both great and frequent especially if the superficies or top of the water be covered with a frothy scum or any old straw or any other kind of filth that is offensive and adheres or sticks to the head or neck of the Swimmer all these discommodities this circulation drives away immediately and makes the River clear to his sight He that sports upon the water in this manner must have a care of lifting his legg too high lest his head sink in like manner he must beware of striking the water too hard with his feet for it causeth a sound in the water that immediately bringeth the headach for the avoiding of this evil the following circumduction or turning round is most proper viz. SECT XXIV The perpendicular conversion or turning being upright in the water That is called prependicular or straight when a man stands upright in the water his head and body straightly raised gazing upon the standers by and speaking to them with much grace and facility When you stand upright in a deep water you must move your leggs and feet underneath And if you would begin from the right side stirring first the waters with the sole of your feet and your nimble fingers then after the same manner almost must the whole habit and posture of your body incline successively to the left then must you covertly draw as it were the waters to you and strongly too the left hand first attracting or drawing them then the right hand successively receiving them and repelling or beating them back again Consider how much commoditie or profit results to a man from this exercise When as you are in an unknown River or in the vast Ocean if so it please the heavenly Powers being well exercised in this trick lifting up your head above the vast waves you may look out to find the safest shoar and most free from the Enemy to land at Besides if you are escaped out of violent hands and your Enemy prosecute and persecute you with stones arrows or other things of the like nature you may by the help of this perpendicular or straight descent in the twinkling of an eye perceive from whence they come and avoid them Yea farther if you happen to have some controversie or skimish with man or beast in the water stopping or hindering you being erected or raised up in this manner you may fight stoutly and nearly But you must have a care that it be not clayie ground for else it may cost you your life Many other neat and pleasant tricks and Agility are practised in these conversions or turnings that cannot be truely exercised but by those that are expert Artists and have a stout and undaunted courage and he that does them with dexterity and can exercise them all as easily as he can see the Sun all persons will call him Neptunes Nepheus The Captain of the Sea and will never cease filling their mouths with his praise SECT XXV To swim forward with the palms of the hands joyned together This hath deserved the first place because it is most a greeable or like to that simple ordinary way of Swimming on the belly joyning hand and wrists together and contracting or speading them even to the breast Then you must extend or stretch your hands and the palms of them in the forementioned manner and order both thumbs erected or standing up the tops of the fingers partly tending downwards till they come to the very top of all the water The use of this is not onely graceful but beside that if perchance a heap of straw should meet you Swimming that oftentimes causes a great deal of trouble and danger this strong extension or striking out of the hands penetrates or pierceth it immediately and disperseth it on each side 't will help you in the same manner when you fall into any sandy place and makes way for you to get out especially if he have a care of separating or striking his hands too wide the one from the other being in this straight Nor is this ensuing slight impleasing v. z. SECT XXVI Swimming neither on back nor belly 'T is strange any man should swim and yet neither on his back nor belly If you would swim so you must strike forward either with your shoulder Arm thigh or Legg right or left lifted or raised up either on the right or left side and contiguous or touching the top of the water When you swim on your back or belly pressing down the left hand at once but lift up your right side in Swimming and that being extended or stretcht And while you lie thus let your left hand look to the extension not dilating or spreading abroad the motion or pressing it down to the bottom but extending or steering in a straight line and contracting that which lies parallel or level with the water Besides the delight of the mind that the party Swimming hath there is much profit or use for he may swim to any shoar and view it all the time he is Swimming without the motion of either hand or foot 'T is possible SECT XXVII To swim on the belly without the help of either hand And that very easily as you may hear by this following relation The breast being stretched out forward lift up your neck or rather raise it upright casting your hands behind your neek or back being folded together backward striking your self forward with your feet and leggs as you do when you swim the common way on your belly The end of Swimming in this manner and intent is that if the cramp should seize upon any one unluckily or if you be compell'd to betake your self to the water with your hands fettred behind you being in danger of your life one would imagine it more convenient and fit to try this on the back then the belly but it is not because when you swim on your belly you foresee your way and view it all over but when you swim on your back you cannot unless it be by the use of conversion or turning about besides if in Swimming your Arms should be tired that you may the better in this case keep your self up you must swim on your belly and SECT XXVIII Hold your left foot in your right hand Variety much affecteth a learner and this way cannot but be a most delightful one It will be very pleasant and useful for you in Swimming on your belly to lift up your left legg and draw it to your buttocks and stretching forth at the same time your right hand on your bottocks and holding your right foot and that fast striking out still with your left hand and legg together or the contrary This Agility or piece of nimbleness is very useful against the cramp and safe especially if one of the feet be extangled in the weeds for he that is skil'd in this feat can soon pull away the weeds from his feet and break them but if the weeds that grow in the bottom be more thick then
