A Short introduction for to learne to Swimme.

Gathered out of Master Digbies Booke of the Art of Swimming.

And translated into English for the better in­struction of those who vnderstand not the Latine tongue.

By Christofer Middleton.

[figure]

AT LONDON, Printed by Iames Roberts for Edward White, and are to be sold at the little North doore of Paules Church, at the signe of the Gun. 1595.

To the Worshipfull and well accom­plished Gentleman, Maister Simon Smith.

SIR, the report of your perfection in this facultie, hath imboldened me to presume vpon your curtesie, the rather for that as experience in other things hath taught mee, howe Birds of one kinde, with mutuall consent helpe to support the younger and weaker sort, till nature hath sufficiently enabled them, so doth hope in this thing perswade me, that men of one disposition, will as willingly accord in their commenda­ble exercises, tending to profitable ends, as the sencelesse Fowles of the ayre naturally agree, mutually to main­taine their owne estate. Thus vnder your thrise wor­thy protection, as a sufficient shelter from all the ayerie Buzzards shroude I my selfe, Dum virum me fecerit etas, which if you vouchsafe, it shall embolden mee so to im­ploy my next vacant time, as may in some better sort re­quite your VVorshipfull fauour.

Yours in all dutifull obedience. C. M.

To the Reader.

I Writ not this (gentle Reader) to derogate from his worth, whose labor first brought this worke within the rules of Arte, and hath thereby, as Virgill for the tillage of the earth, Vige­tius for Millitary profession, Hipocrates and Gallen for Phi­sick, Iustinian for the Law, Aristotle, Tullie, Euclides, Boetius Ptolomeus, for the liberall Sciences, Pomponius Mela, for Cos­mography, or Marcator for the Globes of the world, (thought his matter may be of some accounted as the least) yet for his forme deserued commendations with the best: but for his learned style, exceedeth the capacitie of the greater part of men, and the mat­ter it selfe being so necessary for all, I haue, (as I could) gathered his worke into a briefe compendium, for theyr better vnderstan­ding that are ignorant in the Latine tongue. Thus not to gaine the reward of other mens labours, nor to attribute to my selfe o­ther mens vertues, but to vncurtaine that to the view of all, which was onely appropriated to a fewe, haue I vnder-gone this taske▪ which I doubt not will proue as profitable as pleasant.

Uale.

Of the Art of Swimming.

ALthough from the beginning, amongst all the Au­thors of Artes and Sciences, there are fewe or none which haue bestowed any paines in the ex­playning or publishing this Art of Swimming, it being so profitable a thing as it is, towards the preseruing of mans lyfe, when as he is at any time distressed in the greedie iawes of the swelling Sea, destitute of other helpe, ( Et si tamen a nullo laudetur laudabile tamen est natura,) al­though it be by none praysed, yet doth nature it selfe preferre it sufficiently, especially in man, which aboue all Foules of the ayre, Fishes of the Sea, Beasts of the earth, or other creatures whatsoeuer, excelleth in this facultie as hereafter shall more at large be expressed. If Phisicke be worthy of commendations, in respect of the nature in purging poysoned humors, dryuing away contagious diseases, and by this meanes adding longer date vnto the life of man, well then may this Art of Swimming come within the number of other Sciences, which preserueth the precious life of man, amidst the furious billowes of the law­les waters, where neither riches nor friendes, neither birth nor kindred, neither liberall Sciences nor other Artes, onely it selfe excepted, can rid him from the daunger of death. Nor is it onely to be respected for this great helpe in extreamitie of death, but it is also a thing necessarie for euery man to vse, euen in the plea­santest and securest time of his lyfe especially: as the fittest thing to purge the skinne from all externall pollutions or vn­cleannesse whatsoeuer, as sweat and such like, as also it helpeth to temperate the extreame heate of the bodie in the burning [Page] time of the yeare. And if we respect throughly the nature of this Art, we may easilie perceaue and see, that it doth not much dif­fer from the rest of the liberall Sciences, A libera mente proce­dentes.

Whether all thi [...] swimme by nature [...]

