Vnto all Professors of the Noble and
worthie Art of Defence I
send greeting.
Most noble brethren by profession, and brethren in Christ by Religion, wishing all health and happines to all them of the noble Art or Science of Defence; and as your profession is noble, so in brotherly loue, I doe earnestly request you all to vse it in that noble fashion, as the name or title requires, the rather, & for because you are men, not onely noted and talked of, but often looked on and more pointed at, then any other ordinary men are, of what profession soeuer. Also it is the worlds wonder, to see a man of ciuill gouernement vsing this profession, therefore I pray you consider with us: alittle, that we are as a Beacon set on a hill, or like a candle in a candlesticke; then let not your candle be made with a great wike, and no tallow, but let him be so mixt with both, that your light may so shine before men, that they seeing your discreet gouernement and good behauiour may (by your good examples) reforme many ill infirmities which they see in themselues. Alas, I pray you consider and remember, that as the tree groweth, so he falleth; we are not borne for our selues, but for our Countrie: and if we doe no good, though wee doe no harme, then better it were that wee had neuer beene borne. The figge tree in the Gospell, is said to trouble the ground, because he bare no fruite, and therefore better an addle Egge than an ill Bird; for a good and a godly life, hath a good and a godly end, and an vngodly life hath an vngodly end: and therefore most happie dieth that man, of whom the world doubteth not of his saluation, although the world is giuen to speake well and charitably of the wicked when they are dead, and yet it may be they thinke in their
mindes
mindes they are gone to hell; then call to minde, and wisely consider of this, and also of your end, and in what great ieopardie your liues stand; for he that to day is well, lustie, and strong, may the next day, nay, the next houre, haue his life taken sodainely from him at vnawares, when he least thinketh on it, for there is many waies to bring a man to his end, some by quarrelling when they haue no cause, and so are stabbed sodainely, and some by drunkennesse, as you shall heare anone; for I could write of many which came to their ends, and yet died not all in their beddes, nor all in the warres, nor all at the gallowes, and yet many of them haue gone these waies: for there are wicked and euill angells which are the wayters, and doe attend vpon an vngodly life, for Death respecteth no manner of person, for he doth assault the skilfull so well as the ignorant, the wise so well as the foolish, and therefore it is good for euerie man to bee prepared and in a readinesse, and then hee neede not to feare to say, Come Lord Iesus, come quickely; to day or to morrow, or when thou wilt, and with what manner of death soeuer, so it come by thine appointment.
And now (for examples sake) I thinke it not amisse to renew your remembrance with the death of some few of the Noble Science, because I haue knowne their ends, and first, to beginne with that one of master Turner, which should be the last, he did not so speedily kill Iohn Dun, with a thrust in the eie, but he was as soone murthered afterwards, with a shotte of a Pistoll; for neither of them, after they had their deaths wound, spake one word; loe, by this you may see, that some hawkes are but a flight, and some horses are killed with a tournie, and a man is but a shotte; but now, by reason that Master Turner, by his own vnluckie hand, thrust out two or three eies, and because none others are knowne to doe the like, it hath therefore bred an admiration in the ignorant and vulgare sort, insomuch, that generally they doe applaude him with this commendation, saying that hee hath not left the like behinde him, nor neuer will be the like againe: But this is a great errour in thinking so, and farre deceiued are they; for I well knew Maister Turner by familiar acquaintance, and therefore (to speake the right) he was a worthy fellow and deserued well, but yet I know many which can goe so neare the eie as euer he could doe, if they solisted, as in this booke you shall see many false thrusts at seuerall weapons, which may
endanger
endanger any mans eies, if those which learne them doe carry enuious mindes, or if they were desirous to worke a man such a mischiefe, but God forbid that any man should be so ill minded. I will not say, but that by chaunce such a thing may be done, and so it may bee that Maister Turner did it more by chaunce, without any intention; for so some do iudge of it: but if a man choppe a thrust at the face, yet by chaunce, he may hit the eye: for no man is certaine, that with the first thrust he will hit the eie, but with proferring many, by chance he may; now the vse which we ought to make of this, is, to aduise all men to take heed that they beare not a killing heart, for then we shall haue no killing hand, as that example more of Henry Adlington for killing his Maister Iohn Deuell, was hanged: Furlong he drunke a pint of Aquavita at one draught, and he fell downe and died presently: Westcoat, for some vnkindnesse receiued of his owne daughter, he went into a wood neare Perine in Cornewall, and there hanged himselfe: Richard Caro, hee dies most miserably of the French disease in an old house neare Plimouth, although he had a new suite of clothes from toppe to toe, yet hee was so loathsome a creature, that no bodie would let him harbour in his house, for part of his body was rotten and stuncke aboue ground: also old Carter of Worcestor lay a long time sicke of a lingering disease, and being worne away to nothing but skinne and bones, hee died in his bed: and so of many more I could write, but it is not my intention to write a Chronicle, and therefore these few shall serue for this time, I wrote it but onely to put you in minde, that you may so leade your liues daily and hourely, as if Death were euen at your heeles, and so to liue as though you should liue for euer, alwayes keeping something for a rainie day, as saith the Proverbe, that is to say, for sicknesse, if God doe send it, and for olde age when your aking bones doe refuse to performe that labour which the heart is willing to set them to.
