! =?. /.ii^.>o ./\c;^.V /.i5^.% . ^^-^^ • • ** «• '«>. ■^>^. ^S' .♦^-^^ :vr»' /v ■'^ WC^>" .^^ Q^,* ^^' "^ '>2i ►'^ .»••' r .. »^* >-•- ^.' CAMBRIDGE ENGLISH CLASSICS / t'/i^ English Works of Roger Ascham ROGER ASCHAM Born 1 5 15 Died 1568 ROGER ASCHAM ENGLISH WORKS TOXOPHILUS REPORT OF THE AFFAIRES AND STATE OF GERMANY THE SCHOLEMASTER EDITED BY WILLIAM ALDIS ^yRIGHT, M.A., VICE-MASTER OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE Cambridge : at the University Press 1904 aonDon: C. J. CLAY and SONS, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS WAREHOUSE, AVE MARIA LANE. ©lasfloiii: 50, WELLINGTON STREET. 1uip}ia: F. A. BROCKHAUS. i9eto ?iork: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY. Bombaj! anli CalcutU: MACMILLAN AND CO., Ltd. \^ \r \P [Al/ Rights reserved\ PREFACE. OF the three English Works by Ascham printed in this volume, the Toxophilus is probably the only one which appeared in his lifetime. It was first published in 1545 by Edward Whitchurch. A second edition printed by Thomas Marshe appeared in 157 1, and a third in 1589 printed by Abell leffes. As copies of the first edition vary slightly, it is as well to state that I have followed one in the Library of Jesus College, Cambridge, for which I have been indebted to the kindness of Mr Arthur Gray, with occasional reference to the Capell copy in Trinity Library. There are some readings in one of the copies in the British Museum (C. 31. c. 27) which I have found nowhere else. Mr Arber in his reprint appears to have followed this. The Report and Discourse of the affairs and state of Germany was written in 1553, about the time of the death of Edward the Sixth (see p. 138), but it was apparently not printed till after Ascham's death by John Daye, without date but probably about 1570. In Bohn's edition of Lowndes's Bibliographer's Manual it is said that ' there are two other editions, one 1570, the other without date,' but I can find no other record of them. In the Dictionary of National Biography it is said to have been republished in 1572, but I do not know on what authority. The Scholemaster first appeared in 1570, two years after Ascham's death, and was printed by John Daye. A second edition, also printed by Daye, was issued in 157 i, and a third in 1589, printed by Abell lefFes. Other editions in 1572, 1573, 1579, and 1583, 'according to the bibliographers,' are mentioned in the Dictionary of National Biography. I have not been able to discover any trace of them, except that in the edition of 1571, although 1571 is on the title-page, we find 1573 in the colophon. In giving the list of Errata in the early copies, I have not thought it necessary to record any but those which are mis- leading, nor have I mentioned the many printer's errors in Greek which have been silently corrected. On pages 72 and vi Preface i68 I have substituted Meste ' for 'lesse,' supposing it to be a misprint, but not feeling certain that it might not be a pro- vincialism if not an archaism, I have allow^ed ' lesse ' to stand on pages 215 and 258, though it is altered in the edition of 1 571. In the curious Italian Pasquinade in the Report (p. 136) 1 have been assisted by the kindness of Count della Rocchetta, Mr Arthur Tilley, and Mr E. G. W. Braunholtz, to whom are due the corrections which have brought it to its present form. It originally stood as follows : Interlocutor! Pasquillo et Romano. Pasq. T T Anno vn bel g'loco il Re^ et Vlmperatore Xj. P^^ terxo el Papi^ e giocano a Pr'imera. Rom, che ^'' e (T in vito ? Pasq. Italia tutta inter a. Rom. Chi vi V ha messa ? Pasq. // coglion del pastor e. Rom. Che tien in mano il Re F Pasq. Ponto mdgiere el Papa hacinquant* vno^ e se despera. Rom. Ce£sar che Ponto sa ? Pasq. lui sta a Primera Rom. che gli mama ? Pasq. danari a far sauore II Papa dice a vol^ e voll Partita : Casar Pensoso sta Sopra di questo^ teme a Scropir di trouar moneta II Re dico, no^ no^ Scoprite Presto^ che io tengo Ponto^ a guadagnar /' in vito r ho H danari^ et Cccsar se gli aspeta. H Tutti stanno a ve delta. Chi di lor dui guadagni. Rom. // Papa ? Pas. e fuora vinca chi vol^ lui Perda^ in sua maP hora. IF L,e Jmperatore anchora. Teme^ itien stretto^ ^ Scopre Piau le carte^ e qui^ la sorte gioca^ pin che /' Arte. H Metra questi indisparte. Stahiliio e nel del quelle^ che esserdS^ ne giona al nostra dic^ questo Sara questo e. W. A. W. ao October 1904. / N Gualterus Haddonus Cantabrigien. Mittere qui celeres sumnia uelit arte sagittaSj Ars erit ex isto summa profe^fa libra. Quicquid habent arcus rigidiy nerui^ rotundi^ Sumere si Jibety hoc sumere fonte licet. Aschamus est author^ tnagnU que fecit Apollo Arte suoy magnum Pallas dff arte sua. Doda mair' dedit hiiCy dedit hiic mes do£ia libellu Qu(e uidet Ars Fsus uisa^ parata facit. Optimus hcec author quia tradidit optima scripta^ Conuenit hec uobis optima uelle sequi. To the moste graciouse^ and our most drad Souera'tgne lord^ Kyng Henrie the .viii^ by the grace of God^ kyng of Englande^ Fraunce and Irelande^ Defen der of the faythe^ and of the churche of Englande ^ also of Irelande in earth supreme head^ next vn der Christy he al health vltlor'ie^ and fe- licitie. WHAT tyme as, moste gracious Prince, your highnes this last year past, tooke that your moost honorable and vi6lorious iourney into Fraunce, accompanied with such a porte of the Nobilitie and yeomanrie of Englande, as neyther hath bene lyke knovven by experience, nor yet red of in Historic : accompanied also with the daylie prayers, good hartes, and vvilles of all and euery one your graces subie6tes, lefte behinde you here at home in Englande : the same tyme, I beinge at my booke in Cambrige, sorie that my litle habilitie could stretche out no better, to helpe forward so noble an enterprice, yet with my good vvylle, prayer, and harte, nothinge behynde hym that was formoste of all, conceyued a wonderful desire, bi the praier, wishing, talking, & communicatio that was in euery mas mouth, for your Graces moost viftoriouse retourne, to offer vp sumthinge, at your home cumming to your Highnesse, which shuld both be a token of mi loue and deutie toward your as Maiestie, & also a signe of my good minde and zeale tovvarde mi countrie. This occasion geuen to me at that time, caused me to take in hand againe, this litle purpose of shoting, begon of me before, yet not ended th.'i, for other studies more mete for that trade of liuinge, vvhiche God and mi frendes had set me vnto. But when your Graces moste ioifull &c happie vid:orie preueted mi dailie and spedie diligencie to performe this matter, I was com- pelled to vvaite an other time to prepare & offer vp this litle boke vnto your Maiestie. And whan it hath pleased youre Highenesse of your infinit goodnesse, &c also your most honor- able Counsel to know and pervse ouer the contentes, &c some parte of this boke, and so to alow it, that other me might rede it, throughe the furderaunce and setting forthe of the right worshipfull and mi Singuler good Master sir Vvilliam Pagette Knight, moost worthie Secretarie to your highr\es, & most open &c redie succoure to al poore honest learned mes sutes, I moost humblie beseche your Grace to take in good worthe this litle treatise purposed, bego, and ended of me onelie for this intent, that Labour, Honest pastime &c Vertu, might recouer againe that place and right, that Idlenesse, Vnthriftie gamning and Vice hath put them fro. And althoughe to haue written this boke either in latin or Greke (which thing I wold be verie glad yet to do, if 1 might surelie know your Graces pleasure there in) had bene more easier & Ht for mi trade in study, yet neuerthelesse, I supposinge it no point of honestie, that mi commodite should stop & hinder ani parte either of the pleasure or profite of manie, haue written this Englishe matter in the Englishe tongue, for Englishe men : where in this I trust that your Grace (if it shall please your Highnesse to rede it) shal perceaue it to be a thinge Honeste for me to write, pleasaunt for some to rede, and profitable for manie to folow, contening a pastime, honest for the minde, holsome for the body, fit for eueri man, vile for no man, vsing the day & ope place for Honestie to rule it, not lurking in corners for misorder to abuse it. Therfore I trust it shal apere, to be bothe a sure token of my zeele to set forvvarde shootinge, and some signe of my minde, towardes honestie and learninge. XI Thus I vvil trouble your Grace no longer, but with my daylie praier, I vviJ beseche God to preserue your Grace, in al health and feli- citie : to the feare and ouerthrovve of all your ennemies : to the pleasure, ioyfulnesse and succour of al your sub- iedles : to the vtter destrudlion of papi-c strie and heresie : to the con- tinuall setting forth of Goddes vvorde and his glo rye. Your Graces most bounden Scholer, Roger Ascham. m- TO ALL GENTLE MEN AND YOMEN OF ENGLANDE. Bias the wyse man came to Cresus the ryche kyng, on a tyme, when he was makynge newe shyppes, purposyng to haue subdued by water the out yles lying betwixt Grece and Asia minor : What newes now in Grece, saith the king to Bias ? None other newes, but these, sayeth Bias : that the yles of Grece haue prepared a wonderful companye of horsemen, to ouerrun Lydia withall. There is nothyng vnder heauen, sayth the kynge, that I woulde so soone wisshe, as that they durst be so bolde, to mete vs on the lande with horse. And thinke you sayeth Bias, that there is anye thyng which they wolde sooner wysshe, then that you shulde be so fonde, to mete them on the water with shyppes ? And so Cresus hearyng not the true newes, but perceyuyng the wise mannes mynde and counsell, both gaue then ouer makyng of his shyppes, and left also behynde him a wonderful example for all commune wealthes to folowe : that is euermore to regarde and set most by that thing whervnto nature hath made them moost apt, and vse hath made them moost fitte. By this matter I meane the shotyng in the long bowe, for English men : which thyng with all my hert I do wysh, and if I were of authoritie, I wolde counsel all the gentlemen and yomen of Englande, not to chaunge it with any other thyng, how good soeuer it seme to be : but that styll, accordyng to the oulde wont of England, youth shulde vse it for the moost honest pastyme in peace, that men myght handle it as a mooste sure weapon in warre. Other stronge weapons whiche bothe Xlll experience doth proue to be good, and the wysdom of the kinges Maiestie & his counsel prouydes to be had, are not ordeyned to take away shotyng : but y' both, not compared togither, whether shuld be better then the other, but so ioyned togither that the one shoulde be alwayes an ayde and helpe for the other, myght so strengthen the Realme on all sydes, that no kynde of enemy in any kynde of weapon, myght passe and go beyonde vs. For this purpose I, partelye prouoked by the counsell of some gentlemen, partly moued by the loue whiche I haue alwayes borne towarde shotyng, haue wrytten this lytle treatise, wherin if I haue not satisfyed any man, I trust he wyll the rather be content w^ my doyng, bycause I am (I suppose) the firste, whiche hath sayde any thynge in this matter (and fewe begynnynges be perfect, sayth wyse men) And also bycause yf I haue sayed a misse, I am content that any man amende it, or yf I haue sayd to lytle, any man that wyl to adde what hym pleaseth to it. My minde is, in profitynge and pleasynge euery man, to hurte or displease no man, intendyng none other purpose, but that youthe myght be styrred to labour, honest pastyme, and vertue, and as much as laye in me, plucked from ydlenes, vnthriftie games, and vice : whyche thing I haue laboured onlye in this booke, shewynge howe fit shootyng is for all kyndes of men, howe honest a pastyme for the mynde, howe holsome an excercise for the bodye, not vile for great men to vse, not costlye for poore men to susteyne, not lurking in holes and corners for ill men at theyr pleasure, to misvse it, but abiding in the open sight & face of the worlde, for good men if it fault by theyr wisdome to correal it. And here I woulde desire all gentlemen and yomen, to vse this pastime in suche a mean, that the outragiousnes of great gamyng, shuld not hurte the honestie of shotyng, which of his owne nature is alwayes ioyned with honestie : yet for mennes faultes oftentymes blamed vnworthely, as all good thynges haue ben, and euermore shall be. If any man woulde blame me, eyther for takynge such a matter in hande, or els for writing it in the Englyshe tongue, this answere I maye make hym, that whan the beste of the XIV realme thinke it honest for them to vse, I one of the meanest sorte, ought not to suppose it vile for me to write : And though to haue written it in an other tonge, had bene bothe more profitable for my study, and also more honest for my name, yet I can thinlce my labour wel bestowed, yf w' a little hynder- aunce of my profyt and name, maye come any fourther- aunce, to the pleasure or commoditie, of the gentlemen and yeomen of Englande, for whose sake I tooke this matter in hande. And as for y^ Latin or greke tonge, euery thyng is so excellently done in them, that none can do better : In the Englysh tonge contrary, euery thinge in a maner so meanly, bothe for the matter and handelynge, that no man can do worse. For therin the least learned for the moste parte, haue ben alwayes moost redye to wryte. And they whiche had leaste hope in latin, haue bene moste boulde in englyshe : when surelye euery man that is moste ready to taulke, is not moost able to wryte. He that wyll wryte well in any tongue, muste folowe thys councel of Aristotle, to speake as the comon people do, to thinke as wise men do : and so shoulde euery man vnder- stande hym, and the iudgement of wyse men alowe hym. Many English writers haue not done so, but vsinge straunge wordes as latin, french and Italian, do make all thinges darke and harde. Ones I communed with a man whiche reasoned the englyshe tongue to be enryched and encreased therby, sayinge : Who wyll not prayse that feaste, where a man shall drinke at a diner, bothe wyne, ale and beere ? Truely quod I, they be all good, euery one taken by hym selfe alone, but if you putrc Maluesye and sacke, read wyne and white, ale and beere, and al in one pot, you shall make a drynke, neyther easie to be knowen, nor yet holsom for the bodye. Cicero in folowyng Isocrates, Plato and Demosthenes, increased the latine tounge after an other sorte. This waye, bycause dyuers men y' write, do not know, they can neyther folowe it, bycause of theyr ignorauncie, nor yet will prayse it, for verye arrogauncie, ii. faultes, seldome the one out of the others companye. Englysh writers by diuersitie of tyme, haue taken diuerse matters in hande. In our fathers tyme nothing was red, but bookes of fayned cheualrie, wherin a man by redinge, shuld be led to none other ende, but onely to manslaughter and baudrye. XV Yf any man suppose they were good ynough to passe the time with ai, he is deceyued. For surelye vayne woordes doo woorke no smal thinge in vayne, ignoraunt, and younge mtndes, specially yf they be gyuen any thynge thervnto of theyr owne nature. These bolces (as I haue heard say) were made the moste parte in Abbayes, and Monasteries, a very lickely and fit fruite of suche an ydle and blynde kinde of lyuynge. In our tyme nowe, whan euery manne is gyuen to knowe muche rather than to liue wel, very many do write, but after suche a fashion, as very many do shoote. Some shooters take in hande stronger bowes, than they be able to mayntayne. This thyng maketh them sumtyme, to outshoote the marke, sumtyme to shote far wyde, and perchaunce hurte sume that looke on. Other that neuer learned to shote, nor yet knoweth good shafte nor bowe, wyll be as busie as the best, but suche onecomonly plucketh doune a syde, and crafty archers which be agaynst him, will be bothe glad of hym, and also euer ready to laye and bet with him : it were better for suche one to sit doune than shote. Other there be, whiche haue verye good bowe and shaftes, and good knowlege in shootinge, but they haue bene brought vp in suche euyl fauoured shootynge, that they can neyther shoote fayre, nor yet nere. Yf any man wyll applye these thynges togyther, [he] shal not se the one farre differ from the other. And I also amonges all other, in writinge this lytle treatise, haue folowed sume yonge shooters, whiche bothe wyll begyn to shoote, for a lytle moneye, and also wyll vse to shote ones or twise about the marke for nought, afore they beginne a good. And therfore did I take this little matter in hande, to assaye my selfe, and hereafter by the grace of God, if the iudgement of wyse men, that looke on, thinke that I can do any good, I maye perchaunce caste my shafte amonge other, for better game. Yet in writing this booke, some man wyll maruayle per- chaunce, why that I beyng an vnperfyte shoter, shoulde take in hande to write of makyng a perfyte archer : the same man peraduenture wyll maruayle, howe a whettestone whiche is blunte, can make the edge of a knife sharpe : I woulde y^ same man shulde consider also, that in goyng about anye matter, there be .iiii. thinges to be considered, doyng, saying, thinking and XVI perfedtnesse : Firste there is no man that doth so wel, but he can saye better, or elles summe men, whiche be now starke nought, shuld be to good : Agayne no man can vtter wyth his tong, so wel as he is able to imagin with his minde, & yet perfedlnesse it selfe is farre aboue all thinking. Than seing that saying is one steppe nerer perfe6lenesse than doyng, let euery man leue maruaylyng why my woorde shall rather expresse, than my dede shall perfourme perfedle shootinge. I truste no man will be offended with this litle booke excepte it be sume fletchers and bowiers, thinking hereby that manye that loue shootynge shall be taughte to refuse suche noughtie wares as they woulde vtter. Honest fletchers and bowyers do not so, and they that be vnhonest, oughte rather to amende them selues for doinge ill, than be angrie with me for sayinge wel. A fletcher hath euen as good a quarell to be angry w' an archer that refuseth an ill shaft, as a bladesmith hath to a fletcher y' forsaketh to bye of him a noughtie knyfe : For as an archer must be content that a fletcher know a good shafte in euery poynte for the perfe6ter makynge of it, So an honeste fletcher will also be content that a shooter knowe a good shafte in euery poynt for the perfiter vsing of it : bicause the one knoweth like a fletcher how to make it, the other knoweth lyke an archer howe to vse it. And seyng the knowlege is one in them bothe, yet the ende diuerse, surely that fletcher is an enemye to archers and artillery, whiche can not be content that an archer knowe a shafte as well for his vse in shotynge, as he hym selfe shoulde knowe a shafte, for hys aduauntage in sellynge. And the rather bycause shaftes be not made so muche to be solde, but chefely to be vsed. And seynge that vse and occupiyng is the ende why a shafte is made, the making as it were a meane for occupying, surely the knowelege in euery poynte of a good shafte, is more to be required in a shooter than a fletcher. Yet as I sayde before no honest fletcher wil be angry with me, seinge I do not teache howe to make a shafte whiche belongeth onelye to a good fletcher, but to knowe and handle a shafte, which belongeth to an archer. And this lytle booke I truste, shall please and profite both partes : For good bowes and shaftes shall be better knowen to the comoditie of al shoters, xvu and good shotyng may perchaunce be the more occupied to the profite of all bowyers and fletchers. And thus I praye God that all fletchers getting theyr lyuynge truly, and al archers vsynge shootynge honestly, and all maner of men that fauour artillery, maye lyue continuallye in healthe and merinesse, obeying theyr prince as they shulde, and louing God as they ought, to whom for al thinges be al ho- nour and glorye for euer. Amen TOXOPHILVS, The schole of shootinge conteyned in two bookes. To all Gentlemen and yomen of Englande^ pkasaunte for theyr pastyme to rede^ and profitable for theyr use to folow^ both in war and peace. The contentes of the first booke. >^ Earnest businesse ought to be refreshed wyth ho- neste pastyme. Fol. I. [p. i.J Shootyng moost honest pastyme. 3. [ 4-] The inuention of shootinge. 5* [ ^-3 Shootynge fit for princes and greate men. 5. [ 7-] Shootyng, fit for Scholers and studentes. 8. [to.] Shootynge fitter for studentes than any musike or Instrumentes. 9* L ^^-J Youthe ought to learne to singe. Ii. [ T4.] XIX No maner of man doth or can vse to muche shoo- tynge. 14. [p. 18.] Agaynste vnlawfuU gammes and namelye car- des and disc. 16. Shootyng in war. 24. Obedience the best propertie of a Souldyar. 25. Reasons and authorites agaynste shootynge in war with the confutacion of the same. 26. God is pleased with stronge wepons and valy- aunt feates of war. 28. The commoditie of Shootyng in war throughe the Histories Greke and Latin, Sc all nations Chri- sten and Hethen. 29. Vse of shootynge at home causethe stronge shoo- tinge in warre. 41. Vse of shootyngeat home, except men be apteby nature, and connynge by teachyng, doth litle good at all. 49. Lacke of learnynge to shoote causethe Englande lacke many a good archer. 46. In learnyng any thyng, a man must couete to be best, or els he shal neuer attayne to be meane. 47. 21.] 32-] 33-] 35.] 39-] 4I-] 55-] 58.] 62.] 63.] XX A Table conteyning the seconde booke. By knowing • thinges belo- -^' ging to shoo- tyng. Hittyng the niarke, by /Eraser ' Proper for Shotingloue euerye sere j Strynge manes vse, Bowe VShaftes Wether General to I all men. \^^^^^^ By hande- linge thyn- ""ges beloging to shotyng. without a man. within a man. IStandinge Nockynge Drawinge Holdynge Lowsinge. cBolde corage. Auoydynge all affedion. TOXOPHILVS, A, Cf)e firsit Ijofee of tfte ^d)o\t of sftotmg:* Philologus. Toxophilus. PHILOLOGUS. You studie to sore Toxophile. TOX. I wil not hurt my self ouermoche I warraut you. PHI. A Take hede you do not, for we Physicions saye, that it is nether good for the eyes in so cleare a Sunne, nor yet holsome for ye bodie, so soone after meate, to looke vpon a mans boke. TOX. In eatinge and studyinge I will neuer folowe anye Physike, for yf I dyd, I am sure I shoulde haue small pleasure in the one, and lesse courage in the other. But what newes draue you hyther I praye you ? PHI. Small newes trulie, but that as I came on walkynge, I fortuned to come w*^ thre or foure that went to shote at the pryckes : And when I sawe not you amonges them, but at the last espyed you lokynge on your booke here so sadlye, I thought to come and holde you with some com munication, lest your boke shoulde runne awaye with you. For me thought by your waueryng pace & earnest lokying, your boke led you, not you it. TOX. In dede as it chaunced, my mynde went faster then my feete, for I happened here to reade in Phedro Platonis^ a place that entretes wonderfullie of the nature of soules, which place (whether it were , „, , _ , ' ^ r r.1 11 ^" Phedro. for the passynge eloquence or rlato, and the Greke tongue, or for the hyghe and godlie description of the matter, kept my mynde so occupied, that it had no leisure to loke to my feete. For I was reding howe some soules being well fethered, flewe alwayes about heaue and heauenlie matters, other some hauinge their fethers mowted awaye, and droupinge, sanke downe into earthlie thinges. PHI. I remebre the place verie wel, and it is wonderfullie sayd of Plato, & now I se it 2 'Toxophilus. A. was no maruell though your fete fayled you, seing your minde flewe so fast. TOX. I am gladde now that you letted me, for my head akes w^ loking on it, and bycause you tell me so, I am verye sorie y^ I was not with those good feloes you spake vpon, for it is a verie faire day for a ma to shote in. PHI. And me thinke you were a great dele better occupied & in better c5panie, for it is a very faire daye for a ma to go to his boke in. TOX. Al dayes and wethers wil serue for that purpose, and surelie this occasio was ill lost. PHI. Yea but clere wether maketh clere mindes, and it is best as I suppose, to spend ye best time vpon the best thinges : And me thought you shot verie wel, and at that marke, at which euery good scoler shoulde moste busilie shote at. And I suppose it be a great dele more pleasure also, to se a soule flye in Plato, then a shafte flye at the prickes. I graunte you, shoting is not the worst thing in the world, yet if we shote, and time shote, we ar not like to be great winners at the length. And you know also we scholers haue more ernest & weightie matters in hand, nor we be not borne to pastime & pley, as you know wel ynough jiyr r- - /r ^^° sayth. TOX. Yet the same man in the same place Philologe^ by your leue, doth admitte holsome, honest and manerlie pastimes to be as necessarie to be migled with sad matters of the minde, as eating & sleping is for the health of the body, and yet we be borne for neither of bothe. And Aristotle him selfe n'lwJ'fo'T sayth, yt although it were a fonde & a chyldish thing to be to ernest in pastime & play, yet doth he affirme by the authoritie of the oulde Poet Epicharmus, that a man may vse play for ernest matter sake. ^^" - " • ^j^j ij^ ^j^ other place, y' as rest is for labour, & medicines for helth, so is pastime at tymes for sad & weightie studie. PHI. How moche in this matter is to be giuen to ye au£toritie either of Aristotle or Tullie, I ca not tel, seing sad me may wel ynough speke merily for a merie matter, this I am sure, whiche thing this faire wheat (god saue it) maketh me remebre, y*^ those husbadmen which rise erliest, and come latest home, and are content to haue their diner and other drinckinges, broughte into the fielde to them, for feare ot losing of time, haue fatter barnes in haruest, than they whiche will either slepe at none time of the daye, or els make merie T'he schole of shoting. 3 w' their neighbours at the ale. And so a scholar yt purposeth to be a good husband, and desireth to repe and enioy much fruite, of learninge, muste tylle and sowe thereafter. Our beste seede tyme, whiche be scholers, as it is verie tymelye, and whan we be yonge : so it endureth not ouerlonge, and therfore it maye not be let slippe one houre, oure grounde is verye harde, and full of wedes, our horse wherw* we be drawen very wylde as Plato sayth. And infinite other mo t pL j lettes whiche wil make a thriftie scholer take hede how he spedeth his tyme in sporte and pleye. TOX. That Aristotle and Tullie spake ernestlie, and as they thought, the ernest matter which they entreate vpon, doth plainlye proue. And as for your husbandrie, it was more probablie tolde with apt wordes propre to y^ thing, then throughly proued with reasons belongynge to our matter. For contrariwise I herd my selfe a good husbande at his boke ones saye, that to omit studie somtime of the daye, and sometime of the yere, made asmoche for the encrease of learning, as to let the lad lye sometime falloe, maketh for the better encrease of corne. This we se, yf the lande be plowed euerye yere, the corne commeth thinne vp: the eare is short, the grayne is small, and when it is brought into the barne and threshed, gyueth very euill faul. So those which neuer leaue poring on their bokes, haue oftetimes as thinne inuention, as other poore me haue, and as smal wit and weight in it as in other mens. And thus youre husbandrie me thinke, is more like the life of a couetouse snudge that oft very euill preues, then the labour of a good husbad that knoweth wel what he doth. And surelie the best wittes to lernino- must nedes haue moche recreation and ceasing from their boke, or els they marre them selues, whe base and dompysshe wittes can neuer be hurte with continuall studie, as ye se in luting, that a treble minikin string must alwayes be let down, but at suche time as when a man must nedes playe : when ye base and dull stryng nedeth neuer to be moued out of his place. The same reason I finde true in two bowes that I haue, wherof the one is quicke of cast, tricke, and trime both for pleasure and profyte : the other is a lugge slowe of cast, folowing the string, more sure for to last, then pleasaunt for to vse. Now sir it chauced this other night, one in my chabre wolde nedes bende them to proue their strength, but I can not tel how, A 2 4 Toxophilus. A. they were both left bente tyll the nexte daye at after dyner : and when I came to them, purposing to haue gone on shoting, I found my good bowe clene cast on the one side, and as wealce as water, that surelie (if I were a riche man) I had rather haue spent a crowne : and as for my lugge, it was not one whyt the worse : but shotte by and by as wel and as farre as euer it dyd. And euen so I am sure that good wittes, except they be let downe like a treble string, and vnbent like a good casting bowe, they wil neuer last and be able to cotinue in studie. And I know where I speake this Philologe^ for I wolde not saye thus moche afore yong men, for they wil take soone occasion to studie litle ynough. But I saye it therfore bicause I knowe, as litle studie getteth litle learninge or none at all, so the moost studie getteth not y^ moost learning of all. For a mans witte sore occupied in ernest studie, must be as wel recreated with some honest pastime, as the body sore laboured, must be refreshed with slepe and quietnesse, or els it can not endure very longe, as the noble poete sayeth. Ouid. What thig watf quiet & meri rest endures but a smal while. And I promise you shoting by my iudgement, is y^ moost B honest pastime of al, & suche one I am sure, of all other, that hindreth learning litle or nothing at all, whatsoeuer you & some other saye, whiche are a gret dele sorer against it alwaies tha you nede to be. PHI. Hindereth learninge litle or nothinge at all ? that were a meruayle to me truelie, and I am sure seing you saye so, you haue some reason wherewith you can defende shooting w'all, and as for wyl (for the loue that you beare towarde shotinge) I thinke there shall lacke none in you. Therfore seinge we haue so good leysure bothe, and no bodie by to trouble vs : and you so willinge & able to defende it, and I so redy and glad to heare what may be sayde of it I suppose we canne not passe the tyme better ouer, neyther you for ys honestie of your shoting, nor I for myne owne mindsake, than to se what can be sayed with it, or agaynste it, and speciallie in these dayes, whan so many doeth vse it, and euerie man in a maner doeth common of it. TOX. To speake of shootinge Philologe, trulye I woulde I were so able, either as I my selfe am willing or yet as the matter deserueth, but seing with wisshing we can not haue one nowe worthie, whiche The schole of shoting. 5 so worthie a thinge can worthilie praise, and although I had rather haue anie other to do it than my selfe, yet my selfe rather then no other, I wil not fail to saye in it what I can wherin if I saye litle, laye that of my litle habilitie, not of the matter it selfe whiche deserueth no lyttle thinge to be sayde of it. PHI. If it deserue no little thinge to be sayde of it Toxophile, I maruell howe it chaunceth than, that no man hitherto, hath written any thinge of it : wherin you must graunte me, that eyther the matter is noughte, vnworthye, and barren to be written vppon, or els some men are to blame, whiche both loue it and vse it, and vet could neuer finde in theyr heart, to saye one good woorde of it, seinge that very triflinge matters hath not lacked great learned men to sette them out, as gnattes and nuttes, & many other mo like thinges, wherfore eyther you may honestlie laye verie great faut vpo men bycause they neuer yet praysed it, or els I may iustlie take awaye no litle thinge from shooting, bycause it neuer yet deserued it. TOX. Trulye herein Philologe, you take not so muche from it, as you giue to it. For great and commodious thynges are neuer greatlie praysed, not bycause they be not worthie, but bicause their excellencie nedeth no man hys prayse, hauinge all theyr comendation of them selfe not borowed of other men his lippes, which rather prayse them selfe, in spekynge much of a litle thynge than that matter whiche they entreat vpon. Great & good thinges be not praysed. For who euer praysed Hercules (sayeth the Greke prouerbe) And that no man hitherto hath written any booke of shoting the fault is not to be layed in the thyng whiche was worthie to be written vpon, but of men which were negligent in doyng it, and this was the cause therof as I suppose. Menne that vsed shootyng moste and knewe it best, were not learned : men that were lerned, vsed litle shooting, and were ignorant in the nature of the thynge, and so fewe menne hath bene that hitherto were able to wryte vpon it. Yet howe longe shotying hath con- tinued, what common wealthes hath moste vsed it, howe honeste a thynge it is for all men, what kynde of liuing so euer they folow, what pleasure and profit cometh of it, both in peace and warre, all maner of tongues & writers, Hebrue, Greke and Latine, hath so plentifullie spoken of it, as of fewe other thinges like. So what shooting is howe many kindes there is of it, 6 T'oxophilus. A. what goodnesse is ioyned with it, is tolde : onelye howe it is to be learned and brought to a perfeflnesse amonges men, is not toulde. PHI. Than Toxophile^ if it be so as you do saye, let vs go forwarde and examin howe plentifullie this is done that you spelce, and firste of the inuention of it, than what honestie h profit is in the vse of it, bothe for warre & peace, more than in other pastimes, laste of all howe it ought to be learned amonges men for the encrease of it, whiche thinge if you do, not onelye I nowe for youre comunication but many other mo, when they shall knowe of it, for your labour, h shotying it selfe also (if it coulde spelce) for your kyndnesse, wyll can you very moche thanke, TOXOPH, What good thynges me speake of shoting & what good thinges shooting bringes to men as my wit & knowlege will serue me, gladly shall I say my mind. But how the thing is to be learned I will surely leue to some other which bothe for greater experience in it, h also for their lerninge, can set it out better than I. PHI. Well as for that I knowe both what you can do in shooting by ex- perience, & yt you ca also speke well ynough of shooting, for youre learning, but go on with the first part. And I do not doubt, but what my desyre, what your loue toward it, the honestie of shoting, the profite that may come therby to many other, shall get the seconde parte out of you at the last. C TOXOPH. Of the first finders out of shoting, diuers men diuerslye doo wryte. Claudiane the poete Claudianus sayth that nature gaue example of shotyng first, by the Porpentine, whiche doth shote his prickes, and will hitte any thinge that fightes with it : whereby men learned afterwarde to immitate the same in 7- 5 • findyng out both bowe and shaftes. Plinie re- ferreth it to Schythes the sonne of lupiter. Better and more noble wryters bringe shoting from a more noble inuentour : as T J, Plato, Calimachus, and Galene from Apollo. In sympo. -r^^ r i j j j-u In hym. Yet longe arore those dayes do we reade m the Apoir. bible of shotinge expreslye. And also if we shall Gen. 21. beleue Nicholas de Lyra, Lamech killed Cain Nic.de lyra. •wjth a shafte. So this great continuaunce of shoting doth not a lytle praise shotinge : nor that neither doth not a litle set it oute, that it is referred to thinuention of Apollo, for the which poynt shoting is highlye praised of 'T'he schole of shoting. j Galene : where he sayth, y* mean craftes be first foud out by men or beastes, as weauing by a spider, and Galen in ex- suche other : but high and comendable sciences by hor. ad ho- goddes, as shotinge and musicke by Apollo. And '"^■*' "^i^^- thus shotynge for the necessitie of it vsed in Adams dayes, for the noblenesse of it referred to Apollo, hath not ben onelie comended in all tunges and writers, but also had in greate price, both in the best comune wealthes in warre tyme for the defece of their countrie, and of all degrees of men in peace tyme, bothe for the honestie that is ioyned with it, and the profyte that foloweth of it. PHILOL. Well, as concerning the fyndinge oute of it, litle prayse is gotten to shotinge therby, seinge good wittes maye mooste easelye of all fynde oute a trifelynge matter. But where as you saye that mooste com- mune wealthes haue vsed it in warre tyme, and all degrees of men maye verye honestlye vse it in peace tyme : I thynke you can neither shewe by authoritie, nor yet proue by reason. TOXOPHI. The vse of it in warre tyme, I wyll declare here- after. And firste howe all kindes and sortes of men (what degree soeuer they be) hath at all tymes afore, and nowe maye honestlye vse it : the example of mooste noble men verye well doeth proue. Cyaxares the kynge of the Medees, and greate graunde- father to Cyrus, kepte a sorte of Sythians with him onely for this purpose, to teache his sonne ^^° '^^ ^°' Astyages to shote. Cyr^ being a childe was brought vp in shoting, which thinge Xenophon wolde neuer haue made mention on, except it had ben fitte ^"\' "' ""''" for all princes to haue vsed : seing that Xenopho wrote Cyrus lyfe (as Tullie sayth) not to shewe what Cyrus did, but what all maner of princes both in pastimes and ernest matters ought to do. "l^" C^"^^- Darius the first of that name, and king of Persie shewed plainly howe fit it is for a kinge to loue and vse shotynge, whiche commaunded this sentence to be grauen in his tombe, for a Princelie memorie and prayse. Darius the King lieth buried here Sirabo. 15. ^hat in shoting and riding had neuer pere. Agayne, Domitian the Emperour was so cuning in shoting that he coulde shote betwixte a mans Tranq. suet. 8 Toxophiius. A. fingers standing afarre of, and neuer hurt him. Comodus also was so excellent, and had so sure a hande in it, that there was nothing within his retche & shote, but he wolde hit it in what place he wolde : as beastes runninge, either in the heed, or in the herte, and neuer mysse, as Hero- diane sayeth he sawe him selfe, or els he coulde neuer haue beleued it. PHI. In dede you praise shoting very wel, in y' you shewe that Domitian and Commodus loue shotinge, suche an vngracious couple I am sure as a man shall not fynde agayne, if he raked all hell for them. TOXOPH. Wel euen as I wyll not commende their ilnesse, so ought not you to dispraise their goodnesse, and in dede, the iudgement of Herodian vpon Commodus is true of them bothe, and that was this : that beside strength of bodie and good shotinge, they hadde no princelie thing in them, which saying me thinke commendes shoting wonderfullie, callinge it a princelie thinge. Furthermore howe commendable shotinge is for princes : Themistius the noble philosopher sheweth in a Themisi. certayne oration made to Theodosius themperoure, wherein he doeth commende him for .iii. thinges, that he vsed of a childe. For shotinge, for rydinge of an horse well, and for feates of armes. Moreouer, not onelye kinges and emperours haue ben brought vp in shoting, but also the best comune wealthes that euer were, haue made goodlie aftes & lawes for it, as the Persians which vnder Cyrus coquered in a maner all the worlde, had a lawe that their children shulde learne thre thinges onelie, from v. yeare oulde vnto .xx. to ryde an horse well, to shote well, to speake truthe alwayes & Leo de stra- neuer lye. The Romaines (as Leo themperour in his boke of sleightes of warre telleth) had a lawe that euery man shoulde vse shoting in peace tyme, while he was .xl. yere olde and that euerye house shoulde haue a bowe, and .xl. shaftes ready for all nedes, the omittinge of whiche lawe (sayth Leo) amonges the youthe, hath ben the onely occasion why the Romaynes lost a great dele of their empire. But more of this I wil speake whe I come to the profite of shoting in warre. If I shuld rehearse the statutes made of noble princes of Englande in parliamentes for the settyng forwarde of shoting, through this realme, and specially that acte made for shoting The schole of shoting. 9 the thyrde yere of the reygne of our moost drad soueraygne lorde king Henry the .viii. I could be very long. But these ^&vi& exaples specially of so great men & noble comon wealthes, shall stand in stede of many. PHI. That suche princes and suche comune welthes haue moche regarded shoting, you haue well declared. But why shotinge ought so of it selfe to be regarded, you haue scarcelye yet proued. TOX. Examples I graunt out of histories do shew a thing to be so, not proue a thing why it shuld be so. Yet this I suppose, y' neither great mens qualities being comedable be without great authoritie, for other men honestly to folow them : nor yet those great learned men that wrote suche thinges, lacke good reaso iustly at al tymes for any other to approue the. Princes beinge children oughte to be brought vp in shoting : both by- cause it is an exercise moost holsom, and also a pastyme moost honest : wherin labour prepareth the body to hardnesse, the minde to couragiousnesse, sufferyng neither the one to be marde with tendernesse, nor yet the other to be hurte with ydlenesse : as we reade how Sardanapalus and suche other were, bycause they were not brought vp w^ outwarde honest payneful pastymes to be men : but cockerde vp with inwarde noughtie ydle wantonnfsse to be women. For how fit labour is for al youth, lupiter or else Minos amonges them of Grece, and Lycurgus amonges the Lacedemonians, do shewe by their lawes, which neuer ordeyned any thing q' ^' "^' for y*^ bringyng vp of youth that was not ioyned with labour. And the labour which is in shoting of al other is best, both bycause it encreaseth strength, and preserueth health moost, beinge not vehement, but moderate, not ouerlay- ing any one part with werysomnesse, but softly exercisynge euery parte with equalnesse, as the armes and breastes with drawinge, the other parties with going, being not so paynfull for the labour as pleasaunt for the pastyme, which exercise by the iudgement of the best physicions, is most alowable. By shoting also is the mynde honestly exercised where a ma alwaies desireth to be best (which is a worde ?" 'j of honestie) and that by the same waye, that vertue it selfe doeth, couetinge to come nighest a moost perfite ende or meane standing betwixte .ii. extremes, eschewinge shorte, or gone, or eithersyde wide, for the which causes I o 'Toxophilus. A. Aristotle him selfe sayth that shoting and vertue be very like. Moreouer that shoting of all other is the moost Arist. I. de honest pastvme, and hath leest occasion to tnoTib* . ^ . noughtinesse ioyned with it .ii. thinges very playnelye do proue, which be as a man wolde saye, the tutours and ouerseers to shotinge : Daye light and open place where euerye man doeth come, the maynteyners and kepers of shoting, from all vnhonest doing. If shotinge faulte at any tyme, it hydes it not, it lurkes not in corners and huddermother : but openly accuseth & bewrayeth it selfe, which is the nexte waye to amendement, as wyse men do saye. And these thinges I suppose be signes, not of noughtinesse, for any man to disalowe it : but rather verye playne tokens of honestie, for euerye man to prayse it. The vse of shotinge also in greate mennes chyldren shall greatlye encrease the loue and vse of shotinge in all the residue of youth. For meane mennes myndes loue to be lyke greate menne, as Plato and Isocrates do saye. And that euerye bodye shoulde learne to shote when they be yonge, defence of the comune wealth, doth require whe they be olde, which thing can not be done mightelye when they be men, excepte they learne it perfitelye when they be boyes. And therfore shotinge of all pastymes is moost fitte to be vsed in childhode : bycause it is an imitation of moost ernest thinges to be done in manhode. Wherfore, shoting is fitte for great mens children, both bycause it strengthneth the body with holsome labour, and pleaseth the mynde with honest pastime and also encourageth all other youth ernestlye to folowe the same. And these reasons (as I suppose) stirred vp both great men to bring vp their chyldren in shotinge, and also noble commune wealthes so straytelye to commaunde shoting. Therfore seinge Princes moued by honest occasions, hath in al commune wealthes Vsed shotynge, I suppose there is none other degree of men, neither D lowe nor hye, learned nor leude, yonge nor oulde. PHIL. You shal nede wade no further in this matter Toxophile^ but if you can proue me that scholers and men gyuen to learning maye honestlie vse shoting, I wyll soone graut you that all other sortes of men maye not onelye lefuUie, but ought of dutie to vse it. ■ But I thinke you can not proue but that all The schole of shoting. 