end these examples with the lamentablest historie that euer penne did write for a more cruell murther was neuer committed of king Richard the third in the Chronicles If this make not your eares tingle yet it may make your heart tremble there may you reade it more at large that after hee had committed his brothers two children to the Tower hee was not contented but would haue the liues of these poore Infants the doers of this hellish and cruell murder were sir Iames Tirrell Miles Forrest and Iohn Dighton these three laying their heads together what manner of execution were best to be vsed in that Tragedie Fearefull visions do haunt a murtherer they concluded in the end to stifle them in their beds in the dead time of the night and so with the cloathes and pillowes which were about them these three murderers pressing them downe vnder the cloaths as aforesaid bereaued them quickely of their liues now after this what a hellish horrour had this King in his conscience yea it so vexed and tormented his spirits that he was neuer well nor at quiet sleeping nor waking for in the night hee would sodainely start out of his bed and goe vp and downe the Chamber like a madde man likewise in the day he neuer thought himself sure but alwayes feared treasons his eies rowling continually about him and oftentimes hee would clappe his hand vpon his dagger when there was no need and afterwards he was vanquished with his enemies and on the other three God shewed his vengeance somwhat in this world For Sir Iames Tirrell was beheaded afterwards at the Tower for treason but not for that matter and Miles Forrest had a consuming and a lingring life for his flesh did rotte away by peece-meale and so miserably died Iohn Dighton liued in great hatred and was abhorred and pointed at of all that knew him and at the last died in great pouerty and misery But I referre you vnto the Chronicle as aforesaid which declares it more at large and so I will goe on a little further to the same effect Though the Law doe spare and not cut off a murtherer so soone as hee hath deserued death yet I say the horrour of his murthering conscience will so bee gnawing at his bloudy heart vntill it hath eaten and consumed him to nothing also the horrible paines of hell will by visions shew and so plainely appeare vnto him still sounding in his eares such a peale that hee many times will thinke that the diuell is come from hell for so long as hee liueth his spirits will be so distempered and affrighted that in the night many times seuerall visions will appeare sometimes spirits with vgly shapes and sometimes a multitude of weaponed Officers russeling in to apprehend him and sometimes the ghost of him which was murthered insomuch that many times hee will sweate for feare with running labouring and striuing to keepe himselfe out of their gripe and in a word afraide he will be in a maner of euery grasse and whereas before he was accounted for a merrie companion is now ouercome with wilde lookes and melancholie thoughts taking no ioy in wealth wife and children Loe this is a life but it is as wearisome as hell vntill death doth catch him for death waiteth vpon a murtherer as a halter doth vpon the stealer as for example of sir Iohn Gilbert euer after the killing of sir Iohn Burrowes of which the world saith it was an honourable quarrell and yet in the night his friends reported that he would sodainely start out of his bed being sore affrighted he knew not at what he liued not many yeares after but yet died in his bedde so likewise master Hely killed captaine Foscue vpon a sodaine quarrel meeting in the streete in Plimmouth yet by the course of the Lawe was acquitted for it but afterwards so long as hee liued hee liued a discontented life and was neuer well in his conscience vntill death tooke him Now all these were but yong men and in the middest of their yeares to the eye of the world either of them might haue liued many yeares longer and yet not haue beene accounted for olde men I could spend much paper and time with a number of examples touching this matter but I will here conclude and leaue the rest to thy daily experience which thine eares may heare and thine eies daily see almost in euery place farre more fearfull examples concerning this former matter the more is the pitty but what becommeth of them after this life is ended may seeme doubtfull but I leaue that to the secret wisedome and power of Almightie God but there is no question to be made of those which leade a wicked and vngodly life but they shall haue a wicked and an vngodly end as on the contrary side those that leade a godly and an vpright life shall make a good and godly end for if a man doe well he shall haue well but if he doe ill he shall haue ill More concerning this matter you may reade towardes the end of the eight chapter following But I thinke it not amisse heere in