NAture our prouident mother, hath carefully proui­ded for euery seuerall creature, seuerall meanes for their preseruation in their seuerall kindes: as vnto those creatures which haue their lyuing in the inmost bowels of the earth, or other such pla­ces far remote from the daunger of water, to those hath she not imparted this knowledge, for that is a thing to them altogether impertinent, but to other her creatures, eyther those whose con­tinuall aboade is in the deepes, as Fishes, Foules, and some Beastes that liue in the water, or to other which in the actions of their liues, doe any waies tend towards the waters, on them, for their better preseruation hath shee bestowed this great gift, yet not to euery creatur [...] alike, but what Element doth most a­bound in the composition of their bodies, according to the quali­tie therof is their kinde of Swimming. As for example, a Toade hath a broader body then a Frog, and to mans iudgement more fitte to swimme, and yet because her complection is more earth­ly and therefore heauier by nature, and féedeth vpon the sollid poyson of the earth, either presently after shee commeth into the water, sinketh right downe, or if the doe remaine any time vpon the superficies of the water, it is with great labour, whereas a frog feeding on the aierie dewe that lyeth vpon the grasse, plea­santlie playeth vpon the water, liuely representing the true Swimming of a man.

The like reasons is of the Foules of the ayre, as the Swal­lowes that feede vpon the slender buzzing Flies of the ayre, they [Page] nimblier flye to and fro, and lightlier drinke on the toppe of the water, then other Foules, that eyther feede on the wormes of the earth, or the Fishes of the Sea. And euen as the liuelesse truncks which in theyr constitution, haue a greater tempera­ture of ayre or fire, then of water or earth, are of theyr owne ac­cord carried aboue the water, as wood and such like, and on the contrary, heauy constitutions of water or earth, as lead, iron, stone, and such, directly settle downe to the bottom, so is it with all creatures that haue life, as the Lyon the beast of the sunne, and king of the Forrest, because he is of a sanguine complexion, a hot constitution, nimble of his ioynts, and of a noble courage, swims lightly, and strongly, and so of the dogge, and other crea­tures, whose constitution is a lower degrée of heate. But some kindes of Foules, although they bee of a good constitution of bo­dy, yet for some impediment in their forme, are hindered and doe not swimme so well as other, whose bodies are more grosse, as the Cock which is the bird of the sunne, for that he wanteth (as we call them) the webs of his feete, swimmeth not so easily as a Duck which is more melancholy and heauy by nature, accor­ding to the disposition of Saturne.

Man swimmeth by nature.

THe Fishes in the Sea, whose continuall life is spent in the water, in them dooth no man denie swimming to be the onely gift which Nature hath bestowed vpon them, and shall wee thinke it then artificiall in a man, which in it dooth by many degrees excell them, as dyuing downe to the bottoms of the dee­pest waters, and fetching from thence whatsoeuer is there sunck downe, transporting things to and fro at his pleasure, sitting, tumbling, leaping, walking, and at his ease perfourmeth many fine feates in the water, which far exceeds the naturall gifts be­stowed on Fishes? nay so fit is the constitution of mans body, [Page] that who so dooth but with himselfe throughly consider of it, can­not but accord with mee in thys, that a man of all creatures vn­der the circumference of heauen, naturally excelleth in swim­ming.

As for example, a shaft shotte in the water, when it riseth againe, hangeth perpendicularly downeward with the head, and the vpper parts and feathers swim aboue the water, euen so is it with a man, who although the lower parts of his body be earthly, aud heauy, yet aboue is the life of liues, the vitall spy­rits, the externall & internall scences, to be short, the life spirits of euery man, exceedeth the liues of all Beasts, for that they on­ly retayne the vigitable and sensuall powers, the one whereby they grow and increase, and the other whereby they heare, feele, see, smell, and taste. But in man is all these, whose least part exceedeth the greatest quantity of the other in the highest degrée, a reasonable soule: so y t hee hath not onely in great measure the other helpes, which Nature hath prouided for this purpose, but he hath wisdome, by Arte to perfect that in himselfe, which by nature is left vnperfect: and hauing plaine rules of Arte, howe by motion to keepe vp the heauy parts of his body, which by reason of theyr heauines are naturally carried downe, it can­not otherwise be, but that swimming must naturally come to a man: and in swimming he must excell all creatures whatsoe­uer.

But for some will obiect, that if swimming were so natu­rall a thing to a man, then should not so many perish in the wa­ter, to these in a word I thus answere: that men who haue not had some practise in it afore, when by any sinister occasion they fall into the water, the discreet vse of their sences is taken away by a suddaine feare, and so vnorderly labouring in the water, they by the indirect moouing of their bodyes pull downe them­selues vnder the water, and so are drowned, which to auoyde I leaue it to euery seuerall mans consideration, how necessarie a thing this Art of Swimming is.