ordinary you must use variety of Swimming and strive and endeavour SECT XXIX To Swim like a Dog Think not this way hard for many do as it were ignorantly fall upon this kind of Swimming that is used by four-footed creatures and are able to bear themselves up so in high water before ever they learn't to swim This you may do if lifting up and depressing or letting down a little both your hands by turns and so likewise your feet drawing the water to you with these and hiding them with these you may leap up as it were first using your right hand and legg then your left hand and legg alternately succeeding or changing by course SECT XXX The percussion or striking of the water to turn in the water It is a question worth the discussing for a man to know whether he strike the water with the hand or Legg without doubt take this for the resolution 't is with the right or left legg and the way thereof is ingenious and recreative this is performed ordinarily when Swimming nearly upon the back the legg being lifted either up or down every stroke the waves are struck drops are raised on high and bedew them they that are more expert in 't go about it with the chin depressed or hanging downward But if they endeavor to exercise it with more grace then every stroke is succeeded with a percussion or striking of the waters on high either proceeding from the right or left hand together with the circumvolution or turning round of the whole body This is a very neat trick and the most noble of all that have been forementioned Now if you would exercise and perform this feat you must lie on your back in the water with your body and leggs extended the breast being puft up or elevated with both hands open tending towards the bottom of the waters and partly lifting up the body whilst you jerk out the leggs that is in the water But if you intend to turn your self with a blow on the water then if you lift the leg out of the water you must depress or force it down of a sudden lifting up in the same instant your left turning your whole body at once with that onely action This Agilitie makes one swim more neatly and with less labour and SECT XXXI The sporting with one foot These neat gestures and good grace in Swimming seem to be more pleasant then profitable nay there are none of these but in times of danger as in Swimming there is very much afford more pleasure to him that wantonly plays so then use in freeing from danger therefore this discourse should be the more grateful to thee being there is in it a mixture both of pleasure and profit These playing with one foot that I am now mentioning though it seems to confer much to the pleasure of the swimmer because that they that have this trick seem to rise with a grace triumphing as it were yet it hath its destinated use and commodity perpetually succeeding it as I will manifest it by word and example They that affect this way while they swim look upon their feet lifted up out of water now the right then the left legg or foot in their proceeding they are tumbled up and down triumphing as it were wheeling their leg round three or four times in the Air together with a settled countenance the chinbeing bowed to the neck These seem an easie and pleasant sport but it is very difficult unless first with your breast strutting out with the palm of your hands under the water towards the ground treading the water with the other legg at the same time all which things require a stout heart elevating it self for while the legg is lifted up the head is implunged into the water This is a hard though neat trick and helps much to the shaking out of their feet that may be entangled in weeds or any other incumbrances Being terrified with this difficulty that you may not desist in the middle of your course this pleasant subsequent way will facilitate it SECT XXXII The shewing of the feet c. Sailing Any one may without touching ground shew both his feet on the top of the waters This indeed is common and very easie nor can they onely stand but swim forward shewing both their feet and the manner of it is thus he that desires to do it lies on his back the contrary is used in all other shewing of the feet bending his back downwards removed as it were from his hands on his belly whilst the palms of his hands are moved to and fro keeping up his body by the rowling of the waters his feet being lifted up on the top of the water The use of this action in the water is this after you have swom having obtained this art in a sufficient time you may see and look steadily on your feet whether they be clean enough white enough or washed enough although you chance to be in never so deep a place and as far as I can guess the feet excel the head in Agility for the head is the stable repository of Counsel and yet if our discourse should run from the heel to the head we should view one gesture the most excellent of all proper and peculiar to the head which is SECT XXXIII The suspension or holding up of the Chin. Whilst I am silently endeavouring to treat about the holding up of the chin I am at a stand for as the head standing on a high place is more eminent then the other parts of the body so really this faculty is far beyond all the rest and if it be neatly and artificially upheld it goes beyond Art it self for one that is skilful in this way stands upright without moving though he be in the deepest waters sinking Wherefore if the rest of our Arguments were obscure yet this one facility would evince it apparently that a man by nature is apt to swim viz. if he will lift up his head This is done after this manner when we swim on our backs after the last stroke of hands and feet we rest lying so on the water Then whilst the leggs are stretch'd forth as before sink down together when they come perpendicularly to the ground you must bend your leggs toward your knees your breast must be puft up your Arms both the backs of your hands laid on your back towards your shoulders must be gathered up or to be cast laterally and equally on each side your fingers close with the palms of your hands towards the bottom looking upwards with your countenance as much as possible This is a wonderful way and somtime profitable when in the deep of winter by accident you passe over some pond the brittle ice breaks this is the onely remedy if in dead time of the night you be compel'd by necessitie to passe over a River and your enemies follow you in a wherry you may stand sure by the help of this Agility even in
