Of the circumstances which are to be considered in exercise.

There be six circumstances, which leade and direct all exercises, and are carefully to be considered of, by the trayning maister. For either the missing or mistaking of any one of them, may do harme to more then one, and the vsing of them with circumspection and warynes, doth procure that good to health, which this whole discourse hitherto hath promised.

The sixe circumstances be these, the nature of the exercise which ye entend to vse: the person and body which is to be exercised, the place wherin, the time when, the quantitie how much, the maner how, whereof I do meane to giue some particular aduertisements so as I do finde the learned physicianes, and wise health maisters to haue handled them in their writings, yet by the way least any man either dispaire of the good, and therefore spare the prouing, because the forme of exercise doth seeme so intricate, and there with all to much: or if he be entred in triall, and thinke he shall faile, if he misse in some litle, bycause the charge is giuen so precisely, to keepe al that is enioyned: I wish him not to thinke either the errour vnpardonable, to regard, or the thing vnauailable to health, if either all, or any one of these circumstances be not absolutely hyt. For as a perfit healthfull body is not to be found by enquirie, which is not to be hoped for in nature, bycause in so continuall a chaunge such a perfitnes cannot chaunce, our bodyes being subiect to so many imperfections: so is it no wonder for men to do what they may, and to wish for the best, though still beyond their reach. If any can come neare them, he breakes no right of vse, though he misse the rule of art, which alwaye enioyneth in the precisest sort, but yet resteth content with that which falleth within compasse of ordynarie circumstance. The reason is, art weyeth the matter abstracte, and free from circumstaunce, and therefore hauing the whole obiect at commaundemet, she may set downe her precept, according to that perfitnes, which she doth conceiue: but the execution being chekt with a number of accidentarie occurrences, which art cannot comprehend, as being to infinite to collect, must haue one eye to her precept, and an other to hir power, and aske consideration counsell, how to performe that with a number of lettes, and thwartings which, art did prescribe, either without any, or at the lest, with not so many.