1 1 these examples of shotinge brought from so longe a tyme, vsed of so noble princes, confirmed by so wyse mennes lawes and iudgementes, are sette afore temporall men, onelye to followe them : whereby they may the better and stroglyer defende the commune wealth withall. And nothing belongeth to scholers and learned men, which haue an other parte of the commune wealth, quiete and peaceable put to their cure and charge, whose ende as it is diuerse fro the other, so there is no one waye that leadeth to them both. TOXO. I graunte Philologe^ that scholers and lay men haue diuerse offices and charges in the comune wealth, whiche requires diuerse briging vp in their youth, if they shal do them as they ought to do in their age. Yet as temporall men of necessitie are compelled to take some- what of learning to do their office the better withal: So scholers maye the boldlyer borowe somewhat of laye mennes pastimes, to maynteyne their health in studie withall. And surelie of al other thinges shoting is necessary for both sortes to learne. Whiche thing, when it hath ben euermore vsed in Englande how moche good it hath done, both oulde men and Chronicles doo tell : and also our enemies can beare vs recorde. For if it be true (as I haue hearde saye) when the kynge of Englande hath ben in Fraunce, the preestes at home bicause they were archers, haue ben able to ouerthrowe all Scotlande. Agayne ther is an other thing which aboue all other doeth moue me, not onely to loue shotinge, to prayse shoting, to exhorte all other to shotinge, but also to vse shoting my selfe : and that is our kyng his moost royall purpose and wyll, whiche in all his statutes generallye doth commaunde men, and with his owne mouthe moost gentlie doeth exhorte men, and by his greate gyftes and rewardes, greatly doth encourage men, and with his moost princelie example very oft doth prouoke all other me to the same. But here you wyll come in w' teporal man and scholer : I tell you plainlye, scholer or vnscholer, yea if I were .XX. scholers, I wolde thinke it were my dutie, bothe with exhortinge men to shote, and also with shoting my selfe to helpe to set forwarde that thing which the kinge his wisdome, and his counsell, so greatlye laboureth to go forwarde: whiche thinge surelye they do, bycause they knowe it to be in warre, the defence and wal of our countrie, in peace, an exercise moost holsome for the body, a pastime moost honest for the 1 2 T'oxophilus. A. mynde, and as I am able to proue my selfe, of al other moste fit and agreable with learninge and learned men. PHI. If you can proue this thing so playnly, as you speake it ernestly, the wil I, not only thinke as you do, but become a shooter and do as you do. But yet beware I saye, lest you for the great loue you bear towarde shotinge, blindlie iudge of shootinge. For loue & al other to ernest affe6lions be not for nought paynted blinde. Take hede (I saye) least you prefer shootinge afore other pastimes, as one Balbinus through blinde affection, preferred his louer before all other wemen, although she were deformed with a polypus in her nose. And although shooting maye be mete sometyme for some scholers, and so forthe: yet the fittest alwayes is to be preferred. Therefore if you will nedes graunt scholers pastime and recreation of their mindes, let them vse (as many of the doth) Musyke, and playing on instrumentes, thinges moste semely for all scholers, and moste regarded alwayes of Apollo & the Muses. TOX. Euen as I can not deny, but some musike is fit for lerning so I trust you can not chose but graunt, that shoting is fit also, as Calimach^ doth signifie in this verse. Cal. hym. i. Both merle songes and good shoting dellteth Appollo. But as concerning whether of them is moste fit for learning, E and scholers to vse, you may saye what you will for your pleasure, this I am sure that Plato and Aristotle bothe, in their bookes entreatinge of the comon welthe, where they shew howe youthe shoulde be brought vp in .iiii. thinges, in redinge, in writing, in exercise of bodye, and singing, do make mention of Musicke & all kindes of it, wherein they both agre, that Musike vsed amonges the Lydians is verie ill for yong men, which be studentes for vertue and learning, for a certain nice, softe, and smoth swetnesse of it, whiche woulde rather entice the to noughtines, than stirre them to honestie. An other kinde of Musicke inuented by the Dorians, they both wonderfully prayse, alowing it to be verie fyt for the studie of vertue & learning, because of a manlye, rough and stoute sounde in it, whyche shulde encourage yong stomakes, to attempte manlye matters. Nowe whether these balades & roundes, these galiardes, pauanes and daunces, so nicelye fingered, so swetely tuned, be lyker the Musike of the Lydians or the The schole of shoting. 1 3 Dorians, you that be learned iudge. And what so euer ye iudge, this I am sure, yt lutes, harpes, all maner of pypes, barbitons, sambulces, with other instrumentes euery one, whyche standeth by fine and quicke fingeringe, be codemned of Aristotle, as not to be brought i^^l^°*' ^°^' in & vsed amonge them, whiche studie for learning and vertue. Pallas when she had inuented a pipe, cast it away, not so muche sayeth Aristotle, because it deformed her face, but muche rather bycause suche an Instrumente belonged nothing to learnynge. Howe suche Instrumentes agree with learning, the goodlye agrement betwixt Apollo god of learninge, & Marsyas the Satyr, defender of pipinge, doth well declare, where Marsyas had his skine quite pulled ouer his head for his labour. Muche musike marreth mennes maners, sayth Galen, although some man wil saye that it doth not so, but rather recreateth and maketh quycke a mannes mynde, yet me thinke by reason it doth as hony doth to a mannes stomacke, whiche at the first receyueth it well, but afterwarde it maketh it vnfit, to abyde any good stronge norishynge meate, orels anye holsome sharpe and quicke drinke. And euen so in a maner these Instrumentes make a mannes wit so softe and smoothe so tender and quaisie, that they be lesse able to brooke, stronge and tough studie. Wittes be not sharpened, but rather dulled, and made blunte, wyth suche sweete softenesse, euen as good edges be blonter, whiche menne whette vpon softe chalke stones. And these thinges to be true, not onely Plato Aristotle & Galen, proue by authoritie of reason, but also Herodotus and other writers, shewe by playne Herodotus and euident example, as that of Cyrus, whiche after he had ouercome the Lydians, and taken their kinge Cresus prisoner, yet after by the meane of one Pactyas a verye headie manne amonges the Lydians, they rebelled agaynste Cyrus agayne, then Cyrus had by an by, broughte them to vtter destruction, yf Cresus being in good fauour with Cyrus had not hertelie desyred him, not to reuenge Pactyas faulte, in shedynge theyr blood. But if he would folowe his counsell, he myght brynge to passe, that they shoulde neuer more rebel 1 4 'Toxophilus. A. agaynst hym, And yt was this, to make them weare log kyrtils, to ye foot lyke woomen, and that euerye one of them shoulde haue a harpe or a lute, and learne to playe and sing whyche thinge if you do sayth Cresus (as he dyd in dede) you shall se them quickelye of men, made women. And thus lutinge and singinge take awaye a manlye stomake, whiche shulde enter & pearce depe and harde studye. Euen suche an other storie doeth Nymphodorus an olde N i)h d greke Historiographer write, of one Sesostris kinge of Egypte, whiche storie because it is somewhat longe, and very lyke in al poyntes to the other and also you do well ynoughe remembre it, seynge you read it so ofmnen . j^^.^ j^^ Sophoclis commentaries, I wyll nowe passe ouer. Therefore eyther Aristotle and Plato knowe not what was good and euyll for learninge and vertue, and the example of wyse histories be vainlie set afore vs or els the minstrelsie of lutes, pipes, harpes, and all other that standeth by suche nice, fine, minikin fingering (suche as the mooste parte of scholers whom I knowe vse, if they vse any) is farre more fitte for the womannishnesse of it to dwell in the courte among ladies, than for any great thing in it, whiche shoulde helpe good and sad studie, to abide in the vniuersitie amonges scholers. But perhaps you knowe some great goodnesse of suche musicke and suche instrumentes, whervnto Plato & Aristotle his brayne coulde neuer attayne, and therfore I will saye no more agaynst it. PHI. Well Toxophile is it not ynoughe for you to rayle vpon Musike, excepte you mocke me to ? but to say the truth I neuer thought my selfe these kindes of musicke fit for learninge, but that whyche I sayde was rather to proue you, than to defende the matter. But yet as I woulde haue this sorte of musicke decaye amonge scholers, euen so do I wysshe from the bottome of my heart, that the laudable custome of Englande to teache chyldren their plainesong and priksong, were not so decayed throughout all the realme as it is, Whiche thing howe profitable it was for all sortes of men, those knewe not so wel than whiche had it most, as they do nowe whiche lacke it moste. And therfore it is true that Teucer sayeth in Sophocles, Sophocles Seldome at all good thinges be Knowen how good to he tn Aiace. Before a man suche thinges do misse out of his handes. T^he schole of shoting. 1 5 That milke is no fitter nor more natural! for the bringing vp of children than musike is, both Gallen proueth by authoritie, and dayly vse teacheth by experience. For euen the litle babes lacking the vse of reason, are scarse so well stilled in suckyng theyr mothers pap, as in hearynge theyr mother syng. Agayne how fit youth is made, by learning to sing, for grammar and other sciences, bothe we dayly do see, and Plutarch learnedly doth proue, and Plato wiselie did alowe, whiche receyued no scholer in to his schole, that had not learned his songe before. The godlie vse of praysing God, by singinge in the churche, nedeth not my prayse, seing it is so praysed through al the scripture, therfore nowe I wil speke nothing of it, rather than I shuld speke to litle of it. Besyde al these commodities, truly .ii. degrees of mene, which haue the highest offices vnder the king in all this realme, shal greatly lacke the vse of Singinge, preachers and lawiers, bycause they shal not without this, be able to rule their brestes, for euery purpose. For where is no distinction in telling glad thinges and fearfull thinges, gentilnes & cruelnes, softenes and vehementnes, and suche lyke matters, there can be no great perswasion. For the hearers, as Tullie sayeth, be muche aff^e6lioned, as he is that speaketh. At his wordes be they drawen, yf he stande still in one facion, their mindes stande still with hym : If he thundre, they quake : If he chyde, they feare : If he coplayne, they sory with hym : and finally, where a matter is spoken, with an apte voyce, for euerye affe6lion, the hearers for the moste parte, are moued as the speaker woulde. But when a man is alwaye in one tune, lyke an Humble bee, or els nowe vp in the top of the churche, nowe downe that no manne knoweth where to haue hym : or piping lyke a reede, or roring lyke a bull, as some lawyers do, whiche thinke they do best, when they crye lowdest, these shall neuer greatly mooue, as I haue knowen many wel learned, haue done, bicause theyr voyce was not stayed afore, with learnyng to synge. For all voyces, great and small, base & shril, weke or softe, may be holpen and brought to a good poynt, by learnyng to synge. Whether this be true or not, they that stand mooste in nede, can tell best, whereof some I haue knowen, whiche, because they learned not to sing, whan they were boyes, were fayne to take peyne in it, wha they were men. If any man shulde heare me 1 6 Toxophilus. A, Toxophile, that woulde thinke I did but fondly, to suppose that a voice were so necessarie to be loked vpon, I would aske him if he thought not nature a foole, for maklg such goodly instrumentes in a man, for wel vttring his woordes, or els if the .ii. noble orators Demosthenes & Cicero were not fooles, wherof the one dyd not onelie learne to sing of a man : But also was not ashamed to learne howe he shoulde vtter his soudes aptly of a dogge, the other setteth oute no poynte of rhetorike, so fullie in all his bookes, as howe a man shoulde order his voyce for all kynde of matters. Therfore seinge men by speaking, differ and be better than beastes, by speakyng wel, better than other men, and that singing is an helpe towarde the same as dayly experiece doth teache, example of wyseme doth alowe, authoritie of learned men doth approue wherwith the foundacion of youth in all good common wealthes alwayes hath bene tempered; surelye if I were one of the parliament house, I woulde not fayle, to put vp a bill for the amendment of this thynge, but because I am lyke to be none this yeare, I wil speake no more of it, at this time. TOX. It were pitie truly Philologe^ that the thinge shoulde be negleiled, but I trust it is not as you say. PHI. The thing is to true, for of them that come daylye to y^ vniuersitie, where one hath learned to singe, vi. hath not. But nowe to oure shotinge Toxophile agayne, wherin I suppose you can not say so muche for shotyng to be fitte for learninge, as you haue spoken agaynste Musicke for the same. Therfore as concerning Musike, I can be content to graunt you your mynde : But as for shooting, surely I suppose that you can not perswade me, by no meanes, that a man can be earnest in it, and earnest at his booke to : but rather I thynke that a man w^ a bowe on his backe, and shaftes vnder hys girdell, is more fit to wayte vpon Robin Hoode, than vpon Apollo or the Muses. TOX. Ouer ernest shooting surely I will not ouer ernestlye defende, for I euer thought shooting shoulde be a wayter vpon lerning not a mastres ouer learning. Yet this I maruell not a litle at, that ye thinke a man with a bowe on hys backe is more like Robin Hoode seruaut, than Apollose, seing that Apollo him selfe in Alcestis of Euripides, whiche tragidie you red openly not long ago, in a maner glorieth saying this verse. 5/^'/^^" "^ ^^ ^^ ^y '^°^^ alwaies my bowe with me to beare The schoie of shoting. ij Therfore a learned man ought not to much to be ashamed to beare that some tyme, whiche Apollo god of lerning him selfe was not ashamed always to beare. And bycause ye woulde haue a man wayt vpon the Muses, and not at all medle with shotyng I maruell that you do not remembre howe that the ix. muses their selfe as sone as they were borne, wer put to norse to a lady called Euphemis whiche had a son named Erotus with whome the nine Muses for his excellent shootinge, kepte euer more companie w'all, & vsed dayly to shoote togither in y^ mount Pernasus ; and at last it chauced this Erotus to dye, whose death the Muses lamented greatly, and fell all vpon theyr knees afore lupiter theyr father, and at theyr request, Erotus for shooting with the Muses in earth was made a signe, and called Sagittarius in heauen. Therfore you se, that if Apollo and the Muses either were examples in dede, or onelye fayned of wise men to be examples of learnitige, honest shoting maye well ynough be companion with honest studie. PHI. Well Toxophile, if you haue no stronger defence of shotinge then Poetes, I feare yf your companions which loue shotinge, hearde you, they wolde thinke you made it but a triflyng and fabling matter, rather then any other man that loueth not shotinge coulde be persuaded by this reason to loue it. TOXO. Euen as I am not so fonde but I knowe that these be fables, so I am sure you be not so ignoraunt, but you knowe what suche noble wittes as the Poetes had, ment by such matters : which often- tymes vnder the couering of a fable, do hyde & wrappe in goodlie preceptes of philosophic, with the true iudgement of thinges. Whiche to be true speciallye in Homer and Euripides, Plato, Aristotle and Galene playnelye do shewe : when through all their workes (in a maner) they determine all cotrouersies, by these .ii. Poetes and suche lyke authorities. Therfore if in this matter I seme to fable, and nothynge proue, I am content you iudge so on me : seinge the same iudgement shal condemne with me Plato, Aristotle, and Galene, whom in that errour I am wel content to folowe. If these oulde examples proue nothing for shoting, what saye you to this ? that the best learned and sagest men in this Real me, whiche be no we alyue, both loue shoting and vse shoting, as the best learned bisshoppes that be: amonges whome Philologe^ you your selfe knowe .iiii. or .v. which as in all good learning, vertue and sagenesse they gyue 1 8 Toxophilus. A. other men example what thing they shoulde do, euen so by their shoting, they playnely shewe what honest pastime, other me giue to learning, may honestly vse. That ernest studie must be recreated with honest pastime sufficientlye I haue proued afore, both by reason and authoritie of the best learned men that euer wrote. Then seing pastymes be lefull, the moost fittest for learning, is to be sought for. A pastyme, saith Aristotle, must be lyke a medicine. Medi- ris . po. 7. (,jj^pg stande by contraries, therfore the nature of studying considered, the fittest pastyme shal soone appeare. In studie euery parte of the body is ydle, which thing causeth grosse and colde humours, to gather togyther & vexe scholers verye moche, the mynde is altogyther bent and set on worke. A pastyme then must be had where euery parte of the bodye must be laboured to separate and lessen suche humours withal : the mind must be vnbent, to gather h fetche againe his quicknesse withall. Thus pastymes for the mynde onelye, be nothing fit for studentes, bycause the body which is moost hurte by studie, shulde take away no profyte at all thereat. This knewe Erasmus verye well, when he was here in Cambrige : which when he had ben sore at his boke (as Garret our bookebynder hath verye ofte tolde me) for lacke of better exercise, wolde take his horse, and ryde about the markette hill, and come agayne. If a scholer shoulde vse bowles or tennies, the laboure is to vehe- ment and vnequall, whiche is codempned of Galene : the example very ill for other men, when by so manye actes they be made vnlawfull. Running, leaping, and coyting be to vile for scholers, and so not fit by Aristotle his iudgement : walking alone into the felde, hath no token of courage in it, a pastyme Artstot. lyj^g ^ simple man which is neither flesh nor fisshe. Therfore if a man woulde haue a pastyme hole- some and equall for euerye parte of the bodye, pleasaunt and full of courage for the mynde, not vile and vnhoneste to gyue ill example to laye men, not kepte in gardynes and corners, not lurkynge on the nyght and in holes, but euermore in the face of men, either to rebuke it when it doeth ill, or els to testifye on it when it doth well ; let him seke chefelye of all other for shotynge. PHILOL. Suche commune pastymes as men com- menlye do vse, I wyll not greatlye allowe to be fit for scholers: The schole of shoting. 19 seinge they maye vse suche exercises verye well (I suppose) as Galene him selfe doth allowe. TOXOPH. "--r"! • T 1 11 r T Gal. df satt. 1 hose exercises 1 remembre verye well, ror 1 ^^^^^ ^ read them within these two dayes, of the whiche, some be these : to runne vp and downe an hyll, to clyme vp a longe powle, or a rope, and there hange a while, to holde a man by his amies and waue with his heeles, moche lyke the pastyme that boyes vse in the churche whe their master is awaye, to swinge and totter in a belrope: to make a fiste, and stretche out bothe his armes, and so stande lyke a roode. To go on a man his tiptoes, stretching out thone of his armes forwarde, the other backewarde, which if he blered out his tunge also, myght be thought to daunce Anticke verye properlye. To tuble ouer and ouer, to toppe ouer tayle : To set backe to backe, and se who ca heaue an other his heles highest, with other moche like : whiche exercises surelye muste nedes be naturall, bycause they be so childisshe, and they may be also holesome for the body : but surely as for pleasure to the minde or honestie in the doinge of them, they be as lyke shotinge as Yorke is foule Sutton. Therfore to loke on al pastymes and exercises holsome for the bodye, pleasaunt for the mynde, comlye for euery man to do, honest for all other to loke on, profitable to be sette by of euerye man, worthie to be rebuked of no man, fit for al ages persos and places, onely shoting shal appeare, wherin all these commodities maye be founde. PHIL. To graunt Toxophile, that studentes may at tymes conuenient vse shoting as moost holsome and honest pastyme : yet to do as some do, to shote hourly daylie, wekelye, and in a maner the hole yere, neither I can prayse, nor any wyse man wyl alowe, nor you your selfe can honestlye defende. TOXOPH. Surely Philologe, I am very glad to se you come to that poynte that moost lieth in your stomake, and greueth you and other so moche. But I truste after I haue sayd my mynde in this matter, you shal cofesse your selfe that you do rebuke this thing more tha ye nede, rather then you shal fynde that any man may spende by anye possibilittie, more tyme in shotinge then he ought. For first and formoost the hole tyme is deuyded into .ii. partes, the daye and the night : whereof the night maye be both occupyed in many honest businesses, and also spent in moche vnthriftinesse, but in no wise it can be B 2 20 T'oxophilus. A. applyed to shoting. And here you se that halfe oure tyme, graunted to all other thinges in a maner both good and ill, is at one swappe quite taken awaye from shoting. Now let vs go forward, and se how moche of halfe this tyme of ours is spet in shoting. The hole yere is deuided into .iiii. partes. Spring tyme, Somer, faule of the leafe, and winter wherof the whole winter, for the roughnesse of it, is cleane taken away from shoting : except it be one day amonges .xx. or one yeare amonges .xl. In Somer, for the feruent heate, a man maye saye likewyse : except it be somtyme agaynst night. Now then spring tyme and faule of the leafe be those which we abuse in shoting. But if we consider how mutable & chaunge- able the wether is in those seasons, and howe that Aristotle him selfe sayth, that mooste parte of rayne fauleth in these two tymes : we shall well perceyue, that where a man wolde shote one daye, he shall be fayne to leaue of .iiii. Now when tyme it selfe grauteth vs but a litle space to shote in, lette vs se if shoting be not hindered amonges all kyndes of men as moche otherwayes. First, yong childre vse not, yong men for feare of them whom they be vnder to moche dare not : sage men for other greater businesses, wyll not : aged men for lacke of strengthe, can not : Ryche men for couetousnesse sake, care not : poore men for cost and charge, may not : masters for their housholde keping, hede not : seruautes kept in by their maisters very oft, shall not : craftes men for getting of their lyuing, verye moche leysure haue not : and many there be that oft beginnes, but for vnaptnesse proues not : and moost of all, whiche when they be shoters gyue it ouer and lyste not, so that generallye men euerye where for one or other consideration moche shoting vse not. Therfore these two thinges, straytenesse of tyme, and euery man his trade of liuing, are the causes that so fewe men shotes : as you maye se in this greate towne, where as there be a thousande good mens bodies, yet scarse .x. y' vseth any great shoting. And those whome you se shote the moost, with how many thinges are the[y] drawen, or rather driuen, fro shoting. For first, as it is many a yere or they begyn to be greate shoters, euen so the greate heate of shotinge is gone within a yere or two : as you knowe diuerse Philologe your selfe, which were sometyme the best shoters, and now they be the best studentes. T'he schole of shoting. 2 1 If a man faule sycke, farewell shoting, maye fortune as long as he lyueth. If he haue a wrentche, or haue take colde in his arme, he may hang vp his bowe (I warraunt you) for one season. A litle blayne, a small cutte, yea a silie poore worme in his finger, may kepe him from shoting wel ynough. Breaking and ill luck in bowes I wyll passe ouer, with an hudred mo sere thinges, whiche chaunceth euerye daye to them that shote moost, wherof the leest of them may compell a man to leaue shoting. And these thinges be so trewe and euident, that it is impossible either for me craftelye to fayne them, or els for you iustly to deny the. Tha seing how many hundred thinges are required altogyther to giue a man leaue to shote, and any one of the denied, a ma can not shote : and seing euery one of them maye chaunce, and doth chaunce euery day, I meruayle anye wyse man wyll thynke it possible, that any greate tyme can be spent in shoting at all. PHI. If this be true that you saye Toxophile, and F in very dede I can denye nothinge of it, I meruayle greatly how it chaunceth, that those, whiche vse shoting be so moche marked of men, and ofttymes blamed for it, and yt in a maner as moche as those which pleye at cardes and disc. And I shal tell you what I hearde spoken 5 v A 1 and ciyse. of the same matter. A man no shoter, (not longe agoo) wolde defende playing at cardes h disc, if it were honestly vsed, to be as honest a pastime as youre shotinge : For he layed for him, that a man might pleye for a litle at cardes and dyse, and also a man might shote away all that euer he had. He sayd a payre of cardes cost not past .ii.d. and that they neded not so moche reparation as bowe and shaftes, they wolde neuer hurte a man his hande, nor neuer weare his gere. A man shulde neuer slee a man with shoting wyde at the cardes. In wete and drye, hote and coulde, they woulde neuer forsake a man, he shewed what great varietie there is in them for euerye mans capacitie : if one game were harde, he myght easelye learne an other : if a man haue a good game, there is greate pleasure in it : if he haue an ill game, the payne is shorte, for he maye soone gyue it ouer, and hope for a better : with many other mo reasons. But at the last he concluded, that betwixt playinge and shoting, well vsed or ill vsed, there was no diff^erence : but that there was lesse coste and trouble, and a greate deale more pleasure in playing, then in shotynge. 22 Toxophilus. A. TOX. I can not deny, but shoting (as all other good thinges) may be abused. And good thinges vngoodlye vsed, are not good, sayeth an honorable bishoppe in an ernester matter then this is : yet we muste beware that we laye not mennes faultes vpo the thing which is not worthie, for so nothing shulde be good. And as for shoting, it is blamed and marked of men for that thing (as I sayde before) which shoulde be rather a token of honestie to prayse it, then any signe of noughtinesse to disalowe it, and that is bycause it is in euerye man his sight, it seketh no corners, it hydeth it not : if there be neuer so litle fault in it, euerye man seeth it, it accuseth it selfe. For one houre spente in shoting is more sene and further talked of, then .XX. nightes spent in dysing, euen as a litle white stone is sene amonges .iii. hundred blacke. Of those that blame shotinge and shoters, I wyll saye nomore at this tyme but this, that beside that they stoppe and hinder shoting, which the kinges grace wolde haue forwarde, they be not moche vnlyke in this poynt to Wyir Somer the king his foole, which smiteth him that standeth alwayes before his face, be he neuer so worshipfull a man, and neuer greatly lokes for him whiche lurkes behinde an other man his backe, that hurte him in dede. But to him that compared gamning with shoting somewhat wyll I answere, and bycause he went afore me in a coparison : and comparisons sayth learned men, make playne matters: I wyl surely folowe him in the same. Honest thynges (sayeth Plato) be knowen from vnhonest thinges, by this n P e ro. difference, vnhonestie hath euer present pleasure in it, hauing neyther good pretence going before, nor yet any profit folowing after ; which saying descrybeth generallye, bothe the nature of shooting & gamning whiche is good, and which is euyl, verie well. Gamninge hath ioyned with it, a vayne presente pleasure, but there foloweth, losse of name, losse of goodes, and winning of an hundred gowtie, dropsy diseases, as euery man can tell. Shoting is a peynfull pastime, wherof foloweth health of body quiknes of witte, habilitie to defende oure countrye, as our enemies can beare recorde. Loth I am to compare these thinges togyther, & yet I do it not bicause there is any comparison at al betwixte them, but therby a man shal se how good the one is, howe euil the other. T'he schole of shoting. 23 For 1 thinke ther is scarse so muche contrariousnes, betwixte hotte and colde, vertue & vice, as is betwixte these ,ii, thinges : For what so euer is in the one, the cleane contrarye is in the other, as shall playnlye appere, if we consider, bothe theyr beginnynges, theyr encreasynges, theyr fructes, and theyr endes, whiche I wyl soone rydde ouer. C[ The fyrste brynger in to the worlde of shootynge, was Apollo, whiche for his wisdome, & great com- modities,broughtamongesmenbyhini,was estemed ' worthie, to be counted as a God in heauen. Disyng surely is a bastarde borne, because it is said to haue .ii. fathers, and yet bothe noughte: The one was an vngracious God, called Theiith^ which for his noughtines, came inPhedro neuer in other goddes companyes, and therfore Homer doth despise onse to name him, in all his worlces. The other father was a Lydian borne, whiche people for suche gamnes, and other vnthriftines, as q"° °^' "' boowlyng and hauntyng of tauernes, haue bene euer had in most vile reputation, in all storyes and writers. The Fosterer vp of shoting is Labour, ye companion of vertue, the maynteyner of honestie, the encreaser of health and welthinesse, whiche admytteth nothinge in a maner in to his companye, that standeth not, with vertue and honestie, and therefore sayeth the oulde poete Epicharmus very pretelye in Xenophon, that God selleth vertue, & all other good thinges to men for labour. The Nource of ol^r [f J'^ ' dise and cardes, is werisom Ydlenesse, enemy of vertue, y^ drowner of youthe, that tarieth in it, and as Chauser doth saye verie well in the Parsons tale, the greene path waye to hel, hauinge this thing appropriat vnto it, that where as other vices haue some clolce of honestie, onely ydlenes can neyther do wel, nor yet thinke wel. Agayne, shooting hath two Tutours to looke vpon it, out of whose companie, shooting neuer stirreth, the one called Daye light, ye other Open place, whyche .ii. keepe shooting from euyl companye, and suffers it not to haue to much swinge, but euermore kepes it vnder awe, that it darre do nothyng in the open face of the worlde, but that which is good and honest. Lykewyse, dysinge and cardynge, haue .ii. Tutours, the one named Solitariousenes, whyche lurketh in holes and corners, the other called Night an 24 Toxophilus. A. vngratiouse couer of noughtynesse, whyche two thynges be very Inlcepers & receyuers of all noughtynesse and noughtye thinges, and therto they be in a maner, ordeyned by Nature. For on the nighte tyme & in corners, Spirites and theues, rattes and mise, toodes and oules, nyghtecrowes and poulcattes, foxes and foumerdes, with all other vermine, and noysome beastes, vse mooste styrringe, when in the daye lyght, and in open places whiche be ordeyned of God for honeste thynges, they darre not ones come, whiche thinge Euripides noted verye well, sayenge. // thinges the nighty good thinges the daye doth haunt & vse. Iphi. I Tail. Companions of shoting, be prouidens, good heed giuing, true meatinge, honest comparison, whyche thinges agree with vertue very well. Cardinge and dysinge, haue a sorte of good felowes also, goynge commonly in theyr companye, as blynde Fortune, stumbling chaunce, spittle lucke, false dealyng, crafty conueyaunce, braynlesse brawlynge, false forswerynge, whiche good feloes wyll sone take a man by the sleue, and cause him take his Inne, some w^ beggerye, some wyth goute & dropsie, some with thefte and robbery, & seldome they wyl leaue a man before he comme eyther to hangyng or els somme other extreme misery. To make an ende, howe shoting by al mennes lawes hath bene alowed, cardyng and dysing by al mennes iudgementes condemned, I nede not shewe the matter is so playne. Therfore, whan the Lydians shall inuent better thinges than Apollo, when slothe and ydlenes shall encrease vertue more than labour, whan the nyghte and lurking corners, giueth lesse occasion to vnthriftinesse, than lyght daye and opennes, than shal shotynge and suche gamninge, be in sume comparison lyke. Yet euen as I do not shewe all the goodnes, whiche is in shotynge, whan I proue it standeth by the same thinges that vertue it selfe standeth by, as brought in by God, or Godlyelyke men, fostered by labour, committed to the sauegarde of lyght and opennes, accompanied with prouision and diligens, loued and allowed by euery good mannes sentence, Euen lykewyse do I not open halfe the noughtines whiche is in cardyng & dising, whan I shewe howe they are borne of a desperate mother, norished in ydlenes, encresed by licence of nyght and corners. The schoie of shoting. 25 accompanied wyth Fortune, chaunce, deceyte, & craftines : condemned and banished, by all lawes & iudgementes. For if I woulde enter, to descrybe the monstruousenes of it, I shoulde rather wander in it, it is so brode, than haue any readye passage to the ende of the matter : whose horriblenes is so large, that it passed the eloquence of oure Englyshe Homer, to compasse it : yet because I euer thought hys sayinges to haue as muche authoritie, as eyther Sophocles or Euripides in Grelce, therfore gladly do I remembre these verses of hys. Hasardry is Very mother of lesinges^ And of deceyte^ and cursed sweringes^ Blasphemie of Ch[r]ist^ manslaughter^ and waste also^ Of catel of tytne^ of other thynges mo. H Mother of lesinges) trulye it maye well be called so, if a man consydre howe manye wayes, and how many thinges, he loseth thereby, for firste he loseth his goodes, he loseth his tyme, he loseth quyclcnes of wyt, and all good lust to other thinges, he loseth honest companye, he loseth his good name and estimation, and at laste, yf he leaue it not, loseth God, & heauen and all: and in stede of these thinges winneth at length, eyther hangyng or hell. fl And of deceyte) I trowe if I shoulde not lye, there is not halfe so muche crafte vsed in no one thinge in the worlde, as in this cursed thynge. What false dise vse they ? as dise stopped with quicksiluer and heares, dise of a vauntage, flattes, gourdes to chop and chaunge whan they lyste, to lette the trew dise fall vnder the table, & so take vp the false, and if they be true dise, what shyfte wil they make to set y^ one of them with slyding, with cogging, with foysting, with coytinge as they call it. Howe wyll they vse these shiftes, whan they get a playne man that can no skyll of them ? Howe will they go about, yf they perceyue an honest man haue money, which list not playe, to prouoke him to playe ? They wyl seke his company, they wil let hym paye nought, yea and as I hearde a man ones saye that he dyd, they wil send for hym to some house & spend perchaunce, a crown on him, and at last wyll one begin to saye : what my masters, what shall we do? shall euerye man playe his .xii. d. whyles an apple roste in the fyre, and than we wyll drinke & departe : Naye wyl an other saye, as false as he, you 26 Toxophilus. A. can not leaue whan you begyn, and therfore I wyll not playe: but yet yf you wyll gage, that euery man as he hath lost his .xii. d. shall sit downe, I am content, for surely I woulde winne no mannes money here, but euen as much as wolde paye for mye supper. Than speketh the thyrde, to the honest man that thought not to playe, what wylle you playe your .xii. pence if he excuse hym, tush man wyll the other saye, sticke not in honest company for xii. d. I wyll beare your halfe, and here is my mony. Nowe al this is to make him to beginne, for they knowe if he be ones in, and be a looser, yt he wyl not sticke at his .xii. d. but hopeth euer to gette it agayne, whiles perhaps, he loose all. Than euery one of them setteth his shiftes abroche, some w^ false dise, some wyth settynge of dyse, some with hauinge outelandishe syluer coynes guylded, to put away at a tyme for good gold. Than yf ther come a thing in controuersie, muste you be iudged by the table, and than farewell the honest man hys parte, for he is borne downe on euerye syde. Nowe sir, besyde all these thinges they haue certayne termes, as a man woulde saye, appropriate to theyr playing : wherby they wyl drawe a mannes money, but paye none, whiche they cal barres, that surely he that knoweth them not, maye soone be debarred of all that euer he hath, afore he lerne them. Yf a playne man lose, as he shall do euer, or els it is a wonder, than the game is so deuilysh, that he can neuer leaue : For vayn hope (which hope sayth Euripides, destroyeth many a man and Citie) dryueth hym on so farre, that ' he can neuer retourne backe, vntyl he be so lyght, that he nede feare no theues by the waye. Nowe if a simple man happen onse in his lyfe, to win of suche players, than will they eyther entreate him to kepe them company whyles he hath lost all agayne, or els they will vse the moste dyuellyshe fashion of all. For one of the players that standeth nexte him, shall haue a payre of false dise, and cast them out vpon the bourde, the honest man shall take them & cast them, as he did the other, the thirde shall espye them to be false dise, and shall crye oute, haroe, wyth all the othes vnder God, that he hath falselye wonne theyr moneye, and than there is nothynge but houlde thy throte from my dagger, than euery man layeth hande on the simple man, and taketh all theyr moneye from The schole of shoting. 27 him, and his owne also, thinking himselfe wel, that he scapeth with his lyfe. Cursed swerying^ hlasphemie of Christ e.) These halfe verses Chaucer in an other place, more at large doth well set out, and verye liuely expresse, sayinge. Ey by goddes precious hert and his nayles Jnd by the blood of Christ e^ that is in Hales^ Seuen is my chaunce^ and thine is sinke and treye^ Ey goddes armes^ if thou falsly playe^ This dagger shall thorough thine herte go This frute commeth of the beched boones twoo Forsweringe^ Ire^ falsnes and Homicide. &'c. Thoughe these verses be very ernestlie wrytten, yet they do not halfe so grisely setteout the horyblenes of blasphemy, which suche gamners vse, as it is in dede, and as I haue hearde my selfe. For no man can wryte a thing so earnestlye, as whan it is spoke wyth iesture, as learned men you knowe do saye. Howe will you thinke that suche furiousenes wyth woode countenaunces, and brenning eyes, with staringe and bragging, with heart redie to leape out of the belly for swelling, can be expressed y^ tenth part, to the vttermost. Two men I herd my selfe, whose sayinges be far more grisely, than Chaucers verses. One, whan he had lost his moneye, sware me God, from top to toe with one breath, that he had lost al his money for lacke of sweringe : The other, losyng his money, and heaping othes vpon othes, one in a nothers necke, moost horrible & not spekeable, was rebuked of an honest man whiche stode, by for so doynge, he by and by starynge him in the face, and clappyng his fiste with all his moneye he had, vpon the boorde, sware me by the flesshe of God, that yf sweryng woulde helpe him but one ace, he woulde not leue one pece of god vnsworne, neyther wythin nor without. The remembrauce of this blasphemy Philologe, doth make me quake at the hart, & therefore I wyll speake no more of it. And so to conclude wyth suche gamnying, I thynke there is no vngraciousenes in all thys worlde, that carieth so far from god, as thys faulte doth. And yf there were anye so desperate a persone, that woulde begynne his hell here in earth, I trowe he shoulde not fynde hell more lyke hell it selfe, then the lyfe 28 Toxophilus. A. of those men is which dayly haunt and vse suche vngracious games. PHIL. You handle this gere in dede : And I suppose if ye had ben a prentice at suche games, you coulde not haue sayd more of them then you haue done, and by lyke you haue had somwhat to do with them. TOX. In dede, you may honestlye gather that I hate them greatly, in that I spealce agaynst them : not that I haue vsed them greatlye, in that I spealce of them. For thynges be knowen dyuerse wayes, as Socrates (you knowe) doeth proue in Alcibiades. And if euery man shulde be that, that he speaketh or wryteth vpo, then shulde Homer haue bene the best capitayne, moost cowarde, hardye, hasty, wyse and woode, sage and simple : And Terence an ouldeman & a yong, an honest man and a bawde : with suche lyke. Surelye euerye man ought to praye to God dayly, to kepe them fro suche unthriftynesse, and speciallye all the youth of Englande : for what youth doth begynne, a man wyll folowe comonlye, euen to his dyinge daye : Euripides whiche thinge Adrastus in Euripides pretelve in supplt. J o r r / doth expresse, saymge. What thing a man in tender age hath most in vre That same to death alwayes to kepe he shal be sure Therfore in age who greatly longes good frute to moive In youth he must him selfe aplye good seede to sowe. For the foundation of youth well sette (as Plato doth saye) the whole bodye of the commune wealth shal floryshe therafter. If the yonge tree growe croked, when it is oulde, a man shal rather breake it tha streyght it. And I thinke there is no one thinge y' crokes youth more then suche vnlefull games. Nor let no ma say, if they be honestly vsed they do no harme. For how can that pastyme whiche neither exerciseth the bodye with any honest labour, nor yet the minde with any honest thinking, haue any honestie ioyned with it. Nor let noman assure hym selfe that he can vse it honestlye : for if he stande therein, he may fortune haue a faule, the thing is more slipperye then he knoweth of. A man maye (I graunt) syt on a brante hyll syde, but if he gyueneuer so lytle forwarde, he can not stoppe though he woulde neuer so fayne, but he must nedes runne heedling, he knoweth not how farre. What honest pretences, vayne pleasure layeth dayly (as it were entisemetes or baytes, to pull T'he schole of shoting. 29 men forwarde withall) Homer doeth well shewe, by the Sirenes, and Circes. And amonges all in that shyp there was but one Vlysses, and yet he hadde done to as the other dyd, yf a goddesse had not taught hym : And so lykewyse I thinke, they be easye to numbre, whiche passe by playing honestlye, excepte the grace of God saue and kepe them. Therfore they that wyll not go to farre in playing, let them folowe this cousell of the Poete. Stoppe the begynninges. PHILOLO. Well, or you go any further, I pray you tell me this one thing : Doo ye speake agaynste meane mennes playinge onelye, or agaynste greate mennes playinge to, or put you anye difference betwixte them ? TOXOPHI. If I shulde excuse my selfe herein, and saye that I spake of the one, and not of the other, I feare leaste I shoulde as fondlye excuse my selfe, as a certayne preacher dyd, whome I hearde vpon a tyme speake agaynste manye abuses, (as he sayde) and at last he spake agaynst candelles, and then he fearynge, least some men woulde haue bene angrye and offended with him, naye sayeth he, you must take me as I meane: I speake not agaynst greate candelles, but agaynst lytle candels, for they be not all one (q'he) I promyse you : And so euerye man laughed him to scorne. In dede as for greate men, and greate mennes matters, I lyst not greatlye to meddle. Yet this I woulde wysshe that all great men in Englande had red ouer diligentlye the Pardoners tale in Chaucer, and there they shoulde perceyue and se, howe moche suche games stande with theyr worshyppe, howe great soeuer they be. What great men do, be it good or yll, meane men communelye loue to followe, as many learned men in many places do saye, and daylye experience doth playnelye shewe, in costlye apparell and other lyke matters. Therfore, seing that Lordes be lanternes to leade the lyfe of meane men, by their example, eyther to goodnesse or badnesse, to whether soeuer they liste : and seinge also they haue libertie to lyste what they will, I pray God they haue will to list that which is good, and as for their playing, I wyll make an ende with this saying of Chaucer. Lordes might finde them other maner of pleye Honest ynough to driue the daye aivaye. 3© Toxophilus. A. But to be shorte, the best medicine for all sortes of men both high and lowe, yonge and oulde, to put awaye suche vnlawfull games is by the contrarye, lykewyse as all physicions do alowe in physike. So let youthe in steade of suche vnlefull games, whiche stande by ydlenesse, by solitarinesse, and corners, by night and darkenesse, by fortune & chaunce, by crafte and subtiltie, vse suche pastimes as stand by labour : vpon the daye light, in open syght of men, hauynge suche an ende as is come to by coning, rather then by crafte : and so shulde vertue encrease, and vice decaye. For contrarye pastimes, must nedes worke contrary mindes in men, as all other contrary thinges doo. And thus we se Philologe, that shoting is not onely the moost holesome exercise for the bodye, the moost honest pastime for the mynde, and that for all sortes of men : But also it is a moost redy medicine, to purge the hole realme of suche pestilent gamning, wherw' many tymes it is sore troubled and ill at ease. PHI, The more honestie you haue proued by shoting Toxophile^ and the more you haue perswaded me to loue it, so moche truly the soryer haue you made me with this last sentence of yours, wherby you plainly proue that a man maye not greatly vse it. For if shoting be a medicine (as you saye that it is) it maye not be vsed very oft, lest a man shuld hurt him selfe with all, as medicines moche occupyed doo. For Aristotle him selfe sayeth, that medicines be no meate to lyue withall : and thus shoting by the same reason, maye not be moche occupyed, TOX, You playe your oulde wontes Philologe, in dalying with other mens wittes, not so moche to proue youre owne matter, as to proue what other me can say. But where you thinke that I take awaye moche vse of shoting, in lykening it to a medicine : bycause men vse not medicines euery daye, for so shoulde their bodyes be hurt : I rather proue daylye vse of shoting therby. For although Aristotle sayeth that some medicines be no meate to lyue withall, whiche is true : Yet Hippocrates sayth that our daylye meates be d'ture- medicines, to withstande euyll withall, whiche is as true. For he maketh two kyndes of medicines, one our meate that we vse dailye, whiche purgeth softlye and slowlye, and in this similitude maye shoting be called a medicine, 'The schole of shoting. 