Roger Ascham Toxophilus 1545

48

thriftineffe, but in no wife it can be applyed to foot-
ing. And here you fe that halfe oure tyme, graunted
to all other thinges in a maner both good and ill, is at
one Iwappe quite taken awaye from moting. Now let
vs go forward, and fe how moche of halfe this tyme of
ours is fpent in moting. The hole yere is deuided into,
iiii. partes, Spring tyme, Somer, faule of the leafe,
and winter wherof the whole winter, for the roughneffe
of it, is cleane taken away from moting : except it be
one day amonges. xx. or one yeare amonges. xl.
In Somer, for the feruent heate, a man maye faye
likewyfe: except it be fomtyme agaynH night
Now then fpring tyme and faule of the leafe be
thofe which we abufe in moting. But if we con-
fider how mutable and chaungeable the wether is in
thofe feafons, and howe that Ariftotle him felfe
fayth, that moofle parte of rayne fauleth in thefe two
tymes : we mall well perceyue, that where a man
wolde mote one daye, he mall be fayne to leaue of.
iiii. Now when tyme it felfe graunteth vs but a litle
fpace to mote in, lette vs fe if moting be not hindered
amonges all kyndes of men as moche otherwayes.
Firft, yong children vfe not, yong men for feare of
them whom they be vnder to moche dare not: fage
men for other greater bufmeffes, wyll not: aged men
for lacke of ftrengthe, can not: Ryche men for
couetoufneffe fake, care not: poore men for coft and
charge, may not: maflers for their houfholde keping,
hede not: feruauntes kept in by their maifters very
oft, mall not: craftes men for getting of their lyuing,
verye moche leyfure haue not: and many there be
that oft beginnes, but for vnaptneffe proues not: and
mooflof all,whiche when theybemoters gyueitouerand
lyfte not, fo that generallye men euerye where for one
or other confideration moche moting vfe not. Ther-
fore thefe two thinges, flrayteneffe of tyme, and euery
man his trade of liuing, are the caufes that fo fewe men
motes : as you maye fe in this greate towne, where as
there be a thoufande good mens bodies, yet fcarfe, x.