faithful friend And these things being well understood there remaines onely a few more rules to be observed SECT XI When all things before directed are seriously and exactly considered and performed then when you are ready to enter into the water if you sweat or did lately sweat then loose your clothes a little and walk gently and moderately until the sweat be cooled and your body in a moderate temper then when you have diligently observed a place to enter in the water and to come ashoare convenient if you can swim leap into the water but if not then walk gently in till you have waded so deep that the water covers your belly and is up to your middle then spread your body flat upon the waters and endeavour to swim with a good courage SECT XII The first posture to be observed in going into the water It is to be learned as we have said before that the unskilful and ignorant in the Art of swimming ought first to go into the waters leisurely and as it were by degrees but the more skilful Artists have many and various wayes and postures to cast their bodies upon the waters which are unto them delightful but let the fresh learners wade with their bodies upright into the waters keeping the bottom within the reach of their feet Some going likewise gradually into the water do lie down stretching out their bodies and hands together Others that are skilful with their right hand fixed behinde their neck and some with hands clasped there suddenly cast themselves from the bank into the waters with their faces downwards and casting their heels upwards nimbly turn themselves ove and fall with their back upon the water swimming upon their backs and alwayes swiftly leap from the bank when they first cast themselves into the water Others running fall upon their right or left side Others whose posture is the most commendable with a swift motion run to the brim of the River and jumping up with their bodies leap into the river with their body straight up casting up both their feet so that their buttockes and hinder parts of the thighes do first light upon the top of the water This manner of going into the water is the most easie and of all others the most safe There is not any of these severall postures and wayes of leaping into the water undecent or unprofitable unless onely one detriment may happen to the more unskilful Swimmer and that is casting himself violently into the water he may by a deep sinking down to the bottom not having the Art to turn himself upwards be suffocated with the waters by reason of the long retention of his spirits But a remedy for this evil is thus to be learned that is when first you leapinto the water to turn your body descending downwards into an ascention upwards and this is performed after this manner by casting out your right or left Arm and legg and striking the water as it were with an oare you may turn your body and elevate your self to the top with your Arms and leggs SECT XIII The first degree of Swimming When as before I have said thou art familiarly acquainted with the rules of Swimming and hast with a staff as thy guide and leader found out the depth of the water and assured thy self thereof then thou maist accommodate thy self to the practice of Swimming in the proceeding hereunto you must first begin as these directions instruct you First go leisurely into a calm and clear River then spread out your body upon the water with your belly downwards looking upwards with your face and erecting up your head and neck bowing your back inwards by reason of thrusting out of your breast then stretching straight out your hands before you drawing them back again to your breast and likewise drawing up your leggs and extending them straight again using this posture with both Arms and leggs together you shall Swim securely and safely as long as your conveniency shall admit of your stay in the water SECT XIV How to turn your self Swimming Those that are skilful in the Art of Chiromancy teach that such as are born in the night time have their right Arm stronger then their left but they who are born in the day time have most strength in their left Arm wherefore they who do most use their right hand let them when they would endeavour to turn themselves in the water stretch forth the palm of the right hand by an extensive declination towards their right side and attract or draw inwards their left hand from the region of the waters and so they shall turn their whole body upon the left side and they who would turn on their right side let them do the contrary with their Arms. SECT XV. To swim with the face upwards It may seem an Action very hard and difficult to be performed for one to swim with his face upwards and contradictory to our Nature but it is the most fair easie and safest way and most agreeable and suitable to our Nature whereof the Poet sings Os homini sublime dedit Coelumque videri Jussit erectos ad sydera tollere vultus To man God gave looks mixt with Majestie And wil'd him with bold face to view the Skie And it evidently appears that many do suddenly perish Swimming in the waters by sudden Accidents happening this being onely the cause that they endeavour to swim contrary to Nature folding the water as it were with their Arms they compress their Arms close together and the water thereby prevailing sinkes them down to the bottom of the water but if they did swim on their backs they are secure from that danger and may learn how to repose themselves upon the waters and to turn themselves as common experience teaches therefore all expert Swimmers do commonly swim upon their backs and can turn themselves how and when they please Now the way to swim after this manner is thus briefly to be learned let the body when you are in the water be erected straight up or in plain English thus raise up your body upright in the water and gently cast your self backwards lying with your face upwards and move your self backwards upon the water raise up your breast that it may seem to swell above the superficies of the water let your whole body be lineally erected from the head to the foot exercise and move your self with both your leggs stretching out and drawing in both your thighes resting both your hands upon the bottom of the belly and in this posture steere your course backwards that is with your head forwards This is the best and surest way to swim and the most easie for a man may swimm more easie on his back then on his belly and much longer neither is he that swims on his back troubled with gusts of water which will oftentimes flie forceably into the mouth of him that swims on his belly and many times the waves beat against his
