Of exercise in generall and what it is. And that it is Athleticall for games, Martiall for the fielde, Physicall for health, prÆparatiue before, postparatiue after the standing exercise: some within daores, for foule whether, some without for faire.

All exercises were first deuised, and so in deede serued, either for games and pastime, for warre and seruice, or for suretie of health and length of life, though somtime all the three endes did concurre in one, sometimes they could not. For why might not an healthfull, and a sound body, both serue in the fielde for a soldiar, and in the sand for a wrastler? But we seldom reade, that the athleticall constitution whose ende was gaming, whose exercise was pastime, whose diet was vnmeasurable for any man to vse, did either deliuer the world an healthfull body, being strained beyond measure, or a courageous soldiar, being vnweildy to fight, as one compounded and made of fat and fog, brawnie and burdenous.

The athleticall and gaming exercises, were in generall assemblies, to winne some wager, to beare awaie the prise, to be wondered at of the world, or to set foorth the solemnities of their festiuall seruice, and ceremonies in the honour of their idoles: or in publike spectacle to adourne and set foorth, the triumphant and victorious shewes, the sumptuous and costly deuises of their princes and states. Wherin we reade, that particular men haue shewed such effectes of strength, and sturring, by the helpe of exercise, and traine, as nature her selfe could neuer attaine vnto, though she furthered the feat, and got her selfe the worst, both by empairing of health, and hastning on of death, thorough straining to much. It is more then marueilous to thinke on, and yet we finde it of verie good recorde, what and how incredible weight, both of liuing creatures, and massier mettal, one mans force hath bene noted to haue borne, by being only vsed to that burthen. Would any man beleue it, if it were not of good writen credit, that one Milo so strutted himselfe, so pitcht his feet, so peysed his bodie, as he remained vnremoueable from his place, being haled at and pulde by a number of people. Actiuitie hath wrought wonders, swiftnesse incredible thinges, and what propertie what not? where nature and ambition were backt with exercise and good will, to do but one thing well.

For the vse of warre, and defence, it is more then euident, that exercise beares the bell: Can one haue a bodie to abide cold, not to melte with heat, not to starue for hunger, not to dye for thirst, not to shrinke at any hardnesse, almost beyond nature, and aboue common reache, if he neuer haue it trained? will nimblenesse of limmes awaie with all labour, surpasse all difficulties, of neuer so diuers, and dangerous groundes, pursue enemies to vanquish, reskue freinds to saue, retire from danger without harme, thrust it selfe into daunger without daunger, where no traine before made acquaintance with trauell? Whervpon called the Romaines their whole armie Exercitus, but bycause it consisted of a valiant number of exercised and trained men? which were not to seeke at a sudden, bycause they had vsed armes before? how could common weales where the territory was but small, and the enhabitantes few, haue still deliuered themselues from mightier assailantes, then they seemed defendantes? or in continuall threates, of ieleous neighbours, how could they still haue kept their owne, if that small territorie, had not bene thoroughly employed, and that petie paucitie gallantly trained? wherby it was able for hardnesse and sufferance to abide what not? For actiuitie and manhood, to haue mastered whom not? or at the least had good meanes, not to receiue any foile, where onely the huger number, and the vntrained multitude, were to trie the masterie in fielde against them?

For health it is most manifest that exercise is a mighty great mistresse, whether it be to confirme that which we haue by nature, or to procure that which we haue not by nature: or to recouer that by industrie, and diligence, which we haue almost lost, by misfortune and negligence. The exercises which do serue to this healthy end, do best serue for this my purpose, and though an healthfull body be most apt and actiue, both for gaming to get wagers, and for warring to winne victories, yet in my exercises, I neither meane to dally with the gamester, not to fight with the warrier, but to marke which way I may best saue studentes, who haue most neede of it: being still assailed by those enemies of health, which waxe more eager and hoat, the more weake and cold that exercise is.

This exercise of ours by forme of definition, is said to be a vehement, and a voluntarie stirring of ones body, which altereth the breathing, whose ende is to maintaine health, and to bring the bodie to a verie good habit. Doth not exercise at this her first entry offer to performe so much as I did vndertake for her? health of the body, and an healthy habit of all the limmes: which two effectes, bycause they be good, who doth not desire them? and being got by exercise, why is it not in price? and being reducible to order, why should it not be in traine? They that write of exercise, make three degrees in it, wherof they call the first a preparatiue, in Greek pa?as?e?ast????, the next simply by the name of exercise ????s??? the third a postparatiue, in Greek ?p??e?ape?t????. The preparatiue serued, not to passe rudely, and roughly into the maine exercise, without qualifying the bodie by degrees before, bycause sudden alteration workes ill disposition. The postparatiue or apotherapeutike followeth the maine exercise, to reduce the body by gentle degrees, to the same quietnesse in constitution, wherin it was, before it was so moued. Which two pointes bycause they rest most in the maisters consideration, which is to ouersee the traine, I commit them to his care: so to applie his cunning as he shall see cause in exercising his charge. And yet herein I entend to helpe him, when I shall handle the circunstances which direct exercises.

The third degree, which is enclosed betwene these two, is that same exercise, which I praise so much, and vpon whom the other two waite, wherof, as writers make to many, and to finely minced distinctions, so I make account but of one at this time, wherof I do make two braunches, or spieces, the one to be vsed within dores, and the other abroade, that whether the weather be faire or fowle, the exercise in some kinde may neuer faile.