CHAPTER 22.
Of leaping.
Leaping should seeme to be somewhat naturall, and chearfull, bycause at any pleasant or ioyefull newes, not onely the hart will leape for ioye, but also the body it selfe will spring liuely, to declare his consent, with the delited minde, and that not in young folkes alone, but also in the elder, whom we commonly say that no ground can hold: so that leaping seemes to stand the body in such a steade for vttering of ioy, as the tongue serues the minde to deliuer her delite by speche with laughter. The cattell and brute beastes bewraie their contentment, and well liking, by the selfe same meanes, leaping and galloping of them selues in their pasture when they be lustily disposed and in good health. Though in training of the bodie by waye of exercise, there be not so much regard had to the mirth of the minde, as to the motion of the bodie: and yet being an exercise it may not be vnpleasant. In which kinde it is noted to be vehement, wherein both strength is vsed to make the body spring, and swiftnesse to make it nimble: being naturally an interrupted race, as running is a continued leape. It serued the olde world in game for brauerie, and shew of actiuitie: in warfare to skip ouer diches and hard passages, in Physicke for an exercise of health, whereby it became more stately and imperiall, bycause the first famous Romain Emperor Augustus Cæsar,[34] being troubled with the Ischiatica and stone in his bladder, and also hauing some weaknesse in his left legge and feet, vsed this running leape, or leaping race to helpe himselfe thereby. There be diuers kindes of leaping wherof I will tuch the most likely.
1. Leaping and springing without intermission is good to encrease the naturall heat, to helpe digestion, to dispatche raw humours, though afterward it anoie the head and brest, bycause it shaketh the head verie vehemently: and by reason of much bending and so pressing the backe, it oftimes breaketh some canall in the breast or lungues. 2. To leape running is good for such diseases of the head, as haue troubled it long. It helpeth the bulke, bycause it vseth no violent bending, nor pressing of the bodie, it fetcheth downe such needeles fumes, as otherwise would haue ben aspiring vpward: it chearisheth weake legges: which prosper not by nurriture, thorough some trembling and benummed flesh. 3. Leaping as we do commonly call it and vse it, doth driue idle superfluities downward thoroghly, but bycause it shaketh the bulke to sore, both by to violent mouing and to forcible strayning, it is not good for it: though it shew a verie deliuer and an actiue bodie: both to stirre and to do anything else. It driueth also the stone from the kidneies into the bladder: yet it hurteth the knees by reason of violent and continuall bending them. The Lacedemonian wymen, whose picture Callimachus the painter, for his foolish curiosity named κακοχειρότεχνος, as Plinie[35] reporteth, vsed to leape so, as their heeles did hitte their hippes, which manner of leaping doth both purge and drie. But me thinke I here some gentlewymen saye, fye vpon them Rigs. Not so. The lawes and custome of their countrey did allow, nay did commaunde them to runne, to leape, to wrastle, and to do all such exercises, both as well, as men, and also with men. Their reason was. They did thinke the childe lame of the one side, whose mother was delicate, daintie, tender, neuer stirring, neuer exercising, not withstanding, the father were neuer so naturally strong, neuer so artificially trained. And to preuent that infirmitie in their owne youth, they exercised their wymen also, no lesse then their men. As _Plato_[36] wisheth his people in his common weale, which he patterneth for the best. _Skipping_ againe the banck, as it helpeth the hippes, so it hurteth the breast: and the same downhill cleareth the head from superfluities, which it fetcheth downward: It strengtheneth the legges, but it shaketh the bowelles to sore, which is very dangerous, for ruptures anywhere: for the crooked swelling veines in the legge: for all gouttes: for all those, in whom the humours vpon any small occasion will fall downe to the feete: and cause them to swell.[37] Further in cases where it were good to let blood or to purge, if either yeares or some other impediment wil admit neither, to auoide superfluous humours, _leaping_ will supply the roome. As it is verie ill for those which pisse blood: or be in a flixe: or haue weake or ouerheated kidneies: or that haue at that time, or not long before had, some gaule or exulceration in the kidneies. And yet though the kidneies be sound, eaping will sometime loose a veine. Eche kinde of _leaping_ is better accomplished by holding of some weight in the hand for steddinesse, then with the hand emptie and without his ballace.