head and he that swims on his belly is in more danger of weeds then he that swims on his back although at first it may seem a little more difficult to the learner But I must admonish the learner when he first begins to swim and would try this posture of the exercise let him beware that he do not deceive and be a thief to himself that is that he do not go about to elevate his body and cast up one foot the other touching the bottom for this argues but the part of a timerous and fearful mind and a deceiver of himself neither let him lift up his knees much nor presse down his limbs at all but let him stretch out his whole body lineally and then he may swim backwards swiftly and chearfully If he be minded to turn himself he may do it artificially and nimbly by holding still one legg and striking the other down into the water either the right or left according to that side which he is minded to turn upon But in your circumvolution or turning about you ought as we have often before warned to be very careful to shun the danger of reeds stakes weeds mudd stones or the like the danger of them is not small you being once ensnared amongst them unlesse you be the more careful and skilful But to escape and avoid these mischiefes there are many things to be used which are very safe and decent the first whereof followes SECT XVI Maximes in Swimming To Turn with both leggs and arms upwards This is done by proceeding from the right side to the left and from the Region and it is done with the like declination of the opposite hand and by inclination of the body and head and the turning about of both thighs together almost in the same manner as the first mentioned manner of turning is to be acted onely this requires a more nimble and speedy action and must be done with the greatest Agilitie of the most Active Swimmer for this must be done as it were in a moment not after the manner of a common conversion or turning about we turn our selves about laterally or side-ways But if one would suddenly turn to the left side it is done after this manner stretch down the right thumb towards the bottom stretching the hand somthing bending striking the water side-wayes underneath and with the left hand open and the fingers joyned together turning himself backwards and attracting the water suddenly with the body and face casts you on the left side but if you would with the like expedition turn on the right side use the same order onely on the contrary hand The use of this conversion or turning is this chiefly to shun and escape sudden dangers As if one should be Swimming and a ship should suddenly before he descryes him be flying under Sail in danger to run over him the like danger may he be in of Boats unadvisedly coming too near him Likewise if there should be any Lions Bears or fierce dogs lurking in the River or if any other sudden danger should violently assault us by this only quick turning about we may escape them all and if any other be in the water in the danger of drowning by this way we may commodiously help him and without danger to our selves But let them that use this way beware that the water be not too shallow lest it hurt their thighes and the spine of their backs to which it is inimical Here followes another posture not so neat but much more safe SECT XVII A Conversion or turning like a bell We give unto this kinde of posture the name of turning like a bell because it is performed by the sole motion of the body without the discerning of any latitude thereof as a bell turns about when he is Rung This conversion therefore is thus performed if you swim on your belly suddenly draw up your feet and immediately strike them both downwards and cast your face upwards on the contrary if you swim on your back if you turn and extend your leggs and thighes perpendicularly downwards you are immediately turned to swim on your belly in this course proceeding contrary to the former But if you swim on your belly draw up both your leggs together and stretch them both downwards casting up and spreading up both your Arms you cast your self upon the water backwards and so swim with your face upwards and when you swim upon your back and would turn about upon your belly suddenly clap your heels to your Arse that is nimbly cast your feet backwards to your buttockes and stretch them straight down towards the bottom raising the body strongly with the motion you cast your self upon your belly This Action is of very excellent use in a narrow Creek of water or narrow stream or rivulet where we may turn our selves without hurting of our feet against the bankes but be careful that the ditch be deep enough and especially free from weeds and mudd for very many excellent and skilful Gentlemen when they have been Swimming have perished by being fettered in the ligaments of weeds or cleaving and sticking in a muddy bottom Therefore those that swim strongly and with a couragious Agilitie do frequently use another posture in turning themselves which is called Circumvolution SECT XVIII Circumvolution or turning about in the water When we swim after the usual manner with our body extended plain upon the water we would turn and carry our selves about with an easie habit of our body and be circumvolved upwards downwards to the right side to the left side successively and many wayes like the Axletree with the whole globe the manner whereof may be more plainly and easily demonstrated by gesture then by words But as I have begun I shall demonstrate and shew unto you the practise hereof by a plain discourse If you would begin your Circumvolution or to turn your self about from the left side when you swim on your belly with the largest extention of your body stretch downwards your right Arm and hand as deep as you can dashing or pressing the water with the palm of your hand raising up your head brest and left side of your body with your face upwards suppressing down your left thigh and raising up your right hand to the top of the waters carrying your self about from the left side towards the right oftentimes turning or rowling your self about upon the water either from the right hand to the left or from the left towards the right contrariwise As for example that I may the better explain it unto you when one would turn himself about from his belly to his back stretching out his right Arm with his largest extension that is as far as he can declining it downwards towards the bottom of the water lifting up his head towards his left side that he may swim with his face upwards let him Elevate or lift up his right thigh and depresse or cast down his left with one and
