For the vse of warre, and defence, it is more then euident, that exercise beares the bell: Can one haue a bodie to abide cold, not to melte with heat, not to starue for hunger, not to dye for thirst, not to shrinke at any hardnesse, almost beyond nature, and aboue common reache, if he neuer haue it trained? will nimblenesse of limmes awaie with all labour, surpasse all difficulties, of neuer so diuers, and dangerous groundes, pursue enemies to vanquish, reskue freinds to saue, retire from danger without harme, thrust it selfe into daunger without daunger, where no traine before made acquaintance with trauell? Whervpon called the _Romaines_ their whole armie _Exercitus_, but bycause it consisted of a valiant number of exercised and trained men? which were not to seeke at a sudden, bycause they had vsed armes before? how could common weales where the territory was but small, and the enhabitantes few, haue still deliuered themselues from mightier assailantes, then they seemed defendantes? or in continuall threates, of ieleous neighbours, how could they still haue kept their owne, if that small territorie, had not bene thoroughly employed, and that petie paucitie gallantly trained? wherby it was able for hardnesse and sufferance to abide what not? For actiuitie and manhood, to haue mastered whom not? or at the least had good meanes, not to receiue any foile, where onely the huger number, and the vntrained multitude, were to trie the masterie in fielde against them?
For health it is most manifest that exercise is a mighty great mistresse, whether it be to confirme that which we haue by nature, or to procure that which we haue not by nature: or to recouer that by industrie, and diligence, which we haue almost lost, by misfortune and negligence. The exercises which do serue to this healthy end, do best serue for this my purpose, and though an healthfull body be most apt and actiue, both for gaming to get wagers, and for warring to winne victories, yet in my exercises, I neither meane to dally with the gamester, not to fight with the warrier, but to marke which way I may best saue studentes, who haue most neede of it: being still assailed by those enemies of health, which waxe more eager and hoat, the more weake and cold that exercise is.