3 1 wherwith dayly a man maye purge and take away al vnlefull de- syres to other vnlefull pastymes, as I proued before. The other is a quicke purging medicine, and seldomer to be occupyed, excepte the matter be greater, and I coulde describe the nature of a quicke medicine, which shoulde within a whyle purge and plucke oute all the vnthriftie games in the Realme, through which the commune wealth oftentymes is sycke. For not onely good quicke wittes to learnyng be thereby brought out of frame, and quite marred : but also manlye wittes, either to attempt matters of high courage in warre tyme, or els to atcheue matters of weyght and wisdome in peace tyme, be made therby very quaisie and faynt. For loke throughoute all histories written in Greke, Latyne, or other language, and you shal neuer finde that realme prosper in the whiche suche ydle pastymes are vsed. As concerning the medicyne, although some wolde be miscontent, if they hearde me meddle anye thynge with it : Yet betwixte you and me here alone, I maye the boldlyer saye my fantasie, and the rather bycause I wyll onelye wysh for it, whiche standeth with honestie, not determyne of it which belongeth to authoritie. The medicine is this, that wolde to God and the kynge, all these vnthriftie ydle pastymes, whiche be very bugges, that the Psalme meaneth on, walking on the nyght and in corners, were made felonye, and some of that ^"' "^' ^°' punyshment ordeyned for them, which is appoynted for the forgers and falsifyers of the kynges coyne. Which punishment is not by me now inuented, but longe agoo, by the mooste noble oratour Demosthenes : which fra'Teitine meruayleth greatly that deathe is appoynted for falsifyers and forgers of the coyne, and not as greate punysh- mente ordeyned for them, whiche by theyr meanes forges and falsifyes the commune wealthe. And I suppose that there is no one thyng that chaungeth sooner the golden and syluer wyttes of men into copperye & brassye wayes then dising and suche vnlefull pastymes. And this quicke medicine I beleue wolde so throwlye pourge them, that the daylye medicines, as shoting and other pastymes ioyned with honest labour shoulde easelyer withstande them. PHIL. The excellent commodityes of shotynge in peace tyme, Toxophile, you haue very wel and sufficiently declared. Wherby you haue so persuaded me, that God wyllyng hereafter I wyll 3 2 Toxophilus. A. both loue it the better, and also vse it the ofter. For as moche as I can gather of all this communication of ours, the tunge, the nose, the handes and the feete be no fytter membres, or instrumentes for the body of a man, then is shotinge for the hole bodye of the realme. God hath made the partes of men which be best and moost neccessarye, to serue, not for one purpose onelye, but for manye: as the tungue for speaking and tasting, the nose for smelling, and also for auoyding of all excremetes, which faule oute of the heed, the handes for receyuynge of good thinges, and for puttyng of all harmefull thinges, from the bodye. So shotinge is an exercyse of healthe, a pastyme of honest pleasure, and suche one also that stoppeth or auoydeth all noysome games gathered and encreased by ill rule, as noughtye humours be, whiche hurte and corrupte sore that parte of the realme, wherin they do remayne. But now if you can shewe but halfe so moche profyte in warre of shotynge, as you haue proued pleasure in peace, then wyll I surelye iudge that there be fewe thinges that haue so manifolde commodities, and vses ioyned vnto them as it hath. Q TOX. The vpperhande in warre, nexte the goodnesse of God (of whome al viftorie commeth, as scripture sayth) standeth chefelye in thre thinges : in the wysedome of the Prince, in the sleyghtes and pollicies of the ' ■ ^' capitaynes, and in the strength and cherefull forwardnesse of the souldyers. A Prince in his herte must be full of mercy and peace, a vertue moost pleasaunt to Christ, moost agreable to mans nature, moost profytable for ryche and poore. For tha the riche man enioyeth with great pleasure that which he hath : the poore may obtayne with his labour, that which he lacketh. And although there is nothing worse then war, wherof it taketh his name, through the which great men be in daunger, meane men without succoure, ryche men in feare, bycause they haue somwhat : poore men in care, bycause they haue nothing: And so euery man in thought and miserie : Yet it is a ciuill medicine, wherewith a prince maye from the bodye of his commune wealth, put of that daunger whiche maye faule: or elles recouer agayne, whatsoeuer it hath lost. And therfore as Isocrates doth save, a prince must be Ad Nico. . ^ ,. . -' ' r , , a warriour m two thmges, m connmge and know- The schole of shoting. 33 ledge of all sleyghtes and feates of warre, and in hauing al necessarye habilimentes belongyng to the same, Whiche matter to entreate at large, were ouerlonge at this tyme to declare, & ouermoche for my learning to perfourme. After the wisdome of the prince, are valiaunt capitaynes moost necessary in warre, whose office and dutye is to knowe all sleightes and pollicies for all kyndes of warre, which they maye learne .ii. wayes, either in daylye folowing and haunting the warres or els bicause wisdome bought with strypes, is many tymes ouercostlye : they maye bestowe some tyme in Vegetius, which entreateth suche matters in Latin metelye well, or rather in Polyjnus, and Leo the Emperour, which setteth out al pollicies and duties of capitaynes in the Greke tunge very excellentlye. But chefely I wolde wisshe and (if I were of authoritie) I wolde counsel al the yong gentlemen of this realme, neuer to lay out of theyr handes .ii. authors Xenophon in Greke, and Cfsar in Latyn, where in they shulde folowe noble Scipio Africanus, as Tullie doeth saye: In whiche .ii. authours, besydes eloquence a thing moste necessary of all other, for a captayne, they shulde learne the hole course of warre, whiche those .ii. noble menne dyd not more wyselye wryte for other men to learne, than they dyd manfully excercise in the fyelde, for other men to folowe. The strengthe of war lyeth in the souldier, whose chyefe prayse and vertue, is obedience towarde his captayne, sayth Plato. And Xenophon being a %lf7'^^' gentyle authour, moste christianlye doeth saye, Xoi A°-es euen by these woordes, that that souldyer whiche firste serueth god, & than obeyeth hys captayne, maye boldelie with all courage, hope to ouerthrowe his enemy. Agayne, w^out obedience, neither valiant man, stout horse, nor goodly harnes doth any good at al. Which obedi- ' ence of y^ souldier toward his captane, brought the hole empyre of ye worlde, into the Romanes hades, & whan it was brought, kepte it lenger, than euer it was kept in any comon welth before or after. And this to be true, Scipio Africanus, the moste noble captayne that euer was amonge the Romaynes, pi t . u shewed very playnly, what tyme as he went in to Afryke, to destroye Cartage. For he restinge hys hooste by 34 Toxophilus. A. the waye in Sicilie, a daye or twoo, and at a tyme standing with a great man of Sicilie, and looking on his souldiers howe they exercised them selues in kepyng of araye, and other feates, the gentleman of Sicilie asked Scipio, wherein laye hys chyefe hope to ouercome Cartage : He answered, in yonder feloes of myne, whom you se play: And why sayth the other, bycause sayeth Scipio, that if I comaunded them to runne in to the toppe of this high castel, and cast them selues doune backeward vpon these rockes, I am sure the[y] woulde do it. Salust also doth write, yt there were mo Romanes put to death of theyr captaynes for setting on theyr enemyes before they had licence, than were for running away out of the fyelde, before they had foughten. These two examples do proue, that amonges the Romaynes, the obedience of the souldyer was wonderfull great, and the seueritie of the Captaynes, to se the same kepte wonderfull strayte. For they wel perceyued that an hoste full of obedyence, falleth as seldome into the handes of theyr enemies as that bodye fawleth into Jeoperdye, the whiche is ruled by reason. Reason and Rulers beynge lyke in offyce, (for the one ruleth the body of man, the other ruleth the bodye of the comon wealthe) ought to be lyke of condicions, and oughte to be obeyed in all maner of matters. Obedience is nourysshed by feare and loue, Feare is kepte in by true iustice and equitie, Loue is gotten by wisdome, ioyned w^ liberalitie : For where a souldyer seeth ryghteousenesse so rule, that a man can neyther do wronge nor yet take wronge, and that his capitayne for his wysedome, can mayntayne hym, & for his liberalitie will mayntayne him, he must nedes both loue him & feare him, of the whiche procedeth true & vnfayned obedience. After this inwarde vertue, the nexte good poynt in a souldier, is to haue and to handle his weapo wel, whereof the one must be at the appoyntment of the captayne, the other lyeth in the courage and exercise of the souldier : yet of al weapos the best is, as - „ , Euripides doth say, wherw* with leest dauger of our self we maye hurt our enemye moost. And that is (as I suppose) artillarie. Artillarie now a dayes is taken for .ii. thinges: Gunnes & Bowes, which how moch they do in war, both dayly experience doeth teache, and also Peter Nanius a learned man of Louayn, in a certayne dialoge doth very well The schole of shoting. 35 set out, wherin this is most notable, that when he hath shewed excedyng commodities of both, and some discomodities of gunnes, as infinite cost and charge, combersome carriage : and yf they be greate, the vncertayne leuelyng, the peryll of them that stand by them, the esyer auoydyng by them that stande far of: & yf they be lytle, the lesse both feare and ieoperdy is in them, besyde all contrary wether and wynde, whiche hyndereth them not a lytle : yet of all shotyng he can not reherse one discommoditie. PHI. That I meruayle greatly at, seing Nannius is so well learned, & so exercised in the authours of both the tuges : for I my selfe do remembre that shotying in war is but smally praysed, and that of diuers captaynes in dyuers authors. For first in Euripides (whom you so highly prayse) and very well, for Tullie thynketh euerye verse in him to be an authoritie, what I praye you, doth Lycus that ouer- came Thebes, say as concernyng shoting ? whose words as farre as I remembre, be these, or not muche vnlyke. What prayse hath he at al^ whiche neuer durst ablde^ The dint of a speares poynt thrust against his side Nor neuer bouldlie huckeler bare yet in his lefte hande Face to face his enemies bront stiffelie to wythstande^ Eunp.m But alwaye trusteth to a bovue and to a fethered sticke Harnes euer most fit for him which to fie is quicke^ Bowe and shafte is Armoure metest for a cowarde Which dare not ones abide the bronte of battel sharpe is' harde. But he a man of manhode most is by mine assent Which with harte and corage boulde^ fuUie hath him bent^ His enemies looke in euery stoure floutelie to a bide^ Face to face^ and fote to fote^ tide what maye be tide. Agayne Teucer the best Archer amonges all the Grecians, in Sophocles is called of Menelaus, a boweman, & a shooter as in villavnie and reproche, to be a °^ ^^ ,. r ..-' T,,^ r>j9 Aia. flag. thmg or no price m warre. Moreouer randar the best shooter in the worlde, whome Apollo hym selfe taught to shoote, bothe he and his shotynge is quyte contemned in Homer, in so much that Homer (which vnder a made fable doth alwayes hyde hys iudgement of thinges) doeth make Pandarus him selfe crye out of shooting, and cast his bowe awaye, and take him to a speare, c 2 ^6 T'oxophilus. A. makynge a vowe that if euer he came home, he woulde breake his shaftes, h burne his bowe, lamentyng greatly, that he was so fonde to leaue at home his horse and charyot wyth other weapons, for the trust yt he had in his bowe. Homer signifieng therby, that men shoulde leue shoting out of warre, and take them to other wepons more fitte and able for the same, and I trowe Pandarus woordes be muche what after thys sorte. /// chaunce ill lucke me hyther broughte III fortune me that daye befell^ Whan first my bowe fro the pynne I roughte For HeSiors sake^ the Grekes to quell. But yf that God so for me shap That home agayne I maye ones come^ Let me neuer inioye that hap., Nor euer twyse looke on the sonne^ If bowe and shaftes I do not burne JVhyche nowe so euel doth serue my turne. But to let passe al Poetes, what can be sorer said agaynst any thing, than the iudgement of Cyrus is agaynst shotynge, whiche doth cause his Persians beyng the best / T 6^ shooters to laye awaye theyr bowes and take them to sweardes and buckelers, speares and dartes, and other lyke hande weapons. The which thing Xenophon so wyse a philosopher, so experte a captayne in warre hym selfe, woulde neuer haue written, and specially in that booke wherin he purposed to shewe, as Tullie sayeth in dede, not the true historie, but the example of a perfite wise prince Eput.x.ad ^j^j comon welthe, excepte that iudgement of ■ chaugyng Artillerie, in to other wepons, he had alwayes thought best to be folowed, in all warre. Whose counsell the Parthians dyd folowe, whan they Plutarch chased Antonie ouer the moutaines of Media, whiche being the best shoters of the worlde, lefte theyr bowes, and toke them to speares and morispikes. And these fewe examples I trowe, of the best shooters, do well proue that the best shotinge is not the best thinge as you call it in warre. TOX. As concernynge your first example, taken oute of Euripides, I maruayle you wyl bring it for ye The schole of shoting. 37 disprayse of shotyng, seyng Euripides doth make those verses, not bicause he thinlceth the true, but bicause he thinketh them fit for the person that spake them. For in dede his true iudge- ment of shoting, he doth expresse by & by after in the oratio of the noble captaine Amphytrio agaynste Lycus, wherein a man maye doubte, whether he hath more eloquentlye confuted Lycus sayenge, or more worthelye sette oute the prayse of shootynge. And as I am aduised, his woordes be muche hereafter as I shall saye. Against the wittie gifte of shotinge in a howe Fonde and leude woordes thou leudlie doest out throwe^ Hax'fur IVhiche^ if thou wilte heare of me a woorde or twayne ^uickUe thou mayst learne howe fondlie thou doest blame^ Firste he that with his harneis him selfe doth wal abouty That scarce is lefte one hole through which he may pepe out^ Such bondmen to their harneis to fight are nothinge mete But sonest of a I other are troden vnder fete. Yf he be stronge^ his felovves faynt^ in whome he putteth his trusty So loded with his harneis must nedes lie in the dust^ Nor yet fro death he can not starte^ if ones his weapon breke^ Howe stoute^ howe strongs howe great^ howe longe^ so euer be sue he a freke. But who so euer can handle a bowe sturdie stiffe and stronge Wherwith lyke hayle manie shaftes he shootes into the thickest thronge : This profite he takes, that standing a far his enetnie he maye spill Whan he and his full safe shall stande out of all daunger and ill. And this in IVar is wisedome moste, which workes our enemies woo. Whan we shal be far from all feare and ieoperdie of our foo. Secondarily euen as I do not greatlye regarde what Menelaus doth say in Sophocles to Teucer, bycause he spake it bothe in anger, and also to hym that he hated, euen so doo I remembre very well in Homer, that when He6lor and the Troians woulde 38 Toxophilus. A. haue set fyre on the greke shippes, Teucer with his bowe made „. , them recule baclce agayne, when Menelaus tooke Ihad. 8. , . u- f . A hym to his reete, and ranne awaye. Thirdlye as concerning Pandarus, Homer doth not disprayse the noble gyfte of shotynge, but therby euery man is taught, that whatsoeuer, and how good soeuer a weapon a man doth vse in war, yi he be hym selfe a couetouse wretche, a foole wythoute counsell, a peacebreaker as Pan- darus was, at last he shall throughe the punishment of God fall into his enemyes handes, as Pandarus dydde, whome Diomedes throughe the helpe of Minerua miserablye slue. And bycause you make mencion of Homer, & Troye matters, what can be more prayse for anye thynge, I praye you, than that is for shootyng, that Troye coulde neuer be destroyed without the helpe of Hercules shaftes, whiche thinge doeth signifie, that although al the worlde were gathered in an army togyther, yet without shotinge they can neuer come to theyr purpose, as Vlysses in Sophocles very plainlye doth saye vnto Pyrrhus, as concernyng Hercules shaftes to be caried vnto Troye. Soph. phil. Tsfor you without them., nor without you they do ought. Fourthlye where as Cyrus dyd chaunge parte of his bowe- men, wherof he had plentie, into other me of Insiit 6^' warre, wherof he lacked, I will not greatlye dispute whether Cyrus did well in that poynt in those dayes or no, bycause it is not playne in Xenophon howe strong shooters the Persians were, what bowes they had, what shaftes and heades they occupyed, what kynde of warre theyr enemies vsed. But trulye as for the Parthians, it is playne, in Plutarche, that in chaungyng theyr bowes in to speares, they Anton ' brought theyr selfe into vtter destrucSlion. For when they had chased the Romaynes many a myle, through reason of theyr bowes, at the last the Romaynes ashamed of their fleing, and remembrynge theyr owlde noble- nesse and courage, ymagined thys waye, that they woulde kneele downe on theyr knees, and so couer all theyr body wyth theyr shyldes and targattes, that the Parthians shaftes might slyde ouer them, 6c do them no harme, whiche thing when the The schole of shoting, 39 Partias perceyued, thinking that y^ Romaynes were forweryed with laboure, watche, and hiigre : they layed downe their bowes, and toke speres in their handes, and so ranne vpon them : but the Romaynes perceyuinge them without their bowes, rose vp manfully, and slewe them euery mother son, saue a {^-^t that saued them selues with runnyng awaye. And herein our archers of Englande far passe the Parthians, which for suche a purpose, whe they shall come to hande strokes, hath euer redy, eyther at his backe hangyng, or els in his next felowes hande a leade maule, or suche lyke weapon, to beate downe his enemyes withall. PHI. Well Toxophile^ seinge that those examples whiche I had thought to haue ben cleane agaynst shoting, you haue thus turned to the hygh prayse of shotinge : and all this prayse that you haue now sayd on it, is rather come in by me tha sought for of you: let me heare I praye you nowe, those examples whiche you haue marked of shotyng your selfe : whereby you are, and thinke to persuade other, y' shoting is so good in warre. TOX. Exaples surely I haue marked very many : fro the begynning of tyme had in memorie of wrytyng, throughout all comune wealthes, & Empires of the worlde : wherof the mooste part I wyll passe ouer, lest I shoulde be tediouse : yet some I wyll touche, bycause they be notable, bothe for me to tell and you to heare. And bycause the storye of the lewes is for the tyme moost auncient, for the truthe mooste credible, it shalbe moost fitte to begynne with them. And although I knowe that God is the onely gyuer of viitorie, and not the weapons, for all strength and vicSorie (sayth ludas Machabeus) cometh from „ heauen: Yet surely strong weapons be the instru- '"^ ' ^' ^' mentes wherwith god doth ouercome y' parte, which he wil haue ouerthrowen. For God is well pleased wyth wyse and wittie feates of warre : As in metinge of enemies, for truse takyng, to haue priuilye in a bushment harnest men layd for feare of treason, as ludas Machabeus dyd wyth ., . Nicanor Demetrius capitayne : And to haue engines of warre to beat downe cities with all : and to haue scoutwatche amoges our enemyes to knowe their counsayles, as the noble captaine lonathas brother to ludas ., , Machabeus did in the countrie of Amathie against the mighty hoste of Demetrius. And besyde al this, god 40 T'oxophilus. A. is pleased to haue goodly tombes for them which do noble feates in warre, and to haue their ymages made, and also their ,, , cote Armours to be set aboue thevr tombes, to Mach. I. 1:5. , . Ill , ■ ■' y ,. ' their perpetual laude and memorie: as the valiaunt capitayne Symon, dyd cause to be made for his brethren ludas Machabeus and lonathas, whe they were slayne of the Getiles. And thus of what authoritie feates of warre, and strong weapons be, shortly and playnelye we maye learne : But amonges the lewes as I began to tell, I am sure there was nothing so occupyed, or dydde so moche good as bowes dyd : insomoche that when the lewes had any great vpperhande ouer the Gentiles, the fyrste thinge alwayes that the captayne dyd, was to exhort the people to gyue all the thankes to God for the vi6lorye, & not to theyr bowes, wherwith they ' had slayne their enemyes : as it is playne that the noble losue dyd after so many kynges thrust downe by hym. God, when he promyseth helpe to the lewes, he vseth no kynde of speakyng so moche as this, that he wyll bende his bowe, and die his shaftes in the Gentiles blood: whereby it is manifest, that eyther God wyll make the lewes shoote stronge shotes to ouerthrowe their enemies : or at leeste that shotinge is a woderful mightie thing in warre, whervnto ye hygh power of God is lykened. Dauid in the Psalmes calleth bowes the vessels of death, sa . 7. 63. ^ bytter thinge, & in an other place a myghty power, and other wayes mo, which I wyll let passe, bycause euerye man readeth them daylye : But yet one place of scripture I must nedes remembre, which is more notable for y^ prayse of shoting, then any yt euer I red in any other storie, and that is, when Saul was slayne of ^ ■ ■3'' ye Philistians being mightie bowmen, and lonathas his Sonne with him, that was so good a shoter, as ye scripture sayth, that he neuer shot shafte in vayne, and yt the kyngdome after Saules deathe came vnto Dauid : the first statute & lawe that euer Dauid made after he was king, was this, that al ye children of Israel shulde learne to shote, according to a lawe made many a daye before yt tyme for the setting out of shoting as it is written (sayeth Scripture) in libra lustorum^ whiche booke we haue not nowe : And thus we se plainelye what greate vse of shoting, and what prouision euen The schole of shottng. 41 from the begynnynge of the worlde for shotyng, was amonge the lewes. The Ethiopians which inhabite the furthest part South in the worlde, were wonderful! bowmen : in somoche that when Cambyses king of Persie being in Egipt, sent certayne ambassadours into Ethiope to the kynge Thalia '" there, with many great gyftes : the king of Ethiop perceyuinge them to be espyes, toke them vp sharpely, and blamed Cambyses greatly for such vniust enterprises : but after that he had princely entertayned them, he sent for a bowe, and bente it and drewe it, and then vnbent it agayne, and sayde vnto the ambassadours, you shall comende me to Cam- byses, and gyue him this bowe fro me, and byd him when any Persian can shote in this bowe, let him set vpon the Ethiopians : In the meane whyle let hym gyue thankes vnto God, whiche doth not put in the Ethiopias mynde to coquere any other mans lande. This bowe, when it came amonge the Persians, neuer one man in suche an infinite host (as Herodotus doth saye) could styrre the stryng, saue onely Smerdis the brother of Cambyses, whiche styrred it two fingers, and no further : for the which a6l Cambyses had suche enuy at him, that he afterward slewe him : as doth appeare in the storye. Sesostris the moost mightie king that euer was in Egipt, ouer- came a great parte of the worlde, and that by archers : he subdued the Arabians, the lues, the Assyrians : he wet farther into Scythia then any man els : he ouercame Thracia, euen to the borders of Germanie. And in token how he ouercame al men he set vp in many places great ymages to his owne lykenesse, hauynge in the one hande a bowe, in the other a sharpe heeded Herod in shafte : that men myght knowe, what weapon Euterpe. his hooste vsed, in conqueryng so manye people. Dwd. Sic. 2 Cyrus, counted as a god amonges the Gentyles, for his noblenesse and felicitie in warre : yet at the last when he set vpon the Massagetanes (which people tro . t c to. neuer went without their bowe nor their quiuer, nether in warre nor peace) he and all his were slayne, and that by shotyng, as appeareth in the storye. Poly crates the prince of Samos (a very little yle) was lorde ouer all the Greke sees, and withstode the power of the Persians, onely by the helpe of a thousande archers. ^^>'°'^- « '^'■"■^ 42 Toxophilus. A. The people of Scythia, of all other men loued, and vsed moost shotyng, the hole rychesse and househoulde stuffe of a man in Scythia, was a yocke of oxen, a plough, his nagge and his dogge, his bowe and his quiuer : which quiuer was couered with the skynne of a man, which he toke or slewe fyrste in battayle. The Scythians to be inuincible by reason of their shotyng, the greate voyages of so manye noble conquerours spent in that countrie in vayne, doeth well proue : But specially that of Darius the myghtie kyng of Persie, which when he had taryed there a great space, and done no good, but had forweryed his hoste with trauayle and hunger : At last the men of Scythia sent an ambassadour with .iiii. MeTptim. gyftes: a byrde, a frogge, a mouse, and .v. shaftes. Darius meruaylyng at the straungenesse of the gyftes, asked the messenger what they signifyed : the messenger answered, that he had no further c5maundement, but onely to delyuer his gyftes, and retourne agayne with all spede : but I am sure (sayeth he) you Persians for your great wysdome, can soone boult out what they meane. When the messenger was gone, euery man began to say his verdite. Darius Judgement was this, that y*^' Scythians gaue ouer into the Persians handes, their lyues, theyr hole power, both by lande and see, signify inge by the mouse the earthe, by the frogge the water, in which they both liue, by ye birde their lyues which lyue in the ayer, by the shaft their hole power and Empire, that was maynteyned alwayes by shotinge. Gobryas a noble and wyse captayne amonges the Persians, was of a cleane cotrary minde, saying, nay not so, but the Sythias meane thus by their gyftes, that except we get vs wynges, and flye into the ayer lyke birdes, or run into y^ holes of the earth lyke myse, or els lye lurkyng in fennes & marisses lyke frogges, we shall neuer returne home agayne, before we be vtterly vndone with their shaftes : which sentence sanke so sore into their hertes, yt Darius with all spede possible, brake vp his campe, and gat hym Herod, iclio. selfe homewarde. Yet howe moche the Persians Xenoph. in them selues set by shotinge, wherby they en- cyrop. creased their empire so moche, doth appeare by Strab. i\. iij_ manifest reasons: firste that they brought vppe theyr youth in the schole of shoting, vnto .xx. yere of age, as dyuerse noble Greke authours do saye. The schole of shoting. 43 Agayne, bycause the noble kyng Darius thought hym selfe to be praysed by nothyng so moch, as to be counted a good shoter, as doth appeare by his sepulchre, wherin he caused to be written this sentence : Darius the King lieth buried here Strab. 15. 'That in shoting and riding had neuer pere. Thirdlye the coyne of the Persians, both golde & siluer had the Amies of Persie vpon it, as is customably vsed in other realmes, and that was bow and arowes : Plutarch, in by the which feate they declared, how moch they Agesila. set by them. The Grecians also, but specially the noble Athenienses, had all their strength Ivinee in Artillarie : and for ^. . , yt purpose the citie of Athes had a M. men which were onely archers, in dayly wages, to watche and kepe the citie fro al ieoperdie & sodein dauger : which archers also shuld cary to priso & warde any misdoer at y*^ comaundemet of the hygh officers, as playnlye doth appeare in Plato. And surely the bowmen of Athens did woderful feates in many battels, but specially when Demosthenes , '^ ° ^"- P'^°- the valiaut captayne slue and toke prisoners all the Lacedemonians besyde y^ citie of Pylos, where Nestor somtyme was lord : the shaftes went so thicke that daye (sayth Thucydides) that no man could '^'^ ^ ' ^' se theyr enemies. A Lacedemonian taken prisoner, was asked of one at Athens, whether they were stoute fellowes that were slayne or no, of the Lacedemonians : he answered nothing els but this : make moche of those shaftes of youres, for they knowe neyther stoute nor vnstoute : meanynge therby, that no man (though he were neuer so stout) came in their walke, that escaped without death. Herodotus descrybing the mighty boost of Xerxes especially doth marke out, what bowes and shaftes they vsed, signifying yt therin lay their chefe stregth. And pj,° ' '" at the same tyme Attossa, mother of Xerxes, wyfe to Darius, and doughter of Cyrus, doeth enquire p i - p (as Aeschylus sheweth in a Tragedie) of a cer- tayne messenger that came from Xerxes hoste, what stronge and fearful! bowes the Grecians vsed : wherby it is playne, that 44 Toxophilus. A. Artillarie was the thing, wherin both Europe and Asia at those dayes trusted moost vppon. The best parte of Alexanders hoste were archers as playnelye doth appeare by Arianus, and other yt wrote his life : and those so stronge archers, that they onely, sundrye tymes ouercame . . „ their enemies, afore any other neded to fyght : as Arianus. S. -ii ^ i-ixt i r was sene m the battayl which Nearchus one or Alexanders capitaynes had besyde the ryuer of Thomeron. And therfore as concerning all these kyngdomes and comune wealthes, I maye coclude with this sentence of Plinie, whose wordes be, as I suppose thus : If any man woulde Cati' 6 remebre the Ethiopians, Egyptians, Arabians, the men of Inde, of Scythia, so many people in ye east of the Sarmatianes, and all the kyngdomes of the Parthians, he shall well perceyue halfe the parte of the worlde, to lyue in subie6lion, ouercome by the myght and power of shotinge. In the commune wealth of Rome, which exceded all other in vertue, noblenesse, and dominion litle metion is made of shoting, not bycause it was litle vsed amonges them, but rather bycause it was bothe so necessarye and comune, that it was thought a thing not necessarye or requyred of anye man to be spoken vpon, as if a man shoulde describe a greate feaste, he woulde not ones name bread, although it be mooste common and necessarye of all : but surely yf a feaste beynge neuer so great, lacked bread, or had fewsty and noughty bread, all the other daynties shulde be vnsauery, and litle regarded, and than woulde men talke of the commodity of bread, whan they lacke it, that would not ones name it afore, whan they had it : And euen so dyd the Romaynes as concernynge shootyng, Seldome is shootinge named, and yet it dyd the moste good in warre, as didde appere, verye playnlye in that battell, whiche Scipio Aphrican^ had with the Numantines in Spayne, whome he coulde neuer ouercome, before he sette bowemen amonges his horse men, by whose myght they were clean van- quished. Agayne, Tiberius fyghtynge with Armenius and Ing- _, „ uiomerus princis of Germanie, had one wing of archers on horseback, an other of archers on foot, by whose might the Germanes were slayne downe ryghte, and The schole of shoting. 45 so scattered and beate oute of the feelde, that the chase lasted • x. myles, the Germanes clame vp in to trees for feare, but the Romanes dyd fetche them downe with theyr shaftes as they had be birdes, in whyche battell the Romaynes lost fewe or none, as dothe appeare in the historie. But as I began to saye, the Romaynes dyd not so muche prayse the goodnesse of shootinge, whan they had it, as they dyd lament the laclce of it, whan they wanted it, as Leo the .v. the noble Emperour doth playnly testifie in sundrie places in those boices whiche he wrote in Grelce, of the sleyghtes and pollicies of warre. PHIL. Surelie of that booke I haue not heard before, and howe came you to the syghte of it. TOX. The booke is rare trulie, but this laste yeare when master Cheke translated the sayd booke out of greke in to Latin, to y^ kinges maiestie, he of his gentlenesse, wolde haue me very ofte in hys chaber, and for the familiaritie that I had wyth hym, more than manye other, woulde suffer me to reade of it, whan I woulde, the whiche thinge to do, surelye I was very desirous and glad, because of the excellent handelynge of all thynges, that euer he taketh in hande. And verily Philologe^ as ofte as I remembre the departynge of that man from the vniuersitie, (whiche thinge I do not seldome) so ofte do 1 well perceyue our moste helpe and furtheraunce to learnynge, to haue gon awaye with him. For by ye great comoditie y^ we toke in hearyng hym reade priuatly in his chambre, all Homer, Sophocles, and Euripides, Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Isocrates and Plato, we feele the great discommoditie in not hearynge of hym, Aristotle & Demosthenes, whiche ii. authours with all diligence last of all he thought to haue redde vnto us. And when I consider howe manye men he succoured with his helpe, & hys ayde to abyde here for learninge, and howe all men were prouoked and styrred vp, by his councell and daylye example, howe they shulde come to learning, surely I perceyue that sentence of Plato to be true, which sayeth that there is nothyng better in any common wealthe, than that there shoulde be alwayes one or other, excellent passyng man, whose lyfe and vertue, shoulde plucke forwarde the will, diligence, laboure and hope of all other, that folowyng his footesteppes, they myght comme to the same ende, wherevnto labour, lerning & vertue, had coueied him before. The great hinderance of learning, in 46 'Toxophilus. A. laclcinge thys man greatly I shulde lament, if this discomoditie of oures, were not ioyned with the comoditie & welth, of y^ hole realme, for which purpose, our noble king full of wysedome hath called vp this excellent man full of learnynge, to teache noble prince Edwarde, an office ful of hope, comforte & solace to al true hertes of England : For whome al England dayly doth praye, y^ he passing his Tutour in learnyng & know- ledge, folowynge his father in wisedonie &: felicitie, accordyng to yt example which is set afore his eyes, may so set out and mayntayne goddes worde to the abolishment of al papistry, the confusion of al heresie, that therby he feared of his en- nemies, loued of al his subie6les, maye bring to his own glory, immortal fame & memorie, to this realme, welthe, honour & felicitie, to true and vnfayned religion perpetuall peace, Concorde and vnitie. But to retourne to shootynge agayne, what Leo sayeth of shootynge amonges the Romaynes, hys woordes, be so muche for the prayse of shootynge, and the booke also so rare to be gotten, that I learned the places by harte, whyche be as I suppose, euen thus. Fyrste in his sixte booke, as concerning what barneys is best : Lette all the youth of" Rome be compelled to vse shootyng, eyther more or lesse, & alwayes to bear theyr bowe & theyr quiuer aboute with them, untyll they be .xl. yeares oulde. For sithens shootynge was necgle6led and decayed among the Romaynes, many a battayle and fyelde hath been loste. Agayne in the 11. booke and .50. chapiter, (I call that by bookes and chapiters, whyche the greke booke deuideth by chapiters and paragraphes) Let your soul- dyers haue theyr weapons wel appoynted and trimmed, but aboue all other thynges regarde moste shootinge, and therfore lette men when there is no warre, vse shootynge at home : For the leauynge of, onely of shotynge, hath broughte in ruyne and decaye, the hole Empire of Rome. Afterwarde he commaund- eth agayne, hys capitayne by these wordes : Arme your hoste as I haue appoynted you, but specially with bowe eo. I . ■zi. ^^j arrowes plentie. For shootynge is a thinge of muche myghte and power in warre, and chyefely agaynst the Sarracenes and Turkes, whiche people hath all their hope of vi6lorie in theyr bowe and shaftes : Besydes all this, in an other 'T'he schole of shoting. 47 place, he wryteth thus to his Captayne : Artillerie is easie to be prepared, and in time of great nede, a thing moste profitable, therfore we straytlye commaunde you to make proclamation to al men vnder our dominion, which be eyther in war or peace, to all cities, borowes and townes, and fynally to all maner of men, that euerye scare persone haue ^°' ^°' ^^' bowe and shaftes of his owne, & euerye house besyde this, to haue a standing bearyng bowe, and xl. shaftes for all nedes, and that they exercise them selues in holtes, hilles, and dales, playnes and wodes, for all maner of chaunces in warre. Howe muche shooting was vsed among the olde Romanes and what meanes noble captaynes and Emperou[r]s made, to haue it encrease amonge them, and what hurte came by the decaye of it, these wordes, of Leo the emperour, which in a maner I haue rehersed woorde for woorde, playnly doth declare. And yet shotynge, although they set neuer so muche by it, was neuer so good than, as it is nowe in Englande, whiche thing to be true, is very probable, in that Leo doth saye, that he woulde haue his souldiers take of theyr arrowe heads, and one shote at an other, for theyr ^°' '^' exercise, whiche playe yf Englyshe archers vsed, I thinke they shoulde fynde smal play and lesse pleasure in it at all. The great vpperhande maynteyned alwayes in warre by artillery, doeth appeare verye playnlye by this reason also, that whan the spanyardes, franchmen, and germanes, grekes, macedonians, and egyptians, eche contry vsing one singuler weapon, for whyche they were greatelye feared in warre, as the Spanyarde Lancea^ the Francheman Gesa^ the German Framea^ the Grecian Machera^ the Macedonian Sarissa^ yet coulde they not escape, but be subie6les to the Empire of Rome, whan the Parthians hauyng all theyr hope in artillerie, gaue no place to the, but ouercame the Romanes, offer than the Romaynes them, and kepte battel with them, many an hundred yeare, and slue the ryche Crassus and hys son wyth pi t ■ k ~ many a stoute Romayne more, with their bowes. m. Crass. &• They draue Marcus Antonius ouer the hylles of t M. Anto. Media & Armenia, to his great shame and reproch. ^^''- Spart. They slue luHanus Apostata, and Antoninus Caracalla, they helde in perpetual pryson, y^ most noble emperour Valerian in despite of all the Romaynes and many other princes, whiche 48 'Toxophilus. A. wrote for his delyueraunce, as Bel solis called kynge of Icynges, Valerius kynge of Cadusia, Arthabesdes kyng of Armenia, and many other princes more, whom y^ Parthians by reason of theyr artillerie, regarded neuer one whitte, and thus with the Romaynes, I maye conclude, that the borders of theyr empyre were not at the sunne rysinge and sunne settynge, as Tullye sayeth : but so farre they went, as artillarie woulde gyue them leaue. For I thinke all the grounde that they had, eyther northewarde, farther than the borders of Scythia, or Easte- warde, farther than the borders of Parthia, a man myght haue boughte w^ a small deale of money, of whiche thynge surely shotyng was the cause. From the same contrie of Scythia the Gothians Hunnes, and Wandalians came wyth the same wepons of artillarie, as Paulus Diaconus doth saye, & so berafte Rome of her empyre wyth fyre, spoyle, & waste, so yt in suche a learned citie was lefte scarce one man behynde, that had learnynge or leysoure to leue in writinge to them whiche shoulde come after howe so noble an Empyre, in so shorte a whyle, by a rable of banyshed bondemen, wythoute all order and pollicie, saue onelye theyr naturalle and daylye excercise in artillarye, was broughte to suche thraldome and ruine. After them the Turkes hauing an other name, but yet the same people, borne in Scythia, brought vp onely in artillarie, by the same weapon haue subdued and beraft from the Christen men all Asia and Aphrike (to speake vpon,) and the moost noble countries of Europe, to the greate diminishing of Christe his religion, to the great reproche of cowardyse of al christianitie, a manifest token of gods high wrath & displeasure ouer the synne of the worlde, but speciallye amonges Christen men, which be on slepe made drunke with the frutes of the flesh, as infidelitie, disobedience to Goddes worde, and heresie, grudge, euelwyll, stryfe, con- tention, and priuie enuye, coueytousnesse, oppression, vn- mercifulnesse, with innumerable sortes of vnspeakeable daylye bawdrye : which thinges surely, yf God holde not his holy hande ouer vs, and plucke vs from them, wyl bryng vs to a more Turkishnesse and more beastlye blynde barbarousnesse : as callyng ill thinges good, and good thynges ill, contemnyng of knowledge & learnynge, settynge at nought, and hauyng for The schole of shoting. 49 a fable, God and his high prouidence, wyll bring vs (I say) to a more vngracious Turkishnesse (if more Turkishnesse can be then this) tha if the Turkes had sworne, to bring al Turkye agaynst vs. For these frutes surelye must neades sprynge of suche seede, and suche effect nedes folowe of suche a cause : if reason, truthe, and God, be not altered, but as they are wont to be. For surely no Turkyshe power can ouerthrowe vs, if Turkysshe lyfe do not cast vs downe before. If god were wyth vs, it buted not the turke to be agaynst vs, but our vnfaythful sinfull lyuyng, which is the Turkes moder, and hath brought hym vp hitherto, muste nedes turne god from vs, because syn and he hath no felowshyp togither. If we banished ill liuyng out of christendome, I am sure the Turke shulde not onelye, not ouercome vs, but scarce haue an hole to runne in to, in his own countrye. But Christendome nowe I may tell you Philologe is muche lyke a man that hath an ytche on him, and lyeth droke also in his bed, and though a thefe come to the dore, and heaueth at it, to come in, and sleye hym, yet he lyeth in his bed, hauinge more pleasure to lye in a slumber and scratche him selfe wher it ytcheth euen to the harde bone, than he hath redynes to ryse up lustelye, & dryue him awaye that woulde robbe hym and sleye hym. But I truste Christe wyl so lyghten and lyfte vp Christen mennes eyes, that they shall not slepe to death, nor that the turke Christes open enemy, shall euer boste that he hath quyte ouerthrowen vs. But as I began to tell you, shootynge is the chefe thinge, wherewith God suffereth the turke to punysh our noughtie liuinge wyth all : The youthe there is brought vp in shotyng, his bu^^T ir^^' priuie garde for his own person, is bowmen, the might of theyr shootynge is wel knowen of the Spanyardes, whiche at the towne called Newecastell in Illirica, were quyte slayne vp, of the turkes arrowes : whan the Spanyardes had no vse of theyr gunnes, by reason of the rayne. And nowe last of all, the emperour his maiestie him selfe, at the Citie of Argier in Aphricke had his hooste sore handeled wyth the Turkes arrowes, when his gonnes were quite dispatched and stode him in no seruice, bycause of the raine that fell, where as in suche a chaunce of raine, yf he had had bowmen, surelye there shoote myghte peraduenture haue bene a litle 5© T'oxophilus. A. hindred, but quite dispatched and marde, it coulde neuer haue bene. But as for the Turkes I am werie to talke of them partlye because I hate them, and partlye bycause I am now affe<3:ioned euen as it were a man that had bene longe wanderyng in strauge contries & would fayne be at home to se howe well his owne frendes prosper and leade theyr lyfe, and surely me thincke I am verie merye at my harte to remember how I shal finde at home in Englande amonges Englysh men, partlye by hystories, of them that haue gone afore vs, agayne by experience of the whych we knowe, & lyue with vs as greate noble feates of warre doone by Artillarye, as euer was done at any tyme in any other common welthe. And here I must nedes remeber a certaine Frechman called extor. Textor, that writeth a boke whiche he nameth Officina, wherin he weueth vp many brokenended matters and settes out much rifraft'e, pelfery, trumpery, baggage & beggerie ware clamparde vp of one that would seme to be fitter for a shop in dede than to write any boke. And amonges all other yll packed vp matters, he thrustes vp in a hepe togyther all the good shoters that euer hathe bene in the worlde as he saythe hymselfe, and yet I trow Philologe that of all the examples whiche I now by chauce haue rehersed out of the best Authors both in greke and latin, Textor hath but .ii. of them, which .ii. surely yf they were to reke agayne, I wold not ones name the, partly bycause they were noughtie persons, and shoting somoche the worse, bycause they loued it, as Domitian and Commodus the emperours : partelye bycause Textor hath them in his boke, on whom I loked on bychaunce in the bookebynders shope, thynkynge of no suche matter. And one thing I wyl say to you Philologe^ that if I were disposed to do it, and you hadde leysure to heare it, I coulde soone do as Textor doth, and reken vp suche a rable of shoters that be named here and there in poetes, as wolde holde vs talkyng whyles tomorowe : but my purpose was not to make mention of those which were feyned of Poetes for theyr pleasure, but of suche as were proued in histories for a truthe : but why I bringe in Textor was this : At laste when he hath rekened all shoters that he can, he sayeth thus, Petrus F.Crm.i.io. (^j-jj^jj-us wryteth, that the Scottes whiche dwell T'he schole of shoting. 