the same Action which being often and nimbly performed the exercise will appear easie and delightfull and also very usefull and profitable to free ones self from any weeds straw or other base and sordid filth upon the top of the water which we desire to cleer our selves from As also if one should be infested and troubled with Gnats or swarms of flies hovering and flying about us this action is very useful for by the percussion or dashing of the water with our motion we drive them away SECT XIX A quadrupatite or four-fold percussion or striking of the water This posture is called Quadrupartite or four-fold because we do beat or dash the water with four parts of the body successively and with a very swift and nimble Action and motion which is after this manner with the hands and feet together but they are not all to be lifted up and moved together with an equal motion at one and the same time out every one of them successively one after another as ten times the right foot twenty times the right hand thirty times the left foot and forty times the left hand and this is to be done with the greatest Agilitie and nimbleness of body as possible may be And this is done by stretching out the body 〈◊〉 â—levating or lifting up the breast anâ— extending and stretching out the Arms and leggs partly side-wayes and plainly as far as you can Use this but seldom and when you do let it be either for delight or when the fleas bite your face shrewdly for it causeth a sound under the water that very much offends the head SECT XX. To Swim on the back with the hands and feet upward Although the shaking about of the hands be of little use to those that swim on their back yet if you intend to swim swiftly you must use it both with feet and hands 't is used by those that swim on their belly and those that swim on their back too when the Swimming forward on the back is more swift this is a very rapid motion indeed They that swim on their back begin the motion of their hands thus first they cast their hanâ— backward behind their head and whilst they are extended or stretched forth the palms of their hands being open toward their ears at their extention when they are stretched forth but at the extremitie or later end of this extention their hands being turned outwards opening the A ms in the same manner and withdrawing them again striking out the feet as they use to do you must endeavour to leap up in this manner The use of this is to be put in practise when we swim against a swift and rough Tyde and is the most disagreeing of all to the succeeding way of Swimming SECT XXI Retrogradation or Swimming backward This is done when Swimming on your back you after the same manner almost lying on your back stretched you go back striking first with the heels and then pushing forward with the head but I will clear it to you thus lying down stretchtforth as I told you before their breast standing up sweld as 't were so that the very back will be hollow by reason of this tumour of the breast holding your hands not according to the received opinion on the privities but the bottom of the belly for else you 'll do the Ladies an injury and not satisfie their longing desire upon the bottom of the belly lifting first one Legg up and then the other successively and so letting them down again so that after they have come to the top of the water being strongly drawn toward the hams may force us forward You may make use of this Swimming backward for it is both graceful and necessary you swim on your back viz. when being in deep and large rivers and if wearied out you may ease your self by this kind of slight without bottom or rest without the help of any one or trouble which is to be esteemed the chiefest part of delight for in shallow water you may go backward playing in the top of it and it adds much pleasure to the party SECT XXII The side-turn There is a great deal of difference between a circumvolution or turning round and this down-turn Although it seems to be in the same form yet if you make a more exactscrutiny or search into the business the one is done by motion the other by a pleasant rest as for example by that you lift up your body swiftly and often lifting your Legg out of the water and then striking of it down again with a force Whilst you use this you must lie on your back extended or stretched out your Elbo's close to your sides striking your Arms straight out from your body your leggs being separated a foot 's distance one from the other the soles of your feet tending toward the bottom lying on the water now shew the right then the left side as often as you please observe that whilst you lift up your right side you must extend or stretch forth the left hand laterally or sidewayes and press down your feet a little but you must draw or attract to your self your left hand and foot The use hereof is very frequent and extraordinarie profitable for he that swims on his back is oftentimes in danger either of running against the bank or Swimming in weedy places or other dangers that may evene or happen if he be not extraordinarie well skill'd in this kind of circumvolution or turning Therefore be circumspect that when you try this feat often it be in a place free from weeds lest you be so entangled that you scarce if ever get out again safe If by strongly Swimming forward you strike into some place or other that is spread with thick high weeds Then if you would at once escape secure and look about you without danger