LIBRARY 
 
 University of California 
 
 IRVINE
 
 iiqmnts. 
 
 ROGER ASCHAM. 
 
 TOXOPHILUS 
 
 1545- 
 
 EDWARD A R B E R, 
 
 Affociate, King's College, London, F.R.G.S., 
 
 LARGR PAPER EDITION. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 ;. gfEEN SQUARE, BI-OOMSBURY, W.C. 
 Eat. Stat. Hall.} I October, 1869. [A II rights rtferved.
 
 4? 
 c.a. 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHRONICLE of the Life, Works, and Times of R. Ascham 
 
 INTRODUCTION, 
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHY, , 
 
 TOXOPHILUS. 
 i . Complimentary verfes by Walter Haddon, BA. 
 
 of King's College, Cambridge. 
 i. Dedication to King Henry VIII. 
 
 3. To all Gentlemen and Yomen of Englande. 
 
 4. The Table of Contents 
 
 5. THE FIRST BOKE OF THE SCHOLE OF SHOTING . 
 
 3 
 
 7 
 
 10 
 
 NOTES . 
 
 165
 
 CHRONICLE 
 
 of 
 
 fome of the principal events 
 in the 
 
 LIFE, WORKS, and TIMES 
 
 of 
 ROGER ASCHAM, 
 
 Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. Author. Tutor to Princess, after- 
 wards Queen Elizabeth. Secretary of Embassy under Edward VI. Latin 
 Secretary to Queens Mary and Elizabeth. Friend of Queen Elizabeth, &c. 
 
 * Probable or approximate dates. 
 
 THE chief contemporary authorities for the life of Ascham are his own 
 works, particularly his Letters, and a Latin oration De vM et obitu Rogeri 
 Aschami, written by Rev. Dr. Edward Graunt or Grant, Headmaster of 
 Westminster School, and ' the most noted Latiniste and Grecian of his time.' 
 This oration is affixed to the first collection of Ascham's Letters : the date of 
 Grant's dedicatiou to which is 16. Feb. 1570. 
 
 The figures in brackets, as (40), in the present work, refer to Aicham's 
 letters as arranged in Dr. Giles' edition. 
 
 1509. flprll 22. ftcnrp Till. succrcDs to t|e tJjronr 
 
 1511-11. 3- Hen. VIII. c. 3. required under penalty on default of ud per 
 month all subjects under 60, not lame, decrepid, or maimed, or 
 having any other lawful Impediment; the Clergy Judges &c excepted : 
 to use shooting in the long bow. Parents were to provide every boy 
 from 7 to 17 years, with a bow and two arrows : after 17, he was to 
 find himself a bow and four arrows. Every Bower for every Ewe 
 bow he made was to make ' at the lest ij Bowes of Elme Wiche or other 
 Wode of mean price,' under penalty of Imprisonment for 8 days. 
 Butts were to be provided in every town. Aliens were not to shoot 
 with the long bow without licence. 
 
 3 Hen. VIII. c. 13. confirms 19. Hen. VII. c 4 'against shooting in 
 Cross-bowes &c,' which enacted that no one with less than aoo marks 
 a year should use. This act increased the qualification from aoo to 
 300 marks. Statutes of tin Realm. Hi. 15. 32. 
 
 1515. ROGER ASCHAM was born in the year 1515, at Kirby 
 
 Wiske, (or Kirby Wicke,) a village near North Allerton 
 in Yorkshire, of a family above the vulgar. His father, 
 John Ascham, was house-steward in the family of Lord 
 Scroop, and is said to have borne an unblemished repu- 
 tation for honesty and uprightness of life. Margaret, 
 wife of John Ascham, was allied to many considerable 
 families, but her maiden name is not known. She had 
 three sons, Thomas, Antony, and Roger, besides some 
 daughters ; and we learn from a letter ^1 j written by her 
 son Roger, in the year 1544, that she and her husband 
 having lived together forty-seven years, at last died on 
 the same day and almost at the same hour. 
 
 Roger's first years were spent under his father's roof, 
 but he was received at a very youthful age into the 
 family of Sir Antony Wingfield, who furnished money 
 tor bis education, and placed Roger, together with his 
 own sons, under a tutor, whose name was R. Bond. The 
 boy had by nature a taste for books, and showed his good 
 taste by reading English in preference to La in, with
 
 ft 
 
 ki 
 
 CHRONICLE. 
 
 wonderful eagerness. . . . Grant, Condensed trans 
 lation by Dr. Giles in Life: see p. 10, No 9. 
 
 " This communication 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 benefi tes bestowed on 
 me, the poore talent of learnyng, whiche god hath lent 
 me : and for his sake do I owe my seruice to all other 
 of the name and noble house of the Wyngfeldes, bothe 
 in woord and dede. Thys worshypfull man hath euer 
 loned 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 
 fiom London bothe bowe and shaftes. And when they 
 shuld playe he woulde go with them him selfe in to the 
 fyelde, and 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.''/. 140. 
 
 In or about the year 1530, Mr. Bond . . . resigned the 
 charge of young Roger, who was now about fifteen 
 
 ;ears old, and, by the advice and pecuniary aid of his 
 ind patron Sir Antony, he was enabled to enter St. 
 John's College, Cambridge, at that time the most famous 
 
 1530. act 15 seminary of learning in all England. His tutor was Hugh 
 Fitzherbert, fellow of St. John's, whose intimate friend, 
 George Pember, took the most lively interest in the 
 young student. George Day, afterwards Bishop of 
 Chichester, Sir John Cheke, Sir Thomas Smith, Dr. 
 Redman, one of the compilers of the Book of Common 
 Prayer, Nicholas Ridley the Martyr, T. Watson Bishop 
 of Lincoln, Pilkington Bishop of Durham, Walter Had- 
 don. John Christopherson, Thomas Wilson, John Seton, 
 and many others, were the distinguished contemporaries 
 of Ascham at Cambridge. Grant and Giles, idem. 
 
 IJ34- Feb. 1 8. He takes his B. A. " Being a boy, new Bacheler of arte, 
 set. 18. I chanced amonges my companions to speake against the 
 Pope : which matter was than in euery mans mouth, by- 
 cause Dr. fl nines and Dr. Skipfe were cum from the 
 Court, to debate the same matter, by preaching and dis- 
 putation in the vniuersitie. This hapned the same tyme, 
 when I stoode to be felow there : my taulke came to Dr. 
 Medcalfes [Master of St. John's Coll.] eare : I was called 
 before him and the Seniores : and after greuous rebuke, 
 and some punishment, open waining was geuen to all the 
 felowes, none to be so hardie to geue me his voice at that 
 Mar. 23. election. And yet for all those open threates, the good 
 father himselfe priuilie procured, that I should euen than 
 be chosen felow. But, the election being done, he made 
 countinance of great discontentation thereat. This good 
 mans goodnes, and fatherlie discretion, vsed towardes me 
 that one day, shall neuer out of my remembrance all the 
 dayes of my life. And for the same cause, haue I put 
 it here, in this small record of learning. For next Gods 
 prouidence, surely that day, was by that good fathers 
 meanes, Dies natalis, to me, for the whole foundation 
 of the poore learning 1 haue, and of all the furderance, 
 that hetherto else where I haue obtayned." Scho.fol. 55. 
 
 '537-4- " Before the king's majesty established his lecture at 
 
 Cambridge, I was appointed by the votes of all the 
 university, and was paid a handsome salary, to profess 
 the Greek tongue in public ; and I have ever since read
 
 CHRONICLE. 5 
 
 a lecture in St. John's college, of which I am a fellow." 
 (22) To Sir W. Paget in 15.44. 
 '537- July3- \dic martispostfestum Diui Petriet Pauli (June 89) 
 
 a;t. 21. Grant}. Is installed M.A. 
 1538. Spring. Visits his parents in Yorkshire, whom he had not seen 
 
 ast. 22. for seven years. 
 
 Autumn. Date of his earliest extant letter. 
 
 1540-1542. Is at home in Yorkshire, for nearly two years, with 
 
 quartan fever. Probably about this time he attended the 
 archery meetings at York and Norwich. //. 159. 160. 
 
 1540. set. 24. 'In the great snowe,' journeying 'in the hye waye 
 
 betwixt Topcliffe vpon S ale ; and Borrowe bridge," he 
 watches the nature of the wind by the snow-drifts, p. 157. 
 
 1541. tet. 25. Upon his repeated application, Edward Lee, Archbp 
 
 of York, grants him a pension of 403. (= .40 of present 
 money) payable at the feast of Annunciation and on 
 Michaelmas day. see (24). This pension ceased on the 
 death of the Archbishop in 1544. 
 
 i54'.-j. 33 Hen. VIII. c. 9. 'An Acte for Mayntanance of 
 
 Artyllarie and debarringe of unlauful Games.' confirms 
 3 Hen. VIII. c. 3 and, interalia, directs that no Bowyer 
 shall sell a Ewe bow to any between 8 and 14 years, above 
 the price of I2d, but shall have for such, Ewe bows from 
 6d to 1 2d : and likewise shall sell bows at reasonable prices 
 to youth from 14 to 2 1 years. Ewe bows ' of the taxe called 
 Elke ' were not to be sold above 35 4d, under penalty of 
 2Os. Statutes of the Realm. Hi. 837. 
 
 '544. 'Spring, aet. 28. Ascham writes Toxophilus. 
 
 After Lady Both his parents die. " How hard is my lot ! I first 
 
 Day. lost my brother, such an one as not only our family, but 
 
 all England could hardly match, and now to lose both 
 
 my parents as if I was not already overwhelmed with 
 
 sorrow !" (21) To Cheke. 
 
 Befoie July. "I have also written and dedicated to the king's 
 majesty a book, which is now in the press, On the art 
 of Shooting, and in which I have shown how well it is 
 fitted for Englishmen both at home and abroad, and how 
 certain rules of art may be laid down to ensure its being 
 learnt thoroughly by all pur fellow-countrymen. This 
 book, I hope, will be published before the king's depart- 
 ure, and will be no doubtful sign of my love to my coun- 
 try, or mean memorial of my humble learning. (22) To 
 Sir W. Paget. 
 
 July Sept. 30. The king out of the kingdom, at the head of 30,000 men 
 at the siege of Boulogne, in France. 
 
 1545. Bt. 29. Ascham presents Toxophilus to the k ing, in the gallery 
 
 at Greenwich. He is granted a pension of .10. pp. 165-166. 
 He is ill again, and unable to reside at Cambridge. 
 
 1546. tet. 30. Succeeds Cheke as Public Orator of his University, 
 
 in which capacity he conducts its correspondence. 
 
 1547 Sao. 28. fcninarn VI. ramts to tje tfironc. 
 
 Ascham's pension which ceased on the death of 
 Henry VIII., was confirmed and augmented by Edward 
 VI., whom he taught to write. [Ascham's pension is 
 >> one of the prominent things in his life. I 
 
 (1548. Feb. set. 32. Is Tutor to Princess Elizabeth, at Cheston. Attacked 
 1 1549. Sept. 861.33 by her steward, he returns to the university. 
 1550. st. 34. While at home in the country. Ascham is appointed, at 
 the instigation of Cheke. as Secretary to Sir Richard 
 Morison, sent out as Ambassador to Emperor Charles V. 
 On his way to town, has his famous interview with 
 Lady Jane Grey at I.roadgate. Scholemasttr, fol. 12.
 
 CHRONICLE. 
 
 Sept 21 The Embassy embarks at Billingsgate, and finally 
 reaches Augsburg on Oct. 28 : where it appears to have 
 remained more than a year. 
 
 1551 Oct. Ascham writes, probably from Spires, A Report and 
 
 Discourse writtenby Roger Ascham, of the affaires and 
 state of Germany and the Emperour Charles his court, 
 during certaine yeares while the say d Roger was there. 
 Published at London, the next year, without date. 
 
 1553. 3ulp 6. fBarp succetBs to tf)t crotan. 
 
 '553- J u ty 7- Writes from Brussels. 
 
 On the death of the King the Embassy is recalled. 
 
 /i $$4. April. Though a Protestant, Ascham escapes persecution; 
 
 his pension of^io is renewed and increased, see p. 165. 
 May 7. He is made Latin Secretary to the Queen, with a salary 
 of 40 marks. 
 
 Resigns his Fellowship and Office of Public Orator. 
 June I. Bt. 38. Marries Margaret Howe. 
 
 He sometimes reads Greek with the Princess Elizabeth. 
 
 1558. Noo. 17. ffilljabttl) teglns to rtign. 
 
 Ascham's pension and Secretaryship are continued. 
 
 1560. Mar. II. Is made prebend of Wetwang, in York Cathedral. He 
 set. 44. had now possession of a considerable income. It would 
 Q be satisfactory if he could be cleared from the suspicion 
 
 of a too great love for cock-fighting. 
 
 1563. Dec. 10. The Court being at Windsor on account of the plague 
 wt 47. in London, Sir W. Cecil gave a dinner in his chamber. 
 A conversation on Education arose on the news ' that 
 diuerse Scholers of Eaton be runne awaie from the 
 Schole, for feare of beating." Sir Richard Sackville, then 
 silent, afterwards renewed the subject with Ascham ; who 
 finally writes for his grandson, Robert Sackville, The 
 *i Scholemaster, first published by his widow in 1570. 
 
 His constitution had been enfeebled by frequent attacks 
 of ague. Imprudently sitting up late to finish some Latin 
 verses which he designed to present to the queen as a 
 new-year's gift, and certain letters to his friends, he con- 
 
 01 or. raui s, ana wiiiiam uravet, a preoenaary 01 mac 
 church and vicar of St. Sepulchre's London. Ascham 
 
 1568. Dec. 30. died 30 Dec. 1568. His last words were "I desire to 
 
 set. S3. depart and to be with Christ." 
 
 1569. Jan. 4. He was buried at St. Sepulchre's. Nowell preached 
 
 his funeral sermon, and testified that he never saw or 
 heard of a person of greater integrity of life, or who was 
 blessed with a more Christian death. Queen Elizabeth, 
 when informed of his decease, declared that she would 
 rather have lost .10,000, than her tutor Ascham. 
 
 Buchanan did honour to his meirory in the following epitaph : 
 Ascfiamum extinctum patrite, Graiceque Cameena, 
 
 Et Latitz ver& cum pietate dolent. 
 Principibus vixit cams, jucundis amicis, 
 
 Re modicd, in mores dicerefama nequit. 
 which has been thus rendered by Archdeacon Wrangham. 
 O'er Ascham, withering in his narrow urn, 
 The muses English, Grecian, Roman mourn ; 
 Though poor, to greatness dear, to friendship just : 
 No scandal's self can taint his hallmu'd dust. 
 
 Cooper. Alh. Can tag, p. 366.
 
 TOXOPHILUS. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 fEfpite his promife, fee page 20, Afcham 
 wrote no Englifh work on a great fubject. 
 Writing late in life, his Scholemaster, he 
 thus defends his choice in the fubjecls 
 of his books : 
 " But, of all kinde of paftimes, fitte for a lentleman, 
 I will, godwilling, in fitter place, more at large, de- 
 clare fullie, in my booke of the Cockpitte : which I do 
 write, to fatiffie fom, I truft, with fom reafon, that be 
 more curious, in marking other mens doinges, than 
 carefull in mendyng their owne faultes. And fom alfo 
 will nedes bufie them felues 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 choife to fpend foch tyme in writyng 
 of trifles, as the fchole of fhoting, the Cockpitte, and 
 this booke of the firft Principles of Grammer, rather, 
 than to take fome weightie matter in hand, either of 
 Religion, or Ciuill difcipline. 
 
 Wife men I know, will well allow of my choife 
 herein : and as for fuch, who haue not witte of them 
 felues, but mufl learne of others, to iudge right of 
 mens doynges, let them read that wife Poet Horace 
 in his Arte Poetica, who willeth wifemen to beware, of 
 hie and loftie Titles. For, great fhippes, require coft- 
 lie tackling, and alfo afterward dangerous gouernment : 
 Small boates, be neither verie chargeable in makyng, 
 nor verie oft in great ieoperdie : and yet they cary 
 many tymes, as good and cofllie ware, as greater 
 veffels do. A meane Argument, may eafelie beare, 
 the light burden of a fmall faute, and haue alwaife 
 at hand, a ready excufe for ill handling : And, fome 
 praife it is, if it fo chaunce, to be better in deede, 
 than a man dare venture to feeme. A hye title, doth 
 charge a man, with the heauie burden, of to great a 
 promife, and therfore fayth Horace verie wittelie, that,
 
 8 Introduction. 
 
 that Poet was a verie foole, that began hys booke, with 
 a goodlie verfe in deede, but ouer proude a promife. 
 
 Fortunam Priami cantabo et nobile bellum, 
 And after, as wifelie 
 
 Quanta rectms hie, qui nil molitur inepie. &*c. 
 Meening Homer, who, within the compaffe of a fmal 
 Argument, of one harlot, and of one good wife, did 
 vtter fo moch learning in all kinde of fciences, as, by 
 the iudgement of Quintilian, he deferaeth fo hie a 
 praife, that no man yet deferued to fit in the fecond 
 degreebenethhim. And thus moch out of my way, con- 
 cerning my purpofe in fpending penne, and paper, and 
 tyme, vpon trifles, and namelie to aunfwere fome, that 
 haue neither witte nor learning, to do any thyng them 
 felues, neither will nor honeftie, to fay well of other" * 
 
 Certain it is, that in both Toxophilus and The Schole- 
 mafler (the Cockpitte if ever printed, is now loft) ; not 
 only are the main arguments interwoven with a moft 
 eameft moral purpofe ; but they are enlivened by 
 frequent and charming difcurfions, in the which he 
 often lays down great principles, or illuftrates them 
 from the circumftances of his time. So that in thefe 
 two ways, thefe works, being not rigidly confined to the 
 technical fubjecls expreffed by their titles, do ' beare,' 
 both in thofe fubjecls and in the paffing thoughts, 
 much of what is the higheft truth. 
 
 If a Yorkfhire man who had become a ripe Englifh 
 Scholer, and was alfo a fluent Englifh writer as well as 
 converfant with other languages and literatures were, 
 in the prefent day, to fit down to write, for the firft 
 time, in the defence and praife of Cricket, a book in 
 the Yorkfhire dialect : he would be able to appreciate 
 fomewhat Afcham's pofition when he began to write the 
 prefent work. For he lived in the very dawn of our 
 modern learning. Not to fpeak of the hefitation and 
 doubt that always impedes any novelty, the ab fence 
 of any antecedent literature left him without any model 
 of ftyle. Accuflomed as he had hitherto been to write 
 chiefly in Latin, he mud have found Englifh compofi- 
 tion both irkiome and laborious. Yet his love for his 
 
 * folios 20. 21. Ed. 1570.
 
 country, and his delight, even from childhood, in his 
 native tongue overcame all difficulties. " Althoughe to 
 haue written this boke either in latin or Greeke .... 
 had been more eafier and fit for mi trade in fludy, yet 
 neuerthelefle, I fuppofinge it no point of honeftie, that 
 mi commodite mould flop and hinder ani parte either 
 of the pleafure or profile of manie, haue written this 
 Englifhe matter in the Englifhe tongue, for Englifhe 
 men." * In fo doing, he has bequeathed to poflerity a 
 noble fpecimen of Englifh language, expreffing genuine 
 Englifh thought, upon a truly Englifh fubjecl. 
 
 Of the influence of this deliberate choice of Afcham on 
 the literature of his time, Dr. N. Drake thus fpeaks : 
 
 " The Toxophilus of this ufeful and engaging writer, was writ- 
 ten in his native tongue, with the view of prefenting the public 
 with a fpecimen of a purer and more correct Englijh ftyle than that 
 to which they had hitherto been accuftomed ; and with the hope of 
 calling the attention of the learned, from the exclufive ftudy of 
 the Greek and Latin, to the cultivation of their vernacular lan- 
 guage. The refult which he contemplated was attained, and, 
 from the period of this publication, the (hackles of Infinity were 
 broken, and compofition in Englijh profe became an object of 
 eager and fuccefsful attention. Previous to the exertions of 
 Afcham, very few writers can be mentioned as affording any 
 model for Englifh ftyle. If we except the Tranflation of Froiflart 
 by Bourchier, Lord Berners, in 1523, and the Hiftory of Richard 
 III. by Sir Thomas More, certainly compofitions of great merit, 
 we mall find it difficult to produce an author of much value 
 for his vernacular profe. On the contrary, very foon after the 
 appearance of the Toxophilus, we find harmony and beauty in 
 Englifh ftyle emphatically praifed and enjoined." t 
 
 Following Plato both in the form and subtlety of 
 his work, Afcham writes it after the counfel of Ariflotle. 
 " He that wyll wryte well in any tongue, mufle folowe 
 thys councel of Ariflotle, to fpeake as the common 
 people do, to thinke as wife men do : and fo fhoulde 
 euery man vnderflande hym, and the iudgement of 
 wyfe men alowe hym."| 
 
 Now, we mufl leave the reader to liflen to the 
 pleafant talk of the two College Fellows, Lover of 
 Learning and Lover of Archery ; as they difcourfe, 
 befide the wheat fields in the neighbourhood of Cam- 
 bridge, throughout the long fummer's afternoon, upon 
 ' the Booke and the Bowe.' 
 
 p. 14. t Shaksfxan and his Times. 1.439 Ed. 1817. J p. 18.
 
 BIBLIOGRAPHY. 
 
 TOXOPHILUS. 
 
 * Editions not feen. 
 (a) issues in the author's life time. 
 
 I. As a feparate publication. 
 
 \. 1545. London. Editio princeps. Engraved title page, fee 
 I vol. 410. oppofite page. The Colophon is as on p. 165. 
 (t) Issues subsequent to tfle author's Dtatft. 
 I. As a feparate publication. 
 
 2. 1571. London. TOXOPHILUS, The Schole, or partitions 
 
 I vol. 4to. of (hooting contayned in ij. bookes, written 
 by Roger Afcham, 1544. And now newlye 
 perufed. Pleafaunt for all Gentlemen and 
 Yemen of Englandfor theyrpaftimeto reade, 
 and profitable for their vfe to folovve bothe 
 in vvarre and peace, Annoi^i. Imprinted 
 at London in Fleteflreate neare to Saint 
 Dunftones Churche by Thomas Marfhe. 
 
 3. 1589. LonJjn. Same title as No. 2. Ax LONDON. Printed 
 
 I vol. 8vo. by ABELL IEFFES, by the confent of //. 
 Maijh. Anno 1589 The Colophon is 
 1 AT LONDON, Printed by Abell leffes, 
 dwelling in Phillip Lane, at the Signe of 
 the Bell. Anno Domini 1589. 
 
 6. 1788. Wrexham. Same title as No. 2, of which it is a 
 
 I vol. 8vo. modernized reprint Ed. with a Dedication 
 and Preface, by Rev. JOHN WALTERS M. A. 
 Mailer of Ruthin School, and late Fellow 
 of Jefus College, Oxford. 
 
 10. 1865. London. I vol. 8vo. TOXOPHILUS: &c., publifhed 
 11 T i i8fi feparately from Dr Giles' Edition, No. 9. 
 
 London y ivol8v . *&* Re * rints : fee title at P a S e ' 
 II. With other works. 
 
 4. 1761. London. The Englilh Works of Roger Afcham, Pre- 
 
 I vol. 410. ceptor to Queen Elizabeth. [Life by Dr JOHN- 
 SON.] Ed. by JAMES BENNETT, Mafter of 
 the Boarding School at Hoddefdon, Herts. 
 'Toxophilus ' occupies pp 51-178. 
 
 5. n. d. London. I vol. 4to. Another impreffion of No 4. 
 
 7. 1815. London. Same title as No. 4. A new edition. [Ed: 
 
 i vol. 410. by J. G. COCHRANE, and limited to 250 
 copies. Dr Giles. ] 
 
 8. *n. d. London. No. 7 'was re-iffued fome time afterwards, 
 
 i vol. 8vo. with a new title and the addition of a halt- 
 title, but without a date.' Dr Giles, Pref. to 
 his Edition No. 9. 
 
 9. 1864-5. London. The Whole Works of Roger Afcham, now 
 3 vols. [vol. i has firft collected and revifed, with a life of the 
 2 parts] 8vo. author; by Rev. DR GILES, formerly Fellow 
 
 ofC. C.C. Oxford. ' Toxophilus' occupies 
 ii. 1-165. [This is by far the beft edition of 
 Afcham's works.]
 
 Reioyfe E^la-Tide,^ jladdt ani writ,, 
 TROTHE oiuTcom-mfH) Hj^ue raemxes all 
 Tlje Scot, tlj 
 OVEROOMMED } Trotl)e,baMt,ad a
 
 Gualterus Haddonus 
 Cantabrigien. 
 
 Mitt ere qui celeres fumma uelit arte fagittas, 
 
 Ars erit ex ifto fumma profefla libra. 
 Quicquid habent anus rigidi, neruique rotundi, 
 
 Sumerefi libet, hoc fumere fonte licet. 
 Afchamus eft author, magnum quem fecit Apollo 
 
 Artefua, magnum Pallas 6- artefua. 
 Dofla manus dedit hunc, dedit hunc mens dotta libellum 
 
 Quiz uidet Ars Vfus uifa, parata facit. 
 Optimus hac author quia tradidit optima fcripta, 
 
 Conuenit hec uobis optima uelkfequi.
 
 To the mofte gracioufe, and <nir moft drad Soneraigne lord t 
 
 Kyng Henrie the. viii, by the grace of God, kyng 
 
 of Englande, Frauna and Irelande, Defen 
 
 der of the fay the, and of the churche 
 
 of Englande and alfo of Irelande 
 
 in earth fupreme head, next vn 
 
 der Chrijl, be al health 
 
 viflorie^ and fe- 
 
 licitic. 
 
 [(HAT tyme as, mofle gracious Prince, your 
 highnes this kfl year pafl, tooke that your 
 mooft honorable and victorious iourney 
 into Fraunce, accompanied with fuch a 
 porte of the Nobilitie and yeomanrie of 
 Englande, as neyther hath bene lyke knovven by ex- 
 perience, nor yet red of in Hiflorie : accompanied alfo 
 with the daylie prayers, good hartes, and willes of 
 all and euery one your graces fubiecles, lefte behinde 
 you here at home in Englande : the fame tyme, I 
 beinge at my booke in Cambrige, forie that my litle 
 habilitie could ftretche out no better, to helpe forward 
 fo noble an enterprice, yet with my good wylle, prayer, 
 and harte, nothinge behynde hym that was formofte 
 of all, conceyued a wonderful defire, bi the praier, 
 wifhing, talking, and communication that was in euery 
 mans mouth, for your Graces mood vic"lorioufe retourne, 
 to offer vp fumthinge, at your home cumming to your 
 Highnefle, which fhuld both be a token of mi loue 
 and deutie toward your Maieftie, and alfo a figne of 
 my good minde and zeale towarde mi countrie. 
 This occafion geuen to me at that time, caufed me 
 
 * This dedication is entirely omitted in second edition, 1571.
 
 14 
 
 to take in hand againe, this litle purpofe of fhoting, 
 begon of me before, yet not ended than, for other 
 ftudies more mete for that trade of liuinge, vvhiche God 
 and mi frendes had fet me vnto. But when your 
 Graces mode ioifull and happie viclorie preuented mi 
 dailie and fpedie diligencie to performe this matter, 
 I was compelled to waite an other time to prepare 
 and offer vp this litle boke vnto your Maieflie. And 
 whan it hath pleafed youre Higheneffe of your infinit 
 goodneffe, and alfo your moft honorable Counfel to 
 know and pervfe ouer the contentes, and fome parte 
 of this boke, and fo to alow it, that other men might 
 rede it, throughe the furderaunce and fetting forthe of 
 the right worfhipfull and mi Singuler good Mafter fir 
 Vvilliam Pagette Knight, mooft worthie Secretarie to 
 your highnes, and moft open and redie fuccoure to al 
 poore honeft learned mens futes, I mooft humblie 
 befeche your Grace to take in good worthe this litle 
 treatife purpofed, begon, and ended of me onelie for 
 this intent, that Labour, Honeft paftime and Vertu, 
 might recouer againe that place and right, that Idleneffe, 
 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 I might furelie know your Graces pleafure there 
 in) had bene more eafier and fit for mi trade in ftudy, 
 yet neuertheleffe, I fuppofinge it no point of honeftie, 
 that mi commodite mould flop and hinder ani parte 
 either of the pleafure or profile of manie, haue writ- 
 ten this Englifhe matter in the Knglifhe tongue, for 
 Englifhe men : where in this I truft that your Grace 
 (if it (hall pleafe your Highneffe to rede it) fhal per- 
 ceaue it to be a thinge Honefte for me to write, 
 pleafaunt for fome to rede, and profitable for manie to 
 folow, contening a paftime, honeft for the minde, 
 holfome for the body, fit for eueri man, vile for no 
 man, vfmg the day and open place for Honeftie to rule 
 it, not lurking in corners for miforder to abufe it
 
 Therefore I trufl it fhal apere, to be bothe a fure token 
 of my zeele to fet forvvarde fhootinge, and fome figne 
 of my minde, tovvardes honeftie and learninge. 
 . Thus I vvil trouble your Grace no longer, but 
 with my daylie praier, I will befeche God to 
 preferue your Grace, in al health and feli- 
 citie : to the feare and ouerthrovve 
 of all your ennemies : to the 
 pleafure, ioyfulneffe and 
 fuccour of al your fub- 
 iedles: to the vtter 
 deftruclion 
 of papi- 
 
 ftrie and herefie : to the con- 
 
 tinuall fetting forth of 
 
 Goddes worde 
 
 and his glo 
 
 rye. 
 
 Your Graces mofl 
 bounden Scholer, 
 
 Roger Afcham.
 
 i6 
 
 To ALL GENTLE MEN AND YOMEN OF 
 ENGLANDE. 
 
 jjlas the wyfe man came to Crefus the ryche 
 kyng, on a tyme, when he was makynge 
 newe fhyppes, purpofyng to haue fubdued 
 by water the out yles lying betwixt Grece 
 and Afia minor: What newes now in Grece, 
 faith the king to Bias ? None other newes, but thefe, 
 fayeth Bias : that the yles of Grece haue prepared a 
 wonderful companye of horfemen, to ouerrun Lydia 
 withall. There is nothyng vnder heauen, fayth the 
 kynge, that I woulde fo foone wiffhe, as that they 
 durft be fo bolde, to mete vs on the lande with horfe. 
 And thinke you fayeth Bias, that there is anye thyng 
 which they wolde fooner wyffhe, then that you fhulde 
 be fo fonde, to mete them on the water with fhyppes? 
 And fo Crefus heaiyng not the true newes, but per- 
 ceyuyng the wife marines mynde and counfell, both 
 gaue then ouer makyng of his fhyppes, and left alfo 
 behynde him a wonderful example for all commune 
 wealthes to folowe : that is euermore to regarde and 
 fet moft by that thing wherevnto nature hath made 
 them mooft. apt, and vfe hath made them mooft fitte. 
 
 By this matter I meane the fhotyng in the long bowe, 
 for Englifh men : which thyng with all my hert I do 
 wyfh, and if I were of authoritie, I wolde counfel all 
 the gentlemen and yomen of Englande, not to chaunge 
 it with any other thyng, how good foeuer it feme to 
 be : but that ftyll, accordyng to the oulde wont of 
 England, youth fhoulde vfe it for the mooft honeft 
 paftyme in peace, that men myght handle it as a moofte 
 fure weapon in wane. Other ftronge weapons 'which e 
 bothe experience doth proue to be good, and the
 
 17 
 
 wyfdom of the kinges Maieftie and his counfel prouydes 
 to be had, are not ordeyned to take away fhotyng : bat 
 yat both, not compared togither, whether fhuld be 
 better then the other, but fo ioyned togither that the 
 one fhoulde be alwayes an ayde and helpe for the other, 
 myght fo flrengthen the Realme on all fydes, that no 
 kynde of enemy in any kynde of weapon, myght pafle 
 and go beyonde vs. 
 
 For this purpofe I, partelye prouoked by the counfell 
 of fome gentlemen, partly moued by the loue whiche 
 I haue alwayes borne towarde fhotyng, haue wrytten 
 this lytle treatife, wherein if I haue not fatiffyed any 
 man, I trufl he wyll the rather be content with my 
 doyng, bycaufe I am (I fuppofe) the firfte, whiche hath 
 fayde any thynge in this matter (and fewe begynnynges 
 be perfecl:, fayth wyfe men) And alfo bycaufe yf I 
 haue fayed a mifle, I am content that any man amende 
 it, or yf I haue fayd to lytle, any man that wyl to adde 
 what hym pleafeth to it. 
 
 My minde is, in profi tynge and pleafynge euery man, 
 to hurte or difpleafe no man, intendyng none other 
 purpofe, but that youthe myght be flyrred to labour, 
 honeft paflyme, 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, 
 fhewynge howe fit fhootyng is for all kyndes of men, 
 howe honeft a paflyme for the mynde, howe holfome 
 an exercife for the bodye, not vile for great men to vfe, 
 not coftlye for poore men to fufteyne, not lurking in 
 holes and corners for ill men at theyr pleafure, to mifvfe 
 it, but abiding in the open fight and face of the worlde, 
 for good men if it fault by theyr wifdome to correcl it. 
 
 And here I woulde defire all gentlemen and yomen, 
 to vfe this paftime in fuche a mean, that the outragious- 
 nes of great gamyng, fhuld not hurte the honeftie of 
 fhotyng, which of his owne nature is alwayes ioyned with 
 honeftie : yet for mennes faultes oftentymes blamed 
 vnworthely, as all good thynges haue ben, and euer- 
 more (hall be.
 
 18 
 
 If any man woulde blame me, eyther for takynge 
 fuch a matter in hande, or els for writing it in the 
 Englyfhe tongue, this anfwere I may make hym, that 
 whan the befle of the realme thinke it honeft for them 
 to vfe, I one of the meanefl forte, ought not to fuppofe 
 it vile for me to write : And though to haue written it 
 in an other tonge, had bene bothe more profitable for 
 my ftudy, and alfo more honeft for my name, yet I can 
 thinke my labour wel beftowed, yf with a little hyn- 
 deraunce of my profyt and name, maye come any 
 fourtheraunce, to the pleafure or commoditie, of the 
 gentlemen and yeomen of Englande, for whofe fake I 
 tooke this matter in hande. And as for ye Latin or 
 greke tonge, euery thing is fo excellently done in 
 them, that none can do better : In the Englyfh tonge 
 contrary, euery thinge in a maner fo meanly, bothe for 
 the matter and handelynge, that no man can do worfe. 
 For therein the lead learned for the mofte parte, haue 
 ben alwayes mooft redye to wryte And they whiche 
 had leafte hope in. latin, haue bene mode boulde in 
 englyfhe : when furelye euery man that is mofte ready 
 to taulke, is not mooft able to wryte. He that wyll 
 wryte well in any tongue, mufte folowe thys councel of 
 Ariftotle, to fpeake as the common people do, to 
 thinke as wife men do ; and fo fhoulde euery man 
 vnderftande hym, and the iudgement of wyfe men alowe 
 hym. Many Englifh writers haue not done fo, but 
 vfinge ftraunge wordes as latin, french and Italian, do 
 make all thinges darke and harde. Ones I communed 
 with a man whiche reafoned the englyfhe tongue to be 
 enryched and encreafed therby, fayinge : Who wyll 
 not prayfe that feafte, where a man fhall drinke at a 
 diner, bothe wyne, ale and beere ? Truely quod I, 
 they be all good, euery one taken by hym felfe alone, 
 but if you putte Maluefye and facke, read wyne and 
 white, ale and beere, and al in one pot, you (hall make 
 a drynke, neyther eafie to be knovven, nor yet holfom 
 for the bodye. Cicero in folowyng Ifocrates, Plato 
 and Demofthenes, increafed the latine tounge after an
 
 19 
 
 other forte. This waye, bycaufe dyuers men yat write, 
 do not know, they can neyther folowe it, bycaufe of theyr 
 ignorauncie, nor yet will prayfe it, for verye arrogaunde, 
 ii faultes, feldome the one out of the others companye. 
 
 Englyfh writers by diuerfitie of tyme, haue taken 
 diuerfe matters in hande. In our fathers tyme nothing 
 was red, but bookes of fayned cheualrie, wherein a 
 man by redinge, fliuld be led to none other ende, but 
 onely to manflaughter and baudrye. Yf any man fup- 
 pofe they were good ynough to pafle the time with al, 
 he is deceyued. For furelye vayne woordes doo woorke 
 no fmal thinge in vayne, ignoraunt, and younge mindes, 
 fpecially yf they be gyuen any thynge thervnto of 
 theyr owne nature. Thefe bokes (as I haue heard 
 fay) were made the mode parte in Abbayes, and 
 Monafleries, a very lickely and fit foiite of fuche an 
 ydle and blynde kinde of lyuynge. 
 