Of the place and time to swimme.

OF all the circumstances which the Authour of this our Art hath in his first booke learnedly set down, as necessarie antecedents before he enter into the practise it selfe, I hold these two sufficient for the vnlearned sort to knowe, (time and place,) and leaue the rest to their wise cōsiderations which are able through­ly to vnderstand the Latine tongue. The time which the tem­perature of this our clymate affords as good to swimme in, is comprehended in foure monethes, May, Iune, Iuly, and Au­gust, for that in these monethes the Sunne drawing nearer vn­to our Zenith, his beames falling more directly downe vpon the superficies of this earth, make a greater reflection, and thence commeth a more vehement heate, which dooth temperate the water, and make wholsome the ayre. The winde and weather ought also in these moneths to be regarded, especially of those whose weake constitution, is not so able to endure the cold, as others of a stronger composition of bodie. The windes that are most vnwholsome and daungerous to swimme in, is the East and North, for that blowing from cold and drie places, they bring diuers and sundrie discommodities. The weather that is to be eschewed is rayne, for these considerations, the droppes doe trouble the superficies of the water hurteth the bodie, distur­beth the eyes, and lastly, drayning from the bancks into the Ri­uer, bringeth also with it, whatsoeuer dunge, strawe, leaues, and what filth or vnwholsome things else, doe lie neare adioy­ning vnto the place.

In the place is two things especially to be respected, first, that the bancks bee not ouergrowen with ranck thicke grasse, [Page] where oft-times, doe lie and lurke many stinging Serpents, and poysoned Toades: not full of thornes, bryers, stubbes, or thistles, which may offend the bare feete, but that the grasse be short, thinne, and greene, the bancke beset with shadie trees, which may be a shelter from the winde, and a shadowe from the parching heate of the Sunne. Next that the water it selfe bee cleare, not troubled with any kinde of slymie filth, which is very infectious to the skinne, that the breadth, depth, and length ther­of be sufficiently knowne, that it be not muddie at the bottome, least by much treading the filth rising vp frō the bottome, thicken the water, and so make it vnfitte for that purpose. Also that there be not in the bottome of the Riuer any olde stakes or sharpe stones, which may greatly indaunger the Swimmer, but that it be a cleare running water, not a standing corrupted poole, the bottome faire sande, where from the bancks may easily be per­ceaued, whatsoeuer doth lye in the deepest place of the Riuer. Which tyme and place, according to these rules and directions when he hath fitly selected, let him asociate himselfe with some one that is taller and stronger then himselfe, which may both comfort him, and helpe to sustaine him, for that at the first en­terance, the chilnes of the water will greatly discomfort him: as also he may thereby be better directed where the water is deepe, and where it is shallowe. But if so be that he for any extraordi­narie occasion, or other reason whatsoeuer, rather delight to be alone then thus, let him take a longe rod like vnto an angle, and vpon the end thereof, hange in a long small corde a plummet of lead, wherewith hee may standing vpon the bancke, sound eue­ry place of the water, and if he cannot reach the further side with his pole, boldlie venturing so far into the water, as by this di­rection he hath experienced, he may reach further and further, vntill he hath tried it all, which if he finde correspondent in eue­ry point to the rules before rehearsed, and that there be not any suddaine or plum falling downe into any great holes, which ex­ceede his owne height, nor any whirlpooles, as we call them, or kinde of swift or violent streames, that may forcely carry him away, let him there practise, according to these rules following: [Page] and venture not into any other vnknown place, vntill hee be a perfect practisioner in this Art. Thus much for the time & place. For the maner of his going into the Riuer, it must not be swea­ting, (a thing whereunto in the heate of Sōmer men are great­lie subiect,) for that comming into the cold water it maketh a suddaine chaunge in body, which is very daungerous, but rather by walking easily in some coole shade, or some such other mode­rate meanes, let him before hee enter into the water bring his bodie into a reasonable temperature of heate and cold, and then, not as some which are more bold then wise, rudely leape into the water with their féete downwarde, as this picture next fol­lowing sheweth.

[Page]

[figure]

[Page]Or when he commeth at the side, fall in vpon his right or left side, after this fashion.

[figure]

[Page]Or else leaping from the banck, and casting forth his leggs (but yet kee­ping of them close together) hee may light vpon his hippes, and the hinder parts of his leggs, as you sée in this picture.

[figure]

To swimme on the back.