Therefore I would wish euery one, in his youth, to prouide and get himselfe a homely home, and to settle in one good towne or other, for a rowling stone gathereth no Mosse; the Grashopper cannot liue but in the grasse, and the Salamander dieth if hee goe out of the fire: therefore, spend not thy time in trauell from place to place, but keepe they homely home, and there beginne thy spending as thou maiest continue, cutting thy coate according to thy cloth, and not spending all at one time, and haue nothing at an other to serue thy turne, as many of all Professions do.
Where-
Wherefore, you yong branches of this noble Art of Defence, of you I meane to speake, and vnto you I doe make this earnest request, that you will bestow all your idle time, which too many spend in idle companie, and in drunkennesse, such ill spent time, I could wish, that it were either bestowed in reading of good bookes, or in giuing good counsell vnto such yong men as doe frequent your company, teaching them besides skill with weapons, how to manage their weapons, and how, and whento appoint the field, but not vpon euery drunken quarrell, and chiefly of all, charging them from profaning the Sabboth day, drunkennesse, and all other vicesbelonging thereunto, which makes their white soules so blacke as incke, stinking before God as it were the smoake of sulphure and brimstone: and thus doing will purchase you, not onely the loue of God, but likewise of all the world, and your good report will be in euery mans mouth, yea it will goe before you in your trauells, like as with an Herauld of Armes, or else like a speedie Poste, ouertake you wheresoeuer you goe, whereas on the contrary side, those which doe spend their dayes in drunkennesse, and leading their liues lasciuiously one misfortune or other happeneth vnto them, eyther by the lose of a limbe, or by the losse of an eie, or by the losse of their liues.
For I haue knowne many very skilfull men not only of this Profession, but likewise of others, which delight in vngodlinesse, drunkennesse; and being put to triall in their Art or Profession, they haue receiued disgrace and lost the day, and they afterwards haue thought that they made a good excuse, in saying that they were in drinke when they went about their businesse, and yet it may be that it was not so, but admit it was so, then is it meere madnes, that any man should be so foolish in taking too much drinke when before hand he knoweth this is the day, whereinI am to stande vpon my credite; now because I know, that many will reade this beside those vnto whom it is dedicated: therefore I wish all men, of what Profession soeuer, to make this reckoning (as aforesaid) euery day, and notto be forgetfull of that which hee should chiefly remember; for euery day one time of the day or other thou mayst be put so to thy shifts, and thereby haue an occasion to sommon vp all thy wittes, and driuen to vse thy best skill, and yet all little enough to serue thy turne.
Wherefore vnto you which this any way may concerne, I wish you to apply your selues vnto your Profession, and still to be studying and practising the true and perfect rules belonging both to the true and false
play,
play, especially vnto such weapons as you are not growne vnto the full perfection before hand, if they may serue eyther for the warres or for single combate.
Be not wise in thine owne conceit, in thinking that thou hast learned all the skill whcih is possible to be learned already, farre deceiued art thou if thou thinke so, for if ihou (sic) liue till thou art olde, yet thou mayest learne still, for one guard crosseth another, and the false play crosseth the true play; there are many secret slippes and guards to be inuented, and one guard or one tricke may more steade thee, and more preuaile against some men then another; for when with plaine play, thou canst not endanger thy enemy, yet with false play thou mayest h t (sic) him, for although thy enemy doe know the defence of some manner of false play, yet it may be he is not acquainted, neither with the defence nor offence of thine, for there is more wayes to the wood then one, and hee which knoweth many wayes, may goe the nearest.
Euen so, he that knoweth many guards, and the true skill at many weapons may be better able to answere any stowt bragging forreiner or stranger when they come with their challenges into our country, let them be of what nation soeuer, and at what weapons they will, an vpon what tearmes they dare, as hitherto they haue beene sufficiently answered during my time, by Maister Mathews, Maister Turner, Maister Bradshaw, and Maister Yates; for these chiefly stoode to stake against all commers, and yet I can not chuse but remember Maister Church and Maister Brentley, who of this latter time hane (sic) deserued to be well reported of, and for aught that I could euer heare or see anie get at any of their hands, they haue small cause to bragge of their winning, for they alwayes went away with shrewd shrubs and knockes. I meane with blacke eyes, broken shinnes, or crackt pates; but of my selfe I will say little, because the world is sufficiently satisfied of more then at this time I meane to write of now, although the ignorant can not answer them for want of skill and iudgement, yet they will reioyce and clap their hands to see them answered by sufficient and able men of valour and iudgement.