 In our tyme nowe, whan euery manne is gyuen 
 to knowe muche rather than to Hue wel, very many 
 do write, but after fuche a fafhion, as very many 
 do fhoote. Some fhooters take in hande flronger 
 bowes, than they be able to mayntayne. This thyng 
 maketh them fummtyme, to outfhoote the marke, 
 fummtyme to mote far wyde, and perchaunce hurte 
 fumme that looke on. Other that neuer learned 
 to fhote, nor yet knoweth good fliafte nor bowe, wyll 
 be as bufie as the befl, but fuche one commonly 
 plucketh doune a fyde, and crafty archers which 
 be agaynft him, will be bothe glad of hym, and 
 alfo euer ready to laye and bet with him : it were 
 better for fuche one to fit doune than mote. Other 
 there be, whiche haue verye good bowe and fhaftes, 
 and good knowledge in fhootinge, but they haue bene 
 brought vp in fuche euyl fauoured fhootynge, that 
 they can neyther flioote fayre, nor yet nere. Yf any 
 man wyll applve thefe thynges togyther, fhal not fe 
 the one farre differ from the other. 
 
 And I alfo amonges all other, in writinge this lytle 
 treatife, haue folowed fumme yonge fhooters, whiche
 
 20 
 
 bothe wyll begyn to fhoote, for a lytle moneye, and 
 alfo wyll vfe to mote ones or twife about the marke for 
 nought, afore they beginne a good. And therfore did I 
 take this little matter in hande, to affaye my felfe, and 
 hereafter by the grace of God, if the Judgement of wyfe 
 men, that looke on, thinke that I can do any good, I 
 maye perchaunce cafte my fhafte amonge other, for 
 better game. 
 
 Yet in writing this booke, fome man wyll maruayle 
 perchaunce, why that I beyng an vnperfyte fhoter, 
 fhoulde take in hande to write of makyng a perfyte 
 archer: the fame man peraduenturewyll maruayle, howe 
 a whetteftone whiche is blunte, can make the edge of a 
 knife fharpe : I woulde ye fame man fhulde confider 
 alfo, that in goyng about anye matter, there be. iiii. 
 thinges to be confidered, doyng, faying, thinking and 
 perfeclneffe : Firfte there is no man that doth fo wel, 
 but he can faye better, or elles fumme men, whiche be 
 now ftarke nought, fhuld be to good. Agayne no man 
 can vtter wyth his tong, fo wel as he is able to imagin 
 with his minde, and yet perfectneffe it felfe is farre 
 aboue all thinking. Than feeing that faying is one 
 fteppe nerer perfecleneffe than doyng, let euery man 
 leue marueylyng why my woorde mall rather expreffe, 
 than my dede fhall perfourme perfecle fhootinge. 
 
 I trufte no man will be offended with this litle booke 
 excepte it be fumme fletchers and bowiers, thinking 
 hereby that manye that loue fhootynge fhall be taughte 
 to refufe fuche noughtie wares as they woulde vtter. 
 Honeft fletchers and bowyers do not fo, and they that 
 be vnhoneft, oughte rather to amende them felues for 
 doinge ill, than be angrie with me for fayinge wel. A 
 fletcher hath euen as good a quarell to be angry with 
 an archer that refufeth an ill fhaft, as a bladefmith 
 hath to a fletcher yat forfaketh to bye of him a noughtie 
 knyfe. For as an archer muft be content that a 
 fletcher know a good fhafte in euery poynte for the per- 
 fecler makynge of it, So an honefle fletcher will alfo 
 be content that a fhooter knowe a good fhafte in euery
 
 21 
 
 poynte for the perfiter vfing of it : bicaufe the one 
 knoweth like a fletcher how to make it, the other 
 knoweth lyke an archer howe to vfe it. And feyng the 
 knowlege is one in them bothe, yet the ende diuerfe, 
 furely that fletcher is an enemye to archers and artil- 
 lery, whiche can not be content that an archer knovve a 
 fhafte as well for his vfe in motynge, as he hym felfe 
 fhoulde knowe a fhafte, for hys aduauntage in fellynge. 
 And the rather bycaufe fhaftes be not made fo muche 
 to be folde, but chefely to be vfed. And feynge that 
 vfe and occupiyng is the ende why a fhafte is made, the 
 making as it were a meane for occupying, furely the 
 knovvelege in euery poynte of a good fhafte, is more to 
 be required in a fhooter than a fletcher. 
 
 Yet as I fayde before no honefl fletcher will be angry 
 with me, feinge I do not teache howe to make a fhafte 
 whiche belongeth onelyeto a good fletcher, but to knowe 
 and handle a fhafte, which belongeth to an archer. 
 And this lytle booke I trufte, fhall pleafe and profile 
 both partes : For good bowes and fhaftes fhall be better 
 knowen to the commoditieof al fhoters, and good fhotyng 
 may perchaunce be the more occupied to the profile 
 of all bowyers and fletchers. And thus I praye God 
 that all fletchers getting theyr lyuynge truly, and al ar- 
 chers vfynge fhootynge honeflly, and all maner of men 
 that fauour artillery, may lyue continuallye in 
 healthe and merineffe, obeying theyr 
 prince as they fhulde, and louing 
 God as they ought, to whom 
 for al thinges be al ho- 
 nour and glorye for 
 euer. Amen
 
 TOXOPHILVS, 
 
 The fchole of fhootinge 
 
 eonteyned in two 
 
 bookes. 
 
 To all Gentlemen and yomen of Englandc y 
 
 pleafaunte for theyr paflyme to rede, 
 
 and profitable for theyr ufe 
 
 tofolow, both in war 
 
 and peace. 
 
 The contentes of the firft booke. 
 
 Earnefl bufineffe ought to be refrefhed 
 
 wyth honefle paflyme. . . Fol. i. [& p. 25.] 
 
 Shootyng mofl honefl paflyme. . 3. [33 29.] 
 
 The inuention of fhootinge. . . 5. [<& 31.] 
 
 Shootynge fit for princes and greate men. 5 . [ 32.] 
 
 Shootyng, fit for Scholers and fludentes. 8. [0 37.] 
 
 Shootynge fitter for fludentes than any 
 
 mufike or Inftrumentes. . . 9, [(55 39.] 
 
 Youth e ought to learne to finge. . n. [ 41.]
 
 23 
 
 No manner of man doth or can vfe to 
 muche ftiootynge. . . . 14. [ p. 44.] 
 
 Agaynftevnlawfull gammes and namelye 
 cardes and dife 16. [j)F 49.] 
 
 Shootyng in war. . . . 24. [ 62.] 
 
 Obedience the beft propertie of a Soul- 
 
 dyar. . . 25. [ 63.] 
 
 Reafons and authorites agaynfle fhoot- 
 ynge in war with the confutacion of the 
 fame 26. [ 65.] 
 
 God is pleafed with ftronge wepons and 
 valyaunt feates of war. . . - 28. [ 70.] 
 
 The commoditie of Shootyng in war 
 throughe the Hiftories Greke and Latin, 
 and all nations Chriften and Heathen. 29. $ty 70.] 
 
 Vfe of fhootynge at home caufethe 
 ftronge {hootinge in warre. . . 41. [5 88.] 
 
 Vfe of fhootynge at home, except men 
 oe apte by nature, and connynge by teach- 
 yng, doth litle good at all. . 43. [ 91.] 
 
 Lacke of learnynge to (hoote caufethe Eng- 
 
 lande lacke many a good archer. . 46. [ 95.] 
 
 In learnyng any thyng, a man mufl couete 
 to be bed, or els he mal neuer attayne to 
 be meane. . . , . 47. [ 98.]
 
 A Table conteyning the fecond booke. 
 
 t^OO OO ON ON 
 
 M <-< M M M 
 
 I fill 
 
 "-; ^i i ^ i 
 
 l?^ fc'o's 
 I|||l 
 
 | It'll 
 
 c3 
 
 T2 1> 5 c C C 
 
 2 g O g x 
 
 oj e -C c 41 H 
 
 C sa 
 
 S a 
 
 .a SI 
 
 bo C A , c . 
 
 <& l'ii & 
 
 ^^tS T3 ^g'C 
 
 g^l^hO C-So-^ 
 
 S S 2 S. _ - a 
 
 W g a, 
 
 bO ^^ 
 
 bo x bO 
 
 2 ^ & S 
 
 ^_ j 
 
 <u . 
 .d > 
 
 - U2 
 
 |f 
 
 ^ >-l 
 
 Kti
 
 TOXOPHILVS, 
 A, 
 
 first boftc of tfcc odjo It 
 of ofiotmg, 
 
 i3rjtlologtis. <ToiopI)tlus, 
 
 [fjtlalogbs You fludie to fore Toxophile. (?J 
 
 Cox. I wil not hurt my felf ouer- 
 moche I warraunt you. 
 
 Pfjt. Take hede you do not, for we 
 Phyficions saye, that it is nether good for 
 the eyes in fo cleare a Sunne, nor yet holfome for ye 
 bodie, fo foone after meate, to looke vpon a mans boke. 
 2Toi. In eatinge and fludyinge I will neuer folowe 
 anye Phyfike,for yf I dyd, I am fure I fhoulde haue fmall 
 pleafure in the one, and lefle courage in the other. 
 But what newes draue you hyther I praye you ? 
 
 jjjht. Small newes trulie, but that as I came on 
 walkynge, I fortuned to come with thre or foure that 
 went to fhote at the pryckes : And when I fawe not 
 you amonges them, but at the lafl efpyed you lokynge 
 on your booke here fo fadlye, I thought to come and 
 holde you with fome communication, left, your boke 
 fhoulde runne awaye with you. For me thought by 
 your waueryng pace and earned lokying, your boke 
 led you, not you it.
 
 26 
 
 8Co;r. In dede as it chaunced, my mynde went fatter 
 then my feete, for I happened here to reade in Phedro 
 Platonis, a place that entretes wonderfullie of the nature 
 of foules, which place (whether it were for 
 the paffynge eloquence of Plato, and the 
 Greke tongue, or for the hyghe and godlie defcription of 
 the matter, kept my rriynde fo occupied, that it had no 
 leifure to loke to my feete. For I was reding howe 
 fome foules being well fethered, flewe alwayes about 
 heauen and heauenlie matters, other fome hauinge their 
 fethers mowted awaye, and droupinge, fanke downe 
 into earthlie thinges. 
 
 Pftf. I remembre the place verie wel, and it is won- 
 derfullie fayd of Plato, and now I fe it was no maruell 
 though your fete fayled you, feing your minde flewe 
 fo faft. 
 
 2T0X. I am gladde now that you letted me, for my 
 head akes with loking on it, and bycaufe you tell me 
 fo, I am verye forie yat I was not with thofe good feloes 
 you fpake vpon, for it is a verie faire day for a man to 
 mote in. 
 
 Phi. And me thinke you were a great dele better 
 occupied and in better companie, for it is a very faire 
 daye for a man to go to his boke in. 
 
 2T0x. Al dayes and wethers wil ferue for that pur- 
 pofe, and furelie this occafion was ill loft. 
 
 $3hi. Yea but clere wether maketh clere mindes, 
 and it is beft as I fuppofe, to fpend ye beft time vpon 
 the beft thinges : And me thought you fhot verie wel, 
 and at that marke, at which euery good fcoler mould e 
 mofle bufilie mote at. And I fuppofe it be a great dele 
 more pleafure alfo, to fe a foule flye in Plato, then a 
 fhafte flye at the prickes. I graunte you, fhoting is 
 not the worft thing in the world, yet if we mote, and 
 time fhote, we ar[e] not like to be great winners at the 
 length. And you know alfo wefcholers haue more erneft 
 and weightie matters in hand, nor we be not borne to 
 paflime and pley, as you know wel ynough who fayth. 
 
 Cox. Yet the fame man in the fame place Philologe,
 
 Cfje rftljok of tfljDattncj. 27 
 
 by your leue, doth admittc holfome. honefl 
 
 j i- n- u /v M. Cic. in off. 
 
 and manerhe palumes to be as neceuane 
 to be mingled with fad matters of the minde, as eating 
 and fleping is for the health of the body, and yet we 
 be borne for neither of bothe. And Arif- Anst. de mo- 
 totle him felfe fayth, yat although it were ribus > I0 - t} - 
 a fonde and a chyldifh thing to be to erneft in paflime 
 and play, yet doth he affirme by the authoritie of the 
 oulde Poet Epicharmus, that a man may vfe play for 
 ernefl matter fake. And in an other place, Anst. Pol. 
 yat as reft is for labour, and medicines for 8 - 3- 
 helth, fo is paftime at tymes for fad and weightie 
 ftudie. 
 
 $ht. How moche in this matter is to be giuen to 
 ye audloritie either of Ariftotle or Tullie, I can not 
 tel, feing fad men may wel ynough fpeke merily for a 
 merie matter, this I am fure, whiche thing this faire 
 wheat (god faue it) maketh me remembre, yat thofe 
 hufbandmen which rife erliefl, and come latefl home, 
 and are content to haue their diner and other drinck- 
 inges, broughte into the fielde to them, for feare of 
 lofmg of time, haue fatter barnes in harueft, than 
 they whiche will either flepe at none time of the daye, 
 or els make merie with their neighbours at the ale. 
 And fo a fcholer yat purpofeth to be a good hufband, 
 and defireth to repe and enioy much fruite, of learn- 
 inge, mufte tylle and fowe thereafter. Our befte feede 
 tyme, which be fcholers, as it is verie tymelye, and 
 whan we be yonge : fo it endureth not ouerlonge, and 
 therefore it maye not be let flippe one houre, oure 
 grounde is verye harde, and full of wedes, our horfe 
 wherwith we be drawen very wylde as Plato fayth. 
 And infinite other mo lettes whiche wil In ph e dn> 
 make a thriftie fcholer take hede how he 
 fpendeth his tyme in fporte and pleye. 
 
 2Toi. That Ariftotle and Tullie fpake erneftlie, and 
 as they thought, the erneft matter which they entreate 
 vpon, doth plainlye proue. And as for your huf- 
 bandrie, it was more probablie tolde with apt wordes
 
 28 
 
 propre to ye thing, then throughly proued with 
 reafons belongynge to our matter. Far contrariwife I 
 herd my felfe a good hufbande at his boke ones faye, 
 that to omit ftudie fomtime of the daye, and fome- 
 time of the yere, made afmoche for the encreafe of 
 learning, as to let the land lye fometime falloe, maketh 
 for the better encreafe of corne. This we fe, yf the 
 lande be plowed euerye yere, the corne commeth 
 thinne vp, the eare is fhort, the grayne is imall, and 
 when it is brought into the barne and threfhed, gyueth 
 very euill faul. So thofe which neuer leaue poring on 
 their bokes, haue oftentimes as thinne inuention, as 
 other poore men haue, and as fmal wit and weight in 
 it as in other mens. And thus youre hufbandrie me 
 thinke, is more like the life of a couetoufe fnudge that 
 oft very euill preues, then the labour of a good huf band 
 that knoweth wel what he cloth. And furelie the befl 
 wittes to lerning mufl nedes haue moche recreation 
 and ceafing from their boke, or els they marre them 
 felues, when bafe and dompyffhe wittes can neuer be 
 hurte with continuall ftudie, as ye fe in luting, that a 
 treble minikin firing muft alwayes be let down, but at 
 fuche time as when a man muft nedes playe : when 
 ye bafe and dull ftryng nedeth neuer to be moued 
 out of his place. The fame reafon I finde true in two 
 bowes that I haue, wherof the one is quicke of caft, 
 tricke, and trimme both for pleafure and profyte : the 
 other is a lugge Howe of caft, folowing the ftring, 
 more fure for to laft, then pleafaunt for to vfe. Now 
 fir it chaunced this other night, one in my chambre 
 wolde nedes bende them to proue their ftrength, but 
 I can not tel how, they were both left bente tyll the 
 nexte daye at after dyner : and when I came to them, 
 purpofmg to haue gone on fhoting, I found my good 
 bowe clene caft on the one fide, and as weake as 
 water, that furelie (if I were a riche man) I had rather 
 haue fpent a crowne ; and as for my lugge, it was not 
 one whyt the worfe : but fhotte by and by as wel and 
 as farre as euer it dyd. And euen fo I am fure that
 
 (The sdjcilc of spooling. 29 
 
 good wittes, except they be let downe like a treble 
 firing, and vnbent like a good calling bowe, they wil 
 neuer lafl and be able to continue in ftudie. And I 
 know where I fpeake this Philologe, for I wolde not 
 faye thus moche afore yong men, for they wil take 
 foone occafion to ftudie litle ynough. But I faye it 
 therfore bicaufe I knowe, as litle ftudie getteth litle 
 learninge or none at all, fo the mooft ftudie getteth 
 not ye mooft learning of all. For a mans witte fore 
 occupied in emeft ftudie, mufl be as wel recreated 
 with fome honeft paftime, as the body fore laboured, 
 mufl be refrefhed with flepe and quietneffe, or els it 
 can not endure very longe, as the noble poete fayeth. 
 What thing wants quiet and meri re/I endures but afmal while. 
 
 Quid. 
 
 And I promife you fhoting by my Judgement, is ft* 
 ye moofl honefl paftime of al, and fuche one I am 
 fure, of all other, that hindreth learning litle or nothing at 
 all, whatfoeuer you and fome other faye, whiche are a 
 gret dele iurer againft it alwaies than you nede to be. 
 
 $3!)t. Hindereth learninge litle or nothinge at all? 
 that were a meruayle to me truelie, and I am fure feing 
 you fay fo, you haue fome reafon wherewith you can 
 defende mooting withall, and as for wyl (for the loue 
 that you beare towarde fhotinge) I thinke there fhall 
 lacke none in you. Therfore feinge we haue fo good 
 leyfure bothe, and no bodie by to trouble vs : and you 
 fo willinge and able to defende it, and I fo redy and 
 glad to heare what may be fayde of it I fuppofe we 
 canne not paffe the tyme better oucr, neyther you for 
 ye honeftie of your fhoting, nor I for myne owne 
 rnindfake, than to fe what can be fayed with it, or 
 agaynfte it, and fpeciallie in thefe dayes, whan fo many 
 doeth vfe it, and euerie man in a maner doeth com- 
 mon of it. 
 
 2Toi. To fpeake of fhootinge Philologe, trulye I 
 woulde I were fo able, either as I my felfe am willing 
 or yet as the matter deferueth, but feing with wiffhing 
 we can not haue one nowe \\orthie, wliiche fo worthie
 
 30 
 
 a thinge can worthilie praife, and although I had 
 rather haue anie other to do it than my felfe, yet my 
 felfe rather then no other. I wil not fail to faye in it 
 what I can wherin if I faye litle, laye that of my litle 
 habilitie, not of the matter it felfe which deferueth no 
 lyttle thinge to be fayde of it 
 
 !|j3fji. If it deferue no little thinge to be fayde of it 
 Toxophile, I maruell howe it chaunceth than, that no 
 man hitherto, hath written any thinge of it : wherin 
 you mull graunte me, that eyther the matter is noughte, 
 vnworthye, and barren to be written vppon, or els fome 
 men are to blame, whiche both loue it and vfe it, and 
 yet could neuer finde in theyr heart, to faye one good 
 woorde of it, feinge that very triflinge matters hath not 
 lacked great learned men to fette them out, as gnattes 
 and nuttes, and many other mo like thinges, wher- 
 fore eyther you may honefllie laye verie great faut 
 vpon men bycaufe they neuer yet prayfed it, or els 
 I may iuftlie take awaye no litle thinge from fliooting, 
 bycaufe it neuer yet deferued it 
 
 9Toi. Trulye herein Philologe, you take not fo muche 
 from it, as you giue to it For great and commodious 
 thynges are neuer greatlie prayfed, not bycaufe they 
 be not worthie, but bicaufe their excellencie nedeth 
 no man hys prayfe, hauinge all theyr commendation of 
 them felfe not borowed of other men his lippes, which 
 rather prayfe them felfe, in fpekynge much of a litle 
 thynge than that matter whiche they entreat vpon. 
 Great and good thinges be not prayfed. For who 
 euer prayfed Hercules (fayeth the Greke prouerbe). 
 And that no man hitherto hath written any booke of 
 (noting 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 
 caufe therof as I fuppofe. Menne that vfed fhootyng 
 mofte and knewe it befl, were not learned : men that 
 were lerned, vfed litle mooting, and were ignorant in 
 the nature of the thynge, and fo fewe menne hath bene 
 that hitherto were able to wryte vpon it. Yet howe
 
 rl)dlc Of spooling. 31 
 
 longe fhotying hath continued, what common wealthes 
 hath mofte vfed it, howe honefle a thynge it is for all 
 men, what kynde of liuing fo euer they folow, what 
 pleafure and profit commeth of it, both in peace and 
 warre, all maner of tongues and writers, Hebrue, 
 Greke and Latine, hath fo plentifullie fpoken of it, as 
 of fewe other thinges like. So what mooting is howe 
 many kindes there is of it, what goodneffe is ioyned 
 with it, is tolde : onelye howe it is to be learned and 
 brought to a perfeclnefie amonges men, is not toulde. 
 
 pjjf. Than Toxophile, if it be fo as you do faye, let 
 vs go fonvarde and examin howe plentifullie this is 
 done that you fpeke, and firfle of the inuention of it, 
 than what honeftie and profit is in the vfe of it, bothe 
 for warre and peace, more than in other paflimes, lafte 
 of all howe it ought to be learned amonges men for 
 the encreafe of it, which thinge if you do, not onelye 
 I nowe for youre communication but many other mo, 
 when they mall knowe of it, for your labour,and fhotying 
 it felfe alfo (if it coulde fpeke) for your kyndneffe, wyll 
 can you very moche thanke. 
 
 3Doi0pfj. What good thynges men fpeake of moling 
 and what good thinges mooting bringes to men as my 
 wit and knowlege will ferue me, gladly mall I fay my 
 mind. But how the thing is to be learned I will furely 
 leue to fome other which bothe for greater experience in 
 it, and alfo for their lerninge, can fet it out better than I. 
 
 $3hi . Well as for that I knowe both what you can do 
 in mooting by experience, and yat you can alfo fpeke 
 well ynough of mooting, for youre learning, but go on 
 with the firfl part. And I do not doubt, but what my 
 defyre, what your loue toward it, the honeftie of 
 fhoting, the profite that may come thereby to many 
 other, mail get the feconde parte out of you at the laft. 
 
 QToxcpij. Of the firfl finders out of fhoting, diuers (, 
 men diuerflye doo wryte. Claudiane the ciaudianus 
 poete fayth that nature gaue example of inhistn. 
 fhotyng firfl, by the Porpentine, which doth mote his 
 prickes, and will hitte any thinge that fightes with it :
 
 32 
 
 whereby men learned afterwarde to immitate the fame 
 in findyng out both bowe and (haftes. 
 Plinie referreth it to Schythes the fonne 
 of lupiter. Better and more noble wryters bringe 
 (hoting from a more noble inuentour: as Plato, 
 Calimachus, and Galene from Apollo. insympo. 
 Yet longe afore thofe dayes do we reade i^flT' 
 in the bible of fhotinge expreflye. And Gen. 21. 
 alfo if we mall beleue Nicholas de Lyra, N;C dg l 
 Lamech killed Cain with a fhafte. So this 
 great continuaunce of (hoting doth not a lytle praife 
 fhotinge : nor that neither doth not a litle fet it oute, 
 that it is referred to th[e] inuention of Apollo, for the 
 which poynt (hoting is highlye praifed of Galen in ex . 
 Galene : where he fayth, yat mean craftes hi- ad bo- 
 be firft found out by men or beaftes, as 
 weauing by a fpider, and fuche other : but high and 
 commendable fciences by goddes, as fhotinge and 
 muficke by Apollo. And thus (hotynge for the necef- 
 fitie of it vfed in Adams dayes, for the nobleneffe of 
 it referred to Apollo, hath not ben onelie commended 
 in all tunges and writers, but alfo had in "greate price, 
 both in the bed commune wealthes in warre tyme for 
 the defence of their countrie, and of all degrees of men 
 in peace tyme, bothe for the honeftie that is ioyned 
 with it, and the profyte that foloweth of it. 
 
 ^fttlol. Well, as concerning the fyndinge oute of it, 
 litle prayfe is gotten to fhotinge therby, feinge good 
 wittes maye moofte eafelye of all fynde oute a trife- 
 lynge matter. But where as you faye that moofte com- 
 mune wealthes haue vfed it in warre tyme, and all de- 
 grees of men maye verye honeftlye vfe it in peace 
 tyme : I thynke you can neither fhewe by authoritie, 
 nor yet proue by reafon. 
 
 QToiopftf. The vfe of it in warre tyme, I wyll declare 
 hereafter. And firfte howe all kindes and fortes of men 
 (what degree foeuer they be) hath at all tymes afore, 
 and nowe maye honeftlye vfe it : the example of moofte 
 noble men verye well doeth proue.
 
 ri)f s'rhnlr of sliocitmcj. 33 
 
 Cyaxares the kynge of the Medees, and , 
 
 , r . L ,, i r Herod, in olio. 
 
 greate graundefather to Cyrus, kepte a forte 
 of Sythians with him onely for this purpofe, to teache 
 his fonne Aflyages to fhote. Cyrus being a xen. in insn 
 childe was brought vp in fhoting, which c y"- ' 
 thinge Xenophon wolde neuer haue made mention on, 
 except it had ben fitte for all princes to haue vfed : feing 
 that Xenophon wrote Cyrus lyfe (as Tullie Ad Quint, 
 fayth) not to fhewe what Cyrus did, but Fra - ' ' 
 what all miner of princes both in paflimes and ernefl 
 matters ought to do. 
 
 Darius the firfl of that name, and king of Perfie 
 fhewed plainly howe fit it is for a kinge to loue and 
 vfe fhotynge, whiche commaunded this fentence to be 
 grauen in his tombe, for a Princelie memorie and 
 prayfe. 
 
 Darius the King lifth buried here Strabo. 15. 
 
 That injhoting and riding had neuer pcie. 
 
 Agayne, Domitian the Emperour was fo cunning in 
 flioting that he couldefhotebetwixte a mans 
 
 - /i j- r r J i. Iranq. Suet. 
 
 fingers (landing afarre of, and neuer hurt 
 him. Comodus alfo was fo excellent, and had fo fure 
 a hande in it, that there was nothing within his retche 
 and mote, but he wolde hit it in what 
 
 i i_ u v. n Herodia. i. 
 
 place he wolde : as beafl.es runmnge, 
 either in the heed, or in the herte, and neuer myfle, as 
 Herodiane fayeth he fawe him felfe, or els he coulde 
 neuer haue beleued it. 
 
 $ hi. In dede you praife fhoting very wel, in yat 
 you fhewe that Domitian and Commodus loue 
 fhotinge, fuche an vngracious couple I am fure as a 
 man mail not fynde agayne, if he raked all hell for 
 them. 
 
 Coioph. Wel euen as I wyll not commende their 
 ilneffe, fo ought not you to difpraife their goodneffe, 
 and in dede, the iudgement of Herodian vpon Com- 
 modus is true of them bothe, and that was this : that 
 c
 
 34 
 
 beficle flrength of bodie and good fhotinge, they hadde 
 no princelie thing in them, which faying me thinke 
 commendes fhoting wonderfullie, callinge it a princelie 
 thinge. 
 
 Furthermore howe commendable fhotinge is for 
 princes : Themiftius the noble philofopher Themist. 
 
 fheweth in a certayne oration made to m ora ' 6 - 
 Theodofius th[e] emperoure, wherin he doeth com- 
 mende him for. iii. thinges, that he vfed of a childe. 
 For fhotinge, for rydinge of an horfe well, and for 
 feates of armes. 
 
 Moreouer,not onelye kingesand emperours haue ben 
 brought vp in fhoting, but alfo the beft commune 
 wealthes that euer were, haue made goodlie acles and 
 lavves for it, as the Perfians which vnder Cyrus con- 
 quered in a maner all the worlde, had a 
 lawe that their children fhulde learne thre 
 thinges, onelie from v. yeare oulde vnto xx. to ryde an 
 horfe well, to fhote well, to fpeake truthe Leo de stra- 
 alwayes and neuer lye. The Romaines 
 (as Leo the[e]mperour in his boke of fleightes of warre 2 
 telleth) had a lawe that euery man fhoulde vfe fhoting 
 in peace tyme, while he was. xl. yere olde and that 
 euerye houfe fhoulde haue a bowe,and. xl. fhaftes ready 
 for all nedes, the omittinge of whiche lawe (fayth Leo) 
 amonges the youthe, hath ben the onely occafion why 
 the Romaynes loft a great dele of their empire. But 
 more of this I wil fpeake when I come to the profile 
 of fhoting in warre. If I fhuld rehearfe the ftatutes 
 made of noble princes of Englande in parliamentes 
 for the fettyng forwarde of fhoting, through this 
 realme, and fpecially that acte made for fhoting the 
 thyrde yere of the reygne of our mooft drad 
 foueraygne lorde king Henry the. viii. I could be 
 very long. But thefe fewe examples fpecially of fo 
 great men and noble common wealthes, fhall ftand 
 in ftede of many. 
 
 $hi. That fuche princes and fuche commune welthes 
 haue moche regarded fhoting, you haue well
 
 CT)r 5 rljalc Of s'l)ont tng. 35 
 
 declared. But why fhotinge ought fo of it felfe to be 
 regarded, you haue fcarcelye yet proued. 
 
 8Toi Examples I graunt out of hiftories do (hew a 
 thing to be fo, not proue a thing why it fhuld be fo. 
 Yet this I fuppofe, yat neither great mens qualities 
 being commendable be without great authentic, for 
 other men honeftly to folow them : nor yet thofe 
 great learned men that wrote fuche thinges, lacke 
 good reafon iuflly at al tymes for any other to approue 
 them. Princes beinge children oughte to be brought vp 
 in fhoting : both bycaufe it is an exercife mood 
 holfom, and alfo a paflyme moofl honed : wherin 
 labour prepareth the body to hardnefle, the minde to 
 couragioufnefle, fufferyng neither the one to be marde 
 with tendernefle, nor yet the other to be hurte with 
 ydlenefle : as we reade how Sardanapalus and fuche 
 other were, bycaufe they were not brought vp with 
 outwarde honed payneful padymes to be men : but 
 cockerde vp with inwarde noughtie ydle wantonnnefle 
 to be women. For how fit labour is for al youth, 
 lupiter or els Minos amonges them of Grece, and 
 Lycurgus amonges the Lacedemonians, do Cic- a Tu& 
 fhewe by their lawes, which neuer or- Q"- 
 deyned any thing for ye bringyng vp of youth that was 
 not ioyned with labour. And the labour which is in fhoting 
 of al other is bed, both bycaufe it encreafeth drength, 
 and preferueth health mood, beinge not vehement, but 
 moderate, not ouerlaying any one part with wery- 
 fomnefle, but foftly exercifynge euery parte with 
 equalneffe, as the armes and breades with drawinge, 
 the other parties with going, being not fo paynfull for 
 the labour as pleafaunt for the padyme, which exercife 
 by the iudgement of the bed phyficions, is mod 
 alowable. By fhoting alfo is the mynde honedly 
 exercifed where a man alwaies defireth to Gal. i. de 
 be bed (which is a worde of honedie) and *" tuend - 
 that by the fame waye, that vertue it felfe doeth, 
 couetinge to come nighed a mood perfite ende or 
 meane danding betwixte. ii. extremes, efcheweing
 
 36 
 
 fhorte, or gone, or eitherfyde wide, for the which 
 caufes Ariftotle him felfe fayth that fhoting Arist i. de 
 and vertue is very like. Moreouer that morib - 
 fhoting of all other is the mooft honefl paflyme, and 
 hath leefl occafion to noughtineffe ioyned with it. ii. 
 thinges very playnelye do proue, which be as a man 
 wolde faye, the tutours and ouerfeers to fhotinge : 
 Daye light and open place where euerye man doeth 
 come, the maynteyners and kepers of fhoting, from all 
 vnhonefl doing. If fhotinge faulte at any tyme, it 
 hydes it not, it lurkes not in corners and hudder- 
 mother: but openly accufeth and bewrayeth it felfe, 
 which is the nexte waye to amendement, as wyfe 
 men do faye. And thefe thinges I fuppofe be fignes, 
 not of noughtineffe, for any man to difalowe it : but 
 rather verye playne tokens of honeflie, for euerye man 
 to prayfe it. 
 
 I'ne vfe of fhotinge alfo in greate mennes chyldren 
 fliall greatlye encreafe the loue and vfe of fhotinge in 
 all the refidue of youth. For meane mennes myndes 
 loue to be lyke greate menne, as Plato 
 and Ifocrates do faye. And that euerye 
 bodye fhoulde learne to fhote when they be yonge, 
 defence of the commune wealth, doth require when 
 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 fhotinge of all 
 paftymes is moofl fitte to be vfed in childhode : 
 bycaufe it is an imitation of moofl erneft thinges to 
 be done in manhode. 
 
 Wherfore, fhoting is fitte for great mens children, 
 both bycaufe it ftrengthneth the body with holfome 
 labour, and pleafeth the mynde with honefl paftime 
 and alfo encourageth all other youth ernefllye to folowe 
 the fame. And thefe reafons (as I fuppofe) flirred vp 
 both great men to bring vp their chyldren in fhotinge, 
 and alfo noble commune wealthes fo ftraytelye to com- 
 maunde fhoting. Therfore feinge Princes moued by 
 honefl occafions, hath in al commune wealthes vfed
 
 vTI)r s'd)olr of slinottng. 37 
 
 fhotynge, I fuppofe there is none other degree of men, 
 neither lowe nor hye, learned nor leude, yonge nor 
 oulde. 
 
 Pfjt'I. You fhal nede wade no further in j- 
 
 this matter Tooiophile, but if you can proue 
 me thatfcholers and men gyuen to learning maye honefl- 
 lie vfe fhoting, I wyll foone graunt you that all otherfortes 
 of men maye not onelye lefullie, but ought of dutie to vfe 
 it But I thinke you can not proue but that all thefe 
 examples of fhotinge brought from fo longe a tyme, 
 vfed of fo noble princes, confirmed by fo wyfe mennes 
 lawes and iudgementes, are fette afore temporall men, 
 onelye to follovve them : whereby they may the better 
 and flronglyer defende the commune wealth withall. 
 And nothing belongeth to fcholers and learned men, 
 which haue an other parte of the commune wealth, 
 quiete and peaceable put to their cure and charge, 
 whofe ende as it is diuerfe from the other, fo there is 
 no one waye that leadeth to them both. 
 
 2ToiO. I graunte Philologe, that fcholers and lay 
 men haue diuerfe offices and charges in the commune 
 wealth, whiche requires diuerfe bringing vp in their 
 youth, if they fhal do them as they ought to do in 
 their age. Yet as temporall men of neceflitie are 
 compelled to take fomewhat of learning to do their 
 office the better withal : So fcholers maye the boldlyer 
 borowe fomewhat of laye mennes paflimes, to mayn- 
 teyne their health in fludie withall. And furelie of al 
 other thinges fhoting is neceffary for both fortes to 
 learne. Whiche thing, when it hath ben euermore 
 vfed in Englande how moche good it hath done, both 
 oulde men and Chronicles doo tell : and alfo our 
 enemies can beare vs recorde. For if it be true (as I 
 haue hearde faye) when the kynge of Englande hath 
 ben in Fraunce, the preefles at home bicaufe 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 fhotinge, to prayfc 
 fhoting, to exhorte all other to fhotinge, but alfo to
 
 38 C0j:0j>t)tlu$. 8. 
 
 vfe fhoting my felfe : and that is our kyng his mood 
 royall purpofe and wyll, whiche in all his flatutes 
 generallye doth commaunde men, and with his owne 
 mouthe mood gentlie doeth exhorte men, and by his 
 greate gyftes and rewardes, greatly doth encourage 
 men, and with his mood princelie example very oft 
 doth prouoke all other men to the fame. But here 
 you wyll come in with temporal man and fcholer : I 
 tell you plainlye, fcholer or vnfcholer, yea if I were. 
 xx. fcholers, I wolde thinke it were my dutie. bothe 
 with exhortinge men to mote, and alfo with fhoting my 
 felfe to helpe to fet forwarde that thing which the 
 kinge his wifdome, and his counfell, fo greatlye 
 laboureth to go forwarde : whiche thing furelye they 
 do, bycaufe they knowe it to be in warre, the defence 
 and wal of our countrie, in peace, an exercife mood 
 holfome for the body, a padime mood honed for the 
 mynde, and as I am able to proue my felfe, of al other 
 mode fit and agreable with learninge and learned 
 men. 
 
 |9ftt. If you can proue this thing fo playnly, as you 
 fpeake it ernedly, then wil I, not only thinke as you 
 do, but become a fhooter and do as you do. But yet 
 beware I faye, led you for the great loue you bear 
 towarde fhotinge, blindlie Judge of (hootinge. For 
 loue and al other to erned affections be not for nought 
 paynted blinde. Take hede (I faye) lead you prefer 
 fhootinge afore other padimes, as one Balbinus through 
 blinde affection, preferred his louer before all other 
 wemen, although me were deformed with a polypus in 
 her nofe. And although mooting maye be mete 
 fometyme for fome fcholers, and fo forthe : yet the 
 fitted alwayes is to be preferred. Therefore if you will 
 nedes graunt fcholers padime and recreation of their 
 in hides, let them vfe (as many of them doth) Mufyke, 
 and playing on indrumentes, thinges mode femely for 
 all fcholers, and mode regarded alwayes of Apollo 
 and the Mufes. 
 