But for that with long swimming on his belly, he will be wearied, Nature that prouident nurse, which carefully proui­deth for euery creature things fitting their kinde, hath as in all things, so in this thing made man excell euery thing: for hym hath the taught in this to ease his wearie armes, by lying in the water vpon his backe, which we call Swimming vpon the back. A gift which shee hath denied euen to the watrie inhabitants of the Sea, no Fish, no Foule, nor other creature whatsoeuer, that hath any lyuing or being, either in the depth of the Sea, or superficies of the water, swimmeth vpon his backe, man onely excepted: and therefore, when he hath perfectly learned to swim to and fro on his bellie as hee lifteth, let him learne thus to turne vpon his backe, by thrusting out his right hand as far as he can before him, and withall, turne ouer his left side▪ and still keepe out his right hand, vntill he be turned vpon his backe, for that it doth in turning so, support him from sincking, as in this exam­ple following.

[Page]

[figure]

[Page]And when he is thus layd vpon his back, he must lie very straight, not ben­ding or bowing with his bodie any way, saue onely his legs, which he must easily pull out and in, as when he was on his belly, to put him forwards in the water, as thus.

[figure]

To turne in the water like a Roach.

There is an other kinde of turning when a man is swim­ming vpon his belly, with his head one way, suddainly to turne himselfe, stil being vpon his belly, & bring about his head and all his body the other way: and for that it is to be done quickly (as oft times you may see the fishes within the water, when in the pleasant heate of Sommer they wantonly friske to and fro,) it is commonly called the Koach turne, and that is done thus, if he will turne towards the right hand, hee must suddainely put the water from him with his left hand, and pull that water behinde towards him with his right hand, turning backe his head and his bodie as you see in this next figure.

[Page]

[figure]

To turne the Bell turne in the water.

There is also a turning which is called the bell turne, as when one swimming one his bellie shall suddainely pull in his féete, and in stead of striking with them as is afore sayd, he shall heauing backward with his foreparts, strike forward with his feete, which motion will turne him vpon his backe: and because he may at his pleasure turne so vpon his backe and belly as hee will, it is called the bell turne, resembling also a bell when it is ringing, as for example.

[Page]

[figure]

To tumble in the water.

There is also a kinde of tumbling in the water, as a man would roule and tumble in the grasse, and that is doone thus, swimming on his belly or backe, which way hée meaneth to roule himselfe, as towards the right hand or the left, hee must thrust that hand broad-wayes downe into the water, with the palme downward, and hee must carry the other close beside him, as ready to vse so vpon the other side: and with the vpper­most legge still as hee turneth, strike the superficies of the wa­ter, so that the motion with the hande helpeth to turne ouer the body, and the striking with the feet, keepeth better vp the hind­most parts, which are most heauie of themselues, as in this pic­ture following.

[Page]

[figure]

To strike the superficies of the water.

To strike the superficies of the water with foure parts of the body at twice, is thus doone, by lying vpon your backe, and somthing declining your body towards the left side, which hand must bee in the water, labouring to and fro like the finne of a Fishe, to keepe him from sinking: and so may hee lift his right hand and right legge out of the water, and beate them downe againe, and so of the left side, as the picture following sheweth.

[Page]

[figure]

To swim with hands and feete vpward.

To swim with hands and feete vpward, is nothing els but the swimming vpon the back, as wee taught before, sauing that hée vseth his hands as a boate dooth her Dares, casting thē out on both sides, and drawing them in againe, which maketh hys motion swifter, as in this example.

[Page]

[figure]

To swimme backward.

That is, when one lying vpon his back with his body stret­ched foorth, and holding vp his breast as much as hée can, that his back may lie hollow, which will keepe him from sincking, and lifting easily one foote after another aboue the water, and so drawing them forceably towards him vnder the water, they will pul his body backward, as in this example is shewed.

[Page]

[figure]

To roule vpon ones backe.

This is done onely by lying straight vpon his backe, & pressing downe the water with his hands, so may he roule from side to side, like a ship in the Sea, as thus.

[figure]

To make a circle in the water with his feete.

This is done as we saide afore, by lying straight vpon his backe, without bending any part of his body, & if he will turne from the right hand, then must he lie somewhat ouer vpon hys left side, and first of all pull his right legge out of the water, and afterwards his left as fast as he can, and strike with them to­ward the left hand, one after another, and about one foote, one before another, which will turne his bodie round, and make his head lye in the midst, like the center of a circle, as thus.

