...Cob was a great quarreler,
and did delight in great bravery to give foul words to his betters,
and would not refuse to go into the field to fight with any man, and
when he came to the field, would draw his sword to fight, for he was
sure by the cunning of his traverse, not to be hurt by any man. For
at any time finding himself overmatched would suddenly turn his back
and run away with such swiftness, that it was thought a good horse
would scarce take him. And this when I was a young man, was very much
spoken of by many gentlemen of the Inns of the Court, and was called
Cob's Traverse and those that had seen any go back too fast in his
fight, would say, he did tread Cob's Traverse.
- George Silver, Paradoxes of Defence, 1599