this place to shew you alitle concerning murthers done in secret for as the Prouerb goeth Murther will not be hidde albeit for a time God doth suffer a murtherer to liue and reigne without apprehension yet in the end he makes the diuell bring foorth his seruant to receiue his wages with shame enough a murther can not be kept still close for the Lord sometimes doth bring a murther to light that hath beene done in secret by the birds of the aire by water by fire by dogges as in briefe by these examples shal plainly be demonstrated It hath beene knowne that a murthered carkasse hath beene throwne into the Sea when it was flowed to the full thereby thinking that with the ebbe he would haue beene carried away but the water being gone the murthered carkasse was found where it was first throwne in Also I knew a woman that was arraigned and condemned for murthering her childe and well she deserued the same for shee cutte the childe into small peeces and then she tooke and threw them vnder a hote furnace where she was a brewing but when she had done brewing and the fire out there was found the peeces of the childe in the ashes so fresh in a maner as it was throwne in Likewise in Worcestershire were two brothers the one a very honest man and by his honest means I and good industry had gotten to himselfe a pretty house and crownes in his purse But his brother being a careless vnthrift and enuying at his brothers prosperous estate yet kept he it to himselfe vntill finding opportunitie one night but they two being in the house together this gracelesse vnthrift forthwith knockt his brother on the head which when hee had done hee cutte off his legges and buryed him vnder the harth in the chimney and layd the stones againe very artificially hoping then that
well but yet I know many which can goe so neare the eie as euer he could doe if they so listed as in this booke you shall see many false thrusts at seuerall weapons which may endanger any mans eies if those which learne them doe carry enuious mindes or if they were desirous to worke a man such a mischiefe but God forbid that any man should be so ill minded I will not say but that by chaunce such a thing may be done and so it may bee that Maister Turner did it more by chaunce without any intention for so some do iudge of it but if a man choppe a thrust at the face yet by chaunce he may hit the eye for no man is certaine that with the first thrust he will hit the eie but with proffering many by chance he may now the vse which we ought to make of this is to aduise all men to take heed that they beare not a killing heart for then we shall haue no killing hand as that example more of Henry Adlington for killing his Maister Iohn Deuell was hanged Furlong he drunke a pinte of Aqua vitae at one draught and he fell downe and died presently Westcoat for some vnkindnesse receiued of his owne daughter he went into a wood neare Perine in Cornewall and there hanged himselfe Richard Caro hee died most miserably of the French disease in an olde house neare Plimmouth although he had a new suite of clothes from toppe to toe yet hee was so loathsome a creature that no bodie would let him harbour in his house for part of his body was rotten and stuncke aboue ground also old Carter of Worcester lay along time sicke of a lingering disease and being worne away to nothing but skinne and bones hee died in his bed and so of many more I could write but it is not my intention to write a Chronicle and therefore these few shall serue for this time I wrote it but onely to put you in minde that you may so leade your liues daily and hourely as if Death were euen at your heeles and so to liue as though you should liue for euer alwayes keeping something for a rainie day as saith the Prouerbe that is to say for sickenesse if God doe send it and for olde age when your aking bones doe refuse to performe that labour which the heart willing to set them to Therefore I would wish euery one in his youth to prouide and get himselfe a homely home and to settle in one good towne or other for a rowling stone gathereth no Mosse the Grashopper cannot liue but in the grasse and the Salamander dieth if hee goe out of the fire therefore spend not thy time in trauell from place to place but keepe thy homely home and there beginne thy pending as thou maiest continue cutting thy coate according to thy cloth and not spending all at one time and haue nothing at an other to serue thy turne as many of all Profession do Wherefore you yong branches of this noble Art of Defence of you I meane to speake and vnto you I doe make this earnest request that you will bestow all your idle time which too too many spend in idle companie and in drunkennesse such ill spent time I could wish that it were either bestowed in reading of good bookes or in giuing good counsell vnto such yong men as doe frequent your company