CHAPTER 23.
Of swimming.
In the old time, when they would point at a fellow, in whom there was nothing to be made account of, they were wont to saye, he neither knoweth letter on the booke, nor yet how to swimme: wherby it appeareth that swimming, was both in great vse, and of great price in those daies, which either first brought forth that byword or afterward maintained it, seing he was helde for no bodie that could not, or but for a dastard which would not learne the sleight to swimme. The traine came bycause it was then best to learne, when the iointes were most pliable, and yet strong withall. The ende was either to saue themselues in fightes by sea, or in flightes by lande, where they were to passe riuers, or to assaile enemies by water, or for other such seruices: as what if Leander say it serues for loue, and bring both Hero to witnesse, which was partaker of the euill, and Musæus the Poete, which described their misfortune? Which considerations may recommende swimming to vs also: who may stand in neede of it, vpon the same causes, and in the like euentes that they did. But bycause it is so necessarie, it would not be vncurteously entertained, and therefore regard must be had in what water ye swimme, for if ye swimme in springes which are naturally hoat, it is stuffing, and yet good for the palsie, so he that swimmeth do vse bladders, to ease him selfe withall: and lighten his labour. To swimme in marsh waters, and pooles, infecteth both the head and all the residue of the bodie, bycause rotten, and corrupt vapours, enter the pores of the bodie, together with the moysture. It is reasonable good swimming in lakes and standing meres, which the larger they be and the clearer, the more commodious and wholesome to swimme in. But no kinde of fresh water is so good to swimme in, as the running riuer is, chiefly for them, which be in health, to whom besides many other commodities, it serueth for a preparative to sleepe. Yet it is not good abiding long in any fresh water, for feare of perishing the sinues both with cold and moysture, whose issues be the crampe, and the swimmers daunger. But nothing at all, be it neuer so good for health, be it neuer so defensible to saue, can be gotten without perill in prouing. And why should swimming dreame of securitie, and neuer thinke to drowne? Doth it not deale with water, where there is no warrant, but wisedome to forsee? pointe the place, pointe the fight, pointe the daunger and a pointe for daunger: but where you cannot appointe the particularitie, ye cannot warrant the perill. Cocles,[38] scaped, it was in a small riuer, and reskue at hand. Scœna the centurion scaped, he was neare both shippe and shoar. Nay Cæsar[39] himselfe saued him selfe from drowning, and helde his lettres vp drie in the one hand. A signe of courage and cunning as that man had enough; but his shippes were at hand, and it is not writen, that either he swamme alone, or any long waye. But of all daungers to drowne, there is least in the sea, where the swimming is best: for the salt water as it is thicker then the fresh, so it beareth vp the bodie better, that it may fleet with lesse labour. The swimming in salt water is very good to remoue the headache, to open the stuffed nosethrilles, and therby to helpe the smelling. It is a good remedie for dropsies, scabbes, and scurfes, small pockes, leprosies, falling awaye of either legge, or any other parte: for such as prosper not so, as they would, though they eate as they wishe, for ill stomackes, liuers, miltes, and corrupt constitutions. Yet all swimming must needes be ill for the head, considering the continuall exhalation, which ascendeth still from the water into the head. Swimming in hoat waters softeneth that which is hardened, warmeth that which is cooled, nimbleth the iointes which are benummed, thinneth the skinne, which is thickned, and yet it troubleth the head, weakneth the bodie, disperseth humours, but dissolueth them not. Swimming in cold water doth strengthen the naturall heat, bycause it beates it in: it maketh verie good and quick digestion: it breaketh superfluous humours, it warmeth the inward partes, yet long tarying in it hurtes the sineues, and takes awaye the hearing. Thus much concerning swimming, which can neither do children harme in learning, if the maister be wise, nor the common weale but good, being once learned, if either priuate daunger or publike attempt do bid them auenture. For he that oweth a life to his countrey, if he die on lande, he doeth his duetie, and if he drowne in water, his duetie is not drowned.