The famous game of Chesse-play Truely discouered and all doubts resolued So that by reading this small Booke thou shalt profit more then by the playing a thousand Mates An Exercise full of delight fit for Princes or any person of what qualitie soeuer Newly published by A. S. Gent. If on your man you â—ight The first draught shall you play If not t is mine by right At first to lead the way Printed at London for Roger Iackson and are to be sould at his shop neere Fleetstreet-Conduit 1614. TO THE RIGHT Honourable and Vertuous Lady the Lady LVCY Countesse of Bedford and one of the Ladyes of her Maiesties Priuie-Chamber A. S. wisheth all gifts of Honour with eternall happinesse RIGHT Honourable and vertuous Lady hauing receiued many courtesies from your Honourable Father late deceased whose misse hath caused many to mourne for the losse of so Honourable and worthy a friend and from your Honourable and worthy selfe who in duty I doe euer reuerence I haue in desire of shewing thankfulnes made bould to present to your Honour this small Booke hauing no other gift to tender you and knowing you euer to be a fauourer of all Vertue Therefore may it please you to accept this Worke being a Princely exercise whose grace will be a chiefe ornament to the subiect I treat of It is the discouery of all the secrets of Chesse-play which of all other games is the worthiest that euer was deuised and hath beene practised now 2227. yeers This therefore being so excellent a game and so much esteemed of by the Nobility and Gentry of this our Kingdome as also in all other Countryes in Christendome This considered J haue therefore imbouldned my selfe to referre the perusing hereof to your Honour and my selfe to your good opinion which I tender as that I esteeme most deere euer remayning in all duety at Your Honours commaund Arthur Saul To the courteous Reader THere haue beene diuers which haue written of the game of Chesse-play who haue neglected to write the particulars of the Game but haue spoken some thing which is as much as nothing for the instruction of the Reader therefore doe I imagine they wrote all they knew or otherwise not so much as they might wherefore Courteous Reader if it shall please thee to read this small Booke which to doe will soone be performed thou shalt finde in it more then yet hath beene written by any other in very briefe manner In this booke shalt thou learne first the manner how to place the men next their quality or worth after that to know how they ought to be playd then followeth that you vnderstand the Lawes of the game rightly and after I haue shewed thee some reasons that there can be no rule for this game as some hold opinion then shalt thou finde many pleasing playes to giue thee delight and incouragement to proceede in exercising this game Also thou shalt learne directly what a darke Mate is and likewise what a Stale is and how it falleth out that it is giuen and lastly how to giue a Mate all the men being in the field at two draughts without a guard so that the King checked shall haue no couer nor meanes to relieue himselfe but of force it shall bee mate Vale. A. S. To the World GOe forth my little Booke Thou art no longer mine Each man may on thee looke The shame or praise is thine But seeke thou for no praise No thankes nor yet reward Yet all men for to please Haue thou a chiefe regard The labour hath beene mine The trauaile and the paine Reproches shall be thine To beare thou must be faine For as to pleasure many 'T was that I wished euer Right so to displease any I purpose to doe neuer But if thou please the best And such as be of skill I passe not for the rest Good men accept good-will Hadst thou remain'd with me Thou shouldst haue had no blame Since thou abroad wouldst be Goe forth and seeke thy fame Arthur Saul To the Reader THe order of the men in verse here also shalt thou finde Thy knowledge better to increase and satisfie thy minde First for the Pawnes here vnderstand their march is right forth still And who so doth before them stand they haue no power to kill But as they march who so they finde doe in their colour stand Such may they kill or checke a slope to the right or left hand Not any in the reare of them they can once checke or spoile Forth must they march and not retreate but keepe their rancke or file Till by command they pointed are their King for to releeue Then must they bouldly vnto warre his foes to vexe and greeue And comming at the last in place where Knights and Lords did dwell Their King shall giue to them like grace because they serued him well Thus being Bishops Knights or Dukes their Kings they 'le better steede The Kings may make of them a Queene if they haue any neede Yet ere they can such honour haue all stormes they must a bide And doe their best the Kings to saue what danger ere betide The Bishops that attend the Kings a slope doe vse to fight The one in blacke doth helpe the King the other in the white Their checke in field extends as farre as any of the rest What colours they are placed in there must they doe their best The Bishop blacke in blacke must march and therein vse his skill For in the white he may not come no man to hurt or kill The Bishop white in white must serue so long as he doth liue To any which in blacke doth stand he cannot one checke giue The Duke in valew is halfe a Queene and halfe her draughts hath he Right forth and backe and from each side he can giue checke for thee Through all the colours of the field in such wise may hee checke And also when occasion serues relieue the King with necke Like to a horseman doth the Knight assist the King alwayes And ouer ranke or file hee leapes his honour for to raise When hee giues checke vnto the King and is not for it slaine The King must moue out of his place else-where for to remaine The Knights being forth and comming in such houses as are white May help or harme eight wayes them fro during the time they fight Like all the men within the field the Queene may ayde the King Yet like a Knight no ayde at all she can vnto him bring Through all the houses of the field the Queene may take her pleasure And vse her power to help her King still in a modest measure If in the martch she proue seuere and taketh all she may 'T is for the safegard of the King that she makes cleere the way For this she may not blamed be that seekes her King to saue It is her glory for to striue her King in peace to haue The King in Maiestie doth martch one step at once he