5 1 beyonde Englande be verye excellent shoters, and the best bowmen in warre. This sentence whether Crinitus wrote it more leudly of ignoraunce, or Textor confirmeth it more piuyshlye of enuye, may be called in question and doubte : but this surelye do I knowe very well that Textor hath both red in Gaguinus the Frenche hystorie, and also hath hearde his father or graundfather taulke (except perchauce he was borne and bred in a Cloyster) after that sort of the shotynge of Englisshe men, that Textor neded not to haue gone so piuishlye beyonde Englande for shoting, but myght very soone, eue in the first towne of Kent, haue founde suche plentie of shotinge, as is not in al the realme of Scotland agayne. The Scottes surely be good men of warre in theyr owne feate as can be : but as for shotinge, they neyther can vse it for any profyte, nor yet wil chalege it for any prayse, although master Textor of his getlenesse wold gyue it them. Textor neaded not to haue fylled vppe his booke with suche lyes, if he hadde read the storye of Scotlande, whiche loannes Maior doeth wryte : wherein he myghte haue learned, that when lames Stewart fyrst kyng of that name, at the Parliamet holden at Saynt lohnnes towne or Perthie, commaunded vnder payne of a greate forfyte, that euerye Scotte shoulde learne to shote : yet neyther the loue of theyr coutrie, the feare of their enemies, the auoydying of punishment, nor the receyuinge of anye profyte that myght come by it, coulde make them to be good Archers : whiche be vnapte and vnfytte therunto by Gods prouidence and nature. Therfore the Scottes them selues proue Textor a Iyer, bothe with authoritie and also daily experience, and by a certayne Prouerbe that they haue amonges them in theyr comunication, wherby they gyue the whole prayse of shotynge honestlye to Englysshe men, saying thus : that euery Englysshe Archer beareth vnder hys gyrdle .xxiiii. Scottes. But to lette Textor and the Scottes go : yet one thynge woulde I wysshe for the Scottes, and that is this, that seinge one God, one faythe, one compasse of the see, one lande and countrie, one tungue in speakynge, one maner and trade in lyuynge, lyke courage and stomake in war, lyke quicknesse of witte to learning, hath made Englande and Scotlande bothe one, they wolde suffre them no longer to be two : but cleane D 2 5 2 T'oxophilus. A. gyue ouer the Pope, which selceth none other thinge (as many a noble and wyse Scottish man doth knowe) but to fede vp dissention & parties betwixt them & vs, procuryng that thynge to be two, which God, nature, and reason, wold haue one. Howe profytable suche an attonement were for Scotlande, Ih M ^^^ lohannes Maior, and Ector Boetius which ior. 6. hist. wrote the Scottes Chronicles do tell, & also all Scot. the gentlemen of Scotlande with the poore comunaltie, do wel knowe : So that there is nothing that stoppeth this matter, saue onelye a 'i^.v^o. freers, and suche lyke, whiche with the dregges of our Englysh Papistrie lurkyng now amonges them, study nothing els but to brewe battell and stryfe betwixte both the people : Wherby onely they hope to maynetayne theyr Papisticall kyngdome, to the destru6lion of the noble blood of Scotlande, that then they maye with authoritie do that, whiche neither noble man nor poore man in Scotlande yet doeth knowe. And as for Scottishe men and Englishe men be not enemyes by nature, but by custome : not by our good wyll, but by theyr owne follye : whiche shoulde take more honour in being coupled to Englande, then we shulde take profite in being ioyned to Scotlande. Wales being headye, and rebelling many yeares agaynst vs, laye wylde, vntylled, vnhabited, without lawe, iustice, ciuilitie and ordre : and then was amdges them more stealing tha true dealing, more suretie for them that studyed to be noughte, then quyetnesse for them that laboured to be good : when nowe thanked be God, and noble Englande, there is no countrie better inhabited, more ciuile, more diligent in honest craftes, to get bothe true and plentifull lyuynge withall. And this felicitie (my mynde gyueth me) within these few dayes shal chauce also to Scotlande, by the godly wysedome of oure mooste noble Prince kynge Henrye the .viii. by whome God hath wrought more wonderfull thynges then euer by any prince before : as banishing the byshop of Rome and herisie, bringyng to light god his worde and veritie, establishing suche iustice and equitie, through euery parte of this his realme, as neuer was sene afore. To suche a Prince of suche a wysdome, God hath reserued this mooste noble attonement : wherby neither we shalbe any more troubled, nor the Scottes with their best The schole of shoting. 53 countries any more destroyed, nor ye see, whiche God or- deyneth profytable for both, shall from eyther be any more stopped : to the great quietnesse, wealth & felicitie of all the people dwellynge in this He, to the high renoume & prayse of our moost noble kyng, to the feare of all maner of nacions that owe ill wyll to either countrie, to the hygh pleasure of God, which as he is one, and hateth al diuision, so is he best of all pleased, to se thinges which be wyde and amysse, brought to peace and attonement. But Textor (I beshrowe him) hath almooste broughte vs from our comunicatio of shoting. Now sir by my iudgement, the Artillarie of England farre excedeth all other realmes : but yet one thing I doubt & longe haue surely in that point doubted, whe, or by whom, shotyng was first brought in to Englande, & for the same purpose as I was ones in companye wyth syr Thomas Eliot knight, which surelie for his lerning in all kynde of knowlege bringeth much worshyp to all the nobilite of Englande, I was so bould to aske hym, yf he at any tyme, had marked any thing, as cocernynge the bryngynge in of shootynge in to Englande : he aunswcred me gentlye agayne, that he had a worcke in hand which he nameth, De rebus memorabUibm Angli^^ which I trust we shal se in print shortlye, and for the accomplyshmente of that boke, he had read & perused ouer many olde monumetes of Englande, and in seking for that purpose, he marked this of shootynge in an excedyng olde cronicle, the which had no name, that what tyme as the Saxons came first into this realme in kyng Vortigers dayes, whe they had bene here a whyle and at last began to faull out with the Brittons, they troubled and subdewed the Brittons wyth nothynge so much, as with theyr bowe and shaftes, whiche wepon beynge straunge h not sene here before, was wonderfull terrible vnto them, and this beginninge I can thynke verie well to be true. But now as concerning many exaples for the prayse of English archers in warre, surely I wil not be long in a matter yt no ma doubteth in, & those i^vf y^ I wil name, shal either be proued by y^ histories of our enemies, or els done by men that now liue. Kynge Edward the thirde at the battel of Cressie ageinst Philip ye Freche king as Gaguinus the frech Historiographer plainlye doeth tell, slewe that daye all the nobilite of Fraunce onlye wyth hys archers. 54 'Toxophiius. A. Such lyke battel also fought ye noble black prince Edward beside Poeters, where lohn ye French king w* hys Sonne & in a maner al y^ peres of Frauce were taken beside .xxx. M. which that daye were slayne, & verie few Englyshe men, by reason of theyr bowes. Kynge Henrie the fifte a prince pereles and moste vy61:ori- ouse conqueroure of all that euer dyed yet in this parte of the world, at the battel of Dagin court with .vii. M. fyghtynge men, and yet many of them sycke, beynge suche Archers as the Cronycle sayeth that mooste parte of them drewe a yarde, slewe all the Cheualrie of Fraunce to the nomber of .XL. m. and moo, and lost not paste .xxvi. Englysshe men. The bloudye Ciuil warre of England betwixt the house of Yorke and Lancaster, where shaftes slewe of both sydes to the destruction of mannye a yoman of Englande, whome foreine battell coulde neuer haue subdewed bothe I wyll passe ouer for the pyttyefulnesse of it, and yet maye we hyghelye prayse GOD in the remembraunce of it, seynge he of hys prouydence hath so knytte to gether those .ii. noble houses, with so noble and pleasunte a flowre. The excellent prince Thomas Hawarde nowe Duke of Northfolk, for whose good prosperite w^ al his noble familie al English hertes dayly doth pray w^ bowme of England slew kyng lamie w^ many a noble Scot eue brat agest Flodo hil, in which battel ye stoute archers of Cheshire & Lanchasshire for one day bestowed to ye death for their price & coutry sake, hath gotten immortall name and prayse for euer. The feare onely of Englysh Archers hathe done more wonderfull thinges than euer 1 redde in anye historye greke or latin, and moost wonderfull of all now of late beside Carlile betwixt Eske and Leuen at Sandy sikes, where the hoole nobilite of Scotlande for fere of the Archers of Englonde (next the stroke of God) as both Englysh men and Scotyshe men that were present hath toulde me were drowened and taken prisoners. Nor that noble a6fe also, whyche althoughe it be almost lost by tyme, commeth not behynd in worthinesse, whyche my synguler good frende and Master Sir William Walgraue and Sir George Somerset dyd with a few Archers to ye number as it is sayd of .xvi. at the Turne pike besyde Hames where they T'he schole of shoting. 5 5 turned with so i&sN& Archers, so many Frenchemen to flight, and turned so many oute of theyr lackes, whych turne turned all fraunce to shame & reproche and those .ii. noble Knightes to perpetuall prayse & fame. And thus you se Philologe, in al contries Asia, Aphrike and Europe, in Inde, Aethiop, Aegypt & lurie, Parthia, Persia, Grece, and Italie, Schythia, Turky, and Englande, from the begynninge of the world euen to thys daye, that shotynge hath had the cheife stroke in warre. PHI. These examples surelye I apte for the prayse of shotynge, not feyned by poetes, but proued by trewe histories, distinct by tyme and order, hath delyted me excedyng muche, but yet me thynke that all thys prayse belongeth to stronge shootynge and drawynge of myghtye bowes not to prickyng and nere shotinge, for which cause you and many other bothe loue & vse shootyng. TOX. Euer more Philologe you wyl haue some ouertwhart reson to drawe forthe more communication w'all, but neuerthe- lesse you shall perceaue if you wyl, that vse of prickyng, and desyre of nere shootynge at home, are the onelye causes of stronge shootyng in warre, and why ? for you se, that the strongest men, do not drawe alwayes the strongest shoote, whiche thyng prouethe that drawinge stronge, liethe not so muche in the strength of man, as in the vse of shotyng. And experience teacheth the same in other thynges, for you shal se a weake smithe, whiche wyl wyth a lipe and turnyng of his arme, take vp a barre of yron, y' another man thrise as stronge, can not stirre. And a strong man not vsed to shote, hath his armes breste and shoulders, and other partes wherwith he shuld drawe stronglye, one hindering and stoppinge an other, euen as a dosen stronge horses not vsed to the carte, lettes & troubles one another. And so the more stronge man not vsed to shote, shootes moost vnhasumlye, but yet if a strong man with vse of shooting coulde applye all the partes of hys bodye togyther to theyr moost strengthe, than should he both drawe stronger than other, and also shoote better than other. But nowe a stronge man not vsed to shoote, at a girde, can heue vp & plucke in suder many a good bowe, as wild horses at a brunte doth race h pluck in peces many a stronge carte. And thus strong me, without vse, can do nothynge in shoting to any purpose, neither in warre nor peace, but if they happen to shoote, yet they haue 56 'Toxophilus. A. done within a shoote or two when a wealce man that is vsed to shoote, shal serue for all tymes and purposes, and shall shoote • x. shaftes, agaynst the others .iiii. & drawe them vp to the poynte, euerye tyme, and shoote them to the mooste aduauntage, drawyng and withdrawing his shafte when he list, markynge at one man, yet let driuyng at an other man : whiche thynges in a set battayle, although a man, shal not alwayes vse, yet in bickerynges, and at ouerthwarte meatinges, when fewe archers be togyther, they do moste good of all. Agayne he that is not vsed to shoote, shall euermore with vntowardnesse of houldynge his bowe, & nockynge his shafte, not lookyng to his stryng betyme, put his bowe alwayes in ieoperdy of breakynge, & than he were better to be at home, moreouer he shal shoote very fewe shaftes, and those full vnhandsumlye, some not halfe drawen, some to hygh and some to lowe, nor he can not driue a shoote at a tyme, nor stoppe a shoote at a neede, but oute muste it, and verye ofte to euel profe. PHI. And that is best I trow in war, to let it go, and not to stoppe it. TOX. No not so, but somtyme to houlde a shafte at the heade, whyche if they be but few archers, doth more good with the feare of it, than it shoulde do if it were shot, with the stroke of it. PHI. That is a wonder to me, y' the feare of a displeasure, shoulde do more harme than the displeasure it selfe. TOX. Yes, ye knowe that a man whiche fereth to be banyshed, out of hys cuntrye, can neyther be mery, eate, drynke nor sleape for feare, yet when he is banished in dede, he slepeth and eateth, as well as any other. And many menne doubtyng and fearyng whether they shoulde dye or no, euen for verye feare of deathe, preuenteth them selfe with a more bytter deathe then the other death shoulde haue bene in deade. And thus feare is euer worse than the thynge feared, ^. . , as is pratelye proued, by the communication of Cyrus and Tigranes, the kynges sunne of Armenie, in Xenophon. PHI. I grante Toxophile, that vse of shotyng maketh a man drawe strong, to shoote at most aduauntage, to kepe his gere, whiche is no small thinge in war, but yet me thinke, that the customable shoting at home, speciallye at buttes and prickes, make nothynge at all for stronge shooting which doth moste good in war. Therfore I suppose yi men shulde vse to goo 'The schole of shoting. 57 into the feyldes, and learne to shote myghty stronge shootes, and neuer care for any marke at al, they shulde do muche better. TOX, The trouthe is, that fashion muche vsed, woulde do muche good, but this is to be feared, least that waye coulde not prouoke men to vse muche shotyng, bycause ther shulde be lytle pleasure in it. And that in shoting is beste, yt prouoketh a man to vse shotinge moste : For muche vse maketh men shoote, bothe strong & well, whiche two thinges in shootinge, euery man doeth desyre. And the chyefe mayn- tayner of vse, in any thyng, is comparyson, and honeste contention. For whan a manne stryueth to be better than an other, he wyll gladly vse that thing, though it be neuer so paynful wherein he woulde excell, whiche thynge Aristotle verye pratelye doth note, sayenge. Where is comparison, there is viitorie : where is viftorie, there is pleasure : And where is pleasure, no man careth what labour or payne he taketh, bycause ^J';^f' ''/"■^^• r y 111 1 111 • «« J fU'od. or the prayse, and pleasure, that he shal haue, m doynge better than other men. Agayne, you knowe Hesiodus wryteth to hys brother Perses, y' al craftes men, by contending one honestly w' an other, do encrease theyr cunyng e/dk' ^ ''^^' wt theyr substance. And therfore in London, and other great Cities, men of one crafte, moste commonly, dwelle togyther, bycause in honest stryuyng togyther, who shall do best, euery one maye waxe bothe cunninger and rycher, so lykewyse in shootynge, to make matches to assemble archers togyther, to contende who shall shoote best, and winne the game, encreaseth y^ vse of shotynge wonderfully amonges men. PHI. Of Vse you speake very much Toxophile but I am sure in al other matters, Vse can do nothing, wythoute two other thinges be ioyned wyth it, one is a natural Aptnesse to a thinge, the other is a true waye or Knowledge, howe to do the thing, to which ii. yf Vse be ioyned, as thirde felowe, of them thre, procedeth perfe6lnesse and excellencie : If a manne lacke the first two, Aptnesse and Cunnyng, Vse can do lytle good, at all. For he y' woulde be an oratour and is nothinge naturallye fitte for it, that is to saye lacketh a good wytte and memorie, lacketh a good voyce, countenaunce and body, and other suche like, ye[t] yf he had all these thinges, and knewe 5 8 'Toxophilus. A. not what, howe, where, when nor to whome he shulde speake, surelye the vse of spekynge, woulde brynge out none other frute but playne follye and bablyng, so yt Vse is the laste and the least neccessarye, of all thre, yet no thing can be done excellently without them al thre. And therfore Toxophile I my selfe bicause I neuer knewe, whether I was apte for shooting or no, nor neuer knewe waye, howe I shulde learne to shoote I haue not vsed to shoote : and so I thinke fiue hundred more in Englande do besyde me. And surely yf I knewe that I were apte, and y^ you woulde teach me howe to shoote, I woulde become an archer, and the rather, bycause of the good communication, the whiche I haue had with you this daye, of shotyng. TOX. Aptnesse, Knowlege, and Vse, euen as you saye, make all thinges perfefte. Aptnesse is the fyrst and chyefest thinge, without whiche the other two do no good at all. Knowledge doeth encrease al maner of Aptnesse, bothe lesse and more. Vse sayth Cicero, is farre aboue all teachinge. And thus they all three muste be had, to do any thinge very well, and yi anye one be awaye, what so euer is done, is done verye meanly. Aptnesse is y^ gyfte of nature, Knowlege, is gotten by y*^ helpe of other : Vse lyeth in our owne diligence & labour. So that Aptnesse & vse be ours and w'in vs, through nature & labour : Knowledge not ours, but comynge by other : and therfore moost dilligently, of all men to be sought for. Howe these three thinges stande with the artillery of Englande, a woorde or twoo I will saye. All Englishe men generally, be apte for shotyng, and howe.? Lyke as that grounde is plentifull and frutefull, whiche withoute anye tyllynge, bryngeth out corne, as for example, y{ a man shoulde go to the myll or market with corne, and happen to spyl some in the waye, yet it wolde take roote and growe, bycause y*^ soyle is so good : so Englad may be thought very frutefull and apt to brynge oute shoters, where children euen from the cradell, loue it : and yong men without any teachyng so diligentlye vse it. Agayne, lykewyse as a good grounde, well tylled, and well husbanded, bringeth out great plentie of byg eared corne, and good to the faule : so if the youthe of Englande being apte of it selfe to shote, were taught and learned how to shote, the Archers of England shuld not be only a great deale raker, and mo then they be : but also a good deale 'The schole of shoting. 59 bygger and stronger Archers then they be. This comoditie shoulde folowe also yf the youth of Englande were taught to shote, that euen as plowing of a good grounde for wheate, doth not onely make it mete for the seede, but also riueth and pluclceth vp by the rootes, all thistles, brambles and weedes, which growe of theyr owne accorde, to the destruftion of bothe corne and grounde: Euen so shulde the teaching of youth to shote, not only make them shote well, but also plucke awaye by the rootes all other desyre to noughtye pastymes, as disynge, cardyng, and boouling, which without any teaching are vsed euery where, to the great harme of all youth of this realme. And lykewise as burnyng of thistles and diligent weding them oute of the corne, doth not halfe so moche ryd them, as whe y^ ground is falloed and tilled for good grayne, as I haue hearde many a good husbandman say: euen so, neither bote punishment, nor yet diligent searching out of suche vnthriftinesse by the officers, shal so throwly wede these vngracious games out of the realme, as occupying and briiigyng vp youth in shotynge, and other honest pastyme. Thirdly, as a grounde which is apt for corne and also wel tilled for corne : yet if a man let it lye stil and do not occupye it .iii. or .iiii. yeare: but then wyll sow it, if it be wheate (sayth Columella) it wil turne into rye : so if a man be neuer so apte to shote, nor neuer so wel taught in his youth to shote, yet if he giue it ouer, and not vse to shote, truly when he shalbe eyther copelled in war tyme for his countrye sake, or els prouoked at home for his pleasure sake, to faule to his bowe : he shal become of a fayre archer, a stark squyrter and dribber. Therefore in shotynge, as in all other thinges, there can neyther be many in number, nor excellent in dede : excepte these .iii. thynges, Aptnesse, Knowledge, and Vse goo togyther. PHIL. Very well sayde Toxophile^ and I promyse you, I agree to this iudgement of yours altogyther and therefore I can not a lytle maruayle, why Englysshe men brynge nomore helpe to shotynge, then nature it selfe gyueth them. For you se that euen children be put to theyr owne shiftes in shotyng, hauing nothynge taughte them : but that they maye chose, and chaunce to shoote ill, rather then well, vnaptlye soner then fitlye, vnto- wardlye, more easely then wel fauouredlye, whiche thynge causeth manye neuer begynne to shoote : and moo to leaue it 6o 'Toxophilus. A. of when they haue begone, and moost of all to shote both worse & weaker, then they might shote, if they were taught. But peraduenture some men wyll saye, that wyth vse of shootynge a man shall learne to shoote, true it is he shall learne, but what shal he learne ? marye to shoote noughtly. For all Vse, in all thynges, yf it be not stayed with Cunnyng, wyll verie easely brynge a man to do y' thynge, what so euer he goeth aboute with muche illfauorednes and deformitie. Which thinge how much harme it doth in learning both Crassus excellencie dothe proue in Tullie, and I De Oral. i. ir u • • i i l my seJre haue experiens in my lytle shootyng. And therfore Toxophile, you must nedes graunt me that ether Englishe men do il, in not ioynyng Knowlege of shooting to Vse, or els there is no knowlege or cuninge, which can be gathered of shooting. TOX. Learnyng to shoote is lytle regarded in England, for this consideration, bycause men be so apte by nature they haue a greate redy forwardnesse and wil to vse it, al though no man teache them, al thoughe no man byd them, & so of theyr owne corage they rune hedlynge on it, and shoote they ill, shote they well, greate hede they take not. And in verie dede Aptnesse w^ Vse may do sumwhat without Know- lege, but not the tenthe parte, if so be they were ioyned with knowlege. Whyche thre thynges be seperate as you se, not of theyr owne kynde, but through the negligence of me whyche coupleth them not to gyther. And where ye doubte whether there can be gadered any knowlege or arte in shootyng or no, surely I thynke that a ma being wel exercised in it and sumwhat honestly learned with all, myght soone with diligent obseruynge and markynge the hole nature of shootynge, find out as it were an Arte of it, as Artes in other matters haue bene founde oute afore, seynge that shootyng stadeth by those thinges, which maye both be thorowlye perceued, and perfitly knowen, and suche that neuer failes, but be euer certayne, belongynge to one moost perfect ende, as shootyng streight, and keping of a lenght bring a man to hit the marke, ye chefe end in shootyng: which two thynges a man may attaine vnto, by diligent vsynge, and well handlynge those instrumentes, which belong vnto them. Therfore 1 can not see, but there lieth hyd in the nature of Shootynge, an Arte, whiche by notynge, and obseruynge of The schole of shoting. 6i him, that is exercised in it, yf he be any thyng learned at al, maye be taught, to the greate forderaunce of Artillarie through out al this Realme. And trewlye I meruell gretelye, that Englysshe men woulde neuer yet, seke for the Arte of shootynge, seinge they be so apte vnto it, so praysed of there frendes, so feared of there ennemves for it, Veo-etius woulde haue maysters appointed, whyche shoulde teache "^ youthe to shoote faire. Leo the Emperour of Rome, sheweth the same custome, to haue bene alwaves amongest ^ . ye olde Komaynes : whych custome or teachyng youth to shoote (saythe he) after it was omitted, and litle hede taken of, brought the hole Empire of Rome, to grete Ruine. Schola Penica^ that is the Scole of the Persians, appoynted to brynge vp youthe, whiles they were .XX. yeres olde in shooting, is as notably knowne in Histories as the Impire of ye Persians : whych schole, as doth apere in Cornelius Tacitus, as sonc as they gaue ouer and fell to other idle pastimes, brought bothe them "^^ '^' ^' and ye Parthians vnder y^ subie6lion of the Romaines. Plato would haue common maisters and stipendes, for n / >- to teache youthe to shoote, & for the same purpose '' he would haue a brode feylde nere euery Citie, made common for men to vse shotyng in, whyche sayeng the more reasonably it is spoken of Plato, the more vnresonable is theyr dede whiche woulde ditche vp those feeldes priuatly for ther owne profyt, whyche lyeth open generallye for the commo vse : men by suche goodes be made rycher not honester sayeth Tullie. Yf men can be perswaded to haue shootynge taughte, this au6lhorite whyche foloweth will ^' perswade them, or els none, and that is as I haue ones sayde before, of Kynge Dauyd, whose fyrste afi:e and ordinaunce was after he was kynge that all ludea should learne to shoote. Yf shotyng could speake, she would accuse England of vnkyndnesse and slouthfulnesse, of vnkyndnesse toward her bycause she beyng left to a lytle blynd vse, lackes her best maintener which is cunnynge : of slouthfulnesse towarde theyr owne selfe, bycause they are content wyth that whych aptnesse and vse doth graunt them in shootynge, and wyl seke for no knowlege as other noble comon welthes haue done : and the iustlier shootynge myght make thys complaynt, seynge thuL ^.i fence and weapons 62 Toxophilus. A. there is made an Arte, a thyng in no wyse to be compared to shootynge. For of fence all mooste in euerye towne, there is not onely Masters to teache it, wyth his Prouostes Vsshers Scholers and other names of arte & Schole, but there hath not fayled also, whyche hathe diligently and well fauouredly written it and is set out in Printe that euery man maye rede it. What discommoditie doeth comme by the lacke of know- lege, in shootynge, it were ouer longe to rehearce. For manye that haue bene apte, and loued shootynge, bycause they knewe not whyche way to houlde to comme to shootynge, haue cleane tourned them selues from shootynge. And I maye telle you Philologe, the lacke of teachynge to shoote in Englande, causeth very manye men, to playe with the kynges Ades, as a man dyd ones eyther with the Mayre of London or Yorke I can not tel whether, whiche dyd commaund by proclamation, euerye man in the Citie, to hange a lanterne wyth a candell, afore his dore : whiche thynge the man dyd, but he dyd not lyght it : And so many bye bowes bicause of the a6le, but yet they shote not : not of euyll wyll, but bycause they knowe not howe to shoote. But to conclude of this matter, in shoting as in all other thynges, Apte- ptnesse. nesse is the fyrste, and chyefe thynge, whiche if it be awaye, neyther Cunnynge or Vse, doeth anye good at all, as the Scottes and Fraunce men, wyth knowledge and Vse of shootynge, shall become good Archers, whan a cunynge shypwright shall make a stronge shyppe, of a Salowe tree : or whan a husbandman shall becom ryche, wyth sowyng wheat on Newmarket heath. Cunnynge muste be had, unnynge. bothe to Set out, & amende Nature, and also to ouersee, and corre6le vse : which vse yf it be not led, & gouerned wyth cunnyng, shall sooner go amisse, than strayght. Vse maketh perfitnesse, in doinge that thynge, whervnto nature maketh a man apte, and knowlege maketh a man cunninge before. So yt it is not so doubtful, which of them three hath moost stroke in shoting as it is playne & euident, that all thre must be had, in excellent shootynge. PHI. For this communicacio Toxophile I am very glad, and y' for myn owne sake bicause I trust now, to become a shoter, And in dede I thought a fore, English me most apte for shoting, and The schole of s ho ting. ■ 63 I sawe them dayelye vse shotyng, but yet I neuer founde none, that woulde talke of anye knowlege whereby a man might come to shotynge. Therfore I trust that you, by the vse you haue had in shoting, haue so thorowly marked and noted the nature of it, that you can teache me as it were by a trade or waye how to come to it. TOX. I graunte, I haue vsed shootinge meetly well, that I might haue marked it wel ynoughe, yf I had bene diligent. But my much shootynge, hath caused me studie litle, so that thereby I lacke learnynge, whych shulde set out the Arte or waye in any thynge. And you knowe that I was neuer so well sene, in the Posteriorums of Aristotle as to inuent and searche out general Demonstra- tions for the setting forth of any newe Science. Yet by my trothe yi you wyll, I wyll goe with you into the fealdes at any tyme and tel you as much as I can, or els you maye stande some tyme at the prickes and looke on the which shoote best and so learne. PHI. Howe lytle you haue looked of Aristotle, and how muche learnynge, you haue lost by shotynge I can not tell, but this I woulde saye and yf I loued you neuer so ill, that you haue bene occupyed in sumwhat els besyde shotynge. But to our purpose, as I wyll not requyre a trade in shotinge to be taught me after the sutteltye of Aristotle, euen so do I not agre with you in this poynt, that you wold haue me learne to shoote with lokyng on them which shoote best, for so I knowe I should neuer come to shote meanelye. For in shotyng as in all other thynges which be gotten by teachynge, there must be shewed a waye & a path which shal leade a man to ye best and cheiftest point whiche is in shootynge, whiche you do marke youre selfe well ynough, and vttered it also in youre communication, when you sayde there laye hyd in ye nature of shootyng a certayne waye whych wel perceyued and thorowlye knowen, woulde bring a ma wythout any wanderyng to ye beste ende in shotyng whych you called hitting of the pricke. Therfore I would refer all my shootinge to that ende which is best, and so shuld I come the soner to some meane. That whiche is best hath no faulte, nor can not be amended. So shew me beste shootynge, not the beste shoter, which yf he be neuer so good, yet hath he many a faulte easelye of any man to be espyed. And therfore meruell not yi I requyre to folowe that example whych is without faulte, rather than that which 64 Toxophiius. A. hath so manye faultes. And thys waye euery wyse man doth folow in teachynge any maner of thynge. As Aristotle when he teacheth a man to be good he settes not before hym Socrates lyfe whyche was y^ best man, but chiefe goodnesse it selfe accordynge to whych he would haue a man direfte his lyfe. TOX. This waye which you requyre of me Philologe^ is to hard for me, and to hye for a shooter to taullce on, & take as I suppose out of the middes of Philosophic, to serche out the perfite ende of any thyng, ye which perfite ende to fynde out, sayth Tullie, is the hardest thynge in the worlde, the onely occasyon and cause, why so many seftes of Philosophers hathe bene alwayse in learnynge. And althoughe as Cicero saith a man maye ymagine and dreame in his mynde of a perfite ende in any thynge, yet there is no experience nor vse of it, nor was neuer sene yet amonges men, as alwayes to heale the syclce, euer more to leade a shyppe without daunger, at al times to hit the prick : shall no Physicion, no shypmaster, no shoter euer do. And Aristotle saith that in all deades there are two pointes to be marked, " possibilitie & excelecie, but chefely a wise ma must folow & laye hand on possibilitie for feare he lease bothe. Therfore seyng that which is moost perfeil and best in shoot- yng as alwayes to hit y^ pricke, was neuer sene nor hard tel on yet amoges men, but onelye ymagined and thought vpon in a man his mynde, me thinck this is the wisest cousel & best for vs to folow rather that which a man maye come to, than y^ whyche is vnpossible to be attained to, leste iustely that sayeng of ye wyse mayde Ismene in Sophocles maye be verifyed on vs. Soph. And. A foole he is that takes in hande he can not ende. PHI. Well yf the perfite ende of other matters, had bene as perfitlye knowne, as the perfite ende of shotynge is, there had neuer bene so manye seftes of Philosophers as there be, for in shoting both man & boye is in one opinion, that alwayes to hit the pryck is mooste perfe6le end that can be imagyned, so that we shal not nede gretly contend in this matter. But now sir, whereas you thynke y^ a man in learning to shoote or any thyng els, shuld rather wyselye folow possibilitie, tha vainly seice for perfite excellencie, surelye I wyl proue yt euery wyse man, y' wisely wold learne any thyng, shal chiefly go aboute y' The schole of shoting. 6 5 whervnto he knoweth wel he shal neuer come. And you youre selfe I suppose shal confesse y^ same to be y'^ best way in teachyng, yf you wyl answere me to those thinges whych I wyl aske of you. TOX. And y^ I wyl gladlye, both bycause I thynke it is vnpossible for you to proue it, & also bycause I desire to here what you ca saye in it. PHI. The studie of a good Physicio Toxophile, I trow be to know al diseases & al medicines fit for them. TOX. It is so in dede. PHI. Bicause I suppose he would gladly at al tymes heale al diseases of al men. TOX. Ye truely. PHI. A good purpose surely, but was ther euer physicio yet among so many whyche hath laboured in thys study, that at al times coulde heale all diseases? TOX. No trewly ; nor I thyncke neuer shalbe. PHI. Than Physicions by lyke, studie for y', whiche none of them cometh vnto. But in learning of fence I pray you what is y^ which men moost labor for ? TOX. That they may hit a nother I trow & neuer take blow theyr selfe. PHI. You say trothe, & I am sure euery one of the would faine do so whe so euer he playethe. But was there euer any of the so conning yet, which at one tyme or other hath not be[n] touched ? TOX. The best of them all is glad somtyme to escape with a blowe. PHIL. Tha in fence also, men are taught to go aboute that thing, whiche the best of them all knowethe he shall neuer attayne vnto. Moreouer you that be shoters, I pray you, what meane you, whan ye take so greate heade, to kepe youre stand- ynge, to shoote compasse, to looke on your marke so diligently, to cast vp grasse diuerse tymes and other thinges more, you know better tha I. What would you do tha I pray you ? TOX. Hit ye marke yi we could. PHIL. And doth euery ma go about to hit the marke at euery shoote ? TOX. By my trothe I trow so, and as for my selfe I am sure I do. PHIL. But al men do not hit it at al tymes. TOX. No trewlye for that were a wonder. PHIL. Can any man hit it at all tymes ? TOX. No man verilie. PHIL. Than by likely to hit the pricke alwayes, is vnpossible. For that is called vnpossible whych is in no man his power to do. TOX. Vnpossible in dede. PHIL. But to shoote wyde and far of the marke is a thynge possyble. TOX. No man wyll denie that. PHIL. But yet to hit the marke alwayse were an excellent thyng. TOX. Excellent surelie. PHIL, tha I am 66 T'oxophilus. A. sure those be wiser men, which couete to shoote wyde than those whiche couete to hit the prycke. TOX. Why so 1 pray you. PHIL. Because to shote wyde is a thynge possyble, and therfore as you saye youre selfe, of euery wyse ma to be folowed. And as for hittinge y^ prick, bycause it is vnpossible, it were a vaine thynge to go aboute it : but in good sadnesse Toxophile thus you se that a man might go throghe all craftes and sciences, and proue that anye man in his science coueteth that which he shal neuer gette. TOX. By my trouth (as you saye) I can not denye, but they do so : but why and wherfore they shulde do so, I can not learne. PHILO. I wyll tell you, euerye crafte and science standeth in two thynges : in Knowing of his crafte, & Working of his crafte : For perfyte knowlege bringeth a man to perfyte workyng This knowe Paynters, karuers, Taylours, shomakers, and all other craftes men, to be true. Nowe, in euery crafte, there is a perfite excellencie, which may be better knowen in a mannes mynde, then folowed in a mannes dede : This perfytenesse, bycause it is generally layed as a brode wyde example afore al me, no one particuler man is able to compasse it : and as it is generall to al men, so it is perpetuall for al time whiche proueth it a thynge for man vnpossible : although not for the capacitie of our thinkyng whiche is heauenly, yet surelye for the habilitie of our workyng whyche is worldlye. God gyueth not full perfytenesse to one man (sayth Tullie) lest if one man had all in any one science, ther shoulde be nothyng lefte for an other. Yet God suffereth vs to haue the perfyt knowledge of it, that such a knowledge dilligently folowed, might bring forth accordyng as a man doth labour, perfyte woorkyng. And who is he, that in learnynge to wryte, woulde forsake an excellent example, and folowe a worse ? Therfore seing perfytenesse it selfe is an example for vs, let euerye man studye howe he maye come nye it, which is a poynt of wysdome, not reason with God why he may not attaine vnto it, which is vayne curosite. TOX. Surely this is gaily said Philologe, but yet this one thinge I am afraide of, lest this perfitnesse which you speke on wil discourage men to take any thynge in hande, bycause afore they begin, they know, they shal neuer come to an ende. And thus dispayre shall dispatche, euen at the fyrste entrynge in, many a good 'The schole of shottng. 67 man his purpose and intente. And I thinlce both you your selfe, & al other men to, woulde counte it mere folic for a man to tell hym whome he teacheth, that he shal neuer optaine that, whyche he would fainest learne. And therfore this same hyghe and perfite waye of teachyng let vs leue it to hygher matters, and as for shootynge it shalbe content with a meaner waye well ynoughe. PHI. Where as you saye y^ this hye perfitnesse will discorage me, bycause they knowe, they shall neuer attayne vnto it, I am sure cleane contrarie there is nothynge in the world shall incourage men more than it. And whye ? For where a man seith, that though a nother man be neuer so excellente, yet it is possible for hym selfe to be better, what payne or labour wyl that man refuse to take? yf the game be onse wonne, no ma wyl set forth hys foote to ronne. And thus perfitnesse beynge so hyghe a thynge that men maye looke at it, not come to it, and beynge so plentiful! and indifferent to euerye bodye that the plentifulnesse of it maye prouoke all men to labor, bycause it hath ynoughe for all me, the indifferencye of it shall encourage euerye one to take more paine than hys fellowe, bycause euerye man is rewarded accordyng to his nye comyng, and yet whych is moste meruel of al, y'^ more men take of it, the more they leue behynd for other, as Socrates dyd in wysdome, and Cicero in eloquens, whereby other hath not lacked, but hathe fared a greate deele y^ better. And thus perfitnesse it selfe bycause it is neuer obteyned, euen therfore only doth it cause so many men to be so well sene & perfite in many matters, as they be. But where as you thynke yt it were fondnesse to teache a man to shoote, in lokyng at the most perfitnesse in it, but rather woulde haue a manne go some other way to worke, I trust no wyse man wyl discomend that way, except he thincke himselfe wyser than Tullye, whiche doeth playnlye saye, that yf he teached any maner of r,,f). , crafte as he dyd Rhetorike he would labor to bringe a man to the knowlege of the moost perfitnesse of it, whyche knowlege should euer more leade and gyde a manne to do that thynge well whiche he went aboute. Whych waye in al maner of learnyng to be best, Plato dothe also declare in Euthydemus, of whome Tullie learned it as he dyd many other thynges mo. And thus you se Toxophile by what reasons and by whose authorite I do require of you this waye in teachynge E 2 68 T'oxophilus. A. me to shoote, which waye I praye you withoute any more delaye shew me as far forth as you haue noted and marked. TOX. You cal me to a thyng Philologe which I am lothe to do. And yet yf I do it not beinge but a smale matter as you thynke, you wyll lacke frendeshyp in me, yf I take it in hande and not bring it to passe as you woulde haue it, you myghte thyncke great wat of wysdome in me. But aduyse you, seing ye wyll nedes haue it so, the blame shalbe yours, as well as myne : yours for puttynge vpon me so instauntlye, myne in receyuynge so fondly a greater burthen then I am able to beare. Therfore I, more wyllynge to fulfyll your mynde, than hopyng to accomplysh that which you loke for, shall speake of it, not as a master of shotynge, but as one not altogyther ignoraunt in shotynge. And one thynge I am glad of, the sunne drawinge downe so fast into the west, shall compell me to drawe a pace to the ende of our matter, so that his darkenesse shall somethyng cloke myne ignoraunce. And bycause you knowe the orderynge of a matter better then I : Aske me generallye of it, and I shall particularly answere to it. PHI. Very gladly Toxophile: for so by ordre, those thynges whiche I woulde knowe, you shal tell the bet- ter : and those thynges whiche you shall tell, I shall remembre the better. TOXOPHI- LVS. B. THE SECONDE BOOKE OF the schole of shotyng. PHILOL. What is the cheyfe poynte in shootynge, that euerye manne laboureth to come to? TOX. To hyt the niarke. PHI. Howe manye thynges are required to make a man euer more hyt the marke ? TOX. Twoo. PHI. Whiche twoo ? TOX. Shotinge streyght and kepynge of a lengthe. PHIL. Howe shoulde a manne shoote strayght, & howe shulde a man kepe a length .? TOX. In knowynge and hauynge thinges, belongynge to shootyng : and whan they be knowen and had, in well handlynge of them : whereof some belong to shotyng strayght, some to keping of a legth, some commonly to them bothe, as shall be tolde seuerally of them, in place conuenient. PHI. Thynges belongyng to shotyng, whyche be they .'' TOX. All thinges be outwarde, and some be instrumentes for euery sere archer to brynge with him, proper for his owne vse : other thynges be generall to euery man, as the place and tyme serueth. PHI. which be instru- metes ? TOX. Bracer, shotynggloue, stryng, bowe Sc shafte. PHI. Whiche be general to all men ? TOX. The wether and the marke, yet the marke is euer vnder the rule of the wether. PHI. wherin standeth well handlynge of thynges .? TOX. All togyther wythin a man him selfe, some handlynge is proper to instrumentes, some to the wether, somme to the marke, some is within a man hym selfe. PHI. what handlyng is proper to the Instrumentes. TOX. Standynge, nockyng, drawyng, holdyng, lowsing, wherby cometh fayre shotynge, whiche neyther belong to wynde nor wether, nor yet to the marke, for in a rayne and at no marke, a man may shote a fayre shoote. PHI. well sayde, what handlynge belongeth to the 70 Toxophilus. B. wether? TOX. Knowyng of his wynde, with hym, agaynst hym, syde wynd, ful syde wind, syde wynde quarter with him, syde wynde quarter agaynste hym, and so forthe, PHI. well than go to, what handlynge belongeth to the marke ? TOX. To marke his standyng, to shote compasse, to draw euermore lyke, to lowse euermore lyke, to consyder the nature of the pricke, in hylles & dales, in strayte planes and winding places, & also to espy his marke. PHI. Very well done. And what is onely within a man hym selfe ? TOX. Good heede gyuynge, and auoydynge all affe61:ions : whiche thynges oftentymes do marre and make all. And these thynges spoken of me generally and brefely, yi they be wel knowen, had, and handled, shall brynge a man to suche shootynge, as fewe or none euer yet came vnto, but surely yf he misse in any one of the, he can neuer hyt the marke, and in the more he doth misse, the farther he shoteth from his marke. But as in all other matters the fyrst steppe or stayre to be good, is to know a mannes faulte, and than to amende it, and he that wyl not knowe his faulte, shall neuer amende it. PHI. You speake nowe Toxophile, euen as I wold haue you to speake : But lette vs returne agayne vnto our matter, and those thynges whyche you haue packed vp, in so shorte a roume, we wyll lowse the forthe, and take euery pyece as it were in our hande and looke more narowlye vpon it. TOX. I am content, but we wyll rydde them as fast as we can, bycause the sunne goeth so faste downe, and yet somewhat muste needes be sayde of euerye one of them. PHI. well sayde, and I trowe we beganne wyth those thynges whiche be instrumentes, whereof the fyrste, as I suppose, was „ the Braser. TOX. Litle is to be sayd of the braser. A bracer serueth for two causes, one to saue his arme from the strype of the strynge, and his doublet from wearynge, and the other is, that the strynge glydynge sharpelye & quicklye of the bracer, maye make the sharper shoote. For if the strynge shoulde lyght vpon the bare sleue, the strengthe of the shoote shoulde stoppe and dye there. But it is best by my iudgemente, to gyue the bowe so muche bent, that the strynge neede neuer touche a mannes arme, and so shoulde a man nede no bracer as I knowe manye good Archers, whiche occupye none. In a bracer a man muste take hede of .iii. thinges, y' it haue no nayles in it, that it haue no bucles. The schoie of shoting. J i that it be fast on with laces wythout agglettes. For the nayles wyll shere in sunder, a manes string, before he be ware, and so put his bowe in ieoperdy: Buckles and agglettes at vn wares, shall race hys bowe, a thinge bothe euyll to the syghte, & perilous for freatynge. And thus a Bracer, is onely had for this purpose, that the stryngc maye haue redye passage. PHI. In my Bracer I am cunnyng ynough, but what saye you of the shootyng gloue. TOX. A shootynge Gloue is chieflye, for to saue a mannes fyngers from hurtynge, that he maye be able to beare the sharpe stryng to the vttermost of his strengthe. And whan a man shooteth, the might of his shoote lyeth on the formooste fynger, and on the Ringman, for the myddle fynger whiche is the longest, lyke a lubber starteth backe, and beareth no weyght of the strynge in a maner at all, therfore the two other fyngers, muste haue thicker lether, and that muste haue thickest of all, where on a man lowseth moste, and for sure lowsyng, the formoste finger is moste apte, bycause it holdeth best, & for y^ purpose nature hath as a man woulde saye, yocked it w' the thoumbe. Ledder, if it be nexte a mans skynne, wyl sweat, waxe hard and chafe, therefore scarlet for the softnes of it and thicknesse wyth all, is good to sewe wythin a manes gloue. If that wylle not serue, but yet youre finger hurteth, you muste take a searynge cloth made of fine virgin waxe, and Deres sewet, & put nexte your fynger, and so on wyth youre gloue. If yet you fele your fynger pinched, leaue shootyng both because than you shall shoote nought, & agayn by litle & lytle, hurtynge your finger, ye shall make it longe and longe to or you shoote agayne. A newe gloue pluckes many shootes bycause the stringe goeth not freelye of, and therefore the fingers muste be cut short, and trimmed with some ointment, that the string maye glyd wel awaye. Some with holdynge in the nocke of theyr shafte too harde, rub the skyn of there fingers. For this there be .ii. remedyes, one to haue a goose quyll splettyd and sewed againste the nockynge, betwixt the lining and the ledder, whyche shall helpe the shoote muche to, the other waye is to haue some roule of ledder sewed betwixt his fingers at the setting on of the fingers, which shall kepe his fingers so in sunder, that they shal not hold the nock so fast as they did. The shootyng gloue hath a purse whych shall serue 72 'Toxophilus. B. to put fine linen cloth and wax in, twoo necessary thynges for a shooter, some men vse gloues or other suche lyke thyng on their bow had for chafyng, bycause they houlde so harde. But that commeth commonlye, when a bowe is not rounde, but somewhat square, fine waxe shall do verye well in such a case to laye where a man holdeth his bow : and thus muche as concernynge your gloue. And these thynges althoughe they be trifles, yet bycause you be but a yonge shoter, I woulde not leue them out. PHI. And so you shal do me moost pleasure : The string I trow be the next. TOX. The next in dede. . A thing though it be lytle, yet not a litle to be regarded. But here in you muste be contente to put youre truste in honest stringers. And surely stringers ought more diligently to be looked vpon by the officers tha ether bower or fletcher, bycause they may deceyue a simple man the more easelyer. An ill stringe brekethe many a good bowe, nor no other thynge halfe so many. In warre if a string breke the man is loste and is no man, for his weapon is gone, and althoughe he haue two stringes put one at once, yet he shall haue small leasure & lesse roume to bend his bow, therfore god send vs good stringers both for war and peace. Now what a stringe ought to be made on, whether of good hempe as they do now a dayes, or of flaxe or of silke, I leue that to the . iugemente of stringers, of whome we muste bye them on. Eustathius apon this verse of homere Twag q the bow^ & twag q the strings out quicklie the shaft flue Iliad. 