 2T0I. Euen as I can not deny, but fome mufike is
 
 rijc 3d)cilr a f s'ljaa t mg. 39 
 
 fit for lerning fo I trufl you can not chofe but graunt, 
 that footing is fit alfo, as Calimachus doth fignifie 
 in this verfe. 
 
 Both merit fonges and good footing deliteth Apollo. Gil. hym. a. 
 
 Butas concerning whether of them is ,~ 
 
 mode fit for learning, and fcholers to vfe, ^ 
 
 you may faye what you will for your pleafure, this I am 
 fure that Plato and Ariflotle bothe, in their bokes en- 
 treatinge of the common welthe, where they fhew 
 howe youthe fhoulde be brought vp in. iiii. thinges, in 
 redinge, in writing, in exercife of bodye, and finginr*, 
 do make mention of Muficke and all kindes of it, 
 wherein they both agre, that Muficke vfed amonges 
 the Lydians is verie ill for yong men, which be flu- 
 dentes for vertue and learning, for a certain nice, fofte, 
 and fmoth fwetneffe of it, whiche woulde rather entice 
 them to noughtines, than ftirre them to honeftie. 
 
 An other kinde of Muficke inuented by the Dorians, 
 they both wonderfully prayfe, alowing it to be verie fyt 
 for the fludie of vertue and learning, becaufe of a 
 manlye, rough and Route founde in it, whyche fhulde 
 encourage yong ftomakes, to attempte manlye matters. 
 Nowe whether thefe balades and roundes, thefe gali- 
 ardes, pauanes and daunces, fo nicelye fingered, fo 
 fwetely tuned, be lyker the Mufike of the Lydians or 
 the Dorians, you that be learned iudge. And what fo 
 euer ye iudge, this I am fure, yat lutes, harpes, all 
 maner of pypes, barbitons, fambukes, with other 
 inftrumentes euery one, whyche ftandeth by fine and 
 quicke fingeringe, be condemned of Arif- Aristot. poi. 
 totle, as not to be brought in and vfed 8 - 6 - 
 amonge them, whiche fludie for learning and vertue. 
 
 Pallas when (he had inuented a pipe, cafl it away, 
 not fo muche fayeth Ariflotle, becaufe it deformed her 
 face, but muche rather bycaufe fuche an Inftrumente 
 belonged nothing to learnynge. Howe fuche Inflru- 
 mentes agree with learning, the goodlye agrement 
 betwixt Apollo god of learninge, and Marfyas the
 
 40 
 
 Satyr, defender of pipinge, doth well declare, where 
 Marfyas had his fkme quite pulled ouer his head for 
 his labour. 
 
 Muche mufike marreth mennes maners, fayth Galen, 
 although fome man wil faye that it doth not fo, but 
 rather recreateth and maketh quycke a mannes mynde, 
 yet me thinke by reafon it doth as hony doth to a 
 mannes flomacke, whiche at the firft receyueth it 
 well, but afterwarde it maketh it vnfit, to abyde any 
 good ftronge norifhynge meate, or els anye holfome 
 fharpe and quicke drinke. And euen fo in a maner 
 thefe Inftrumentes make a mannes wit fo fofte and 
 fmoothe fo tender and quaifie, that they be leife able 
 to brook e, ftrong and tough ftudie. Wittes be not 
 fharpened, but rather dulled, and made blunte, wyth 
 fuche fweete fofteneffe, euen as good edges be blonter, 
 whiche menne whette vpon fofte chalke ilones. 
 
 And thefe thinges to be true, not onely Plato Ariflotle 
 and Galen, proue by authoritie of reafon, Herodotus 
 but alfo Herodotus and other writers, mciio. 
 fhe we by playne and euident example, as that of 
 Cyrus, whiche after he had ouercome fhe Lydians, 
 and taken their kinge Crefus prifoner, yet after by 
 the meane of one Pactyas a verye headie manne 
 amonges the Lydians, they rebelled agaynfte Cyrus 
 agayne, then Cyrus had by an by, broughte them to 
 vtter deftruclion, yf Crefus being in good fauour with 
 Cyrus had not hertelie defyred him, not to reuenge 
 Pactyas faulte, in Ihedynge theyr blood. But if he 
 would folowe his counfell, he myght brynge to paffe, 
 that they fhoulde neuer more rebel agaynfl hym, And 
 yat was this, to make them weare long kyrtils, to ye 
 foot lyke woomen, and that euerye one of them fhoulde 
 haue a harpe or a lute, and learne to playe and fing 
 whyche thinge if you do fayth Crefus (as he dyd in dede) 
 you mail fe them quickelye of men, made women. 
 And thus lutinge and fmginge take awaye a manlye 
 ftomake, whiche fhulde enter and pearce depe and 
 harde ftudye.
 
 scljalr ai scooting. 41 
 
 Euen fuchean other (loriedoeth Nympho- 
 dorus an olde greke Hi demographer write, 
 of one Sefoftris kinge of Egypte, whiche florie becaufe 
 it is fomewhat longe, and very lyke in al poyntes to the 
 other and alfo you do well ynoughe remembre it, feynge 
 you read it fo late in Sophoclis commen- Comment, 
 taries, I wyll nowe pafle ouer. Therefore m Anti s- 
 eyther Ariftotle and Plato knowe not what was good 
 and euyll for learninge and vertue, and the example 
 of wyfe hiflories be vainlie fet afore vs or els the min- 
 firelfie of lutes, pipes, harpes, and all other that flandeth 
 by fuche nice, fine, minikin fingering (fuche as the 
 moofte parte of fcholers whom I knowe vie, if they vfe 
 any) is farre more fitte for the womannifhnefle of it to 
 dwell in the courte among ladies, than for any great 
 thing in it, whiche fhoulde helpe good and fad ftudie, 
 to abide in the vniuerfitie amonges fcholers. But per- 
 haps you knowe fome great goodnefle of fuche muficke 
 and fuche inflrumentes, whervnto Plato and Ariftotle 
 his brayne coulde neuer attayne, and therfore I will 
 faye no more agaynfl it 
 
 $ht. Well Toxophile is it not ynoughe for you to 
 rayle vpon Mufike, excepte you mocke me to ? but to 
 fay the truth I neuer thought my felfe thefe kindes of 
 muficke fit for learninge, but that whyche I fayde was 
 rather to proue you, than to defende the matter. But 
 yet as I woulde haue this forte of muficke decaye 
 amonge fcholers, euen fo do I wyfme from the 
 bottome of my heart, that the laudable cuflome of 
 Englande to teache chyldren their plainefong and 
 prikfong, were not fo decayed throughout all the 
 realme as it is. Whiche thing howe profitable it was 
 for all fortes of men, thofe knevve not fo wel than whiche 
 had it mod, as they do nowe whiche lacke it mode. 
 And therfore it is true that Teucer fayeth in Sophocles. 
 
 Seldome at all good Ihinges be knoiven how good to be Sophocles 
 Before a man fuche thinges do miffe out of his handes. '" Aiace - 
 
 That milke is no fitter nor more naturall for the
 
 42 
 
 bringing vp of children than mufike is, both Gallen 
 proueth by authoritie, and dayly vfe teacheth by 
 experience. For euen the little babes lacking the vfe 
 of reafon, are fcarfe fo well flilled in fuckyng theyr 
 mothers pap, as in hearynge theyr mother fyng. 
 
 Agayne how fit youth is made, by learning to fing, for 
 grammar and other fciences, bothe we dayly do fee, 
 and Plutarch learnedly doth proue,and Plato wifelie did 
 alowe, which receyued no fcholer in to his fchole, that 
 had not learned his fonge before. 
 
 The godlie vfe of prayfing God, by finginge in the 
 churche, nedeth not my prayfe, feing it is fo prayfed 
 through al the fcripture, therfore nowe I wil fpeke 
 nothing of it, rather than I fhuld fpeke to litle of it. 
 
 Befyde al thefe commodities, truly, ii. degrees of 
 menne, which haue the higheft offices vnder the king 
 in all this realme, fhal greatly lacke the vfe of Singinge, 
 preachers and lawiers, bycaufe they fhal not without 
 this, be able to rule their breftes, for euery purpofe. 
 For where is no diflinclion in telling glad thinges and 
 fearfull thinges, gentilnes and cruelnes, foftenes and 
 vehementnes, and fuche lyke matters, there can be no 
 great perfwafion. 
 
 For the hearers, as Tullie fayeth, be muche affec- 
 tioned, as he is that fpeaketh. At his wordes be they 
 drawen, yf he flande ftill in one facion, their mindes 
 ftande ftill with hym : If he thundre, they quake : If 
 he chyde, they feare : If he complayne, they fory with 
 hym : and finally, where a matter is fpoken, with an 
 apte voyce, for euerye affection, the hearers for the 
 mofte parte, are moued as the fpeaker 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 fome 
 lawyers do, whiche thinke they do beft, when they crye 
 lowdeft, thefe mail neuer greatly mooue, as I haue 
 knowen many wel learned, haue done, bicaufe theyr 
 voyce was not flayed afore, with learnyng to fynge.
 
 (TI)f srljolc of Sljoo tmg. 43 
 
 For all voyces, great and fmall, bafe and fhril, weke or 
 fofte, may be holpen and brought to a good poynt, by 
 learnyng to fynge. 
 
 Whether this be true or not, they that (land moofle 
 in nede, can tell bed, whereof fome I haue knowen, 
 whiche, becaufe they learned not to fing, whan they 
 were boyes, were fayne to take peyne in it, whan they 
 were men. If any man fhulde heare me Toxophile, 
 that woulde thinke I did but fondly, to fuppofe that a 
 voice were fo neceffarie to be loked vpon, I would 
 afke him if he thought not nature a foole, for making 
 fuch goodly inftrumentes in a man, for wel vttring his 
 woordes, or els if the. ii. noble orators Demoflhenes 
 and Cicero were not fooles, wherof the one dyd not 
 onelie learne to fmg of a man : But alfo was not 
 afliamed to learne howe he fhoulde vtter his foundes 
 aptly of a dogge, the other fetteth oute no poynte of 
 rhetorike, fo fullie in all his bookes, as howe a man 
 fhoulde order his voyce for all kynde of matters. 
 
 Therfore feinge men by fpeaking, differ and be 
 better than beafles, by fpeakyng wel, better than other 
 men, and that fmging is an helpe towarde the fame as 
 dayly experience doth teache, example of wyfe men 
 doth alowe, authoritie of learned men doth approue 
 wherwith the foundacion of youth in all good common 
 wealthes alwayes hath bene tempered ; furelye if I 
 were one of the parliament houfe, I woulde not fayle, 
 to put vp a bill for the amendment of this thynge, but 
 becaufe I am lyke to be none this yeare, I wil fpeake 
 no more of it, at this time. 
 
 2Toi. It were pitie truly PhiMoge, that the thinge 
 fhoulde be neglected, but I trufl it is not as you fay. 
 
 $Jhi. The thing is to true, for of them that come 
 daylye to ye vniuerfitie, where one hath learned 
 to fmge, vi. hath not. But nowe to oure fhotinge 
 Toxophile agayne, wherin I fuppofe you can not fay fo 
 muche for fhotyng to be fitte for learninge, as you haue 
 fpoken agaynfle Muficke for the fame. 
 
 Therfore as concerning Mufike, I can be content to
 
 graunt you your mynde : But as for (hooting, furely I 
 fuppofe that you can not perfwade me, by no meanes, 
 that a man can be earnefl in it, and earned at his 
 booke to : but rather I thynke that a man with a bowe 
 on his backe, and fhaftes vnder hys girdell, is more fit 
 to wayte vpon Robin Hoode, than vpon Apollo or the 
 Mufes. 
 
 2T0J. Ouer ernefl (hooting furely I will not ouer 
 erneftlye defende, for I euer thought mooting fhoulde 
 be a wayter vpon lerning not a maflres 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 
 feruaunt, than Apollofe, feing that Apollo him felfe in 
 Alceftis of Euripides, whiche tragidie you red openly 
 not long ago, in a maner glorieth faying this verfe. 
 
 It is my wont alwaies my bowe with me to beare. Akest *" 
 
 Therfore a learned man ought not to much to be 
 afhamed to beare that fome tyme, whiche Apollo god 
 of lerning him felfe was not afhamed always to beare. 
 And bycaufe ye woulde haue a man wayt vpon the 
 Mufes, and not at all medle with fhotyng I maruell 
 that you do not remembre howe that the ix. mufes 
 their felfe as fone as they were borne, wer put to norfe 
 to a lady called Euphemis whiche had a fon named 
 Erotus with whome the nine Mufes for his excellent 
 fhootinge, kepte euer more companie withall, and vfed 
 dayly to fhoote togither in ye mount Pernafus; and at 
 lafl it chaunced this Erotus to dye, whofe death the 
 Mufes lamented greatly, and fell all vpon theyr knees 
 afore lupiter theyr father, and at theyr requeft, 
 Erotus for (hooting with the Mufes in earth was made 
 a figne, and called Sagittarius in heauen. Therfore 
 you fe, that if Apollo and the Mufes either were 
 examples in dede, or onelye fayned of wife men to be 
 examples of learninge, honefl (holing maye well 
 ynough be companion with honefl flud'e. 
 
 33fjt. Well Toxophile, if you haue no (Ironger 
 defence of fholinge ihen Poeles, I feare yf your com-
 
 sdjcilr nf sljcintmrj. 45 
 
 panions which loue fhotinge, hearde you, they wolcle 
 thinke you made it but a triflyng and fabling matter, 
 rather then any other man that loueth not fhotinge 
 could e be perfuaded by this reafon to loue it. 
 
 3Toi0. Euen as I am not fo fonde but I knowe that 
 thefe be fables, fo I am fure you be not fo ignoraunt, 
 but you knowe what fuche noble wittes as the Poetes 
 had, ment by fuch matters : which oftentymes vnder 
 the couering of a fable, do hyde and wrappe in goodlie 
 preceptes of philofophie, with the true iudgement of 
 thinges. Whiche to be true fpeciallye in Homer and 
 Euripides, Plato, Ariftotle, and Galene playnelye do 
 fhewe : when through all their workes (in a maner) 
 they determine all controuerfies, by thefe. ii. Poetes 
 and fuche lyke authorities. Therfore if in this matter 
 I feme to fable, and nothynge proue, I am content 
 you iudge fo on me : feinge the fame iudgement fhall 
 condemne with me Plato, Ariftotle, and Galene, whom 
 in that errour I am wel content to folowe. If thefe 
 oulde examples proue nothing for fhoting, what faye 
 you to this ? that the beft learned and fageft men in this 
 Realme, which be nowe alyue, both loue fhoting and 
 vfe fhoting, as the beft learned biffhoppes that be : 
 amonges whome Philologe, you your felfe knowe. iiii. 
 or. v. which as in all good learning, vertue and fage- 
 neffe they gyue other men example what thing they 
 fhoulde do, euen fo by their fhoting, they playnely 
 fliewe what honeft paftime, other men giuen to learning, 
 may honeftly vfe. That erneft ftudie muft be recreated 
 with honeft paftime fufficientlye I haue proued afore, 
 both by reafon and authoritie of the beft learned men 
 that euer wrote. Then feing paftymes be lefull, the 
 mooft fitteft for learning, is to be fought for. A 
 paftyme, faith Ariftotle, muft be lyke a 
 
 i r j n J i_ Anst. po. "I. 
 
 medicine. Medicines ftande by contra- 
 ries, therfore the nature of ftudying confidered, the 
 fitteft paftyme fhal foone appeare. In ftudie euery 
 parte of the body is ydle, which thing caufeth groffe 
 and colde humours, to gather togyther and vexe
 
 46 
 
 fcholers verye moche, the mynde is altogyther bent 
 and fet on worke. A paflyme then mufl be had where 
 euery parte of the bodye mufl be laboured to feparate 
 and leffen fuche humours withal : the mind mufl be 
 vnbent, to gather and fetche againe his quickneffe 
 withall. Thus paflymes for the mynde onelye, be 
 nothing fit for ftudentes, bycaufe the body which is 
 mooft hurte by ftudie, fhulde take away no profyte 
 thereat. This knewe Erafmus verye well, when he was 
 here in Cambrige : which when he had ben fore at 
 his boke (as Garret our bookebynder hath verye ofte 
 tolde me) for lacke of better exercife, wolde take his 
 horfe, and ryde about the markette hill, and come 
 agayne. If a fcholer fhoulde vfe bowles or tennies, 
 the laboure is to vehement and vnequall, whiche is 
 condempned of Galene : the example very ill for other 
 men, when by fo manye actes they be made vnlawfull. 
 
 Running, leaping, and coyting be to vile for fcholers, 
 and fo not fit by Ariftotle his iudgement: walking 
 alone into the felde, hath no token of Aristot. 
 courage in it, a paftyme lyke a fimple man - P o1 - ? 17- 
 which is neither flefh nor fiffhe. Therfore if a man 
 woulde haue a paflyme holefome and equall for euerye 
 parte of the bodye, pleafaunt and full of courage 
 for themynde, not vileand vnhoneftetogyueill 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 teftifye on it when it doth well : let him feke 
 chefely of all other for fhotynge. 
 
 :Pf)t'l0l. Suche commune paflymes as men com- 
 menlye do vfe, I wyll not greatlye allowe to be fit for 
 fcholers : feinge they maye vfe fuche exer- 
 cifes verye well (I fuppofe) as Galene him ^eifcf.T" 
 felfe doth allowe. 
 
 Coiopfy' Thofe exercifes I remembre verye well, for 
 I read them within thefe two dayes, of the whiche, 
 fome be thefe : to runne vp and downe an hyll, to 
 clyme vp a longe powle, or a rope, and there hange a
 
 sdjnlr of Sljnottng. 47 
 
 while, to holde a man by his armes and waue with his 
 heeles, moche lyke the paflyme that boyes vfe in the 
 churche when their mafler is awaye, to fwinge and tot- 
 ter in a belrope : to make a fide, and flretche out bothe 
 his armes, and fo flande lyke a roode. To go on a 
 man his tiptoes, (Iretching out th[e]one of his armes for- 
 warde, the other backewarde, which if he blered out 
 his tunge alfo, myght be thought to daunce Anticke 
 verye properlye. To tumble ouer and ouer, to toppe 
 ouer tayle : To fet backe to backe, and fe who can heaue 
 an other his heles higheft, with other moche like : whiche 
 exercifes furelye mufte nedes be naturall, bycaufe they 
 be fo childiffhe, and they may be alfo holefome for 
 the body : but furely as for pleafure to the minde or 
 honeftie in the doinge of them, they be as lyke fhot- 
 inge as Yorke is foule Sutton. Therfore to loke on al 
 paftymes and exercifes holfome for the bodye, plea- 
 faunt for the mynde, comlye for euery man to do, 
 honed for all other to loke on, profitable to be fette 
 by of euerye man, worthie to be rebuked of no man, fit 
 for al ages perfons and places, onely fhoting fhal ap- 
 peare, wherin all thefe commodities maye be founde. 
 
 fJhtl. To graunt Toxophile, that fludentes may at 
 tymes conuenient vfe fhoting as mooft holfome and 
 honeft paflyme : yet to do as fome do, to fhote hourly 
 daylie, wekelye, and in a maner the hole yere, neithei 
 I can prayfe, nor any wyfe man wyl alowe, nor you 
 your felfe can honeftlye defende. 
 
 2Toiopij. Surely Philologe, I am very glad to fe 
 you come to that poynte that mooft lieth in your 
 ftomake, and greueth you and other fo moche. But I 
 trufte after I haue fayd my mynde in this matter, you 
 fhal confeffe your felfe that you do rebuke this thing 
 more than ye nede, rather then you fhal fynde that 
 any man may fpende by anye poffibilitie, more tyme 
 in fhotinge then he ought. For firft and formooft the 
 hole tyme is deuyded into. ii. partes, the daye and 
 the night : whereof the night maye be both occupyed 
 in many honeft bufineffes, and alfofpent in moche vn-
 
 48 nv0j>f)tIujS. 3. 
 
 thriftineffe, but in no wife it can be applyed to fhot- 
 ing. And here you fe that halfe oure tyme, graunted 
 to all other thinges in a maner both good and ill, is at 
 one fwappe quite taken awaye from fhoting. Now let 
 vs go forward, and fe how moche of halfe this tyme of 
 ours is fpent in fhoting. The hole yere is deuided into, 
 iiii. partes, Spring tyme, Somer, faule of the leafe, 
 and winter wherof the whole winter, for the roughneffe 
 of it, is cleane taken away from fhoting : except it be 
 one day amonges. xx . or one yeare amonges. xl . 
 In Somer, for the feruent heate, a man maye faye 
 likewyfe : except it be fomtyme agaynft night. 
 Now then fpring tyme and faule of the leafe be 
 thofe which we abufe in fhoting. But if we con 
 fider how mutable and chaungeable the wether is in 
 thofe feafons, and howe that Ariftotle him felfe 
 fayth, that moofte parte of rayne fauleth in thefe two 
 tymes : we (hall well perceyue, that where a man 
 wolde mote one daye, he fhall be fayne to leaue of. 
 iiii. Now when tyme it felfe graunteth vs but a litle 
 fpace to fhote in, lette vs fe if fhoting be not hindered 
 amonges all kyndes of men as moche otherwayes. 
 Firft, yong children vfe not, yong men for feare of 
 them whom they be vnder to moche dare not : fage 
 men for other greater bufmeffes, wyll not : aged men 
 for lacke of ftrengthe, can not : Ryche men for 
 couetoufneffe fake, care not : poore men for coft and 
 charge, may not : mailers for their houfholde keping, 
 hede not : feruauntes kept in by their maifters very 
 oft, fhall not : craftes men for getting of their lyuing, 
 verye moche leyfure haue not : and many there be 
 that oft beginnes, but for vnaptneffe proues not : and 
 mooftof all, whi che when theybefhoters gyueitouerand 
 lyfte not, fo that generallye men euerye where for one 
 or other confideration moche fhoting vfe not. Ther- 
 fore thefe two thinges, ftrayteneffe of tyme, and euery 
 man his trade of liuing, are the caufes that fo fewe men 
 fhotes : as you maye fe in this greate towne, where as 
 there be a thoufande good mens bodies, yet fcarfe. x.
 
 (The srbcilr of Slinatmtj. 49 
 
 yat vfeth any great fhoting. And thofe whome you 
 fe fhote the mood, with how many thinges are the[y] 
 drawen (or rather driuen) from fhoting. For firfl, as 
 it is many a yere or they begyn to be greate fhoters, 
 euen fo the greate heate of fliotinge is gone within a 
 yere or two : as you knowe diuerfe Philologe your 
 felfe, which were fometyme the beft flioters, and now 
 they be the bed fludentes. 
 
 If a man faule fycke, farewell fhoting, maye fortune 
 as long as he lyueth. If he haue a wrentche, or haue 
 taken colde in his arme, he may hang vp his bowe (I 
 warraunt you) for one feafon. A litle blayne, a fmall 
 cutte, yea a filie poore worme in his finger, may kepe 
 him from fhoting wel ynough. Breaking and ill luck 
 in bowes I wyll paffe ouer, with an hundred mo fere 
 thinges, whiche chaunceth euerye daye to them that 
 fhote moofl, wherof the leeft of them may compell a 
 man to leaue fhoting. And thefe thinges be.fo trewe 
 and euident, that it is impoflible either for me craftelye 
 to fayne them, or els for you iuftly to deny them. 
 Than feing how many hundred thinges are required 
 altogyther to giue a man leaue to fhote, and any one 
 of them denied, a man can not fhote : and feing euery 
 one of them maye chaunce, and doth chaunce euery 
 day, I meruayle any wyfe man wyll thynke it poffible, 
 that any greate tyme can be fpent in fhoting at all. 
 
 3P|)i. If this be true that you faye Toxo- * 
 
 phile, and in very dede I can denye no- ** 
 
 thinge of it, I meruayle greatly how it chaunceth, that 
 thofe, whiche vfe fhoting be fo moche marked of men, 
 and ofttymes blamed for it, and yat in a maner as moche 
 as thofe which pleye at cardes and dife. And I fhal 
 tell you what I hearde fpoken of the fame Cardes 
 
 matter. A man no fhoter, (not longe agoo) aad *?** 
 wolde defende playing at cardes and dife, if it were 
 honeflly vfed, to be as honefl a paftime as youre fhot- 
 inge : For he layed for him, that a man might pleye for 
 a litle at cardes and dyfe, and alfo a man might fhote 
 away all that euer he had. He fayd a payre of cardes 
 D
 
 coft not paft. ii.d. and that they neded not fo moche 
 reparation asboweand fhaftes, they wolde neuer hurte 
 a man his hande, nor neuer weare his gere. A man 
 fhulde neuer flee a man with fhoting wyde at the car- 
 des. In wete and drye, hole and coulde, they woulde 
 neuer forfake a man, he fliewed what great varietie 
 there is in them for euerye mans capacitie : if one game 
 were harde, he myght eafelye learne an other : if a 
 man haue a good game, there is greate pleafure in it : 
 if he haue an ill game, the payne is fhorte, for he 
 maye foone gyue it ouer, and hope for a better : with 
 many other mo reafons. Butatthelaft he concluded, 
 that betwixt playinge and fhoting, well vfed or ill vfed, 
 there was no difference : but that there was leffe cofte 
 and trouble, and a greate deale more pleafure in 
 playing, then in fhotynge. 
 
 2Toi. I can not deny, but fhoting (as all other good 
 thinges) may be abufed. And good thinges ungoodlye 
 vfed, are not good, fayeth an honorable bifhoppe in 
 an ernefler matter then this is : yet we mufte beware 
 that we laye not mennes faultes vpon the thing which 
 is not worthie, for fo nothing fhulde be good. And 
 as for fhoting, it is blamed and marked of men for that 
 thing (as I fayde before) which fhoulde be rather a 
 token of honeftie to prayfe it, then any figne of 
 noughtineffe to difalowe it, and that is bycaufe it is in 
 euerye man his fight, it feketh no corners, it hydeth it 
 not : if there be neuer fo litle fault in it, euerye man 
 feeth it, it accufeth it felfe. For one houre fpente in 
 fhoting is more fene and further talked of, then. xx. 
 nightes fpent in dyfing, euen as a litle white ftone is fene 
 amonges. iii. hundred blacke. Of thofe that blame 
 fhotinge and fhoters, I wyll faye no more at this tyme 
 but this, that befide that they ftoppe and hinder fhoting, 
 which the kinges grace wolde haue forwarde, they be 
 not moche vnlyke in this poynt to Wyll Somer the 
 king his foole, which fmiteth him that flandeth alwayes 
 before his face, be he neuer fo worfhipfull a man, and 
 neuer greatly lokes for him which e lurkes behinde an 
 other man his backe, that hurte him in dede.
 
 (Tljr s rljolr of sljn o t m g. 5 1 
 
 But to him that compared gamning with fhoting 
 fomewhat wyll I anf\vere, and bycaufe he went afore 
 me in a comparifon : and comparifons fayth learned 
 men, make playne matters : I wyl furely folowe him 
 in the fame. Honed thynges(fayeth Plato) 
 be knowen from vnhoneft thinges, by this 
 difference, vnhoneftie hath euer prefent pleafure in 
 it, hauing neyther good pretence going before, nor 
 yet any profit folowing after; which faying defcry- 
 beth generallye, bothe the nature of mooting and 
 gamning whiche is good, and which is euyl, verie 
 well. 
 
 Gamninge hath ioyned with it, a vayne prefente 
 pleafure, but there foloweth, loffe of name, lofle of 
 goodes, and winning of an hundred gowtie, dropfy 
 difeafes, as euery man can tell. Shoting is a peynfull 
 paflime, wherof foloweth health of body quiknes of 
 witte, habilitie to defende cure countrye, as our ene- 
 mies can beare recorde. 
 
 Loth I am to compare thefe thinges togyther, and 
 yet I do it not bicaufe there is any comparifon at al 
 betwixte them, but therby a man fhal fe how good the 
 one is, howe euil the other. For I thinke ther is fcarfe 
 fo muche contrarioufnes, betwixte hotte and colde, 
 vertue and vice, as is betwixte thefe. ii. thinges : For 
 what fo euer is in the one, the clean contrarye is in 
 the other, as fhall playnlye appere, if we confider, 
 bothe their beginnynges, theyr encreafynges, theyr 
 fructes, and theyr endes, whiche I wyl foone rydde 
 ouer. 
 
 Cl The fyrfle brynger in to the worlde of 
 
 - \ * A 11 u' u c u- Pla. in symp. 
 
 mootynge, was Apollo, whiche for his 
 wifdome, and great commodities, brought amonges 
 men by him, was eflemed worthie, to be counted 
 as a God in heauen. Difyng furely is a baftarde 
 borne, becaufe it is faid to haue. ii. fathers, and yet 
 bothe noughte : The one was an vngracious God, 
 called Theuth, which for his noughtines pi at o 
 
 came neuer in other goddes companyes, in Phed. 
 and therfore Homer doth defpife onfe to name him,
 
 52 
 
 in all his workes. The other father was Herodot. n 
 a Lydian borne, whiche people for fuche Clio - 
 gamnes, and other vnthriftines, as boovvlyng and 
 hauntyng of tauernes, haue bene euer had in mod 
 vile reputation, in all floryes and writers. 
 
 The Foflerervp of ftioting is Labour, ye companion 
 of vertue, the maynteyner of honeflie, the encreafer of 
 health and welthineffe, whiche admytteth nothinge in a 
 maner in to his companye, that flandeth not, with 
 vertue and honeflie, and therefore fayeth the oulde 
 poete Epicharmus very pretelye in Xenophon, that 
 God felleth vertue, and all other good Xendedict. 
 thinges to men for labour. The Nource et fact - Soc - 
 of dife and cardes, is werifom Ydleneffe, enemy of 
 vertue, ye drowner of youthe, that tarieth in it, and 
 as Chaufer doth faye verie well in the Parfons tale, 
 the greene path waye to hel, hauinge this thing appro- 
 priat vnto it, that where as other vices haue fome 
 cloke of honeflie, onely ydlenes can neyther do wel, 
 nor yet thinke wel. Agayne, fhooting hath two 
 Tutours to looke vpon it, out of whofe companie, 
 mooting neuer flirreth, the one called Daye light, ye 
 other Open place, whyche. ii. keepe mooting from euyl 
 companye, and fufifers it not to haue to much fwinge,but 
 euermore keepes it vnder awe, that it darre do nothyng 
 in the open face of the worlde, but that which is good 
 and honefl. Lykewyfe, dyfmge and cardynge, haue. 
 ii. Tutours, the one named Solitarioufenes, whyche 
 lurketh in holes and corners, the other called Night 
 an vngratioufe couer of noughtyneffe, whyche two 
 thynges be very Inkepers and receyuers of all noughty- 
 neffe and noughtye thinges, and thereto they be in a 
 maner, ordeyned by Nature. For on the nighte tyme 
 and in corners, Spirites and theues, rattes and mife, 
 toodes and oules, nyghtecrowes and poulcattes, foxes 
 and foumerdes, with all other vermine, and noyfome 
 beafles, vfe moofle ftyrringe, when in the daye lyght, 
 and in open places whiche be ordeyned of God for 
 honefle thynges, they darre not ones come, whiche 
 thinge Euripides noted verye well, fayenge.
 
 OK Scljnlr of footing. 53 
 
 // thinges the night, good thinges the daye doth haunt and vfe. 
 
 Iphi. in. Tau. 
 
 Companions of flioting, be prouidens, good heed 
 gluing, true meatinge, honefl comparifon, whyche 
 thinges agree with vertue very well. Cardinge and 
 dyfinge, haue a forte of good felowes alfo, goynge com- 
 monly in theyr companye, as blynde Fortune, Mumbling 
 chaunce, fpittle I ucke,falfedealyng, crafty conueyaunce, 
 braynleffe brawlynge, falfe forfwerynge, whiche good 
 feloes wyll fone take a man by the lleue, and caufe 
 him take his Inne, fome wyth beggerye, fome wyth 
 goute and dropfie, fome with thefte and robbery, and 
 feldome they wyl leaue a man before he comme eyther 
 to hangyng or els fomme other extreme mifery. To 
 make an ende, howe flioting by al mennes lawes hath 
 bene alowed, cardyng and dyfing by al mennes iudge- 
 mentes condemned, I nede not fliewe the matter is fo 
 playne. 
 
 Therfore, whan the Lydians (hall inuent betterthinges 
 than Apollo, when flothe and ydlenes shall encreafe 
 vertue more than labour, whan the nyghte and lurking 
 corners, giueth leffe occafion to vnthriftineffe, than 
 lyght daye and opennes, than fhal (hotynge and fuche 
 gamninge, be in fumme comparifon lyke. Yet euen as 
 I do not fhewe all the goodnes, whiche is in fliotynge, 
 whan I proue it flandeth by the fame thinges that 
 vertue it felfe flandeth by, as brought in by God, or 
 Godlyelyke men, foflered by labour, committed to the 
 fauegarde of lyght and opennes, accompanied with pro- 
 uifion and diligens, loued and allowed by euery good 
 mannes fentence. Euen lykewyfe do I not open halfe 
 the noughtines whiche is in cardyng and difing, whan 
 I fliewe howe they are borne of a defperate mother, 
 noriflied in ydlenes, encrefed by licence of nyght and 
 corners, accompanied wyth Fortune, chaunce, deceyte, 
 and craftines : condemned and banifhed, by all lawes 
 and iudgementes. 
 
 For if I woulde enter, to defcrybe the monflruoufe- 
 nes of it, I fhoulde rather wander in it, it is fo brode,
 
 54 
 
 than haue any readye paffage to the ende of the matter : 
 whofe horriblenes is fo large, that it paffed the elo- 
 quence of oure Englyfhe Homer, to compafle it : yet 
 becaufe I euer thought hys fayinges to haue as muche 
 authoritie, as eyther Sophocles or Euripides in Greke, 
 therfore gladly do I remembre thefe verfes of hys. 
 
 Hrfardry is very mother oflefinges, 
 And of deceyte, and curfedfweringes, 
 Blafphemie of Chrijl, matt/laughter, and wa/le alfo. 
 Of catel of tyme, of other thynges mo. 
 
 ^[ Mother of lefinges) trulye it maye well be called fo, 
 if a man confydre howe manye wayes, and how many 
 thinges, he lofeth thereby, for firfle he lofeth his 
 goodes, he lofeth his tyme, he lofeth quycknes of wyt, 
 and all good luft to other thinges, he lofeth honeft 
 companye, he lofeth his good name and eftiniation, 
 and at lafle, yf he leaue it not, lofeth God, and 
 heauen and all : and in ftede of thefe thinges winneth 
 at length, eyther hangyng or hell. 
 
 *fi" And of deceyte) I trowe if I fhoulde not lye, there 
 is not halfe fo muche crafte vfed in no one thinge in 
 the worlde, as in this curfed thynge. What falfe dife 
 vfe they ? as dife flopped with quickfiluer and heares, 
 dife of a vauntage, flattes, gourdes to chop and 
 chaunge whan they lyfte, to lette the trew dife fall 
 vnder the table, and fo take vp the falfe, and if they 
 be true dife, what fhyfte wil they make to fet ye one of 
 them with flyding, with cogging, with foylling, with 
 coytinge as they call it. Howe wyll they vfe thefe 
 fhiftes, whan they get a playne man that can no fkyll 
 of them ? Howe will they go about, yf they perceyue 
 an honefl man haue money, which lift not playe, to 
 prouoke him to playe ? They wyl feke his company, 
 they wil let hym paye nought, yea and as I hearde a 
 man ones faye that he dyd, they wil fend for hym to 
 fome houfe, and fpend perchaunce, a crown on him, 
 and at laft wyll one begin to faye : what my mafters, 
 what (hall we do ? (hall euerye man playe his xii. d. 
 whyles an apple rofle in the fyre, and than we wyll
 
 sdjulc of sljooting. 55 
 
 drinke and departe : Naye wyl an other faye, as falie 
 as he, you can not leaue whan you begyn, and ther- 
 fore I wyll not playe : but yet yf you wyll gage, that 
 euery man as he hath lofl his. xii. d. (hall fit downe, I 
 am content, for furely I woulde winne no mannes 
 money here, but euen as much as wokle paye for mye 
 fupper. Than fpeketh the thyrde, to the honefl man 
 that thought not to playe, what wylle you playe your, 
 xii. pence if he excufe hym, turn man wyll the other 
 faye, flicke not in honefl company for. xii. d. I wyll 
 beare your halfe, and here is my money. 
 