teaching them besides skill with weapons how to manage their weapons and how and when to appoint the field but not vpon euery drunken quarrell and chiefly of all charging them from profaning the Sabboth day drunkennesse and all other vices belonging thereunto which makes their white soules so blacke as incks stinking before God as it were the smoake of sulphure and brimstone and thus doing will purchase you not onely the loue of God but likewise of all the world and your good report will be in euery mans mouth yea it will goe before you in your trauells like as with an Herauld of Armes or else like a speedy Poste ouertake you wheresoeuer you goe whereas on the contrary side those which doe spend their dayes in drunkennesse and leading their liues lasciuiously one misfortune or other happeneth vnto them eyther by the losse of a limbe or by the losse of an eie or by the losse of their liues For I haue knowne many very skilfull men not only of this Profession but likewise of others which delight in vngodlinesse drunkennesse and being put to triall in their Art or Profession they haue receiued disgrace and lost the day and they afterwards haue thought that they made at good excuse in saying that they were in drinke when they went about their businesse and yet it may be it was not so but admit it was so then is it meere madnes that any man should be so foolish in taking too much drinke when before hand hee knoweth this is the day wherein I am to stand vpon my credite now because I know that many will reade this besides those vnto whom it is dedicated therefore I wish all men of what Profession soeuer to make this reckoning as aforesaid euery day and not to be forgetfull of that which hee should chiefly remember for euery day one time of the day or other thou mayst be put so to thy shifts and thereby haue an occasion to sommon vp all thy wittes and driuen to vse thy best skill and yet all little enough to serue thy turne Wherefore vnto you which this any way may concerne I wish you to apply your selues vnto your Profession and still to be studying and practising the true and perfect rules belonging both to the true and false play especially vnto such weapons as you are not growne vnto the full perfection before hand if they may serue eyther for the warres or for single combate Be not wise in thine owne conceit in thinking that thou hast learned all the skill which is possible to be learned already farre deceiued art thou if thou thinke so for if thou liue till thou art olde yet thou mayest learne still for one guard crosseth another and the false play crosseth the true play there are many secret slippes and guards to be inuented and one guard or one tricke may more steade thee and more preuaile against some men then another for when with plaine play thou canst not endanger thy enemy yet with false play thou mayest hit him for although thy enemy doe know the defence of some manner of false play yet it may be he is not acquainted neither with the defence nor offence of thine for there it more wayes to the wood then one and hee which knoweth many wayes may goe the nearest Euen so he that knoweth many guards and the true skill at many weapons may be the better able to answere any stowt bragging forreiner or stranger when they come with their challenges into our country let them be of what nation soeuer and at what weapons they will and
if the Captaine be ignorant then doe the Souldiers march disorderly or if the Pilot bee vnskilfull the ship sailes in danger but as I was about to tell you of a sort of logger-headed asses which further more will perswade their familiar friends by telling them that skill will doe them no good for when they haue learned skill and afterwards when they shall haue occasion to vse their weapons then such dunces will say that skill will be forgoten little thought vpon Also they say that a man with a sword will cut off thy rapier at one blow but I say this is a most cowardly kind of ignorāce for if a skilfull man doe hold the rapier it is not a hundred blows with a sword can doe a rapier any harme no although they light vpon him Therefore those which will perswade any from learning skill with weapons for the defence of their bodies may fitly be compared vnto the false Prophets amongst the Iewes which perswaded them that they should not feare nothing but peace peace peace when the Assyrians were in a readinesse to cut their throats as in the 6 of Ieremy the 14 there you may read it therefore a prouident care ought to bee had as Iehosaphat did when he feared the Moabits to come vpon him 2 Chron. 20.3 Dauid liued securely in Ierusalem and without feare which made him forget God as in the 2. Sam. 11. the whole Chapter is worth the reading doth not the wisest man that euer wrote say that there is a time of war and a time of peace Eccle. 