[Page]

[figure]

To stand vpright, and turne about in the water.

He must by stirring of his feete vp and downe in the wa­ter keepe vp his bodie, and keeping his hands vnderneath the water, pull the water towards him, that way which he would turne, and so also incline the motion of his feete, as thus.

[Page]

[figure]

To swimme with his hands together.

This must be done in all respects, as is saide afore for the first kinde of swimming vpon the belly, sauing the motion of the hands, which must be ioyned with their palmes together, the thombs standing right vpward, which he must pull in to his brest, and thrust them forth againe, without parting of them, as for example.

[Page]

[figure]

To swimme vpon his side.

This kinde of swimming, though it be more laborious, yet is it swifter then any of the rest, for that lying vpon one side, striking with your feete as when you swimme on your bellie, but that the pulling in and thrusting out of his hand, which then did onely keepe him vp, doe now helpe to put him forward: for onely the lower hand supporteth his bodie, and the vpper hand roweth like an Dare, as in this example.

[Page]

[figure]

To swimme vpon his belly with his hands still.

This is onely to lay his hands behinde him, and straine him­selfe to beare his head somewhat higher, and strike somewhat lower with his feete, as in the picture following is shewed.

[Page]

[figure]

To swimme with one hand, and one foote vpon his belly.

He must take his right foote backwards in his left hand, and strike with his right hand and left foote, which for that one is vpon the one side, and the other on the other, they will easilie beare him vp, as thus.

[Page]

[figure]

The vse of these two last kindes of swimming, is to ease his handes that is subiect to the Crampe, or any other infirmitie.

To swim like a dog.

Into this kinde of swimming many doe at the first fall, be­fore they perfectly learne the right stroake, and there is this dif­ference betwixt them, that whereas in the right kinde, he stret­theth out his hands & his feete, in this hee rudely beateth the water with his hands and féete: first lifting his right hand out of the water, and then his right foote, and forceably striking them into the water againe, as in this example following.

[Page]

[figure]

To beate the water.

This is done swimming vpon his backe, and lying straight out with his bodie, the palmes of his hands being downward, and moouing vp and downe in the water to keepe him vp: so may he lift out either one or other of his legges, and beate with it vpon the superficies of the water at his pleasure, as thus.

[Page]

[figure]

To play aboue the water with one foote.

This is all one with the next precedent, sauing that in stead of striking his legge right downe into the water, hee must tur­ning it about three or foure times, onely but touch the very su­perficies of the water with his toe, as in this example.

[Page]

[figure]

To showe his toes aboue the water.

This is also done by lying straight vpon his backe, stretching out his feete together at length, and moouing with his hands in the water, as in the former example: and so lifting vp his seete, ti [...]l he hath brought all his toes aboue the water, as thus.

[Page]

[figure]

To hang by the chinne in the water.

When he is swimming vpon his backe, let his féete sincke easilie downe towards the bottome, and with all, let him striue as much as in him lies, to bend in his back, bowing backwards his head, vntill his face be the vppermost parte of his bodie, and then drawe his féete somewhat vpwards, his hands holden be­hinde his backe, and his body bending also that wayes like vnto a bowe: so that the water working vp and downe in the conca­uitie of his backe, will so easily hold vp his bodie, that he shall not néede to stirre either with hand or foote, as thus.

[Page]

[figure]

To tread the water.

This is onely standing bolt vp, as it were in the water, and pulling vp your féete, and thrusting them downe againe, after the same maner as he doth swimming vpō his belly, which haue the same force to keepe him that way, which they haue to thrust him forwards the other way, as you may sée in this picture next following.

[Page]

[figure]

To swimme with one hand and one foote vpon his backe.

This is the same vpon the backe, which the other was vp­on the belly, to lye vpon your backe, and behinde you take your left legge in your right hand, and forceably moue your other leg, as when you swimme vpon your backe, thus.

[Page]

[figure]

To swim with his hands and feete bound.

This kinde of swimming is easiliest done, by lying very straight vpon his back, drawing in his legs, and thrusting them forth againe, after this maner.

[figure]

To slide forwards vpon his belly in the water.

This must be thus done, he must keepe his hands together with their palmes downwards, by which he must drawe the wa­ter towards him, and his feete also and legges kept close toge­ther, hee must easilie thrust out and kéepe in as well as he can, keeping them together in this wise.

[Page]

[figure]

[Page]This is best to be vsed in those Riners where are many high wéedes, for that swimming vpon his belly thus, he shall safelier slyde ouer them.