 Nowe al this is to make him to beginne, for they 
 knowe if he be ones in, and be a loofer, yat he wyl 
 not flicke at his. xii. d. but hopeth euer to gette it 
 agayne, whiles perhaps, he loofe all. Than euery one 
 of them fetteth his fhiftes abroche, fome with falfe 
 dife, fome with fettynge of dyfe, fome with hauinge 
 outelandifhe fyluer coynes guylded, to put away at a 
 tyme for good gold. Than if ther come a thing in 
 controuerfie, mufle you be iudged by the table, and 
 than farewell the honefl man hys parte, for he is borne 
 downe on euerye fyde. 
 
 Nowe fir, befyde all thefe thinges they haue certayne 
 termes, as a man woulde faye, appropriate to theyr 
 playing : wherby they wyl drawe a mannes money, 
 but paye none, whiche they cal barres, that furely he 
 that knoweth them not, maye foone be debarred of 
 all that euer he hath, afore he lerne them. Yf a 
 playne man lofe, as he (hall do euer, or els it is a 
 wonder, than the game is fo deuilyfh, that he can 
 neuer leaue : For vayn hope (which hope fayth Euri- 
 pides, deflroyeth many a man and Citie) 
 
 j it. L e f ^i. ^ v. In supph. 
 
 dryuetn hym on fo farre, that he can neuer 
 retourne backe, vntyl he be fo lyght, that he nede feare 
 no theues by the waye. Nowe if a fimple man happen 
 onfe in his lyfe, to win of fuche players, than will they 
 eyther entreate him to kepe them company whyles he 
 hath lofl all agayne, or els chey will vfe the inofle 
 dyuellyfhe fafhion of all, For one of the players that
 
 56 ST0j:0jp!)tIiiji. 8. 
 
 ftandeth nexte him, fhall haue a payre of falfe dife, 
 and cad them out vpon the bourde, the honefl man 
 fhall take them and cafl them, as he did the other, the 
 thirde fhall efpye them to be falfe dife, and fhall crye 
 oute, harde, with all the othes vnder God, that he hath 
 falfelye wonne theyr moneye, and than there is 
 nothynge but houlde thy throte from my dagger, than 
 euery man layeth hande on the fimple man, and 
 taketh all theyr moneye from him, and his owne also, 
 thinking himfelfe wel, that he fcapeth with his lyfe. 
 
 Curfed fwerying, blafphemie of Ckri/le.) Thefe halfe 
 verfes Chaucer in an other place, more at large doth 
 well fet out, and verye liuely expreffe, fayinge. 
 
 Ey by goddes precious hert and his nayles 
 And by the blood of Chrifte, that is in Hales, 
 Seuen is my chaunce, and thine is ftnke and treye, 
 Ey goddes armes, if thou faljly playe, 
 This dagger Jhall thorough thine herte go 
 This /rule commeth of the beched boones ftvoo 
 Forfweringe, Ire, falfnes and Homicide. &=c, 
 
 Thoughe thefe verfes be very ernefllie wrytten, yet 
 they do not halfe fo grifely fette out the horyblenes of 
 blafphemy, which fuche gamners vfe, as it is in dede, 
 and as I haue hearde my felfe. For no man can wryte 
 a thing fo earneftlye, as whan it is fpoken wytb ieflure, 
 as learned men you knowe do faye. Howe will you 
 thinke that fuche furioufenes wyth woode countenaun- 
 ces, and brenning eyes, with ftaringe and bragging, 
 with heart redie to leape out of the belly for fwelling, 
 can be expreffed ye tenth part, to the vttermoft. 
 Two men I herd my felfe, whofe fayinges be far more 
 grifely, than Chaucers verfes. One, whan he had loft 
 his moneye, fware me God, from top to toe with, one 
 breath, that he had loft al his money for lacke of 
 fweringe : The other, lofyng his money, and heaping 
 othes upon othes, one in a nothers necke, moofl 
 horrible and not fpekeable, was rebuked of an honefl 
 man whiche flode, by for fo doynge, he by and by 
 flarynge him in the face, and clappyng his fifte with all
 
 s'cljolr of sfjocittncj. 57 
 
 his moneye he had, vpon the boorde, fware me by the 
 fleffhe of God, that yf fweryng woulde helpe him but 
 one ace, he woulde not leue one pece of god vnfworne, 
 neyther wythin nor without. The remembraunce of 
 this blafphemy Philologe, doth make me quake at the 
 heart, and therefore I wyll fpeake no more of it. 
 
 And fo to conclude wyth fuche gamnying, I thynke 
 there is no vngracioufenes in all thys worlde, that 
 carieth fo far from god, as thys faulte doth. And yf 
 there were anye fo defperate a perfone, that woulde 
 begynne his hell here in earth, I trowe he fhoulde not 
 fynde hell more lyke hell it felfe, then the lyfe of thofe 
 men is which dayly haunt and vfe fuche vngracious games. 
 
 $htl You handle this gere in dede : And I fuppofe 
 if ye had ben a prentice at fuche games, you coulde 
 not haue fayd more of them then you haue done, and 
 by lyke you haue had fomwhat to do with them. 
 
 Coi. In dede, you may honeftlye gather that I hate 
 them greatly, in that I fpeake agaynft them : not that 
 I haue vfed them greatlye, in that I fpeake of them. 
 For thynges be knowen dyuerfe wayes, as Socrates (you 
 knowe) doeth proue in Alcibiades. And if euery man 
 Ihulde be that, that he fpeaketh or wryteth vpon, then 
 fhulde Homer haue bene the befl capitayne, mood 
 cowarde, hardye, hafly, wyfe and woode, fage and 
 fimple : And Terence an oulde man and a yong, an 
 honeft man and a bawde : with fuche lyke. Surelye 
 euerye man ought to praye to God dayly, to kepe them 
 from fuche unthriftynefle, and fpeciallye all the youth 
 of Englande : for what youth doth begynne, a man 
 wyll folowe commonlye, euen to his dyinge daye : 
 whiche thinge Adrailus in Euripides pretelye doth ex- 
 prefie, fayinge. 
 
 What thing a man in tender age hath moft in lire 
 That fame to death alwayes to kepe hejhal befure Euripides 
 
 Therfore in age who greatly longes good frute to mowe m supp' 1 - 
 In youth he mufl him felfe aplye good feede to f owe. 
 
 For the foundation of youth well fette (as Plato doth
 
 faye) the whole bodye of the commune wealth fhal 
 floryfhe therafter. If the yonge tree growe croked, when 
 it is oulde, a man fhal rather breake it than flreyght it. 
 And I thinke there is no one thinge yat crokes youth 
 more then fuche vnlefull games. Nor let no man 
 fay, if they be honeflly vfed they do no harme. For 
 how can that paftyme whiche neither exercifeth the 
 bodye with any honefl labour, nor yet the minde with 
 any honefl thinking, haue any honeflie ioyned with it. 
 Nor let no man affure hym felfe that he can vfe it 
 honeftlye : for if he ftande therein, he may fortune 
 haue a faule, the thing is more flipperye then he 
 knoweth of. A man maye (I graunt) fyt on a brante 
 hyll fyde, but if he gyue neuer fo lytle for ward e, he 
 can not floppe though he woulde neuer fo fayne, but 
 he muft nedes runne heedling, he knoweth not how 
 farre. What honefl pretences, vayne pleafure layeth 
 dayly (as it were entifements or baytes, to pull men 
 forwarde withall) Homer doeth well fhewe, by the 
 Sirenes, and Circes. And amonges all in that fhyp 
 there was but one Vlyffes, and yet he hadde done to 
 as the other dyd, yf a goddeffe had not taught hym : 
 And fo lykewyfe I thinke, they be eafye to numbre, 
 whiche paffe by playing honefllye, excepte the grace 
 of God faue and kepe them. Therfore they that 
 wyll not go to farre in playing, let them folowe this 
 counfell of the Poete. 
 
 Stoppe the begynninges. 
 
 iphilola. Well, or you go any further, I pray you 
 tell me this one thing: Doo ye fpeake agaynfle meane 
 mennes playinge onlye, or agaynfle greate mennes 
 playinge to, or put you anye difference betwixte them ? 
 
 2ToiOpht. If I fhulde excufe my felfe herein, and 
 faye that I fpake of the one, and not of the other, I 
 feare leafte I fhoulde as fondlye excufe my felfe, as a 
 certayne preacher dyd, whome I hearde vpon a tyme 
 fpeake agaynfle manye abufes, (as he fayde) and at 
 lafl he fpake agaynft candelles, and then he fearynge,
 
 t)r 4cf)0k of sljoo t nig. 59 
 
 lead fome men woulde haue bene angrye and 
 offended with him, naye fayeth he, you mull take me 
 as I meane : I fpeake not agaynft greate candelles, but 
 agaynfl lytle candels, for they be not all one (quoth he) I 
 promyfeyou : And fo euerye man laughed him to fcorne. 
 
 In dede as for greate men, and greate mennes mat- 
 ters, I lyfl not greatlye to meddle. Yet this I woulde 
 wyflhe that all great men in Englande had red ouer dili- 
 gentlye the Pardoners tale in Chaucer, and there they 
 fhoulde perceyue and fe, howe moche fuche games 
 (land with theyr worfliyppe, howe great foeuer they be. 
 What great men do, be it good or yll, meane men com- 
 munelye loue to followe, as many learned men in many 
 places do faye, and daylye experience doth playnelye 
 (hewe, in cofllye apparrell and other lyke matters. 
 
 Therefore, feing that Lordes be lanternes to leade 
 the lyfe of meane men, by their example, eyther to 
 goodnefie or badneffe, to whether foeuer they lifte : and 
 feinge alfo they haue libertie to lyfte what they will, I 
 pray God they haue will to lift that which is good, and 
 as for their playing, I wyll make an ende with this faying 
 of Chaucer. 
 
 Lordes might finde them other maner ofpleye 
 Hottest ynough to driue the daye awaye. 
 
 But to be fhorte, the beft medicine for all fortes of 
 men both high and lowe, yonge and oulde, to put 
 awaye fuche vnlawfull games is by the contrarye, lyke- 
 wyfe as all phyficions do alowe in phyfike. So let 
 youthe in fleade of fuche vnlefull games, whiche flande 
 by ydlenefle, by folitarineffe, and corners, by night 
 and darkeneffe, by fortune and chaunce, by crafte and 
 fubtiltie, vfe fuche paftimes as (land by labour : vpon 
 the daye light, in open fyght of men, hauynge fuche an 
 ende as is come to by conning, rather then by crafte : 
 and fo ftiulde vertue encreafe, and vice decaye. For 
 contrarye paftimes, muft nedes worke contrary mindes 
 in men, as all other contrary thinges doo. 
 
 And thus we fe Philologe, that (noting is not onely
 
 60 Oynpljtlus. 3. 
 
 the moofl holefome exercife for the bodye, the mooft 
 honed paftime for the mynde, and that for all fortes 
 of men : But alfo it is a moofl redy medicine, to 
 purge the hole realme of fuche peftilent gamning, wher- 
 with many tymes : it is fore troubled and ill at eafe. 
 
 Pht. The more honeftie you haue proued by fhot- 
 ing Toxophile, and the more you haue perfwaded me 
 to loue it, fo moche trulye the forer haue you made 
 me with this lafl fentence of yours, wherby you plainly 
 proue that a man maye not greatly vfe it. For if 
 fhoting be a medicine (as you faye that it is) it maye 
 not be vfed very oft, left a man fhuld hurt him felfe 
 with all, as medicines moche occupyed doo. For Aris- 
 totle him feife fayeth, that medicines be no meate to 
 lyue withall : and thus (noting by the fame reafon, 
 maye not be moche occupyed. 
 
 5T0X. You playe your oulde wontes Philologe, in 
 dalying with other mens wittes, not fo moche to 
 proue youre owne matter, as to proue what other men 
 can fay. But where you thinke that I take awaye 
 moche vfe of (holing, in lykening it to a medicine: by- 
 caufe men vfe not medicines euery daye, for fo (houlde 
 their bodyes be hurt : I rather proue daylye vfe of 
 (noting therby. For although Ariflotle fayeth that 
 fome medicines be no meate to lyue withall, whiche is 
 true : Yet Hippocrates fayth that our Hippo.de 
 daylye meates be medicines, to withflande med ' P ur - 
 euyll withall, whiche is as true. For he maketh two 
 kyndes of medicines, one our meate that we vfe dailye, 
 whiche purgeth foftlye and flowlye, and in this fim- 
 ilitude maye (noting be called a medicine, wherewith 
 dayly a man maye purge and take away al vnlefull 
 defyres to other vnlefull paftymes, as I proued before. 
 The other is a quicke purging medicine, and feldomer 
 to be occupyed, excepte the matter be greater, and I 
 coulde defcribe the nature of a quicke medicine, 
 which (houlde within a whyle purge and plucke oute 
 all the vnthriftie games in the Realme, through which 
 the commune wealth often tymes is fycke. For not
 
 (Tljr sdjnlr of Boating. 61 
 
 onely good quicke wittes to learnyng be thereby 
 brought out of frame, and quite marred : But alfo 
 manly wittes, either to attempt matters of high courage 
 in warre tyme, or els to atcheue matters of weyght 
 and wifdome in peace tyme, be made therby very 
 quafie and faynt. For loke throughoute all hiftories 
 written in Greke, Latyne, or other language, and you 
 fhal neuer finde that realme profper in the whiche 
 fuche ydle paftymes are vfed. As concerning the 
 medicyne, although fome wolde be mifcontent, if they 
 hearde me meddle anye thynge with it : Yet betwixte 
 you and me here alone, I maye the boldlyer faye my 
 fantafie, and the rather bycaufe I wyll onelye wyfh for 
 it, whiche ftandeth with honeftie, not determyne of it 
 which belongeth to authoritie. The medicine is this, 
 that wolde to God and the kynge, all thefe vnthriftie 
 ydle paftymes, whiche be very bugges, that the Pfalme 
 meaneth on, walking on the nyght and in 
 
 j f i j r e Psalm. 90. 
 
 corners, were made felonye, and fome of 
 that punyfhment ordeyned for them, which is ap- 
 poynted for the forgers and falfifyers of the kynges 
 coyne. Which punifhment is not by me Demost. con- 
 now inuented, but longe agoo, by the tra Leptinem. 
 moofte noble oratour Demofthenes : which meru- 
 ayleth greatly that deathe is appoynted for falfi- 
 fyers and forgers of the coyne, and not as greate 
 punyfhmente ordeyned for them, whiche by theyr 
 meanes forges and falfifyes the commune wealthe. 
 And I fuppofe that there is no one thyng that 
 chaungeth fooner the golden and fyluer wyttes of men 
 into copperye and braffye wayes then difmg and fuche 
 vnlefull paftymes. 
 
 And this quicke medicine I beleue wolde fo throwlye 
 pourge them, that the daylye medicines, as fhoting and 
 other paftymes ioyned with honeft labour fhoulde 
 eafelyer withftande them. 
 
 Tjfyil. The excellent commodityes of fhotynge in 
 peace tyme, Toxophile, you haue very wel and fuffi- 
 ciently declared. Wherby you haue fo perfuaded me,
 
 62 
 
 that God wyllyng hereafter I wyll both loue it the better, 
 and alfo vfe it the ofter. For as moche as I can gather 
 of all this communication of ours, the tunge, the nofe, 
 the handes and the feete be no fytter membres, or 
 inftrumentes for the body of a man, then is fhotinge 
 for the hole bodye of the realme. God hath made 
 the partes of men which be bed and moofl necceflarye, 
 to ferue, not for one purpofe onelye, but for manye : 
 as the tunge for fpeaking and tailing, the nofe for 
 fmelling, and alfo for auoyding of all excrementes, 
 which faule oute of the heed, the handes for receyuynge 
 of good thinges, and for puttyng of all harmefull 
 thinges, from the bodye. So (hotinge is an exercyfe of 
 healthe, a paflyme of honeft pleafure, and fuche one 
 alfo that ftoppeth or auoydeth all noyfome games 
 gathered and encreafed by ill rule, as noughtye humours 
 be, whiche hurte and corrupte fore that parte of the 
 realme, wherin they do remayne. 
 
 But now if you can fhewe but halfe fo moche pro- 
 fyte in warre of fhotynge, as you haue proued pleafure 
 in peace, then wyll I furelye iudge that there be fewe 
 thinges that haue fo manifolde commodities, and vfes 
 ioyned vnto them as it hath. 
 
 2Toi. The vpperhande in warre, nexte the /jt 
 
 goodneffe of God (of whome al viclorie 
 commeth, as fcripture fayth) flandeth Mach. 1.3. 
 chefely in thre thinges : in the wyfedome of the Prince, 
 in the fleyghtes and pollicies of the capitaynes, and in 
 the flrength and cherefuil forwardnefle of the fouldyers. 
 A Prince in his herte muft be full of mercy and peace, 
 a vertue mood pleafaunt to Chrift, mood agreable to 
 mans nature, mooft profytable for ryche and poore. 
 
 For than the riche man enioyeth with great pleafure 
 that which he hath : the poore may obtayne with his 
 labour, that which he lacketh. And although there 
 is nothing worfe then war, wherof it taketh his 
 name, through the which great men be in daunger, 
 meane men without fuccoure, ryche men in feare, 
 bycaufe they haue fomwhat : poore men in care,
 
 Srljalr af Ranting. 63 
 
 bycaufe they haue nothing : And fo euery man in 
 thought and miferie : Yet it is a ciuill medicine, where- 
 with a prince maye from the bodye of his commune 
 wealth, put of that daunger whiche maye faule : or 
 elles recouer agayne, whatfoeuer it hath loft. And 
 therfore as Ifocrates doth faye, a prince 
 muft be a warriour in two thinges, in con- 
 ninge and knowledge of all ileyghtes and feates of 
 warre, and in hauing al neceffarye habilimentes be- 
 longyng to the fame. Whiche matter to entreate at 
 large, were ouerlonge at this tyme to declare, and ouer- 
 moche for my learning to perfourme. 
 
 After the wifdome of the prince, are valiaunt capi- 
 taynes mood neceffary in warre, whofe office and 
 dutye is to knowe all fleightes and pollicies for all 
 kyndes of warre, which they maye learne. ii. wayes, 
 either in daylye folowing and haunting the warres or 
 els bicaufe wifdome bought with ftrypes, is many 
 tymes ouercofllye : they maye beftowe fometyme in 
 Vegetius, which entreateth fuche matters in Latin 
 metelye well, or rather in Polyenus, and Leo the 
 Emperour, which fetteth out al pollicies and duties 
 of capitaynes in the Greke tunge very excellentlye. 
 But chefelye I wolde wiffhe (and if I were of autho- 
 ritie) I wolde counfel al the yong gentlemen of this 
 realme, neuer to lay out of theyr handes. ii. authors 
 Xenophon in Greke, and Caefar in Latyn, where in 
 they fhulde folowe noble Scipio Africanus, 
 as Tullie doeth faye : In whiche. ii. authours 
 befydes eloquence a thinge mode neceffary of all other, 
 for a captayne, they fhulde learne the hole courfe 
 of warre, whiche thofe. ii. noble menne dyd not more 
 wyfelye wryte for other men to leame, than they dyd 
 manfully exercife in the fyelde, for other men to followe. 
 
 The ftrengthe of war lyeth in the fouldier, whofe 
 chyefe prayfe and vertue, is obedience towarde his 
 captayne, fayth Plato. And Xenophon obedience, 
 being agentyle authour, mode chriflianlye put. leg. u. 
 doeth faye, euen by thefe woordes, that xi. Agef.
 
 64 
 
 that fouldyer which firfle ferueth god, and than obeyeth 
 hys captayne, may boldelie with all courage, hope to 
 ouerthrowe his enemy. Agayne, without obedience, 
 neither valiant man, flout horfe, nor goodly 
 harnes doth any good at al. which obedi- 
 ence of ye fouldier toward his captane, brought the 
 whole empyre of ye worlde, into the Romanes handes, 
 and whan it was brought, kepte it lenger, than euer it 
 was kept in any common welth before or after. 
 
 And this to be true, Scipio Africanus, the mofle 
 noble captayne that euer was amonge the 
 
 ~. i, 111, Plutarchus. 
 
 Romaynes, mewed very playnly, what tyme , 
 
 as he went into Afryke, to deftroye Cartage. For he 
 reftinge hys hoofte by the waye in Sicilie, a dayeor twoo, 
 and at a tyme flanding with a great man of Sicilie, and 
 looking on his fouldiers how they exercifed themfelues 
 in kepyng of araye, and other feates, the gentleman 
 of Sicilie afked Scipio, wherin lay hys chyefe hope to 
 ouercome Cartage : He anfwered, in yonder feloes of 
 myne whom you fe play : And why fayth the other, 
 bycaufe fayeth Scipio, that if I commaunded them to 
 runne in to the toppe of this high cafle'l, and cafl 
 them felues doune backeward vpon thefe rockes, I am 
 fure they woulde do it. 
 
 Sallufl alfo doth write, yat there were mo Romanes 
 put to death of theyr captaynes for . 
 
 fetting on theyr enemyes before they had 
 licence, than were for running away out of the fyelde, 
 before they had foughten. Thefe two examples do 
 proue, that amonges the Romaynes, the obedience of 
 the fouldyer was wonderfull great, and the feueritie of 
 the Captaynes, to fe the fame kepte wonderfull flrayte. 
 For they wel perceyued that an hofle full of obe- 
 dyence, falleth as feldome into the handes of theyr 
 enemies as that bodye fawleth into Jeoperdye, the 
 whiche is ruled by reafon. Reafon and Rulers beynge 
 lyke in offyce, (for the one ruleth the body of man, the 
 other ruleth the bodye of the common wealthe) ought 
 to be lyke of condicions, and oughte to be obeyed in
 
 sdjcilc of s'ljaattng. 65 
 
 all maner of matters. Obedience is nouryffhed by 
 feare and loue, Feare is kept in by true iuflice and 
 equitie, Loue is gotten by wifdome, ioyned with 
 liberalise : For where a fouldyer feeth ryghteoufe- 
 neffe fo rule, that a man can neyther do wronge nor 
 yet take wronge, and that his capitayne for his wyfe- 
 dome, can mayntayne hym, and for his liberalise will 
 maintayne him, he mufl nedes both loue him and feare 
 him, of the whiche procedeth true and vnfayned obe- 
 dience. After this inwarde vertue, the nexte good poynt 
 in a fouldier, is to haue and to handle his weapon 
 wel, whereof the one mufl be at the appoyntment of 
 the captayne, the other lyeth in the courage and exer- 
 cife of the fouldier : yet of al weapons the beft is, as 
 Euripides doth fay, wherwith with leeft 
 
 , c f ,/ , In Here. fu. 
 
 daunger of our felf we maye hurt our ene- 
 mye mooft. And that is (as I suppofe) artillarie. 
 Artillarie now a dayes is taken for. ii. thinges : Gunnes 
 and Bowes, which how moch they do in war, both 
 dayly experience doeth teache, and alfo Peter Nannius 
 a learned man of Louayn, in a certayne dialoge 3 doth 
 very well fet out, wherein this is mofl notable, that 
 when he hath mewed excedyng commodities of both, 
 and fome difcommodities of gunnes, as infinite cofl 
 and charge, comberfome carriage : and yf they be 
 greate, the vncertayne leuelyng, the peryll of them 
 that (land by them, the efyer auoydyng by them that 
 flande far of: and yf they be lytle, the leffe both feare 
 and ieoperdy is in them, befyde all contrary wether 
 and wynde, whiche hyndereth them not a lytle : yet of 
 all fhotyng he cannot reherfe one difcommoditie. 
 
 |f3hi. That I meruayle greatly at, feing Nannius is fo 
 well learned, and fo exercifed in the authoursof both the 
 tunges : for I my felfe do remembre that fhotying in 
 war is but fmally prayfed, and that of diuers captaynes 
 in dyuers authors. For firfl in Euripides (whom you 
 fo highly praife) and very well, for Tullie thynketh 
 euerye verfe in him to be an authoritie, what I praye 
 you, doth Lycus that ouercame Thebes, fay as con- 
 

 
 66 
 
 cernyng (holing? whofe words as farre as I remem- 
 bre, be thefe, or not muche vnlyke. 
 
 What prayfe hath he at al, which.' timer durjl abide, 
 The dint of a fpeares poynt thnifl againjl his fide 
 Nor neuer bonldlie buckeler bare ytt in his lefte hande 
 Face to face his enemies bronl Jlijftelie to wythjlande, 
 But alivaye tmjlcth to a bowe and to a fathered Jlicke 
 
 Harnes euer moftfit for him which to file is quicke, Eurip. in 
 
 i n r* i , n j- j Here, furent. 
 
 Bo'ive andjiiafte is Armoure metejl for a cowarde 
 
 Which dare not ones abide the bronte of battel JJiarpe and harde. 
 
 But he a man of man hade mojl is by mine ajfent 
 Which -with harte and cor age boulde, fullie hath him bent, 
 His enemies looke in etiery Jloure floutelie to a bide, 
 Face to face, andfote tofote, tide -what may be tide. 
 
 Agayne Teucer the bed Archer amonges all the 
 Grecians, in Sophocles is called of Mene- 
 laus, a boweman, and a (hooter as in s^ ^" 
 villaynie and reproche, to be a thing of no 
 price in warre. Moreouer Pandarus the bed (hooter in 
 the worlde, whome Apollo hym felfe taught to fhoote, 
 bothe he and his fhotynge is quyte con- 
 temned in Homer, in fo much that Homer 
 (which vnder a made fable doth alwayes hyde hys 
 Judgement of thinges) doeth make Pandarus him felfe 
 crye out of mooting, and cafl his bowe awaye, and 
 take him to a fpeare, makynge a vowe that if euer he 
 came home, he woulde breake his (haftes, and burne 
 his bowe, lamentyng greatly, that he was fo fonde to 
 leaue at home his horfe and charyot wyth other 
 weapons, for the trufl yat he had in his bowe. Homer 
 (ignifieng thereby, that men (houlde leue fhoting out 
 of warre, and take them to other wepons more fitte 
 and able for the fame, and I trowe Pandarus woordes 
 be muche what after thys forte. 
 
 /// chaitnce ill lucke me hyther broughte 
 711 fortune me that daye befell, 
 Whanfirji my bowe fro the pynne I rmighte 
 For Heftors fake, the Grekes to gnelL
 
 Clje s'rljolc of sljcotmrj. 67 
 
 But yfthat God fo for mejhap 
 
 That home agaynt Imaye ones come, 
 Let me neuer initye that hap, 
 Nor euer hoyft looke on thefonne, 
 Ifbowe andjhaftes I do not burne 
 
 Whyche nowefo euel doth feme my turne. 
 
 But to let paffe al Poetes, what can be forer faid 
 agaynll any thing, than the iudgement of 
 Cyrus is agaynfl (hotynge, vvhiche doth * en Cyn. 
 caufe his Perfians beyng the befl (hooters 
 to laye awaye theyr bowes and take them to fweardes 
 and buckelers, fpeares and dartes, and other lyke 
 hande weapons. The which thing Xenophon fo wyfe 
 a philofopher, fo experte a captayne in warre hym 
 felfe, woulde neuer haue written, and fpecially in that 
 booke wherein he purpofed to (hewe, as Tullie fayeth in 
 dede, not the true hiftorie, but the example 
 of a perfite wife prince and common welthe, O P! F^' *** 
 excepte that iudgement of chaungyng 
 Artillerie, in to other wepons, he had alvvayes thought 
 beft to be folowed, in all warre. Whofe 
 counfell the Parthians dyd folowe, whan 3! */? 
 
 they chafed An tonie ouerthe mountaines of 
 Media, whiche being the beft. fhoters of the worlde, lefte 
 theyr bowes, and toke them to fpeares and morifpikes. 
 
 And thefe fewe examples I trowe, of the beft (hooters, 
 do well proue that the beft fhotinge is not the bed 
 thinge as you call it in warre. 
 
 Joi. As concernynge your firft example, taken 
 oute of Euripides, I maruayle you wyl bring it for ye 
 difprayfe of (hotyng, feyng Euripides doth make 
 thofe verfes, not bicaufe he thinketh them true, 
 but bicaufe he thinketh them fit for the perfon 
 that fpake them. For in dede his true iudge- 
 ment of fhoting, he doth expreffe by and by after 
 in the oration of the noble captaine Amphytrio 
 agaynfte Lycus, wherein a man maye double, whether 
 he hath more eloquentlye confuted Lycus fayenge, or 
 more worthtlye fette oute the prayfe of fhootynge.
 
 68 
 
 And as I am aduifed, his woordes be muche hereafter 
 as I fhall faye. 
 
 Again/I the wittie gifte ofJJiotinge in a bowe Eurip. in. 
 
 Fonde and lend woordes thou leudlie doe/I out throwe, Here- fur 
 Whiche, if t hoit wilte heare of me a woorde or twaytte 
 Quicklie thou may/I l<\irne howc fondlie thou doejl blame, 
 
 Firfte he that with his harneis him felfe doth wal about, 
 Thatfcarce is lefte one hole through which he may pepe out. 
 Such bondmen to their harneis to fight are nothinge mete 
 Butfonejl of al other are troden vnderfete. 
 
 Yf he bejlronge, his felovves faynt, in whome he putteth his tntfl, 
 So loded with his harneis muft nedes lie in the duji, 
 Nor yet from death he cannot Jlarte, if ones his weapon breke, 
 Howejioute, howejlrong, howe great, howe longe, 
 
 fo euer befuche a freke. 
 
 But whofo euer can handle a bowe Jlurdie Jliffe andjlronge 
 Whet with lyke hayle manieJJiaftes he Jhootes into thethickejlthronge: 
 This profite he takes, thatjlanding a far his enemie he mayefpill 
 Whan he and his full fafe Jhall Jlande out of all daunger and ill. 
 And this in War is wifedome mojie, which workes our enemies woo. 
 Whan weJJial be far from allfeare and ieoperdie ofourfoo. 
 
 Secondarily euen as I do not greatlye fegarde what 
 Menelaus doth fay in Sophocles to Teucer, bycaufe 
 he fpake it bothe in anger, and alfo to hym that he 
 hated, euen fo doo I remembre very well in Homer, 
 that when Hector and the Troians woulde haue fet 
 fyre on the greke (hippes, Teucer with his bowe made 
 them recule backe agayne, when Menelaus m^. 8. 
 
 tooke hym to his feete, and ranne awaye. 
 
 Thirdlye as concerning Pandarus, Homer doth not 
 difprayfe the noble gyfte of fhotynge, but therby euery 
 man is taught, that whatfoeuer, and how good foeuer a 
 weapon a man doth vfe in war, yf he be hym 
 
 f ir f *. t. c i i_ .1 Horn. Hi. <. 
 
 felfe a couetoufe wretche, a foole wythoute 
 counfell, a peacebreaker as Pandarus was, at laft he 
 (hall throughe the punimment of God fall into his 
 enemyes handes, as Pandarus dydde, whome Diomedes 
 throughe the helpe of Minerua miferablye flue. 
 
 And bycaufe you make mencion of Homer, and
 
 Cljr Srljolr of sljnattntj. 69 
 
 Troye matters, what can be more prayfe for anye 
 thynge, I praye you, than that is for fliootyng, that 
 Troye coulde neuer be deflroyed without the helpe 
 of Hercules fhaftes, whiche thinge doeth fignifie, 
 that although al the worlde were gathered in an 
 army togyther, yet without fhotinge they can neuer 
 come to theyr purpofe, as Vlyffes in Sophocles very 
 plainlye doth faye vnto Pyrrhus, as concernyng Her- 
 cules fhaftes to be caried vnto Troye. 
 
 Nor you without them, nor without you they do oitgkt. Soph. phiL 
 
 Fourthlye where as Cyrus dyd chaunge Xen.Cyri. 
 parte of his bowemen, wherof he had plen- itit. 6 - 
 tie, into other menne of warre, wherof he lacked, I 
 will not greatlye difpute whether Cyrus did well in 
 that poynt in thofe dayes or no, bycaufe it is not 
 playne in Xenophon howe ftrong fhooters the Perfians 
 were, what bowes they had, what (haftes and heades 
 they occupyed, what kynde of warre theyr enemies vfed. 
 
 But trulye as for the Parthians, it is playne, in 
 Plutarche, that in chaungyng theyr bowes pi u . jn. M. 
 in to fpeares, they brought theyr felfe Aatoa - 
 into vtter deflruclion. For when they had chafed 
 the Romaynes many a myle, through reafon of theyr 
 bowes, at the lafl the Romaynes afhamed of their 
 fleing, and remembrynge theyr owlde noblenefle and 
 courage, ymagined thys waye, that they woulde kneele 
 downe on theyr knees, and fo couer all theyr body 
 wyth theyr fhyldes and targattes, that the Parthians 
 fhaftes might flyde ouer them, and do them no harme, 
 which thing when the Parthians perceyued, thinking 
 that ye Romaynes wer forweryed with laboure, 
 watche, and hungre : they layed downe their bowes, and 
 toke fperes in their handes, and fo ranne vpon them : 
 but the Romaynes perceyuinge them without their 
 bowes, rofe vp manfully, and flewe them euery mother 
 fon, faue a fewe that faued them felues with runnyng 
 awaye. And herein our archers of Englande far pafle 
 the Parthians, which for fuche a purpofe, when they
 
 yo 
 
 fhall come to hande flrokes, hath euer redy, eyther at 
 his backe hangyng, or els in his next felowes hande a 
 leaden maule, or fuche lyke weapon, to beate downe 
 his enemyes withall. 
 
 Pljt. Well T0a,0p/ii/e,kir\g that thofe examples whiche 
 I had thought to haue ben cleane agaynil fhoting, you 
 haue thus turned to the hygh prayfe of fhotinge : and 
 all this prayfe that you haue now fayd on it, is rather 
 come in by me than fought for of you : let me heare 
 I praye you nowe, thofe examples whiche you haue 
 marked of fhotyng your felfe : whereby you are, and 
 thinke to perfuade other, yat fhoting is fo good in warre. 
 
 2Toi. Examples furely I haue marked very many : 
 from the begynning of tyme had in memorie of wryt- 
 yng, throughout all commune wealthes, and Empires 
 of the worlde : wherof the moofte part I wyll paffe 
 ouer, left I fhoulde be tedioufe : yet fome I wyll 
 touche, bycaufe they be notable, bothe for me to tell 
 and you to heare. 
 