3.8 If a man did know what howre the theefe would come he would surely watch wherefore be aduised to deale wisely but not like vnto Pharaoh for he said let vs deale wisely when he dealt most foolishly Exodus 1.10 and so we will goe on In reading ouer diuers Hystories I thereby vnderstanding the noble acts and also noting the manly mind of these who liued many hundred yeeres agoe whose fame shall neuer dye whereas cowardly dastards which neuer bent their studies in marshall exploits such I say at their death their fame dyeth with them and so they are quickly raked vp in the ashes of forgetfulnesse and buried in the valley of obliuion So that if a man wold goe search for the pedigree of their gentility they shall finde it laid vp in a beggars box or as the Charter of a City written in dust whereas on the other side the valiant and gallant minded men although they dye yet in their life time their manly acts and valiant deedes which they worthily performed some in the warres and some at single combat and some at other honorable and laudable exercises whereby they merited to themselues immortall fame for euer for to some no exercise nor weapon came amisse as in stead of many examples these two out of the book of God shall be sufficient Dauid with his sling as Hercules with his Club and Sampson with his Iaw-bone or any other weapon which came next to his hand but loth I am to trouble you with so long an Epistle or Preface yet for an Introduction to the rest something I must say and most of that which I haue and will say is so necessary as the rest although it be longer then I would but we will now to the matter Then thus by reason of diuers errors which are in sundry mens teaching of this noble arte of defence I therefore being pricked forward by the earnest request of some of my friends to describe the rules of weapons which I by my study haue inuented and by practise brought to perfection and likewise for my countries benefit I meane to better the vnskilfull in knowledge I haue thought it good to open plainly the best grounds which belongeth to our English weapons that are now in vse so far as my simple inuention by great practice hath attained vnto Another reason which moued me hereunto was where some doe find out many hidden secrets which they bury in the earth againe with their bodies or else if they make it known it shall bee to such a faithfull friend as they loue and affect dearely all writers that euer wrote did write either for profit or pleasure some to profit others and some to pleasure themselues and some haue wrote common and necessary things for their owne posterity after them I write but of common things yet not so common as necessary and therefore my meaning is to make my secret study known so plainly as I can vnto all the world for the benefit of many thousand yet vnborne for euery man hath or should haue skill in his weapons the reasons shall follow as occasion shall serue hereafter more at large but as yet I know the greatest number are blinded in an ignorant conceit I meane such as doe thinke to ouercome their enemies if occasion doe serue by quicknesse of the eye or by a kind of valorous resolution which for the auoiding of this and such like abuses I haue here and there put downe sundry reasons in this booke although they be not in order yet take a little paines to seeke them out for I wrote this booke at such leasurable fits as time would permit me now for affection sake some will say it is well done and others againe will say it is reasonable and indifferent and so I pray you let it passe for if I should perceiue it shold goe for starke nought then should I account my time and labor very ill bestowed but yet this I know if it were ten times worse then it is yet would it be welcom to a number of my old friends and familiar acquaintance such as were the cause of this my idle time spending who were earnest with me for the setting foorth of this worke Lo this is the anchor whereon my hope dependeth but yet I make a doubt least that my booke may light into the hands of some enuious mates who neuer knew me yet will not sticke to say vpon the very first fight oh this is such a mans worke I know well enough what hee could doe and yet will not fully giue vp their verdit but onely shake the head with a wry mouth and a smiling countenance throwing it from them and so seeming by their silence that they could further disgrace mee but will not Indeed it is a more easier matter for such to find fault with a part of my booke then to amend the whole but I could wish such learne before they take vpon them to controule but those which are wise and kind will accept of my good will for I haue giuen out this but as a theame let a wiser then I rime vpon it and although it seeme but as it were a glimpse of the noble Art of defence in regard of the substance yet some will perceiue day at a little hole wherefore trauell further in it till you find out the substance like a good Surgion search the wound to the bottome before thou