4. doeth tel, that in oulde tyme they made theyr bowe strynges of bullox thermes, whiche they twyned togither as they do ropes, & therfore they made a great twange. Bowe strynges also hath bene made of the heare of an horse tayle called for the matter of them Hippias as dothe appeare in manye good authors of the Greke tongue. Great stringes, and lytle strynges Fauontuis. irj- 1 • . ■' ° be ror diuerse purposes : the great strmg is more surer for the bowe, more stable to pricke wythal, but slower for the cast, the lytle stringe is cleane contrarye, not so sure, therfore to be taken hede of, leste with longe tarienge on, it breake your bowe, more fit to shoote farre, than apte to pricke nere, therfore when you knowe the nature of bothe bigge and 'The schole of shoting. 73 lytle, you must fit your bow, according to the occasion of your shootinge. In stringinge of your bow (though this place belong rather to the hadlyng than to the thyng it selfe, yet bycause the thynge, and the handlynge of the thynge, be so ioyned together, I must nede some tyme couple the one wyth the other,) you must mark the fit length of youre bowe. For yf the stringe be to short, the bending wyll gyue, and at the last slyp and so put the bowe in ieopardyc, Yf it be longe, the bendynge must nedes be in the smal of the string, which beynge sore twined muste nedes knap in sunder to y^ distruction of manye good bowes. Moreouer you must looke that youre bowe be well nocked for fere the sharpnesse of the home shere a sunder the strynge And that chaunceth ofte when in bending, the string hath but one wap to strengthe it wyth all. You must marke also to set youre stringe streygte on, or elles the one ende shall wriethe contrary to the other, and so breke your bowe. When the stringe begynnethe neuer so lytle to were, trust it not, but a waye with it for it is an yll saued halpeny y' costes a man a crowne Thus you se howe many ieopardyes hangethe ouer the selye poore bowe, by reason onlye of the strynge. As when the stringe is shorte, when it is longe, whe eyther of the nockes be nought, when it hath but one wap, and when it taryethe ouer longe on, PHI, I se wel it is no meruell, though so many bowes be broken. TOX. Bowes be broken twise as many wayes besyde these. But a gayne in stringynge youre bowe, you must loke for muche bende or lytle bende for they be cleane contrarye. The lytle bende hath but one commoditie, whyche is in shootyng faster and farther shoote, and y^ cause therof is, bycause the strynge hath so far a passage, or it parte wyth the shafte. The greate bende hath many commodities : for it maketh easyer shootynge the bowe beyng halfe drawen afore. It needeth no bracer, for the strynge stoppeth before it come at the arme. It wyl not so sone hit a mannes sleue or other geare, by the same reason : It hurteth not the shaft fedder, as the lowe bende doeth. It suffereth a man better to espye his marke. Therfore lette youre bowe haue good byg bend, a shaftemente and .ii. fyngers at the least, for these which I haue spoken of PHI. The braser, gloue, and strynge, be done, nowe you muste come to the ''^^' 74 Toxophilus. B. bowe, the chefe instrument of all. TOX. Dyuers countryes and tymes haue vsed alwayes dyuers bowes, and of dyuers fashions. Home bowes are vsed in some places nowe, & were vsed also in Homerus dayes, for Pandarus bowe, the best shooter among al the Troianes, was made of two Goete homes ioyned togyther, the lengthe wherof sayth Homer, was .xvi handbredes, not far differing from the lengthe of our bowes. Scripture maketh mention of brasse bowes. Iron bowes, ^ and style bowes, haue bene of longe tyme, and '' also nowe are vsed among the Turkes, but yet they must nedes be vnprofitable. For yf brasse, yron or style, haue theyr owne strength and pith in them, they be farre aboue manes strength : yf they be made meete for mannes strengthe, theyr pithe is nothyng worth to shoote any shoote wyth all. The Ethiopians had bowes of palme tre, whiche seemed to .be very stronge, but we haue none experience of ' them. The lengthe of them was .iiii. cubites The men of Inde had theyr bowes made of a rede, whiche was of a great strengthe. And no maruayle though bowe and shaftes were made therof, for the redes be so great in Inde, as , _ ,. Herodotus sayth, that of euerv ioynte of a rede, /n Ihalia. ■' / ^ , , ^ ■' rr^i i a man may make a ryshers bote. 1 nese bowes, sayeth Arrianus in Alexanders lyfe, gaue so great a stroke, that . no barneys or buckler though it were neuer so strong, could wythstand it. The length of suche a bowe, was euen wyth the length of hym, that vsed it. The , „ , Lycians vsed bowes made of a tree, called in In Polym. t ^^ / i r v • JLatyn Lornus^ (as concernyng the name or it m English, I can soner proue that other men call it false, than I can tell the right name of it my sclfe) this wood is as harde as borne and very fit for shaftes, as shall be toulde after. Ouid sheweth that Syringa the Nymphe, and one of the maydens of Diana, had a bowe of this wood wherby the poete meaneth, that it was verye excellent to make bowes of As for brasell, Elme, Wych, and Asshe, experience doth proue them to be but meane for bowes, and so to conclude Ewe of all other thynges, is that, wherof perfite shootyng woulde haue a bowe made. 'T'he schole of shoting. 75 Thys woode as it is nowe generall and common amonges Englyshe men, so hath it continewed from longe tyme and had in moost price for bowes, amoges the Romaynes, as doth apere in this halfe verse of Vyrgill, Taxi torquentur in arcus. Virgilitis. Ewe fit for a bowe to he made on. Nowe as I saye, a bowe of Ewe must be hadde for perfe6le shootinge at the prickes, whiche marke, bycause it is certayne, & moste certaine rules may be gyuen of it, shall serue for our comunication, at this time. A good bowe is knowen, much what as good counsayle is knowen, by the ende and proofe of it, & yet bothe a bowe and good counsell, maye be made bothe better and worse, by well or yll handlynge of them : as often- tymes chauceth. And as a man both muste and wyll take counsell, of a wyse and honeste man, though he se not the ende of it, so must a shooter of necessitie, truste an honest and good bowyer for a bowe, afore he knowe the proofe of it. And as a wyse man wyll take plentye of counsel afore hand what soeuer need, so a shooter shulde haue alwayes .iii. or .iiii. bowes, in store, what so euer chaunce. PHI. But if I truste bowyers alwayes, sometyme I am lyke to be deceyucd. TOX. There- fore shall I tell you some tokens in a bowe, that you shal be the seeldomer deceyued. If you come into a shoppe, and fynde a bowe that is small, long, heauy and strong, lyinge st[r]eyght, not windyng, not marred with knot gaule, wyndeshake, wem, freat or pynche, bye that bowe of my warrant. The beste colour of a bowe y' I fynde, is whan the backe and the bellye in woorkynge, be muche what after one maner, for such often- tymes in wearyng, do proue lyke virgin wax or golde, hauynge a fine longe grayne, euen from the one ende of the bowe, to the other : the short graine although suche proue well somtyme, are for ye most parte, very brittle. Of the makynge of the bowe, I wyll not greatly meddle, leste I shoulde seeme to enter into an other mannes occupation, whyche I can no skyll of. Yet I woulde desyre all bowyers to season theyr staues well, to woorke them and synke them well, to giue the heetes conuenient, and tyllerynges pleJitye. For thereby they shoulde bothe get them selues a good name, (And a good name encreseth a mannes 76 Toxophilus. B. profyt muche) and also do greate comodite to the hole Realme. If any men do offend in this poynte, I am afrayde they be those iourny me whiche labour more spedily to make manye bowes for theyr owne monye sake, than they woorke dilligently to make good bowes, for the common welth sake, not layinge before theyr eyes, thys wyse prouerbe. Sone ynough^ ifwelynough. Wherwyth euere honest handye craftes man shuld measure, as it were wyth a rule, his worke withal. He that is a iourney man, and rydeth vpon an other mannes horse, yf he ryde an honest pace, no manne wyll dysalowe hym : But yf he make Poste haste, bothe he that oweth the horse, and he peraduenture also that afterwarde shal bye the horse, may chauce to curse hym. Sviche hastinesse I am afrayde, maye also be found amonges some of the, whych through out y^ Realme in diuerse places worke y^ kinges Artillarie for war, thinkynge yf they get a bowe or a sheafe of arrowes to some fashion, they be good ynough for bearynge gere. And thus that weapon whiche is the chiefe defence of the Realme, verye ofte doth lytle seruyce to hym that shoulde vse it, bycause it is so negligentlye wrought of him that shuld make it, when trewlye I suppose that nether ye bowe can be to good and chefe woode, nor yet to well seasoned or truly made, wyth hetynges and tillerynges, nether that shafte to good wood or to thorowely wrought, with the best pinion fedders that can be gotten, wherwith a man shal serue his prince, defende his countrie, and saue hym selfe frome his enemye. And I trust no man wyll be angrye wyth me for spekynge thus, but those which finde them selfe touched therin : which ought rather to be angrye wyth them selfe for doynge so, than to be miscontent wyth me for saynge so. And in no case they ought to be displeased wyth me, seinge this is spoken also after that sorte, not for the notynge of anye person seuerallye, but for the amendynge of euerye one generallye. But turne we agayne to knowe a good shootynge bowe for cure purpose. Euerye bowe is made eyther of a boughe, of a plante or of the boole of the tree. The boughe comonlye is verye knotty, and full of pinnes, weak, of small pithe, and sone wyll folowe The schole of shoting. jj the stringe, and seldome werith to anye fayre coloure, yet for chyldren & yonge beginners it maye serue well ynoughe. The plante proueth many times wel, yf it be of a good and clene groweth, and for the pith of it is quicke ynoughe of cast, it wyl plye and bow far afore it breake, as al other yoge thinges do. The boole of y^ tree is clenest w^out knot or pin, hauinge a faste and harde woode by reasonne of hys full groweth, stronge and myghtye of cast, and best for a bow, yf the staues be euen clouen, and be afterwarde wroughte not ouerwharte the woode, but as the graine and streyght growyng of the woode leadethe a man, or elles by all reason it must sone breake, & that in many shiuers. This must be considered in the roughe woode, & when the bow staues be ouerwrought and facioned. For in dressing and pikynge it vp for a bow, it is to late to loke for it But yet in these poyntes as I sayd before you muste truste an honest bowyer, to put a good bow in youre hand, somewhat lookinge your selfe to those tokens whyche I shewed you. And you muste not sticke for a grote or .xii. d. more than a nother man would giue yf it be a good bowe. For a good bow twise paide for is better than an ill bowe once broken. Thus a shooter muste begyn not at the makynge of hys bowe lyke a bower, but at the byinge of hys bow lyke an Archere. And when his bow is bought and brought home, afore he truste muche vpon it, let hym trye and trym it after thys sorte. Take your bow in to the feeld, shote in hym, sinke hym wyth deade heauye shaftes, looke where he comethe moost, prouyde for that place betymes, leste it pinche and so freate : whe you haue thus shot in him, and perceyued good shootynge woode in hym, you must haue hym agayne to a good cunnynge, and trustie woorkeman, whyche shall cut hym shorter, and pike hym and dresse hym fytter, make hym comme rounde compace euery where, and whippyng at the endes, but with discretion, lest he whyp in sunder or els freete, soner than he is ware of, he must also lay hym streght, if he be caste or otherwise nede require, and if he be flatte made, gather hym rounde, and so shall he bothe shoote the faster, for farre shootynge, and also the surer for nere pryckynge. PHI. What yf I come into a shoppe, and spye oute a bow, which shal both than please 78 T'oxophilus. B. me very wel whan I by him, and be also very fit and meete for me whan I shote in hym : so that he be both weake ynoughe for easye shootynge, and also quycke and spedye ynoughe for farre castynge, than I woulde thynke I shall nede no more businesse wyth him, but be contente wyth hym, and vse hym well ynoughe, and so by that meanes, auoyde bothe great trouble, and also some cost whiche you cunnynge archers very often put your selues vnto, beynge verye Englyshe men, neuer ceasynge piddelynge about your bowe & shaftes whan they be well, but eyther with shorting and pikynge your bowes, or els with newe fetheryng, peecynge and headinge your shaftes, can neuer haue done vntyll they be starke nought. TOX. Wel Philologe^ surclye if I haue any iudgement at all in shootyng, it is no very great good token in a bowe, whereof nothyng whan it is newe and fresshe, nede be cutte away, euen as Cicero sayeth of a yonge manes wit and style, which you knowe better than I. For euerye newe thynge muste alwayes haue more than it neadeth, or elles it wyll not waxe better and better, but euer decaye, and be worse and worse. Newe ale if it runne not ouer the barrell whan it is newe tunned, wil sone lease his pith, and his head afore he be longe drawen on. And lyke wyse as that coke whyche at the fyrste takynge vp, nedeth lytle breakyng and handlyng, but is fitte and gentle ynoughe for the saddle, seeldome or neuer proueth well, euen so that bowe whyche at the fyrste byinge, wythout any more proofe & trimmynge, is fit and easie to shoote in, shall neyther be profitable to laste longe, nor yet pleasaunt to shoote well. And therfore as a younge horse full of corage, wyth handlynge and breakinge, is brought vnto a sure pace and goynge, so shall a newe bowe fresshe and quicke of caste, by sinkyng & cuttyng, be brought to a stedfast shootyng. And an easie and gentle bow whan it is newe, is not muche vnlyke a softe spirited boye when he is younge. But yet as of an vnrulie boye with right handlyng, proueth oftenest of al a well ordered man : so of an vnfit and stafFysh bow with good trimming, muste nedes folowe alwayes a stedfast shotynge bowe. And suche a perfite bowe, whiche neuer wyll deceyue a man, excepte a man deceyue it, muste be had for that perfe6le ende, whyche you looke for in shootinge. PHI. Well Toxophile, I see wel you be cunninger in this gere than I : 'The schole of shoting. 79 but put case that I haue thre or fower suche good bowes, pykcd and dressed, as you nowe speke of, yet I do remembre y^ manye learned men do saye, that it is easier to gette a good thynge, than to saue and keepe a good thyng, wherfore if you can teache me as concernyng that poynte, you haue satisfyed me plentifullye, as concernynge a bowe. TOX. Trulye it was the nexte thyng that I woulde haue come vnto, for so the matter laye. Whan you haue broughte youre bowe to suche a poynte, as I spake of, than you must haue an herde or wullen cloth waxed, wherw' euery day you must rubbe and chafe your bowe, tyll it shyne and glytter withall. Whyche thynge shall cause it bothe to be cleane, well fauoured, goodlye of coloure, and shall also bryng as it were a cruste, ouer it, that is to say, shall make it euery where on the outsyde, so slyppery and harde, that neyther any weete or wether can enter to hurte it, nor yet any freat or pynche, be able to byte vpon it : but that you shal do it great wrong before you breake it. This must be done oftentimes but specially when you come from shootynge. Beware also whan you shoote, of youre shaft hedes, dagger, knyues or agglettes, lest they race your bowe, a thing as I sayde before, bothe vnsemely to looke on, and also daugerous for freates. Take hede also of mistie and dankyshe dayes, whiche shal hurte a bowe, more than any rayne. For then you muste eyther alway rub it, or els leaue shootynge. Your bowecase (this I dyd not promise to speake of, bycause it is without the nature of shootynge, or els I shoulde truble me wyth other thinges infinite more : yet seing it is a sauegarde for the bowe, somthynge I wyll saye of it) youre bowecase I saye, yf you ryde forthe, muste neyther be to wyde for youre bowes, for so shall one clap vpon an other, and hurt them, nor yet so strayte that scarse they can be thrust in, for that woulde laye them on syde & wynde them A bowecase of ledder, is not the best, for that is ofttymes moyste which hurteth the bowes very much, Therfore I haue sene good shooters which would haue for euerye bowe, a sere case made of wollen clothe, and than you maye putte .iii. or .iiii. of them so cased, in to a ledder case if you wyll. This wollen case shall bothe kepe them in sunder, and also wylle kepe a bowe in his full strengthe, that it neuer gyue for any wether. At home these wood cases be verye good for bowes to stande in. 8o 'Toxophilus. B. But take hede y^ youre bowe stande not to nere a stone wall, for that wyll make hym moyste and weke, nor yet to nere any fier for that wyll make him shorte and brittle. And thus muche as concernyng the sauyng and keping of [y]our bowe : nowe you shall heare what thynges ye must auoyde, for feare of breakyng your bowe. A shooter chaunseth to breake his bowe commonly .iiii, wayes, by the strynge, by the shafte, by drawyng to far, & by freates : By the stryng as I sayde afore, whan the strynge is eyther to shorte, to long, not surely put on, wyth one wap, or put croked on, or shorne in sundre wyth an euell nocke, or suffered to tarye ouer longe on. Whan the stryng fayles the bowe muste nedes breake, and specially in the myddes; because bothe the endes haue nothyng to stop them ; but whippes so far backe, that the belly must nedes violentlye rise vp, the whyche you shall well perceyue in bendyng of a bowe backward. Therfore a bowe that foloweth the strynge is least hurt with breakyng of strynges. By the shafte a bowe is broke ether when it is to short, and so you set it in your bow or when the nocke breakes for lytlenesse, or when the strynge slyppes wythoute the nocke for wydenesse, than you poule it to your eare and lettes it go, which must nedes breake the shafte at the leaste, and putte stringe and bow & al in ieopardy, bycause the strength of the bowe hath nothynge in it to stop the violence of it. Thys kynde of breakynge is mooste perilouse for the standers by, for in such a case you shall se some tyme the ende of a bow flye a hoole score from a ma, and that moost commonly, as I haue marked oft the vpper ende of the bowe. The bow is drawne to far .ii. wayes. Eyther when you take a longer shafte then your owne, or els when you shyfte your hand to low or to hye for shootynge far. Thys waye pouleth the backe in sunder, and then the bowe fleethe in manye peces. So when you se a bowe broken, hauynge the bellye risen vp both wayes or tone, the stringe brake it. When it is broken in twoo peces in a maner euen of and specyallye in the vpper ende, the shafte nocke brake it. When the backe is pouled a sunder in manye peeces, to farre drawynge brake it. These tokens eyther alwayes be trewe or els verye seldome mysse. T'he schole of shoting. 8 1 The fourthe thyng that breketh a bow is fretes, whych make a bowe redye and apte to breake by any of the .iii. wayes afore sayde. Freetes be in a shaft as well as in a bowe, and they be muche lyke a Canker, crepynge and encreasynge in those places in a bowe, whyche be weaker then other. And for thys purpose must your bowe be well trymmed and piked of a coning man that it may come rounde in trew compasse euery where. For freetes you must beware, yf youre bow haue a knot in the backe, lest the places whyche be nexte it, be not alowed strong ynoughe to here w*^ the knotte, or elles the stronge knotte shall freate the weake places nexte it. Freates be fyrst litle pinchese, the whych whe you perceaue, pike the places about the pinches, to make them somewhat weker, and as well commynge as where it pinched, and so the pinches shall dye, and neuer encrease farther in to great freates. Freates begynne many tymes in a pin, for there the good woode is corrupted, that it muste nedes be weke, and bycause it is weake, therfore it freates. Good bowyers therfore do rayse euery pyn & alowe it moore woode for feare of freatynge. Agayne bowes moost commonlye freate vnder the hande, not so muche as some men suppose for the moistnesse of the hande, as for the heete of the hand : the nature of heate sayeth Aristotle is to lowse, and not to knyt fast, and the more lowser the more weaker, the weaker, the redier to freate. A bowe is not well made, whych hath not wood plentye in the hande. For ^'i the endes of the bowe be stafFyshe, or a mans hande any thynge hoote the bellye must nedes sone frete. Remedie for fretes to any purpose I neuer hard tell of any, but onelye to make the freated place as stronge or stronger then any other. To fill vp the freate with lytle sheuers of a quill and glewe (as some saye wyll do wel) by reason must be starke nought. For, put case the freete dyd cease then, yet the cause whiche made it freate a fore (and that is weakenesse of the place) bicause it is not taken away must nedes make it freate agayne. As for cuttyng out of freates wythe all maner of pecynge of bowes I wyll cleane exclude from perfite shootynge. For peced bowes be muche lyke owlde housen, whyche be more chargeable to repayre, than commodiouse to dwell in. Agayne to swadle a bowe much about wyth bundes, verye seldome dothe anye 82 Toxophiliis. B. good, exccpte it be to kepe downe a spel in the backe, otherwyse bandes ether nede not when the bow is any thinge worthe, or els boote not whe it is marde & past best. And although I knowe meane and poore shooters, wyll vse peced and banded bowes sometyme bycause they are not able to get better when they woulde, yet I am sure yf they consyder it well, they shall fynde it, bothe lesse charge and more pleasure to ware at any tyme a couple of shyllynges of a new bowe than to bestowe .X. d of peacynge an olde bowe. For better is coste vpon somewhat worth, than spence vpon nothing worth. And thys I speke also bycause you woulde haue me referre all to perfit- nesse in shootynge. Moreouer there is an other thynge, whyche wyl sone cause a bowe be broken by one of the ,iii. wayes whych be first spoken of, and that is shotyng in winter, when there is any froste. Froste is wheresoeuer is any waterish humour, as is in al woodes, eyther more or lesse, and you knowe that al thynges frosen and Isie, wyl rather breke than bende. Yet if a man must nedes shoote at any suche tyme, lette hym take hys bowe, and brynge it to the fyer, and there by litle and litle, rubbe and chafe it with a waxed clothe, whiche shall bring it to that poynt, yt he maye shote safelye ynough in it. This rubbyng with waxe, as I sayde before, is a great succour, agaynst all wete and moystnesse. In the fyeldes also, in goyng betwyxt the pricks eyther wyth your hande, or elles wyth a clothe you muste keepe your bowe in suche a temper. And thus muche as concernynge youre bowe, howe fyrste to knowe what wood is best for a bowe, than to chose a bowe, after to trim a bowe, agayne to keepe it in goodnesse, laste of al, howe to saue it from al harm and euylnesse. And although many men can saye more of a bow yet I trust these thynges be true, and almoste sufficient for the knowlege of a perfe6le bowe. PHI. Surelye I beleue so, and yet I coulde haue hearde you talke longer on it : althogh I can not se, what maye be sayd more of it. Therfore excepte you wyll pause a whyle, you may go forwarde to a shafte. TOX. What shaftes were made of, in oulde tyme authours rr , r -,. do not so manifestlye shewe, as of bowes. Hero- dotus doth tel, that in the flood of Nilus, ther "The schole of shoting. 83 was a beast, called a water horse, of whose skinne after it was dried, the Egyptians made shaftes, and dartes on. The tree called Cornus was so common to make shaftes of, that in good authours of ye latyn tongue, " Cornus is taken for a shafte, as in Seneca, and that place of Virgin, Volat Itala Cornus. Virg. enei. 9 Yet of all thynges that euer I warked of olde authours, either greke or latin, for shaftes to be made of, there is nothing so comon as reedes, Herodotus in describynge the mightie boost of Xerxes doth tell that thre great contries r p 1 vsed shaftes made of a rede, the Aethiopians, the Lycians (whose shaftes lacked fethers, where at I maruayle moste of all) and the men of Inde. The shaftes in . . „ 1 J J 1 If Arnanus.'i. Inde were verye longe, a yarde and an nalre, as Arrianus doth saye, or at the least a yarde, as n n -t "^ Q. Curtius doth saye, and therfore they gaue y^ ' greater strype, but yet bycause they were so long, they were the more vnhansome, and lesse profitable to the men of Inde, as Curtius doeth tell. In Crete and Italic, they vsed to haue their shaftes of rede also. The best reede for shaftes grewe in Inde, and in Rhenus a flood of Italy. But bycause suche shaftes be neyther easie for Englishe men to get, and yf they were gotten scarse profitable for them to vse, I wyll lette them passe, and speake of those shaftes whyche Englysh men at this daye moste comonly do approue and allowe. A shaft hath three principall partes, the stele, the fethers, and the head : whereof euerye one muste be seuerallye spoken of. C Steles be made of dyuerse woodes, as, Brasell. Turkic wood. Fusticke. Sugercheste. Hardbeame. Byrche. Asshe. Ooke. F 2 84 T'oxophiius. B. Seruis tree. Hulder. Blackthorne. Beche. Elder. Aspe. Salow. These wooddes as they be most commonly vsed, so they be mooste fit to be vsed : yet some one fytter then an other for diuers mennes shotinge, as shalbe toulde afterwarde. And in this pointe as in a bowe you muste truste an honest fletcher. Neuerthelesse al thoughe I can not teache you to make a bowe or a shafte, whiche belongeth to a bowyer and a fletcher to come to theyr lyuyng, yet wyll I shewe you some tokens to knowe a bowe & a shafte, whiche pertayneth to an Archer to come to good shootynge. A stele muste be well seasoned for Castinge, and it must be made as the grayne Heth & as it groweth or els it wyl neuer flye clene, as clothe cut oucrtwhart and agaynste the wulle, can neuer hoose a manne cleane. A knottye stele maye be suffered in a bygge shafte, but for a lytle shafte it is nothynge fit, bothe bycause it wyll neuer flye far, and besydes that it is euer in danger of breakynge, it flieth not far bycause the strengthe of the shoote is hindred and stopped at the knotte, euen as a stone cast in to a plaine euen stil water, wyll make the water moue a greate space, yet yf there be any whirlynge plat in the water, the mouynge ceasethe when it commethe at the whyrlynge plat, whyche is not muche vnlyke a knotte in a shafte yi it be cosidered wel. So euery thyng as it is plaine and streight of hys owne nature so is it fittest for far mouynge. Therfore a stele whyche is harde to stade in a bowe, without knotte, and streighte (I meane not artificiallye streyghte as the fletcher dothe make it, but naturally streight as it groweth in the wood) is best to make a shaft of, eyther to go cleane, fly far or stand surely in any wedder. Now howe big, how small, how heuye, how lyght, how longe, how short, a shafte shoulde be particularlye for euerye man (seynge we must taulke of the generall nature of shootyng) can not be toulde no more than you Rhethoricians can appoynt any one kynde of wordes, of sentences, of fygures T'he schole of shoting. 85 fyt for euery matter, but euen as the man and the matter requyreth so the fyttest to be vsed. Therfore as concernynge those contraryes in a shafte, euery man muste auoyde them and draw to the meane of them, whyche meane is best in al thynges. Yet yf a man happen to ofFende in any of the extremes it is better to offend in want and scantnesse, than in to muche and outragiouse excedynge. As it is better to haue a shafte a lytle to shorte than ouer longe, somewhat to lyght, than ouer lumpysshe, a lytle to small, than a greate deale to big, whiche thyng is not onely trewlye sayde in shootynge, but in all other thynges that euer man goeth aboute, as in eatynge, taulkynge, and all other thynges lyke, whych matter was onse excellentlye disputed vpon, in the Scooles, you knowe when. And to offend, in these contraryes cometh much yf men take not hede, throughe the kynd of wood, wherof the shaft is made : For somme wood beloges to y*^ excedyng part, some to ye scat part, some to y^ meane, as Brasell, Turkiewood, Fusticke, Sugar cheste, & such lyke, make deade, heuy lupish, hobblyng shaftes Againe Hulder, black thorne, Serues tree, Beche, Elder, Aspe, and Salowe, eyther for theyr wekenes or lyghtenesse, make holow, starting, scudding, gaddynge shaftes. But Birche, Hardbeme, some Ooke, and some Asshe, beynge bothe stronge ynoughe to stande in a bowe, and also lyght ynoughe to flye far, are best for a meane, whiche is to be soughte oute in euery thinge. And althoughe I knowe that some me shoote so stronge, that the deade woodes be lyghte ynoughe for them, and other some so weeke, that the lowse woodes be lykewyse for them bigge ynoughe yet generally for the moost parte of men, the meane is the best. And so to conclude, that is alwayes beste for a man, whiche is metest for him. Thus no wood of his owne nature, is eyther to lyght or to heuy, but as the shooter is him selfe whyche dothe vse it. For that shafte whiche one yeare for a man is to lyghte and scud- dinge, for the same selfe man the next yeare may chaunce be to heuy and hobblynge. Therfore can not I expresse, excepte generally, what is best wood for a shaft, but let euery ma when he knoweth his owne strength and the nature of euery wood, prouyde and fyt himselfe thereafter. Yet as concerning sheaffe Arrouse for war (as I suppose) it were better to make them of good Asshe, and not of Aspe, as they be now a dayes. For of 86 I'oxophilus. B. all other woodes that euer I proued Asshe being big is swiftest and agayne heuy to giue a greate stripe with all, whychc Aspe shall not doo. What heuynes doth in a stripe euery man by experience can tell, therfore Asshe being both swyfter and heuier is more fit for sheafe Arroes the Aspe, & thus muche for the best wood for shaftes. Agayne lykewyse as no one wood can be greatlye meet for all kynde of shaftes, no more can one facion of the stele be fit for euery shooter. For those that be lytle brested and big toward the hede called by theyr lykenesse taperfashio, reshe growne, and of some merrye fellowes bobtayles, be fit for them whiche shote vnder hande bycause they shoote wyth a softe lowse, and stresses not a shaft muche in the breste where the weyghte of the bowe lyethe as you maye perceyue by the werynge of euery shafte. Agayne the bygge brested shafte is fytte for hym, which shoteth right afore him, or els the brest being weke shoulde neuer wythstande that strong piththy kynde of shootynge, thus the vnderhande must haue a small breste, to go cleane awaye oute of the bowe, the forehande muste haue a bigge breste to here the great myghte of the bowe. The shafte must be made rounde nothynge flat wyth out gal or wemme, for thys purpose. For bycause roundnesse (whether you take example in heauen or in earthe) is fittest shappe and forme both for fast mouing and also for sone percynge of any thynge. And therfore Aristotle saythe that nature hath made the raine to be round, bycause it shoulde the easelyer enter throughe the ayre. The nocke of the shafte is dyuersly made, for some be greate and full, some hansome & lytle, some wyde, some narow, some depe, some shalowe, some round, some longe, some wyth one nocke, some wyth a double nocke, wherof euery one hathe hys propertye. The greate and full nocke, maye be well felte, and many wayes they saue a shafte from brekynge. The hansome and lytle nocke wyll go clene awaye frome the hand, the wyde nocke is noughte, both for breakyng of the shafte and also for soden slyppynge oute of the strynge when the narrowe nocke doth auoyde bothe those harmes. The depe and longe nocke is good in warre for sure kepyng in of the strynge. The shalow, and rownde nocke is best for our purpose in prickyng for cleane T'he schole of shoting. 87 delyueraunce of a shoote. And double nockyng is vsed for double suerty of the shaft And thus far as concernynge a hoole stele. Peecynge of a shafte with brasell and holie, or other heauy woodes, is to make y^ ende compasse heauy with the fethers in fliyng, for the stedfaster shotyng. For if the ende were plumpe heauy wyth lead and the wood nexte it lyghte, the head ende woulde euer be downwardes, and neuer flye strayght. Two poyntes in peecing be ynough, lest the moystnes of the earthe enter to moche into the peecinge, & so leuse the glue. Therfore many poyntes be more plesaunt to the eye, than profitable for the vse. Sume vse to peece theyr shaftes in the nocke wyth brasel, or holye, to counterwey, with the head, and I haue sene sume for the same purpose, bore an hole a lytle bineth the nocke, and put leade in it. But yet none of these wayes be anye thing needful at al, for ye nature of a fether in flying, if a man marke it wel, is able to bear vp a wonderful weyght : and I th'ike suche peecing came vp first, thus : whan a good Archer hath broken a good shafte, in the fethers, & for the fantasie he hath had to it, he is lothe to leese it, & therfore doeth he peece it. And than by and by other eyther bycause it is gaye, or elles because they wyll haue a shafte lyke a good archer, cutteth theyre hole shaftes, and peeceth them agayne : A thynge by my iudgement, more costlye than nedefull. And thus haue you heard what wood, what fasshion, what nockynge, what peecynge a stele muste haue : Nowe foloweth the fetherynge. PHI. I woulde neuer haue thought you could haue sayd halfe so muche of a stele, and I thynke as concernyng the litle fether and the playne head, there is but lytle to saye. TOX. Lytle, yes trulye : for there is no one thing, in al shoting, so- moche to be loked on as the fether. For fyrste a question maye be asked, whether any other thing besyde a fether, be fit for a shaft or no ? if a fether onelye be fit, whether a goose fether onely, or no ? yf a goose fether be best, then whether there be any difference, as concernynge the fether of an oulde goose, and a younge goose : a gander, or a goose : a fennye goose, or an vplandish goose. Againe which is best fether in any goose, the ryght wing or the left wing, the pinion fether, or any other 88 'Toxophiius. B. fether : a whyte, blacke, or greye fether ? Thirdly, in settyng on of your fether, whether it be pared or drawen wt a thicke rybbe, or a thinne rybbe (the rybbe is y^ hard quill whiche deuydeth the fether) a long fether better or a shorte, set on nere the nocke, or farre from the nocke, set on streight, or som what bowyng ? & whether one or two fethers runne on the bowe. Fourthly in couling or sheryng, whether high or lowe, whether somewhat swyne backed (I muste vse shoters wordes) or sadle backed, whether roundc, or square shorne ? And whether a shaft at any tyme ought to be plucked, and how to be plucked. PHI. Surely Toxophile, I thynke manye fletchers (although daylye they haue these thinges in vre) if they were asked sodeynly, what they coulde saye of a fether, they could not saye so moch. But I praye you let me heare you more at large, expresse those thynges in a fether, the whiche you packed vp in so narrowe a rowme. And fyrst whether any other thyng may be vsed for a fether or not. TOX, That was y^ fyrste poynte in dede, and bycause there foloweth many after, I wyll hye apace ouer them, as one that had manye a myle to ride. Shaftes to haue had alwayes fethers Plinius in Latin, and /PI lulius Pollux in Greke, do playnlye shewe, yet Her. Polym'. onely the Lycians I reade in Herodotus to haue vsed shaftes without fedders. Onelye a fedder is fit for a shafte for .ii. causes, fyrste bycause it is leathe weake to giue place to the bowe, than bycause it is of that nature, that it wyll starte vp after ye bow So, Plate, wood or home can not serue, bycause the[y] wil not gyue place. Againe, Cloth, Paper, or Parchment can not serue, bycause they wyll not ryse after the bowe, therfore a fedder is onely mete, bycause it onelye wyl do bothe. Nowe to looke on the fedders of all maner of birdes, you shal se some so lowe weke and shorte, some so course, stoore and harde, and the rib so brickie, thin and narrow, that it can nether be drawen, pared, nor yet well set on, that except it be a swan for a dead shafte (as I knowe some good Archers haue vsed) or a ducke for a flyghte whiche lastes but one shoote, there is no fether but onelye of a goose that hath all commodities in it. And trewelye at a short but, which some ma doth vse, ye Pecock fether doth seldome kepe vp y^ shaft eyther ryght or leuel, it is so roughe and heuy, so that many me which haue taken them vp for gayenesse, hathe layde them downe agayne T'he schole of shoting. 89 for profyte, thus for our purpose, the Goose is best fether, for the best shoter. PHI. No that is not so, for the best shoter that euer was vsed other fethers. TOX. Ye are you so cun- ninge in shootynge I praye you who was that. PHI. Hercules whyche had hys shaftes fethered with Egles fethers as Hesiodus dothe saye. TOX. Well as for f.'Z'^'Her. Hercules, seynge nether water nor lande, heauen nor hell, coulde scarse contente hym to abyde in, it was no meruell thoughe a sely poore gouse fether could not plese him to shoote wythal, and agayne as for Egles they flye so hye and builde so far of, y'^ they be very hard to coe by. Yet welfare the gentle o-ouse which bringeth to a man euen to ,S^ 1^ J--T? A Gouse. hys doore so manye excedynge commodities, r or the gouse is mas coforte in war & in peace slepynge and wakynge. What prayse so euer is gyuen to shootynge the gouse may chalenge the beste parte in it. How well dothe she make a man fare at his table ? Howe easelye dothe she make a man lye in hys bed ? How fit euen as her fethers be onelye for shootynge, so be her quylles fytte onelye for wrytyng. PHILO. In deade Toxophyle that is the beste prayse you gaue to a gouse yet, and surelye I would haue sayde you had bene to blame yf you had ouerskypte it. TOX. The Romaynes I trowe Philologe not so muche bycause a gouse wyth cryinge saued theyr Capitoliu and head toure wyth their golden lupiter as Propertius doth say very pretely in thys verse. Anserls et tiitum uoce fu'isse louem. T , , ■' Propertius. Id est. ^ Theues on a night had stolne lupiter., had a gouse not a kekede. Dyd make a golden gouse and set hir in the top of y«^ Capitoliu, & appoynted also the Censores to alow out of ye common hutche yearly stipedes for y^ -^'f" '• findinge of certayne Geese, y^ Romaynes did not I saye giue al thys honor to a gouse for yt good dede onely, but for other infinit mo which come daylye to a man by Geese, and surely yf I should declame in y^ prayse of any maner of beest lyuyng, I would chose a gouse. But the gouse hath made vs flee to farre from oure matter. Now sir ye haue hearde howe a fether must be had, and that a goose fether onely. It foloweth of a yong gose and an oulde, and the residue belonging to a fether: go Toxophilus. B. which thing I wyll shortlye course ouer : wherof, when you knowe the properties, you maye fitte your shaftes accordyng to your shotyng, which rule you must obserue in all other thynges too, bycause no one fashion or quantitie can be fitte for euery man, nomore than a shooe or a cote can be. The oulde goose fether is styffe and stronge, good for a wynde, and fyttest for a deed shaft : the yonge goose fether is weake and fyne, best for a swyfte shaft, and it must be couled at the first shering, somewhat hye, for with shoting, it wyll sattle and faule very moche. The same thing (although not so moche) is to be cosydered in a goose and a gander. A fenny goose, euen as her flesh is blacker, stoorer, vnholsomer, so is her fether for the same cause courser stoorer & rougher, & therfore I haue heard very good fletchers saye, that the seconde fether in some place is better then the pinion in other some. Betwixt the winges is lytle difFercce, but that you must haue diuerse shaftes of one flight, fethered with diuerse winges, for diuerse windes : for if the wynde and the fether go both one way the shaft wyl be caryed to moche. The pinion fether as it hath the firste place in the winge, so it hath the fyrst place in good fetheringe. You maye knowe it afore it be pared, by a bought whiche is in it, and agayne when it is colde, by the thinnesse aboue, and the thicknesse at the grounde, and also by the stifnes and finesse which wyll cary a shaft better, faster and further, euen as a fine sayle cloth doth a shyppe. The coulour of the fether is leste to be regarded, yet som what to be looked on : lest for a good whyte you haue sometyme an yll greye. Yet surelye it standeth with good reaso to haue the cocke fether black or greye, as it were to gyue a man warning to nocke ryght. The cocke fether is called that which stadeth aboue in right nocking, which if you do not obserue the other fethers must nedes run on the bowe, and so marre your shote. And thus farre of the goodnesse and choyse of your fether: now foloweth the setting on. Wherin you must looke that your fethers be not drawen for hastinesse, but pared euen and streyghte with diligence. The fletcher draweth a fether when he hath but one swappe at it with his knyfe, and then playneth it a lytle, with rubbynge it ouer his knyfe. He pareth it when he taketh leysure and hede to make euery parte of the ryb apt to stand streight, and euen on vpon the stele. T'he schole of shoting. 9 1 This thing if a man take not heede on, he maye chaunce haue cause to saye so of his fletcher, as in dressinge of meate is coinmunelye spoken of Cookes : and that is, that God sendeth vs good fethers, but the deuyll noughtie Fletchers. Yf any fletchers heard me saye thus, they wolde not be angrye with me, except they were yll fletchers : and yet by reason, those fletchers too, ought rather to amend them selues for doing yll, then be angry with me for saying truth. The ribbe in a styffe fether may be thinner, for so it wyll stande cleaner on : but in a weake fether you must leaue a thicker ribbe, or els yf the ryb which is the foundacion and grounde, wherin nature hath set euerye clefte of the fether, be taken to nere the fether, it muste nedes folowe, that the fether shall faule, & droupe downe, euen as any herbe doeth whyche hath his roote to nere taken on with a spade. The lengthe and shortnesse of the fether, serueth for diuers shaftes, as a long fether for a long heauy, or byg shafte, the shorte fether for the contrary. Agayne the shorte may stande farther, the longe nerer the nocke. Youre fether muste stande almooste streyght on, but yet after that sorte, yt^ it maye turne rounde in flyinge. And here I consider the wonderfull nature of shootynge, whiche standeth all togyther by that fashion, which is moste apte for quicke mouynge, and that is by roundenesse. For firste the bowe must be gathered rounde, in drawyng it must come rounde compasse, the strynge muste be rounde, the stele rounde, the beste nocke rounde, the feather shorne somwhat rounde, the shafte in flyenge, muste turne rounde, and if it flye far, it flyeth a round compace. For eyther aboue or benethe a rounde copace, hyndereth the flyinge. Moreouer bothe the fletcher in makynge your shafte, and you in nockynge your shafte, muste take heede that two fethers equallye runne on the bowe. For yf one fether runne alone on the bowe, it shal quickely be worne, and shall not be able to matche with the other fethers, and agayne at the lowse, yi the shafte be lyght, it wyl starte, if it be heuye, it wil hoble. And thus as concernyng settyng on of your fether. Nowe of coulynge. To shere a shafte hyghe or lowe, muste be as the shafte is heauy or lyght, great or iytle, long or short The swyiie backed fashion, maketh the shaft deader, for it gathereth more ayer than the saddle backed, & therfore the saddle backe is surer for 92 'Toxophilus. B. daunger of wether, & fitter for smothe fliing. Agayn to shere a shaft rounde, as they were wount somtime to do, or after the triangle fashion, whyche is muche vsed nowe a dayes, bothe be good. For roundnesse is apte for fliynge of his owne nature, and all maner of triangle fashion, (the sharpe poynte goyng before) is also naturall)^ apte for quycke entrynge, and therfore sayth Cicero, that cranes taught by nature, obserue ui Hyinge a triangle fashion aiwayes, bycause it is so apt to perce and go thorowe the ayer wythall. Laste of all pluckynge of fethers is noughte, for there is no suerty in it, therfore let euery archer haue such shaftes, that he maye bothe knowe them and trust them at euery chaunge of wether. Yet if they must nedes be plucked, plucke them as litle as can be, for so shal they be the lesse vnconstante. And thus I haue knit vp in as shorte a roume as I coulde, the best fethers fetheringe and coulinge of a shafte. PHI. I thynke surelye you haue so taken vp the matter wyth you, y^ you haue lefte nothynge behinde you. Nowe you haue brought a shafte to the head, whiche if it were on, we had done as concernyng all instrumentes be- longyng to shootynge. TOX. Necessitie, the inuentour of all goodnesse (as all authours in a maner, doo saye) amonges all other thinges inuented a shaft heed, firste to saue the ende from breakyng, then it made it sharpe to stycke better, after it made it of strog matter, to last better : Last of all experience and wysedome of men, hathe brought it to suche a perfitnesse, that there is no one thing so profitable, belongyng to artillarie, either to stryke a mannes enemye sorer in warre, or to shoote nerer the marke at home, then is a fitte heed for both purposes. For if a shaft lacke a heed, it is worth nothynge for neither vse. Therfore seinge heedes be so necessary, they must of necessitie, be wel looked vpon Heedes for warre, of longe tyme haue ben made, not onely of diuers matters, but also of diuers fashions The Troians had heedes of yron, as this verse spoken of Pandarus, sheweth : Vp to the pappe hh string did he pull^ his shaft to the harde yron. Iliados. 