 And bycaufe the ftorye of the lewes is for the tyme 
 mooft auncient, for the truthe moofte credible, it fhalbe 
 mooft fitte to begynne with them. And although I 
 knowe that God is the onely gyuer of viclorie, and not 
 the weapons, for all ftrength and viclorie (fayth ludas 
 Machabeus) cometh from heauen : Yet 
 
 r i n i- .LI n Mach. I. 3. 
 
 furely ftrong weapons be the mftrumentes 
 
 wherwith god doth ouercome yat parte, gt* 
 
 which he wil haue ouerthrown. For God 
 
 is well pleafed wyth wyfe and wittie feates of warre : 
 
 As in metinge of enemies, for trufe takyng, to haue 
 
 priuilye in a bufhment harneft men layd 
 
 for feare of treafon, as ludas Machabeus 
 
 dyd wyth Nicanor Demetrius capitayne : And to haue 
 
 engines of warre to beate downe cities with all : and 
 
 to haue fcout watche amonges our enemyes to knowe 
 
 their counfayles, as the noble captaine 
 
 _ , , ', _ , ,, . , ' ,. , Mach. i. 12. 
 
 lonathas brother to ludas Machabeus did 
 
 in the countrie of Amathie againft the mighty hofte of 
 
 Demetrius. And befyde al this, god is pleafed to haue
 
 (Tl)c srljalc of sljaatmg. 71 
 
 goodly tombes for them which do noble feates in warre, 
 and to haue their ymages made, and alfo their cote 
 Armours to be fet aboue theyr tombes, to 
 their perpetual laude and memorie : as the 
 valiaunt capitayne Symon, dyd caufe to be made for 
 his brethren ludas Machabeus and lonathas, when 
 they were flayne of the Gentiles. And thus of what 
 authoritie feates of warre, and flrong weapons be, 
 fhortly and playnelye we maye learne: But amonges 
 the lewes as I began to tell, I am fure there was 
 nothing fo occupyed, or dydde fo moche good as bowes 
 dyd : infomoche that when the lewes had any great 
 vpperhande ouer the Gentiles, the fyrfle thinge alwayes 
 that the captayne dyd, was to exhort the people to 
 gyue all the thankes to God for the viclorye, and not to 
 theyr bowes, wherwith they had flayne their 
 enemyes : as it is playne that the noble 
 lofue dyd after fo many kynges thruft do\vne by hym. 
 God, when he promyfeth helpe to the Jewes, he vfeth 
 no kynde of fpeakyng fo moche as this, that he wyll 
 bende his bowe, and die his fliaftes in the 
 Gentiles blood : whereby it is manifeft, that 
 eyther God wyll make the lewes (hoote flronge motes 
 to ouerthrowe their enemies : or at leefle that fhotinge 
 is a wonderful mightie thing in warre, whervnto ye 
 hygh power of God is lykened. Dauid in the Pfalmes 
 calleth bowes the veffels of death, a bytter Psai. 7. 6.1. 
 thinge, and in an other place a myghty 7S " 
 power, and other wayes mo, which I wyll let pafle, 
 bycaufe euerye man readeth them daylye : But yet 
 one place of fcripture I mufl nedes remembre, 
 which is more notable for ye prayfe of flioting, then 
 any yat euer I red in any other ftorie, and that is, 
 when Saul was flayne of ye Philiflians 
 being mightie bowmen, and lonathas his 
 fonne with him, that was fo good a (hoter, as ye 
 fcripture fayth, that he neuer (hot fhafte in vayne, 
 and yat the kyngdome after Saules deathe came vnto 
 Dauid : the firfl flatute and lawe that euer Dauid
 
 72 
 
 made after he was king, was this, that al 
 ye children of Ifrael fhulde learne to fhote, 
 according to a lawe made many a daye before yat tyme 
 for the fetting out of fhoting as it is written (fayeth 
 Scripture) in libra luftorum, whiche booke we haue not 
 nowe : And thus we fe plainelye what greate vfe of 
 (hoting, and what prouifion euen from the begynnynge 
 of the worlde for fhotyng, was amonge the lewes. 
 
 The Ethiopians which inhabite the furthefl part 
 South in the worlde, were wonderfull bowmen : in 
 fomoche that when Cambyfes king of Herodotus in 
 Perfie being in Egipt, fent certayne am- Thalia, 
 baffadours into Ethiope to the kynge there, with many 
 great gyftes: the king of Ethiop perceyuinge them 
 to be efpyes, toke them vp lharpely, and blamed 
 Cambyfes greatly for fuch vniufl enterprifes : but 
 after that he had princely entertayned them, he fent 
 for a bowe, and bente it and drewe it, and then vnbent 
 it agayne, and fayde vnto the ambaffadours, you (hall 
 commende me to Cambyfes, and gyue him this bowe 
 fro me, and byd him when any Perfian can fhote in 
 this bowe, let him fet vpon the Ethiopians : In the 
 meane whyle let hym gyue thankes vnto God, whiche 
 doth not put in the Ethiopians mynde to conquere 
 any other mans lande. This bowe, when it came 
 amonge the Perfians, neuer one man in fuche an in- 
 finite hoft (as Herodotus doth faye) could ftyrre the 
 ftryng, faue onely Smerdis the brother of Cambyfes, 
 whiche ftyrred it two fingers, and no further: for the 
 which a6l Cambyfes had fuche enuy at him, that he 
 afterward flewe him : as doth appeare in the Itorye. 
 
 Sefoflris the moofl mightie king that euer was in 
 Egipt, ouercame a great parte of the worlde, and that 
 by archers : he fubdued the Arabians, the lues, the 
 Affyrians : he went farther into Scythia then any man 
 els : he ouercame Thracia, euen to the borders of 
 Germanic. And in token how he ouercame al men 
 he fet vp in many places great yniages to his owne 
 lykeneffe, hauynge in the one hande a bowe, in the
 
 crlinlr of shooting. 73 
 
 other a fharpe heeded fhafte: that men Herod. in. 
 myght knowe, what weapon is hoofle Euterpe, 
 vfed, in conqueryng fo manye people. Diod - Sic - * 
 
 Cyrus, counted as a god amonges the Gentyles, for 
 his noblenefle and felicitie in warre : yet at . 
 
 the lafl when he fet vpon the Maflagetanes 
 (which people neuer went without their bowe nor their 
 quiuer, nether in warre nor peace) he and all his were 
 flayne, and that by (hotyng, as appeareth in the florye. 
 
 Polycrates the prince of Samos (a very little yle) 
 was lorde ouer all the Greke fees, and with- . ^^ 
 flode the power of the Perfians, onely by 
 the helpe of a thoufande archers. 
 
 The people of Scythia, of all other men loued, and 
 vfed mooil (hotyng, the hole rycheffe and houfehoulde 
 ftuffe 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 fkynne of 
 a man, whiche he toke or flewe fyrfte in battayle. 
 The Scythians to be inuincible by reafon of their 
 (hotyng, the greate voyages of fo manye noble con- 
 querours fpent in that countrie in vayne, doeth well 
 proue : But fpecially that of Darius the myghtie kyng 
 of Perfie, which when he had taryed there a great 
 fpace, and done no good, but had fonveryed his 
 hofte with trauayle and hunger: At lad the men 
 of Scythia fent an ambafladour with. iiii. Herod, in. 
 gyftes : a byrde, a frogge, a moufe, and. Meipomen. 
 v. (haftes. Darius meruaylyng at the (Iraungeneffe 
 of the gyftes, afked the meflenger what they fignifyed : 
 the meflenger anfwered, that he had no further com- 
 maundement, but onely to delyuer his gyftes, and 
 retourne agayne with all fpede : but I am fure (fayeth 
 he) you Perfians for your great wyfdome, can foone 
 boult out what they meane. When the meflenger was 
 gone, euery man began to fay his verdite. Darius 
 Judgment was this, that ye Scythians gaue ouer into 
 the Perfians handes, their lyues, their hole power, 
 both by lande and fee, fignifyinge by the moufe the
 
 74 C0rapT)fluiJ. 9T. 
 
 earthe, by the frogge the water, in which they both 
 Hue, by ye birde their lyues which lyue in the ayer, by 
 the fhaft their hole power and Empire, that was mayn- 
 teyned alwayes by fhotinge. Gobryas a noble and 
 wyfe captayne amonges the Perfians, was of a cleane 
 contrary minde, faying, nay not fo, but the Sythians 
 meane thus by their gyftes, that except we get vs 
 wynges, and flye into the ayer lyke birdes, or run into 
 ye holes of the earthe lyke myfe, or els lye lurkyng in 
 fennes and mariffes lyke frogges, we fhall neuer returne 
 home agayne, before we be vtterly vndone with their 
 fhaftes : which fentence fanke fo fore into their hertes, 
 yat Darius with all fpede pofllble, brake vp his campe, 
 and gat hym felfe homewarde. Yet hovve moche the 
 Perfians them felues fet by fhotinge, wherby they 
 encreafed their empire fo moche, doth appeare by. 
 iii. manifefl reafons : firfte that they brought Hcrod- in c i io _ 
 vppe theyr youth in the fchole of fhoting, xenoph. in 
 vnto. xx. yere of age, as dyuerfe noble c y r P- 
 Greke authours do faye. 
 
 Agayne, bycaufe the noble kyng Darius thought hym 
 felfe to be prayfed by nothyng fo moch, as to be counted 
 a good fhoter, as doth appeare by his fepulchre, 
 wherin he caufed to be written this fentence. 
 
 Darius the King lieth buried here Sttab- ij. 
 
 That in footing and riding had neuer pere. 
 
 Thirdlye the coyne of the Perfians, both golde and 
 filuer had the Armes of Perfie vpon it, as is piutarch. in 
 cuftomably vfed in other realmes, and that Agefiia. 
 was bow and arowes : by the which feate they declared, 
 how moch they fet by them. 
 
 The Grecians alfo, but fpecially the noble Athe- 
 nienfes, had all their ftrength lyinge in 
 
 ..... .... , . J c Suidas. 
 
 Artillane : and for yat purpofe the citie of 
 Athens had a thoufand. men which were onely archers, 
 in dayly wages, to watche and kepe the citie from al 
 ieoperdie and fodein daunger : which archers alfo fhuld 
 cary to prifon and warde any mifdoer at ye commaunde-
 
 (Tljr srljolc of sljtioting. 75 
 
 ment of the hygh officers, as playnlye doth appeare in 
 Plato. And furely the bowmen of Athens Plato in pro. 
 did wonderful feates in many battels, but tagora. 
 fpecially when Demofthenes the valiaunt captayne flue 
 and toke prifoners all the Lacedemonians befyde ye 
 citie of Pylos, where Neflor fomtyme was lord : the 
 fhaftes went fo thicke that day (fayth 
 Thucydides) that no man could fe theyr 
 enemies. A Lacedemonian taken prifoner, was afked 
 of one at Athens, whether they were floute fellowes that 
 were flayne or no, of the Lacedemonians : he anfwered 
 nothing els but this : make moche of thofe fhaftes of 
 youres, for they knowe neyther floute nor vnftoute : 
 meanynge thereby, that no man (though he were neuer 
 fo flout) came in their walke, that efcaped without 
 death. 
 
 Herodotus defcrybing the mighty hoofl Herod, in 
 of Xerxes efpecially doth marke out, what Poiym. 
 bowes and fhaftes they vfed, fignifying yat therin lay 
 their chefe flrength. And at the fame tyme Attoffa, 
 mother of Xerxes, wyfe to Darius, and doughter of 
 Cyrus, doeth enquire (as Aefchylus fheweth . 
 
 . J ' ,. , . Esch. in Perf. 
 
 in a Tragedie) of a certayne meffenger 
 that came from Xerxes hofle, what flronge and fear- 
 full bowes the Grecians vfed : wherby it is playne, that 
 Artillarie was the thing, wherin both Europe and Afia 
 at thofe dayes trufled moofl vppon. 
 
 The bed parte of Alexanders hofle were archers as 
 playnelye doth appeare in Arianus, and other yat 
 wrote his life : and thofe fo flronge archers, that they 
 onely, fundrye tymes ouercame their enemies, afore 
 any other neded to fyght : as was fene in 
 the battayl which Nearchus one of Alex- 
 anders capitaynes had befyde the ryuer of Thomeron. 
 And therfore as concerning all thefe kyngdomes and 
 commune wealthes, I maye conclude with this fen- 
 tence of Plinie, whofe wordes be, as I fup- pu n . uu. 16. 
 pofe thus : If any man woulde remembre ^P- s 6 - 
 the Ethiopians, Egyptians, Arabians, the men of Inde,
 
 76 <TovopI)tIus'. 3. 
 
 of Scythia, fo many people in ye eafl of the Sarmatianes, 
 and all the kyngdomes of the Parthians, he ftiall well 
 perceyue halfe the parte of the worlde, to lyue in 
 fubie<5lion, ouercome by the myght and power of 
 ftiotinge. 
 
 In the commune wealth of Rome, which exceded 
 all other in vertue, noblenefle, and dominion litle 
 mention is made of fhoting, not bycaufe it was litle 
 vfed amonges them, but rather bycaufe it was bothe fo 
 neceflarye and commune, that it was thought a thing 
 not neceflarye or requyred of anye man to be fpoken 
 vpon, as if a man fhoulde defcribe a greate feafle, 
 he woulde not ones name bread, although it be 
 moofle common and neceflary for all : but furely yf 
 a feafte beynge neuer fo great, lacked bread, or had 
 fewfly and noughty bread, all the other daynties 
 fliulde be vnfauery, 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 fo dyd the Romaynes as con- 
 cernynge fhootyng. Seldome is (hootinge named, and 
 yea it dyd the mofle good in warre, as didde appere, 
 verye playnlye in that battell, whiche Scipio Aphricanus 
 had with the Numantines in Spayne, whome he coulde 
 neuer ouercome, before he fette bowemen amonges his 
 horfe men, by whofe myght they were clean vanquifhed. 
 
 Agayne, Tiberius fyghtynge with Armenius and Ing- 
 uiomerus princis of Germanic, had one _ 
 wing of archers on horfeback, an other of 
 archers on foot, by whofe might the German es were 
 flayne downe ryghte, and fo fcattered and beate oute 
 of the feelde, that the chafe lafled. x. myles, the Ger- 
 manes clame vp in to trees for feare, but the Romanes 
 dyd fetche them downe with theyr maftes as they had 
 ben birdes, in whyche battell the Romaynes loft fewe 
 or none, as doth appeare in the hiftorie. 
 
 But as I began to faye, the Romaynes dyd not fo 
 muche prayfe the goodnefle of fhootinge, whan they 
 had it, as they dyd lament the lacke of it, whan they
 
 Srtjole of tfjoottujj. 77 
 
 wanted it, as Leo the. v. the noble Emperour doth 
 playnlyteflifie in fundrie places in thofe bokeswhichehe 
 wrote in Greke, of the fleyghtes and pollicies of warre. a 
 
 ^Pftt'l. Surelie of that booke I haue not heard before, 
 and howe came you to the fyghte of it. 
 
 QToi. The booke is rare trulie, but this lafle yeare 
 when mailer Cheke tranflated the fayd booke out of 
 greke in to Latin, to ye kinges maieflie, he of his 
 gentleneffe, wolde haue me very ofte in hys chamber, 
 and for the familiaritie that I had wyth hym, more 
 than manye other, woulde fuffer me to reade of it, 
 whan I woulde, the whiche thinge to do, furelye I was 
 very defirous and glad, becaufe of the excellent 
 handelynge of all thynges, that euer he taketh in 
 hande. And verily P/rilologe, as ofte as I remembre the 
 departynge of that man from the vniuerfitie, (whiche 
 thinge I do not feldome) fo ofte do I well perceyue 
 our mode helpe and futheraunce to leamynge, to haue 
 gon awaye with him. For by ye great commoditie 
 yat we toke in hearyng hym reade priuatly in his 
 chambre, all Homer, Sophocles, and Euripides, 
 Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon, Ifocrates and 
 Plato, we feele the great difcommoditie in not hearynge 
 of hym, Ariftotle and Demofthenes, whiche. ii. authours 
 with all diligence laft of all he thought to haue redde 
 vnto us. And when I confider howe manye men he 
 fuccoured with his helpe, and hys ayde to abyde here 
 for learninge, and howe all men were prouoked and 
 (lyrred vp, by his councell and daylye example, howe 
 they fhulde come to learning, furely I perceyue that 
 fentence of Plato to be true, which fayeth that there is 
 nothyng better in any common wealthe, than that there 
 fhoulde be alwayes one or other, excellent paflyng 
 man, whofe lyfe and vertue, fhoulde plucke forwarde 
 the will, diligence, laboure and hope of all other, that 
 folowyng his footefteppes, they myght comme to the 
 fame ende, wherevnto labour, lerning and vertue, had 
 conueied him before. The great hinderance of learning, 
 in lackinge thys man greatly I fhulde lament, if this dif-
 
 73 
 
 commoditie of cures, were not ioyned with the commo- 
 ditie and health, of ye hole realme, for which purpofe, 
 our noble king full of wyfedome hath called vp this 
 excellent man full of learnynge, to teache noble prince 
 Edwarde, an office ful of hope, comforte and folace toal 
 true hertes of England : For whome al England, dayly 
 doth praye, yat he paffmg his Tutour in 
 learnyng and knowledge folowynge his 
 father in wifedome and felicitie, accordyng to yat ex- 
 ample which is fet afore his eyes, may fo fet out and 
 mayntayne goddes worde to theabolimment ofal papif- 
 try, the confufion ofal herefie, that thereby he feared of 
 his ennemies, loued of al his fubiec"les, maye bring to 
 his own glory, immortal fame and memorie, to this 
 realme, welthe, honour, and felicitie, to true and vn- 
 fayned religion perpetuall peace, Concorde, and vnitie. 
 
 But to retourne to ihootynge agayne, what Leo 
 fayeth of fhootynge amonges the Romaynes, hys 
 woordes, be fo muche for the prayfe of fhootynge, 
 and the booke alfo fo rare to be gotten, that I learned 
 the places by harte, whyche be as I fuppofe, euen 
 thus. Fyrfte in his fixte booke, as concerning what 
 harneys is beft: Lette all the youth of Rome be 
 compelled to vfe fhootyng, eyther more or leffe, and 
 alwayes to bear theyr bowe and theyr quiuer aboute 
 with them, untyll they be. xl. yeares oulde. 
 
 For fithens fhootynge was necglecled and decayed 
 among the Romaynes, many a battayle and fyelde 
 hath been lofte. Agayne in the n. booke 
 and. 50. chapiter, (I call that by bookes and 
 chapiters, whyche the greke booke deuideth by chapi- 
 ters and paragraphes) Let your fouldyers haue theyr 
 weapons wel appoynted and trimmed, but aboue all 
 other thynges regarde mode fhootinge, and therfore 
 lette men when there is no warre, vfe fhootynge at 
 home : For the leauynge of, onely of fhotynge, hath 
 broughte in ruyne and decaye, the hole Empire 
 of Rome. Afterwarde he commaundeth agayne, hys 
 capitayne by thefe wordes : Arme your hofle as I
 
 srliolr of sljciotmg. 79 
 
 haue appoynted you, but fpecially with 
 bowe and arrowes plentie. For fhootynge 
 is a thinge of muche myghte and power in warre, 
 and chyefely agaynfl the Sarracenes and Turkes, whiche 
 people hath all their hope of viclorie in theyr bowe 
 and fhaftes : Befydes all this, in an other place, he 
 wryteth thus to his Captayne : Artillerie is eafie to be 
 prepared, and in time of great nede, a thinge mofle 
 profitable, therfore we flraytlye 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 feare perfone haue bowe 
 and fhaftes of his owne, and euerye houfe befyde this, 
 to haue a (landing bearyng bowe, and. xl. fhaftes 
 for all nedes, and that they exercife them felues in 
 holtes, hilles, and dales, playnes and wodes, for all 
 maner of chaunces in warre. 
 
 Howe muche mooting was vfed among the olde 
 Romanes and what meanes noble captaynes and Em- 
 perours made, to haue it encreafe amonge them, and 
 what hurte came by the decaye of it, thefe wordes, of 
 Leo the emperour, which in a maner I haue reherfed 
 woorde for woorde, playnly doth declare. And yet 
 fhotynge, although they fet neuer fo muche by it, was 
 neuer fo good than, as it is nowe in Englande, whiche 
 thing to be true, is very probable, in that Leo doth 
 faye, that he woulde haue his fouldiers take of theyr 
 arrowe heads, and one fhote at an other, for theyr 
 exercife, whiche playe yf Englyfhe archers vfed, I 
 thinke they fhoulde fynde fmal play and LCO. 7 . IB. 
 lefle pleafure in it at all. 
 
 The great vpperhande maynteyned alwayes in warre 
 by artillery, doeth appeare verye playnlye by this reafon 
 alfo, that whan the fpanyardes, franchmen, and ger- 
 manes, grekes,macedonians,and egyptians, eche contry 
 vfmg one finguler weapon, for whyche they were greatelye 
 feared in warre, as the Spanyarde Lancea, the Franche- 
 man Gffa, the German Framca, the Grecian Mac/iera,
 
 8o 
 
 the Macedonian Sartffa, yet coulde they not efcape, 
 but be fubiectes to the Empire of Rome, whan the 
 Pertians hauyng all theyr hope in artillerie, gaue no 
 place to them, but ouercame the Romanes, ofter than 
 the Romaynes them, and kepte battel with them, 
 many an hundred yeare, and flue the ryche Craffus 
 and hys fon wyth many a floute Romayne M Crass, 
 more, with their bowes. They draue M 1U Anw' 
 Marcus Antonius ouer the hylles of Media luiiano.' 
 in Armenia, to his great fhame and reproch. They flue 
 lulianus Apoflata, and Antonius Caracalla, they helde 
 in perpetual pryfon, ye mofl noble emperour Valerian 
 in defpite of all the Romaynes and many other princes, 
 whiche wrote for his delyueraunce, as Bel folis called 
 kynge of kynges, Valerius kynge of Cadufia, Artha- 
 befdes kyng of Armenia, and many other princes 
 more, whom ye Parthians by reafon 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 funne ryfmge and funne fettynge, as Tullye 
 fayeth : but fo 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 Eaftewarde, farther than the borders of 
 Parthia, a man myght haue boughte with a fmall deale 
 of money, of whiche thynge furely fhotyngwas the caufe. 
 
 From the fame contrie of Scythia the Gothians 
 Hunnes, and Wandalians came wyth the 
 fame wepons of artillarie, as Paulus Dia- 
 conus doth faye, and fo berafte Rome of her empyre 
 wyth fyre, fpoyle, and wafte, fo yat in fuche a learned 
 citie was lefte fcarce one man behynde, that had 
 learnynge or leyfoure to leue in writinge to them 
 whiche fhoulde come after howe fo noble an Empyre, 
 in fo fhorte a whyle, by a rable of banyfhed bonde- 
 men, wythoute all order and pollicie, faue onelye 
 theyr naturalle and daylye exercife in artillarye, was 
 broughte to fuche thraldome and mine. 
 
 After them the Turkes hairing an other name, but yet
 
 Ct)r srlicilc of sljcicitmg. 81 
 
 the fame people, borne in Scythia, brought p 
 vp onely in artillarie, by the fame weapon 
 haue fubdued and beraft from the Chriften men all 
 Afia and Aphrike (to fpeake vpon,) and the mooft 
 noble countries of Europe, to the greate diminifhing of 
 Chrifte his religion, to the great reproche of cowardyfe 
 of al chriftianitie, a manifeft token of gods high wrath 
 and difpleafure ouer the fynne of the worlde, but 
 fpeciallye amonges Chriften men, which be on flepe 
 made drunke with the frutes of the flefh, as infidelitie, 
 difobedience to Goddes worde, and herefie, grudge, 
 ilhvyll, ftryfe, open battayle, and priuie enuye, 
 coueytoufneffe, oppreflion, vnmercifulnefle, with in- 
 numerable fortes of vnfpeakeable daylye bawdrye : 
 which thinges furely, yf God holde not his holy hand 
 ouer vs, and plucke vs from them, wyl bryng vs to a 
 more Turkifhneffe and more beaftlye blynde barbarouf- 
 nefle : as callyng ill thinges good, and good thynges ill, 
 contemnyng of knowledge and learnynge, fettynge at 
 nought, and hauyng for a fable, God and his high 
 prouidence, wyll bring vs (I fay) to a more vngracious 
 Turkifhnefle (if more Turkifhneffe can be then this) 
 than if the Turkes had fworne, to bring al Turkye 
 agaynft vs. For thefe frutes furelye muft neades 
 fprynge of fuch feede, and fuch effect nedes folowe 
 of fuche a caufe : if reafon, truthe, and God, be not 
 altered, but as they are wont to be. For furely no 
 Turkyfhe power can ouerthrowe vs, if Turkyffhe lyfe 
 do not caft vs downe before. 
 
 If god were wyth vs, it buted not the turke to be 
 agaynft vs, but our vnfaythful fmfull lyuyng, which is 
 the Turkes moder, and hath brought hym vp hitherto, 
 mufte nedes turne god from vs, becaufe fyn and he 
 hath no felowfhyp togither. If we banifhed ill liuyng 
 out of chriftendome, I am fure the Turke fhulde net 
 onelye, not ouercome vs, but fcarce haue an hole to 
 runne in to, in his own countrye. 
 
 But Chriftendome nowe I may tell you Philologe is 
 muche lyke a man that hath an ytche on him, and lyeth 
 F
 
 82 
 
 dronke alfo in his bed, and though a thefe come to the 
 dore, and heaueth at it, to come in, and fleye hym, yet 
 he lyeth in his bed, hauinge more pleafure to lye in a 
 (lumber and fcratche him felfe wher it ytcheth euen to 
 the harde bone, than he hath redynes to ryfe up luflelye, 
 and dryue him awaye that woulde robbe hym and fleye 
 hym. But I trufle Chrifle wyl fo lyghten and lyfte vp 
 Chriften mennes eyes, that they mall not flepe to death, 
 nor that the turke Chrifles open enemy, lhall euer bofle 
 that he hath quyte ouerthrowen vs. But as I began to 
 tell you, fhootynge is the chefe thinge, wherewith God 
 fuflfereth the turke to punyfli our noughtie liuinge wyth 
 all : The youthe there is brought vp in casp. de re- 
 (hotyng, his priuie garde for his own perfon, bus Turc - 
 is bowmen, the might of theyr fhootynge is wel knowen 
 of the SpanyardeSjWhiche at the towne called Newecaftell 
 in Illirica, were quyte flayne vp, of the turkes arrowes : 
 whan the Spanyardes had no vfe of theyr gunnes, by 
 reafon of the rayne. And nowe lafl of all, the em- 
 perour his maieflie him felfe, at the Citie of Argier in 
 Aphricke had his hoofte fore handeled wyth the Turkes 
 arrowes, when his gonnes were quite difpatched and 
 ftode him in no feruice, bycaufe of the raine that fell, 
 where as in fuche a chaunce of raine, yf he had had 
 bowmen, furelye there fhoote myghte peraduenture 
 haue bene a litle hindred, but quite difpatched and 
 rnarde, it coulde neuer haue bene. 
 
 But as for the Turkes I am werie to talke of them 
 partlye becaufe I hate them, and partlye bycaufe I am 
 now affectioned euen as it were a man that had bene 
 longe wanderyng in flraunge contries and would fayne 
 be at home to fe howe well his owne frendes profper 
 and leade theyr lyfe, and furelye me thincke I am verie 
 merye at my harte to remember how I fhal finde at 
 home in Englande amonges Englyfh men, partlye by 
 hyflories, of them that haue gone afore vs, agayne by 
 experience of them whych we knowe, and lyue with 
 vs as greate noble feates of warre doone by Artillarye, 
 as euer was done at any tyme in any other common
 
 Che rfcholc of sljaotmcj. 83 
 
 welthe. And here I mud nedes remember a certaine 
 Frenchman called Textor, that writeth a 
 bokewhiche he namethOfficina, 4 wherin he 
 weueth vp many brokenended matters and fettes out 
 much rifraffe, pelfery, trumpery, baggage and beggerie 
 ware clamparde vp of one that would feme to be fitter 
 for a fliop in dede than to write any boke. And 
 amonges all other yll packed vp matters, he thruft.es 
 vp in a hepe togyther all the good fhoters that euer 
 hathe bene in the worlde as he faythe hymfelfe, and 
 yet I trow Philologe that of all the examples whiche I 
 now by chaunce haue reherfed out of the befl Authors 
 both in greke and latin, Textor hath but. ii. of them, 
 which, ii. furely yf they were to reken agayne, I wold 
 not ones name them, partly bycaufe they were noughtie 
 perfons, and fhoting fomoche the worfe, bycaufe they 
 loued it, as Domitian and Commodus the emperours : 
 partelye bycaufe Textor hath them in his boke, on 
 whom I loked on bychaunce in the bookebynders 
 mope, thynkynge of no fuche matter. And one thing 
 I wyl fay to you Philologe, that if I were difpofed to do 
 it, and you hadde leyfure to heare it, I coulde foone do as 
 Textor doth, and reken vp fuche a rable of fhoters that 
 be named here and there in poetes, as wolde holde vs 
 talkyng whyles tomorowe : but my purpofe was not to 
 make mention of thofe which were feyned of Poetes 
 for theyr pleafure, but of fuche as were proued in hif- 
 tories for a truthe : but why I bringe in Textor was 
 this: At lafte when he hath rekened all fhoters that 
 he can, he fayeth thus, Petrus Crinitus 5 
 wryteth, that the Scottes whiche dwell be- 
 yonde Englande be verye excellent fhoters, and the 
 beft bowmen in warre. This fentence whether Cri- 
 nitus wrote it more leudly of ignoraunce, or Textor 
 confirmeth it more piuyfhlye of enuye, may be called 
 in queflion and double : but this furelye do I knowe 
 very well that Textor hath both red in Gaguinus the 
 Frenche hyflorie, 8 and alfo hath hearde his father or 
 graundfather taulke (except perchaunce he was borne
 
 and bred in a Cloyfler) after that fort of the fhotynge 
 of Engliffhe men, that Textor neded not to haue gone 
 fo piuifhlye beyonde Englande for fhoting, but myght 
 very foone, euen in the firft towne of Kent, haue founde 
 fuche plentie of Ihotinge, as is not in al the realme of 
 Scotland agayne. The Scottes furely be good men of 
 warre in theyr owne feate as can be : but as for fhot- 
 inge, they neyther can vfe it for any profyte, nor yet 
 wil chalenge it for any prayfe, although mafter Textor 
 of his gentleneffe wold gyue it them. Textor neaded 
 not to haue fylled vppe his booke with fuche lyes, if 
 he hadde read the ftorye of Scotlande, whiche loannes 
 Maior doeth wryte: wherein he myghte 
 haue learned, that when lames Stewart fyrft 
 kyng of that name, at the Parliament holden at Saynt 
 lohnnes towne or Perthie, commaunded vnder payne 
 of a greate forfyte, that euerye Scotte fhoulde learne to 
 fhote : yet neyther the loue of theyr countrie, the feare 
 of their enemies, the auoydying of punifhment, 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 felues proue Textor 
 a Iyer, bothe with authoritie and alfo daily experi- 
 ence, and by a certayne Prouerbe that they haue 
 amonges them in theyr communication, wherby they 
 gyue the whole prayfe of fhotynge honeftlye to En- 
 glyffhe men, faying thus : that euery Englyffhe Archer 
 beareth vnder hys gyrdle. xxiiii. Scottes. 
 
 But to lette Textor and the Scottes go : yet one 
 thynge woulde I wyffhe for the Scottes, and that is 
 this, that feinge one God, one faythe, one compaffe of 
 the fee, one lande and countrie, one tungue in 
 fpeakynge, one maner and trade in lyuynge, lyke 
 courage and ftomake in war, lyke quickneffe of witte 
 to learning, hath made Englande and Scotlande bothe 
 one, they wolde fuffre them no longer to be two : but 
 cleane gyue ouer the Pope, which feketh none other 
 thinge (as many a noble and wyfe Scottifh man doth
 
 ri)C s'djolr of sljaottng. 85 
 
 knowe) but to fede vp diflention and parties betwixt 
 them and vs, procuryng that thynge to be two, which 
 God, nature, and reafon, wold haue one. 
 
 Howe profytable fuche an attonement John Ma 
 were for Scotlande, both Johannes Maior, 7 ior. 6. his* 
 and Ector Boetius 8 whiche wrote the Scottes 
 Chroniclesdo tell,andalfo all the gentlemen of Scotlande 
 with the poore communaltie, do wel knowe : So that 
 there is nothing that floppeth this matter, faue on.elye a 
 fewe freers, and fuche lyke, whiche with the dregges 
 of our Englyfh Papiflrie lurkyng now amonges them, 
 fludy nothing els but to brewe battell and flryfe 
 betwixte both the people : Wherby onely they hope 
 to maynetayne theyr Papifticall kyngdome, to the 
 deflruciion 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 Scottifhe men and Englifhe men 
 be not enemyes by nature, but by cuflome : not by our 
 good wyll, but by theyr owne follye : whiche fhoulde 
 take more honour in being coupled to Englande, then 
 we fhulde take profile in being ioyned to Scotlande. 
 
 Wales being headye, and rebelling many yeares 
 agaynfl vs, laye wylde, vntylled, vnhabited, without 
 lawe, iuftice, ciuilitie and ordre : and then was 
 amonges them more flealing than true dealing, more 
 furetie for them that fludyed to be noughte, then 
 quyetneffe 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 honed craftes, to get bothe true and 
 plentifull lyuynge withall. And this felicitie (my 
 mynde gyueth me) within thefe few dayes (hal chaunce 
 alfo to Scotlande, by the godly wyfedome of oure 
 moofte noble Prince kynge Henrye the. viii. by 
 whome God hath wrought more wonderfull thynges 
 then euer by any prince before : as banifhing the 
 byfhop of Rome and herifie, bringyng to light god his 
 worde and veritie, eftablifhing fuche iuftice and
 
 86 
 
 equitie, through euery parte of this his realme. as 
 neuer was fene afore. 
 
 To fuche a Prince of fuche a wyfdome, God hath 
 referued this moofle noble attonement : wherby neither 
 we fhalbe any more troubled, nor the Scottes with 
 their befl countries any more deflroyed, nor ye fee, 
 whiche God ordeyneth profytable for both, mall from 
 eyther be any more flopped : to the great quietnefle, 
 wealth, and felicitie of all the people dwellynge in this 
 He, to the high renoume and prayfe of our moofl 
 noble kyng, to the feare of all maner of nacions that 
 owe ill wyll to either countrie, to the hygh pleafure of 
 God, which as he is one, and hateth al diuifion, fo is 
 he befl of all pleafed, to fe thinges which be wyde and 
 amyffe, brought to peace and attonement. But 
 Textor (I befhrowe him) hath almoofle broughte vs 
 from our communication of fhoting. Now fir by my 
 iudgement, the Artillarie of England farre excedeth 
 all other realmes: but yet one thing I doubt and 
 longe haue furely in that point doubted, when, or by 
 whom, fhotyng was firfl brought in to Englande, and 
 for the fame purpofe as I was ones in companye wyth 
 fyr Thomas Eliot knight, which furelie for his lerning 
 in all kynde of knowlege bringeth much worfhyp to all 
 the nobilitie of Englande, I was fo bould to afke hym, 
 yf he at any tyme, had marked any thing, as con- 
 cernynge the bryngyngein of fhootynge in to Englande : 
 he aunfwered me gentlye agayne, that he had a worcke 
 in hand which he nameth, De rebus memorabilibus 
 Anglice, which I trufl we fhal fe in print fhortlye, 7 and 
 for the accomplyfhmente of that boke, he had read 
 and perufed ouer many olde monumentes of Englande, 
 and in feking for that purpofe, he marked this of 
 (hootynge in an excedyng olde cronicle, the which had 
 no name, that what tyme as the Saxons came firfl into 
 this realme in kyng Vortigers dayes, when they had 
 bene here a whyle and at lafl began to faull out 
 with the Brittons, they troubled and subdewed the 
 Brittons wyth nothynge fo much, as with theyr
 
 of sonatina. 87 
 
 bowe and fhaftes, whiche wepon beynge flraunge and 
 not fene here before, was wonderfull terrible vnto 
 them, and this beginninge I can thynke verie well to 
 be true. But now as concerning many examples for 
 the prayfe of Englifh archers in warre, furely I wil not 
 be long in a matter yat no man doubteth in, and thofe 
 few yat I wil name, ftial either be proued by ye 
 hiflories of our enemies, or els done by men that 
 nowe liue. 
 
 Kynge Edward the thirde at the battel of Creflie 
 ageinfl Philip ye Frenche king as Gaguinus the french 
 Hiftoriographer plainlye doeth tell, flewe that daye 
 all the nobilite of Fraunce onlye wyth hys archers. 
 
 Such lyke battel alfo fought ye noble black prince 
 Edwarde befide Poeters, where lohn ye french king 
 with hys fonne and in a maner al ye peres of Fraunce 
 were taken befide. xxx. thoufand. which that daye were 
 flayne, and verie few Englyfhe men, by reafon of 
 theyr bowes. 
 
 Kynge Henrie the fifte a prince pereles and mofle 
 vyclorioufe conqueroure of all that euer dyed yet in 
 this parte of the world, at the battel of Agin court with, 
 vii. thoufand. fyghtynge men, and yet many of them 
 fycke, beynge fuche Archers as the Cronycle fayeth 
 that moofle parte of them drewe a yarde, flewe all 
 the Cheualrie of Fraunce to the nomber of .XL. thou- 
 sand, and moo, and loft not pafte. xxvi. Englyffhe men. 
 
 The bloudye Ciuil warre of England betwixt the 
 houfe of Yorke and Lancafter, where fhaftes flewe of 
 both fydes to the deftruction of mannye a yoman of 
 Englande, whom foreine battell coulde neuer haue 
 fubdewed bothe I wyll pafle ouer for the pyttyefulnefle 
 of it, and yet may we hyghelye prayfe GOD in the 
 remembraunce of it, feynge he of hys prouydence hath 
 fo knytte together thofe. ii. noble houfes, with fo 
 noble and pleafunte a flowre. 
 