booke can giue no iudgement of that which enueth then read it ouer and thou shalt not be deluded with the best is behind I hope I may cal this booke a booke without any offence for the collier he calleth his horse a horse and the Spanish Iennet is but a horse Now as this art is called a Noble arte and not so named vnfittingly being rightly vnderstood for there is no art nor science more to bee preferred before this for that there is none that iumpeth in equality nor that matcheth in singularity or that hath so many sundry subtill deuices and ingenious inuentions as this noble art of defence hath Now hee that doth but read of this art yea although he read neuer so much yet without practise and by experience in triall it will be vnperfect for how can perfection be attained but by practise and therfore it also behooueth thee to vse practise with sundry men and so to make vse of the diuersity of each mans skill and then for thy benefit like the wise physition who of many simples maketh one compound or as the bee which by her serious industry gathereth vertue from sundry sorts of hearbs and flowers therof maketh her hony she is not therefore to be condemned of enuy but rather to be commended of all Neither doe I write this booke altogether to profit those inlearning that which they before wanted but only to set them and other willing minds a work which by arte and learning can better swim through such a deepe riuer then I can it should haue been better if my learning had been answerable to my wil yet hoping that the wise will rather winke at small faults then rashly reproue that which may profit the simple for all haue not skill and cunning alike I am perswaded that some will the rather passe it ouer with patience although it be but only for affection to the arte and so hoping that this my worke may bee profitable to all for so it can no way be hurtfull to none but if you chance to meete with this booke after he hath serued out the apprentiship of seauen yeeres if God grant me life so long you shall see him in double apparell and then you shall haue iust cause to say that his master hath fulfilled his couenants for I wish all men well and euery one an increase of skill in all laudable and profitable arts or sciences and so with this long entry into a little parlor I leaue you to him whose seate is in heauen and whose foot-stoole is the earth And rest Thine in the Lord Ioseph Swetnam ¶ Vnto all Professors of the Noble and worthie Art of Defence I send greeting MOst noble brethren by profession and brethren in Christ by Religion wishing all health and happines to all them of the noble Art or Science of Defence and as your profession is noble so in brotherly loue I doe earnestly request you all to vse it in that noble fashion as the name or title requires the rather for because you are men not onely noted and talked of but often looked on and more pointed at then any other ordinary men are of what profession soeuer Also it is the worlds wonder to set a man of ciuill gouernement vsing this profession herefore I pray you consider with me alittle that we are as a Beacon set on a hill or like a candle in a candlesticke then let not your candle be made with a great wike and no tallow but let him be so mixt with both that your light may so shine before men that they seeing your discreet gouernement and good behauiour may by your good examples reforme many ill infirmities which they see in themselues Alas I pray you consider and remember that as the tree groweth so he falleth we are not borne for our selues but for our Countrie and if we doe no good though wee doe no harme then better it were that wee had neuer beene borne The figge tree in the Gospell is said to trouble the ground because he bare no fruite and therefore better an addle Egge then an ill Bird for a good and a godly life hath a good and a godly end and an vngodly life hath an vngodly end and therefore most happie dieth that man of whom the world doubteth not of his saluation although the world is giuen to speake well and charitably of the wicked when they are dead and yet it may be they thinke in their mindes they are gone to hell then call to minde and wisely consider of this and also of your end and in what great ieopardie your liues stand for he that to day is well lustie and strong may the next day nay the next houre haue his life taken sodainely from him at vnawares when he least thinketh on is for many of this profession doe not liue out halfe their daies for there is many waies to bring a man to his end some by quarrelling when they haue no cause and so are stabbed sodainely and some by drunkennesse as you shall heare anone for I could write of many which came to their ends and yet died not all in their beddes nor all in the