Transcription by David Kite ©2014, ©2017 David Kite. All rights reserved. A note on transcription. Rigorous documentary editing practice would dictate a transcription faithful to the original printing. This is what my original transcription attempted to accomplish, remaining faithful to spelling, grammar, and punctuation. However, given the process by which books were produced and contemporary editorial practices, the author‟s original spelling, and to a lesser extent grammar, are impossible to determine without having the original manuscript Joseph Swetnam provided to the printer. Due to this reality, and the fact that I intend to make the book more accessible to modern audiences, some alterations have been made. Spelling has been modernized to American English throughout. Proper nouns have also been modernized, except where noted. Since this is an updated version of my original transcription, which was faithful to the original printing, and since I have become so accustomed to archaic spellings that I am often blind to them, there are likely to be a few I overlooked. Syntax and punctuation have been maintained, including the use of helping verbs. To have modernized the language would have meant altering a text, which, by and large, can still speak for itself to the modern ear. Obsolete or archaic words have therefore been retained, except where noted. For space and formatting considerations in the original edition, the printer used contractions (a tilde over a letter preceding the omission). These have been expanded. Also, where a word was repeated seemingly mistakenly, I have deleted the redundant word or words. Individual words in italics have also been maintained, however, entire passages originally printed in italics have not. Words split between lines or pages have been made whole. Any mistakes in this transcription are my own. Bold text in [brackets] indicate page numbers and folio markers. Pages with no [brackets] lack page numbers and folio markers in the original. There are several pagination errors in the original copy, including page number duplications, though the text itself is what it is supposed to be. As far as this transcription is concerned, the page numbers represent the numbers in the original printing, and have not been corrected to the “actual” page numbers. Pagination errors are indicated by a (sic). THE SCHOOL OF THE NOBLE and Worthy Science of Defense. Being the first of any English man‟s invention, which professed the said science; so plainly described, that any man may quickly come to the true knowledge of their weapons, with small pains and little practice. Then read it advisedly, and use the benefit thereof when occasion shall serve, so shall thou be a good commonwealth man, live happy to thy self, and comfortable to thy friend. Also many other good and profitable precepts and counsels for the managing of quarrels and ordering thy self in many other matters. Written by JOSEPH SWETNAM. LONDON Printed by NICHOLAS OKES. 1617. [Folio A2 recto] THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY To the high and mighty Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, York, Albany and Rothesay, Marquis of Ormonde, Earl of Ross, and Baron of Ardmannoch, High Seneschal of Scotland, Lord of the Isles, and Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Most gracious and noble Prince, the many great and kind favors which I received from the hands of your late brother deceased, unto whom I was tutor in the skill of weapons, to my no little credit, which makes me now turn back to show my love in a small measure unto your princely self, and yet it is as much as I am able, a bunch of grapes is but a small present, and yet King Philip of Macedon [Folio A2 verso] did receive them, and accept them, and the rather, because a poor man presented them, and therefore I trust Your Highness will more esteem the good will of the giver, than the value of the gift. Three things did chiefly encourage me to publish it under the glorious name of Your Gracious Highness: The first is, in regard of Your Highness‟ deep desire to gain experience in all arts and sciences, the which is seen by Your Grace‟s favoring and furthering any man which is endued with any good quality, therein rightly resembling a branch of the same stock from whence Your Excellency sprang, of whom in my next Epistle to the Reader I will speak more at large: but at this time for doubt of being offensive, with the renewing of old griefs, I stand in amaze, like unto that child, [Folio A3 recto] who being asked whether he loved his father or his mother best, stood mute as doubting how to answer for fear of displeasing the one of them: even so in this place will I. Now the second cause of this my dedication unto Your Excellency is, in respect of my vehement love whereto in duty I am bound unto your princely self: and thirdly, that it may pass under Your Highness‟ protection, the better to shroud itself from back-biters and fault-finders, lest amongst such it be taken up like a friendless vagrant: Oh therefore let it find favor, I humbly entreat Your Highness, although it can little pleasure your princely self, yet it may stead many others, and so doubting lest I have troubled Your Highness overlong, I will therefore here draw the curtains, and commit Your Highness to the protection of the Almighty, who ever bless, [Folio A3 verso] preserve and keep Your Highness with long life, and prosperous health, and happiness to the world‟s end. By Your Highness to be commanded so long as I live. Joseph Swetnam. AN EPISTLE UNTO THE COMMON READER. In letting out of a book, friendly reader, this I know, that there is no better a thing to be observed than order, for except there be an order in all things, all runs to confusion, but what do I mean to talk of orders, which am no scholar, nor have no learning; but only a little experience, which God and nature have bestowed upon me. As it is unpossible to build a church without lime or stone, no more can a workman work without tools, yet to avoid idleness, something I will make of it, although I cannot make it sound to so good a tune as I would, for want of learning, for I was never at Oxford but while I baited my horse; nor at Cambridge but while one Stourbridge fair lasted: wherefore if you do examine me concerning learning, I shall answer you as the fellow did the gentleman, who asking him the way to London, a poke full of plumbs sir said he; or as he which came from a sermon was asked what he heard there; he said it was a good sermon, and the preacher spoke well, but he could not tell one word what he said, no more can I answer one word scholar-like or according to learning; yet both at Oxford and Cambridge I looked upon the scholars, and they looked upon me, and so I became a little the older, but never the wiser; wherefore if I should continue tempering this book so long till I had put it in order, I should resemble those, which do make their apparel so long of the newest fashion, until they are quite out of fashion, or like as the fiddlers do their strings, who wrest them and temper them so long, until they bring them out of all time, tune, and reason, lest I should do so I will let it go with this draft as it is: but gentle reader look not here to gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of thistles: nor of a wild and barren tree, nothing else but wild and barren fruit, yet amongst dust, sometimes there are pearls found, and in hard rocks gold and stones of great price, I have here as it were mixed wheat and rye, barley and oats, beans and peas all together, now take a little pains to separate that grain which thou like best for thine own benefit. I give thee here a friendly caveat, to prepare thy self in a readiness, for although thou are at quiet now, yet do thou not know how soon thou shall be urged to take weapons in hand, as myself and many others have been, when I least thought upon it, therefore to have judgment and skill in weapons is good, although thou never have occasion to use it. The proverb says cunning is no burden, the same mouth which at one time says, I will live quietly, for I will make no brawls with any, yet at another time he again will say, oh that I had skill, for then would I be revenged on such a one that has injuriously wronged me. Therefore for such a cause be prepared beforehand, for if the King were sure that he should never have wars, what need had he then to provide armor and weapons, but in the time of peace he provides himself; the wise mariner provides in a calm for a storm, for things doubtful are to be dreadful. It is better to live in fear than in security, and to this purpose Tully has a pretty saying which goes thus; he which desires peace let him provide for wars,1 but I fear me that the tide will be spent, before I can double this point, and therefore here I will cast anchor, and will ride in this road something longer than I would, for fear lest I cast my bark away on a lee shore, for want of water; these words of wariness do I use because there are many which no sooner out of the shell, but are cast away like an addle egg.