OF EXERCISE IN GENERALL AND WHAT IT IS. AND THAT IT IS ATHLETICALL FOR GAMES, MARTIALL FOR THE FIELDE, PHYSICALL FOR HEALTH, PRÆPARATIUE BEFORE, POSTPARATIUE AFTER THE STANDING EXERCISE: SOME WITHIN DAORES, FOR FOULE WHETHER, SOME WITHOUT FOR FAIRE.
All exercises were first deuised, and so in deede serued, either for games and pastime, for warre and seruice, or for suretie of health and length of life, though somtime all the three endes did concurre in one, sometimes they could not. For why might not an healthfull, and a sound body, both serue in the fielde for a soldiar, and in the sand for a wrastler? But we seldom reade, that the _athleticall_ constitution whose ende was gaming, whose exercise was pastime, whose diet was vnmeasurable for any man to vse, did either deliuer the world an healthfull body, being strained beyond measure, or a courageous soldiar, being vnweildy to fight, as one compounded and made of fat and fog, brawnie and burdenous.
The _athleticall_ and gaming exercises, were in generall assemblies, to winne some wager, to beare awaie the prise, to be wondered at of the world, or to set foorth the solemnities of their festiuall seruice, and ceremonies in the honour of their idoles: or in publike spectacle to adourne and set foorth, the triumphant and victorious shewes, the sumptuous and costly deuises of their princes and states. Wherin we reade, that particular men haue shewed such effectes of strength, and sturring, by the helpe of exercise, and traine, as nature her selfe could neuer attaine vnto, though she furthered the feat, and got her selfe the worst, both by empairing of health, and hastning on of death, thorough straining to much. It is more then marueilous to thinke on, and yet we finde it of verie good recorde, what and how incredible weight, both of liuing creatures, and massier mettal, one mans force hath bene noted to haue borne, by being only vsed to that burthen. Would any man beleue it, if it were not of good writen credit, that one _Milo_ so strutted himselfe, so pitcht his feet, so peysed his bodie, as he remained vnremoueable from his place, being haled at and pulde by a number of people. _Actiuitie_ hath wrought wonders, _swiftnesse_ incredible thinges, and what propertie what not? where nature and ambition were backt with exercise and good will, to do but one thing well.