warres nor all at the gallowes and yet many of them haue gone these waies for there are wicked and euill angells which are the wayters and doe attend vpon an vngodly life for Death respecteth no maner of person for be doth assault the skilfull so well as the ignorant the wise so well as the foolish and therefore it is good for euerie man to bee prepared and in a readinesse and then hee neede not to feare to say Come Lord Iesus come quickely to day or to morrow or when thou wilt and with what manner of death soeuer so it come by thine appointment And now for examples sake I thinke it not amisse to renew your remembrance with the death of some few of the Noble Science because I haue knowne their ends and first to beginne with that one of maister Turner which should be the last he did not so speedily kill Iohn Dun with a thrust in the eie but he was as soone murthered afterwards with a shotte of a Pistoll for neither of them after they had their deaths wound spake one word loe by this you may see that some hawkes are but a flight and some horses are killed with a tournie and a man is but a shotte but now by reason that Maister Turner by his vnluckie hand thrust out two or three eies and because none others are knowne to doe the like it bath therefore bred an admiration in the ignorant and vulgare sort insomuch that generally they doe applaude him with this commendation saying that hee hath not left the like behinde him nor neuer will be the like againe But this is a great errour in thinking so and farre deceiued are they for I well knew Maister Turner by familiar acquaintance and therefore to speake the right he was a worthy fellow and deserued
saying I haue killed a far better man than thy selfe such like words will he say with a brazen face and a stony heart lifted vp with the pride of his manhood for he that is a murtherer doth thinke that he is the best man in the world especially if he escape the gallowes so long vntill he hath killed two or three men I haue been my selfe in company with many of them Oh remember how the curse of God fell vpon Cain for murther but I did neuer see any fruit of repentance in them for when they haue past the hands of the pittifull Iudge then they thinke that they are cleered for euer as well in this world as in the world to come and then will they say if they did offend they had the Law for it but I know not how so many of them escape the gallowes there is a Prouerbe saith foolish pitty ouerthroweth towne and Citty I thinke and am verily perswaded that a murtherer is accurst and hated both of God and man yea I am also perswaded that the house is accurst wherein they dwell and the ship wherein they saile at sea mark their end and you shall see that although they passe the hands of men yet God persues them with the hue and crye of his vengeance which followeth them and apprehendeth them and bringeth some of them to one kind of death and some to another as these few examples following shal declare and thou maist consider of them to thy benefit First Sir Iohn Fitz how wickedly and how cowardly did bewith two or three of his men pursue and ouertake Master Stannell as he was riding from Testok in Deuonshire towards his owne house this Master Stannell was beloued both of rich and poore hee was a good and bountifull house-keeper and his vntimely death was lamented of thousands the occasion of the quarrell was as I haue heard because Master Stannell called Sir Iohn Fitz. Tenant for that sir Iohn Fitz his father hid vsed to pay him a matter of two shillings a yeere this was no great cause of quarrel if it had been weighed in the ballance of discretion considering the great loue and familiarity which had continued long time betwixt them the which also was the reason that Master Stannell had not of long time demanded the rent nor did make any reckoning or account of it But then both hauing appointed to meet at a merry making in Testok onely to be merry and there this vnfortunate word tenant proceeded out of Master Stannels mouth which sit Iohn tooke in very great choller Master Sannell perceiuing that hee had mooued him betooke himselfe presently to his horse and riding homewards hauing but only his footman with him before he had rode two miles sir Iohn Fitz with two or three of his men being well horst ouer-tooke Master Stannell and there compassing him about som before him and some behind him most cowardly and desperately murthered him and vpon that sir Iohn fled into France but before one yeere was past his friends procured a pardon for him insomuch that he came home againe and to euery mans seeming was at quiet but the hue and cry of Gods vengeance was in his conscience and three or fowre yeeres after vpon London way there apprehended him as you shall heare for then and there most cruelly and diuelishly he killed his hoste which was a very honest man and afterwards