let them practice this following piece of Agility or nimbleness termed SECT XXIII Circulation or turning round So termed because as that foot that is plac'd for to make the cirle by is immoveable but the other is wheel'd round till it be terminated in the same that it began so they that use circulation or turning round in the water they beat the water with their feet and wheel round about whilst the head remaining as it were in the middle makes the Centre the first way of doing this is you must lie on the water as when you swim on your back if you would turn from the right hand to the left depress or bend down a little your right side toward the bottom then with both your feet first on the left then on the right side being alternatively and successively lifted out of the water toward the left hand at every motion proceeding the length of a foot and thus your head being fixed and resting in the Centre there is made a near turning marking out a frothy circle on the surface of the water The use of this circulation or wheeling round is
the deepest waters without moving them and so obtain your desire this is succeeded by SECT XXXIV Treading of Water By the benefit of this we stand and move upright in the water without any motion of the hand and this that I may be brief is done by the lifting up of the feet circularly one after the other the sole of the foot being flat towards the bottom The use of this cannot but be various whilst you tread water strongly and artificially you may look about you with ease discharge a Gun shoot a bow or brandish a sword above the highest waves and have the free use of your hands But let him that treads water often have a care of going into shallow muddy or weedie Rivers for 't is desperate and dangerous because the legs may somtimes be caught in the weeds if this happen you must presently make use of SECT XXXV The contradictory Swimming on the back So termed because that as words that do much contradict one another and are diametrically opposite so this Activity proceeds from the contradictory position of the members these members are either the right hand left foot or the left hand and the right foot after this manner when you swim on your back you take hold of your left foot with the right hand and the contrary somtimes quickly jerking the legg up or down If the weeds stick to your legs when you swim on your back they are soon shaken off by this artifice But if it fall out so infortunately that whilst you swim on your back both your leggs are fastned together with some base weeds in this case SECT XXXVI Connex Swimming or Swimming cross leg'd Helps much and often and preserveth life but 't is difficult to swim over the water with hands and feet tied athwart as it were one cross the other but it may be happily atchieved for when the legs are so cross'd lay your Arms enfolded one within the other on your breast Then stretching the body you move forward on your back lifting up both legs and again letting them down again and bending them whilst you lay them down till you come to the shoar according to your desire This is succeeded with a greater and more dangerous difficulty viz. when one is cast out of a prison or ship or any other place whatsoever with hands and feet tied being skilful in this Artificial way you may safely come out of the water The avoiding of this danger and others of the like nature when you swim on the belly is shewn by SECT XXXVII Prolapsion or Swimming forward Also Swimming forward as I apprehend is Prolapsion and though the term be borrowed yet it is properly and genuinely to be so called because as worms or Snakes slide forward drawing the posterior parts that cling together by the slimy tenacitie of their fore-parts so he that is expert at this slides out of the midst of the thickest weeds by little and little Thus Swimming on the belly in this case you go forward your legs stretched out neatly backwards and your hands forwards but both together but so that the Arms and hands be extended as far as they can from the breast with your fingers close together the palms of your hands hollow and tending to the bottom being thus disposed according to Art through the strength of the hollow palm and the bones of the elbo you draw to you the water that is before you which whilst the body and the leggs joyntly do accommodate themselves to a gentle slow and farther motion doth bring us safe and sound out of the thick plats of weeds Let them that use this trick beware lest they strive in this condition too fervently and furiously but pleasantly gently and couragiously let them not spread forth their hands nor their feet at all for without controversie this predicted danger would succeed whose knotty connexion or twisting together unless some external ayd were present can no wayes be untied without endangering their life this difficultie is succeeded by a pleasant and prettie collusion or sport SECT XXXVIII Sitting on the water contracted or bending For they that are skilful in Swimming swim several ways and by a various artifice lying walking standing and also sitting in what chair they use to sit is hard to resolve 't is without doubt a soft and easie one that one may sit upon it without a cushon so that the water is to a good Swimmer a bed in which he may repose himself a floor where he may fix his foot a way wherein he may walk a chariot in which he is carried forward a green field where he may delight himself variously a Chair wherein placed he may sit But I am almost tired out with standing on the shore therfore I learn to sit in the water This is not performed with a straight but bowing body and that by holding one foot in one hand and the other in the other his feet being thus held by the hands being both freed successively and pressed diligently that you may the better perform this slight first you must strive to ease your body on each side by the attraction and depression of the waters the leggs likewise after the same manner but so that whilst you do this you must draw your feet under your hams towards your thighs withall bowing them to the knees till they according to the forementioned manner lay hold of them and hold them fast so that the Swimmer must bear himself up as much as he can holding his head downwards and so he may sit By the help of this trick you may when your leggs are