of the field Likewise you shall place the black Queene in a blacke house next to her king which shall also be the fourth house on the blacke Kings side Thus when you haue placed the Queenes next to their Kings then shal you place on the other side of the Kings first a Bishop then a Knight and next to the Knight you shall place a Duke whose place is in the first house of the field the Queenes haue either of them likewise one Bishop one Knight and one Duke the Kings haue either of them foure Pawnes and three Noble-men and the Queenes haue the like the Kings Pawnes are these first their owne Pawnes next their Bishops Pawnes then their Knights Pawnes and last of all their Dukes Pawnes the Queenes they haue also three Noble-men and foure Pawnes which are these first their owne Pawnes then their Bishops Pawnes next their Knights Pawnes and last of all their Dukes Pawnes The Pawnes stand before the Noble-men from one corner of the field to the other the Pawnes haue all one manner of proceeding which shall be shewed vnto thee when wee come to speake of the aduancing of the men and of the difference that is betweene them CHAP. III. A Controuersie resolued ANd for as much as many times in play some men will be fingering and taking vp of his aduersaries men and then out of the abundance of his vvit thinketh to play better in some other place and so setteth downe his aduersaries man againe this is very fowle play for albeit it is true he cannot play his aduersaries man so also it is true hee may not take him off his place vnlesse hee throw him out of the field and install his owne man in the same house where the other stood for by the taking vp of a man in such a fashion and not to play it some a iudge the player for his punishment to kisse the foote of the man which he so taketh vp but indeed of right hee ought to loose halfe his stake that at any time vseth such play and if a man touch a man of his owne and will not play him then hee ought directly to loose the game and it is knowne vnto all men that can play that if you touch any of your owne men you must play him and looke what colour you touch with your man so taken vp in the same colour or house shall hee stand and if at any time the player which so playeth refueth so to doe the other may lawfully take vp his owne stake and play no further of that game A chiefe lesson to be obserued in this play And for as much as some in the time their aduersary is framing his purpose where to play they will be talking or singing or vsing some apish trickes to trouble the minde of him vvhom they play against this is held also very fowle play and ought not to be vsed at this game vpon paine of loosing the third part of his stake that vseth it for it is a game in which silence is to be vsed and all deuises whatsoeuer layde a side that may trouble one another in the time of their play this being obserued thou art freed from the penalty before mentioned A Caueate for such as will condition to giue a Mate Imagine that two were a playing and that many men on both sides were lost and no odes in the men of either side so that the game were indifferent that then I say one of the gamsters should giue ouer the game and draw his stake the other at this seeming to be a grieued thinking his men standeth better then the others which hath giuen ouer he saith had you playd out the game I should haue wonne it the other replying demandeth what hee will lay more one the game the party agrieued vpon this offereth a crowne more that hee will winne the Mate now here is a condition which if hee performe not he looseth both his first and last stake The way for him that taketh any man vpon such condition is still to change and to bring it vnto a dead game and so shall he this way winne the stakes by reason the other had tyed himselfe by obligation to giue the Mate wherefore let any one take heed how he entreth into such condition for who so doth it giueth the other aduantage whether it be at the beginning of the mate or after it is all one CHAP. IIII. How the men guard each other THe Kings haue either of them seauen men a piece and the Queenes as many to attend them The King whether hee be blacke or white giueth guard to fiue persons before hee goeth forth and being once aduanced forward into the field although it be but into the second house hee then and still after in all his march giueth guard to eight houses till he come to one side or other of the field againe Now those fiue whom hee guardeth before hee goeth forth are these first of all hee guardeth his Queene on whom his greatest care dependeth secondly his owne Bishop thirdly his owne Pawne fourthly his Queenes Pawne and lastly his Bishops Pawne The Queene protecteth her King her Bishop her owne Pawne her Kings Pawne and her Bishops Pawne by this you see the Queene guardeth as many as the King before she goeth forth and after till the field be wonne or lost the Kings Duke