THE
INDVCTION
.
SOme
hold
opinion
that
Skill
auayleth
little
or
nothing
in
fight
;
and
therefore
so
soone
as
they
shall
see
this
Title
,
will
cast
away
the
Discourse
,
as
an
vnprofitable
Argument
.
Hee
that
is
the
most
obstinate
enemie
to
himselfe
,
in
reiecting
the
benefit
of
skill
,
must
needes
confesse
it
no
vaine
Exercise
,
if
the
aptnesse
and
facilitie
be
onely
thought
on
,
to
which
the
actiue
practise
of
it
brings
the
body
,
and
enables
it
for
enduring
in
fight
.
But
to
the
point
of
materiall
vse
.
Of
such
mens
vnderstandings
I
would
know
how
comes
it
(
then
)
that
an
ignorant
handler
of
a
Weapon
meeting
with
an
ordinarie
Professor
of
Defence
at
Foyles
,
can
neyther
certainely
giue
offence
,
nor
auoid
it
.
They
will
answere
mee
,
that
at
blunt
,
a
man
comes
boldly
on
,
and
is
not
troubled
with
any
such
considerations
,
as
at
sharpe
must
of
necessitie
disorder
his
remembrance
,
and
put
him
out
of
fight
.
To
that
,
thus
;
All
rules
(
indeed
)
must
admit
some
exceptions
:
heat
or
cold
may
some-what
distract
a
fighter
;
heate
in
casting
him
too
forwardly
vpon
a
danger
:
coldnesse
in
not
preparing
him
to
follow
an
aduantage
of
offence
,
yet
these
come
neuer
wholy
to
preiudice
the
vse
of
skill
:
for
,
speaking
of
such
an
heate
as
alwayes
fals
vpon
this
perill
;
wee
must
not
vnderstand
it
to
be
simply
that
heat
needfully
belonging
to
courage
;
for
then
it
is
an
orderly
Vertue
,
and
loseth
no
strength
eyther
borne
with
it
,
or
taught
it
;
but
it
must
be
forced
vp
into
much
anger
(
which
seldome
happens
in
the
Defendant
,
for
whose
cause
onely
wee
professe
teaching
)
before
it
can
turne
a
man
into
that
weaknesse
.
Where
it
doth
happen
,
it
is
a
kinde
of
madnesse
,
which
(
for
the
time
)
loseth
all
reason
,
as
much
as
that
part
of
skill
:
and
shall
good
aduice
be
altogether
neglected
because
a
madde
man
is
vncapable
of
it
?
Then
touching
Coldnes
,
though
it
be
brought
downe
into
the
very
basenesse
of
Feare
in
one
,
yet
it
is
impossible
to
make
Skill
vtterly
of
no
vse
to
him
.
For
the
gesture
of
the
body
vpon
such
a
danger
,
will
naturally
fall
into
those
motions
that
it
hath
got
by
practise
.
So
that
skill
to
euery
reasonable
man
is
something
a
friend
.
But
when
it
is
entertained
by
one
naturally
of
a
good
temper
,
it
can
by
no
meanes
fall
vnder
any
of
their
Obiections
that
dispise
it
;
for
such
a
man
brings
no
more
fury
,
nor
lesse
assurance
with
him
into
the
Field
,
then
the
Schoole
,
and
therefore
will
haue
as
much
aduantage
of
an
ignorant
man
in
fight
,
as
there
is
difference
betweene
them
in
practise
.
To
exemplifie
this
,
you
may
read
of
one
Coranso
,
a
Noble
man
,
who
from
two
and
twenty
Duelloes
returned
Conquerour
:
Being
demanded
the
reason
by
some
that
considered
the
equalitie
of
his
aduersaries
in
shew
,
and
the
vncertaine
chances
of
the
field
:
hee
answered
,
Strength
,
Length
,
Courage
,
Temper
and
Cunning.
So
he
concluded
Nature
in
Art
,
and
attributed
the
managing
of
those
parts
hee
was
borne
with
,
to
the
abilitie
of
those
hee
was
taught
.