Now if any should aske my reason, why some should haue such good fortune, and othersome disgraced, and yet by the worlds iudgement their skill equall; because you shall not muse long about it, I will quickely tell you my opinion, good gouernement and good carriage is the maine point
thereof,
thereof, yet me thinkes amongst the vulgar sort I beare some say, because two or three famous fellowes are dead, that there will neuer be the like againe: but farre deceiuved are they which thinke so, for there hath not been so good, but there may come so good againe: for as yet I neuer knew any man but he hath mette with his match, and therefore I wish euery one not to presume one steppe the higher, for any gift that God bestoweth on thee, neither to thinke they selfe better then any man, though there are some which, for want of discretion, will disable others, onely to magnifie themselues, and thinking thereby to make the world beleeue there is none so good as they. Loe, this is the cause of many quarrells, and sometimes murthers: Therefore speake not euill behinde the backe of anie man; nor dispraise no mans play nor workemanship, be it neuer so simple, doe not like other Tradesmen, which cannot liue one by another, but with a kinde of grudging hatred, as the Hatter against the Hatter, the Shoomaker against the Shoomaker, and the Tailer would euen hang the Tailer by his good will, and so of all Trades the like; but I would gladly wish it otherwiseof all Trades, but especially of this Profession, to be louing and kinde one to another, meeting together in their trauells, and like Birds of a feather holde together, and in brotherly loue embrace one another, and let it not be from the teeth outward, but from the heart inward, for you shall haue many others which will vndermine you, and creepe into your secrets, and so runne betwixt one another with tattling tales, onelie to set you together by the eares, and then laugh at you when they haue done: Loe, thus an euill tongue is the cause of many a mans death: wherefore leaue and forsake all euill vices, though you feare not man in respect of your manhoode, yet feare to offend God for doubt of his iudgements, which vndoubtedly lighteth vpon all those that carelessly forget him.
For, as the greatest honour that euer came to man, was through skill in weapons, and the greatest downe-fall that euer came to man, was through pride of his manhoode, and in neglecting his duety towardes God: wherefore, as you worthily carrie the stile or title of Maisters of Defence by your Profession, then be the same you seeme to be, I meane, neuer leaue studying and practising till you come to the ground, and vntill you haue sounded into the deapth of your Art, for there are manie other principall points belonging to the warres, besides, march, troupe, charge, and stand; euen so vnto a Maister of Defence belongeth the
skill
skill of many other weapons, besides backe-sworde, sword and dagger, rapier and dagger, and the staffe: for, if hee bee not prouided with the skill of many other weapons, hee may be to seeke of his defence, if hee should be challenged vnto some other weapons which hee is vnacquainted withall.
Then hee is not worthie to be called a Maister of Defence, which cannot defend himselfe at all weapons, especially against euerie ordinarie man not professing the Art of Defence, nor except hee can play with a Lyon, as well as with a Lambe, and sometimes againe to play the Lambe so well as the Lyon; for hee that can not tell when to spare, and when to strike; and hee which cannot defend himselfe, cannot teach others to defend themselues, nor is hee not worthy to be called a Maister of Defence, but he that can doe it is worthie of that title; and therefore greatly wronged of them which will call such a one a Fencer, is as much as betweene a Musitian and a Fidler, or betwixt a Merchant and a Pedler; it will not please a Merchant to be called Pedler, yet the Merchant selleth the like wares as the Pedler doth: Is therefore a Merchant and a Pedler all one? No more is euery Fencer a Maister of Defence; nor euerie Fidler hath not skill in Pricke-song, and therefore no Musitian; if a man haue but tenne shillings worth of Pinnes, Points, and Inckle, hee may then be called a Pedler, but hee that hath a hundred sortes of wares, shall scarce get the name to be called a Merchant, no more can hee which hath gotten a little more skill at three or foure weapons then euerie common man, yet hee may be to secke of the true skill of many other weapons which belong vnto a Maister of Defence.
Yet one thing more, which I had almost forgotten; vnto Schollers and vnto Vshers of Schooles of this Profession, proffer no wrong to your Maisters neither in word nor deed, nor deny not your Tutors, but beare a heartie loue vnto him which hath brought you from nothing to something, from a shadow vnto a substance; Let not the Priest forget that hee was a Clarke. I haue knowne many Schollers so goode as their Maister, and (it may be) better, according to the Prouerbe, A man may make his owne dogge bite him; but in my minde , such a dogge is worthy of a rope: make the application as you see occasion. For I haue known many an vngratefull knaue escape the gallowes, by the [word obscured] of an honest minded man; yet such a knaue (vpon small or no [two words obscured]
hath
hath afterwards gone about to hang such a friend if he could, euen so, some young lustie Schollers, when they haue gotten perfect skill, for lacke of witte, would offer to wrong their aged Maister, if they could: It is not strange to finde on scabbed sheepe in a whole flocke; nor it is no newes amongest many honest men, to finde a treacherous varlet, voyde of all honestie, feare, and witte. Now hauing no warrantto force you to follow my counsell, but onely in brothely loue, I thought good to request you, and euerie of you, to amend one; and God amend vs all, he I meane, whose Seate is in Heauen, and whose Foote-stoole is the Earth.
Your well-willing friend,
Ioseph Swetnam