giueth guard to his owne Pawne and the Kings Knight and to no more till hee be from the side of the field and then hee giueth guard to foure houses and in like sort is the power of the Queenes Duke the Kings Bishop giueth guard to the Kings Pawne and the Kings Knights Pawne the Queenes Bishop giueth guard to the Queenes Pawne and the Queenes knights Pawne the Knights giueth guard but to three houses before they goe forth and after they are from the side of the field they giue guard to as many houses as the King or the Queene doth Now those houses whom the Knights guard ere they goe forth are these the Kings Knight giueth guard to the Kings Pawne and to the third house in the front of the Kings Bishops Pawne and to the third house in the front of the Kings Dukes Pawne the Queenes Knight giueth guard to her owne Pawne and to the third house in the front of her Bishops Pawne as also to the third house in the front of her owne Duke The Bishops of either side are tyed to one onely colour out of the vvhich they may not goe the vvhite Bishops haue the command of the white field and the blacke Bishops the command of the blacke field and they martch sloping forward or backward if way be made for them and can indanger or giue checke from one corner of the field to the other The Pawnes who stand in rancke before the King and the Nobility I shal shew you their manner of guard which they giue before they be aduanced or moued off their places The Kings Pawne
giueth guard to the third house before the Queene and the third house before the Kings Bishop the Queenes Pawne giueth guard to the thrid house before the King the third house before her owne Bishop the Kings Bishops Pawne giueth guard to the third house before the King and the third house before the Kings Knight the Queenes Bishops Pawne giueth guard to the third house before the Queene and the third house before the Queenes Knight the Kings Knights Pawne giueth guard to the third house before the Kings Bishop and to the third house before the Kings Duke the Queenes Knights Pawne giueth guard to the third house before the Queenes Bishop and to the third house before the Queenes Duke the Kings Dukes Pawnes and the Queenes Dukes Pawnes giueth but one guard a peice and that is to the third houses before the Knights by reason they stand on the side of the field Thus haue I shewed you from the King to the Pawne how the men guard each other before there be any of them stirred off their places CHAP. V. For passing the guard of a Pawne FOr as much as many times there is question made whether a Pawne of the white Kings may passe the guard of the blacke Kings at his first going forth if the blacke King haue aduanced a Pawne into the fift house without leaue of the blacke King whereunto I answere no for this is a rule strictly obserued in martiall dissipline from whence this game had his first beginning that no man shall be permitted to passe by any guard without leaue first obtained yet at this game the Pawnes may passe the guard one of another this house or houses onely excepted for if a Pawne be aduanced into the fift house by the blacke King and that the white Kings Pawne might passe without leaue it would many times be the ouer-throwing of the blacke Kings game and further it is held fowle play to play forth your Pawne by the guard of another Pawne so aduanced vvithout crauing leaue so then if the King who hath aduanced a Pawne into the fift house will suffer you to passe you may because there is power in him to deny you such a fauour as well as to grant you the priuiledge of such a liberty and thus much for the readers satisfaction that you may not passe the guard of a Pawne that is aduanced into the fift house without leaue Some therebe also that are perswaded if the King be once checked hee shall loose the benefit of releeuing himselfe in any of the Dukes quarters what extremity soeuer he be driuen vnto albeit the King checked doth couer the checke giuen him such as are of this opinion are in the wrong for so long as the checked King can couer the checke giuen him and not remoue to auoyd the checke nor hath not moued before vpon no occasion he hath still the benefit of exchanging vvith any of his Dukes but if hee be once remoued from his place whither it be for the releeuing of one of his men or vpon compulsion for the auoyding of a checke he shall then after such time loose the benefit of exchanging with the Duke CHAP. VI. Whether it be aduantage to haue the first draught yea or no. FOr satisfying the reader in this point it is certaine there is aduantage by playing first The difference by playing first for vvho so hath the first draught if hee can play well shall make the other still defendant and will visit him vvith such attempts and assaults wherein if the King defendant faile in the least point to answere he shall assuredly loose the field but betweene such as know not the game rightly it is no matter which of them playeth first by reason they know not when they haue vantage one of another and if it fall out that the one of them should haue such cleere eyes as to discerne hee hath the better of the game and cannot make vse of his aduantage betweene such young scollers it skilleth not who playeth first CHAP. VII What difference there is in the great men and of their true worth MAny there are who can play a little at this game The valew of the men that perswade themselues if they can take one great man for another they shall doe well enough but it is not so for there is a great deale of difference in the men and first of all for the King who albeit he is King and that his command is to be obayed of his subiects yet it is in all the Counsaile of