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dust_n whereas_o on_o the_o other_o side_n the_o valiant_a and_o gallant_a mind_a man_n although_o they_o die_v yet_o in_o their_o life_n time_n their_o manly_a act_n and_o valiant_a deed_n which_o they_o worthy_o perform_v some_o in_o the_o war_n and_o some_o at_o single_a combat_n and_o some_o at_o other_o honourable_a and_o laudable_a exercise_n whereby_o they_o merit_v to_o themselves_o immortal_a fame_n for_o ever_o for_o to_o some_o no_o exercise_n nor_o weapon_n come_v amiss_o as_o in_o stead_n of_o many_o example_n these_o two_o out_o of_o the_o book_n of_o god_n shall_v be_v sufficient_a david_n with_o his_o sling_n as_o hercules_n with_o his_o club_n and_o samson_n with_o his_o jawbone_n or_o any_o other_o weapon_n which_o come_v next_o to_o his_o hand_n but_o loath_a i_o be_o to_o trouble_v you_o with_o so_o long_a a_o epistle_n or_o preface_n yet_o for_o a_o introduction_n to_o the_o rest_n something_o i_o must_v say_v and_o most_o of_o that_o which_o i_o have_v and_o 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and_o pay_n paul_n account_v all_o fish_n which_o come_v to_o the_o net_n get_v it_o by_o hook_n or_o by_o crook_n some_o out_o of_o judas_n bag_n and_o some_o out_o of_o the_o devil_n budget_n for_o i_o have_v see_v a_o man_n of_o war_n as_o hungry_a upon_o a_o poor_a fisherman_n as_o they_o will_v be_v on_o a_o carioke_n as_o those_o that_o have_v see_v man_n of_o war_n have_v see_v how_o unconscionable_o rufus_n the_o ruffian_n and_o his_o fellow_n have_v deal_v with_o those_o poor_a fisherman_n who_o whole_a estate_n for_o maintenance_n both_o for_o their_o wife_n and_o child_n do_v rely_v upon_o the_o gain_n which_o the_o poor_a man_n by_o great_a pain_n do_v get_v with_o their_o boat_n yet_o so_o hard-hearted_a have_v these_o man_n of_o war_n be_v unto_o those_o poor_a fisher_n that_o neither_o for_o the_o tear_n of_o the_o old_a man_n which_o for_o grief_n will_v beat_v their_o head_n against_o the_o ship_n side_n yet_o neither_o this_o nor_o the_o pitiful_a complaint_n of_o 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as_o many_o kind_a commendation_n as_o it_o be_v possible_a for_o my_o pen_n to_o express_v and_o all_o i_o protest_v with_o true_a love_n from_o my_o heart_n and_o so_o i_o leave_v you_o with_o a_o thousand_o farewell_n to_o you_o all_o your_o everloving_a friend_n joseph_n swetnam_n the_o author_n conclusion_n now_o gentle_a reader_n i_o do_v entreat_v thou_o to_o bear_v with_o my_o rudeness_n i_o be_o no_o scholar_n for_o i_o do_v protest_v i_o never_o go_v to_o school_n six_o month_n in_o all_o my_o life_n nor_o i_o never_o do_v write_v one_o line_n of_o this_o book_n by_o the_o direction_n of_o any_o other_o teacher_n nor_o do_v i_o ever_o ask_v the_o opinion_n of_o any_o other_o professor_n since_o the_o time_n that_o i_o be_v first_o teach_v and_o that_o be_v when_o i_o be_v young_a and_o then_o i_o have_v some_o of_o my_o skill_n in_o london_n and_o some_o in_o other_o place_n where_o it_o be_v my_o chance_n to_o travel_v again_o i_o do_v write_v this_o book_n by_o piecemeal_o 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because_o i_o have_v take_v pain_n in_o hope_n to_o do_v thou_o good_a but_o not_o for_o any_o gain_n i_o protest_v before_o god_n but_o only_a because_o i_o know_v it_o so_o laudable_a a_o exercise_n and_o more_o commendable_a than_o any_o other_o we_o see_v daily_o these_o book_n scoff_v at_o which_o be_v make_v by_o learned_a and_o good_a scholar_n