4. The Grecians had heedes of brasse, as Vlysses shaftes were The schole of shoting. 93 heeded, when he slewe Antinous, and the other wowers of Penelope. ^u'lte through a dore^ flewe a shafte with a brasse heed. Odysse. ii. It is playne in Homer, where Menelaus was wounded of Pandarus shafte, yt the heedes were not glewed on, but tyed on with a string, as the comentaries in Greke playne- lye tell. And therfore shoters at that tyme to ' ^' cary their shaftes withoute heedes, vntill they occupyed them, and than set on an heade as it apereth in Homer the .xxi. booke Odyssei^ where Penelope brought Vlixes bowe downe amonges the gentlemen, whiche came on wowing to her, that he whiche was able to bende it and drawe it, might inioye her, and after her folowed a mayde sayth Homer, carienge a bagge full of heades, bothe of iron and brasse. The men of Scythia, vsed heades of brasse. The men of Inde vsed heades of yron The Ethiopians vsed heades of a harde sharpe stone, as bothe Herodotus and Pollux do tel. The Germanes as Cornelius Tacitus ^^'^• doeth saye, had theyr shaftes headed with bone, '' Pohm and many countryes bothe of olde tyme and nowe, vse heades of home, but of all other yro and style muste nedes be the fittest for heades. lulius Pollux calleth otherwyse than we doe, where the fathers be the head, and that whyche we call the head, he calleth the poynte. Fashion of heades is diuers and that of olde tyme : two maner of arrowe heades sayeth Pollux, was vsed in olde tyme. The one he calleth 6yKivo<; descry bynge it thus, hauyng two poyntes or barbes, lookyng backewarde to the stele and the fethers, which surely we call in Englishe a brode arrowe head or a swalowe tayle. The other he calleth iy^&)^i9, hauing .ii. poyntes stretchyng forwarde, and this Englysh men do call a forkehead : bothe these two kyndes of heades, were vsed in Homers dayes, for Teucer vsed forked heades, sayinge thus to Agamemnon. Eighte good shaftes ham I shot s'lthe I came^ eche one ivyth a forke heade. niad. 8. Pandarus heades and Vlysses heades were broode arrow 94 Toxophilus. B. heades, as a man maye learne in Homer that woulde be curiouse in knowyng that matter. Hercules vsed forked heades, but yet they had thre pointes or forkes, when other mennes ^nCrai'sT ^^^ ^^^ twoo. The Parthyans at that great battell where they slewe ritche Crassus and his sonne vsed brode Arrowe heades, whyche stacke so sore that the Romaynes could not poule them out agayne. Commodus the Emperoure vsed forked heades, whose facion Herodiane doeth lyuely and naturally describe, sayinge that they were lyke the shap of a new mone wherewyth he would smite of the heade of a birde and neuer misse, other facion of heades haue not I red on. Our Englyshe heades be better in war than eyther forked heades, or brode arrowe heades. For firste the ende beynge lyghter they flee a great deele the faster, and by the same reason gyueth a far sorer stripe. Yea & I suppose if ye same lytle barbes which they haue, were clene put away, they shuld be far better. For thys euery ma doth graunt, yt a shaft as log as it flyeth, turnes, and wha it leueth turnyng it leueth goyng any farther. And euery thynge that enters by a turnynge and boring facion, the more flatter it is, the worse it enters, as a knife thoughe it be sharpe yet because of the edges, wil not bore so wel as a bodkin, for euery rounde thynge enters beste & therefore nature, sayeth Aristotle, made the rayne droppes rounde for quicke percynge the ayre. Thus, eyther shaftes turne not in flyeng, or els our flatte arrowe heades stoppe the shafte in entrynge. PHI. But yet Toxophile to holde your communication a lytle I suppose the flat heade is better, bothe bycause it maketh a greter hoole, and also bycause it stickes faster in. TOX. These two reasons as they be bothe trewe, so they be both nought. For fyrst the lesse hoole, yi it be depe, is the worst to heale agayn : whe a man shoteth at hys enemy, he desyreth rather y^ it should enter far, than stick fast. For what remedye is it I praye you for hym whych is smitten w' a depe wounde to poull out the shaft quickely, except it be to haste his death spedely ? thus heades whyche make a lytle hole & depe, be better in war, than those which make a great hole and sticke fast in. lulius Pollux maketh mencion of certayne kindes of „ ., heades for war which bear fyre in them, and Psal. 7. scripture also speaketh somwhat of the same. The schole of shotmg. 95 Herodotus cloth tell a wonderfull pollicy to be done by Xerxses what tyme he beseged the great Toure in Athenes : He made his Archers binde there shafte heades aboute wyth towe, and than set it on fyre and shoote the, whych thyng done by many Archers set all the places on fyre, whych were of matter to burne : and besydes that dased the men wythin, so y^ they knewe not whyther to turne them. But to make an ende of all heades for warre I woulde wyshe that the head makers of Englande shoulde make their sheafe arrowe heades more harder poynted then they be : for I my selfe haue sene of late suche heades set vpo sheafe Arrowes, as y^ officers yf they had sene them woulde not haue bene content wyth all. Now as concernyng heades for pryckyng, which is oure purpose, there be dyuerse kyndes, some be blonte heades, some sharpe, some bothe blonte and sharpe. The blont heades men vse bycause they perceaue them to be good, to kepe a lengthe wyth all, they kepe a good lengthe, bycause a man poulethe them no ferder at one tyme than at another. For in felynge the plompe ende alwayes equallye he may lowse them. Yet in a winde, and agaynste the wynd the wether hath so much power on the brode end, y^ no man can kepe no sure lengthe, wyth such a heade. Therfore a blont hede in a caulme or downe a wind is very good, otherwyse none worse. Sharpe heades at the ende wythout anye shoulders (I call that the shoulder in a heade whyche a mans finger shall feele afore it come to the poynte) wyll perche quycklye throughe a wyndc, but yet it hath .ii. discommodities, the one that it wyll kepe no lengthe, it kepeth no lengthe, bycause no manne can poule it certaynly as far one tyme as at an other : it is not drawen certaynlye so far one tyme as at an other, bycause it lackethe shouldrynge wherwyth as wyth a sure token a man myghte be warned when to lowse, and also bycause menne are afrayde of the sharpe poynt for settyng it in y^ bow. The seconde incomoditie is when it is lyghted on y<^ ground, y^ smal poynte shall at euerye tyme be in ieopardye of hurtynge, whyche thynge of all other wyll sonest make the shafte lese the lengthe. Now when blonte heades be good to kepe a lengthe wythall, yet noughte for a wynde, sharpe heades good to perche the wether wyth al, yet nought for a length, certayne heademakers 96 'Toxophilus. B. dwellyng in London perceyuynge the commoditie of both kynde of heades ioyned wyth a discommoditie, inuented newe files and other instrumentes where wyth [t]he[y] broughte heades for pryckynge to such a perfitnesse, that all the commodities of the twoo other heades should be put in one heade wyth out anye discommoditie at all. They made a certayne kynde of heades whyche men call hie rigged, creased, or shouldred heades, or syluer spone heades, for a certayne lykenesse that suche heades haue wyth the knob ende of some syluer spones. These heades be good both to kepe a length withal and also to perche a wynde wythal, to kepe a length wythall bycause a man maye certaynly poule it to the shouldrynge euery shoote and no farther, to perche a wynde wythall bycause the pointe from the shoulder forwarde, breketh the wether as al other sharpe thynges doo. So the blonte shoulder seruethe for a sure lengthe kepynge, the poynte also is euer fit, for a roughe and greate wether percyng. And thus much as shortlye as I could, as concernyng heades both for war & peace. PHI. But is there no cunning as concerning setting on of y^ head ? TOX. Wei remebred. But that poynt belongeth to fletchers, yet you may desyre hym to set youre heade, full on, and close on. Ful on is whan the wood is be[n]t hard vp to the ende or stoppynge of the heade, close on, is when there is lefte wood on euerye syde the shafte, ynoughe to fyll the head withall, or when it is neyther to little nor yet to greate. If there be any faulte in anye of these poyntes, y^ head whan it lyghteth on any hard stone or grounde wil be in ieoperdy, eyther of breakynge, or els otherwyse hurtynge. Stoppynge of heades eyther wyth leade, or any thynge els, shall not nede now, bycause euery siluer spone, or showldred head is stopped of it selfe. Shorte heades be better than longe : For firste the longe head is worse for the maker to fyle stray ght compace euery waye : agayne it is worse for the fletcher to set strayght on: thyrdlye it is alwayes in more ieoperdie of breakinge, whan it is on. And nowe I trowe Philologe, we haue done as concernynge all Instrumentes belongyng to shootynge, whiche euery sere archer ought to prouyde for hym selfe. And there remayneth .ii. thynges behinde, whiche be generall or comon to euery man the Wether & the Marke, but bicause they be so knit wyth shootynge strayght, or kepynge of a lengthe, I wyll deferre them to that The schoie of shoting. 97 place, and now we will come (God wyllyng) to handle oure instrumentes, the thing that euery man desireth to do wel. PHI. If you can teache me so well to handle these instrumetes as you haue described them, I suppose I shalbe an archer good ynough. TOX. To learne any thing (as you knowe better than I Philologe) & speciallye to do a thing w' a mannes handes, must be done if a man woulde be excellent, in his youthe, Yonge trees in gardens, which laclce al senses, and beastes w'out reson, when they be yong, may with handling and teaching, be brought to wonderfull thynges. And this is not onely true in natural thinges, but in artificiall thinges to, as the potter most connyngly doth cast his pottes whan his claye is softe & work- able, and waxe taketh printe whan it is warme, & leathie weke, not whan claye and waxe be hard and oulde : and euen so, euerye man in his youthe, bothe with witte and body is moste apte and pliable to receyue any cunnyng that shulde be taught hym. This comunication of teaching youthe, maketh me to remembre the right worshipfull and my singuler good mayster, Sir Humfrey Wingfelde, to whom nexte God, I ought to refer for his manifolde benefites bestowed on me, the poore talent of learnyng, whiche god hath lent me : & for his sake do I owe my seruice to all other of the name & noble house of the Wyngfeldes, bothe in woord and dede. Thys worshypfull man hath euer loued and vsed, to haue many children brought vp in learnynge in his house amonges whome I my selfe was one. For whom at terme tymes he woulde bryng downe from Londo bothe bowe and shaftes. And when they shuld playe he woulde go with them him selfe in to the fyelde, & se them shoote, and he that shot fayrest, shulde haue the best bowe and shaftes, and he that shot ilfauouredlye, shulde be mocked of his felowes, til he shot better. Woulde to god all Englande had vsed or wolde vse to lay the foundacion of youth, after the example of this worshipful man in bringyng vp chyldren in the Booke and the Bowe: by whiche two thynges, the hole common welth both in peace and warre is chefelye ruled and defended wythall. But to our purpose, he that muste come to this high per- feftnes in shootyng whiche we speake of, muste nedes begin to learne it in hys youthe, the omitting of whiche thinge in gS 'Toxophilus. B. Englande, bothe maketh fewer shooters, and also euery man that is a shoter, shote warse than he myght, if he were taught. PHI. Euen as I knowe that this is true, whiche you saye, euen so Toxophile, haue you quyte discouraged me, and drawen my minde cleane from shootynge, seinge by this reason, no man yt hath not vsed it in his youthe can be excellent in it. And I suppose the same reson woulde discourage many other mo, yf they hearde you talke after this sorte. TOX. This thyng Philologe, shall discourage no man that is wyse. For I wyll proue yt wisdome maye worke the same thinge in a man, that nature doth in a chylde. A chylde by thre thinges, is brought to excellencie. By Aptnesse, Desire, and Feare : Aptnesse maketh hym pliable lyke waxe to be formed and fashioned, euen as a man woulde haue hym. Desyre to be as good or better, than his felowes : and Feare of them whome he is vnder, wyl cause hym take great labour and payne with diligent hede, in learnynge any thinge, wherof procedeth at the laste excellency and perfedt- nesse. A man maye by wisdome in learnyng any thing, and specially to shoote, haue thre lyke commodities also, wherby he maye, as it were become younge agayne, and so attayne to excellencie. For as a childe is apte by naturall youth, so a man by vsyng at the firste weake bowes, far vnderneth his strength, shal be as pliable and readye to be taught fayre shotyng as any chylde : and daylye vse of the same, shal both kepe hym in fayer shotyng, and also at y^ last bryng hym to stronge shootynge. And in stede of the feruente desyre, which prouoketh a chylde to be better than hys felowe, lette a man be as muche stirred vp with shamefastnes to be worse than all other. And the same place that feare hathe in a chylde, to compell him to take peyne, the same hath loue of shotyng in a man, to cause hym forsake no labour, withoute whiche no man nor chylde can be excellent. And thus whatsoeuer a chylde may be taught by Aptnesse, Desire, & Feare, the same thing in shootynge, maye a man be taughte by weake bowes, Shame- fastnesse and Loue. And hereby you may se that that is true whiche Cicero sayeth, that a man by vse, may be broughte to a newe nature. The schole of shoting, 99 And this I dare be bould to saye, that any man whiche will wisely begynne, and constantlyc perseuer in this trade of learnyng to shote, shall attayne to perfe6lnesse therin. PHI. This communication l^oxophile, doeth please me verye well, and nowe I perceyue that moste generally & chefly youthe muste be taughte to shoote, and secondarilye no man is debarred therfrom excepte it be more thorough his owne negligence for bicause he wyll not learne, than any disabilitie, bicause he can not lerne. Therfore seyng I wyll be glad to folowe your cousell in chosynge my bowe and other instrumentes, and also am ashamed that I can shote no better tha I can, moreouer hauynge suche a loue toward shotynge by your good reasons to day, that I wyll forsake no labour in the exercise of the same, I beseche you imagyn that we had bothe bowe and shaftes here, and teache me how I should handle them, and one thynge I desyre you, make me as fayre an Archer as you can. For thys I am sure in learnynge all other matters, nothynge is broughte to the moost profytable vse, which is not handled after the moost cumlye fasio. As masters of fece haue no stroke fit ether to hit an other or els to defende hym selfe, whyche is not ioyned wyth a wonderfull cumlinesse. A Cooke ca not chop hys herbes neither quickelye nor hansomlye excepte he kepe suche a mesure wyth hys choppynge kniues as woulde delyte a manne bothe to se hym and heare hym. Euerye hand craft man that workes best for hys owne profyte, workes most semelye to other mens sight. Agayne in buyldynge a house, in makynge a shyppe, euery parte the more hansomely they be ioyned for profyt and laste, the more cumlye they be fashioned to euery mans syght and eye. Nature it selfe taught men to ioyne alwayes welfauourednesse w^ profytablenesse. As in man, that ioynt or pece which is by anye chaunce depriued of hys cumlynesse the same is also debarred of hys vse and profytablenesse. As he that is gogle eyde and lokes a squinte hath both hys countenaunce clene marred, and hys sight sore blemmyshed, and so in all other members lyke. Moreouer what tyme of the yeare bryngeth mooste profyte wyth it for mans vse, the same also couereth and dekketh bothe earthe and trees wyth moost culynesse for mans pleasure. And that tyme whych G 2 I-cfC. I oo T'oxophilus. B. talcethe awaye the pleasure of the grounde, carieth w^ hym also the profyt of the grounde, as euery man by experience knoweth in harde and roughe winters. Some thynges there be whych haue no other ende, but onely cumlynesse, as payntyng, and Daunsing. And vertue it selfe is nothynge eles but cumly- nesse, as al Philosophers do agree in opinion, therfore seynge that whych is best done in anye matters, is alwayes moost cumlye done as both Plato and Cicero in manye places do proue, and daylye experience dothe teache in other thynges, I praye you as I sayde before teatche me to shoote as fayre, and welfauouredly as you can imagen. TOX. Trewlye Philologe as you proue verye well in other matters, the best shootynge, is alwayes the moost cumlye shootynge but thys you know as well as I that Crassus shewethe in Cicero that as cumlinesse is the chefe poynt, & most to be sought for in all thynges, so cumlynesse onlye, can neuer be taught by any Arte or craft. But may be perceyued well when it is done, not described wel how it should be done. Yet neuerthelesse to comme to it there be manye waye whych wayes men haue assayde in other matters, as yf a man would folowe in learnynge to shoote faire, the noble paynter Zeuxes in payntyng Helena, whyche to make his Image bewti- full dyd chose out .v. of the fayrest maydes in al the countrie aboute, and in beholdynge them conceyued & drewe out suche an Image that it far exceded al other, bycause the comelinesse of them al was broughte in to one moost perfyte comelinesse : So lykewyse in shotynge yf a man, woulde set before hys eyes .V. or .vi. of the fayrest Archers that euer he saw shoote, and of one learne to stande, of a nother to drawe, of an other to lowse, and so take of euery man, what euery man coulde do best, I dare saye he shoulde come to suche a comlynesse as neuer man came to yet. As for an example, if the moost comely poynte in shootynge that Hewe Prophete the Kynges seruaunte hath and as my frendes Thomas and Raufe Cantrell doth vse wt the moost semelye facyons that .iii. or iiii. excellent Archers haue beside, were al ioyned in one, I am sure all men woulde wonder at y^ excellencie of it. And this is one waye to learne to shoote fayre. PHI. This is very wel truly, but I praye you teache me somewhat of shootyng fayre youre selfe. TOX. I can teache you to shoote fayre, euen as The schole of shoting. loi Socrates taught a man ones to knowe God, for when he axed hym what was God : naye sayeth he I can tell you better what God is not, as God is not yll, God is vnspeakeable, vnsearche- able and so forth : Euen lykewyse can I saye of fayre shootyng, it hath not this discommodite with it nor that discommoditie, and at last a man maye so shifte all the discommodities from shootynge that there shall be left no thynge behynde but fayre shootynge. And to do this the better you must remember howe that I toulde you when I descrybed generally the hole nature of shootyng that fayre shotyng came of these thynges, of standynge, nockynge, drawynge, howldynge and lowsynge, the whych I wyll go ouer as shortly as I can, describynge the dis- commodities that men comonlye vse in all partes of theyr bodies, that you yi you faulte in any such maye knowe it & so go about to amend it. Faultes in Archers do excede the number of Archers, whyche come wyth vse of shootynge wythoute teachynge. Vse and custome separated from knowlege and learnynge, doth not onely hurt shootynge, but the moost weyghtye thynges in the worlde beside : And therfore I maruayle moche at those people whyche be the mayneteners of vses w'oute knowledge hauynge no other worde in theyr mouthe but thys vse, vse, custome, custome. Suche men more wylful than wyse, beside other discommo[di]ties, take all place and occasion from al amendmet. And thys I speake generally of vse and custome. Whych thynge yf a learned man had it in hande y' woulde applye it to any one matter, he myght handle it wonderfullye. But as for shootyng, vse is the onely cause of all fautes in it and therfore chylderne more easly and soner maye be taught to shote excellentlye then men, bycause chylderne may be taught to shoote well at the fyrste, men haue more payne to vnlearne theyr yll vses, than they haue laboure afterwarde to come to good shootynge. All the discommodities whiche ill custome hath graffed in archers, can neyther be quycklye poulled out, nor yet sone reckened of me, they be so manye. Some shooteth, his head forwarde as though he woulde byte the marke : an other stareth wyth hys eyes, as though they shulde flye out : An other winketh with one eye, and loketh with the other : Some make a face with writhing theyr mouthe 1 02 'Toxophilus. B. and countenaunce so, as though they were doyng you wotte what : An other blereth out his tonge : An other byteth his lyppes : An other holdeth his necke a wrye. In drawyng some fet suche a compasse, as thoughe they woulde tourne about, and blysse all the feelde : Other heaue theyr hand nowe vp nowe downe, that a man can not decerne wherat they wolde shote, an other waggeth the vpper ende of his bow one way, the neyther ende an other waye. An other wil stand poyntinge his shafte at the marke a good whyle and by and by he wyll gyue hym a whip, and awaye or a man wite. An other maketh suche a wrestling with his gere, as thoughe he were able to shoote no more as longe as he lyued. An other draweth softly to ye middes, and by and by it is gon, you can not knowe howe. An other draweth his shafte lowe at the breaste, as thoughe he woulde shoote at a rouynge marke, and by and by he lifteth his arme vp pricke heyghte. An other maketh a wrynchinge with hys backe, as though a manne pynched hym behynde. An other coureth downe, and layeth out his buttockes, as though he shoulde shoote at crowes. An other setteth forwarde hys lefte legge, and draweth backe wyth head and showlders, as thoughe he pouled at a rope, or els were afrayed of y^ marke. An other draweth his shafte well, vntyll wythin .ii. fyngers of the head, and than he stayeth a lyttle, to looke at hys marke, and that done, pouleth it vp to the head, and lowseth : whych waye although sume excellent shooters do vse, yet surely it is a faulte, and good mennes faultes are not to be folowed. Summe men drawe to farre, summe to shorte, sume to slowlye, summe to quickely, summe holde ouer longe, summe lette go ouer sone. Summe sette theyr shafte on the grounde, and fetcheth him vpwarde. An other poynteth vp towarde the skye, and so bryngeth hym downewardes. Ones I sawe a manne whyche vsed a brasar on his cheke, or elles he had scratched all the skynne of the one syde, of his face, with his drawynge hand. An other I sawe, whiche at euerye shoote, after the loose, lyfted vp his ryght legge so far, that he was euer in ieoperdye of faulyng. T'he schole of shoting. 103 Summe stampe forwarde, and summe leape backwarde. All these faultes be eyther in the drawynge, or at the loose : wt many other mo whiche you may easelye perceyue, and so go about to auoyde them. Nowe afterwarde whan the shafte is gone, men haue manye faultes, whyche euell Custome hath broughte them to, and specially in cryinge after the shafte, & speakynge woordes scarce honest for suche an honest pastyme. Suche woordes be verye tokens of an ill mynde, and manifeste signes of a man that is subiedte to inmesurable affections. Good mennes eares do abhor them, and an honest man therfore wyl auoyde them. And besydes those whiche muste nedes haue theyr tongue thus walkynge, other men vse other fautes as some will take theyr bowe and writhe & wrinche it, to poule in his shafte, when it flyeth wyde, as yf he draue a carte. Some wyl gyue two or .iii. strydes forwarde, daunsing and hoppynge after his shafte, as long as it flyeth, as though he were a mad man. Some which feare to be to farre gone, runne backewarde as it were to poule his shafte backe. Another runneth forwarde, whan he feareth to be short, heauynge after his armes, as though he woulde helpe his shafte to flye. An other writhes or runneth a syde, to poule in his shafte strayght. One lifteth vp his heele, and so holdeth his foote still, as longe as his shafte flyeth. An other casteth his arme backewarde after the lowse. And an other swynges hys bowe aboute hym, as it were a man with a stafi^e to make roume in a game place. And manye other faultes there be, whiche nowe come not to my remebraunce. Thus as you haue hearde, many archers wyth marrynge theyr face and countenaunce, wyth other partes, of theyr bodye, as it were menne that shoulde daunce antiques, be farre from the comelye porte in shootynge, whiche he that woulde be excellent muste looke for. Of these faultes I haue verie many my selfe, but I talke not of my shootynge, but of the generall nature of shootynge. Nowe ymagin an Archer that is cleane wythout al these faultes & I am sure euerye man would be delyted to se hym shoote. And althoughe suche a perfyte cumlynesse can not be expressed wyth any precepte of teachyng, as Cicero and other learned menne do saye, yet I wyll speake (accordyng to my 1 04 'Toxophiliis. B. lytle knowlege) that thing in it, whych yi you folowe, althoughe you shall not be wythout fault, yet your fault shal neyther quickly be perceued, nor yet greatly rebuked of them that stande by. Standyng, nockyng, drawyng, holdyng, lowsyng, done as they shoulde be done, make fayre shootynge. The fyrste poynte is when a man shoulde shote, to take suche footyng and standyng as shal be both cumlye at!()nge. ^^ ^j^^ ^^^ ^^^ profy table to hys vse, settyng hys countenaunce and al the other partes of hys bodye after suche a behauiour and porte, that bothe al hys strengthe may be employed to hys owne moost auautage, and hys shoot made and handled to other mens pleasure and delyte. A man must not go to hastely to it, for that is rashnesse, nor yet make to much to do about it, for yt is curiositie, y^ one fote must not stande to far from the other, leste he stoupe to muche whyche is vnsemelye, nor yet to nere together, leste he stande to streyght vp, for so a man shall neyther vse hys strengthe well, nor yet stande stedfastlye. The meane betwyxt bothe must be kept, a thing more pleasaunte to behoulde when it is done, than easie to be taught howe it shoulde be done. To nocke well is the easiest poynte of all, and there in is no cunninge, but onelye dylygente hede gyuyng, oc ynge. ^^ ^^^ j^^^ shaft neyther to hye nor to lowe, but euen streyght ouertwharte hys bowe. Vnconstante nockynge maketh a man leese hys lengthe. And besydes that, yi the shafte hande be hye and the bowe hande lowe, or contrarie, bothe the bowe is in ieopardye of brekynge, and the shafte, yf it be lytle, wyll start : yf it be great it wyll hobble. Nocke the cocke father vpward alwayes as I toulde you whe I described the fether. And be sure alwayes y^ your stringe slip not out of the nocke, for than al is in ieopardye of breakynge. Drawynge well is the best parte of shootyng. Men in oulde tyme vsed other maner of drawynge than )a.oyngt. ^^ j^^ They vsed to drawe low at the brest, to the ryght pap and no farther, and this to be trew is playne Iliad. 4. in Homer, where he descrybeth Pandarus shootynge. {'^p to the pap his stringe dyd he pul^ his shafte to the hard heed. T'he schole of shoting. 105 The noble women of Scythia vsed the same fashyon of shootyng low at the brest, and bicause their lefte pap hindred theyr shootynge at the lowse they cut it of when they were yonge, and therfore be they called in lackynge theyr pap Amazones. Nowe a dayes contrarye wyse we drawe to the ryghte eare and not to the pap. Whether the olde waye in drawynge low to the pap, or the new way to draw a loft to the eare be better, an excellente wryter in Greke called Procopius doth saye hys mynde, Hht^p'crs shewyng y^ the oulde fashyon in drawing to ye pap was nought, of no pithe, and therfore saith Procopius : is Artyllarye dispraysed in Homer whych calleth it ovrtSavov. I. Weake and able to do no good. Drawyng to the eare he prayseth greatly, whereby men shoote both stronger and longer: drawynge therfore to the eare is better than to drawe at the breste. And one thyng commeth into my remembraunce nowe Philologe when I speake of drawyng, that I neuer red of other kynde of shootyng, than drawing wyth a mas hand ether to the breste or eare: This thyng haue I sought for in Homer Herodotus and Plutarch, and therfore I meruayle how cros- bowes came fyrst vp, of the which I am sure a ^ , •^ O vosLwivcs man shall finde lytle mention made on in any good Authour. Leo the Emperoure woulde haue hys souldyers drawe quycklye in warre, for that maketh a shaft flie a pace. In shootynge at the pryckes, hasty and quicke drawing is neyther sure nor yet cumlye. Therfore to drawe easely and vniformely, that is for to saye not waggyng your hand, now vpwarde, now downewarde, but alwayes after one fashion vntil you come to the rig or shouldring of y^ head, is best both for profit & semelinesse. Holdynge must not be longe, for it bothe putteth a bowe in ieopardy, & also marreth a mans shoote, it must be so lytle y*^ it maye be perceyued better in a mans mynde when it is done, than scene w' a mans eyes when it is in doyng. Lowsynge muste be muche lyke. So quycke and hard yt it be wyth oute all ffirdes, so softe and gentle that 1 1 r n ° . ' ,-1 Lowsyns^t'. the sharte tlye not as it were sente out or a bow case. The meane betwixt bothe, whyche is perfyte lowsynge is not so hard to be folowed in shootynge as it is to be descrybed in teachyng. For cleane lowsynge you must take 1 06 'Toxop/iilus. B. hede of hyttynge any thynge aboute you. And for the same purpose Leo the Emperour would haue al Archers in war to haue both theyr heades pouled, and there berdes shauen leste the heare of theyr heades shuld stop the syght of the eye, the heere of theyr berdes hinder the course of the strynge. And these preceptes I am sure Philologe yf you folowe in standyng, nockyng, drawynge, holdynge, and lowsynge, shal bryng you at the last to excellent fayre shootynge. PHI. All these thynges Toxophile althoughe I bothe nowe perceyue them thorowlye, and also wyll remember them dilligently : yet to morowe or some other day whe you haue leasure we wyll go to the pryckes, and put them by lytle and lytle in experience. For teachynge not folowed, doeth euen as muche good as bookes neuer looked vpon. But nowe seing you haue taught me to shote fayre, I praye you tel me somwhat, how I should shoote nere leste that prouerbe myght be sayd iustlye of me sometyme. He shootes lyke a gentle man fayre & far of. TOX. He that can shoote fayre, lacketh nothyng but shootyng streyght and kepyng of a length wherof commeth hyttynge of the marke, the ende both of shootyng and also of thys our communication. The handlyng of y^ wether & the mark bicause they belog to shootyng streyghte, and kepynge of a lengthe, I wyll ioyne them togyther, shewinge what thinges belonge to kepynge of a lengthe, and what to shootynge streyght. The /^t'cttof ovSeu efifj,ovov fidOijfjba: in Englishe thus. No learning ought to be learned with bondage: For, bodelie labors, wrought by compul- sion, hurt not the bodie: but any learning learned by copulsion, tarieth not log in the mynde: And why? For what soeuer the mynde doth learne vnwillinglie with feare, the same it doth quicklie forget without care. And lest proude wittes, that loue not to be contraryed, but haue lust to wrangle or trifle away troth, will say, that Socrates meaneth not this of childrens teaching, but of som other higher learnyng, heare, what Socrates in the same place doth more plainlie say: /xr) toIvvv /3ia, CO dpicrre, tov<; TratSa? ev Toi ^ ■' \ \ ^^ \ t " . ri Pad '^^ jevo^ eiraivWj KUi rrjv iraiba., kul bcopa /SovXofiat Si, e(f)r], avv rfj rov 'rrarp6 Contempt kmdnesse : but what vnkmdnesse r euen such of Gods vnkindnesse as was in the lewes, in contemninge trewe Re- Goddes voice, in shrinking fro his woorde, in ^^S'^"- wishing backe againe for Mgypt., in committing aduoultrie and hordom, not with the women, but with the doctrine of Babylon, did bring all the plages, destructions, and Captiuities, that fell so ofte and horriblie, vpon Israeli. We haue cause also in England to beware of vnkindnesse, who haue had, in so fewe yeares, the Candel of Goddes worde, so oft lightned, so oft put out, and yet Will venture by our vnthankrulnesse m doctrme and sinfull life, to leese againe, lighte, Candle, Candlesticke and all. God kepe vs in his feare, God grafte in vs the trewe knowledge of his woorde, with a forward will to folowe it, and so to bring forth the sweete fruites of it, & then shall he preserue vs by his Grace, from all maner of terrible dayes. The remedie of this, doth not stand onelie, Publkce in making good common lawes for the hole Leges. Realme, but also, (and perchance cheiflie) Bomestica in obseruing priuate discipline euerie man care- dlsciplina. fullie in his own house : and namelie, if speciall Cognitio regard be had to yougth : and that, not so moch, '''^'«- 2 1 o 'The first booke teachyng in teaching them what is good, as in keping them from that, that is ill. Therefore, if wise fathers, be not as well waare in weeding from their Children ill thinges, and ill companie, ignotatto ^g they were before, in graftinge in them learninge, and prouiding for them good schole- masters, what frute, they shall reape of all their coste & care, common experience doth tell. Here is the place, in yougthe is the time whan som c ^^g ignorance is as necessarie, as moch knowledge, ignorance, and not in matters of our dewtie towardes God, as good as as som wilful wittes willinglie against their owne now e ge. knowledge, perniciouslie againste their owne conscience, haue of late openlie taught. In deede 5. Chryso- stome^ that noble and eloquent Doctor, in a turns . le sermon contra fatum^ and the curious serchinge ot natiuities, doth wiselie sale, that ignorance therein, is better than knowledge: ' But to wring this sentence, to wreste thereby out of mens^andes, the knowledge of Goddes doctrine, is without all reason, against common sence, contrarie to the iudgement also of them, which be the discretest men, and best learned, on their own side. I know, lullanus luha. Apo- Apostata did so, but I neuer hard or red, that any auncyent father of the primitiue chirch, either thought or wrote so. But this ignorance in yougthe, which I spake on, or rather this simplicitie, or most trewlie, this innocencie, nnocency j^ j.|^^^ which the noble Persians^ as wise Xenophon doth testifie, were so carefull, to breede vp their yougth in. But Christian fathers commonlie do not so. And I will tell you a tale, as moch to be misliked, as the Persians example is to be folowed. This last somer, I was in a lentlemans house : where A childe ill ^ y<^"g childe, somewhat past fower yeare olde, brought cold in no wise frame his tonge, to saie, a litle ^P- shorte grace : and yet he could roundlie rap out, so manie vgle othes, and those of the newest facion, as som good man of fourescore yeare olde hath neuer hard named before : and that which was most detestable of rentes. ^^^•> ^'s father and mother wold laughe at it. I the bryfjging vp of youth. 2 1 1 moche doubte, what comforte, an other daie, this childe shall bring vnto them. This Childe vsing moche the companie of seruinge men, and geuing good eare to their taulke, did easelie learne, which he shall hardlie forget, all daies of his life here- after : So likewise, in the Covn'te, if a yong lentleman will ventur him self into the companie of Ruffians, it is ouer greate a ieopardie, lest, their facions, maners, thoughtes, taulke, and deedes, will verie sone, be euer like. The confounding of companies, breedeth confusion of good maners m compa- both in the Courte, and euerie where else. "i^- And it maie be a great wonder, but a greater shame, to vs Christian men, to vnderstand, what a heithen writer, Isocrates^ doth leaue in memorie of writing, concerning the care, that the noble Citie of Athens had, to bring vp their yougthe, in honest companie, and vertuous discipline, whose taulke in Greke, is, to this effect, in Englishe. " The Citie, was not more carefull, to see their Children "well taughte, than to see their yong men well " gouerned : which they brought to passe, not so in u rat. " much by common lawe, as by priuate discipline. " For, they had more regard, that their yougthe, by good order " shold not offend, than how, by lawe, they might be punished : " And if offense were committed, there was, neither waie to " hide it, neither hope of pardon for it. Good natures, were " not so moche openlie praised as they were secretlie marked, " and watchfullie regarded, lest they should lease the goodnes "they had. Therefore in scholes of singing and dauncing, and " other honest exercises, gouernours were appointed, more "diligent to ouersee their good maners, than their masters were, "to teach them anie learning. It was som shame to a yong " man, to be scene in the open market : and if for businesse, he " passed throughe it, he did it, with a meruelous modestie, and " bashefull facion. To eate, or drinke in a Tauerne, was not " onelie a shame, but also punishable, in a yong man. To " contrarie, or to stand in termes with an old man, was more " heinous, than in som place, to rebuke and scolde with his "owne father: with manie other mo good orders, and faire disciplines, which I referre to their reading, that haue lust to looke vpon the description of such a worthie common welthe. O 2 212 T'he first booke teachyng And to know, what worthie frute, did spring of soch Good sede, worthie seade, I will tell yow the most meruell worthie of all, and yet soch a trothe, as no man shall ^™^'^- denie it, except such as be ignorant in knowledge of the best stories. Athens^ by this discipline and good ordering of yougthe, did . , breede vp, within the circute of that one Citie, within the compas of one hondred yeare, within the memorie of one mans life, so manie notable Capitaines in warre, for worthinesse, wisdome and learning, as be scarse ^ matchable no not in the state of Rome, in the Roma. L J J 1 • compas or those seauen hondred yeares, whan it florished moste. And bicause, I will not onelie saie it, but also proue it, the The noble names of them be these. MUt'iades^ Themhtocles^ Capitaines Xantippus, Pericles^ Cymon^ AkybiadeSy Thrasybulus^ of Athens. Conon^ Iph'icrates^ Xenophon^ Titnotheus^ Theopompiis^ Demetrius^ and diuers other mo : of which euerie one, maie iustelie be spoken that worthie praise, which was geuen to Sc'ipio Africanm^ who, Cicero douteth, whether he were, more noble Capitaine in warre, or more eloquent and wise councelor in peace. And if ye beleue not me, read dili- ^viil. gentlie, /Etnilius Probus in Latin, and Plutarche Probus. in Greke, which two, had no cause either to Plutarckiis. flatter or lie vpon anie of those which I haue recited. And beside nobilitie in warre, for excellent and matchles The lear- masters in all maner of learninge, in that one ned of A- Citie, in memorie of one aige, were mo learned thenes. men, and that in a maner altogether, than all tyme doth remember, than all place doth afFourde, than all other tonges do conteine. And I do not meene of those Authors, which, by iniurie of tyme, by negligence of men, by crueltie of fier and sworde, be lost, but euen of those, which by Goddes grace, are left yet vnto us: of which I thank God, euen my poore studie lacketh not one. As, in Philosophie, Plato^ Arh- totle^ Xenophon^ Euclide and Theophrast : In eloquens and Ciuill lawe, Demosthenes^ MschineSy Lycurgus^ Dinarchus^ Demades^ Isocrates^ hcsus^ Lys'ios^ Antlsthenes^ Andocides : In histories, He- rodotus^ Thucydides^ Xenophon : and which we lacke, to our the brynging vp of youth. 213 great losse, Theopompus and Eph\orus\ : In Poetrie, /Eschylus^ Sophocles^ Euripides^ Aristophanes^ and somwhat of Menander^ Deinosthenes sister Sonne. Now, let Italian, and Latin it self, Spanishe, French, Douch, and Englishe bring forth their lerning, and recite their Authors, Cicero onelie excepted, chiefly co'n- and one or two moe in Latin, they be all patched teined in cloutes and ragges, in comparison of faire wouen the Greke, broade clothes. And trewelie, if there be any ^^^^ ^^ good in them, it is either lerned, borowed, or stolne, from some one of those worthie wittes of Athens. The remembrance of soch a common welthe, vsing soch discipline and order for yougthe, and thereby bringing forth to their praise, and leaning to vs for our example, such Capitaines for warre, soch Councelors for peace, and matcheles masters, for all kinde of learninge, is pleasant for me to recite, and not irksum, I trust, for other to heare, except it be soch, as make neither counte of vertue nor learninge. And whether, there be anie soch or no, I can not well tell : yet I heare saie, some yong lentlemen of oures, Contem- count it their shame to be counted learned : and ners of perchance, they count it their shame, to be learnyng. counted honest also, for I heare saie, they medle as litle with the one, as with the other. A meruelous case, that lentlemen shold so be ashamed of good learning, and neuer a whit ashamed of ill maners : soch do saie for them, that the lentlemen of France do so : which is a lie, as orFrance God will haue it. Langteus., and Bellceus that be dead, & the noble V'ldatn of Chartres, that is aliue, and infinite mo in France, which I heare tell of, proue this to be most false. And though som, in France, which will nedes be lentlemen, whether men will or no, and haue more ientleshipe in their hat, than in their hed, be at deedlie feude, with both learning and honestie, yet I beleue, if that noble Prince, king Francis the first were aliue, they shold haue, neither place in Frandscus his Courte, nor pension in his warres, if he had i. Nobilis. knowledge of them. This opinion is not French, Hanconl but plaine Turckishe : from whens, some Frenche fetche moe faultes, than this: which, I praie God, kepe out of 2 1 4 T'he first booke teacliyng England, and send also those of oures better mindes, which bend them selues againste vertue and learninge, to the con- tempte of God, dishonor of their contrie to the hurt of mania others, and at length, to the greatest harme, and vtter destruction of themselues. Som other, hauing better nature, but lesse witte, (for ill commonlie, haue ouer moch witte) do not vtterlie dispraise Experience learning, but they sale, that without learning, without common experience, knowledge of all facions, and learnyng. haunting all companies, shall worke in yougthe, both wisdome, and habilitie, to execute anie weightie affaire. Surelie long experience doth profFet moch, but moste, and almost onelie to him (if we meene honest affaires) that is dili- gentlie before instructed with preceptes of well doinge. For good precepts of learning, be the eyes of the minde, to looke wiselie before a man, which waie to go right, and which not. Learning teacheth more in one yeare than experience in T twentie : And learnino; teacheth safelie. when Learnyng. . '^ ■ i i i • tt experience maketh mo miserable then wise. He Experiecc. hasardeth sore, that waxeth wise by experience. An vnhappie Master he is, that is made cunning by manie shippewrakes : A miserable merchant, that is neither riche or wise, but after som bankroutes. It is costlie wisdom, that is bought by experience. We know by experience it selfe, that it is a meruelous paine, to finde oute but a short waie, by long wandering. And surelie, he that wold proue wise by experience, he maie be wittie in deede, but euen like a swift runner, that runneth fast out of his waie, and vpon the night, he knoweth not whither. And verilie they be fewest of number, that be happie or wise by vnlearned experience. And looke well vpon the former life of those fewe, whether your example be old or yonge, who without learning haue gathered, by long experience, a litle wisdom, and som happines : and whan you do consider, what mischeife they haue committed, what dangers they haue escaped (and yet xx. for one, do perishe in the aduenture) than thinke well with your selfe, whether ye wold, that your owne son, should cum to wisdom and happines, by the waie of sgch experience or no. It is a notable tale, that old Syr Roger Chamloe^ sometime the brytiging vp of youth. 