warre held vnfit for the King to hazard his person at any time and therefore hee doth ordaine a Generall vnder him to haue the command of the army which generall shall haue vnder him Coronels Captaines and other inferiour officers for his assistance for the better gouerning of the army Euen so at this game there is a generall which is the Queene for shee doth more seruice then any too Dukes can and if it happen at any time that shee should be lost the King whose Queene is taken must forsake the field of force vnlesse the aduerse King be a very silly King and cannot make vse of such aduantage And yet to make the Reader to vnderstand this better know this if the white King should in the taking the blacke Kings Queene lose two of his Noble-men as his two Dukes or his two Bishops or his two Knights yet the white King shall haue the better for his losse is not so great as the blacke Kings vvho hath lost his Queene Some that write of Chesse-play calleth the Queene the Amazon because the Amazonites goe to warre as familiarly as the men Next to the Queene for valew is a Duke for by how much a Queene is more in worth then a Duke by so much a Duke is more in valew then a Bishop or a Knight for a Duke is vvorth two Bishops or two Knights by reason hee can giue a Mate himselfe with the help of the King which a Bishop or a Knight cannot doe Now you say two Bishops can giue a Mate with the help of the King it is true but the Duke will doe it sooner also a Mate is to be giuen vvith a Bishop and a Knight and this is also true but hee must play well that can giue a Mate with them yet you see euery Scoller at Chesse-play can giue a Mate with a King and a Duke Besides a Dukes checke goeth from one side of the field to the other throughout all the colours and a Bishops checke serueth but for one colour in the field therefore you must haue both the Bishops to doe the seruice vvhich one Duke can discharge and therefore I conclude that a Duke is better then two Bishops and for the Bishops they are better then the Knights by reason they can giue a Mate vvith the King vvhen no other men are left to help them which the Knights cannot doe and therefore they are counted better then
the Knights but I had rather loose a Bishop at any time then a Knight for his checke is more dangerous then a Bishops the Bishop is tyed to one colour in the field out of the which hee may not passe the Knight passeth into all the houses in the field the Bishops checke may be couered the Knights checke cannot there is couer for all the checkes in the field that may be giuen from the Queene to the Pawne the Knights onely excepted for whose checke there is no couer and if it fall out at any time that a Knight giueth checke and the King that is checked cannot take the Knight without great losse he must needes flye of force there is no couering for his checke as I haue sayd before I could say more in the behalfe of the Knights as thus when the one King hath no other men left but his Bishops and the other King no help but his Knights the King that hath the Knights may happely in checking the King that hath the Bishops take one of the Bishops and so after by another checke take the other by reason the Bishops cannot guard one another which the Knights can doe and at the beginning of the game I had rather loose my Bishops for my aduersaries Knights then that I should exchange my Knights for the gayning my aduersaries Bishops and thus much shall serue for the explaining of the difference of the great men CHAP. VIII The worth of the Pawnes ANd for the Pawnes there is not so much to be said of them as there hath beene of the Noble-men by reason there is not so much variety in their draughts as there is in the great men The Kings Bishops Pawne is the best Pawne in the field and therefore there ought more care to bee had ouer him then any other Pawne in the field for if it should happen that the blacke King should loose his Bishops Pawne for the gaining of the white Kings Pawne yet the blacke Kings losse were the greater for that hee after such losse can neuer be able to make a rancke of Pawnes with three in a rancke no more on that side of the field for his owne safty which is a great disaduantage vvherefore it vvere better for any of the Kings to loose his owne Pawne then to loose his Bishops Pawne But you will say if any of the Kings should loose his Bishops Pawne can he not releeue himselfe on the other side of the field by turning ouer into his Queenes Dukes quarter where he shall haue Pawnes enough to succor him I answer he may doe so but he will be longer ere he bring his purpose to effect because he hath more men betweene his Queenes Duke and him then there is betweene him and his owne Duke by one draught in the playing of which draught ere hee can bring his King into safty he shall be sure to loose the game if hee play with one that can make vse of any idle draught thus much shall suffice for the worth of the Kings Bishops Pawne the Kings Pawne is next vnto him in worth then the Queenes Pawne after the Knights Pawne and last of all the Dukes Pawnes for they giue guard but to one house in the field and thus I end with the Pawnes for their valew and worth The diuersity of Mates and which are worthy of praise or disspraise THe Mate with a Queene a louing mate A Mate with the Bishop a gentle mate The Mate giuen with a Duke a gracious mate A Mate with the Knight an honourable mate The Mate giuen with a Pawne a disgracefull mate A Mate by discouery the worthiest of all The Mate giuen in a corner of the field was Alexanders mate A Mate in the Midea of the field an vnfortunate fortunate Mate The Mate giuen on the side of the field a foolish Mate A blinde