Everard Digby
From Openwaterpedia
De Arte Natandi Libri Duo by Everard Digby, published in 1587
Everard Digby was a Cambridge academic who wrote De Arte Natandi Libri Duo (or Two Books on the Art of Swimming) in 1587, the first swimming instruction book published in England. Written in Latin, the book introduced over 40 different swimming strokes and movements.
- The first book contains the rules of swimming itself like why bodies float.
- The second book teaches practical strokes and contains practice and demonstration including 42 woodcut illustrations that show different body positions in the water.
English Translation
In 1595, Christopher Middleton translated De Arte Natandi Libri Duo into English.
