Of leaping.

Leaping should seeme to be somewhat naturall, and chearfull, bycause at any pleasant or ioyefull newes, not onely the hart will leape for ioye, but also the body it selfe will spring liuely, to declare his consent, with the delited minde, and that not in young folkes alone, but also in the elder, whom we commonly say that no ground can hold: so that leaping seemes to stand the body in such a steade for vttering of ioy, as the tongue serues the minde to deliuer her delite by speche with laughter. The cattell and brute beastes bewraie their contentment, and well liking, by the selfe same meanes, leaping and galloping of them selues in their pasture when they be lustily disposed and in good health. Though in training of the bodie by waye of exercise, there be not so much regard had to the mirth of the minde, as to the motion of the bodie: and yet being an exercise it may not be vnpleasant. In which kinde it is noted to be vehement, wherein both strength is vsed to make the body spring, and swiftnesse to make it nimble: being naturally an interrupted race, as running is a continued leape. It serued the olde world in game for brauerie, and shew of actiuitie: in warfare to skip ouer diches and hard passages, in Physicke for an exercise of health, whereby it became more stately and imperiall, bycause the first famous Romain Emperor Augustus CÆsar,34 being troubled with the Ischiatica and stone in his bladder, and also hauing some weaknesse in his left legge and feet, vsed this running leape, or leaping race to helpe himselfe thereby. There be diuers kindes of leaping wherof I will tuch the most likely.

1. Leaping and springing without intermission is good to encrease the naturall heat, to helpe digestion, to dispatche raw humours, though afterward it anoie the head and brest, bycause it shaketh the head verie vehemently: and by reason of much bending and so pressing the backe, it oftimes breaketh some canall in the breast or lungues. 2. To leape running is good for such diseases of the head, as haue troubled it long. It helpeth the bulke, bycause it vseth no violent bending, nor pressing of the bodie, it fetcheth downe such needeles fumes, as otherwise would haue ben aspiring vpward: it chearisheth weake legges: which prosper not by nurriture, thorough some trembling and benummed flesh. 3. Leaping as we do commonly call it and vse it, doth driue idle superfluities downward thoroghly, but bycause it shaketh the bulke to sore, both by to violent mouing and to forcible strayning, it is not good for it: though it shew a verie deliuer and an actiue bodie: both to stirre and to do anything else. It driueth also the stone from the kidneies into the bladder: yet it hurteth the knees by reason of violent and continuall bending them. The Lacedemonian wymen, whose picture Callimachus the painter, for his foolish curiosity named ?a???e???te????, as Plinie35 reporteth, vsed to leape so, as their heeles did hitte their hippes, which manner of leaping doth both purge and drie. But me thinke I here some gentlewymen saye, fye vpon them Rigs. Not so. The lawes and custome of their countrey did allow, nay did commaunde them to runne, to leape, to wrastle, and to do all such exercises, both as well, as men, and also with men. Their reason was. They did thinke the childe lame of the one side, whose mother was delicate, daintie, tender, neuer stirring, neuer exercising, not withstanding, the father were neuer so naturally strong, neuer so artificially trained. And to preuent that infirmitie in their owne youth, they exercised their wymen also, no lesse then their men. As _Plato_36 wisheth his people in his common weale, which he patterneth for the best. _Skipping_ againe the banck, as it helpeth the hippes, so it hurteth the breast: and the same downhill cleareth the head from superfluities, which it fetcheth downward: It strengtheneth the legges, but it shaketh the bowelles to sore, which is very dangerous, for ruptures anywhere: for the crooked swelling veines in the legge: for all gouttes: for all those, in whom the humours vpon any small occasion will fall downe to the feete: and cause them to swell.37 Further in cases where it were good to let blood or to purge, if either yeares or some other impediment wil admit neither, to auoide superfluous humours, _leaping_ will supply the roome. As it is verie ill for those which pisse blood: or be in a flixe: or haue weake or ouerheated kidneies: or that haue at that time, or not long before had, some gaule or exulceration in the kidneies. And yet though the kidneies be sound, eaping will sometime loose a veine. Eche kinde of _leaping_ is better accomplished by holding of some weight in the hand for steddinesse, then with the hand emptie and without his ballace.