215 cheife Justice, wold tell of him selfe. When he was Auncient in Inne of Courte, Certaine yong lentlemen were brought before him, to be corrected for ^J^ ^^,^"' certame misorders : And one or the lustiest same : Syr, we be yong ientlemen, and wisemen before vs, hauc proued all facions, and yet those haue done full well : this they said, because it was well knowen, that Syr Roger had bene a good feloe in his yougth. But he aunswered them verie wiselie. In deede saith he, in yougthe, I was, as you ar now: and I had twelue feloes like vnto my self, but not one of them came to a good ende. And therfore, folow not my example in yougth, but folow my councell in aige, if euer ye thinke to cum to this place, or to thies yeares, that I am cum vnto, lesse ye meete either with pouertie or Tiburn in the way. Thus, experience of all facions in yougthe, beinge, in profe, alwaise daungerous, in isshue, seldom lucklie, is a waie, in deede, to ouermoch knowledge, yet '""^ ^ ^ ^' vsed commonlie of soch men, which be either caried by som curious affection of mynde, or driuen by som hard necessitie of life, to hasard the triall of ouer manie perilous aduentures. Erasmus the honor of learning of all oure time, saide wiselie that experience is the common schole- Erasmtis house of foles, and ill men : Men, of witte and honestie, be otherwise instructed. For there be, Experiece, that kepe them out of fier, and yet was neuer house^of^' burned: That beware of water, and yet was neuer Foles, and nie drowninge : That hate harlottes, and was iH men. neuer at the stewes: That abhorre falshode, and neuer brake promis themselues. But will ye see, a fit Similitude of this aduentured experience. A Father, that doth let louse his son, to all experiences, is most like a fond Hunter, that letteth slippe a whelpe to the hole herde. Twentie to one, he shall fall vpon a rascall, and let go the faire game. Men that hunt so, be either ignorant persones, preuie stealers, or night walkers. Learning therefore, ye wise fathers, and good bringing vp, and not blinde & dangerous experience, is the next and readiest waie, that must leede your Children, first, to wisdom, and than to worthinesse, if euer ye purpose they shall cum there. And to saie all in shorte, though I lacke Authoritic to giue 2 1 6 The Jirst booke teachyng counsell, yet I lacke not good will to wisshe, that the yougthe How expe- in England, speciallie lentlemen, and namelic no- rience may bilitie, shold be by good bringing vp, so grounded ^ ^^' in iudgement of learninge, so founded in loue of honestie, as, whan they shold be called forthe to the execution of great affaires, in seruice of their Prince and contrie, they might be hable, to vse and to order, all experiences, were they good were they bad, and that, according to the square, rule, and line, of wisdom learning and vertue. And, I do not meene, by all this my taulke, that yong Dilieent lentlemen, should alwaies be poring on a booke, learninge and by vsing good studies, shold lease honest ought to be pleasure, and haunt no good pastime, I meene pleasant"' nothing lesse : For it is well knowne, that I both pastimes, like and loue, and haue alwaies, and do yet still namelie in a vse, all exercises and pastimes, that be fitte for my len eman. nature and habilitie. And beside naturall dispo- sition, in iudgement also, I was neuer, either Stoick in doctrine, or Anabaptist in Religion, to mislike a merie, pleasant, and plaifull nature, if no outrage be committed, against lawe, mesure, and good order. Therefore, I wold wishe, that, beside some good time, fitlic appointed, and constantlie kepte, to encrease by readinge, the knowledge of the tonges and learning, yong ientlemen shold Learnyng vse, and delite in all Courtelie exercises, and ioyned with lentlemanlike pastimes. And good cause whie: pastimes. Yqy the self same noble Citie of Athenes, iustlie commended of me before, did wiselie and vpon great considera- tion, appoint, the Muses, Apollo^ and Pallas^ to be patrones of ., learninge to their yougthe. For the Muses, besides learning, were also Ladies of dauncinge, Apollo. mirthe and ministrelsie: ApoUo^wviS god of shooting, p ., and Author of cunning playing vpo Instrumentes: Pallas also was Laidie mistres in warres. Wher- bie was nothing; else ment, but that learninge shold be alwaise mingled, with honest mirthe, and cumlie exercises: and that warre also shold be gouerned by learning, and moderated by wisdom, as did well appeare in those Capitaines of Athenes named by me before, and also in Scipio &: Casar^ the two Diamondes of Rome. the brynging vp of youth. 217 And Pallas^ was no more feared, in weering /Egida^ tha she was praised, for chosing Oliua: whereby shineth Learninsr the glory of learning, which thus, was Gouernour rewleth & Mistres, in the noble Citie of Athcncs^ both of both warre warre and peace. ""^^ l^^"^^' Therefore, to ride cumlie : to run faire at the tilte or ring : to plaie at all weapones: to shote faire in bow, or surelie in gon: to vaut lustely : to runne : to leape : to wrestle : to swimme: To daunce cumlie: to sing, and playe times that of instrumentes cunnyngly: to Hawke: to hunte: be fitte for to playe at tennes, & all pastimes generally, which Courthe_ be ioyned with labor, vsed in open place, and on the day light, conteining either some fitte exercise for warre, or some pleasant pastime for peace, be not onelie cumlie and decent, but also verie necessarie, for a Courtlie lentleman to vse. But, of all kinde of pastimes, fitte for a lentleman, I will, godwilling, in fitter place, more at large, declare fullie, in my booke of the Cockpitte: which I do write, to satisfie som, I trust, with som reason, that be -..^ *^ more curious, in marking other mens doinges, than carefull in mendyng their owne faultes. And som also will nedes busie them selues in merueling, and adding thereunto vnfrendlie taulke, why I, a man of good yeares, and of no ill place, I thanke God and my Prince, do make choise to spend soch tyme in writyng of trifles, as the schole of shoting, the Cockpitte, and this booke of the first Principles of Grammer, rather, than to take some weightie matter in hand, either of Religion, or Ciuill discipline. Wise men I know, will well allow of my choise herein: and as for such, who haue not witte of them selues, but must learne of others, to iudge right of mens doynses, let them J .u I ■ v> . u • k- § / D *• A booke of read that wise roet Horace in his Arte roetica^ ^ j^^-j jj^l^ who willeth wisemen to beware, of hie and loftie beareth the Titles, For, great shippes, require costlie tack- brag of o- ling, and also afterward dangerous gouernment: promise Small boates, be neither verie chargeable in makyng, nor verie oft in great ieoperdie : and yet they cary many tymes, as good and costlie ware, as greater vessels do. A meane Argument, may easelie beare, the light burden of a small faute, and haue alwaise at hand, a ready excuse for 2 1 8 'The first booke teachyng ill handling: And, some praise it is, if it so chaunce, to be The right better in deede, than a man dare venture to choise, to seeme. A hye title, doth charge a man, with chose a fitte the heauie burden, of to great a promise : and t^TwUe'^'^ therefore sayth Horace verie wittelie, that, that vpon. Poete was a verie foole, that began hys booke, Hor. in with a goodlie verse in deede, but ouer proude Arte Poet. a promise. Fortunam Pr'iatni cantabo ^ noh'ile helium., And after, as wiselie. Quanta rcdfiiis hic^ qui nil molitur inepte. etc. Meening Homer., who, within the compasse of a smal jr ^j^ Argument, of one harlot, and of one good wife, wisdom ill did vtter so moch learning in all kinde of sciences, choice of as, by the iudgement of ^lintiliati^ he deserueth his Argu- gQ j^jg ^ praise, that no man yet deserued to sit in the second degree beneth him. And thus moch out of my way, concerning my purpose in spending penne, and paper, & tyme, vpo trifles, & namelie to aunswere some, that haue neither witte nor learning, to do any thyng them selues, neither will nor honestie, to say well of other. To ioyne learnyng with cumlie exercises, Conto Baldescer y, p . Castiglione in his booke, Cortegiano., doth trimlie tegian, an teache : which booke, aduisedlie read, and dili- excellent gentlie folowed, but one yeare at home in booke for a England, would do a yong ientleman more good, I wisse, then three yeares trauell abrode spent in Italie. And I meruell this booke, is no more read in the Court, than it is, seyng it is so well translated into English by a worthie Ientleman Syr Th. Hohbiey who was many wayes Hobbve' ^^ furnished with learnyng, and very expert in knowledge of diuers tonges. And beside good preceptes in bookes, in all kinde of tonges, this Court also neuer lacked many faire examples, for yong Examples icntlemen to folow : And surelie, one example, better then is more valiable, both to good and ill, than xx. preceptes. preceptes written in bookes : and so PlatOy not in one or two, but diuersc places, doth plainlie teach. the brynging vp of youth. 219 If kyng Edward had liued a litle longer, his onely example had breed soch a rase of worthie learned ientlemen, as this Realme neuer yet did affourde. "'-^ ' ' ' And, in the second degree, two noble Primeroses of Nobilitie, the yonp; Duke of SufFolke, and Lord .p, H. Matreuers^ were soch two examples to the Duke of Court for learnyng, as our tyme may rather wishe, Suffolke, than looke for agayne. L. H. Mar- At Cambrige also, in S. lohns Colledge, in i^euers. my tyme, I do know, that, not so much the good statutes, as two Ientlemen, of worthie memorie Syr lohn Cheke^ and Do(5tour Readman^ by their onely example rj 7 of excellency in learnyng, of godlynes in liuyng, of diligecie in studying, of councell in exhorting, of good order in all thyng, did breed vp, so many learned men, in that one College of S. lohns, at one time, as I ^' ^^"'^' beleue, the whole Vniuersitie of Louaine^ in many yeares, was neuer able to affourd. Present examples of this present tyme, I list not to touch : yet there is one example, for all the Ien- tlemen of this Court to folow, that may well %fsabcih satisfie them, or nothing will serue them, nor no example moue them, to goodnes and learning. It is your shame, (I speake to you all, you yong Ientlemen of England) that one mayd should go beyond you all, in excel- lencie of learnyng, and knowledge of diuers tonges. Pointe forth six of the best giuen Ientlemen of this Court, and all they together, shew not so much good will, spend not so much tyme, bestow not so many houres, dayly orderly, & constantly, for the increase of learning & knowledge, as doth the Queenes Maiestie her selfe. Yea I beleue, that beside her perfit readines, in Lat'in^ Italian^ French^ &c Spanish^ she readeth here now at Windsore more Greeke euery day, than some Prebendarie of this Chirch doth read Latin in a whole weeke. And that which is most praise worthie of all, within the walles of her priuie chamber, she hath obteyned that excellencie of learnyng, to vnderstand, speake, Sc write, both wittely with head, and faire with hand, as scarse one or two rare wittes in both the Vniuersities haue in many yeares reached vnto. Amongest all the benefites yt God hath blessed me with all, next the 220 T^ he first booke teachyng knowledge of Christes true Religion, I counte this the greatest, that it pleased God to call me, to be one poore minister in settyng forward these excellent giftes of learnyng in this most excellent Prince. Whose onely example, if the rest of our nobilitie would folow, than might England be, pies haue ^^"^ learnyng and wisedome in nobilitie, a spectacle more force, to all the world beside. But see the mishap of then good vtx&Vi : The best examples haue neuer such forse examples. , i i t • i- i to moue to any goodnes, as the bad, vame, light and fond, haue to all ilnes. And one example, though out of the compas of learning, yet not out of the order of good maners, was notable in this Courte, not fullie xxiiij. yeares a go, when all the actes of Parlament, many good Proclamations, diuerse strait commaunde- mentes, sore punishment openlie, speciall regarde priuatelie, cold not do so moch to take away one misorder, as the example of one big one of this Courte did, still to kepe vp the same: The memorie whereof, doth yet remaine, in a common prouerbe of Birching lane. Take hede therfore, ye great ones in y^ Court, yea though Great men Y^ ^^ 7^ greatest of all, take hede, what ye do, in Court, take hede how ye Hue. For as you great ones by their yse to do, SO all nieane men loue to do. You be mai^'or' '" deed, makers or marrers, of all mens maners marre, all within the Realme. For though God hath placed other mens yow, to be cheife in making of lawes, to beare maners. greatest authoritie, to commaund all others : yet God doth order, that all your lawes, all your authoritie, all your commaundementes, do not halfe so moch with meane men, as doth your example and maner of liuinge. And r"u to ^'^^ example euen in the greatest matter, if yow your selues do serue God gladlie and orderlie for conscience sake, not coldlie, and somtyme for maner sake, you carie all the Courte with yow, and the whole Realme beside, earnestlie and orderlie to do the same. If yow do otherwise, yow be the onelie authors, of all misorders in Religion, not onelie to the Courte, but to all England beside. Infinite shall be made cold in Religion by your example, that neuer were hurt by reading of bookes. And in meaner matters, if three or foure great ones in the brynging vp of youth. 221 Courte, will nedes outrage in apparell, in huge hose, in mon- strous hattes, in gaurishe colers, let the Prince Pro- clame, make Lawes, order, punishe, commaunde /■''ampe . ' . . . ^ in apparell. euerie gate in London dailie to be watched, let all good men beside do euerie where what they can, surelie the misorder of apparell in mean men abrode, shall neuer be amended, except the greatest in Courte will order and mend them selues first. I know, som greate and good ones in Courte, were authors, that honest Citizens of London, shoulde watche at euerie gate, to take misordered persones in apparell. I know, that honest Londoners did so: And I sawe, which I sawe than, & reporte now with some greife, that som Courtlie men were offended with these good men of London. And that, which greued me most of all, I sawe the verie same tyme, for all theis good orders, commaunded from the Courte and executed in London, I sawe I say, cum out of London, euen ,, . vnto the presence of the Prince, a great rable of Vshers, '& meane and light persons, in apparell, for matter, Scholers against lawe, for making, against order, for facion, ° ^"^^' namelie hose, so without all order, as he thought himselfe most braue, that durst do most in breaking order and was most monsterous in misorder. And for all the great commaunde- mentes, that came out of the Courte, yet this bold misorder, was winked at, and borne withall, in the Courte. I thought, it was not well, that som great ones of the Court, durst declare themselues offended, with good men of London, for doinge their dewtie, & the good ones of the Courte, would not shew them- selues offended, with ill men of London, for breaking good order. I fownde thereby a sayinge of Socrates to be most trewe that ill men be more hastie, than good men be forwarde, to prosecute their purposes, euen as Christ himselfe saith, of the Children of light and darknes. Beside apparell, in all other thinges to, not so moch, good lawes and strait commaundementes as the example and maner of liuing of great men, doth carie all meane men euerie where, to like, and loue, & do, as they do. For if but two or three noble men in the Court, wold but beginne to Example shoote, all yong lentlemen, the whole Court, all in shoo- London, the whole Realme, wold straight waie *y"S- exercise shooting. 222 T'he first booke teachyng What praise shold they wynne to themsehies, what com- moditie shold they bring to their contrey, that would thus deserue to be pointed at : Beholde, there goeth, the author of good order, the guide of good men. I cold say more, and yet not ouermuch. But perchance, som will say, I haue stepte to farre, out of my schole, into the common welthe, from teaching vy ■ - a yong scholar, to monishe greate and noble men: for great y^t I trust good and wise men will thinke and me, but for iudge of me, that my minde was, not so moch, great mens ^.^ ^^ \i\x%\Q and bold with them, that be great now, as to giue trewe aduise to them, that may be great hereafter. Who, if they do, as I wishe them to do, how great so euer they be now, by blood and other mens meanes, they shall becum a greate deale greater hereafter, by learninge, vertue, and their owne desertes: which is trewe praise, right worthines, and verie Nobilitie in deede. Yet, if som will needes presse me, that I am to bold with great men, & stray to farre from my matter, I will aunswere them with iS. Paul^ slue perc ontetione??!, sine quocun^ modo^ modo Christus pradicetur^ &c. euen so, whether in place, or out of place, with my matter, or beside my matter, if I can hereby either prouoke the good, or staye the ill, I shall thinke my writing herein well imployed. But, to cum downe, from greate men, and hier matters, to my litle children, and poore scholehouse againe, I will, God willing, go forwarde orderlie, as I purposed, to instructe Children and yong men, both for learninge and maners. Hitherto, I haue shewed, what harme, ouermoch feare bringeth to children : and what hurte, ill companie, and ouer- moch libertie breedeth in yougthe : meening thereby, that from seauen yeare olde, to seauentene, loue is the best allurement to learninge : from seauentene to seavien and twentie, that wise men shold carefullie see the steppes of yougthe surelie staide by good order, in that most slipperie tyme : and speciallie in the Courte, a place most dangerous for yougthe to liue in, without great grace, good regarde, and diligent looking to. Syr Richard Sackui/e, that worthy lentleman of worthy Trauelyng memorie, as I sayd in the begynnynge, in the into Ita- Queenes priuie Chamber at Windesore, after he ^^^' had talked with me, for the right choice of a good the brynging vp of youth. 223 witte in a child for learnyng, and of the trewe difference betwixt quicke and hard wittes, of alluring yong children by ientlenes to loue learnyng, and of the special! care that was to be had, to keepe yong men from licencious liuyng, he was most earnest with me, to haue me say my mynde also, what I thought, concernyng the fansie that many yong lentlemen of England haue to trauell abroad, and namely to lead a long lyfe in Italie. His request, both for his authoritie, and good will toward me, was a sufficient commaundement vnto me, to satisfie his pleasure, with vtteryng plainlie my opinion in that matter. Syr quoth I, I take goyng thither, and liuing there, for a yonge ientleman, that doth not goe vnder the kepe and garde of such a man, as both, by wisedome can, and authoritie dare rewle him, to be meruelous dangerous. And whie I said so than, I will declare at large now: which I said than priuatelie, and write now openlie, not bicause I do contemne, either the knowledge of strange and diuerse tonges, and namelie the Italian tonge, which next the Greeke and Latin ^ne ita- T Ti I 1 1 11 1 1 "^" tong. tonge, i like and loue aboue all other : or else bicause I do despise, the learning that is gotten, or the experi- ence that is gathered in strange contries : or for any priuate malice that beare to Italie : which contrie, and , . in it, namelie Rome, I haue alwayes speciallie honored: bicause, tyme was, whan Italie and Rome, haue bene, to the greate good of vs that now Hue, the best breeders and bringers vp, of the worthiest men, not onelie for wise speakinge, but also for well doing, in all Ciuill affaires, that euer was in the worlde. But now, that tyme is gone, and though the place remayne, yet the olde and present maners, do differ as farre, as blacke and white, as vertue and vice. Vertue once made that contrie Mistres ouer all the worlde. Vice now maketh that contrie slaue to them, that before, were glad to serue it. All men seeth it : They themselues confesse it, namelie soch, as be best and wisest amongest them. For sinne, by lust and vanitie, hath and doth breed vp euery where, common contept of Gods word, priuate contention in many families, open factions in euery Citie : and so, makyng them selues bonde, to vanitie and vice at home, they are content to beare the yoke of seruyng straungers abroad. Italie now, is not that Italie^ that it was wont to be : and therfore now, not so 224 '^^'^^ /^Vj-/ booke teachyng fitte a place, as some do counte it, for yong men to fetch either wisedome or honestie from thence. For surelie, they will make other but bad Scholers, that be so ill Masters to them selues. Yet, if a ientleman will nedes trauell into Italie^ he shall do well, to looke on the life, of the wisest traueler, that euer traueled thether, set out by the wisest writer, that euer spake with tong, Gods doctrine onelie excepted : and that is f^lysses in Homere. Vlysses^ and his trauell, I wishe our ysses. trauelers to looke vpon, not so much to feare them, with the great daungers, that he many tymes suffered, as to instruct them, with his excellent wisedome, which he alwayes and euerywhere vsed. Yea euen those, that be learned and wittie trauelers, when they be disposed to prayse traueling, as a great commendacion, and the best Scripture they haue for it, they gladlie recite the third verse of Homere^ in his first booke of Odyssea^ conteinyng a great prayse of Vlysses^ for the witte he gathered, & wisedome he vsed in his trauehng. Which verse, bicause, in mine opinion, it was not made at the first, more naturallie in Greke by Homere^ nor after turned more aptelie into Latin by Horace^ than it was a good while ago, in Cambrige, translated into English, both plainlie for the sense, and roundlie for the verse, by one of the best Scholers, that euer S. lohns Colledge bred, M. Watson^ myne old frend, somtime Bishop of Lincolne, therfore, for their sake, that haue lust to see, how our English tong, in auoidyng barbarous ryming, may as well receiue, right quantitie of sillables, and trewe order of versifiyng (of which matter more at large here- after) as either Greke or Latin^ if a cunning man haue it in handling, I will set forth that one verse in all three tonges, for an Example to good wittes, that shall delite in like learned exercise. I^omcrus. iToKXfjciv 8' avOpwiTu^v X'^ev darea Kal voov eyvco. I^oratius. ^li ?nofes hominum multorum vidit is' vrbes. M' 21iilatson. All trauellers do gladly report great prayse of Vlysses^ For that he knew many mens maners^ and saw many Cities. the brynging vp of youth. 225 (TToXt/rpOTTOJ. VlyssA [wok'iiJ.rjTis. Alcynoiis. 65. 1. And yet is not Vlyaes commended, so much, nor so oft, in Homere^ bicause he was iroXyrpoTro^;, that is, skilfull in many mes manners and facions, as bicause he was TroXv/xijTLf;, that is, wise in all purposes, & ware in all places : which wisedome and warenes will not serue neither a traueler, except Pallas be alwayes at his elbow, that is Gods speciall grace ^'^^^^^ from from heauen, to kepe him in Gods feare, in all his doynges, in all his ieorneye. For, he shall not alwayes in his absence out of England, light vpon a ientle Alcynous.^ and walke in his faire gardens full of all harmelesse pleasures : but he shall sometymes, fall, either into the handes of some cruell Cyclops^ or into the lappe of some wanton and dalying Dame Calypso : and so suffer the danger of many a deadlie Denne, not so full of perils, to distroy the body, as, full of vayne pleasures, to poyson the mynde. Some Siren shall sing him a song, sweete in tune, but sownding in the ende, to his vtter destruction. If Scylla drowne him not, Carybdis may fortune swalow hym. Some Circes shall make him, of a plaine English man, a right Italian. And at length to hell, or to some hellish place, is he likelie to go : from whence is hard returning, although one Vlysses., and that by Pallas ayde, and good cousell of Tiresias once .. , escaped that horrible Den of deadly darkenes. Therfore, if wise men will nedes send their sonnes into Italie^ let them do it wiselie, vnder the kepe and garde of him, who, by his wisedome and honestie, by his example and authoritie, may be hable to kepe them safe and sound, in the feare of God, in Christes trewe Religion, in good order and honestie of liuyng : except they will haue them run headling, into ouermany ieoperdies, as Flysses had done many tymes, if Pallas had not alwayes gouerned him : if he had not vsed, to stop his eares with waxe : to bind him selfe to ^5 the mast of his shyp : to feede dayly, vpon that 68. k. swete herbe Moly with the blake roote and Moly Her- white floore, giuen vnto hym by Mercurie, to °^' auoide all the inchantmetes of Circes. Wherby, the Diuine Cyclops. Calypso. Sirents. Scylla. Caribdis.) Circes. (53. I. (55. e. ,(55. (55. K. 226 The Jirst booke teachyng Poete Homer merit couertlie (as wise and Godly men do iudge) . that loue of honestie, and hatred of ill, which Dauid more plainly doth call the feare of God : the onely remedie agaynst all inchantementes of sinne. I know diuerse noble personages, and many worthie lentle- men of England, whom all the Siren songes of Italie^ could neuer vntwyne from the maste of Gods word : nor no inchant- ment of vanitie, ouerturne them, from the feare of God, and loue of honestie. But I know as many, or mo, and some, sometyme my deare frendes, for whose sake I hate going into that coutrey the more, who, partyng out of England feruent in the loue of Christes doctrine, and well furnished with the feare of God, returned out of Italie worse transformed, than euer was any in Circes Court. I know diuerse, that went out of England, men of innocent life, men of excellent learnyng, who returned out of Italie^ not onely with worse maners, but also with lesse learnyng : neither so willing to Hue orderly, nor yet so hable to speake learnedlie, as they were at home, before they went abroad. And why ? Plato, y' wise writer, and worthy traueler him selfe, telleth the cause why. He went into Sicilia, a coutrey, no nigher Italy by site of place, tha Italie that is now, is like Sicilia that was the, in all corrupt maners and liceciousnes of life. Plato found in Sicilia, euery Citie full of vanitie, full of factions, euen as Italie is now. And as Hornere, like a learned Poete, doth feyne, that Circes, by pleasant in- chantmetes, did turne men into beastes, some into Swine, som into Asses, some into Foxes, some into Wolues etc. euen so Plat, ad Plato, like a wise Philosopher, doth plainelie Dionys. declare, that pleasure, by licentious vanitie, that Ep'^*^- 3- sweete and perilous poyson of all youth, doth ingender in all those, that yeld vp themselues to her, foure notorious properties. 'i. \rjdi]v 2. hvafxaOiav 3. acppoavvrjp 4. v^piv. The first, forgetfulnes of all good thinges learned before : ^ the second, dulnes to receyue either learnyng or why men honestie euer after : the third, a mynde embracing The fruits of vayne pleasure. the brynging vp of youth. 227 lightlie the worse opinion, and baren of discretion retume out to make trewe difference betwixt good and ill, We^lear- betwixt troth, and vanitie, the fourth, a proude ned and disdainfulnes of other good me, in all honest worse ma- matters. Homere and Plato^ haue both one "^"^^ ' meanyng, looke both to one end. For, if a ma p/^/^- inglutte himself with vanitie, or waiter in filthi- i^ed and ex- nes like a Swyne, all learnyng, all goodnes, is pounded, sone forgotten : Than, quicklie shall he becum A Swyne. a dull Asse, to vnderstand either learnyng or An Asse. honestie : and yet shall he be as sutle as a Foxe, A Foxe. in breedyng of mischief, in bringyng in misorder, with a busie head, a discoursing tog, and a factious harte, in euery priuate affaire, in all matters of state, with this pretie propertie, alwayes glad to commend the worse d(ppo rlomerus, out by man, but giuen and taught by God. And diuinus for some one sake, that will haue delite to read Poeta. P 2 228 "The first booke teachyng that sweete and Godlie Verse, I will recite the very wordes of Homere and also turne them into rude English metre. yaXeirov Se r opvaaetv apSpdat rye dvrjroiai, Oeol Si re iravTa 8vpavrai. In English thus. 2^0 mortall ma^ with sweat of browe^ or toile of minde^ But onely God^ who can do all^ that herhe doth finde. Plato also, that diuine Philosopher, hath many Godly medicines agaynst the poyson of vayne pleasure, in many places, but specially in his Epistles to Dionisius the tyrant of Sicilie ; yet agaynst those, that will nedes becum jjJQ ■ ^ beastes, with seruyng of Circes^ the Prophet Psal ^2 Dauid^ crieth most loude. Noli te fieri sicut equus et mulus : and by and by giueth the right medi- cine, the trewe herbe Moly^ In camo &' freno maxillas eorum constringe^ that is to say, let Gods grace be the bitte, let Gods feare be the bridle, to stay them from runnyng head- long into vice, and to turne them into the right way agayne. Dauid in the second Psalme after, giueth the ' " ' same medicine, but in these plainer wordes, Diuerte a malo^ ^ fac bonum. But I am affraide, that ouer many of our trauelers into Italie^ do not exchewe the way to Circes Court : but go, and ryde, and runne, and flie thether, they make great hast to cum to her : they make great sute to serue her : yea, I could point out some with my finger, that neuer had gone out of England, but onelie to serue Circes^ in Italie. Vanitie and vice, and any licence to ill liuyng in England was counted stale and rude vnto them. And so, beyng Mules and Horses before they went, returned verie Swyne and Asses home agayne : yet euerie where verie Foxes with suttle and busie heades ; and where they may, verie Picture^of w^olues, with cruell malicious hartes. A mer- a knight of uelous monster, which, for filthines of liuyng, for Circes dulnes to learning him selfe, for wilinesse in °^^ ' dealing with others, for malice in hurting without cause, should carie at once in one bodie, the belie of a Swyne, the head of an Asse, the brayne of a Foxe, the wombe of a wolfe. If you thinke, we iudge amisse, and write to sore the brynging vp of youth. 229 against you, heare, what the Italian sayth of the English man, what the master reporteth of the scholer : who vttereth playnlie, what is taught by him, and what lig^s^ju^fje. learned by you, saying, Englese Italianato^ e vn ment of diaholo .incarnato^ that is to say, you remaine men Englishme in shape and facion, but becum deuils in life . '°u^,-' ^^ and condition. This is not, the opinion of one, for some priuate spite, but the iudgement of all, in a common Prouerbe, which riseth, of that learnyng, and those maners, which you gather in Italic : a good Scholehouse jj^^ j^^^. of wholesome doctrine : and worthy Masters of lian diffa- commendable Scholers, where the JVIaster had "^^''^ ^^'^ rather diffame hym selfe for hys teachyng, than shame the not shame his Scholer for his learning. A good Enghshe nature of the maister, and faire conditions of the '^^^• scholers. And now chose you, you Italian English men, whether you will be angrie with vs, for calling you monsters, or with the Italiancs^ for callyng you deuils, or else with your owne selues, that take so much paines, and go so farre, to make your selues both. If some yet do not well vnder- ^^ g stand, what is an English man Italianated, I will lish man plainlie tell him. He, that by liuing, & traueling Italiana- in Italic^ bringeth home into Englad out of Italie^ the Religion, the learning, the policie, the experiece, the maners of Italie. That is to say, for Religion, : c ,• • . . J I 1 I /I Rehgion rapistrie or worse : for learnyng, lesse commonly than they caried out with them : for pollicie, a factious hart, a discoursing head, a mynde to medle in TheK all mens matters : for experience, plentie of new mischieues neuer knowne in England before : for maners, \^ Maners. / varietie of vanities, and chaunge of filthy lyuing. These be the inchantementes of Circes^ brought out of Italie^ to marre mens maners in England : much, by example of ill life, but more by preceptes of fonde y. ,■ bookes, of late translated out of Italian into bokes tras- English, sold in euery shop in London, com- lated into mended by honest titles the soner to corrupt "^ '^ ' honest maners : dedicated ouer boldlie to vertuous and honor- 2 Learn- 3 Pollicie. Uottenin (italie. 4 Experi- ence. 230 The Jirst booke teachyng able personages, the easielier to begile simple and innocet wittes. ^^ It is pitie, that those, which haue authoritie and ■^^^^ charge, to allow and dissalow bookes to be printed, be no more circumspect herein, than they are. Ten Sermons at Paules Crosse do not so moch good for mouyng me to trewe doctrine, as one of those bookes do harme, with inticing men to ill lining. Yea, I say farder, those bookes, tend not so moch to corrupt honest liuyng, as they do, to subuert trewe Religion. Mo Papistes be made, by your mery bookes of Italic^ than by your earnest bookes of Louain. And bicause our great Phisicians, do winke at the matter, and make no counte of this sore, I, though not admitted one of their felowshyp, yet hauyng bene many yeares a prentice to Gods trewe Religion, and trust to continewe a poore iorney man therein all dayes of my life, for the devvtie I owe, & loue I beare, both to trewe doctrine, and honest liuing-, though I haue no authoritie to amend the sore my selfe, yet I will declare my good will, to discouer the sore to others. S. Paul saith, that sectes and ill opinions, be the workes of . , „ . the flesh, and frutes of sinne, this is spoken, no more trewlie for the doctrine, than sensiblie for the reason. And why ? For, ill doinges, breed ill thinkinges. And of corrupted maners, spryng peruerted iudgementes. And how ? there be in man two speciall thinges : Mans will, mans mynde. Where will inclineth to goodnes, the mynde is bent to troth : Where will is caried from goodnes to vanitie, the mynde is sone drawne from troth to false opinion. And so, the readiest way to entangle the mynde with false doctrine, is first to intice the will to wanton liuyng. Therfore, when the busie and open Papistes abroad, could not, by their contentious bookes, turne men in England fast enough, from troth and right iudgement in doctrine, than the sutle and ^^ secrete Papistes at home, procured bawdie bookes ^^^^ to be translated out of the Italian tonge, whereby ouer many yong willes and wittes allured to wantonnes, do now boldly contemne all seuere bookes that sounde to honestie and godlines. In our forefathers tyme, whan Papistrie, as a standyng poole, couered and ouerflowed all England, fewe bookes were read in our tong, sauyng certaine bookes of Cheualrie, as they Voluntas "j ( Bonum V Respicit J Mens j (Verum. the brynging vp of youth. 231 sayd, for pastime and pleasure, which, as some say, were made in Monasteries, by idle Monkes, or wanton Chanons : as one for example, Morte Arthure : the whole pleasure Morte Ar- of which booke standeth in two speciall poyntes, thur. in open mans slaughter, and bold bawdrye : In which booke those be counted the noblest Knightes, that do kill most men without any quarell, and commit fowlest aduoulteries by sutlest shiftes : as Sir Launcelote^ with the wife of king Arthure his master: Syr Tristram with the wife of king Marke his vncle : Syr Lamerocke with the wife of king Lote^ =s^ffl that was his own aunte. This is good stuffe, for ^^ wise men to laughe at, or honest men to take pleasure at. Yet I know, when Gods Bible was banished the Court, and Morte Arthure receiued into the Princes chamber. What toyes, the dayly readyng of such a booke, may worke in the will of a yong ientleman, or a yong mayde, that liueth welthelie and idlelie, wise men can iudge, and honest me do pitie. And yet ten Morte Arthures do not the tenth part so much harme, as one of these bookes, made in Ital'ie^ and translated in =g::5li England. They open, not fond and common ^^"^ wayes to vice, but such subtle, cunnyng, new, and diuerse shiftes, to cary yong willes to vanitie, and yong wittes to mischief, to teach old bawdes new schole poyntes, as the simple head of an English man is not hable to inuent, nor neuer was hard of in England before, yea when Papistrie ouerflowed all. Suffer these bookes to be read, and they shall soone displace all bookes of godly learnyng. For they, carying the will to vanitie, and marryng good maners, shall easily ^^^ corrupt the mynde with ill opinions, and false ^^ iudgement in doctrine : first, to thinke ill of all trewe Religion, and at last to thinke nothyng of God hym selfe, one speciall pointe that is to be learned in Italie^ and Italian =^;:a bookes. And that which is most to be lamented, ^^ and therfore more nedefull to be looked to, there be moe of these vngratious bookes set out in Printe within these fewe monethes, than haue bene sene in England many score yeare before. And bicauise our English men made Italians^ can not hurt, but certaine persons, and in certaine places, therfore these Italian bookes are made English, to bryng mischief enough 232 T" he first booke teachyng openly and boldly, to all states great and meane, yong and old, cuery where. And thus yow see, how will intised to wantonnes, doth easelie allure the mynde to false opinions: and how corrupt maners in liuinge, brcede false iudgement in doctrine: how sinne and fleshlines, bring forth sectes and heresies: And therefore suffer not vaine bookes to breede vanitie in mens willes, if yow would haue Goddes trothe take roote in mens myndes. That Italian, that first inuented the Italian Prouerbe against our Englishe men Italianated, ment no more their rp, J _ vanitie in liuing, than their lewd opinion in lian pro- Religion. For, in calling them Deuiles, he carieth uerbe ex- them cleane from God : and yet he carieth them pounded. ^^ farder, than they willinglie go themselues, that is, where they may freely say their mindes, to the open contempte of God and all godlines, both in liuing and doctrine. And how? I will expresse how, not by a Fable of Homere^ nor by the Philosophic of Plato^ but by a plaine troth of Goddes word, sensiblie vttered by Dauid thus. Thies men, abhominabiles fa^'i in studijs suis^ thinke verily, and singe gladlie the verse before. Dixit itisipiens in Corde ;« loannes oturfnius. He also councelleth all scholers to beware of Paraphrasis^ except it be, from worse to better, from rude and barbarous, to proper and pure latin, and yet no man to exercise that neyther, except soch one, as is alreadie furnished with plentie of learning, and grounded with stedfast iudgement before. All theis faultes, that thus manie wise men do finde with the exercise of Paraphrasis^ in turning the best latin, into other, as good as they can, that is, ye may be sure, into a great deale worse, than it was, both in right choice for proprietie, and trewe placing, for good order is committed also commonlie in all the ready way to the Latin tong. 251 common scholes, by the scholemasters, in tossing and trobling yong wittes (as I sayd in the beginning) with that boocherlie feare in making of Latins. Therefore, in place, of Latines for yong scholers, and of Paraphrasis for the masters, I wold haue double translation specially vsed. For, in double translating a perfite peece of Tullie or Caesar, neyther the scholer in learning, nor y^ Master in teaching can erre. A true tochstone, a sure metwand lieth before both their eyes. For, all right cogruitie : proprietie of wordes: order in sentences: the right imitation, to inuent good matter, to dispose it in good order, to confirme it with good reason, to expresse any purpose fitlie and orderlie, is learned thus, both easelie & perfitlie : Yea, to misse somtyme in this kinde of translation, bringeth more profFet, than to hit right, either in Paraphrasi or making of Latins. For though ye say well, in a latin making, or in a Paraphasis, yet you being but in doute, and vncertayne whether ye saie well or no, ye gather and lay vp in memorie, no sure frute of learning thereby : But if ye fault in translation, ye ar easelie taught, how perhtlie to amende it, and so well warned, how after to exchew, all soch faultes againe. Paraphrasis therefore, by myne opinion, is not meete for Grammer scholes : nor yet verie fitte for yong men in the vniuersitie, vntill studie and tyme, haue bred in them, perfite learning, and stedfast iudgement. There is a kinde of Paraphrasis^ which may be vsed, without all hurt, to moch proffet: but it serueth onely the Greke and not the latin, nor no other tong, as to alter linguam lonicam aut Doricam into meram Atticam : A notable example there is left vnto vs by a notable learned man Diony : Halicarn : who, in his booke, irepl avvrd^eoi'^., doth translate the goodlie storie of Candaules and Gyges in i. Herodoti^ out of lonica lingua, into Atticam. Read the place, and ye shall take, both pleasure and proffet, in conference of it. A man, that is exercised in reading, Thucydides, Xenophon, Plato, and Demosthenes, in vsing to turne, like places of Herodotus, after like sorte, shold shortlie cum to soch a knowledge, in vnderstanding, speaking, and writing the Greeke tong, as fewe or none hath yet atteyned in England. The like exercise out of Dorica lingua may be also vsed, if a man take that litle booke of Plato, Timaus Locrus, de Animo et 252 'The second booke teachyng natura^ which is writte Dorice, and turne it into soch Greeke, as P/ato vseth in other workes. The booke, is but two leaues : and the labor wold be, but two weekes: but surelie the proffet, for easie vnderstanding, and trewe writing the Greeke tonge, wold conteruaile wyth the toile, that som men taketh, in otherwise coldlie reading that tonge, two yeares. And yet, for the latin tonge, and for the exercise of Para- phrasis, in those places of latin, that can not be bettered, if some yong man, excellent of witte, corragious in will, lustie of nature, and desirous to contend euen with the best latin, to better it, if he can, surelie I commend his forwardnesse, and for his better instruction therein, I will set before him, as notable an example of Paraphrasisy as is in Record of learning. Cicero him selfe, doth contend, in two sondrie places, to expresse one matter, with diuerse wordes : and that is Parap/jrasis^ saith Quintillian. The matter I suppose, is taken out of Panatins ; and therefore being translated out of Greeke at diuers times, is vttered for his purpose, with diuers wordes and formes: which kinde of exercise, for perfite learned men, is verie profitable. 2. De Finib. a. Homo enim Rationem habet a natura menti datam quce^ i^ causas rerum et consecutiones videt, ^ simi/itudineSy transfert, &' disiunSfa coniungit^ ^ cum prceseyitibus futura copulaty omnema compleSiitur vitce consequentis statum. b. Eademg ratio facit hominem hominum appetentem^ cuma his^ natura^ y sermone in vsu congruentem : vt profe£ius a caritate domesticoru ac suorum^ currat longiuSy is' se implicet^ prima Ciuiiiy deinde omnium mortalium societati : vta non sihi soli se natH rneminerity sed patrice^ sed suisy vt exigua pars ipsi relinquatur. c. Et quonid eadem natura cupiditatem ingenuit homini veri inueniendi, quod faciUime apparet^ cum vacui curis, etiam quid in coelo fiat^ scire auemuSy iffc. I. Officiorum. a. Homo autemy qui rationis est particepSy per quam conse- quentia cernity ^ causas rerum videty earumg progressuSy et quasi antecessiones non ignoraty similitudineSy comparaty rebusg prcescntibus adiungity ata anne^fit futuraSy facile totius vita cursum videty ad the ready way to the Latin tong. 253 eamque degendam praparat res necessarias. b. Eademg natura vi rationis hominem concU'iat hom'in'i^ i^f ad Orationis^ iff ad vittx societatem : ingenerata imprimis prcecipuum qiiendam amorem in eos, qui procreati sunt^ impeUitg vt hominum coetus iff celebrari inter se, iff sibi obediri velit^ oh easg causas studeat parare ea^ quce suppeditcnt ad cultum iff ad vidfum, nee sibi soli^ sed coniugiy liberisy cieterisa quos charos habeat^ tueria debeat. c. Qua cura exsuscitat etiam animoSy iff maiores ad rem gerendam facit : impri- niisg hominis est propria veri inquisitio atg inuestigatio : ita cum sumus neceffarijs negocijs curisg vacui^ turn auemus aliquid videre^ audire^ addiscere, cognitionemg rerum mirabilium. iffc. The conference of these two places, conteinyng so excellent a peece of learning, as this is, expressed by so worthy a witte, as Tullies was, must needes bring great pleasure and proffit to him, that maketh trew counte, of learning and honestie. But if we had the Greke Author, the first Patterne of all, and therby to see, how Tullies witte did worke at diuerse tymes, how, out of one excellent Image, might be framed two other, one in face and fauor, but somwhat differing in forme, figure, and color, surelie, such a peece of workemanship compared with the Paterne it selfe, would better please the ease of honest, wise, and learned myndes, tha two of the fairest Venusses, that euer Apelles made. And thus moch, for all kinde of Paraphrasis^ fitte or vnfit, for Scholers or other, as I am led to thinke, not onelie, by mine owne experience, but chiefly by the authoritie «& iudgement of those, whom I my selfe would gladliest folow, and do counsell all myne to do the same : not contendyng with any other, that will otherwise either thinke or do. Metaphrasis. This kinde of exercise is all one with Paraphrasis, saue it is out of verse, either into prose, or into some other kinde of meter : or els, out of prose into verse, which was Socrates exercise and pastime (as Plato reporteth) phLdo" when he was in prison, to translate Msopes Fabules into verse. Quintilian doth greatlie praise also this exercise: but bicause Tullie doth disalow it in yong men, by myne opinion, it were not well to vse it in Grammer Scholes, euen 254 ^^^ second booke teachyng for the selfe same causes, that be recited against Paraphrasis. And therfore, for the vse, or misuse of it, the same is to be thought, that is spoken of Paraphrasis before. This was Su/pltius exercise: and he gathering vp therby, a Poeticall kinde of talke, is iustlie named of Cicero^ grandis et Tragicus Orator: which I think is spoken, not for his praise, but for other mens warning, to exchew the hke faulte. Yet neuertheles, if our Scholemaster for his owne instruction, is desirous, to see a perfite example hereof, I will recite one, which I thinke, no man is so bold, will say, that he can amend it: & that is Chrises the Priestes Oration to the Grekes^ in the beginnyng of Homers I/ias^ turned excellentlie ^' ^' '^' into prose by Socrates him selfe, and that aduised- He and purposelie for other to folow : and therfore he calleth this exercise, in the same place, /it/AT^trt?, that is, hnitatio^ which is most trew: but, in this booke, for teachyng sake, I will name it Metaphrasis^ reteinyng the word, that all teachers, in this case, do vse. Homerus. I. 