for_o if_o there_o be_v one_o which_o excel_v ten_o thousand_o yet_o every_o one_o will_v not_o speak_v well_o of_o he_o but_o he_o shall_v have_v in_o spite_n of_o his_o tooth_n backbiter_n and_o faultfinder_n much_o more_o myself_o be_v the_o lest_o of_o ten_o thousand_o must_v not_o stab_v every_o one_o which_o will_v speak_v in_o discommendation_n both_o of_o i_o and_o my_o book_n but_o if_o i_o may_v escape_v handwhich_v be_v usual_o contemnor_n of_o such_o laudable_a exercise_n then_o i_o account_v that_o i_o have_v make_v a_o good_a hand_n for_o herein_o i_o have_v show_v but_o my_o own_o opinion_n and_o judgement_n in_o set_v 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myself_o which_o may_v have_v take_v this_o matter_n in_o hand_n because_o many_o of_o they_o be_v more_o fit_a both_o for_o wisdom_n and_o learning_n but_o i_o see_v they_o have_v not_o go_v about_o it_o wherefore_o if_o any_o blame_v i_o for_o show_v my_o good_a will_n i_o hope_v those_o which_o have_v know_v i_o and_o see_v my_o behaviour_n will_v answer_v for_o i_o with_o reasonable_a speech_n against_o those_o which_o object_n against_o i_o no_o if_o reason_n will_v not_o rule_v they_o but_o like_o balaams_n ass_n will_v strive_v against_o weapon_n than_o i_o pray_v you_o refer_v the_o quarrel_n unto_o myself_o and_o let_v i_o answer_v my_o own_o wrong_n which_o i_o have_v do_v they_o herein_o for_o i_o have_v rather_o loose_v my_o life_n in_o defence_n of_o my_o reputation_n and_o credit_n if_o there_o be_v such_o a_o danger_n in_o fight_v than_o my_o friend_n shall_v loose_v one_o drop_n of_o blood_n in_o my_o quarrel_n therefore_o while_o i_o be_o live_v wrong_v i_o not_o for_o he_o which_o fight_v for_o another_o seek_v his_o own_o destruction_n so_o pray_v you_o if_o i_o have_v offend_v any_o let_v i_o answer_v it_o myself_o while_o i_o be_o live_v for_o when_o i_o be_o dead_a he_o deal_v unchristianlike_a that_o will_v abuse_v i_o and_o so_o i_o rest_v thy_o ever_o to_o help_v thou_o hereafter_o in_o what_o i_o may_v thy_o friend_n joseph_n swetnam_n
practice_v after_o my_o direction_n thou_o may_v a_o little_a the_o rather_o attain_v unto_o that_o perfect_a knowledge_n in_o the_o art_n or_o skill_n with_o thy_o weapon_n have_v a_o able_a body_n by_o agility_n to_o preserve_v that_o skill_n which_o i_o have_v here_o in_o this_o book_n lay_v open_a unto_o thou_o for_o i_o do_v understand_v many_o thing_n which_o my_o body_n be_v not_o able_a to_o perform_v now_o because_o many_o at_o the_o first_o will_v wax_v weary_a in_o their_o practice_n yet_o such_o weariness_n be_v overcome_v by_o often_o exercise_v and_o that_o new_a skill_n once_o obtain_v will_v be_v such_o a_o pleasure_n to_o thou_o waste_v give_v not_o over_o practice_n nor_o reject_v not_o skill_n because_o thou_o can_v not_o be_v a_o master_n of_o art_n or_o a_o doctor_n at_o the_o first_o day_n for_o time_n must_v work_v and_o bring_v all_o thing_n to_o pass_v for_o that_o be_v well_o do_v which_o be_v do_v by_o leisure_n for_o haste_v many_o time_n make_v waste_v that_o it_o put_v all_o weariness_n out_o of_o thy_o remembrance_n now_o until_o thou_o have_v skill_n thou_o must_v not_o think_v it_o a_o toil_n but_o strive_v continual_o to_o overcome_v weariness_n resolve_v this_o with_o thyself_o that_o the_o pain_n will_v be_v nothing_o so_o wearisome_a as_o the_o gain_n of_o skill_n will_v be_v delightful_a and_o comfortable_a unto_o thou_o and_o commendable_a among_o other_o i_o have_v make_v it_o as_o plain_a and_o lay_v it_o as_o open_a