entangled in weeds one or both untie them with both hands but that which is most wonderful is that if by chance you fall into a deep Well where you cannot swim by reason of the narrowness nor tread water because of the clayie bottom or hold up your head for your ease then holding your feet with your hands and moving to and fro being in a narrow and shallow muddy fountain you may cry for help out of the bottom this affords much ease to the subsequent posture above all others which is termed SECT XXXIX The cutting of the Toes This seems a very hard and difficult way because few can do this in the water some men being on the ground cannot stand on one legg and turn themselves without falling but many things may be done in the water that cannot be performed on the Land and I my self several times have tried to kiss my Toe with the help of my hands when I have been either on the ground or in bed and could never do it but to tell you how to cut the nails in the water be it never so deep must be done after this manner holding a knife in your right hand lift up your left legg and with it draw your foot to your right knee being thus ordered take hold of it with your left hand and being thus held take hold of your Toes
with your right hand touch them and handle them as you please and pare them at pleasure for you may safely do it and without danger The utilitie of this is such you may easily wash your Toes which many times are fowl between the joynts pare clip and cut them and this at pleasure unseen Though this be less profitable then the rest yet it is more pleasant and delightful SECT XL. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the shewing of four parts together above water 'T is possible for a Swimmer to shew four parts of his body above water at one and the same time viz. his head both his lboes and his knees 'T is a curious epiece of Agilitie nor can it soon be attained unto They that go about it must do it on this manner you must lay one knee athwart the other lifting up and letting down each legg often fixing both your hands under each side so that your elboes come exactly over your breast your breast full and as possible and so you may swim and mak a sport of it Besides the pleasure that rifeth from this difficultie by this means you may lift up or ease both your leggs one of them at least when your are Swimming in very deep waters as is manifested by SECT XLI The Erection or lifting up of the Legg There is a difference between shewing of the feet and lifting up of the Legg for the latter is not performed without the help of the other Legg and the hands on each side pressing down and forcing the water somwhat lower so that whilst one Legg is shewn half above water the other Legg presseth hard and strong the waters beneath They that have this faculty may pass over a River and carry any small thing between their great Toe at pleasure but it is better done by far by the SECT XLII Erection or lifting up of the hands Whilst we swim on our backs the use of our hands is various and manifold for we can wash our body Swimming or remove weeds from our head arms or leggs or can easily ease our selves but it is very hard to lift up both hands together when you are Swimming though it seems far easier and familiar then many of the forementioned trick but the difficulty appears in this that when the armsare lifted up the breast is contracted which so contracted the body tends speedily downwards Therefore here lies the slight that when you lift up your arms you must bend your breast but lift up together with the motion of the hands as much as can possibly If this be done Artificially and firmly we may transport or carry over a garment or purse or any other thing dry This is followed by SECT XLIII The drawing on of Boots That no man can draw on Boots in the water or swim Booted nor indeed is it necessary is beyond controversie and indeed those that are in danger of drowning would rather pull them off then keep them on Therefore I mean by this term of drawing on Boots not a realitie but rather the form or manner of doing it that represents a man putting on Boots because first he lifts up one of his Leggs out of the water then the other successively and so holds them both in his hands then he lets one down and sumbles about the other as if he were drawing on a Boot This must be done by lifting up the breast on high and extending of it so that it appear above water so that you may let down that Legg quickly and take up the other with much ease and do the like by that This is most useful for the washing of the Leggs and freeing them from weeds Like this is SECT XLIV The leaping of the Goat So termed because like skipping you leap and double the motion of your feet most dexterously so that they that have have this trick do double the motion of their feet as they do that dance in a ring when they caper about This various and quick motion of the feet at one time is not done but by an excellent spirit and the Agility of an active body If a man be qualified with these two things requisite it must be done thus stretching out his breast very much waving about and pressing down with his hands the water that is about his sides three or four times and that thick and quick but so that having with your hands pressed down the water deeper then ordinary and with more strength too lifting your body up strongly you may cast up your Legs on high shaking them as often as you please and that singly or both together before you put them into the water again SECT XLV This is the most difficult and most ingenious of them all when you have attain'd this perfectly you are arriv'd to the very height of the Art do not be ambitious after any more when you have obtain'd your desire in this particular but now our intent is to find out the way of Swimming under water and that Artificially too 'T is I must confess the chiefest part in the Art because few try it because it is very dangerous but I will in the following Section manifest it unto you as clearly as pofssible may be that you may perform it without any great danger neatly and Artificially SECT XLVI Leaping in head forwards This is an unseemly sight to all persons and a vice that men should sink downwards 'T is a vice I confess but not a vice of Nature and you 'ld think that it was not necessary for a man to dive by Art but