'iXtaS, 7a/o r]\Oe doa^ eVi vrja^; 'A'^ulmv, Xvaofjievo^ re OvyaTpa, (pepwv t aTrepeicrt cnroiva, arefxfjiaT e')(^ci)v iv ■^epalv eKrj^oXov 'AttoWcoi^os', Ypvaeo) ava aKyjirrpw' Koi iXicraero iravTaq ^A'x^aiov'i, ArpelSa Se ixaXiaTa Svco, KoafxijTope Xacbv. ATpelSat T€, KoX aWoL evKV)]/j,i.Se'i 'A^j^atol, v/jl2v fxev 6eol Solev, ^OXvfMTTta Bco/mar e^oj/re?, eKTrepaai YLpidfMOio ttoXlv, ev h ocKaS' iKecrdaf TraiSa 8' e/xot \vaai re (^(Xrjv, rd r airoLva Se^ecrOat, d^o/xevoi Ai09 v'lov eKij^oXov AiroWaiva. €vd' dWoc fjiev 7rdvTeaT • eBBetaev 8' 6 'yepwv, koI iireidero ^v6(p • ^rj S' cLKewv irapa diva TroXv^Xoia^oio OaXdaaiTi, TToXKa S' €7retT airdvevde Kitbv rjpdd' 6 'yepaio'i AttoWcovl dvaKTL, top 7)vko/xo<; reKe A.7)T(0' kKvOl fiev, apyvpoTo^ , 09 Xpvarjv dfj.(f)i^e^r]>cayo)'ye irpecr/Seveiv iroXv, ^vvai rov avhpa irdvr iTrtaTtjfMrj'i irXicov : 2. Ei S' ovv (' ^ . ' -'^ •^ yContentionem. As, the Dialoges of Plato^ Xenophon^ and Cicero : of which kinde of learnyng, and right Imitation therof, Carohs Sigonius hath written of late, both learnedlie and eloquentlie : but best of all my frende loan. Sturtnius in hys Commentaries vpon Gorgias Platonh^ which booke I haue in writyng, and is not yet set out in Print. [Hum'ile. Oratonum in -, Mediocre. \ Sublime. Examples of these three, in the Greke tong, be plentiful! & perfite, as Lycias, Isocrates, and Demosthenes: and all three, in onelie Demosthenes^ in diuerse orations "^"-f- as contra Olimpiodorum^ in leptinem^ iif pro Ctesi- phonte. And trew it is, that Hermogines writeth of De}nosthe>i€s^ that all formes of Eloquence be perfite in him. In Ciceroes Orations, IHediimi ^ suhlimc be most excellentlie handled, but Humile in his Orations, is seldome sene : yet neuerthelesse in other bookes, as in some part of his offices, & specially in Partitionibus^ he is comparable in hoc humili & disciplinabili genere^ euen with the best that euer 2 86 T'he second booke teachyng wrote in Greke. But of Cicero more fullie in fitter place. And thus, the trew difference of stiles, in euerie Author, and euerie kinde of learnyng may easelie be knowne by this diuision. in Genus ' Poeticum. Histoi'icum. Philosophicum. Oratorium. Which I thovight in this place to touch onelie, not to prosecute at large, bicause, God willyng, in the Latin tong, I will fullie handle it, in my booke de Imitatione. Now, to touch more particularlie, which of those Authors, that be now most commonlie in mens handes, will sone afFourd you some peece of Eloquence, and what maner a peece of eloquence, and what is to be liked and folowed, and what to be misliked and eschewed in them : and how some agayne will furnish you fully withall, rightly, and wisely considered, som- what I will write as I haue heard Syr Ihon Cheke many tymes say. The Latin tong, concerning any part of purenesse of it, from the spring, to the decay of the same, did not endure moch longer, than is the life of a well aged man, scarse one hundred yeares from the tyme of the last Scipio Jfricanus and Ltelius^ to the Empire of Augustus. And it is notable, that f^elleius Pater- culus writeth of Tw/AV, how that the perfection of eloquence did so remayne onelie in him and in his time, as before him, were few, which might moch delight a man, or after him any, worthy admiration, but soch as TuUie might haue scene, and such as might haue scene TuUie. And good cause why : for no perfec- tion is durable. Encrease hath a time, & decay likewise, but all perfit ripenesse remaineth but a momet: as is plainly seen in fruits, plummes and cherries : but more sensibly in flowers, as Roses li such like, and yet as trewlie in all greater matters. For what naturallie, can go no hier, must naturallie yeld & stoupe againe. Of this short tyme of any purenesse of the Latin tong, for the first fortie yeare of it, and all the tyme before, we haue no peece of learning left, saue Plautus and Terence., with a litle rude vnperfit pamflet of the elder Cato. And as for Plautus., except the scholemaster be able to make wise and ware choice. the ready way to the Latin tong. 287 first in proprietie of wordes, than in framing of Phrases and sentences, and chieflie in choice of honestie of matter, your scholer were better to play, the learne all that is in him. But surelie, if iudgement for the tong, and direction for the maners, be wisely ioyned with the diligent reading of Plautus^ than trewlie Plautus, for that purenesse of the Latin tong in Rome, whan Rome did most florish in wel doing, and so thereby, in well speaking also, is soch a plentifull storehouse, for common eloquence, in meane matters, and all priuate mens affaires, as the Latin tong, for that respect, hath not the like agayne. Whan I remember the worthy tyme of Rome, wherein Plantus did liue, I must nedes honor the talke of that tyme, which we see Plautus doth vse. Terence is also a storehouse of the same tong, for an other tyme, following soone after, & although he be not so fijll & plentiful as Plautus is, for multitude of matters, & diuersitie of wordes, yet his wordes, be chosen so purelie, placed so orderly, and all his stuffe so neetlie packed vp, and wittely compassed in euerie place, as, by all wise mens iudgement, he is counted the cunninger workeman, and to haue his shop, for the rowme that is in it, more finely appointed, and trimlier ordered, than Plautus is. Three thinges chiefly, both in Plautus and Terence^ are to be specially considered. The matter, the vtterance, the words, the meter. The matter in both, is altogether within the compasse of the meanest mens maners, and doth not stretch to any thing of any great weight at all, but standeth chiefly in vtteryng the thoughtes and conditions of hard fathers, foolish mothers, vnthrifty yong men, craftie seruantes, sotle bawdes, and wilie harlots, and so, is moch spent, in finding out fine fetches, and packing vp pelting matters, soch as in London commonlie cum to the hearing of the Masters of Bridewell. Here is base stuffe for that scholer, that should becum hereafter, either a good minister in Religion, or a Ciuill lentleman in seruice of his Prince and contrie : except the preacher do know soch matters to confute them, whan ignorance surelie in all soch thinges were better for a Ciuill lentleman, than knowledge. And thus, for matter, both Plautus and Terence^ be like meane painters, that worke by halfes, and be cunning onelie, in making the worst part of the picture, as if one were skilfull in painting 288 The second booke teachyng the bodie of a naked person, from the naucll downward, but nothing else. For word and speach, Plautus is more plentifull, and Terence more pure and proper : And for one respect, Terence is to be embraced aboue all that euer wrote in hys kinde of argument : Bicause it is well known, by good recorde of learning, and that by Ciceroes owne witnes that some Comedies bearyng Terence name, were written by worthy Scipio, and wise L^elius, and namely Heauton : and Adelphi. And therefore as oft as I reade those Comedies, so oft doth sound in myne eare, the pure fine talke of Rome, which was vsed by the floure of the worthiest nobilitie that euer Rome bred. Let the wisest man, and best learned that liueth, read aduisedlie ouer, the first scene of Heauton^ and the first scene of Adelphi^ and let him consideratlie iudge, whether it is the talke of a seruile stranger borne, or rather euen that milde eloquent wise speach, which Cicero in Brutus doth so liuely expresse in Lalius. And yet neuerthelesse, in all this good proprietie of wordes, and purenesse of phrases which be in Terence^ ye must not follow him alwayes in placing of them, bicause for the meter sake, some wordes in him, somtyme, be driuen awrie, which require a straighter placing in plaine prose, if ye will forme, as I would ye should do, your speach and writing, to that excellent perfitnesse, which was onely in Tullie^ or onelie in Tullics tyme. The meter and verse oi Plautus and TerencehQ verie meane, and not to be followed : which is not their reproch, Meter in ^ j^ ^ j ^f jj^g tyme, wherein they wrote, whan Terence. no kmde or roetrie, m the Latin tong, was brought to perfection, as doth well appeare in the fragmentes of Enn'ius^ Ccec'iUus^ and others, and euidentlie in Plautus Sc Terence., if thies in Latin be compared with right skil, with Homer., Euripidesy Aristophanes., and other in Grceke of like sort. Cicero him selfe doth complaine of this vnperfitnes, but more plainly Quiniilian., saying, in Coma^dia niaxime claudicamus., et vix leuem consequimur vmbram : and most earnestly of all Horace in Arte Poetica., which he doth namely propter carmen lamhicutn., and referreth all good studentes herein to the Imitation of the Greeke tong, saying. Exemplaria Graca noSiurna versate manu., versate diurna. the ready way to the Latin tong. 289 This matter maketh me gladly remember, my sweete tyme spent at Cambrige, and the pleasant talke which I had oft with M. Cheke^ and M. Watson^ of this fault, not onely in the olde Latin Poets, but also in our new English Rymers at this day. They wished as Virgil and Horace were not wedded to follow the faultes of former fathers (a shrewd mariage in greater matters) but by right Imitation of the perfit Grecias, had brought Poetrie to perfitnesse also in the Latin tong, that we Englishmen likewise would acknowledge and vnderstand right- fully our rude beggerly ryming, brought first into Italic by Gothes and Hunnes^ whan all good verses and all good learning to, were destroyd by them : and after caryed into France and Germanic : and at last receyued into England by men of excellent wit in deede, but of small learning, and lesse iudge- ment in that behalfe. But now, when men know the difference, and haue the examples, both of the best, and of the worst, surelie, to follow rather the Gothes in Ryming, than the Greekes in trew versifiyng, were euen to eate ackornes with swyne, when we may freely eate wheate bread emonges men. In deede, Cbauser, Th. Norton^ of Bristow, my L. of Surrey, M. Wiat^ Th. Phaer^ and other lentlemen, sn translating Ouide, Pa/ingenius, and Seneca, haue gonne as farre to their great praise, as the copie they followed could cary them, but, if soch good wittes, and forward diligence, had bene directed to follow the best examples, and not haue bene caryed by tyme and custome, to content themselues with that barbarous and rude Ryming, emonges their other worthy praises, which they haue iustly deserued, this had not bene the least, to be counted emonges men of learning and skill, more like vnto the Grecians, than vnto the Gothians, in handling of their verse. In deed, our English tong, hauing in vse chiefly, wordes of one syllable which commonly be long, doth not well receiue the nature of Carmen Heroicum, bicause da^ylus, the aptest foote for that verse, coteining one long & two short, is seldom there- fore found in English : and doth also rather stumble than stand vpon Monosyllabis. Quintilian in hys learned Chapiter c^-« de Compositione, geueth this lesson de Monosyllabis, "^^ before me : and in the same place doth iustlie inuey against all Ryming, that if there be any, who be angrie with me, for 290 T'he second booke teachyng misliking of Ryming, may be angry for company to, with QuintiUan also, for the same thing : And yet Quintilian had not so iust cause to mislike of it than, as me haue at this day. And although Carmen Exametrum doth rather trotte and hoble, than runne smothly in our English tong, yet I am sure, our English tong will receiue carmen lambicum as naturallie, as either Greke or Latin. But for ignorance, men ca not like, & for idlenes, men will not labor, to cum to any perfitenes at all. For, as the worthie Poetes in Athens and Rome., were more carefull to satisfie the iudgement of one learned, than rashe in pleasing the humor of a rude multitude, euen so if men in England now, had the like reuerend regard to learning skill and iudgement, and durst not presume to write, except they came with the like learnyng, and also did vse like diligence, in searchyng out, not onelie iust measure in euerie meter, as euerie ignorant person may easely do, but also trew quantitie in euery foote and sillable, as onelie the learned shalbe able to do, and as the Grekes and Romanes were wont to do, surelie than rash ignorant heads, which now can easely recken vp fourten sillables, and easelie stumble on euery Ryme, either durst not, for lacke of such learnyng : or els would not, in auoyding such labor, be ■_^-^^ so busie, as euerie where they be : and shoppes in *^ London should not be so full of lewd and rude rymes, as commonlie they are. But now, the ripest of tong, be readiest to write : And many dayly in setting out bookes and balettes make great shew of blossomes and buddes, in whom is neither, roote of learning, nor frute of wisedome at all. Some that make Chaucer in English and Petrarch in Italian., their Gods in verses, and yet be not able to make trew difference, what is a fault, and what is a iust prayse, in those two worthie wittes, will moch mislike this my writyng. But such men be euen like followers of Chaucer and Petrarke., as one here in England did folow Syr Tho. More : who, being most vnlike vnto him, in wit and learnyng, neuertheles in wearing his gowne awrye vpon the one shoulder, as Syr Tho. More was wont to do, would nedes be counted lyke vnto him. This mislikyng of Ryming, beginneth not now of any newfangle singularitie, but hath bene long misliked of many, and that of men, of greatest learnyng, and deepest iudgemet. And soch, that defend it, do so, either for lacke of knowledge the ready way to the Latin tong. 291 what is best, or els of verie enuie, that any should performe that in learnyng, whereunto they, as I sayd before, either for ignorance, can not, or for idlenes will not, labor to attaine vnto. And you that prayse this Ryming, bicause ye neither haue reason, why to like it, nor can shew learning to defend it, yet I will helpe you, with the authoritie of the oldest and learnedst tyme. In Grece^ whan Poetrie was euen at the hiest pitch of per- fitnes, one Simmias Rhodius of a certaine singularitie wrote a booke in ryming Greke verses, naming it woi/, conteyning the fable, how lupiter in likenes of a swan, gat that egge vpon Leda, whereof came Castor^ Pollux and faire Elena. This booke was so liked, that it had iew to read it, but none to folow it : But was presentlie contemned : and sone after, both Author and booke, so forgotten by men, and consumed by tyme, as scarse the name of either is kept in memorie of learnyng: And the like folic was neuer folowed of any, many hondred yeares after vntill ye Hunnes and Gothians^ and other barbarous nations, of ignorance and rude singularitie, did reuiue the same folie agayne. The noble Lord Th. Earle of Surrey, first of all English men, in traslating the fourth booke of Virgill: The Earle of and Gonsaluo Periz that excellent learned man, Surrey. and Secretarie to kyng Philip of Spaine, in Gonsaluo translating the Vlisses of Homer out of Greke into Pe>-iz- Spanish^ haue both, by good iudgement, auoyded the fault of Ryming, yet neither of them hath fullie hite perfite and trew versifiyng. In deede, they obserue iust number, and euen feete : but here is the fault, that their feete : be feete without ioyntes, that is to say, not distinct by trew quantitie of sillables: And so, soch feete, be but numme feete : and be, eue as vnfitte for a verse to turne and runne roundly withall, as feete of brasse or wood be vnweeldie to go well withall. And as a foote of wood, is a plaine shew of a manifest maime, euen so feete, in our English versifiing, without quatitie and ioyntes, be sure signes, that the verse is either, borne deformed, vnnaturall and lame, and so verie vnseemlie to looke vpon, except to men that be gogle eyed the selues. The spying of this fault now is not the curiositie of English eyes, but euen the good iudgement also of the best ^^„^j.^ that write in these dayes in Italie : and namelie of Felke that worthie Senese Felice Figliucci^ who, writyng FigUucci. T 2 292 T'he second booke teachyng vpon Aristotles Ethickes so excellentlie in Italian^ as neuer did yet any one in myne opinion either in Greke or Latin^ amongest other thynges doth most earnestlie inuey agaynst the rude ryming of verses in that tong : And whan soeuer he expresseth Aristotles preceptes, with any example, out of Homer or Euripides^ he translateth them, not after the Rymes of Petrarke^ but into soch kinde of perfite verse, with like feete and quantitic of sillables, as he found them before in the Greke tonge : ex- hortyng earnestlie all the Italian nation, to leaue of their rude barbariousnesse in ryming, and folow diligently the excellent Greke and Latin examples, in trew versifiyng. And you, that be able to vnderstand no more, then ye finde in the Italian tong : and neuer went farder than the schole of Petrarke and Ariostus abroad, or els of Chaucer at home though you haue pleasure to wander blindlie still in your foule wrong way, enuie not others, that seeke, as wise men haue done before them, the fairest and rightest way : or els, beside the iust reproch of malice, wisemen shall trewlie iudge, that you do so, as I haue sayd and say yet agayne vnto you, bicause, either, for idlenes ye will not, or for ignorance ye can not, cum by no better your selfe. And therfore euen as Virgill and Horace deserue most worthie prayse, that they spying the vnperfitnes in Ennius and Plautus^ by trew Imitation of Homer and Euripides^ brought Poetrie to the same perfitnes in Latin ^ as it was in Greke^ euen so those, that by the same way would benefite their tong and contrey, deserue rather thankes than disprayse in that behalfe. And I reioyce, that euen poore England preuented Italic^ first in spying out, than in seekyng to amend this fault in learnyng. And here, for my pleasure I purpose a litle, by the way, to play and sporte with my Master Tully : from whom commonlie I am neuer wont to dissent. He him selfe, for this point of learnyng, in his verses doth halt a litle by his leaue. He could not denie it, if he were aliue, nor those defend hym now that _ ... loue him best. This fault I lay to his charge : saying a- bicause once it pleased him, though somwhat gainst Eng- merelie, yet oueruncurteslie, to rayle vpon poore ^^^^' England, obiecting both, extreme beggerie, and the ready way to the Latin tong. 293 mere barbariousnes vnto it, writyng thus vnto his frend Atticus : There is not one scruple of siluer in that whole ^d Att. Isle, or any one that knoweth either learnyng or Lib. iv. Ep. letter. ^^■ But now master Cicero^ blessed be God, and his sonne lesu Christ, whom you neuer knew, except it were as it pleased him to lighten you by some shadow, as couertlie in one place ye cofesse sayinp; : yeritatis tantum vmbra consectamur, as your Master Plato did before you : blessed be ' God, I say, that sixten hudred yeare after you were dead and gone, it may trewly be sayd, that for siluer, there is more cumlie plate, in one Citie of England, than is in foure of the proudest Cities in all Italie^ and take Kome for one of them. And for learnyng, beside the knowledge of all learned tongs and liberall sciences, euen your owne bookes Cicero^ be as well read, and your excellent eloquence is as well liked and loued, and as trewlie folowed in England at this day, as it is now, or euer was, sence your owne tyme, in any place of Italie^ either at Arpinum^ where ye were borne, or els at Rome where ye were brought vp. And a litle to brag with you Cicero^ where you your selfe, by your leaue, halted in some point of learnyng in your owne tong, many in England at this day go streight vp, both in trewe skill, and right doing therein. This I write, not to reprehend Tullie^ whom, aboue all other, I like and loue best, but to excuse Terence^ because in his tyme, and a good while after, Poetrie was neuer perfited in Latin^ vntill by trew Imitation of the Grecians, it was at length brought to perfection : And also thereby to exhorte the goodlie wittes of England, which apte by nature, & willing by desire, geue the selues to Poetrie, that they, rightly vnderstanding the barbarous bringing in of Rymes, would labor, as Virgil and Horace did in Latin, to make perfit also this point of learning, in our English tong. And thus much for Plautus and Terence^ for matter, tong, and meter, what is to be followed, and what to be exchewed in them. After Plautus and Terence^ no writing remayneth vntill Tullies tyme, except a fewe short fragmentes of L. Crassus excellent wit, here and there recited of Cicero for example sake, whereby the louers of learnyng may the more lament the losse of soch a worthie witte. 294 '^^^ second booke teachyng And although the Latin tong did faire blome and blossome in L. Crassus^ and M. Antonius^ yet in TidUes tyme onely, and in Tullie himselfe chieflie, was the Latin tong fullie ripe, and growne to the hiest pitch of all perfection. And yet in the same tyme, it began to fade and stoupe, as Tullie him selfe, in Brutus de Claris Oratoribus^ with weeping wordes doth witnesse. And bicause, emongs them of that tyme, there was some difference, good reason is, that of them of that tyme, should be made right choice also. And yet let the best Ciceronian in Italic read TuUies familiar epistles aduisedly ouer, and I beleue he shall finde small difference, for the Latin tong, either in propriety of wordes or framing of the stile, betwixt Tullie^ and those that write vnto him. As ser, Sulpitius^ A. Cccinna^ M. Ccelius^ M. et D. Bruti^ A. PoUio^ L. Plancus^ and diuerse Epi. Planci Other : read the epistles of L. Plancus in x. Lib. X. lib. Epist. and for an assay, that Epistle namely to the Coss. 8- and whole Senate., the eight Epistle in number, and what could be, eyther more eloquentlie, or more wiselie written, yea by Tullie himselfe, a man may iustly doubt. Thies men and Tullie^ liued all in one tyme, were like in authoritie, not vnlike in learning and studie, which might be iust causes of this their equalitie in writing : And yet surely, they neyther were in deed, nor yet were counted in mens opinions, equall with Tullie in that facultie. And how is the difference hid in his Epistles ? verelie, as the cunning of an expert Sea man, in a faire calme fresh Ryuer, doth litle differ from the doing of a meaner workman therein, euen so, in the short cut of a priuate letter, where, matter is common, wordes easie, and order not moch diuerse, small shew of difference can appeare. But where Tullie doth set vp his saile of eloquence, in some broad deep Argument, caried with full tyde and winde, of his witte and learnyng, all other may rather stand and looke after him, than hope to ouertake him, what course so euer he hold, either in faire or foule. Foure men onely whan the Latin tong was full ripe, be left vnto vs, who in that tyme did florish, and did leaue to posteritie, the fruite of their witte and learning : Farro., Salust, C^sar^ and Cicero. Whan I say, these foure onely, I am not ignorant, that euen in the same tyme, most excellent Poetes, deseruing well of the Latin tong, as Lucretius, the ready way to the Latin tong. 295 Cattullus^ Virgin and Horace^ did write: But, bicause, in this litle boolce, I purpose to teach a yong scholer, to go, not to daunce: to speake, not to sing, whan Poetes in deed, namelie Epici and Lyrici^ as these be, are fine dauncers, and trime singers, but Oratores and Historici be those cumlie goers, and faire and wise speakers, of whom I wishe my scholer to wayte vpon first, and after in good order, & dew tyme, to be brought forth, to the singing and dauncing schole : And for this consi- deration, do I name these foure, to be the oneHe writers of that tyme. 1 Varro. Varro^ in his bookes de lingua Latina^ et Analogia as these be left mangled and patched vnto vs, doth not enter there in to any great depth of eloquence, but as one caried in a small low vessell him selfe verie nie the common shore, not much vnlike the fisher me of Rye, and Hering men of Yarmouth. Who deserue by common mens opinion, small commendacion, for any cunning saling at all, yet neuertheles in those bookes of Varro good and necessarie stuffe, for that meane kinde of Argument, be verie well and learnedlie gathered togither. His bookes of Husbandrie, are moch to be regarded, and diligentlie to be read, not onelie for the proprietie, but also for the plentie of good wordes, in all t^^ .-^P" contrey and husbandmens affaires: which can not be had, by so good authoritie, out of any other Author, either of so good a tyme, or of so great learnyng, as out of Varro. And yet bicause, he was fourescore yeare old, whan he wrote those bookes, the forme of his style there compared with TulUes writyng, is but euen the talke of a spent old man : whose wordes commonlie fall out of his mouth, though verie wiselie, yet hardly and coldie, and more heauelie also, than some eares can well beare, except onelie for age, and authorities sake. And perchance, in a rude contrey argument, of purpose and iudge- ment, he rather vsed, the speach of the contrey, than talke of the Citie. And so, for matter sake, his wordes sometyme, be somewhat rude: and by the imitation of the elder Cato^ old and out of vse: 296 I' he second booke teachyng And beyng depe stept in age, by negligence some wordes do so scape & fall from him in those bookes, as be not worth the taking vp, by him, that is carefiill to speake or (-.^ ■ ^j' write trew Latin, as that sentence in him, Romania in pace a rusticis alebantur^ et in hello ab his tuebantur. A good student must be therfore carefull and diligent, to read with iudgement ouer euen those Authors, which did write in the most perlite tyme: and let him not be afFrayd to trie them, both in proprietie of wordes, and forme of style, by the touch stone of Caesar and Cicero^ whose puritie was neuer soiled, no not by the sentence of those, that loued them worst. All louers of learnyng may sore lament the losse of those rru 1 bookes of Farro, which he wrote in his vong and The loue . • , j 1 j \ ^ of Var- lustie yeares, with good leysure, and great learnyng roes of all partes of Philosophic: of the goodliest argu- es. mentes, perteyning both to the common wealth, and priuate life of man, as, de Ratione studij^ et educandis liberis, which booke, is oft recited, and moch praysed, in the fragmentes of Nonius^ euen for authoritie sake. He wrote most diligentlie and largelie, also the whole historic of the state of Ro?ne: the mysteries of their whole Religion: their lawes, customes, and gouernement in peace: their maners, and whole discipline in warre: And this is not my gessing, as one in deed that neuer saw those bookes, but euen, the verie iudgement, & playne testimonie of Tullie him selfe, who knew & read those bookes, in these wordes: 'Tu cetatem Patrice: Tu descriptiones temporum: Tu sacrorum^ tu sacerdotum lura : Tu domesticam^ Q ^^ ' tu bellicam disciplinam : Tu sedem Regionum^ locorum^ tu omnium diuinarurn humanarumg^ reru nomina^ genera^ ojfficia^ causas aperuisti. i^c. But this great losse of Varro^ is a litle recompensed by the happy comming of Dionysius Halicarnassceus to Rotne in Augustus dayes: who getting the possession of Varros librarie, out of that treasure house of learning, did leaue vnto vs some frute of Varros witte and diligence, I meane, his goodlie bookes de Antiquitatibus Romanorum. Varro was so estemed for his excellent learnyng, as Tullie him selfe had a reuerence to his iudgement in all doutes of learnyng. And Cic. ad Antonius Triumuir, his enemie, and of a contrarie A 4-f ^ 7 ^ 1 faction, who had power to kill and bannish whom the ready way to the Latin tong. 297 he listed, whan Varros name amongest others was brought in a schedule vnto him, to be noted to death, he tooke his penne and wrote his warrant of sauegard with these most goodlie wordes, V'luat Varro v'lr doSiissimiis. In later tyme, no man knew better, nor liked and loued more Farros learnyng, than did S. Augustine^ as they do well vnderstand, that haue diligentlie read ouer his learned bookes de Ciidtate Dei: Where he hath this most notable sentece : Whan I see, how much Varro wrote, I meruell much, that euer he had any leasure to read : and whan I perceiue how many thinges he read, I meruell more, that euer he had any leasure to write. &c. And surelie, if Farros bookes had remained to posteritie, as by Gods prouidence, the most part of Tullies did, than trewlie the Latin tong might haue made good comparison with the Greke. Saluste. Sa/ust^ is a wise and worthy writer : but he requireth a learned Reader, and a right considerer of him. My dearest frend, and best master that euer I had -S^^^^^- or heard in learning, Syr /. Cheke^ soch a man, as Syr lohn if I should Hue to see England breed the like Chekes againe, I feare, I should liue ouer long, did once and coun- giue me a lesson for Salust^ which, as I shall neuer sell for rea- forget my selfe, so is it worthy to be remembred ^y"g ^^ of all those, that would cum to perfite iudgement of the Latin tong. He said, that Salust was not verie fitte for yong men, to learne out of him, the puritie of the Latin tong : because, he was not the purest in proprietie of wordes, nor choisest in aptnes of phrases, nor the best in framing of sentences : and therefore is his writing, sayd he neyther plaine for the matter, nor sensible for mens vnderstanding. And what is the cause thereof, Syr, quoth L Verilie said he, bicause in Salust writing, is more Arte than nature, and more labor than Arte : and in his labor also, to moch toyle, as it were, with an vncontented care to write better than he could, a fault common to very many men. And therefore he doth not expresse the matter liuely and naturally with common speach as ye see Xenophon doth in Greeke, but it is caried and driuen forth 298 The second booke teachyng artificialHe, after to learned a sorte, as Thucydides doth in his orations. And how cummeth it to passe, sayd I, that Casar and Ciceroes talke, is so natural! & plaine, and Salust writing so artificiall and darke, whan all they three lined in one tyme ? I will freelie tell you my fansie herein, said he : surely, Ccesar and Cicero^ beside a singular prerogatiue of naturall eloquence geuen vnto them by God, both two, by vse of life, were daylie orators emonges the common people, and greatest councellers in the Senate house : and therefore gaue themselues to vse soch speach as the meanest should well vnderstand, and the wisest best allow : folowing carefullie that good councell of Aristotle^ loquendum vt multi^ sapiendum vt pauci. Salust was no soch man, neyther for will to goodnes, nor skill by learning : but ill geuen by nature, and made worse by bringing vp, spent the most part of his yougth very misorderly in ryot and lechery. In the company of soch, who, neuer geuing theyr mynde to honest doyng, could neuer inure their tong to wise speaking. But at last cummyng to better yeares, and hying witte at the dearest hand, that is, by long experience of the hurt and shame that commeth of mischeif, moued, by the councell of them that were wise, and caried by the example of soch as were good, first fell to honestie of life, and after to the loue of studie and learning : and so became so new a man, that Caesar being dictator, made him Pretor in Numidia where he absent from his contrie, and not inured with the common talke of Rome, but shut vp in his studie, and bent wholy to reading, did write the storie of the Romanes. And for the better accomplishing of the same, he red Cato and Piso in Latin for gathering of matter and troth : and Thucydides in Greeke for the order of his storie, and furnishing of his style. Cato (as his tyme required) had more troth for the matter, than eloquence for the style. And so Salust^ by gathering troth out of Cato^ smelleth moch of the roughnes of his style : euen as a man that eateth garlike for helth, shall cary away with him the sauor of it also, whether he will or not. And yet the vse of old wordes is not the greatest cause of Salustes roughnes and darknesse : There be in Salust y ., g some old wordes in deed as patrare helium^ duSiare Cap. 3. exercitum^ well noted by Quintilian^ and verie De Orna- much misliked of him : and supplkium for suppli- "■ catio^ a word smellyng of an older store, than the the ready way to the Latin tong. 299 other two so misliked by Quint : And yet is that word also in Varro^ speaking of Oxen thus, boms ad v'Uiimas faciunt^ at a ad Deorum suppUcia : and a few old wordes mo. Read Saluste and TulUe aduisedly together : and in wordes ye shall finde small difference : yea Salust is more geuen to new wordes, than to olde, though som olde writers say the contrarie : as Claritudo for Gloria : exaSi} for perfecle : Facund'ia for eloquentia. Thies two last wordes exaife and facund'ia now in euery mans mouth, be neuer (as I do remember) vsed of TulUe^ and therefore I thinke they be not good : For surely TuUie speaking euery where so moch of the matter of eloquence, would not so precisely haue absteyned from the word Facund'ia^ if it had bene good : that is proper for the tong, & common for mens vse. I could be long, in reciting many soch like, both olde & new wordes in Salust : but in very dede neyther oldnes nor newnesse of wordes maketh the greatest difference The cause why betwixt Salust and Tullie^ but first strange phrases Salust is not made of good Latin wordes, but framed after the Tully. Greeke tonge, which be neyther choisly borowed of them, nor properly vsed by him : than, a hard composition and crooked framing of his wordes and sentences, as a man would say, English talke placed and framed outlandish like. As for example first in phrases, nimius et animus be two vsed wordes, yet homo nimius animi^ is an vnused phrase. Vulgus^ et amat^ et fieri^ be as common and well known wordes as may be in the Latin tong, yet id quod vulgb amat fieri^ for solet fieri ^ is but a strange and grekish kind of writing. Ingens et vires be proper wordes, yet vir ingens virium is an vnproper kinde of speaking and so be likewise, {^ger consilij. promptissimus belli, territus animi. and many soch like phrases in Salust^ borowed as I sayd not choisly out of Greeke, and vsed therefore vnproperlie in Latin. Againe, in whole sentences, where the matter is good, the wordes proper and plaine, yet the sense is hard and darke, and namely in his prefaces and orations, wherein he vsed most labor, which fault is likewise in Thucydides in Greeke, of whom Salust hath taken the greatest part of his darkenesse. For 300 The secotid booke teachyng Thucydides likewise wrote his storie, not at home in Grece, but abrode in Italie, and therefore smelleth of a certaine outlandish kinde of talke, strange to them of Athens^ and diuerse from their writing, that liued in Athens and Grece, and wrote the same tyme that Thucydides did, as LysiaSy Xenophon^ Plato^ and IsocrateSy the purest and playnest writers, that euer wrote in any tong, and best examples for any man to follow whether he write, Latin, Italian, French, or English. Thucydides also semeth in his writing, not so much benefited by nature, as holpen by Arte, and caried forth by desire, studie, labor, toyle, and ouer great curiositie : who spent xxvii. yeares in writing his eight bookes of his history. Salust likewise wrote out of his „. contrie, and followed the faultes of Thuc. to Halycar. moch : and boroweth of him som kinde of writing, ad Q. which the Latin tong can not well beare, as Casus H t Th nominatiuus in diuerse places absolute positus^ as in that place of lugurth^ speaking de leptitanisy itaa ah imperatore facile qua; petebant adeptly viisste sunt eh cohortes ligurum quatuor. This thing in participles, vsed so oft in Thucyd. and other Greeke authors to, may better be borne with all, but Salust vseth the same more strangelie and boldlie, as in thies wordes, Multis sibi quisg imperium petentibus. I beleue, the best Grammarien in England can scarse giue a good reule, why quisg the nominatiue case, without any verbe, is so thrust vp amongest so many oblique cases. Some man perchance will smile, and laugh to scorne this my writyng, and call it idle curiositie, thus to busie my selfe in pickling about these small pointes of Grammer, not fitte for my age, place and calling, to trifle in : I trust that man, be he neuer so great in authoritie, neuer so wise and learned, either, by other mens iudgement, or his owne opinion, will yet thinke, that he is not greater in England, than Tullie was at Rome^ not yet wiser, nor better learned than Tullie was him selfe, who, at the pitch of three score yeares, in the middes of the broyle betwixt Caesar and Pompeie^ whan he knew not, whether to send wife & children, which way to go, where to hide him selfe, yet, in an earnest letter, amongest his earnest Ad Att. councelles for those heuie tymes concerning both Lib. 7. Epi- the common state of his contrey, and his owne stola. 3. priuate great affaires he was neither vnmyndfull nor ashamed to reason at large, and learne gladlie of Jtticus, the ready way to the Latin tong. 301 a lesse point of Grammer than these be, noted of me in Salust^ as, whether he should write, ad P'tr^ea^ in Pir^ea^ or in Pir<£eum^ or Pir^eum sine pra:positione : And in those heuie tymes, he was so carefull to know this small point of Grammer, that he addeth these wordes Si hoc mihi ^rjrrjfia persolueris^ magna me 7nolestia liberaris. If Tullie^ at that age, in that authoritie, in that care for his contrey, in that ieoperdie for him selfe, and extreme necessitie of hys dearest frendes, beyng also the Prince of Eloquence hym selfe, was not ashamed to descend to these low pointes of Grammer, in his owne naturall tong, what should scholers do, yea what should any man do, if he do thinke well doyng, better than ill doyng : And had rather be, perfite than meane, sure than doutefull, to be what he should be, in deed, not seeme what he is not, in opinion. He that maketh perfitnes in the Latin tong his marke, must cume to it by choice & certaine knowledge, not stumble vpon it by chance and doubtfull ignorance : And the right steppes to reach vnto it, be these, linked thus orderlie together, aptnes of nature, loue of learnyng, diligence in right order, constancie with pleasant moderation, and alwayes to learne of them that be best, and so shall you iudge as they that be wisest. And these be those reules, which worthie Master Cheke dyd impart vnto me con- cernyng Salust^ and the right iudgement of the Latin tong. IF Caesar. Caesar for that litle of him, that is left vnto vs, is like the halfe face of a FenuSy the other part of the head beyng hidden, the bodie and the rest of the members vnbegon, yet so excellentlie done by Apelles^ as all men may stand still to mase and muse vpon it, and no man step forth with any hope to performe the like. His seuen bookes de hello Gallico^ and three de hello Ciuili^ be written, so wiselie for the matter, so eloquentlie for the tong, that neither his greatest enemies could euer finde the least note of parcialitie in him (a meruelous wisdome of a man, namely writyng of his owne doynges) nor yet the best iudegers of the Latin tong, nor the most enuious lookers vpon other mes writynges, can say any other, but all things be most perfitelie done by him. 302 T'he ready way to the Latin tong, Brutus^ Calum^ and Calidius^ who found fault with Tullies fulnes in woordes and matter, and that rightlie, for TuUie did both, confesse it, and mend it, yet in C<^sar^ they neither did, nor could finde the like, or any other fault. And therfore thus iustlie I may conclude of desar, that where, in all other, the best that euer wrote, in any tyme, or in any tong, in Greke or Latin^ I except neither Plato, Demosthenes, nor TuUie, some fault is iustlie noted, in desar onelie, could neuer yet fault be found. Yet neuertheles, for all this perfite excellencie in him, yet it is but in one member of eloquence, and that but of one side neither, whan we must looke for that example to folow, which hath a perfite head, a whole bodie, forward and backward, armes and legges and all. FINIS. ERRATA OF THE ORIGINAL COPIES. p. xix. 1. 13. Herhen for Hethen. p. 8 ]. 13 up. thinges, onelie for thinges onelie, p. 24 1. t6. some copies read, dealyng crafty /or dealyng, crafty p. 27 1. 12 up. stode, by ybr stode by, do doynge ybr doynge p. 30 1. 17. tymes : it for tymes it p. 33 1. 14. (and if jor and (if p. 46 1. 2. some copies read, health for welth p. 47 1. 10 up. some copies read, Pertians Jbr Parthians p. 48 1. 8 up. some copies read, ill wyll Jor euelwyll 1. 7 up. some copies read, open battayle for contention p. 56 1. 2 up. doch Jbr doth P- 5 7 last line, ye Jbr yet (as in ed. 15 71) p. 61 1. 5 up. shouthfulnesse ybr slouthfulnesse p. jz 1. 3 up. \esse for leste p. 78 1. 16. that I for than I p. 80 1. 3 up. peeces to farre Jor peeces, to farre 1. 2 up. drawynge, brake ybr drawynge brake p. 81 1. 26. bowe ybr A bowe (the catch- word on the previous page is And) p. 83 1. 16. yarde. for yarde, 1. 9 up. woodes. as. ybr woodes, as, p. 85 1. 21. studdingyor scudding 1. II up. conclude that, ybr conclude, that p. 86 1. 12 up. wyde some for wyde, some p. 89 1. 4 up. gouse, for gouse. last line, belonging/or belonging p. 91 1. 4 up. is,ybris p. 93 1. 2. Peno- lepe ybr Penelope p. 96 1. 4 up. ought, to for ought to p. 99 1. 29. hansomely, they _/or hansomely they p. 100 11. 13, 14. shootynge, is... shootynge but /or shootynge is... shootynge, but 1. 27. man, woulde for man woulde p. 105 1. 2. \efte for right 1. 12. ovribavav for ovTi8ai'6v p. 113 1. 8 up. worst ybr worst. p. IT4 1. 9. braye ybr braye, p. 115 1. 6 up. ieopardyt ybr ieopardye p. 116 1. 10 up. waies. ybr waies, p. 126 1. 4. First, point ybr First point 1. i5up. of in ybr of 1. 3 up. or in ybr in p. 128 last line, ceased, to for ceased to p. 130 1. 15. meaner yor meanes p. 133 1. 7. Fraunce. zs for Fraunce, as P- 137 1. 12 up. Gionan for Giouan p. 139 1. 11. it for it. 1. 15. y^ for y« p. 145 11. 20, 21. reproch whichyor reproch. Which 1. 9 up. doyng. Andybr doyng, and p. 146 marg. Kvpir. for Kvpov. p. 147 1. 8. Geeke ybr Greeke p. 148 1. 6. prodest yor poorest (?) p. 152 I. 6 up. Manrice for Maurice p. 153 1. 2 up. wife children /or wife, children p. 156 1. 5. dishinherite _/br disinherite 1. 10 up. suspected. But ybr suspected, but p. 161 11. 23, 26. emig for einig p. 165 1, 7 up. y*' for y* p. 167 1. 8 up. Mauricus for 304 Errata Maurus p. 168 1. 4. zxrj for my 1. 17. lesse ybr leste p. 178 1. 12. concerning, the ybr concerning the 1. 5 up. frend. jTor frend, p. 186 1.8 up. Exardescere iov Exardescere. last line, abijcere ior abjicere p. 188 1. 4 up. yonge for yonge. p. 195 1. 5. I speaking yor in speaking(?) p. 195 1. 15. sadle /or sadle. 1. 20. learning: /or learning, p. 199 1. 10 up. werison for werisom p. 200 1. 4 up. God, for God p. 202 1. 7 up. withall for with all p. 204 1. i. Crtesus for Crcsnts p. 207 1. 18. greatie ybr greatlie p. 213 1. i. Eph : for Ephorus (as in ed. 1571) 1. 14 up. laie for sale p. 215 1. 2. Courte. for Courte, p. 224 1. 13 up. sillabes /or sillables (as elsewhere) 1. 12 up. verifiyng for versifiyng p. 228 1. 9 up. sutlie for suttle p. 231 1. 7. aduoulteres /or aduoulteries pp. 236 1. 11 up and 239 1. 12 up. with in for within p. 241 1. 7 up. so-ivne. for soivne, 1. 5 up. ill /or will (asin ed. 1571) p. 243 1. 2. all/or also (as in ed. 15 71) 1. i2marg. de. Or. for de Or. p. 244 marg. Epist. hb. 6, 7 li. Epist. /or Epist. lib. 7, Epist. 9. p. 247 1. 17. Iliodos for lUados marg. \. for 'IX. 1. 12 up. Andration for Androtion p. 249 1. 5 up. liuyng /or louyng p. 251 I. 12 up. merauiiox meram 1. 10 up. (ivvra^iO'i for (rvvTii^iOi^ 1. 9 up. Candaulus for Candaules p. 253 last line, it Grammer /or it in Grammer (as in ed. 1571) p. 255 1. 13. de Rep for de Rep. p. 257 1. 11 up. Stalenus for Staienus p. 264 1. 16. plerunqj for plerumq^ p. 267 II. 4, 5. materei for materiel (as in ed. 15 71) 1- 25. Erasmus., wishe for Erasmus w\she 1. 27. jEneados iox Aineidos p. 268 1. 14. cunnigest for cunningest (as in ed. 1571) p. 272 1. 19. Adriadna for Ar'iadna 1. II up. Turmis for Turnus p. 273 1. 12 up. palce for place p. 276 marg. Thucid. 10. /or Thucid. i. p. 280 1. 3 up. ^/or for Aper p. 282 1. 5 up. choselie /or choiselie 1. 3 up. portiacture /or portraic- ture p. 283 1. 7 up. Genus, for Genus p. 284 1. 6. Aristophanus for Aristophanes p. 285 1. 16. /'« Sermonem for Sermonem p. 286 1. II. some yor sone p. 287 1. 8. storehose /or storehouse 1. 8 up. be cum /or becum p. 288 1. 8. Lilius iox La:lius 1. 11 up. Cerilius for Cafci/ius euidentie for euidentlie p. 289 1. 7 up. dastylus for dactylus 11. 3 and 4 up. Monasyllabis for Monosyllabis p. 290 1. 19. sillabes /or sillables (pp. 291 1. 13 up, 292 1. 8) 1. 13 up. Petrach for Petrarch p. 291 1. 7. as /or at last line and marg. Figlincci for Figliucci p. 292 marg. Enland/or England p. 294 1. 15. Pollia for Pollio 11. 15, 16. Plaucus for Plancus marg. Plauci /or Planci p. 295 1. 3. (whan /or whan p. 296 1. 10. foiled for soiled p. 298 marg. ornata for ornatu p. 299 1. 3 up. oration for orations p. 301 1. 4 up. ludegers /or iudegers CAMBRIDGE: PRINTED BY J. AND C. F. CLAY, AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. C 82 89 v*^-\/ 'V*^^%0'^ ^^,*^-'\/ "^ bv^ C * m'rit?A?2^ <-? ■'3 *.sSSav>\«* rs»' Neuiraiizing agent: Magnesium uxiae >" J^ « *>^^^^*, ''o <^ ^i^^^^^C" ^ Treatment Date: Feb. 2009 I ^^ -''^^^' ^'^'^^ \^M^> ' 111 Thomson Park Drive *i , ., -^ ^ "V^ ^V^ * Cranberry Township, PA 16066 Y ifrrfW:*-. ^ .^*5 .*i^S'. -^^ V ^»i (724)779-2111 "^ Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. ^ ■•^ Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide *■ '«. *^ Treatment Date: Feb. 2009 | rvationTechnologies I ^ADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION . « 1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive \ Cranberry Township, PA 1 6066 T (724)779-2111