Since
therefore
that
the
Science
of
Defence
is
vnderstood
to
be
a
profession
of
vse
,
it
followes
to
examine
the
defects
of
Teachers
,
and
to
resolue
vpon
the
worth
of
the
knowledge
:
which
followes
immediately
after
our
Definition
.
The
Definition
of
the
Science
of
Defence
,
with
the
parts
thereto
required
.
THE
Science
of
Defence
is
an
Art
Geometricall
,
wherewith
the
body
is
guarded
with
a
single
or
double
weapon
from
wrong
of
the
Offender
,
or
the
greatest
disaduantage
of
his
Offence
.
The
Parts
thereto
required
are
Strength
and
Iudgement
.
Vnder
Strength
are
comprehended
swiftnesse
of
motion
and
quicknesse
of
Eye
:
where
abilitie
is
without
perfection
of
these
,
it
is
but
a
supply
of
defects
,
drawne
from
the
Iudiciall
part
or
Iudgement
.
Vnder
Iudgement
fall
the
considerations
of
Time
,
Place
,
and
Distance
.
It
hath
seemed
to
many
that
there
is
no
certainty
in
this
Science
,
which
granted
,
it
must
lose
his
tytle
;
in
whose
behalfe
wee
cannot
but
with
great
reason
auerre
,
that
as
the
body
is
punctuall
,
so
it
hath
a
iust
circumference
in
the
hands
and
feet
,
which
to
defence
and
safeguard
thereof
,
runne
in
an
equall
line
,
which
extended
with
strength
in
a
iust
proportion
,
make
the
body
the
same
as
the
Poynt
is
in
Circle
,
vntoucht
or
impossible
to
be
violated
.
To
them
that
obiect
Example
against
Knowledge
,
in
that
none
or
few
,
haue
euer
attained
this
height
of
assurance
,
I
can
make
no
other
answere
,
then
argue
from
their
owne
Schoole
,
and
say
,
that
none
or
few
,
in
disputation
,
euer
gaue
satisfaction
without
some
doubt
,
therefore
Logicke
is
no
Art
of
true
disputing
.
True
it
is
,
all
Arts
and
Sciences
haue
their
iust
and
absolute
bound
,
to
which
though
in
the
speculatiue
part
or
Theorie
,
many
haue
arriued
,
none
euer
did
in
practise
.
Since
as
in
those
of
words
,
many
subtilties
and
nimble
inuentions
oppresse
and
wrest
the
best
expositions
:
so
in
those
of
exercise
of
the
body
,
the
inequalitie
of
place
,
as
the
slipping
of
ground
,
dazeling
of
sight
,
many
times
disorder
the
best
and
surest
way
of
Defence
and
Knowledge
.
Wherefore
though
by
the
weaknesse
of
mans
casuall
nature
,
wee
can
promise
to
our
Scholler
no
positiue
securitie
,
yet
the
imperfection
in
the
learner
,
makes
the
Art
no
whit
lesse
certaine
or
singular
.
To
those
that
reiect
the
Science
,
because
they
cannot
promise
themselues
supreame
excellence
,
is
to
reiect
the
study
of
Physicke
,
because
hee
cannot
be
a
Galen
,
or
a
Paracelsus
;
or
if
any
shall
from
the
fall
of
some
man
of
the
sword
(
as
our
word
men
tearme
them
)
by
the
vnskilfull
arme
of
some
rude
assailer
,
contemne
our
instruction
,
I
would
haue
such
a
youth
turne
Muletor
,
because
Ventidius
that
rubd
Asses
,
came
to
be
Consull
,
and
Valerius
Cato
the
Grammarian
became
a
hackney-man
:
Fortune
not
Science
herein
is
to
be
blamed
.