most desperately with his owne hands tooke his rapier and murthered himself yet thus much I can say of sir Iohn Fitz he was a proper man and for the space of thirty yeeres he liued orderly to the gesse of the world for he was well beloued in his country and if he had so continued to the end it had been well but what should I say a man may be an honest man thirty yeers yea forty years and yet be a knaue at the last Another example was that of one Hocket of Pitmouth who looking out at a window and espying one Captaine Robinson comming downe the street and he hauing an old quarrell to the said Robinson which began at sea this Hocket stept to his dore with his rapier ready drawn and standing within his owne house vntill Captaine Robinson was come iust against his door he there without speaking one word ran him through with his rapier and afterwards was cleered by the Iudge of this world but after his comming out of the gayle he went to sea Master in a man of war and within ten dayes after he was gone from Plimoth to sea the first ship they met withall shot but one shot and yet killed this Hocket and no man in the ship killed nor hurt but only this murtherer Likewise in Plimoth one Captaine Treherne and Captaine Egles fell out about nothing in a manner the cause was for that one of them was denied lodging where the other did lie by the good wife of the house for it may bee she affected the one better then the other and two dogs and one bone commonly can neuer agree well together but they fell out about such a trifling matter and at the doore in the streete they fought and in the first bout Treherne was downe in the gutter and Eagles there in presence of many might haue killed him but staied his hand and suffered him to rise againe but then Trehearne assaulted Captaine Eagles most furiously and it so chanced that with a blow Eagles rapier brake and then running into a house to saue himselfe Traherne run him into the backe and killed him and afterwards he receiued his tryall for it but by the mercy of the Iudge he was discharged of that matter After his comming out of the gayle he presently got a crue of twenty eight persons and a ship and went a rouing vpon the coast of France where they were all taken and euery man of them hanged in France now I doe verily perswade my selfe that many of them might haue been liuing at this day if they had not hapned into this murtherers company Also one Bartlet who appointed the field with an other after one bout his enemy requested him to holde his hands that he might breathe which hee consented vnto but as they both stoode still this Bartlet sodainly charged his weapon vpon the other and ranne him through that he died presently and then Bartlet fled and escaped away for the space of seuen yeares but the huy and crie of Gods vengeance followed him insomuch that hee came againe to Plimouth of his owne accord thinking that all was well and forgotten but there he was apprehended and after the law had had his course vpon him Gods vengeance left him not but broght him to Plimouth againe and shortly after another did challenge this Bartlet they both mette in the field and there was Bartlet killed not farre from the place where he had killed the other before and he that killed him fled away and is not taken as yet Now Remember this example to
fellow of his hands and there many will be hewing of bed-postes or table-boords or many such like trickes he will vse then some Cowards will by casting abroad of libels and by night-walking doe many mischieuous trickes onely to reuenge a mallice which they beare in mind because they can not reuenge it manfully and yet a Coward will grieue and fret if iustly hee heare any other to be commended of any man for his manhoode and valour for hee would haue no man better then himselfe And if such a one beare office in Cittie or Towne hee will at no hand abide to heare that a master of Defence should inhabite in the place where he gouerneth Also if any other commend a man that is a man indeed a coward will discommend him saying he is no body or he is not the man you take him for with such like disabling speeches for if a coward cannot disgrace a man with deeds to his face then he will depriue him with words behind his backe Also a coward delighteth to breed quarrells betwixt man and man and to set such as are named to bee men of their hands together by the eares by false reports and by carrying of tales and by making of molehills mountaines of halfe a word a long tale to the hurt of others and no good to themselues and what is the chiefe cause of all cowardly mindes but onely ignorance and want of skill but to conclude neuer trust a coward in his fury nor suffer him not to come neerer then the point of thy rapier and there let him tell his tale but let him haue no aduantage vpon thee by no kind of illusions especially if he be thy