 The excellent prince Thomas Hawarde nowe Duke 
 of Northfolk, for whofe good profperite with al his noble 
 familie al Englifh hertes dayly doth pray with bowmen
 
 of England flew kyng lami'e with many a noble Scot 
 euen brant agenfl Flodon hil, in which battel ye floute 
 archers of Chefhire and Lanchaffhire for one day be- 
 flowed to ye death for their prince and country fake, 
 hath gotten immortall name and prayfe for euer. 
 
 The feare onely of Englyfh Archers hathe done 
 more wonderfull thinges than euer I redde in anye 
 hiftorye greke or latin, and mooft wonderfull of all now 
 of late befide Carlile betwixt Efke and Leuen at Sandy 
 fikes, where the hoole nobilite of Scotlande for fere of 
 the Archers of Englonde (next the ftroke of God) as 
 both Englyfh men and Scotyfhe men that were prefent 
 hath toulde me were drowened and taken prifoners. 
 
 Nor that noble ac~le alfo, whyche althoughe it be 
 almoft loft by tyme, commeth not behynd in worthi- 
 nefle, whiche my fynguler good frende and Mafter Sir 
 William Walgraue and Sir George Somerfet dyd with 
 with a few Archers to ye number as it is fayd of. xvi. 
 at the Turne pike befyde Hammes where they turned 
 with fo fewe Archers, fo many Frenchemen to flight, 
 and turned fo many oute of theyr lackes, whych turne 
 turned all fraunce to Ihame and reproche and thofe. ii. 
 noble knightes to perpetuall prayfe and fame. 
 
 And thus you fe Philologe, in al countries Afia, 
 Aphrike and Europe, in Inde, Aethiop, Aegypt and 
 lurie, Parthia, Periia, Greece, and Italic, Schythia, 
 Turky, and Englande, from the begynninge of the 
 world euen to thys daye, that fhotynge hath had the 
 cheife ftroke in warre. 
 
 pfji , Thefe examples furelye apte for the K 
 
 prayfe of fhotynge, nor feyned by poetes, 
 but proued by trewe hiftories, diftinct by tyme and 
 order, hath delyted me excedyng muche, but yet me 
 thynke that all thys prayfe belongeth to ftronge fhoot- 
 ynge and drawynge of myghtye bowes not to prickyng 
 and nere (hotinge, for which caufe you and many other 
 bothe loue and vfe fhootyng. 
 
 2T01. Euer more Philologe you wyl haue some 
 ouertwhart reafon to drawe forthe more communica-
 
 C lit rl) olr of s I) o n t ui g. 89 
 
 tion withall, but neuertheleffe you fhall perceaue ii 
 you wyl, that vfe of prickyng, and defyre of nere 
 fhootynge at home, are the onelye caufes of flronge 
 fhootyng in warre, and why? for you fe, that the 
 ftrongefl men, do not drawe alwayes the ftrongefl 
 fhoote, whiche thyng prouethe that drawinge ftronge, 
 liethe not fo muche in the flrength of man, as in the 
 vfe of fhotyng, And experience teacheth the fame in 
 other thynges, for you fhal fe a weake fmithe, whiche 
 wyl wyth a lipe and turnyng of his arme, take vp a 
 barre of yron, yat another man thrife as ftronge, can 
 not ftirre. And a ftronge man not vfed to fhote, hath 
 his armes brefte and moulders, and other partes where- 
 with he fhuld drawe ftronglye, one hindering and ftop- 
 pinge an other, euen as a dofen ftronge horfes not 
 vfed to the carte, lettes and troubles one another. 
 And fo the more ftronge man not vfed to fhote, fhootes 
 mooft vnhanfumlye, but yet if a ftrong man with vfe 
 of mooting coulde applye all the partes of hys bodye 
 togyther to theyr mooft ftrengthe, than mould he both 
 drawe ftronger than other, and alfo fhoote better than 
 other. But nowe a ftronge man not vfed to fhoote, at 
 a girde, can heue vp and plucke in funder many a 
 good bowe, as wild horfes at a brunte doth race and 
 pluck in peces many a flronge carte. And thus 
 flronge men, without vfe, can do nothynge in fhoting 
 to any purpofe, neither in warre nor peace, but if they 
 happen to fhoote, yet they haue done within a fhoote 
 or two when a weake man that is vfed to fhoote, fhal 
 ferue for all tymes and purpofes, and fhall fhoote. x. 
 fhaftes, agaynft the others, iiii. and drawe them vp to 
 the poynte, euerye tyme, and fhoote them to the moofte 
 aduauntage, drawyng and withdrawing his fhafte when 
 he lift, markynge at one man, yet let driuyng at an 
 other man : whyche thynges in a fet battayle, although 
 a man, fhal not alwayes vfe, yet in bickerynges, and at 
 ouerthwarte meatinges, when fewe archers be togyther, 
 they do moofte good of all. 
 
 Agayne he that is not vfed to fhoote, fhall euermore
 
 go 
 
 with vntowardneffe of houldynge his bowe, and 
 nockynge his fliafte, not lookyng to his flryng be- 
 tyme, put his bowe alwayes in ieoperdy of breakynge, 
 and than he were better to be at home, moreouer he 
 fhal fhoote very fewe fhaftes, and thofe full vnhand- 
 fumlye, fome not halfe drawen, fome to hygh and fome 
 to lowe, nor he can not driue a fhoote at a tyme, nor 
 ftoppe a fhoote at a neede, but oute mufte it, and 
 verye ofte to euel profe. 
 
 ipfjt. And that is bed I trow in war, to let it go, and 
 not to ftoppe it. 
 
 2Tux. No not fo, but fomtyme to houlde a fhafte at 
 the heade, whyche if they be but few archers, doth 
 more good with the feare of it, than it fhoulde do if it 
 were Ihot, with the flroke of it. 
 
 Pfjt. That is a wonder to me, yat the feare of a difplea- 
 fure, fhoulde do more harme than the difpleafure it felfe. 
 
 2T0X. Yes, ye knowe that a man which e fereth to be 
 banyfhed, out of hys cuntrye, can neyther be mery, 
 eate, drynke nor fleape for feare, yet when he is ban- 
 ifhed in dede, he flepeth and eateth, as well as any 
 other. And many menne doubtyng and fearyng 
 whether they fhoulde dye or no, euen for verye feare 
 of deathe, preuenteth them felfe with a more bytter 
 deathe then the other death fhoulde haue bene in 
 cleade. And thus feare is euer worfe than the thynge 
 feared, as is partelye proued, by the communication 
 of Cyrus and Tigranes, the kynges funne 
 
 c A J ,? J Cin.ped. 3. 
 
 of Armenie, in Xenophon. 
 
 pfji. I graunte Toxophile, that vfe of fhotyng 
 maketh a man drawe flrong, to fhoote at mofl aduaun- 
 tage, to kepe his gere, whiche is no fmall thinge in war, 
 but yet me thinke, that the cuftomable fhoting at 
 home, fpeciallye at buttes and prickes, make nothynge 
 at all for ftronge mooting which doth mode good in 
 war. Therfore I fuppofe yf men fhulde vfe to goo 
 into the fyeldes, and learne to fhote myghty flronge 
 fhootes, and neuer care for any marke at al, they 
 fhulde do muche better.
 
 rf)f sdjolr of sljciatmg. 91 
 
 The trouthe is, that fafhion muche vfed, 
 woulde do muche good, but this is to be feared, lead 
 that waye could e not prouoke men to vfe muche 
 fhotyng, bycaufe ther fhulde be lytle pleafure in it 
 And that in fhoting is befte, yat prouoketh a man to 
 vfe fhotinge mode : For muche vfe rnaketh men 
 fhoote, bothe ftrong and well, whiche two thinges in 
 fhootinge, euery man doeth defyre. And the chyefe 
 mayntayner of vfe, in any thyng, is comparyfon, and 
 honefle contention. For whan a manne ftryueth to be 
 better than an other, he wyll gladly vfe that thing, 
 though it be neuer fo paynful wherein he woulde 
 excell, whiche thynge Ariftotle verye pretelye doth 
 note, fayenge. 
 
 Where is comparifon, there is victorie : Aristo rheto. 
 where is viclorie, there is pleafure : And ** I'heod. 
 where is pleafure, no man careth what labour or 
 payne he taketh, bycaufe of the prayfe, and pleafure, 
 thathe fhall haue, in doynge better than other men. 
 
 Agayne, you knowe, Hefiodus wryteth Hesio in ope 
 to hys brother Perfes, yat al craftes men, et die 
 by contending one honeftly with an other, do en- 
 creafe theyr cunnyng with theyr fubftance. And 
 therfore in London, and other great Cities, men of 
 one crafte, mofle commonly, dwelle togyther, bycaufe 
 in honeft ftryuyng togyther, who fhall do beft, euery 
 one maye waxe bothe cunninger and rycher, fo lyke- 
 wyfe in fhootynge, to make matches to affemble 
 archers togyther, to contende who fhall fhoote beft, 
 and winne the game, encreafeth ye vfe of fhotynge 
 wonderfully amonges men. 
 
 pht. Of Vfe you fpeake very much Toxophile but 
 I am fure in al other matters, Vfe can do nothing, 
 wythoute two other thinges be ioyned wyth it, one is a 
 natural Aptneffe to a thinge, the other is a true waye 
 or knowledge, howe to do the thing, to which, ii. yf 
 Vfe be ioyned, as thirde felowe, of them thre, pro- 
 cedeth perfedlncfle and excellencie : If a manne 
 lacke the firft two, Aptneffe and Cunnyng, Vfe can
 
 92 (Tciyo^ tins'. &. 
 
 do lytle good, at all. For he yat woulde be an oratour 
 and is nothinge naturallye fitte for it, that is to faye 
 lacketh a good wytte and memorie, lacketh a good 
 voyce, countenaunce and body, and other fuche like, 
 ye[t] yf he had all thefe thinges, and knewe not what, 
 howe, where, when nor to whome he fhulde fpeake, 
 furelye the vfe of fpekynge, woulde brynge out 
 none other frute but playne follye and bablyng, 
 fo yat Vfe is the lafte and the lead necceffarye, of all 
 thre, yet no thing can be done excellently without 
 them al thre. And therfore Toxophile I my felfe 
 bicaufe I neuer knewe, whether I was apte for mooting 
 or no, nor neuer knewe waye, howe I fhulde learne to 
 fhoote I haue not vfed to fhoote : and fo I thinke flue 
 hundred more in Englande do befyde me. And 
 furelye yf I knewe that I were apte, and yat you woulde 
 teach me howe to fhoote, I woulde become an archer, 
 and the rather, bycaufe of the good communication, 
 the whiche I haue had with you this daye, of 
 fhotyng. 
 
 2Tui. Aptnefle, Knowlege, and Vfe, euen as you 
 faye, make all thinges perfecle. Aptneffe is the fyrfl 
 and chyefefl thinge, without whiche the other two do 
 no good at all. Knowledge doeth encreafe al maner 
 of Aptneffe, bothe leffe and more. Vfe fayth Cicero, 
 is farre aboue all teachinge. And thus they all three 
 mufte be had, to do any thinge very well, and yf anye 
 one be awaye, what fo euer is done, is done verye 
 meanly. Aptneffe is ye gyfte of nature, Knowlege, 
 is gotten by ye helpe of other : Vfe lyeth in our owne 
 diligence and labour. So that Aptneffe and vfe be 
 ours and within vs, through nature and labour: Know- 
 ledge not ours, but commynge by other: and ther- 
 fore moofl dilligently, of all men to be fought for. 
 Howe thefe three thinges ftande with the artillery of 
 Englande, a woorde or twoo I will faye. 
 
 All Englifhe men generally, be apte for fhotyng, 
 and howe? Lyke as that grounde is plentifull and 
 frutefull, whiche withoute any tyllynge, bryngeth out
 
 srfjale of rffjciDtma. 93 
 
 corne, as for example, yf a man fhoulde go to the 
 myll or market with corne, and happen to fpyl fome in 
 the waye, yet it wolde take roote and growe, bycaufe 
 ye foyle is fo good : fo England may be thought very 
 frutefull and apt to brynge oute fhooters, where 
 children euen from the cradell, loue it : and yong 
 men without any teachyng fo diligentlye vfe it. 
 Agayne, lykewyfe as a good grounde, well tylled, and 
 well hufbanded, bringeth out great plentie of byg 
 eared corne, and good to the faule : fo if the youthe 
 of Englande being apte of it felfe to fhote, were taught 
 and learned how to mote, the Archers of England 
 fhuld not be only a great deale ranker, and mo then 
 they be : but alfo a good deale bygger and flronger 
 Archers then they be. This commoditie fhoulde 
 folowe alfo yf the youth of Englande were taught to 
 fhote, that euen as plowing of a good grounde for 
 wheate, doth not onely make it mete for the feede, 
 but alfo riueth and plucketh vp by the rootes, all 
 thirties, brambles and weedes, whiche growe of theyr 
 owne accorde, to the deftruclion of bothe corne and 
 grounde : Euen fo fhulde the teaching of youth to 
 fhote, not only make them mote well, but alfo 
 plucke awaye by the rootes all other defyre to 
 noughtye paflymes, as difynge, cardyng, and booul- 
 ing, which without any teaching are vfed euery 
 where, to the great harme of all youth of this realme. 
 And lykewife as burnyng of thirties and diligent 
 weding them oute of the corne, doth not halfe 
 fo moche ryd them, as when ye ground is falloed and 
 tilled for good grayne, as I haue hearde many a good 
 hufbandman fay: euen fo, neither hote punifhment, 
 nor yet diligent fearching oute of fuche vnthriftinefle 
 by the officers, fhal fo throwly wede thefe vngracious 
 games out of the realme, as occupying and bringyng 
 vp youth in fhotynge, and other honeft paftyme. 
 Thirdly, as a grounde which is apt for corne and alfo 
 wel tilled for corne : yet if a man let it lye ftil and do 
 not occupye it. iii. or. iiii. yeare: but then wyll fow it,
 
 94 
 
 if it be wheate (fayth Columella) it wil turne into rye: 
 fo if a man be neuer fo apte to fhote, nor neuer fo wel 
 taught in his youth to fhote, yet if he giue it ouer, 
 and not vfe to fhote, truly when he fhalbe eyther 
 compelled in war tyme for his country fake, or els 
 prouoked at home for his pleafure fake, to faule to his 
 bowe : he fhal become of a fayre archer, a ftark 
 fquyrter and dribber. Therefore in fhotynge, as in 
 all other thinges, there can neyther be many in num- 
 ber, nor excellent in dede : excepte thefe. iii. thynges, 
 Aptneffe, Knowledge, and Vfe goo togyther. 
 
 Pljil. Very well fayde Toxophile, and I promyfe you, 
 I agree to this iudgement of yours altogyther and 
 therefore I can not a lytle maruayle, why Englyffhe 
 men brynge no more helpe to fhotynge, then nature 
 it felfe gyueth them. For you fe that euen children 
 be put to theyr owne fhiftes in fhotyng, hauing 
 nothynge taughte them : but that they maye chofe, 
 and chaunce to fhoote ill, rather then well, vn- 
 aptlye foner then fitlye, vntowardlye, more eafely then 
 welfauouredlye, whiche thynge caufeth manye neuer 
 begynne to fhoote : ami moo to leaue it of when they 
 haue begone, and mooft of all to fhote both worfe and 
 weaker, then they might fhote, if they were taught. 
 
 But peraduenture fome men wyll faye, that wyth 
 vfe of fhootynge a man fhall learne to fhoote, true it 
 is he fhall learne, but what fhal he learne ? marye to 
 fhoote noughtly. For all Vfe, in all thynges, yf it be 
 not flayed with Cunnyng, wyll verie eafely brynge a 
 man to do yat thynge, what fo euer he goeth aboute 
 with muche illfauorednes and deformitie. 
 
 Which thinge how much harme it doth in learn- 
 ing both Craffus excellencie dothe prone in 
 Tullie, and I my felfe haue experiens in my 
 lytle fhootyng. And therfore Toxophile, you muft 
 nedes graunt me that ether Englifhe men do il, in not 
 ioynyng Knowlege of mooting to Vfe, or els there is 
 no knowlege or cunninge, which can be gathered of 
 (hooting.
 
 sdicilr of sljaatiiig. 95 
 
 3T0I. Learnyng to (hoote is lytle regarded in Eng- 
 land, for this confideration, bycaufe men be fo apte 
 by nature they haue a greate redy forwardnefle and 
 wil to vfe it, al though no man teache them, al thoughe 
 no man byd them, and fo of theyr owne corage they 
 runne hedlynge on it, and fhoote they ill, mote they 
 well, greate hede they take not. And in verie dede 
 Aptneffe with Vfe may do fumwhat without Know- 
 lege, but not the tenthe parte, if fo be they were 
 ioyned with knowlege. 
 
 Whyche thre thynges be feperate as you fe, not of 
 theyr owne kynde, but through the negligence of men 
 whyche coupleth them not togyther. And where 
 ye double whether there can be gadered any 
 knowlege or arte in fhootyng or no, furely I thynke 
 that a man being wel exercifed in it and fumwhat 
 honeflly learned with all, myght foone with diligent 
 obferuynge and markynge the hole nature of fhoot- 
 ynge, find out as it were an Arte of it, as Artes in 
 other matters haue bene founde oute afore, feynge 
 that fliootyng flandeth by thofe thinges, which maye 
 both be thorowlye perceued, and perfidy knowen, 
 and fuche that neuer failes, but be euer certayne, 
 belongynge to one mood perfect ende, as fhootyng 
 ftreight, and keping of a length bring a man to hit 
 the marke, ye chefe end in fhootyng : which two 
 thynges a man may attaine vnto, by diligent vfynge, 
 and well handlynge thofe inflrumentes, which belong 
 vnto them. Therfore I can not fee, but there lieth 
 hyd in the nature of Shootynge, an Arte, whiche by 
 notynge, and obferuynge of him, that is exercifed 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 
 Englyffhe men woulde neuer yet, feke for the Arte 
 of mootynge, feinge they be fo apte vnto it, fo pray fed 
 of there frendes, fo feared of there enne- 
 myes for it. Vegetius woulde haue may- 
 fters appointed, whyche fhoulde teache youthe to
 
 96 
 
 fhoote faire. Leo the Emperour of Rome, g 
 
 fhevveth the fame cuftome, to haue bene 
 alwayes amongeft ye olde Romaynes : whych cuftome 
 of teachyng youth to fhoote (faythe he) after it was 
 omitted, and litle hede taken of, brought the hole 
 Empire of Rome, to grete Ruine. Schola Perfica, 
 that is the Scole of the Perfians, ap- 
 poynted to brynge vp youthe, whiles Strabo.n. 
 they were. xx. yeres olde in (hooting, is as 
 notably known e in Hiftories as the Impire of ye 
 Perfians : whych fchole, as doth apere in Cornelius 
 Tacitus, as fone as they gaue ouer and fell 
 to other idle paftimes, brought bothe them 
 and ye Parthians vnder ye fubieclion of the Romaines. 
 Plato would haue common maifters and 
 ftipendes, for to teache youthe to fhoote, 
 and for the fame purpofe he would haue a brode 
 feylde nere euery Citie, made common for men to vfe 
 fhotyng in, whyche fayeng the more reafonably it is 
 fpoken of Plato, the more vnreafonable is theyr dede 
 whiche woulde ditche vp thofe feeldes priuatly for 
 ther owne profyt, whyche lyeth open generallye for 
 the common vfe : men by fuche goodes be made 
 rycher not honefter fayeth Tullie. Yf men can be 
 perfwaded to haue fhootynge taughte, this 
 auclhoritie whyche foloweth will perfwade 
 them, or els none, and that is as I haue ones fayde 
 before, of Kynge Dauyd, whofe fyrfte acle and ordi- 
 naunce was after he was kynge that all ludea mould 
 learne to fhoote. Yf fhotyng could fpeake, me would 
 accufe England of vnkyndneffe and flouthfulneffe, of 
 vnkyndneffe toward her bycaufe me beyng left to a 
 lytle blynd vfe, lackes her beft maintener which is 
 cunnynge : of flouthfulneffe towarde theyr owne felfe, 
 bycaufe they are content wyth that whych aptneffe and 
 vfe doth graunt them in fhootynge, and wyl feke for 
 no knowlege as other noble common welthes haue 
 done: and the iuftlier fhootynge myght make thys 
 complaynt, feynge that of fence and weapons there is
 
 <Tl)c *rl)olc of footing. 97 
 
 made an Arte, a thyng in no wyfe to be compared to 
 fhootynge. 
 
 For of fence all moofte in euerye towne, there 
 is not onely Matters to teache it, wyth his Pro- 
 uofles Vfhers Scholers and other names of arte and 
 Schole, but there hath not fayld alfo, whyche hathe 
 diligently and well fauouredly written it and is fet out 
 in Printe that euery man maye rede it. 
 
 What difcommoditie doeth comme by the lacke of 
 knowlege, in fhootynge, it were ouer longe to rehearce. 
 For manye that haue bene apte, and loued fhootynge, 
 bycaufe they knewe not whyche way to houlde to 
 comme to fhootynge, haue cleane tourned them felues 
 from fhootynge. 
 
 And I maye telle you Philologe, the lacke of teach- 
 ynge to fhoote in England e, caufeth very manye 
 men, to playe with the kynges A6les, 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 fo 
 many bye bowes bicaufe of the a<Sle, but yet they 
 mote not : not of euyll wyll, but bycaufe they knowe 
 not howe to fhoote. But to conclude of this matter, 
 in fhoting as in all other thynges, AptenefTe 
 is the fyrfle, and chyefe thynge, whiche if it 
 be awaye, neyther Cunnynge or Vfe, doeth anye good 
 at all, as the Scottes and Fraunce men, wyth know- 
 ledge and Vfe of fhootynge, mall become good 
 Archers, whan a cunnynge fhypwright fhall make a 
 flronge fhyppe, of a Salowe tree : or whan a hufband- 
 rr.an fhall becom ryche, wyth fowyng wheat on New- 
 market heath. Cunnynge mufle be had, Cunn 
 bothe to fet out, and amende Nature, and 
 alfo to ouerfee, and correcle vfe : which vfe yf it be 
 not led, and gouerned wyth cunnyng, fhall fooner go 
 amifle, than ftrayght. 
 
 Vfe maketh perfitnefie, in doinge that thynge, 
 G
 
 98 
 
 whervnto nature maketh a man apte, and knowlege 
 maketh a man cunninge before. So yat it is not fo 
 doubtful, which of them three hath mooft ftroke in 
 fhoting as it is playne and euident, that all thre muft 
 be had, in excellent fhootynge. 
 
 Pfjt. For this communicacion Toxophile I am very 
 glad, and yat for myn owne fake bicaufe I truft now, 
 to become a fhoter, And in dede I thought a fore, 
 Englifh men mod apte for fhoting, and I fawe them 
 dayelye vfe fhotyng, but yet I neuer founde none, that 
 woulde talke of anye knowlege whereby a man might 
 come to fhotynge. Therfore I truft that you, by the 
 vfe you haue had in fhoting, haue fo 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. 
 
 QEoi. I graunte, I haue vfed fhootinge meetly well, 
 that I myght haue marked it wel ynoughe, yf I had 
 bene diligent. But my much fhootynge, hath caufed 
 me ftudie litle, fo that thereby I lacke learnynge, 
 whych fhulde fet out the Arte or waye in any thynge. 
 And you knowe that I was neuer fo well fene, in the 
 Pofteriorums of Ariftotle as to inuent and fearche out 
 general Demonflrations for the fetting forth of any newe 
 Science. Yet by my trothe yf 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 flande fome tyme at the prickes 
 and looke on them which fhoote beft and fo learne. 
 
 Phi. Howe lytle you haue looked of Ariftotle, and 
 how muche learnynge, you haue loft by fhotynge I can 
 not tell, but this I woulde faye and yf I loued you 
 neuer fo ill, that you haue bene occupyed in fumwhat 
 els befyde fhotynge. But to our purpofe, as I wyll 
 not requvre a trade in fhotinge to be taught me after 
 the futteltye of Ariftotle, euen fo do I not agre wyth 
 you in this poynt, that you wold haue me learne to 
 fhoote with lokyng on them which fhoote beft, for to 
 I knowe I fhould neuer come to fhote meanelye. For 
 in fhotyng as in all other thynges which be gotten by 
 teachynge, there muft be fhewed a waye and a path
 
 CTIjr s rijnlr of Boating. 99 
 
 which fhal leade a man to ye bed and cheiffefl point 
 whiche is in fhootynge, whiche you do marke youre 
 felfe well ynough, and vttered it alfo in your com- 
 munication, when you fayde there laye hyd in ye 
 nature of fhootyng a certayne waye whych wel per- 
 ceyued and thorowlye knowen, woulde bring a man 
 wythout any wanderyng to ye befle ende in fhotyng 
 whych you called hitting of the pricke. Therfore I 
 would refer all my fhootinge to that ende which is 
 bed, and fo fhuld I come the foner to fome meane. 
 That whiche is befl hath no faulte, nor can not be 
 amended. So (hew to me bed fhootynge, not the befle 
 fhoter, which yf he be neuer fo good, yet hath he 
 many a faulte eafelye of any man to be efpyed. And 
 therfore meruell not yf I requyre to folowe that ex- 
 ample whych is without faulte, rather than that which 
 hath fo manye faultes. And thys waye euery wyfe 
 man doth folow in teachynge any maner of thynge. 
 As Ariflotle when he teacheth a man to be good he 
 fettes not before hym Socrates lyfe whyche was ye befl 
 man, but chiefe goodneffe it felfe accordynge to whych 
 he would haue a man direcle his lyfe. 
 
 2T0I. This waye which you requyre of me Philologe, 
 i3 to hard forme, and to hye for a (hooter to taulke on, 
 and taken as I fuppofe out of the middes of Philofo- 
 phie, to ferche out the perfite ende of any thyng, ye 
 which perfite ende to fynde out, fayth Tullie, is the 
 hardeft thynge in the worlde, the onely 
 
 r j f \. r f n. e Ora- ad. Bru. 
 
 occafyon and caufe, why fo many fectes of 
 Philofophers hathe bene alwayfe in learnynge. And 
 althoughe as Cicero faith a man maye ymagine and 
 dreame in his mynde of a perfite ende in any thynge, 
 yet there is no experience nor vfe of it, nor was neuer 
 fene yet amonges men, as alwayes to heale the fycke, 
 euer more to leade a fhyppe without daunger, at al 
 times to hit the prick: mall no Phyficion, no fhyp- 
 mafler, no fhoter euer do. And Ariflotle faith that in 
 all deades there are two pointes to be Arist . 8 fc 
 marked, poflibilitie and excellencie, but
 
 ioo 
 
 chefely a wife man mufl folowe and laye hand on poffi- 
 bilitie for feare he leafe bothe. Therfore feyng that 
 which is mooft perfect and befl in fhootyng as alwayes 
 to hit ye pricke, was neuer fene nor hard tel on yet 
 amonges men, but onelye ymagined and thought vpon 
 in a man his mynde, me thinck this is the wifefl coun- 
 fel and befl for vs to folow rather that which a man 
 maye come to, than yat whyche is vnpoflible to be 
 attained to, lefle iuflely that fayeng of ye wyfe mayde 
 Ifmene in Sophocles maye be verifyed on vs. 
 
 Afoole he is that takes in hande he can not ende. Soph. Ant. 
 
 pht. Well yf the perfite ende of other matters, had 
 bene as perfitlye knowne, as the perfite ende of 
 fhotynge is, there had neuer bene fo manye fectes of 
 Philofophers as there be, for in fhoting both man and 
 boye is in one opinion, that alwayes to hit the pryck is 
 moofte perfedle end that can be imagyned, fo that we 
 mall not nede gretly contend in this matter. But 
 now fir, whereas you thynke yat a man in learning to 
 fhoote or any thyng els, fhuld rather wyfelye folow 
 poflibilitie, than vainly feke for perfite excellencie, 
 furelye I wyl proue yat euery wyfe man, yat wifely 
 wold learne any thyng, fhal chiefly go aboute yat 
 wherevnto he knoweth wel he fhal neuer come. And 
 you youre felfe I fuppofe fhal confeffe ye fame to be 
 ye beft way in teachyng, yf you wyl anfwere me to 
 thofe thinges whych I wyl afke of you. 
 
 2Tox. And yat I wyl gladlye, both bycaufe I thynke 
 it is vnpoffible for you to proue it, and alfo bycaufe I 
 defire to here what you can faye in it. 
 
 pftt. The ftudie of a good Phyficion Toxophile, I trow 
 be to know al difeafes and al medicines fit for them. 
 
 8T01. It is fo in dede. 
 
 pjji. Bicaufe I fuppofe he would gladly at al tymes 
 heale al difeafes of al men. 
 
 QToi. Ye truely. 
 
 pfji. A good purpofe furely, but was ther euer 
 phyficion yet among fo many whyche had laboured
 
 CIjc tc\)alc at footing. ai 
 
 in thys fludy, that at al times coulde heale all 
 difeafes ? 
 
 2T0x. No trewly ; nor I thyncke neuer (Lai be. 
 
 Phi. Than Phyficions by lyke, fludie for yat, 
 whiche none of them commeth vnto. But in learn- 
 ing of fence I pray you what is yat which men mooft 
 labor for ? 
 
 2T0X. That they may hit a nother I trow and neuer 
 take blow theyr felfe. 
 
 Pht. You fay trothe, and I am fure euery one of 
 them would faine do fo when fo euer he playethe. But 
 was there euer any of them fo conning yet, which at 
 one tyme or other hath not be[n] touched ? 
 
 QToi. The befl of them all is glad fomtyme to 
 efcape with a blowe. 
 
 Pfjtl. Than in fence alfo, men are taught to go 
 aboute that thing, whiche the bed of them all know- 
 ethe he fhall neuer attayne vnto. Moreouer you that 
 be fhoters, I pray you, what meane you, whan ye 
 take fo greate heade, to kepe youre ftandynge, to 
 fhoote compafle, to looke on your marke fo diligently, 
 to cafl vp grafle diuerfe tymes and other thinges 
 more, you know better than I. What would you do 
 than I pray you ? 
 
 3T0X. Hit ye marke yf we could. 
 
 Phtl. And doth euery man go about to hit the 
 marke at euery fhoote ? 
 
 3T0I. By my trothe I trow fo, and as for my felfe 
 I am fure I do. 
 
 Pfjtl. But al men do not hit it at al tymes. 
 
 flEox. No trewlye for that were a wonder. 
 
 Phil. Can any man hit it at all tymes ? 
 
 ST0I. No man verilie. 
 
 Phil. Than by likely to hit the pricke alwayes, is 
 vnpoflible. For that is called vnpoflible whvch is in 
 no man his power to do. 
 
 2T0I. Vnpoflible in dede. 
 
 Phil. But to fhoote wyde and far of the marke is a 
 thynge poflyble.
 
 102 
 
 3Tai. No man wyll denie that. 
 
 pjjil. But yet to hit the marke alwayfe wre an 
 excellent thyng. 
 
 2T0I. Excellent furelie. 
 
 Pfjil. Than I am fure thofe be wifer men, which 
 couete to ftioote wyde than thofe whiche couete to hit 
 the prycke. 
 
 . Why fo I pray you. 
 
 tl. Becaufe to fhote wyde is a thynge poffyble, 
 and therfore as you faye youre felfe, of euery wyfe 
 man to be folowed. And as for hittinge ye prick, 
 bycaufe it is vnpoflible, it were a vaine thynge to go 
 aboute it ; but in good fadneffe Toxophile thus you fe 
 that a man might go throghe all craftes and fciences, 
 and proue that anye man in his fcience coueteth that 
 which he fhal neuer gette. 
 
 2T0I. By my trouth (as you faye) I can not denye, 
 but they do fo : but why and wherfbre they fhulde do 
 fo, I can not learne. 
 
 pfjilo. I wyll tell you, euerye crafte and fcience 
 ftandeth in two thynges : in Knowing of his crafte, and 
 Working of his crafte : For perfyte knowlege bringeth 
 a man to perfyte workyng. This knowe Paynters, 
 karuers, Taylours, fhomakers, 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 
 perfyteneffe, bycaufe it is generally layed as a brode 
 wyde example afore al men, no one particuler man 
 is able to compaffe it ; and as it is generall to al men, 
 fo it is perpetuall for al time whiche proueth it a 
 thynge for man vnpoffible : although not for the ca- 
 pacitie of our thinkyng whiche is heauenly, yet fure\>e 
 for the habilitie of our workyng whyche is worldlye. 
 
 God gyueth not full perfyteneffe to one man (fayth 
 Tullie) left if one man had all in any one 
 fcience, ther fhoulde be nothyng lefte for 
 an. other. Yet God fuffereth vs to haue the perfvt 
 knowledge of it, that fuch a knowledge dilligently
 
 rijc scljolr of sfjflotmg. 103 
 
 folowed, might bring forth accordyng as a man doth 
 labour, perfyte woorkyng. And who is he, that in 
 learnynge to wryte, woulde forfake an excellent ex- 
 ample, and folowe a worfe ? 
 
 Therfore feing perfyteneffe it felfe is an example for 
 vs, let euerye man ftudye howe he maye come nye it, 
 which is a poynt of wyfdome, not reafon with God 
 why he may not attame vnto it, which is vayne 
 curofitie. 
 
 2Toi. Surely this is gaily faid Philologe, but yet this 
 one thinge I am afraide of, left this perfitnefle which 
 you fpeke on will difcourage men to take any thynge 
 in hande, bycaufe afore they begin, they know, they 
 fhal neuer come to an ende. And thus difpayre fhall 
 difpatche, euen at the fyrfte entrynge in, many a good 
 man his purpofe and intente. And I thinke both you 
 your felfe, and al other men to, woulde counte it mere 
 folie for a man to tell hym whome he teacheth, that 
 he fhal neuer optaine that, whyche he would fainefl 
 learne. And therfore this fame hyghe and perfite 
 waye of teachyng let vs leue it to hygher matters, and 
 as for fhootynge it flialbe content with a meaner 
 waye well ynoughe. 
 
 ^9hi. Where aL you faye yat this hyo perfitneffe will 
 difcorage men, bycaufe they knowe, they fhall neuer 
 attayne vnto it, I am fure cleane contrarie there is 
 nothynge in the world fhall incourage men more than 
 it. And whye ? For where a man feith, that though 
 a nother man be neuer fo excellente, yet it is poflible 
 for hym felfe to be better, what payne or labour wyl 
 that man refufe to take ? yf the game be onfe wonne, 
 no man wyl fet forth hys foote to ronne. And thus 
 perfitneff.; beynge fo hyghe a thynge that men maye 
 looke at it, not come to it, and beynge fo plentifull 
 and indifferent to euerye bodye that the plentifulneffe 
 of it may prouoke all men to labor, bycaufe it hath 
 ynoughe for all men, the indifferencye of it fhall en- 
 courage euerye one to take more paine than hys fel- 
 lowe, bycaufe euerye man is rewarded accordyng to his
 
 104 
 
 nye commyng, and yet whych is mofle meruel of al, 
 ye more men take of it, the more they leue behynd for 
 other, as Socrates dyd in wyfdome, and Cicero in elo- 
 quens, whereby other hath not lacked, but hathe fared 
 a greate deele ye better. And thus perfitneffe it felfe 
 bycaufe it is neuer obteyned, euen therfore only doth 
 it caufe fo many men to be fo well fene and perfite in 
 many matters, as they be. But where as you thynke 
 yat it were fondnefle to teache a man to fhoote, in 
 lokyng at the mofl perfitneffe in it, but rather woulde 
 haue a manne go fome other way to worke, I truft no 
 wyfe man wyl difcomend that way, except he thincke 
 himfelfe wyfer than Tullye, whiche doeth playnlye faye, 
 that yf he teached any maner of crafte 
 as he dyd Rhetorike he would labor to 
 bringe a man to the knowlege of the mooft. perfit- 
 nefle of it, whyche knowlege mould 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 befl, Plato dothe alfo declare in Euthydemus, 
 of whome Tullie learned it as he dyd . many other 
 thynges mo. And thus you fe Toxophile by what 
 reafons and by whofe authoritie I do require of you 
 this waye in teachynge me to fhoote, which waye I 
 praye you withoute any more delaye mew me as far 
 forth as you haue noted and marked. 
 
 2T0I. You cal me to a thyng Philologe which I am 
 lothe to do. And yet yf I do it not beinge but a 
 fmale matter as you thynke, you wyll lacke frendefhypp 
 in me, yf I take it in hande and not bring it to pafle 
 as you woulde haue it, you myghte thyncke great want 
 of wyfdome in me. 
 
 But aduyfe you, feing ye wyll nedes haue it fo, the 
 blame fhalbe yours, as well as myne : yours for 
 puttynge vpon me fo inflauntlye, myne in receyuynge 
 fo fondly a greater burthen then I am able to beare. 
 