as_o i_o can_v express_v by_o word_n because_o i_o will_v have_v every_o man_n expert_a in_o weapon_n consider_v that_o skill_n in_o weapon_n be_v so_o honourable_a and_o so_o precious_a a_o thing_n that_o in_o my_o mind_n it_o may_v be_v prefer_v next_o unto_o divinity_n for_o as_o divinity_n prescru_v the_o soul_n of_o those_o which_o follow_v it_o from_o hell_n and_o the_o devil_n so_o do_v this_o noble_a and_o worthy_a art_n of_o defence_n defend_v the_o body_n from_o hurt_n and_o scar_n of_o those_o which_o learn_v it_o but_o those_o which_o neither_o follow_v the_o one_o nor_o learn_v the_o othet_n the_o first_o fort_n for_o aught_o i_o know_v may_v go_v throw_v fire_n brand_n in_o hell_n and_o the_o second_o sort_n may_v sit_v in_o a_o alehouse_n and_o there_o show_v how_o many_o hurt_n and_o likewise_o tell_v how_o many_o wound_n he_o have_v about_o his_o body_n for_o i_o have_v know_v wany_n brag_v of_o their_o hurt_n and_o in_o my_o conceit_n they_o take_v a_o pride_n in_o that_o they_o have_v stand_v so_o near_o the_o point_n of_o a_o weapon_n whereby_o to_o receive_v wound_n therefore_o they_o be_v willing_a that_o the_o world_n shall_v know_v how_o venturous_a they_o have_v be_v but_o now_o in_o my_o mind_n if_o they_o have_v skill_n they_o need_v not_o be_v hurt_v wherefore_o skill_n be_v not_o only_o available_a to_o preserve_v and_o keep_v the_o body_n without_o hurt_n and_o wound_n but_o also_o the_o use_n and_o practice_v with_o weapon_n do_v drive_v away_o all_o ache_n grief_n and_o disease_n it_o remoove_v congeal_v blood_n and_o break_v impostume_n it_o make_v the_o body_n nimble_a and_o pliant_a it_o sharpen_v the_o wit_n it_o increase_v the_o sight_n and_o procure_v strength_n and_o expel_v melancholy_a and_o cholericknes_n and_o many_o other_o evil_a conceit_n it_o keep_v a_o man_n in_o breath_n in_o perfect_a health_n it_o make_v he_o to_o be_v of_o long_a life_n which_o use_v it_o it_o be_v unto_o he_o which_o have_v the_o perfect_a skill_n in_o weapon_n a_o most_o friendly_a &_o comfortable_a companion_n when_o he_o be_v alone_o have_v but_o only_o his_o weapon_n about_o he_o it_o put_v he_o out_o of_o all_o fear_n and_o in_o the_o war_n and_o place_n of_o most_o danger_n it_o make_v a_o man_n bold_a hardy_a valiant_a and_o venturous_a wherefore_o they_o that_o be_v once_o experience_v in_o the_o skill_n of_o weapon_n will_v afterward_o to_o the_o end_n of_o their_o life_n enconrage_v the_o unskilful_a to_o learn_v still_o consider_v how_o necessary_a a_o thing_n skill_n in_o weapon_n be_v insomuch_o that_o god_n and_o nature_n tolerate_v the_o practice_n of_o this_o skill_n in_o weapon_n which_o be_v here_o mean_v for_o the_o defence_n of_o man_n body_n it_o also_o preserve_v many_o from_o murder_n also_o in_o the_o war_n it_o may_v likewise_o stead_v a_o king_n gentleman_n or_o any_o other_o private_a soldier_n for_o if_o in_o the_o war_n a_o single_a combat_n be_v desire_v as_o that_o of_o goliath_n there_o start_v out_o of_o the_o army_n a_o david_n who_o with_o a_o godly_a valour_n stand_v in_o the_o gap_n for_o the_o good_a and_o preservation_n of_o many_o man_n life_n which_o no_o doubt_n else_o have_v perish_v in_o that_o great_a and_o dangerous_a battle_n therefore_o it_o behoove_v king_n be_v challenge_v by_o their_o equal_n for_o the_o safeguard_n and_o good_a of_o their_o subject_n and_o country_n to_o adventure_v and_o hazard_v their_o own_o life_n in_o hope_n of_o a_o conquest_n so_o that_o thereby_o 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