Is it euer red that the athlets or gamesters vsed walking for an exercise: either in sportes, or in theaters, or in the solemnising of their sacred ceremonies, whervnto they serued? did either _Plato_[25] handling this argument, or any good writer else saye that walking was any waye to traine vp soldiars withall? Onely _Vegetius_[26] sayeth in his discourse of warfare, that it were good for soldiars to accustome themselues to walke quickly and proportionately, for their better breathing: and _Augustus Cesar_, and _Adrian_ the Emperours, did ordeine by constitution, that soldiars both horsemen and footemen should monthly be led abroad to walke and that not only in the plaine fieldes, but in all kindes of soile, to be able by that acquaintaunce with groundes, to make difficultie at none. So that _walking_ seemeth to be onely institute both by nature and custome for the vse of health: and that in the traine of health, no one thing deserueth better place than it doth: bycause no other thing besides health layth claime vnto it.
[Sidenote: The vse of slow walking after exercise.]
Herof there be two kindes, the one vsed after vehement exercises, the other, which beareth the name of the exercise itselfe. Concerning the former of the two, I haue but thus much to saye: bycause the latter is my peculiar subiect. That it commeth in place, when other exercises are dismissed, and finished, after purgations ministred by counsell of Physick, after great vomiting: that it is good to refresh the wearied minde: to alter and bring in order the spirites: to loose that which is strayted, to scoure the chest: to make one fetch his breath at ease: to strengthen the instrumentes of the senses, to confirme the stomacke, to cleare and fine the bodie: and not to suffer it after trauaile to melt or decaie, but to purge and cleanse it: and that, which is of most account, to dissolue and bannish awaye all affections that procure any feeling of weariesomnes, or disturbaunce to the bodie.
[Sidenote: The three principall kindes of walking.]
The second kinde of _walking_ hath three sortes vnder him. Wherof the first beareth his name of the kinde of motion, how: The second of the place, where: The thrid of the time, when the walking is vsed. Which three also haue particular braunches vnder eche of them, as hereafter shall appeare.