Mate a shamefull mate The Stale a dishonourable mate CHAP. IX That there is no Rule for this game FOR as much as some are perswaded there is a Rule for this game I thought good to giue the Reader as I may some satisfaction to the contrary If there were a Rule for this game euery Woodcocke would bee a Chesse-player but indeede there is none if there were a Rule for it then there should be but one manner of beginning and one manner of ending which cannot be for hee that can play knoweth sometime the game is begunne with some of the Pawnes another time with any of the Knights againe one while marching forth with some of the Pawnes and some of the Noble-men at another time giuing an assault onely with Noble-men Also if there were a Rule for the game how commeth it to passe that a Mate is to be giuen with any of the men in the field vpon guard and some of the men will giue a Mate without a guard and that is when the distressed King is driuen to the side of the field or a corner of the field the pursuing King lodging in the third house opposite against him then the Queene assaylant or one of the Dukes assailant giueth the Mate to the distressed King by falling into any of the houses in the same rancke where the distressed King standeth but vpon guard any of the Pawnes or of the Bishops or any of the Knights can also giue a Mate further it is certaine that a Mate may be giuen in any house in the field now there are 64. houses then you will say there must be as many rules to bring to passe that the King may be Mated in any of these houses and when you haue proued that then you must bring forth so many seuerall rules as there are men in the field for that they all can vpon guard giue a Mate after all this I will demand for rules how to giue a Mate vpon discouery and then you must finde as many more rules for that by reason euery man can discouer whereby a Mate may bee giuen Thus mayest thou see courteous reader that I haue shewed thee if there be a rule there must be more then one or a hundreth and from the first time I knew this game to this present day I neuer could meete with any man that could shew me one rule for this game for indeed it is according to the purposes of them that play and not by any rule also I doe perswade my selfe if any man would play with me and obserue a rule in his play and not regard my comming forth against him I shall assuredly giue him a Mate doe what he can CHAP. X. Aduises for the assaylant and defendant NOw for the Reader that is desirous to practise this game hee must obserue one thing diligently which is if hee chance to haue the first draught and find himselfe able to assault let him follow it well if better able to defend then giue the other leaue to assault in both there is great pollicie to bee vsed and first for him that assaulteth Hee that
assaulteth ought to hold his passages free for him to retreat as occasion shall serue least his negligence herein procure his ouerthrow when hee shall be constrayned to retreat The defendant if hee be excellent in the game will not onely answere the assault sufficiently but hee will also deuise plots to grieue the assailant when he shall take occasion to retreat A pawne is soone intrapped because hee cannot goe backe to relieue himselfe the Bishops and the Dukes are more harder to be intrapped because they can flye from one side of the field to the other if they feare any euill but the Knights and the Queene is the hardest of all to be betrayed by reason they haue so many places for to relieue themselues in and specially the Queene CHAP. XI How you shall giue a Mate at two draughts all the men being in the field FIrst take the Boord and all the men and when you haue placed them right then let the blacke King for his first draught aduance his Bishops Pawne into the third house before his owne Bishop then cause the white King for his first draught to play his owne Pawne into the third house before himselfe then the blacke King for his second draught shall play his Knights Pawne into the fourth house before his owne Knight and then the white King for his second draught shall play his Queene into the fift house before his owne Duke where she shall giue checke and mate to the blacke King Here you may see a Mate may be giuen at two draughts but seldome or neuer shall you see a good player receiue such a Mate CHAP. XII By exchanging Man for Man what benefit hee shall reape that vseth it VVHen you shall play with any one that playeth better with his Queene then hee can with his other men with such an one change Queene for Queene for there are many after they haue lost their Queene doe not know how to play by reason they vnderstand not the right vse of the men Other some will also in like manner play better with their Knights with such also vse exchange and for the other men doe the like You see for example some men can play very well with Rapier and Poniard that cannot vse any other weapon whereas he is esteemed for a Maister that is skilfull at all manner of weapons so at this game he that hath the right vse of all his men with such a one you shall profit nothing by exchanging man for man yet who so vseth such play is not to be blamed for there is much aduantage to be gotten by such play if you consider rightly of it this much shall suffice for the exchanging of men vpon euen termes the men being both of one quallity and power CHAP. XIII For satisfaction of controuersies by tediousnesse of play THere are some of opinion that a Mate may be giuen at fifty draughts and if so be it be not giuen you at fifty draughts you may take vp your stakes and beg on to such I answere it is true a Mate may be so soone woone and at fewer draughts