feeble, slowe, or not of power to sustaine the weight of blowes, Or if it take not aduauntage to strike when time requiereth, it vtterlie remaineth ouertaken with disgrace and daunger: the which falts (as appeareth) proceed not from the Art, but from the Instrument badly handled in the action.
Therefore let euerie man that is desierous to practise this Art, indeuor himselfe to get strength and agilitie of bodie, assuringe himself, that iudgment without this actiuitie and force, auaileth litle or nothinge: Yea, happelie giueth occasion of hurt and spoile. For men beinge blinded in their owne iudgements, and presuminge thereon, because they know how, and what they ought to doo, giue manie times the onset and enterprise, but yet, neuer perfourme it in act.
But least I seeme to ground this Art vppon dreames and monstrous imaginations (hauinge before laid downe, that strength of bodie is very necessarie to attaine to the perfection of this Art, it beinge one of the two principall beeginninges first layd downe, and not as yet declared the way how to come by and procure the same) I haue determined in the entrance of this worke, to prescribe first the manner how to obtaine iudgemēt, and in the end thereof by way of Treatise to shew the meanes (as farre forth as appertaineth to this Art) by the which a man by his owne indeuoure and trauaile, may get strength and actiuitie of bodie, to such purpose and effect, that by the iustruc-
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