in realitie to do it Artificially speedily neatly and without danger is rare Any one may very easily dive down into the water as it appears by the woful experience of so many that are drowned in the Sea 'T is difficult as you may see by this following example from many that go about to dive head forwards they stand a great while bending downwards and double as it were their face onely being covered with the water the hinder part of the head and the buttocks floating as it were upon the superficies or top of the water so that the spectators cry aloud oftentimes A rod a rod they want a rod. They cannot indeed go down to the water unless they contend and strive very earnestly to force themselves down to the bottom and hence it appears that a man may naturally swim when he cannot dive unless he violently force himself downwards and that so many are daily drowned because they violently and eagerly catch the waters and grasp them when they come to the bottom neither doth it happen quickly but after a great luctation and striving Now they that are exercised in the Art can dive down to the bottom and that with as much expedition and swiftness as an arrow out of a well-strung bow when necessity requires it nay they can vary more then an arrow for they can turn up side down go forward backwards ascend descend straightly crookedly obliquely
they have them all This is done with a great deal of expedition by Swimming under water circularly 'T is done by the faculty of the hands winding about the water with a great deal of activity winding them from the right to the left if you intend to turn to the right if to the left then the involution or turning of the hand proceeds from the contrary part or side When you pass by any thing lost in the water by a straight jumping in then you correct your error by a circular motion and in all Swimming under water you must have a care of going no lower then he hath light to shew him his way for if the water is obscured and your eye likewise this is a sign that you are crept too far under the bank or gone too deep or under a cock-boat or some such thing deceiving your sight of the beams of the light and covering or darkning the superficies or top of the water to have erred not without danger Now the difficulty is how to escape when you can neither see any thing nor call on any body nor rise up nor freely breath The onely and surest remedy is first to keep out of such thick obscure places but if you are obscured so through your hasty and speedy course remember which way you came and return in a direct line backward endeavouring to rise upward for the light will appear to you a great length above all be very careful that you breath not under water but if the enemy stand on the shoar with their mortal darts or arrows and keep you under longer then you can well bear then we have recourse to SECT LI. The Nimbleness of the Dolphin This teacheth you to rise up and go down bobbing up your head a little and so draw breath then down again with safety which may be done by those that are put to this extremity to save their lives five hundred paces together chiefly in the Summer and that with very little or no danger They that try this with some of the forementioned kinds of Swimming forward with their face downward do presently sink themselves the deeper the safer so that they can but see Swimming forward thus under water till they can no longer without prejudice and hurt to themselves hold their breath Then proceeding by degrees let them begin to rise and when they see through the clearness of the light that they are almost at the top let them of a suddain pop up their head and having breathed a little let them down again to the bottom of the water going forward according to their pleasure more or less and let them do this as often as the danger and present occasion requires Thus having related unto you these secrets with all possible brevity and succinctness viz. how a man may be safe and secure from receiving any danger by the water when he is in or under the water nay from any danger or enemy that prosecutes and follows us on the shoar what remains now but SECT LII The last Act or posture in Swimming Although the longer or more you swim you do it the better and with more grace yet after you have staid a sufficient while in the water you must go to shoar lest your members and joynts through the too nipping cold of the water as mine begin to be at present be benummed with the water Therefore when you are well wash'd and all the parts of your body clean return to the place that is most fit and commodious for you which ought to have been sought out before you committed your body to the tender and soft footing of the water and this must be done or at least I used to do it with my face upwards on my back or belly or side or by a supine retrogradation or returning on my back being upon the shore wrap your self in your cloke and having got a crust in your hand with your shoes slipt on run about the green fields leaping and playing The eating of bread belongs also to this Art very much for after the languishing digestion of the hungry Stomack it gathers and raiseth up the spirits within removes the pains of the head that are often the effects of too long Swimming it restores the heat renews the colour recreates the heart and finally exhilarates or enlivens the whole body These things have I related to you at present with much hast and according to my time I have instructed you how to behave your self like a Proteus in the water or A Sea-God to appear in several shapes which you may soon attain to with neatness and perfection so you frequent the River of Thames twice or thrice a day As for me I shall cordially rejoyce if my water-work hath promoted you a degree higher in the Art of Swimming But I forget my self Phebus is gone to bed and he honours Swimming so far as first to water his horses and the wearied hours of the day give place to the sable mantle of the night Now 't is time to sound a retreat and lest I should too much offend your weak Stomack by being so long on the water I le return to my proper Element the Land I am so reall hearted to this Nation that I have pen'd down and directed several wayes how men may avoid drowning As for that usual disaster that attends them by Land this is my Letany Good Lord deliver them Amen FINIS