also but put the case that any King being in a Citie or Towne should bee by some forraine King besiged and that after some ten twenty forty or fift dayes were expired the King within the Citie should say to the forraine King for as much SYR King as you haue continued now your sige fifty dayes and cannot make mee yeeld nor take me your prisoner therefore you must depart no this ought not to be imbraced for if hee cannot winne it in fifty dayes he will proue fifty weekes or fifty months but he will haue it so also is this game of Chesse if the one King cannot Mate the other at fifty draughts he may proue a hundreth more for hee is not to be tyed to any certaine number of draughts for I haue knowne some haue beene a playing one game a whole day and sometime againe I haue seene fiue or sixe played in one hower but be it many draughts or few if you giue the Mate you shall be sure to winne CHAP. XIIII How a darke Mate which some call a blind-Mate may be giuen A Darke Mate or a blind-Mate is all one for if a Mate be giuen and hee which giueth it seeth it not you may say it was darke he wanted light or hee was blind otherwise hee would haue seene it When two playeth earnestly and that one of them followeth the checke vpon the other and if it fall out that one of the checkes be also a Mate and hee that giueth it seeth it not as I haue sayd before then is such a Mate called a blind-Mate and for as much as there are some vvhich stand vpon this that a blind-Mate should be a lost game know this it may not be so for if a man hath a horse that falleth blind the owner thereof shall haue his former right in him which hee had before hee was blind and shall be esteemed for a horse for all his blindnesse so hee which giueth a blind-Mate shall not loose the Mate but shall notwithstanding winne To end this controuersie and blemish of dishonour let him that can giue checke at any time see first whether it will not be Mate also to the other King before hee giue the checke and finding it will be a Mate then to vse these words checke Mate and straight vvay the controuersie is ended Let this therefore resolue the reader that a Mate vvhich wee call a blind-Mate is a Mate and shall winne CHAP. XV. What a stale is and how it is giuen NOw for as much as a stale is very dishonourable to him that giueth it I will shew the reader or any other that is desirous to be resolued what it meaneth and for such as vnderstand the game already they shall witnesse with me whether I explaine it rightly vnto you or no first you shall vnderstand a stale is a lost game by him that giueth it and no question to be made further therof therefore let him that followeth the flying King take heede that hee forbeare not a checke if he doe see that the distressed King haue a place to flye vnto for the nearer that the dissressed King is brought to be mated the sooner a Stale may bee giuen Imagine the white King were in the middle of the field or any other place of the field beset round about hauing onely but one way to escape which way the blacke King likewise stoppeth without giuing checke and this way commeth the Stale for if the white King haue lost all his men or hauing any left he cannot play them and himselfe so inclosed about with the enemie that now hee hath but one place to flye vnto which his enemie the blacke King also stoppeth without checke then this is a stale wherefore I shall aduise those which are desirous to practise this game that they take heede they giue not a stale least thereby they purchase vnto
themselues such shame which will not after be put away without much blushing CHAP. XVI What care ought to be vsed in retreating FOR retreating if the blacke King maketh a retreate and not vpon constraint the white King may be assured it is to get some further aduantage against him wherefore it is wisedome not to be too earnest in following such retreat least your rash pursuite be too late lamented CHAP. XVII For aduantage gotten how to make vse thereof VVHen it shall happen that the blacke King hath gotten aduantage of the white King let him weaken the white King so much as hee can by changing with him man for man till he be assured his aduantage shall profit him for we see if two Kings armies meete and fight the one hauing gotten the better of the other hee forth-with vseth the sword till hee maketh him that hath the worst yeeld the glory of the field vnto him I remember that a Noble-man vpon a time said too much mercy was rigor wherefore he that hath the better of his enemy let him make vse of it hee ought not to be blamed but that King is worthy of much blame who after hee hath the better of his enemie doth notwithstanding loose the same againe by forbearing his sword when with praise and honour he might bouldly vse it and for reward be crowned King of the field CHAP. XVIII A play which one author affirmeth that no man possibly can preuent and this is the play FIrst take your boord and the men and after you haue set vp the men then play thus let the white King for his first draught aduance his owne Pawne into the fourth house in his owne file then the blacke King shall aduance his Pawne as farre forth in the same manner then the white King for his second draught playeth his owne Knight into the third house before his owne Bishop and the blacke King for his second draught shall bring forth his owne Knight in the same order then the white King for his third draught with his Knight taketh the blacke Kings Pawne and the blacke King at his third draught with his Knight taketh the white Kings Pawne then the white King at his fourth draught bringeth forth his Queene which he placeth in the second house in his owne file this being perceiued