To sitte in the water.

He that will exercise this kinde of swimming, must be such a one as is not troubled with the Crampe, for that the forceable bending backward with his body, is otherwise very dangerous, which must be thus done. Lying vpon his barke, he must drawe in his feete towards his hippes, and vse some motion with his hands vnder the water, to sustaine him till hee hath gotten hys legges in his hands, thus.

[Page]

[figure]

[Page]And then vsing some small motion to put him forwards, kée­ping onely his brest and head aboue the water, the streame will easily kéepe him vp, by reason of the concauitie in the backe.

To pare his toes in the water.

Swimming vpon his backe, let him drawe vp his left foote, and lay it ouer his right knee, still keeping his body very straight and then hauing a knife readie in his right hand, he may easilie kéepe vp his legge vntill he hath pared one of his toes, as thus.

[Page]

[figure]

To shew foure parts of his body aboue the water at once.

He must lie straight vpon his backe, and lay one legge ouer the other knee, so that the vppermost knee may easily be seene a­boue the water, then hee must, setting his hands on his brest, hold vp his elbowes aboue the water, & so he shall at once show his head, his elbowes, and one knee, as thus.

[Page]

[figure]

To swimme with one legge right vp.

That must as the rest, he done by lying straight vpon his backe, and lifting one legge as high aboue the water as he can, and stryking vnder the water with his other legge▪ to driue him forwards, his hand easily mouing by his side, the better to keepe him vp, as in this example.

[Page]

[figure]

To carrie any thing drie ouer the water in his hands.

This is onely done by swimming vpon his backe, and stray­ning himselfe to lye straight with his body, so that he holde his armes straight vp, which will else force him to bend his bodie, and so he shall sincke, and holding his armes vpward as afore, he may easilie carrie, or recarry, any thing ouer the water with­out wetting, as for example.

[Page]

[figure]

To stroake his legge as if he were pulling on a boote.

This is nothing els but lying straight vpon his backe, as are all the other extraordinarie feates, and suddenly lifting one leg aboue the water, stroake with both his hands in this manner.

[Page]

[figure]

To caper with both his legges at once aboue the water.

Lying vpon his backe straight as afore, his hands with their palmes downwards, pressing the water the better to keepe him vp, he must cast both his legges out of the water at once, and caper with them vpward as men vse to doe downward in daun­cing, as thus.

[Page]

[figure]

To diue vnderneath the water.

He must if hee be in a place where he way stand vpon the ground, with as much force as he can, leape vp, and bending his head towards his brest, fall forwards downe into the wa­ter, as thus.

[Page]

[figure]

His hands hee must holde before his head, with their backes together, that they may be ready to pull him as it were forcing him downe vnder the water, and he must pulling them out and in, nowe vse them to helpe him downe, which weare afore a meanes to holde him vp, his feete also must strike vpward, moueing them after the same manner, as he doth swimming a­boue the water vpon his belly, after this example

[Page]

[figure]

To swimme vnder the water.

When he hath thus buried himselfe in the water, hee must thrust his hands sorth before his head, and as it were drawe the waters which are before, and beate them behinde him, stryke with his feete as swimming vpon his belly, but somewhat vp­ward, that they may the easilyer keepe him downe, as in this example.

[Page]

[figure]

To rise from the bottome.

That is done by the spedie turning vpward of his bodie, and with one hand the palme being downwards, presse downe the water beneath him, and with the other hand drawe downe the water which is aboue him, and then striking downwards with his féete, it will easilie bring him vp, as thus.

[Page]

[figure]

To seeke any thing that is lost in the water.

He must swimme vnder the water as afore, but as néere the bottome as he can, so that he touch it not, least he raise any mud to thicken the water, his eyes open, that he may sée where it ly­eth, and if so be that he haue any occasion to turne him selfe, or to seeke round about, as thinking himselfe neere the thing he sée­keth, if he will turne towards the left hand, he must with hys right hand, pull towards him the water which is on his left side, which will easilye turne him about, as this picture next follow­ing sheweth by example.

But thus much to him which learneth to diue, let him neuer swimme further then he can see the bottome, for it is either very déepe, or els he is vnder some baucke, or in some such daunger.

[Page]

[figure]

To swimme like a Dolphin.

This is nothing els, but in diuing to lift his head aboue the water, & when he hath breathed, presently diue down againe, as afore.

[figure]
FINIS.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.