professed enemy That he is a coward which practiseth the throwing of a dagger or the darting of a rapier I will not say but he which putteth it in practise vpon a man is a coward for if he kill a man with such a tricke in my mind it is pitty but he should die for it and so I will end with that example of a cowardly murtherer of one Cosbe whose murthering hands by a cousening deuice bereaued the Lord of Burke of his life and as I heard it thus it was a quarrell grew between them and the field was appointed where they both met and being ready to charge each other Cosbe said my Lord you haue spurs which may annoy you therefore if you please put them off and euen as he was vnbuckling of his spurs this cowardly and murthering minded Cosbe ran him through with a mortall wound whereof he died presently Now to my owne knowledge my Lord Burke was very skilfull in his weapons and sufficient to haue answered any man beeing equally weaponed or vpon equall termes therefore hard was his hap to meet with such a cowardly murtherer for his death is lamented of many and Cosby was hanged for it Yet touching this matter here followeth another example as I heard it I will declare it thus there was a murtherer who escaping the pittifully hands of the mercifull Iudge after he had killed two men being taken and apprehended for the third murther and being arraigned before the same Iudge which had before shewed pitty began now to condemne this murtherer and giue the sentence of death and so began to declare to this murtherer that had small grace which could not beware being twice warned but must now kill the third man therefore thou saith the Iudge well deseruest death death thou shalt haue when the murtherer saw that he must die he said thus vnto the Iudge My Lord you doe me wrong to condemne me for the killing of three men for it was you that killed two of them yea said the Iudge how can that be marry thus if you had hanged me for the first I had not killed the other two therefore it is pitty in my mind that a man-slayer should liue to kill two men but to be hanged for the first if it be not in his owne defence or vpon a very good quarrell and so I will strike saile for a while CHAP. XI Questions and Answers Scholler I Haue harkened all this while vnto your discourse the which I like very well of but now I am desirous if it please you to be instructed with some of your skill Master At what weapon are you desirous to learn Scholler Such as you thinke fit for my defence Master Then I hold it necessary for thee to learne the perfect vse of sixe kinds of weapons not that thou shouldest still bee armed with so many weapons but with the skill of them for that will not burthen thee nothing at all for thou maist in trauell by chance meet at sundry times with sundry men which are armed with sundry kind of weapons now if thou bee prouided before hand with skill at such a weapon as by chance thou maist meet withall knowing the danger thou wilt the better preuent the mischiefe Scholler What be the sixe weapons which you would haue me to learne Master The first and two principall weapons are the rapier and dagger and the staffe the other fowre are the back sword the single Rapier the long sword and dagger and the short sword and dagger but with the two former weapons thou maist encounter by skill with any man in the world the rapier and dagger against any weapon of the same length at single hand and with a staffe against any two handed weapon as against the welch hooke two hand sword the Halberd Partisan and gloue or any other weapon of the like aduantage but prouided alwayes thou must be sure armed with skill at those two especially and with all the rest if thou canst for then maist thou bee the bolder to encounter with any man at any of the other if thy enemy charge thee vpon the suddaine with a contrary weapon thou wilt presently know what thy enemy can doe with his weapon which if thou hast no skill in it will seeme the more fearefull vnto thee For if Golias had been experienced in the cunning of a sling hee would not haue condemned Dauid so rashly nor made so light account of him as he did but if thou haue skill with such a weapon as thou art to encounter against it will be nothing troublesome vnto thee for there is no way to hit but there is a way to defend as thou shalt here more at large but first tell me what thou art and thy bringing vp Scholler I was a yeomans sonne and always brought vp idle vnder my father but now my father is dead and that little which he left mee for the most part I haue consumed and spent wherefore I pray you direct me my course by some of your good counsell for I haue little to trust to but only my hands therefore I am willing to learne any thing which may gain me a good report and something beneficiall for my maintenance Master Indeed meanes to liue and a good name withall is more then