by the blacke King at his fourth draught his Knight to retreate into some place of more safty for feare of the white Kings Queene the white King at his fift draught shall aduance his Knight into the third house before the blacke Kings Queenes Bishop and so giueth checke by discouery to the blacke King with the white Kings Queene which checke the blacke King howsoeuer hee couereth it yet hee shall loose his Queene remedilesly for the white Kings Knight at his sixt draught shal ouerthrow the blacke Kings Queene who cannot be played out of the Knights guard howsoeuer the checke be couered this being the play which is so hard to be preuented I shall shew you three seuerall wayes to make this easie euen at to draughts CHAP. XIX The first way to make a defence for the hard play before mentioned IMagine the white King for his first draught playeth his owne pawne into the fourth house before himselfe and the blacke King for his first draught playeth his Pawne in the like manner then the white King shall play for his second draught his owne Knight into the third house before his owne Bishop and the blacke King to hinder the comming on of the white Kings Knight for his second draught aduanceth his Queenes Pawne into the third house before his Queene for to guard his owne Pawne so that the white Kings purpose this way is made frustrate CHAP. XX. Another way to hinder the same play SEcondly imagine the white King for his first draught playeth forth his owne Pawne into the fourth house before himselfe and that the blacke King doth the like for his first draught then the white King commands his owne Knight into the third house before his owne Bishop then you shall play the blacke Kings Knight in the same order then the white King with his Knight taketh away the blacke Kings Pawne and the blacke King with his Knight at his third draught taketh away the white Kings Pawne then the white King at his fourth draught aduanceth his Queenes Pawne into the third house before his Queene whereby the blacke Kings Knight shall be forced to flye after this the white King for his fift draught may couer his King as he will for the game is equall and this is also the second defence for the play spoken of before CHAP. XXI The third way to hinder the same play at the second draught IMagine the blacke King for his first draught aduanceth his Pawne into the fourth house before himselfe then shall you play the white Kings Pawne for his first draught in the same order then the blacke King for his second draught playeth his owne Knight into the third house before his owne Bishop after this the white King shall place his Queene in the second house before himselfe for his second draught So then the blacke King dares not medle vvith the vvhite Kings Pawne for feare of loosing his Knight by reason the white Queene guardeth the Pawne and this is done at two draughts I could shew you also other playes for the same but this shall suffice CHAP. XXII For the checking of the King without guard IF a Pawne or any other man in the field be so hardy as to giue checke vnto any of the Kings without a guard and that his checke bee giuen the King in such a house where the King may indanger those men may the King destroy himselfe but if they haue guard he may not medell vvith them for going into checke yet the King that is so braued by his enemie may cause any of his vnder-officers that hath guard vpon that house wherein the King is checked to kill any such one which shall presume to checke the King without guard For your last lesson learne this The Kings what danger soeuer they are in may not presse one vpon another for there must be alwayes one house free betweene them neither can they checke one another and when it shall happen that there is no place for the distressed King to flye vnto but that hee must seeke for reliefe in his aduerse Kings bosome then is it Mate The Conclusion THus gentle Reader after thou hast learned to know thy men and how to place them which by this booke thou shalt easily doe then not to play forth a man without a guard after that to know well the difference and valew of the men how much one is better then another and what aduantage it is to play first then to be carefull when you exchange that you exchange not for the worst then to practise and it shall suffice for practise is the chiefest of all to bring thee to perfectnesse Read this booke often and obserue vvell vvhat thou findest in it and it shall profit thee more then the playing of a hundreth games as for the lawes of the game thou shalt finde them in this booke also Thus hauing indeuoured my selfe to shew thee courteous Reader what I can for thy instruction wishing thy loue to this game may be equall to the worthinesse thereof then shall all other games by thee be little respected and lesse practised which no doubt shall giue thee much quietnesse and profit Farewell FINIS
