would not presume so much of the mercy of God the Father, as when he was vpon the pinacle to cast himselfe downe, but hee came down by other meanes, for the stayres were made for the purpose; God the father might otherwise haue 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 vnto 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
thethe 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 cuteth down the masts of the ship, and so he throweth them and the sayles ouerboord which should ne the onely meane to bring them to land, but then these Mariners being bereft of al hope, they rely wholly vpon 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 vnto mans expectation.
So not onely 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 Scoole men, and the application to be applied vnto ourselues, for there is nothing written but hath beene written for our learning, and of those we are to learne counsell of which haue 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 onely of this profession, but of all others; 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 heed 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 haue often hard many a man say, that with a little skill they haue saued their liues being put vnto 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 mo-
therther is an Hittite, 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 vnto 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 vnto those which talke of Robinhood and yet neuer shot in his bow, so this trumpe haue I cast in your way, 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 loue, and wish thee to taste of this my opinion which I haue new broached. And I make no doubt but in tryall it will be no whit distasting vnto 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 into 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 whn they haue learned skill and afterwards when they shall haue occasion to vse their weapons, then such dunces will 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 ignor‹ce, for if a skilfull man doth hold the rapier, it is not a hundred blows with a sword can doe a rapier any harne, no although they light vpon him. Therefore those which will perswade any from learning skill with weapons, for the defence of their bodies, may fitly be compared vnto 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 vpon him, a Chron.20.3.
DauidDauid 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; 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 vnto Pharaoh for he said , let vs 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 yeares 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 cam next to his hand, but loth I am to trouble you with so long an Epistle or Preface, yet for and Introduction to the rest something I must say and most of that which I haue 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 haue inuented, and by practice brought to perfection, and likewise for my countries benefit, I meane to better the vnskilfull in knowledge, I haue thought it good to open plainly the best grounds,

which

which belongeth to our English weapons, that are now in vse, so far as my simple inuention by great practice hath attained vnto. 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 loue 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 haue 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 vnto all the world, for the benefit of many thousand yet vnborne, for euery man hath or should haue 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 think 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 haue 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 perciue 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 vpon the very first fight, oh this is such a mans worke, I know well enough what hee could doe, and yet will not fully giue up their verdit, but onely 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
disgracedisgrace 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 with such learne before they take vpon them to controule, but those which are wise and kind, will accept of my good will, for I haue giuen out this but as a theame; let a wiser then I rime vpon 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 Surgionsearch the wounde to the bottome before thou lay a plaster, I meane reade it ouer before thou giue 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 haue deserued blame, because so bluntly I haue set foorth such an vnperfect piece of worke, but my reasons in the latter end of the book may a little excuse me, but in the mean while let it be neuer the worse welcome vntothee, for that it hath my poore name vnto 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, but onely out of a dogged humor, or an idle braine, some finding fault with the gards, and some because I haue written of things which belongeth not to the matter or ground of this worke, and some because it is a booke of pictures, accounting such a book of pictures fit for children and fools; to answer such I say when a child or a foole doth look in a glasse, he doth think there is a baby on the other side, but when men of discretion looke in a glasse, they do not thinke so; therefore as by the Heathen we may learne many good lessons, euen so a man of vnderstanding may learne wisdome, 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, the wise and the foolish may here learne one lesson or other, which they neuer learned before; yet I know not how euery one will take this my presumption, in an aduenturing
toto 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 haue 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 haue others iudge of you, but if you iudge well and like well of it, then shall you haue 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 speeches impaire it, neither will I maintaine for well done, all that I haue done, but if you accept it then I haue 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 haue 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 experts 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 Aquavit¾, & then in the second and third distillation, there is bestowed greater charge and more excellent matter ariseth of it.
I haue but roued at skill in weapons, yet I am sure that I haue shot so neere the marke that some will account me for a good Archer, otherwise they would neuer haue beene so important with me to haue 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
hopedhoped that he should haue liued to haue 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 haue 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 young 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 euery one which did so reioyce and glad the hearts of all true and louing subjects, and also caused him in his same to be spoken of, for Kings and Princes are talked of at poore mens tables and good wordshe 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-backe, and also another doubt I haue, least vndertaking so difficult a taske, and being not able to discharge it according vnto the dignity and worthinesse thereof, the which I cannot doe, and therefore I will not wade so far i 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 haue drawn his Highnesse in bare colours, and so I leaue the oily colours vnto those which are learned, you may see by a tast what wine is in the butte, and so
toto our matter againe. Now he which will practise after my direction, thou maist a little the rather attaine vnto that perfect knowledge in the Art or skill with thy weapons hauing an able body by agility to preserue that skill which I haue here in this booke laid open vnto 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, that it putteth all wearinesse out of thy remembrance, now vntill thou hast skill thou must not think 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 vnto thee, and commendable amongst others: I haue made it as plaine and laid it as open as I can expresse by words, because I would haue euery 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 vnto diuinity, for as diuinity preserueth the soules of those which follow it, from hell and the diuell, so doth this noble and worthy art of defence dfend the body from hurts and skars of those which learne it, but those which neither follow the one nor learne the othet (sic), the first sort 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 haue known wany (sic) brag of their hurts, and in my conceit they take a pride that they haue stood so neere the point of a weapon, whereby to receiue wounds, therefore they are willing that the world should know how ventnrous (sic) the haue been, but now in my minde if they had skill they need not bee hurt: wherefore skill is not onely auailable to preserue and keepe the body without hurts and wounds, but also the vse and practise with weapons, 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 per-
fectfect health, it makes him to be of longe life which vseth it, it is vnto him which hath the perfect skil in weapons, a most friendly, & comfortable compani—, 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 (sic) the vnskilfull to learne still, considering how necessary a thing skill in weapons is, insomuch that God and nature tollerates the practice 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 battel. therefore it behooueth Kings being challenged by their equalls for their safegard and good of their subjects 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 talk of the arte of defence, and yet haue 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 sounded 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 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 vpon a mans backe, he therefore bade his Disciples generally, goe said he, sell your coates and buy you
swords,swords, he spake not this to one of them alone, but vnto 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 shepherd, a husband-man, a physition, and Dauid in his I 44. Psalme, in a manner calleth him a fenser, for there he saith that the Lord did teach his hands to war, and his fingers to fight: He also saith in another of his Psalmes, I am a worme and no man, and yet I feare not what man can doe vnto 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 haue vnfolded euery place, and shewed euery wrinkle of these few weapons, so far as my inuention hath attained vnto, and I haue 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 minde 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 giue no iudgement of that which enueth (sic); 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 Neither doe I write this booke altogether to profit those in learning 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 haue 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 haue 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 haue iust cause to say that his master hath fulfilled his couenants, for I wish all men well, and euery 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