 Therfore I, more wyllynge to fulfyll your mynde, than 
 hopyng to accomplym that which you loke for, mail 
 fpeake of it, not as a matter of fhotynge, but as one not
 
 scljolc of Boating. 105 
 
 altogyther ignoraunt in (hotynge. And one thynge I 
 am glad of, the funne drawinge downe fo fad 
 into the weft, (hall compell- me to drawe a pace 
 to the ende of our matter, fo that his darkneffe (hall 
 fomethyng cloke myne ignoraunce. And bycaufe 
 you knowe the orderynge of a matter better 
 then I: Aflce me generallye of it, and I 
 ih.-ill particularly anfwere to it. 
 Very gladly Toxophile : for fo 
 by ordre, thofe thynges 
 whiche I woulde 
 knowe, you flial 
 tell the bet- 
 ter: and 
 
 thofe 
 thynges 
 
 wliiche you (hall tell, I 
 
 (hall remembre 
 
 the better.
 
 io6 Ci)e srtjolc of sijatmijj. 
 
 TOXOPHI 
 LVS. 
 
 THE SECONDE BOOKE OF 
 
 the fchole of fhotyng. 
 
 [filial. What is the cheyfe poynte in fhootynge, 
 that euerye manne laboureth to come to ? 
 2T0X. To hyt the marke. 
 ^fj{. Howe manye thynges are required 
 to make a man euer more hyt the marke ? 
 Cor. Twoo. 
 |f3fji. Whiche twoo ? 
 
 2T0I. Shotinge ftreyght and kepynge of a lengthe. 
 Pftil. Howe fhoulde a manne fhoote ftrayght, and 
 howe fhulde a man kepe a length ? 
 
 2T0I. In knowynge and hauynge thinges, belongynge 
 to fhootyng : and whan they be knowen and had, in 
 well handlynge of them : whereof fome belong to 
 fhotyng ftrayght, fome to keping of a length, fome 
 commonly to them bothe, as mall be tolde feuerally 
 of them, in place conuenient. 
 
 Pfjt. Thynges belongyng to (hotyng, whyche be 
 they? 
 
 All thinges be outwarde, and fome be inftru-
 
 srljotr of s'rjonrmg. 107 
 
 mentes for euery fere archer to brynge with him, 
 proper for his owne vfe : other thynges be generall to 
 euery man, as the place and tyme ferueth. 
 
 Pfjt. Which be inftrumentes ? 
 
 2T0I. Bracer, fhotynggloue, ftryng, bowe and fhafte. 
 
 pfjt. Whiche be general to all men ? 
 
 2T0I. The wether and the marke, yet the marke is 
 euer vnder the rule of the wether. 
 
 Phi. Wherin ftandeth well handlynge of thynges ? 
 
 2T0I. All togyther wythin a man him felfe, fome 
 handlynge is proper to inftrumentes, fome to the 
 wether, fomme to the marke, fome is within a man 
 hym felfe. 
 
 Phi. What handlyng is proper to the Inftrumentes ? 
 
 2T0X. Standynge, nockyng, drawyng, holdyng, low- 
 ling, wherby commeth fayre fhotynge, whiche neyther 
 belong to wynde nor wether, nor yet to the marke, for 
 in a rayne and at no marke, a man may mote a fayre 
 fhoote. 
 
 Phi. Well fayde, what handlynge belongeth to the 
 wether ? 
 
 2T0I. Knowyng of his wynde, with hym, agaynft 
 hym, fyde wynd, ful fyde wind, fyde wynde quarter 
 with him, fyde wynde quarter agaynfte hym, and fo 
 forthe. 
 
 Pfjt. Well than go to, what handlynge belongeth to 
 the marke ? 
 
 2T0X. To marke his ftandyng, to mote compafle, to 
 draw euermore lyke, to lowfe euermore lyke, to con- 
 fyder the nature of the pricke, in hylles and dales, in 
 ftrayte planes and winding places, and alfo to efpy his 
 marke. 
 
 Pfji. Very well done. And what is onely within a 
 man hym felfe ? 
 
 2E0i. Good heede gyuynge, and auoydynge all 
 affections : whiche thynges oftentymes do marre and 
 make all. And thefe thynges fpoken of me generally 
 and brefely, yf they be wel knowen, had, and handled,
 
 io8 
 
 mall brynge a man to fuche fhootynge, as fe\ve or none 
 euer yet came vnto, but furely yf he miffe in any one 
 of them, he can neuer hyt the marke, and in the more 
 he doth miffe, the farther he fhoteth from his marke. 
 But as in all other matters the fyrft fleppe or flayre to 
 be good, is to know a mannes faulte, and than to 
 amende it, and he that wyl not knowe his faulte, mail 
 neuer amende it. 
 
 !pf)t. You fpeake now Toxophile, euen as I wold 
 haue you to fpeake : But lette vs returne agayne vnto 
 our matter, and thofe thynges whyche you haue packed 
 vp, in fo fhorte a roume, we wyll lowfe them forthe, 
 and take euery pyece as it were in our hande and looke 
 more narowlye vpon it. 
 
 2T0I. I am content, but we wyll rydde them as faft 
 as we can, bycaufe the funne goeth fo fafle downe, and 
 yet fomewhat mufte needes be fayde of euerye one of 
 them. 
 
 jfiljf. Well fayde, and I trowe we beganne wyth 
 thofe thynges whiche be inftrumentes, whereof the 
 fyrfle, as I fuppofe, was the Brafer. 
 
 8T0X. Litle is to be fayd of the brafer. A bracer 
 ferueth for two caufes, one to faue his arme from the 
 ftrype of the flrynge, and his doublet from wearynge, 
 and the other is, that the flrynge glydynge Iharpelye 
 and quicklye of the bracer, may make the fharper 
 (hoote. For if the flrynge mould e lyght vpon the bare 
 fleue, the ftrengthe of the fhoote fhoulde floppe and dye 
 there. But it is beft by my iudgemente, to gyue the 
 bowe fomuche bent, that the flrynge neede neuer touche 
 a mannes arme, and fo fhoulde a man nede no bracer 
 as I knowe manye good Archers, whiche occupye none. 
 In a bracer a man mufle take hede of. iii. thinges, yat it 
 haue no nayles in it, that it haue no bucles, that it be 
 fafl on with laces wythout agglettes. For the nayles 
 wyll fhere in funder, a mannes firing, before he be ware, 
 and fo put his bowe in ieoperdy: Buckles and agglettes 
 at vnwares, mail race hys bowe, a thinge bothe euyll to 
 the fyghte, and perilous for freatynge. And thus a
 
 of sljonlmg. 109 
 
 Bracer, is onely had for this purpofe, that the flrynge 
 maye haue redye paffage. 
 
 3Pj)f, In my Bracer I am cunnyng ynough, but what 
 faye you of the (hootyng gloue. 
 
 2T0I. A (hootynge Gloue is chieflye, for to faue a 
 mannes fyngers from hurtynge, that he maye be able 
 to beare the fharpe flryng to the vttermofl of his 
 ftrengthe. And whan a man fhooteth, the might of 
 his fhoote lyethe on the formoofle fynger, and on the 
 Ringman, for the myddle fynger whiche is the longefl, 
 lyke a lubber ftarteth backe, and beareth no weyghte 
 of the ftrynge in a maner at all, therfore the two other 
 fyngers, mufle haue thicker lether, and that mufte haue 
 thickefl of all, where on a man lowfeth mode, and for 
 fure lowfyng, the formofle finger is mode apte, bycaufe 
 it holdeth befl, and for yat purpofe nature hath as a 
 man woulde faye, yocked it with the thoumbe. Ledder, 
 if it be nexte a mans fkynne, wyl fweat, waxe hard and 
 chafe, therefore fcarlet for the foftnes of it and thick- 
 neffe wyth all, is good to fewe wythin a mannes gloue. 
 If that wylle not ferue, but yet youre finger hurteth, 
 you mufle take a fearynge cloth made of fine virgin 
 waxe, and Deres fewet, and put nexte your fynger, and 
 fo on wyth youre gloue. If yet you fele your fynger 
 pinched, leaue fliootyng both becaufe than you mail 
 fhoote nought, and agayn by litle and lytle, hurtynge 
 your finger, ye (hall make it longe and longe to or you 
 fhoote agayne. A newe gloue pluckes many fhootes 
 bycaufe the flringe goeth not freelye of, and therefore 
 the fingers mufle be cut fhorte, and trimmed with fome 
 ointment, that the firing maye glyd wel awaye. Some 
 wyth holdynge in the nocke of theyr fhafte too harde, 
 rub the fkyn of there fingers. For this there be. ii. 
 remedyes, one to haue a goofe quyll fplettyd and 
 fewed againfte the nockynge, betwixt the lining and 
 the ledder, whyche mall helpe the fhoote muche to, 
 the other waye is to haue fome roule of ledder fewed 
 betwixt his fingers at the fetting on of the fingers, 
 which fhall kepe his fingers fo in funder, that they
 
 no . (Tnvn{jI)iUi. 33. 
 
 fhal not hold the nock fo faft as they did. The 
 fhootyng gloue hath a purfe.whych lhall ferue to put 
 fine linen cloth and wax in, twoo neceffary thynges for 
 a fhooter, fome men vfe gloues or other fuche lyke thyng 
 on their bow hand for chafyng, becaufe they houlde fo 
 harde. But that commeth commonlye, when a bowe 
 is not rounde, but fome what fquare, fine waxe fhall do 
 verye well in fuch a cafe to laye where a man holdeth 
 his bow : and thus muche as concernynge your gloue. 
 And thefe thynges althoughe they be trifles, yet bycaufe 
 you be but a yonge fhoter, I woulde not leue them out 
 
 jUiftf. And fo you fhal do me mooft pleafure : The 
 firing I trow be the next. 
 
 9Toi. The nexte in dede. A thing though it be 
 lytle, yet not a litle to be regarded. But . 
 
 here in you mufte be contente to put youre 
 trufte in honeft ftringers. And furely ftringers ought 
 more diligently to be looked vpon by the officers than 
 ether bower or fletcher, bycaufe they may deceyue a 
 a fimple man the more eafelyer. And ill ftringe 
 brekethe many a good bowe, nor no other thynge halfe 
 fo many. In warre if a firing breke the man is lofte 
 and is no man, for his weapon is gone, and althoughe 
 he haue two ftringes put one at once, yet he fhall haue 
 fmall leafure and leffe roume to bend his bow, therfore 
 god fend vs good ftringers both for war and peace. 
 Now what a ftringe ought to be made on, whether of 
 good hempe as they do now a dayes, or of flaxe or of 
 filke, I leaue that to the iugemente of ftringers, of 
 whome we mufte bye them on. Euftathius 
 
 . , . r c i Eustathius. 
 
 apon this verfe of homere. 
 
 Twang quoth the bow, and twang quoth thejlring, 
 out quicklie the Jhaft flue. iu a d. 4. 
 
 doeth tel, that in oulde tyme they made theyr bowe 
 flrynges of bullox thermes, whiche they twyned to- 
 gither as they do ropes, and therfore they made a 
 great twange. Bowe flrynges alfo hath bene made of 
 the heare of an horfe tayle called for the matter of
 
 (Tl)c Srljalc of s'ljaa t uig. 1 j 1 
 
 them Hippias as dothe appeare in manye good 
 authors of the Greke tongue. Great 
 ilringes, and lytle flrynges be for diuerfe 
 purpofes : the great firing is more furer for the bowe, 
 more ftable to pricke wythal, but flower for the caft, 
 the lytle ftringe is cleane contrarye, not fo fure, ther- 
 fore to be taken hede of lefle, with longe tarienge on, 
 it breake your bowe, more fit to fhoote farre, than apte 
 to pricke nere, therfore when you knowe the nature of 
 bothe bigge and, lytle you muft fit your bow, ac- 
 cording to the occafion of your fhootinge. In 
 ftringinge of your bow (though this place belong rather 
 to the handlyng than to the thyng it felfe, yet by- 
 caufe the thynge, and the handlynge of the thynge, be 
 fo ioyned together, I muft nede fome tyme couple 
 the one wyth the other,) you muft mark the fit length 
 of your bowe. For yf the ftringe be to mort, the 
 bending wyll gyue, and at the laft flyp and fo put the 
 bowe in ieopardye. Yf it be longe, the bendynge 
 muft nedes be in the final of the firing, which beynge 
 fore twined muft nedes knap in funder to ye diftruc- 
 tion of manye good bowes. Moreouer you mufl looke 
 that youre bowe be well nocked for fere the fharpneffe 
 of the home (here a funder the ftrynge. And that 
 chaunceth ofte when in bending, the firing hath but 
 one wap to ftrengthe it wyth all : You mufl marke 
 alfo to let youre flringe flreygte on, or elles the one 
 ende fhall wriethe contrary to the other, and fo breke 
 your bowe. When the ftringe begynnethe neuer fo 
 lytle to were, truft it not, but a waye with it for it is 
 an yll faued halpeny yat cofles a man a crowne. Thus 
 you fe howe many ieopardyes hangethe ouer the felye 
 poore bowe, by reafon onlye of the ftrynge. As when 
 the flringe is fnorte, when it is longe, when eyther of 
 the nockes be nought, when it hath but one wap, and 
 when it taryethe ouer longe on. 
 
 Pfjf. I fe wel it is -no meruell, though fo many 
 bowes be broken. 
 
 2Toj. Bowes be broken twife as many wayes befyde
 
 33. 
 
 thefe. But a gayne in ftringynge youre bowe, you 
 muft loke for muche bende or lytle bende for they be 
 cleane contrarye. 
 
 The lytle bende hath but one commoditie, whyche 
 is in fhootyng fafler and farther fhoote, and ye caufe 
 therof is, bycaufe the flrynge hath fo far a paffage, or it 
 parte wyth the fhafte. The greate bende hath many 
 commodities : for it maketh eafyer fhootynge the bowe 
 beyng halfe drawen afore. It needeth no bracer, for 
 the flrynge ftoppeth before it come at the arme. It 
 wyl not fo fone hit a mannes fleue or other geare, by 
 the fame reafon : It hurteth not the fhaft fedder, as 
 the lowe bende doeth. It fuffereth a man better to 
 efpye his marke. Therfore lette youre bowe haue 
 good byg bend, a fhaftemente and. ii. fyngers at the 
 leafl, for thefe which I haue fpoken of. 
 
 Pfjt. The brafer, gloue, and ftrynge, be done, 
 nowe you rnufte come to the bowe, the 
 chefe inftrument of all. 
 
 . Dyuers countryes and tymes haue vfed alwayes 
 dyuers bowes, and of dyuers fafhions. 
 
 Home bowes are vfed in fome places nowe, and 
 were vfed alfo in Homerus dayes, for Pan- niad 
 
 darus bowe, the bed (hooter among al the 
 Troianes, was made of two Goete homes ioyned to- 
 gyther, the lengthe wherof fayth Homer, was. xvi hand- 
 bredes, not far differing from the lengthe of our bowes. 
 
 Scripture maketh mention of brafle 
 
 , r _. , , _ , , , Psalm. 11. 
 
 bowes. Iron bowes, and ftyle bowes, haue 
 bene of longe tyme, and alfo nowe are vfed among 
 the Turkes, but yet they muft nedes be vnprofitable. 
 For yf brafle, yron or ftyle, haue theyr owne ftrength 
 and pith in them, they be farre aboue mannes ftrength : 
 yf they be made meete for mannes ftrengthe, theyr 
 pithe is nothyng worth to fhoote any fhoote wyth all. 
 The Ethiopians had bowes of palme tre, whiche 
 feemed to be very ftronge, but we haue . . 
 
 r i mi i ,1 e Hero, in pol. 
 
 none experience of them. The lengthe of 
 
 them was. iiii. cubites. The men of Inde had theyr
 
 (The srljolr o( sUjaatincj. 113 
 
 bowes made of a rede, whiche was of a great ftrengthe. 
 
 And no maruayle though bowe and fhaftes were made 
 
 thereof, for the redes be fo great in Inde, as Herodotus 
 
 fayth, that of euery ioynte of a rede, a man 
 
 may make a fyfhers bote. Thefe bowes, 
 
 fayeth Arrianus in Alexanders lyfe, gaue fo great a ftroke, 
 
 that no harneys or buckler though it were 
 
 neuer fo ftrong, could wythftand it. The 
 
 length of fuche a bo we, was euen wyth the length of hym, 
 
 that vfed it. The Lycians vfed bowes made 
 
 c 11 j i > s~- i I Q Polym. 
 
 of a tree, called in Latyn Cornus, (as con- 
 cernyng the name of it in Englifh, I can foner proue 
 that other men call it falfe, than I can tell the right 
 name of it my felfe) this wood is as harde as home 
 and very fit for fhaftes, as (hall be toulde after. 
 Quid fheweth that Syringa the Nymphe, 
 
 c , , J c T\- i_ j Metamor i. 
 
 and one of the maydens of Diana, had a 
 
 bowe of this wood whereby the poete meaneth, that it 
 
 was verye excellent to make bowes of. 
 
 As for brafell, Elme, Wych, and Affhe, experience 
 doth proue them to be but meane for bowes, and fo to 
 conclude Ewe of all other thynges, is that, wherof 
 perfite fhootyng woulde haue a bowe made. 
 
 Thys woode as it is nowe generall and common 
 amonges Englyfhe men, fo hath it continewed from 
 longe tyme and had in moofl price for bowes, 
 amonges the Romaynes, as doth apere in this halfe 
 verfe of Vyrgill. 
 
 Taxi torquentur in arcus. Virgilius. 
 
 i. 
 Ewe fit for a bowe to be made on. 
 
 Nowe as I faye, a bowe of Ewe mud be hadde for 
 perfecle fhootinge at the prickes ; whiche marke, by- 
 caufe it is certayne, and mode certaine rules may be 
 gyuen of it, fhall ferue for our communication, at this 
 time. A good bowe is knowen, much what as good 
 counfayle is knowen, by the ende and proofe of it, 
 and yet bothe a bowe and good counfell, maye be 
 made bothe better and worfe, by well or vll handlynge
 
 iid rornj)!)tlits. 33. 
 
 of them : as oftentymes chaunceth. And as a man 
 both mufle and wyll take counfell, of a wyfe and 
 honefle man, though he fe not the ende of it, fo mufl a 
 fhooter of neceffitie, trufte an honeft and good bowyer 
 for a bowe, afore he knowe the proofe of it. And as a 
 wyfe man wyll take plentye of counfel afore hand what 
 foe'jer need, fo a fhooter fhulde haue alwayes. iii. or. 
 iiii. bowes, in ftore, what fo euer chaunce. 
 
 Pfjt. But if I trufte bowyers alwayes, fometyme I 
 am lyke to be deceyued. 
 
 Cox. Therefore fhall I tell you fome tokens in a 
 bowe, that you fhal be the feeldomer deceyued. If 
 you come into a fhoppe, and fynde a bowe that is 
 fmall, long, heauy and ftrong, lyinge fl[r]eyght, not 
 windyng, not marred with knot, gaule, wyndefhake, 
 wem, freate or pynche, bye that bowe of my warrant. 
 The befte colour of a bowe yat I fynde, is whan the 
 backe and the bellye in woorkynge, be muche what 
 after one maner, for fuch oftentymes 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 fhort graine although fuche proue well 
 fomtyme, are for ye moft parte, very brittle. Of the 
 makynge of the bowe, I wyll not greatly meddle, lefte 
 I fhoulde feeme to enter into an other mannes occu- 
 pation, whyche I can no fkyll of. Yet I woulde defyre 
 all bowyers to feafon theyr ftaues well, to woorke 
 them and fynke them well, to giue them heetes con- 
 uenient, and tyllerynges plentye. For thereby they 
 fhoulde bothe get them felues a good name, (And a 
 good name encreafeth a mannes profyte muche) and 
 alfo do greate commodite to the hole Realme. If any 
 men do offend in this poynte, I am afrayde they be thofe 
 iourny men whiche labour more fpedily to make manyt 
 bowes for theyr owne monye fake, than they woorke 
 dilligently to make good bowes, for the common welth 
 fake, not layinge before theyr eyes, thys wyfe prouerbe. 
 
 Sons ynough, if wel ynough.
 
 (Tljr s d) nlr of 3d) era t in g. 1 1 5 
 
 Wherwyth euere honefl handye craftes man fhuld 
 meafure, as it were wyth a rule, his worke withal. He 
 that is a iourney man, and rydeth vpon an other 
 mannes horfe, yf he ryde an honefl pace, no manne 
 wyll dyfalowe hym : But yf he make Pofle hafle, bothe 
 he that oweth the horfe, and he peraduenture alfo that 
 aftenvarde fhal bye the horfe, may chaunce to curfe hym. 
 
 Suche haflineffe I am afrayde, maye alfo be found 
 amonges fome of them, whych through out ye Realme 
 in diuerfe places worke ye kinges Artillarie for war, 
 thinkynge yf they get a bowe or a fheafe of arrowes to 
 fome fafhion, they be good ynough for bearynge gere. 
 And thus that weapon whiche is the chiefe defence of 
 the Realme, verye ofte doth lytle feruyce to hym that 
 fhoulde vfe it, bycaufe it is fo negligentlye wrought of 
 him that fhuld make it, when trewlye I fuppofe that 
 nether ye bowe can be to good and chefe woode, nor 
 yet to well feafoned or truly made, wyth hetynges and 
 tillerynges, nether that fhafte to good wood or to 
 thorowely wrought, with the bed pinion fedders that 
 can be gotten, wherwith a man fhal ferue his prince, 
 defende his countrie, and faue hym felfe frome his 
 enemye. And I trufl no man wyll be angrye wyth 
 me for fpekynge thus, but thofe which finde them felfe 
 touched therin: which ought rather to be angrye wyth 
 them felfe for doynge fo, than to be mifcontent wyth 
 me for faynge fo. And in no cafe they ought to be 
 difpleafed wyth me, feinge this is fpoken alfo after that 
 forte, not for the notynge of anye perfon feuerallye, 
 but for the amendynge of euerye one generallye. But 
 turne we agayne to knowe a good fhootynge bowe for 
 cure purpofe. 
 
 Euerye bowe is made eyther of a boughe, of a plante 
 or of the boole of the tree. The boughe commonlye 
 is verye knotty, and full of pinnes, weak, of fmall pithe, 
 and fone wyll folowe the ftringe, and feldome werith to 
 any fayre coloure, yet for chyldren and yonge beginners 
 it maye ferue well ynoughe. The plante proueth many 
 times wel, yf it be of a good and clene groweth, and for
 
 ii6 COFflpljtlurf. 38. 
 
 the pith of it is quicke ynoughe of cafl, it wyll plye and 
 bow far afore it breake, as al other yonge thinges do. 
 The boole of ye tree is cleneft without knot or pin, 
 hauinge a fafle and harde woode by reafonne of hys 
 full groweth, ftronge and myghtye of cafl, and bed for 
 a bow, yf the flaues be euen clouen, and be afterwarde 
 wroughie not ouer[t]wharte the woode, but as the graine 
 and flreyght growyng of the woode leadethe a man, or 
 elles by all reafon it mufl fone breake, and that in 
 many fhiuers. This mufl be confidered in the roughe 
 woode, and when the bow flaues .be ouerwrought and 
 facioned. For in dreffing and pikynge it vp for a bow, 
 it is to late to loke for it. But yet in thefe poyntes as 
 I fayd before you mufle trufle an honefl bowyer, to put a 
 good bow in youre hand, fomewhat lookinge your felfe 
 to thofe tokens whyche I mewed you. And you mufle 
 not flicke for a grote or. xii. d. more than a nother man 
 would giue yf it be a good bowe. For a good bow twife 
 paide for is better than an ill bowe once broken. 
 
 Thus a fhooter mufle 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 trufle muche vpon it, let hym 
 trye and trym it after thys forte. 
 
 Take your bow in to the feeld, fhote in hym, finke hym 
 wyth deade heauye fhaftes, looke where he commethe 
 moofl, prouyde for that place betymes,lefle it pincheand 
 fo freate ; when you hauethus fhot in him,andperceyued 
 good fhootynge woode in hym, you mufl haue hym 
 agayne to a good cunnynge, and truflie woorkeman, 
 whyche mall cut hym fhorter, and pike hym and dreffe 
 hym fytter, make hym comme rounde compace euery 
 where, and whippyng at the endes, but with difcretion, 
 left he whyp in funder or els freete, foner than he is ware 
 of, he muft alfo lay hym flreght, if he be cafle or other- 
 wife nede require, and if he be flatte made, gather hym 
 rounde, and fo fhall he bothe fhoote the fafler, for farre 
 fhootynge, and alfo the furer for nere pryckynge. 
 
 ipftt. What yf I come into a fhoppe, and fpye oute
 
 sdjnlr of sljaattnrj. 117 
 
 a bow, which flial both than pleafe me very wel whan 
 I by him, and be alfo very fit and meete for me whan 
 I fhoote in hym : fo that he be both weake ynoughe 
 for eafye fhootynge, and alfo quycke and fpedye 
 ynoughe for farre caftynge, than I woulde thynke I 
 mall nede no more bufineffe wyth him, but be con- 
 tente wyth hym, and vfe hym well ynoughe, and fo by 
 that meanes, auoyde bothe greate trouble, and alfo 
 fome coft whiche you cunnynge archers very often 
 put your felues vnto, beynge verye Englyfhe men, neuer 
 ceafynge piddelynge about your bowe and fhaftes 
 whan they be well, but eyther with fhortyng and pik- 
 ynge your bowes, or els with newe fetheryng, peec- 
 ynge and headinge your fhaftes, can neuer haue done 
 vntyll they be flarke nought. 
 
 2T0I. Wel Philologe, furelye if I haue any Judge- 
 ment at all in fhootyng, it is no very great good token in 
 a bowe, whereof nothyng whan it is newe and freffhe, 
 nede be cutte away, euen as Cicero fayeth of a yonge 
 mannes wit and ftyle, which you knowe better than 
 I. For euerye newe thynge mufle alwayes haue more 
 than it neadeth, or elles it wyll not waxe better and 
 better, but euer decaye, and be worfe and worfe. 
 Newe ale if it runne not ouer the barrell whan it is 
 newe tunned, wil fone leafe his pith, and his head 
 afore he be longe drawen on. 
 
 And lyke wyfe as that colte whyche at the fyrfle 
 takynge vp, nedeth lytle breakyng and handlyng, but 
 is fitte and gentle ynoughe for the faddle, feeldome 
 or neuer proueth well, euen fo that bowe whyche 
 at the fyrfte byinge, wythout any more proofe and trim- 
 mynge, is fit and eafie to fhoote in, fhall neyther be 
 profitable to lafle longe nor yet pleafaunt to fhoote 
 well. And therfore as a younge horfe full of corage, 
 wyth handlynge and breakinge, is brought vnto a fure 
 pace and goynge, fo fhall a newe bowe freffhe and 
 quicke of cafte, by finkyng and cuttyng, be brought to 
 a ftedfaft fhootyng. And an eafie and gentle bow 
 whan it is newe, is not muche vnlyke a fofte fpirited
 
 n8 Capfjftau*. 38. 
 
 boye when he is younge. But yet as of an vnrulie 
 boye with right handlyng, proueth oftenefl of al a 
 well ordered man ; fo of an vnfit and ftaffyfh bow 
 with good trimming, mufte nedes folowe alwayes a 
 fledfafl fhotynge bowe. 
 
 And fuche a perfite bowe, whiche neuer wyll de- 
 ceyue a man, excepte a man deceyue it, muft be had 
 for that perfe6le ende, whycheyou looke for in fhootinge. 
 
 phf. Well Toxophile, I fee wel you be cunninger 
 in this gere than I : but put cafe that I haue thre 
 or fower fuche good bowes, pyked and dreffed, as 
 you nowe fpeke of, yet I do remembre yat manye 
 learned men do faye, that it is eafier to gette a good 
 thynge, than to faue and keepe a good thyng, wherfore 
 if you can teache me as concernyng that poynte, you 
 haue fatiffyed me plentifullye as concernynge a bowe. 
 
 2T0X. Trulye it was the nexte thyng that I woulde 
 haue come vnto, for fo the matter laye. 
 
 Whan you haue broughte youre bowe to fuche a 
 poynte, as I fpake of, than you muft haue an herden or 
 wullen cloth waxed, wherwith euery day you muft rubbe 
 and chafe your bowe, tyll it fhyne and glytter withall. 
 Whyche thynge mail caufe it bothe to be cleane, well 
 fauoured, goodlye of coloure, and mall alfo bryng as it 
 were a crude, ouer it, that is to fay, mall make it 
 euery where on the outfyde, fo flyppery 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 fhal do it great wrong before you 
 breake it. This muft be done oftentimes but fpe- 
 cially when you come from fhootynge. 
 
 Beware alfo whan you fhoote, of youre (haft hedes, 
 dagger, knyues, or agglettes, left they race your bowe, 
 a thing as I fayde before, bothe vnfemely to looke on, 
 and alfo daungerous for freates. Take hede alfo of 
 miftie and dankyfhe dayes, whiche fhal hurte a bowe, 
 more than any rayne. For then you mufte eyther 
 alway rub it, or els leaue fhootynge. 
 
 Your bo\vecafe (this I dyd not promife to fpeake of,
 
 (Tl)r s'rljQ lr of SI) on t m g. 1 19 
 
 bycaufe it is without the nature of (hoot- 
 ynge, or els I fhoulde truble me wyth 
 other thinges infinite more : yetfeing it is a fauegarde 
 for the bowe, fomethynge I wyll faye of it) youre bowe- 
 cafe I faye, yf you ryde forth, mufte neyther be to 
 wyde for youre bowes, for fo mail one clap vpon an 
 other, and hurt them, nor yet fo ftrayte that fcarfe they 
 can be thrufl in, for that woulde laye them on fyde 
 and wynde them. A bowecafe of ledder, is not the 
 bed, for that is ofttymes moyfte which hurteth the 
 bowes very much. Therfore I haue fene good (hooters 
 which would haue for euerye bowe, a fere cafe made 
 of wollen clothe, and than you maye putte. iii. or. iiii. 
 of them fo cafed, into a ledder cafe if you wyll. This 
 wollen cafe mail bothe kepe them in (under, and alfo 
 wylle kepe a bowe in his full ftrengthe, that it neuer 
 gyue for any wether. At home thefe wood cafes be 
 verye good for bowes to ftand in. But take hede yat 
 youre bowe ftande not to nere a flone wall, for that 
 wyll make hym moyfle and weke, nor yet to nere any 
 fier for that wyll make him fhorte and brittle. And 
 thus muche as concernyng the fauyng and keping of 
 our bowe ; nowe you mall heare what thynges ye mufl 
 auoyde, for feare of breakyng your bowe. 
 
 A (hooter chaunfeth to breake his bowe commonly, 
 iiii. wayes, by the (Irynge, by the (hafte, by draw- 
 yng to far, and by freates ; By the flryng as I fayde 
 afore, whan the ftrynge is eyther to (horte, to long, 
 not furely put on, wyth one wap, or put croked on, or 
 (home in fundre wyth an euell nocke, or fuffered to 
 tarye ouer longe on. Whan the flryng fayles the bowe 
 mufte nedes breake, and fpecially in the myddes ; 
 becaufe bothe the endes haue nothyng to (lop them ; 
 but whippes fo far backe, that the belly muft nedes 
 violentlye rife vp, the whyche you (hall well perceyue 
 in bendyng of a bowe backward. Therfore a bowe 
 that foloweth the (Irynge is lead hurt with breakyng of 
 (Irynges. By the (hafte a bowe is broken ether when 
 it is to (hort, and fo you fet it in your bow or when
 
 120 (Tnyapljflu^. J5. 
 
 the nocke breakes for lytleneffe, or when the ftrynge 
 flyppes wythoute the nocke for wydeneffe, than you 
 poule it to your eare and lettes it go, which mufl 
 nedes breake the fhafte at the leafte, and putte ftringe 
 and bowe and al in ieopardy, bycaufe the ftrength of the 
 bowe hath nothynge in it to flop the violence of it. 
 
 Thys kynde of breakynge is moofle periloufe for the 
 (landers by, for in fuch a cafe you fhall fe fometyme 
 the ende of a bow flye a hoole fcore from a man, and 
 that mooft commonly, as I haue marked oft the vpper 
 ende of the bowe. The bowe is drawne to far. ii. 
 wayes. Eyther when you take a longer fhafte then 
 your owne, or els when you fhyfte your hand to low or 
 to hye for fhootynge far. Thys waye pouleth the backe 
 in funder, and then the bowe fleethe in manye peces. 
 
 So when you fe a bowe broken, hauynge the bellye 
 rifen vp both wayes or tone, the ftringe brake it. 
 When it is broken in twoo peces in a maner euen of and 
 fpecyallye in the vpper ende, the fhafte nocke brake it. 
 
 When the backe is pouled a funder in manye peeces 
 to farre drawynge, brake it. 
 
 Thefe tokens eyther alwayes be trewe or els verye 
 feldome myffe. 
 
 The fourthe thyng that breketh a bow is fretes, 
 whych make a bowe redye and apte to 
 
 L i i_ r .LI f Freatcs. 
 
 breake by any of the. m. wayes afore 
 fayde. Freetes be in a fhaft as well as in a bowe, 
 and they be muche lyke a Canker, crepynge and en- 
 creafynge in thofe places in a bowe, whyche be 
 weaker then other. And for thys purpofe muft your 
 bowe be well trymmed and piked of a conning man 
 that it may come rounde in trew compaffe euery 
 where. For freetes you muft beware, yf youre bow 
 haue a knot in the backe, left the^ places whyche be 
 nexte it, be not alowed ftrong ynoughe to bere with 
 the knotte, or elles the ftronge knotte fhall freate the 
 weake places nexte it. Freates be fyrft litle pinchefe, 
 the whych when you perceaue, pike the places about 
 the pinches, to make them fomewhat weker, and as
 
 (Tijc srljolr of Ranting. 121 
 
 well commynge as where it pinched, and fo the pinches 
 (hall dye, and neuer encreafe farther in to great freates. 
 
 Freates begynne many tymes in a pin, for there the 
 good woode is corrupted, that it mufle nedes be weke, 
 and bycaufe it is weake, therfore it freates. 
 
 Good bowyers therfore do rayfe euery pyn and 
 alowe it moore woode for feare of freatynge. 
 
 Agayne bowes mood commonlye freate vnder the 
 hande, not fo muche as fome men fuppofe for the 
 moidnefie of the hande, as for the heete of the hand : 
 the nature of heate fayeth Ariflotle is to lowfe, and not 
 to knyt fad, and the more lowfer the more weaker, the 
 weaker, the redier to freate. 
 
 A bowe is not well made, whych hath not wood 
 plentye in the hande. For yf the endes of the bowe 
 be ftafTyme, or a mans hande any thynge hoote the 
 bellye muft nedes fone frete. Remedie for fretes to 
 any purpofe I neuer hard tell of any, but onelye to 
 make the freated place as dronge or ftronger then any 
 other. To fill vp the freate with lytle flieuers of a quill 
 and glewe (as fome fay wyll do wel) by reafon mufl be 
 (larke nought. 
 
 For, put cafe the freete dyd ceafe then, yet the caufe 
 which made it freate a fore (and that is weakenefle of 
 the place) bicaufe it is not taken away mud nedes 
 make it freate agayne. As for cuttyng out of freates 
 wythe all maner of pecynge of bowes I wyll cleane ex- 
 clude from perfite mootynge. For peced bowes be 
 muche lyke owlde houfen, whyche be more chargeable 
 to repayre, than commodioufe to dwell in. Agayne 
 to fwadle a bowe much about wyth bandes, verye 
 feldome dothe anye good, excepte it be to kepe downe 
 a fpel in the backe, otherwyfe bandes eyther nede not 
 when the bow is any thinge worthe, or els boote not 
 when it is marde and pad bed. And although I 
 knowe meane and poore (hooters, wyll vfe peced and 
 banded bowes fometyme bycaufe they are not able to 
 get better when they woulde, yet I am fure yf they 
 confyder it well, they (hall fynde it, bothe lefle charge
 
 . 33. 
 
 and more pleafure to ware at any tyme a couple of 
 fhyllynges of a new bowe than to beftowe. x. d. of 
 peacynge an olde bowe. For better is cofle vpon 
 fomewhat worth, than fpence vpon nothing worth. 
 And thys I fpeke alfo bycaufe you woulde haue me 
 referre all to perfitneffe in fhootynge. 
 