goes Further no time can he goe forth for feare of forraine fooes If the blacke King shall bring a man vnto the white Kings side And then and there giue him one guard he may there still abide Without which help if he presume so neere the King to stand If neede require such one the King may kill with his owne hand None of the Kings can take a man that standeth on a guard 'T were checke at once if he doe so therefore hee must be spar'd Thus may you learne the Kings no time can into a checke goe In places where no perrill is they may march too and fro Know you that this shall read or see I wish nought for my paine If it thee please I haue content I seeke no other gaine Arthur Saul The contents of this Booke OF the antiquitie profit and pleasure of the game and what it representeth Cap. I How to set the men Cap. Cap. II Controuersies resolued Cap. III To vnderstand how the men guard each other Cap. IIII For passing the guard of a Pawne that is aduanced into the fift house Cap. V The difference or the aduantage by playing the first draught Cap. VI What difference there is in the great men and their true worth Cap. VII The true valew of the Pawnes Cap. VIII The deniall of rule-play Cap. IX Aduises for the assailant or defendant Cap. X How you may giue a Mate at two draughts all the men being in the field Cap. XI What benefit may begoten by exchanging man for man Cap. XII The satisfaction of controuersies by tediousnesse of play Cap. XIII How a darke Mate which some call a blind-Mate is giuen Cap. XIIII What a stale is and how that is giuen Cap. XV For retreating Cap. XVI When aduantage is gotten how to make vse of it Cap. XVII A play which one author is of opinion not to be preuented which I denie Cap. XVIII The first way to defend that hard play before mentioned Cap. XIX The second way to preuent the former play Cap. XX A third way to hinder the same play at two draughts Cap. XXI For the checking of the King without guard Cap. XXII FINIS THE FAMOVS GAME OF Chesse-play CHAPTER I. Of the Antiquity Profit and Pleasure of the Game and what it representeth FOr the Antiquitie of this game I finde vpon Record that it was deuised 614. yeares before the Natiuity of Christ so that it is now 2227. yeeres since it hath beene first practised and it is thought that Xerxes who was a King deuised this game Secondly there be some of opinion that it vvas made by learned and wise men as may appeere by the wonderfull inuention of of the game for it requireth the whole minde of man during the time he practiseth the same otherwise hee shall not discerne the purpose of his aduersary vntill it be too late Thirdly whosoeuer he be that is desirous to learne this game of Chesse-play he ought to be of good apprehention and a great memory without the which hee shall neuer play well Fourthly if those which play be of equall iudgement the standers by shall take great delight and pleasure in behoulding them if they haue knowledge in the game when they shal see one Kings forces incounter with the other sometime the blacke King assaulting the white King who valiantly defendeth the assault and peraduenture putteth him to the worst vpon the least neglect that may be O that this game were rightly esteemed of according to his worth It is many yeeres since I could play this game and as yet I neuer knew any fall out at the same for a man cannot be offended with him who he playeth withall but rather blame himselfe for not gouerning his owne men better Fiftly it is apparant what quarrels and sodaine stabbings happen at other games with cheating and cosening one another from all which enormities this is free hauing the glory aboue all other games for a peaceable and a Princely exercise Sixtly it is to be vnderstood that this game representeth two Armies encountring each other so that when the blacke King shall assault the white the white King may presently draw forth many of his men to make good the place assaulted And for as much as the number of chesse-men are but few you will say when an assault is made at any time there cannot many men be drawne forth to make good the place assaulted for by bringing too much ayde to one place you shall weaken another so that thereby you may hazard all to which I answere that albeit the number of the men is small yet by the playing forth of one man you shall hinder the assault of two or three as for example Imagine that the blacke King for his first draught playeth his owne Pawne into the third house in his owne file and that the white King entertaineth another purpose not comming into the field in such manner as the blacke King doth but playeth his Queenes Dukes pawne into the third house in his owne file then the black King for his second draught brings forth his Queene and placeth her in the third house in the front of his Bishops pawne entending at his fourth draught to giue mate to the white King al which the white King seeth yet for his second draught playeth carelesly somewhere els and doth not seeme to take knowledge what the blacke King intendeth to doe the blacke King for more assurance of preuayling bringeth forth his owne Bishop into the fourth house before his Queenes bishop all which is as much as nothing for that the white King by playing his own pawne into the third house in his owne file the blacke King by such play shall fayle of his purpose but if the white King shall forget to hinder the blacke Kings assault at his third draught then the blacke King shall giue mate at his fourth draught to the white King by taking the white Kings bishops pawne with his Queene who shal be guarded with his owne Bishop so that it is a schollers mate but there is no man of iudgement in Chesse-play will take such a mate it may be called also a treacherous mate for otherwise it were vnpossible a King should be deliuered into the hands of his enemyes without the losse of some men vnlesse the white Kings power would make sleepe a defence for treason and so suffer their King to be taken before they would take any knowledge thereof It on your man you â—ight The first draught shall you play If not 't is mine by right At first to lead the way CHAP. II. How to place the men THe boord standing here as thou seest thou shalt place the blacke King in the fourth house being white and the white King you shall place in a blacke house being the fourth house on the other side iust opposite against the blacke King then place the white Queene next her King in a white house which is the fourth house on that side