Notwithstanding
,
that
the
excellence
of
this
Science
may
not
want
Example
;
I
cannot
forget
the
memorable
perfection
of
the
two
Romanes
Bythus
and
Bacchus
,
who
hauing
fought
eighteene
seuerall
Combats
or
Duelloes
,
returned
both
without
hurt
,
and
at
the
last
were
both
,
at
one
Passage
,
runne
through
and
slaine
,
leauing
no
place
to
Iudgement
,
that
could
giue
preeminence
to
eyther
:
wherevpon
it
became
a
Prouerbe
in
Trials
of
equalitie
,
B●thus
contra
Bacchum
.
But
I
haue
digrest
too
farre
In
magnis
rebus
voluisse
sat
est
;
In
high
matters
it
shall
suffice
to
sit
in
Phabus
Chayre
,
though
wee
cannot
runne
his
full
dayes
iourney
:
wherefore
wee
returne
againe
to
handle
the
parts
deriued
,
which
make
to
approue
our
Definition
;
the
Eye
and
the
Foote
.
That
which
wee
call
Strength
,
is
not
onely
a
Bucke-beating
abilitie
of
the
arme
;
for
the
point
,
to
which
all
vse
of
weapon
is
now
with
great
reason
reduced
,
is
not
so
blunt
but
small
force
makes
it
enter
:
neither
in
Longe
or
Passage
is
the
force
required
so
much
as
shift
of
body
,
to
which
the
Eye
must
like
a
faithfull
Centinell
giue
warning
,
and
the
Feete
nimbly
giue
performance
:
for
if
the
Eye
faile
in
perceiuing
opportunitie
,
or
the
Feete
in
taking
it
,
in
vaine
is
the
force
of
arme
:
on
these
two
then
we
ground
Abilitie
,
to
which
the
Iudgement
giues
the
crowne
or
conquest
.
Now
for
Iudgement
,
as
wee
said
before
,
Time
must
be
obserued
when
,
Distance
where
,
Place
how
.
Occasion
of
Time
and
Distance
may
seeme
faire
to
the
eye
,
yet
the
Place
may
iustly
barre
it
.
As
where
open
way
is
giuen
to
a
Passage
with
aduantage
,
the
incertaintie
of
footing
may
cast
you
too
forward
,
and
disorder
your
weapon
by
vnsetled
motion
.
Againe
,
Place
and
Distance
may
both
draw
you
on
,
yet
Time
may
promise
by
letting
slip
that
occasion
,
some
opener
way
to
greate
aduantage
:
for
vpon
euery
sleight
●●●ing
of
the
arme
,
it
is
better
to
make
offer
of
hurt
to
that
pa●the●
our
home
for
such
prof●
many
times
drawes
the
aduersary
to
a
Guard
,
that
neglects
a
〈◊〉
of
more
deadly
danger
.
Last●
●m●
and
●ac●
may
both
succeed
to
your
wishes
,
yet
Distance
〈◊〉
●ustly
checke
your
resolution
:
〈…〉
obseruation
more
then
〈…〉
the
Iudgement
required
,
which
being
from
our
purpose
to
set
downe
i●
figure
,
I
referre
you
to
the
laborious
worke
of
Gio●an
de
Gras●
the
Italian
,
who
handles
this
●o●
a●
large
and
hath
tooke
vp
much
ground
in
the
expression
thereof
.
Thus
much
for
our
speculatiue
〈…〉
Science
,
wherein
I
know
〈◊〉
●a●
disagree
with
me
which
I
could
not
omit
to
set
downe
,
because
it
makes
to
the
honour
of
the
worthy
Professors
of
this
Science
,
whom
I
desire
the
courteous
Reader
by
no
meanes
to
imagine
that
I
am
so
ignorant
to
meane
,
where
any
question
is
made
of
their
sufficiencie
in
this
Booke
:
for
I
dare
boldly
affirme
,
for
generall
Weapons
no
Country
can
afford
more
able
and
sufficient
professors
then
this
our
owne
in
their
performance
;
whose
teaching
I
will
not
dispraise
,
if
it
come
not
within
compasse
of
these
following
Taxations
,
which
by
way
of
Objection
and
Resolution
,
I
presume
,
I
haue
made
apparantly
worthy
of
censure
to
all
indifferent
practisers
.