Of wrastling.
For wrastling as it is olde and was accounted cunning sometimes, so now both by Physicians in arte, and by our countreymen in vse, it seemeth not to be much set by, being contemned by the most, and cared for but by the meanest. Yet the auncient Palestra a terme knowen to the learned, and ioined with letters, and Musick, to proue the good bringing vp of youth as a most certaine argument of abilitie well qualified, fetcht that name of the Greeke πάλη, which we in English terme wrastling, and was alwaye of good note, as wrastling it selfe in games gat victories, in warre tried forces, in health helpt hauiour, in the bodye wrought strength, and made it better breathed. Clemens Alexandrinus[19] which liued at Rome in Galenes time in the third booke of his Pædagogue, or training maister, in the title of exercise, reiecting most kindes of wrastling yet reserueth one, as verie well beseeming a ciuill trained man, whom both seemelinesse for grace, and profitablenesse for good health, do seeme to recommende. Then an exercise it is, and healthfully it may be vsed: if discretion ouerlooke it, our countrey will allow it. Let vs therefore vse it so, as Clement of Alexandria commendes it for, and make choice in our market. Wherfore not to deale with the catching pancraticall kinde of wrastling, which vsed all kindes of hould, to cast and ouercome his aduersarie, nor any other of that sort, which continuance hath reiected, and custome refused, I haue picked out two, which be both ciuill for vse, and in the vsing vpright without any great stouping, the one more vehement, the other more remisse. The vehement vpright wrastling chafeth the outward partes of the bodie most, it warmeth, strengthneth, and encreaseth the fleshe, though it thinne and drie withall. It taketh awaie fatnesse, puffes, and swellinges: it makes the breath firme and strong, the bodie sound and brawnie, it tightes the sinews, and backes all the naturall operations. If they that wrastle do breath betwene whiles, it prouoketh sweat, bycause the humours, which were gathered together by rest, are egde out by exercise. If they go on still without intermission, it dryeth vp the bodie in such sort as the sonne doth. It is good for the head ache, it sharpneth the senses, it is enemie to melancholie, it whetteth the stomacke being troubled with any cold distemperature. And bycause the attemptes to get vantage in wrastling be very eager and earnest wherwith the whole bodie is warmed and set in a heat, it must of force be good for the bellie, being anoyed and cumbred with any kinde of cold. Now contrarie it is daungerous to be delt with in agues, as to vehement and conspiring with the quiuerer, in naturall moysture as to filling, where it spreadeth. For the necke and iawes perillous whom it harmes by rowgh handling, and strangleth by much ouerstraining. For the breast and bulke not of the best, as either bursting some conduit, or stopping some windcourse. Weake kidneis, and wearie loynes may be but lookers vpon wrastlers. They that be gawled or byled within, may neither runne nor wrastle, for eagering the inward, being in way to amendement, or in will to proue worse. If weake legges become wrastlers, of their owne perill be it, for they do it without warrant. The remisse kinde of vpright wrastling, as it is a more gentle exercise, so it breadeth much flesh, and is therfore verie commodious for such as be vpon the recouerie after sicknesse, as a kinde of motion, which without any danger, bringeth strength and stowtnesse. It is freind to the head, bettereth the bulke, and strengthened the sinewes. Thus much for wrastling, wherin as in all other exercises, the training maister must be both cunning to iugde of the thing: and himselfe present to preuent harme, when the exercise is in hand.
CHAPTER 18.
Of fensing, or the vse of the weapon.
The vse of the weapon is allowed for an exercise, and may stand vs at this daie now liuing, and our posteritie in great stede, as wel as it did those which went before vs. Who vsed it warlike for valiauntnesse in armes, and actiuitie in the field, gamelike to winne garlandes and prices, and to please the people in solemne meetinges: Physicklike to purchace therby a good hauiour of body and continuance of health. Herof they made three kindes, one to fight against an aduersarie in deede, an other against a stake or piller as a counterfet aduersarie, the third against any thing in imagination, but nothing in sight, which they called σκιομαχία, a fight against a shadow. All these were practised either in armes, or vnarmed. The armed fensing is to vehement for our trade, let them trie it, that entend to be warriers, which shall finde it their freinde, if they meane to follow the fielde, where, as in all other thinges vse worketh maisterie. But we scholers minde peace, as our muses professe that they will not medle, nor haue to do with Mars. All these sortes of fensing were vsed in the olde time, and none of them is now to be refused, seing the same effectes remaine, both for the health of our bodies, and the helpe of our countries. That kinde of fensing or rather that misuse of the weapon, which the Romane swordplayers vsed, to slash one an other yea euen till they slew, the people and princes to looking on, and deliting in the butcherie, I must needes condemne, as an euident argument of most cruell immanitie, and beyond all barbarous, in cold blood, to be so bloodie. For their allegation, to harten their people against the enemie, and not to feare woundes: no not death it selfe in the verie deadly fight, that caryeth small countenaunce, where the Athenian[20] comes in, which in cokfights and quailefightes, did so harten their people: bycause those birdes will fight till they fall: without either embrewing their youth with blood, or acquainting their citisens eyes with such sanguinarie spectacles.
A thing complained on in the time when it was vsed, euen by them which behelde it, as Plinie[21] doth note: and by the Christianes which abhorred it, as Cypriane[22] cryeth out of it in moe places then one. But for the credit and countenaunce of the exercise, that was then vsed, and is now to be continued, Plato,[23] a man whose authoritie is sacred among Philosophers and studentes, in his dialogue surnamed Laches, where he handleth the argument of fortitude and valiantnesse, encourageth young men to learne the vse of their weapon: as being an exercise which needeth not to make curtsie to go with the very best and brauest in his parish: either for trauelling or strengthening the bodie, besides the cunning of it selfe. The profites which health receiues by all these three kindes be these. He that exerciseth him selfe either against an aduersarie, or against a post or pillar as deputie to his aduersarie heateth himselfe thoroughly, maketh way for excrementes, prouoketh sweat, abateth the abundance of flesh, strengtheneth his armes and shoulders, exerciseth his legges and feet marueilously. He that fighteth against a stake stirreth the bodie, plucketh the flesh downe, and straynes the iuyce awaye, a peculiar freind to the armes and handes: It refresheth the wearied sense, it setleth the roming humours, it redresseth the fainting and trembling of the sinewes, it deliuereth the breast from his ordinarie diseases: it is good for the kidneyes: and the great gutte called κῶλον, it furthereth such cariage as must be conueighed downward. The same effects hath the fight against the shadow or the shadowish nothing, but that it is a litle more valiant to light vpon somwhat then to fight against nothing. But of all these three, the exercise against an aduersarie is both most healthfull, and most naturall to aunswere all assaies: and specially to canuase out a coward, that will neither defend his freinde, nor offend his foe: the cheife frute that should follow fensing. This is the opinion of the best writers concerning fensing, or skill how to handle the weapon: no worse in it selfe, though it be sometimes not worthily vsed, as it is no lesse profitable, then hath bene said afore: though it shake and shiuer weake heades, swimming braynes, and ill kidneys. The mo reasons any man can bring of him selfe for any of these exercises, the more he fortifieth my choice, which point them but out slightly.
CHAPTER 19.
Of the Top and scourge.