 Moreouer there is an other thynge, whyche wyl fone 
 caufe a bowe be broken by one of the. iii. wayes 
 whych be firfl fpoken of, and that is fhotyng in winter, 
 when there is any frofle. Frofte is wherefoeuer is any 
 waterifh humour, as is in al woodes, ey ther more or leffe, 
 and you knowe that al thynges frofen and Ifie, wyl 
 rather breke than bende. Yet if a man muft nedes 
 fhoote at any fuche 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 mail 
 bring it to that poynt, yat he maye mote fafelye ynough 
 in it. This rubbyng with waxe, as I fayde before, is 
 a great fuccour, agaynfl all wete and moyftneffe. 
 
 In the fyeldes alfo, in goyng betwyxt the pricks 
 eyther wyth your hande, or elles wyth a" clothe you 
 mufle keepe your bowe in fuche a temper. And thus 
 muche as concernynge youre bowe, howe fyrfte to 
 knowe what wood is befl for a bowe, than to chofe 
 a bowe, after to trim a bowe, agayne to keepe it in 
 goodneffe, lafte of al, howe to faue it from al harm 
 and euylneffe. 
 
 And although many men can faye more of a bow 
 yet i truft thefe thynges be true, and almofte fufficient 
 for the knowlege of a perfecte bowe. 
 
 Pfjt. Surelye I beleue fo, and yet I coulde haue 
 hearde you talke longer on it : althogh I can not fe, 
 what maye be fayd more of it. Therfore excepte you 
 wyll paufe a whyle, you may go forwarde to a fhafte. 
 
 Coi, What fhaftes were made of, in oulde tyme 
 authours do not fo manifeftlye (hewe, as Hero 
 of bowes. Herodotus doth tel, that in the 
 flood of Nilus, ther was a bead, called a water horfe, 
 of whofe fkinne after it was dried, the Egyptians made
 
 (Tljr stcfyale af sljciatmg. 123 
 
 fliaftes, and dartes on. The tree called Sen. Hipp. 
 Cornus was fo common to make maftes of, that in good 
 authours of ye latyn tongue, Cornus is taken for a fhafte, 
 as in Seneca, and that place of Virgill, virg. enei. 9. 
 
 Volat Itala Cornus. 
 
 Yet of all thynges that euer I warked of olde authours, 
 either greke or latin, for maftes to be made of, there 
 is nothing fo common as reedes. Herodotus in def- 
 cribynge the mightie hoofl of Xerxes doth 
 tell that thre great contries vfed maftes 
 made of a rede, the Aethiopians, the Lycians (whofe 
 (haftes lacked fethers, where at I maruayle mofle of 
 all) and the men of Inde. The maftes in 
 Inde were verye longe, a yarde and an Amanus. 8. 
 halfe, as Arrianus doth laye, or at the 
 lead a yarde. as Q. Curtius doth faye, and 
 therfore they gaue ye greater flrype, but yet bycaufe 
 they were fo long, they were the more vnhanfome, and 
 lefle profitable to the men of Inde, as Curtius doeth tell. 
 
 In Crete and Italic, they vfed to haue their maftes 
 of rede alfo. The befl reede for maftes grewe in 
 Inde, and in Rhenus a flood of Italy. pun. 16. 36. 
 
 But bycaufe fuche maftes be neyther 
 eafie for Englifhe men to get, and yf they were gotten 
 fcarfe profitable for them to vfe, I wyll lette them 
 pafle, and fpeake of thofe maftes whyche Englyfh 
 men at this daye mofle commonly do approue and 
 allowe. 
 
 A fhaft hath three principall partes, the flele, the 
 fethers, and the head : whereof euerye one mufle be 
 feuerallye fpoken of. 
 
 <E Steles be made of dyuerfe woodes. as. 
 
 Brafell. 
 
 Turkic wood. 
 
 Fuflicke. 
 
 Sugerchefle. 
 
 Hardbeame. 
 
 Byrche.
 
 28. 
 
 Aflhe. 
 
 Ooke. 
 
 Seruis tree. 
 
 Hulder. 
 
 Blackthorne. 
 
 Beche. 
 
 Elder. 
 
 Aipe. 
 
 Salow. 
 
 Thefe wooddes as they be mod commonly vfed, fo 
 they be moofte fit to be vfed : yet fome one fytter 
 then an other for diuers mennes fhotinge, as fhalbe 
 toulde afterwarde. And in this pointe as in a bowe 
 you mufte trufte an honeft fletcher. Neuertheleffe al 
 thoughe I can not teache you to make a bowe or a 
 fhafte, whiche belongeth to a bowyer and a fletcher to 
 comme to theyr lyuyng, yet wyll I fliewe you fome 
 tokens to knowe a bowe and a fhafte, whiche per- 
 tayneth to an Archer to come to good fhootynge. 
 
 A ftele mufte be well feafoned for Caftinge, and it 
 muft be made as the grayne lieth and as it groweth or 
 els it wyl neuer flye clene, as clothe cut ouertwhart and 
 agaynfte the wulle, can neuer hoofe a manne cleane. 
 A knottye ftele maye be fuffered in a bygge fhafte, 
 but for a lytle fhafte it is nothynge fit, bothe bycaufe it 
 wyll neuer flye far, and befydes that it is euer in 
 danger of breakynge. it flieth not far bycaufe the 
 ftrengthe of the fhoote is hindred and flopped at the 
 knotte, euen as a (lone caft in to a plaine euen ftil 
 water, wyll make the water moue a greate fpace, yet 
 yf there be any whirlynge plat in the water, the 
 mouynge ceafethe when it commethe at the whyrlynge 
 plat, whyche is not muche vnlyke a knotte in a fhafte 
 yf it be confidered wel. So euery thyng as it is plaine 
 and ftreight of hys owne nature fo is it fitteft for far 
 mouynge. Therfore a ftele whyche is harde to ftande 
 in a bowe, without knotte, and ftreighte (I meane not 
 artificiallye ftreyghte as the fletcher dothe make it, but
 
 (Tljr tfrljolr of slinntuuj. 125 
 
 naturally flreight as it groweth in the wood) is befl to 
 make a fhaft of, eyther to go cleane,fly far or (land furely 
 in any vvedder. Now howe big, how fmall, how heuye, 
 how lyght, how longe, how fhort, a fhafte fhoulde be par- 
 ticularlye for euerye man (feynge we mud taulke of the 
 generall nature of fhootyng) can not be toulde no more 
 than you Rhethoricians can appoynt any one kynde of 
 wordes, of fentences, of fygures fyt for euery matter, 
 but euen as the man and the matter requyreth fo the 
 fytteft to be vfed. Therfore as concernynge thofe 
 contraryes in a fhafte, euery man mufle auoyde them 
 and draw to the meane of them, whyche meane is 
 beft in al thynges. Yet yf a man happen to offende 
 in any of the extremes it is better to offend in want 
 and fcantnefle, than in to muche and outragioufe 
 exceedynge. As it is better to haue a fhafte a lytle to 
 fhorte than ouer longe, fomewhat to lyght, than ouer 
 lumpyffhe, a lytle to fmall, than a greate deale to big, 
 whiche thyng is not onely trewlye fayde in fhootynge, 
 but in all other thynges that euer man goeth aboute, 
 as in eatynge, taulkynge, and all other thynges lyke, 
 whych matter was onfe excellentlye difputed vpon, in 
 the Scooles, you knowe when. 
 
 And to offend, in thefe contraryes commeth much 
 yf men take not hede, throughe the kynd of wood, 
 wherof the fhaft is made : Ffor fome wood belonges 
 to ye excedyng part, fome to ye fcant part, fome to 
 ye meane, as Brafell, Turkiewood, Fuflicke, Sugar 
 chefle, and fuch lyke, make deade, heuy lumpifh, 
 hobblyng fhaftes. Againe Hulder, black thorne, Serues 
 tree, Beche, Elder, Afpe, and Salowe, eyther for theyr 
 wekenes or lyghteneffe, make holow, flarting, fludding, 
 gaddynge fhaftes. But Birche, Hardbeme, fome 
 Ooke, and fome Affhe, beynge bothe flronge ynoughe 
 to flande in a bowe, and alfo lyght ynoughe to 
 flye far, are befl for a meane, whiche is to be 
 foughte oute in euery thinge. And althoughe I knowe 
 that fome men fhoote fo flronge, that the deade 
 woodes be lyghte ynoughe for them, and other fome
 
 126 C0jroj>?)tlu. 38. 
 
 fo weeke, that the lowfe woodes be lykewyfe for them 
 bigge ynoughe yet generally for the mooft parte of 
 men, the meane is the beft. And fo to conclude 
 that, is alwayes befte for a man, whiche is meteft for 
 him. Thus no wood of his owne nature, is eyther to 
 lyght or to heuy, but as the fhooter is him felfe whyche 
 dothe vfe it. For that fhafte whiche one yeare for a 
 man is to lyghte and fcuddinge, for the fame felfe 
 man the next yeare may chaunce be to heuy and 
 hobblynge. Therfore can not I expreffe, excepte 
 generally, what is beft wood for a fhaft, but let euery 
 man when he knoweth his owne ftrength and the 
 nature of euery wood, prouyde and fyt himfelfe there- 
 after. Yet as concerning fheaffe Arroufe for war (as 
 I fuppofe) it were better to make them of good Affhe, 
 and not of Afpe, as they be now a dayes. For of all 
 other woodes that euer I proued Affhe being big is 
 fwifteft and agayne heuy to giue a greate ftripe with 
 all, whyche Afpe fhall not doo. What heuynes doth 
 in a ftripe euery man by experience can tell, therfore 
 Affhe being both fwyfter and heuier is more fit for 
 fheafe Arroes then Afpe, and thus muche for the beft 
 wood for fhaftes. 
 
 Agayne lykewyfe as no one wood can be greatlye 
 meet for all kynde of fhaftes, no more can one facion 
 of the ftele be fit for euery fhooter. For thofe that 
 be lytle brefted and big toward the hede called by 
 theyr lykeneffe taperfafhion, refhe growne, and of fome 
 merrye fellowes bobtayles, be fit for them whiche 
 fhote vnder hande bycaufe they fhoote wyth a fofte 
 lowfe, and flrefles not a fhaft muche in the brefte 
 where the weyghte of the bowe lyethe as you maye 
 perceyue by the werynge of euery fhafte. 
 
 Agayne the bygge brefted fhafte is fytte for hym, 
 which fhoteth right afore him, or els the breft being 
 weke fhoulde neuer wythftande that ftrong piththy 
 kynde of fhootynge, thus the vnderhande muft haue a 
 i'mall brefte, to go cleane awaye oute of the bowe, the 
 forehande mufte haue a bigge brefte to bere the
 
 (Tljr srliolr of sljciotmg. 127 
 
 great myghte of the bovve. The fhafte mufl be made 
 rounde nothynge flat wyth out gal or wemme, for thys 
 purpofe. For bycaufe roundneffe (whether you take 
 example in heauen or in earthe) is fitted fhappe and 
 forme both for fafl mouing and alfo for fone percynge 
 of any thynge. And therfore Ariflotle faythe that 
 nature hath made the raine to be round, bycaufe it 
 fhoulde the eafelyer enter throughe the ayre. 
 
 The nocke of the fhafte is dyuerfly made, for fome be 
 greate and full, fome hanfome and lytle, fome wyde, 
 fome narow, fome depe, fome fhalowe, fome round, 
 fome longe, fome wyth one nocke, fome wyth a 
 double nocke, wherof euery one hathe hys propertye. 
 
 The greate and full nocke, maye be well felte, and 
 many wayes they faue a fhafte from brekynge. The 
 hanfome and lytle nocke wyll go clene awaye frome 
 the hand, the wyde nocke is noughte, both for 
 breakyng of the fhafte and alfo for foden flyppynge 
 oute of the flrynge when the narrowe nocke doth 
 auoyde bothe thofe harmes. The depe and longe 
 nocke is good in warre for fure kepyng in of the 
 ftrynge. The fhalow, and rownde nocke is beft for 
 our purpofe in prickyng for cleane delyueraunce of a 
 fhoote. And double nockyng is vfed for double 
 fuerty of the (haft. And thus far as concernynge a 
 hoole flele. 
 
 Peecynge of a fhafte with brafell and holie, or 
 other heauy woodes, is to make the ende compaffe 
 heauy with the fethers in fliyng, for the ftedfafter 
 fhotyng. 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 flrayght. 
 
 Two poyntes in peecing be ynough, left the moyftnes 
 of the earthe enter to moche into the peecinge, and fo 
 leufe the glue. Therefore many poyntes be more 
 pleafaunt to the eye, than profitable for the vfe. 
 
 Summe vfe to peece theyr fhaftes in the nocke wyth 
 brafel, or holye, to counterwey, with the head, and I 
 haue fene fumme for the fame purpofe, bore an hole a
 
 128 C0v0pl)tlurf. 38. 
 
 lytle bineth the nocke, and put leade in it. But yet 
 none of thefe 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 thinke 
 fuche peecing came vp firft, thus : whan a good 
 Archer hath broken a good fhafte, in the fethers, and 
 for the fantafie he hath had to it, he is lothe to leefe 
 it, and therfore doeth he peece it. And than by and 
 by other eyther bycaufe it is gaye, or elles becaufe 
 they wyll haue a fhafte lyke a good archer, cutteth 
 theyre hole fhaftes, and peeceth them agayne : A 
 thynge by my Judgement, more coftlye than nedefull. 
 
 And thus haue you heard what wood, what faflhion, 
 whatnockynge, what peecyngeaftele mufte haue : Nowe 
 foloweth the fetherynge. 
 
 ^fjfjt. I woulde neuer haue thought you could haue 
 fayd halfe fo muche of a ftele, and I thynke as con- 
 cernyng the litle fether and the playne head, there is 
 but lytle to faye. 
 
 2T0I. Lytle, yes trulye : for there is no one thing, 
 in al moling, fo moche to be loked on us the fether. 
 For fyrfte a queftion maye be afked, whether any other 
 thing befyde a fether, be fit for a fhaft or no ? if a 
 fether onelye be fit, whether a goofe fether onely, 
 or no ? yf a goofe fether be beft, then whether 
 there be any difference, as concernynge the fether 
 of an oulde goofe, and a yonge goofe : a gander, 
 or a goofe : a fennye goofe, or an vplandifh goofe. 
 Againe which is beft fether in any goofe, the ryght 
 wing or the left wing, the pinion fether, or any other 
 fether : a whyte, blacke, or greye fether ? Thirdly, in 
 fettyng on of your fether, whether it be pared or 
 drawen with a thicke rybbe, or a thinne rybbe (the 
 rybbe is ye hard quill whiche deuydeth the fether) a 
 long fether better or a fhorte, fet on nere the nocke, 
 or farre from the nocke, fet on flreight, or fom what 
 bowyng ? and whether one or two fethers runne on the 
 bowe. Fourthly in couling or fheryng, whether high 
 or lowe, whether fomewhat fwyne backed (I mufte vfe
 
 (Tl)f srljulr of sljuotmcj. 129 
 
 footers wordes) or fadle backed, whether rounde, or 
 fquare (home ? And whether a (haft at any tyme ought 
 to be plucked, and how to be plucked. 
 
 Phi. Surely Toxophile, I thynke manye fletchers 
 (although daylye they haue thefe thinges in vre) if 
 they were afked fodeynly, what they coulde faye of a 
 fether, they could not faye fo moch. But I praye you 
 let me heare you more at large, expreffe thofe thynges 
 in a fether, the whiche you packed vp in fo narrowe a 
 rowme. And fyrfl whether any other thyng may be 
 vfed for a fether or not. 
 
 3T0I. That was ye fyrfle poynte in dede, and 
 bycaufe 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 pi. ,6 36. 
 in Latin, and Julius Pollux in Greke, do I. Pol 1. 10. 
 playnlye fhewe, yet onely the Lycians I Her Poiym. 
 reade in Herodotus to haue vfed fhaftes without 
 fedders. Onelye a fedder is fit for a fhafte for. ii. 
 caufes, fyrfle bycaufe it is leathe weake to giue 
 place to the bowe, than bycaufe it is of that 
 nature, that it wyll ftarte vp after ye bow. So, Plate, 
 wood or home can not ferue, bycaufe the[y] wil 
 not gyue place. Againe, Cloth, Paper, or Parchment 
 can not ferue, bycaufe they wyll not ryfe after the 
 bowe, therfore a fedder is onely mete, bycaufe it onelye 
 wyl do bothe. Nowe to looke on the fedders of all maner 
 of birdes, you fhal fe fome fo lowe weke and fhorte, 
 fome fo courfe, floore and harde, and the rib fo brickie, 
 thin and narrow, that it can nether be drawen, pared, 
 nor yet well fet on, that except it be a fwan for a dead 
 fhafte (as I knowe fome good Archers haue vfed) or a 
 ducke for a flyghte whiche lafles but one fhoote, there 
 is no fether but onelye of a goofe that hath all com- 
 modities in it And trewelye at a fhort but, which 
 fome man doth vfe, ye Pecock fether doth feldome 
 kepe vp ye fhaft eyther ryght or leuel, it is fo rough e 
 and heuy, fo that many men which haue taken them 
 vp for gayeneffe, hathe layde them downe agayne for 
 i
 
 130 avnpl)tlus. JB. 
 
 profyte, thus for our purpofe, the Goofe is befl fether, 
 for the beft fhoter. 
 
 {phi. No that is not fo, for the befl fhoter that euer 
 was vfed other fethers. 
 
 2Toi. Ye are fo cunninge in fhootynge I praye you 
 who was that. 
 
 jPfju Hercules whyche had hys fhaftes Hesiod. in 
 fethered with Egles fethers as Hefiodus Scuto - Her - 
 dothe faye. 
 
 9Toi. Well as for Hercules, feynge nether water nor 
 lande, heauen nor hell, coulde fcarfe contente hym to 
 abyde in, it was no meruell thoughe a fely poore goufe 
 fether could not plefe him to fhoote wythal, and agayne 
 as for Egles they flye fo hye and builde fo far of, yat 
 they be very hard to come by. Yet welfare the gentle 
 goufe which bringeth to a man euen to hys 
 
 , j.,. J A. Gouse. 
 
 doore fo manye excedynge commodities. 
 For the goufe is mans comforte in war and in peace 
 flepynge and wakynge. What prayfe fo euer is gyuen 
 to fhootynge the goufe may chalenge the befte parte in 
 it. How well dothe me make a man fare at his table ? 
 Howe eafelye dothe fhe make a man lye in hys bed ? 
 How fit euen as her fethers be onelye for fhootynge, fo 
 be her quylles fytte onelye for wrytyng. 
 
 philo. In deade Toxophyle that is the befte prayfe 
 you gaue to a goufe yet, and furelye I would haue 
 fayde you had bene to blame yf you had ouerfkypte it. 
 
 2T0X. The Romaynes I trowe Philologe not fo 
 muche bycaufe a goufe wyth cryinge faued theyr 
 Capitolium and head toure wyth their golden lupiter 
 as Propertius doth fay very pretely in thys verfe. 
 
 An fens et tutum uoce fuiffit louetn. 
 
 Id eft. Property 
 
 Thetus on a night hadjlolne lupiter, had a goufe not a kekede. 
 
 Dyd make a golden goufe and fet hir in the top of ye 
 Capitolium, and appoynted alfo the Cen- Liuiusi. 
 lores to alow out of ye common hutche Dcc s - 
 yearly ftipendes for ye findinge of certayne Geefe, ye 
 Romaynes did not I faye giue al thys honor to a goufe
 
 Oic s'rljalr of B'ljouting. 131 
 
 for yat good dede onely, but for other infinit mo which 
 comme dayly to a man byn Geefe, and furely yf I 
 mould declame in ye prayfe of any maner of befte 
 lyuyng, I would chofe a goufe, But the goufe hath 
 made vs flee to farre from cure matter. Nowe fir 
 ye haue hearde howe a fether mufl be had, and that a 
 goofe fether onely. It foloweth of a yong gofe and 
 an oulde, and the refidue belonging to a fether : 
 which thing I wyll fhortlye courfe ouer : wherof, 
 when you knowe the properties, you maye fitte your 
 fhaftes accordyng to your fhotyng, which rule you 
 mufl. obferue in all other thynges too, bycaufe no one 
 fafhion or quantitie can be fitte for euery man, no 
 more than a fhooe or a cote can be. The oulde goofe 
 fether is ftyffe and ftronge, good for a wynde, and 
 fytteft for a deed fhaft : the yonge goofe fether is 
 weake and fyne, beft for a fwyfte fhaft, and it mufl be 
 couled at the firft fhering, fomewhat hye, for with 
 fhoting, it wyll fattle and faule very moche. The 
 fame thing (although not fo moche) is to be con- 
 fydered in a goofe and a gander. A fenny goofe, 
 euen as her flefh is blacker, floorer, vnholfomer, fo is 
 her fether for the fame caufe courier floorer and 
 rougher, and therfore I haue heard very good fletchers 
 faye, that the feconde fether in fome place is better 
 then the pinion in other fome. Betwixt the winges is 
 lytle difference, but that you mufl haue diuerfe fhaftes 
 of one flight, fethered with diuerfe winges, for 
 diuerfe windes: for if the wynde and the fether go 
 both one way the fhaft wyll be caryed to moche. 
 The pinion fethers as it hath the firfle place in the 
 winge, fo it hath the fyril 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 
 thinneffe aboue, and the thicknefle at the grounde, and 
 alfo by the flifnes and fineffe which wyll cary a ftiaft 
 better, fafler and further, euen as a fine fayle cloth 
 doth a fhyppe. 
 
 The coulour of the fether is lefte to be regarded,
 
 . 38. 
 
 yet fommewhat to be looked on : for a good whyte, 
 you haue fometyme an yll greye. Yet furelye it 
 ftandeth with good reafon to haue the cocke fether 
 black or greye, as it were to gyue a man warning 
 to nocke ryght. The corke fether is called that 
 which ftandeth aboue in ryght nocking, which if you 
 do not obferue the other fethers mufl nedes run on the 
 bowe, and fo marre your fhote. And thus farre of the 
 goodneffe and choyfe of your fether: now foloweth the 
 letting on. Wherin you muft looke that your fethers be 
 not drawen for haftineffe, but pared euen and flreyghte 
 with diligence. The fletcher draweth a fether when 
 he hath but one fwappe at it with his knyfe, and then 
 playneth it a lytle, with rubbynge it ouer his knyfe. 
 He pareth it when he taketh leyfure and hede to make 
 euery parte of the ryb apt to (land ftreight, and euen 
 on vpon the ftele. This thing if a man take not heede 
 on, he maye chaunce haue caufe to faye fo of his 
 fletcher, as in dreffinge of meate is communelye fpoken 
 of Cookes : and that is, that God fendeth vs good 
 fethers, but the deuyll noughtie Fletchers. Yf any 
 fletchers heard me faye thus, they wolde not be 
 angrye with me, excepte they were yll fletchers : and 
 yet by reafon, thofe fletchers too, ought rather to 
 amend them felues for doing yll, then be angry with 
 me for faying truth. The ribbe in a ftyffe fether may 
 be thinner, for fo it wyll ftande cleaner on : but in a 
 weake fether you muft leaue a thicker ribbe, or els yf 
 the ryb which is the foundacion and grounde, wherin 
 nature hath fet euerye clefte of the fether, be taken to 
 nere the fether, it mufte nedes folowe, that the fether 
 mail faule, and droupe downe, euen as any herbe 
 doeth whyche hath his roote to nere taken on with a 
 fpade. The lengthe and fhortneffe of the fether, 
 ferueth for diuers fhaftes, as a long fether for a long 
 heauy, or byg fhafte, the fhorte fether for the contrary. 
 Agayne the fhorte may ftande farther, the longe nerer 
 the nocke. Youre fether mufte ftande almoofte 
 (Ireyght on, but yet after that forte, yat it maye turne
 
 (The s'rljnlr of Boating. 133 
 
 rounde in flyinge. And here I confider the wonder- 
 full nature of fhootynge,whicheftandeth all togyther by 
 that famion, which is mofle apte for quicke mouynge, 
 and that is by roundenefle. For firfte the bowe mufl be 
 gathered rounde, in drawyng it mud come rounde com- 
 pafle, the flrynge mufte be rounde, the flele rounde, the 
 bed nocke rounde, the feather (home fomwhat rounde, 
 the fhafte in flyenge, mufte turne rounde, and if it flye 
 far, it flyeth a rounde compace. For eyther aboue 
 or benethe a rounde compace, hyndereth the flyinge. 
 Moreouer bothe the fletcher in makynge your fhafte, 
 and you in nockynge your fliafte, mufte take heede 
 that two fethers equallye runne on the bowe. For 
 yf one fether runne alone on the bowe, it fhal 
 quickely be worne, and mall not be able to matche 
 with the other fethers, and agayne at the lowfe, yf the 
 fhafte be lyght, it wyl ftarte, if it be heuye, it wil noble. 
 And thus as concernyng fettyng on of your fether. 
 Nowe of coulynge. 
 
 To (here a (hafte hyghe or lowe, mufte be as the 
 (hafte is, heauy or lyght, great or lytle, long or (hort. 
 The fwyne backed fafhion, maketh the (haft deader, 
 for it gathereth more ayer than the faddle backed, and 
 therfore the faddle backe is furer for daunger of 
 wether, and fitter for fmothe filing. Agayn to (here 
 a (haft rounde, as they were wount fomtime to do, or 
 after the triangle famion, whyche is muche vfed nowe 
 a dayes, bothe be good. For roundnefle is apte for 
 fliynge of his owne nature, and al maner of triangle 
 famion, (the (harpe poynte goyng before) is alfo 
 naturally apte for quycke entrynge, and therfore fayth 
 Cicero, that cranes taught by nature, ob- De ^ deor 
 ferue in flyinge a triangle famion alwayes, 
 bycaufe it is fo apte to perce and go thorowe the 
 ayer wythall. Lafte of all pluckynge of fethers is 
 noughte, for there is no fuerty in it, therfore let euery 
 archer haue fuch fhaftes, that he maye bothe knowe 
 them and truft them at euery chaunge of wether. Yet 
 if they mud nedes be plucked, plucke them as litle as
 
 134 C;0)r0jri)tlu$. 38. 
 
 can be, for fo fhal they be the leffe vnconftante. And 
 thus I haue knit vp in as fhorte a roume as I coulde, 
 the beft fethers fetheringe and coulinge of a fhafte. 
 
 Pht. I thynke furelye you haue fo taken vp the 
 matter wyth you, yat you haue lefte nothynge be- 
 hinde you. Nowe you haue brought a fhafte to the 
 head, whiche if it were on, we had done as con- 
 cernyng all inflrumentes belongyng to fhootynge. 
 
 2D0I. Neceffitie, the inuentour of all goodneffe (as 
 all authours in a maner, doo faye) amonges all other 
 thinges inuented a fhaft heed, firfle to faue the ende 
 from breakyng, then it made it fharpe to flycke better, 
 after it made it of flrong matter, to lafl better : Lafl 
 of all experience and wyfedome of men, hathe brought 
 it to fuche a perfitneffe, that there is no one thing fo 
 profitable, belongyng to artillarie, either to flryke a 
 mannes enemye forer in wane, or to fhoote nerer the 
 marke at home, then is a fitte heed for both purpofes. 
 For if a fhaft lacke a heed, it is worth nothynge for 
 neither vfe. Therfore feinge heedes be fo neceffary, 
 they muft of neceffitie, be wel looked vpon. Heedes 
 for warre, of longe tyme haue ben made, not onely 
 of diuers matters, but alfo of diuers fafhions. The 
 Troians had heedes of yron, as this verfe fpoken 
 of Pandarus, fheweth : 
 
 Vp to the pappe his Jlring did he pull, his Jkaft to the harde 
 
 yron. 
 
 Iliados 4 
 
 The Grecians had heedes of braffe, as Vlyffes fhaftes 
 were heeded, when he flewe Antinous, and the other 
 wowers of Penelope. 
 
 Quite through a dore, flewe ajhafte with a braffe head. 
 
 Odysse. ai. 
 
 It is playne in Homer, where Menelaus was 
 wounded of Pandarus fhafte, yat the heedes were not 
 glewed on, but tyed on with a firing, as 
 
 . J . ~ , . i 1 ii Iliados. 4. 
 
 the commentaries in Greke playnelye tell. 
 
 And therfore fhoters at that tyme to carry their fhaftes 
 
 withoute heedes, vntill they occupyed them, and than
 
 (Tfjc gdjalr af sf)onti iig. 135 
 
 fet on an heade as it apereth in Homer the. xxi. 
 booke Odyffei, where Penelope brought Vlixes bowe 
 downe amonges the gentlemen, whiche came on wow- 
 ing to her, that he whiche was able to bende it and 
 drawe it, might inioye her, and after her 
 folowed a mayde fayth Homer, carienge 
 a bagge full of heades, bothe of iron and braffe. 
 
 The men of Scythia, vfed heades of braffe. The 
 men of Inde vfed heades of yron. The Ethiopians 
 vfed heades of a harde fharpe flone, as Gio 
 
 bothe Herodotus and Pollux do tel. Hero 
 The Germanes as Cornelius Tacitus doeth 
 faye, had theyr fhaftes headed with bone, and many 
 countryes bothe of olde tyme and nowe, vfe heades 
 of home, but of all other yron and flyle mufle nedes 
 be the fitted for heades. 
 
 lulius Pollux calleth otherwyfe than we doe, where 
 the fethers be the head, and that whyche 
 
 , , , , * I. Pol. i : io. 
 
 we call the head, he calleth the poynte. 
 
 Fafhion of heades is diuers and that of olde tyme : 
 two maner of arrowe heades fayeth Pollux, was vfed 
 in olde tyme. The one he calleth oyinvoe defcrybynge 
 it thus, hauyng two poyntes or barbes, lookyng backe- 
 warde to the llele and the fethers, which furely we call 
 in Englime a brode arrowe head or a fwalowe tayle. 
 The other he calleth yAw^e, hauing. ii. poyntes ftretch- 
 yng forwarde, and this Englyfh men do call a forke- 
 head : bothe thefe two kyndes of heades, were vfed in 
 Homers dayes, for Teucer vfed forked heades, fayinge 
 thus to Agamemnon. 
 
 Eighte good Jkafles haue IJhotfethe I came, eche one wyth aforke 
 heade. Iliad. 8. 
 
 Pandarus heades and Vlyffes heades were broode 
 arrow heades, as a man maye learne in Homer that 
 fcroulde be curioufe in knowyng that matter. Hercules 
 vfed forked heades, but yet they had thre pointes or 
 forkes, when other mennes had but twoo. piutarchu* 
 The Parthyans at that great battell where Crasso
 
 136 E0y0jpl)tlu. 38. 
 
 they flewe ritche Craffus and his fonne vfed brode 
 Arrowe heades, whyche ilacke fo fore that the 
 Romaynes could not poule them out agayne. Corn- 
 modus the Emperoure vfed forked heades, 
 whofe facion Herodiane doeth lyuely and 
 naturally defcribe, fayinge that they were lyke the fhap 
 of a new mone wherwyth he would fmite of the heade of 
 a birde and neuer miffe, other facion of heades haue not 
 I red on. Our Englyfhe heades be better in war than 
 eyther forked heades, or brode arrowe heades. For 
 firfle the ende beynge lyghter they flee a great deele 
 the fafter, and by the fame reafon gyueth a far forer 
 flripe. Yea and I fuppofe if ye fame lytle barbes 
 whiche they haue, were clene put away, they fhuld 
 be far better. For thys euery man doth graunt, yat a 
 fhaft as long as it flyeth, turnes, and whan 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 worfe it enters, as a knife 
 thoughe it be fharpe yet becaufe of the edges, wil not 
 bore fo wel as a bodkin, for euery rounde thynge 
 enters befle and therefore nature, fayeth Ariftotle, made 
 the rayne droppes rounde for quicke percynge the 
 ayer. Thus, eyther fhaftes turne not in flyeng, or els 
 our flatte arrowe heades floppe the fhafte in entrynge. 
 
 PJjf. But yet Toxophile to holde your communica- 
 tion a lytle I fuppofe the flat heade is better, bothe 
 bycaufe it maketh a greter hoole, and alfo bycaufe it 
 flicks fafter in. 
 
 2C0I. Thefe two reafons as they be bothe trewe, fo 
 they be both nought. For fyrft the leffe hoole, yf it 
 be depe, is the worfl to heale agayn : when a man 
 fhoteth at hys enemy, he defyreth rather yat it fliould 
 enter far, than Hick fail. For what remedye is it I 
 praye you for hym whych is fmitten with a depe 
 wounde to poull out the fhaft quickely, except it be to 
 hafte his death fpedely ? thus heades whyche make a 
 lytle hole and depe, be better in war, than thofe which 
 make a great hole and flicke fail in.
 
 Cf)f Echoic of sljantmg. 137 
 
 lulius Pollux maketh mencion of cer- Poiuuc. 7- 
 tayne kindes of heades for war which beare Psal - 7 - 
 
 fyre in them, and fcripture alfo fpeaketh fomwhat of 
 the fame. Herodotus doth tell a won- 
 derfull pollicy to be done by Xerxes what 
 tyme he befeged the great Toure in Athenes : He 
 made his Archers binde there fhafte heades aboute 
 wyth towe, and than fet it on fyre and fhoote them, 
 whych thyng done by many Archers fet all the places 
 on fyre, whych were of matter to burne ; and befydes 
 that dafed the men wythin, fo yat they knewe not 
 whyther to turne them. But to make an ende of all 
 heades forwarre I woulde wyfhe that the head makers 
 of Englande fhoulde make their fheafe arrowe heades 
 more harder poynted then they be : for I my felfe haue 
 fene of late fuch heades fet vpon fheafe Arrowes, as ye 
 officers yf they had fene them woulde not haue bene 
 content wyth all. 
 
 Now as concernyng heades for pryckyng, which is 
 cure purpofe, there be dyuerfe kyndes, fome be blonte 
 heades, fome fharpe, fome both blonte and fharpe. 
 The blont heades men vfe bycaufe they perceaue 
 them to be good, to kepe a lengthe wyth all, they 
 kepe a good lengthe, bycaufe a man poulethe them no 
 ferder at one tyme than at another. For in felynge 
 the plompe ende alwayes equallye he may lowfe them. 
 Yet in a winde, and agaynfte the wynd the wether hath 
 fo much power on the brode end, yat no man can 
 kepe no fure lengthe, wyth fuch a heade. Therfore a 
 blont hede in a caulme or downe a wind is very good, 
 otherwyfe none worfe. 
 
 Sharpe heades at the ende wythout anye moulders 
 (I call that the moulder in a heade whyche a mans 
 finger fliall feele afore it come to the poynte) wyll 
 perche quycklye throughe a wynde, but yet it hath. ii. 
 difcommodities, the one that it wyll kepe no lengthe, 
 it kepeth no lengthe, bycaufe no manne can poule it 
 certaynly as far one tyme as at an other : it is not 
 drawen certaynlye fo far one tyme as at an other,
 
 138 
 
 bycaufe it lackethe ftiouldrynge wherwyth as wyth a 
 fure token a man myghte be warned when to lowfe, 
 and alfo bycaufe menne are afrayde of the fharpe 
 poynt for fettyng it in ye bow. The feconde incom- 
 moditie is when it is lyghted on ye ground, ye fmal 
 poynte fhall at euery tyme be in ieopardye of hurtynge, 
 whyche thynge of all other wyll fonefl make the fhafte 
 lefe the lengthe. Now when blonte heades be good 
 to kepe a lengthe wythall, yet noughte for a wynde, 
 fharpe heades good to perche the wether wyth al, 
 yet nought for a length, certayne heademaVers 
 dwellyng in London perceyuynge the commoditie of 
 both kynde of heades ioyned wyth a difcommoditie, 
 inuented newe files and other inftrumentes where wyth 
 [t]he[y] broughte heades for pryckynge to fuch a per- 
 fitneffe, that all the commodities of the twoo other 
 heades mould be put in one heade wyth out anye dis- 
 commoditie at all. They made a certayne kynde of 
 heades whyche men call hie rigged, creafed, or fhoul- 
 dred heades, or fyluer fpone heades, for a certayne 
 lykenefle that fuche heades haue wyth the knob ende 
 of fome fyluer fpones. 
 
 Thefe heades be good both to kepe a length withal 
 and alfo to perche a wynde wythal, to kepe a length 
 wythall bycaufe a man maye certaynly poule it to the 
 fhouldrynge euery fhoote and no farther, to perche a 
 wynde wythall bycaufe the pointe from the flioulder 
 forwarde, breketh the wether as al other fharpe thynges 
 doo. So the blonte moulder feruethe for a fure lengthe 
 kepynge, the poynte alfo is euer fit, for a roughe and 
 greate wether percyng. And thus much as fhortlye as 
 I could, as concernyng heades both for war and peace. 
 
 jjifjf. But is there no cunning as concerning fetting 
 on of ye head ? 
 
 CDI. Wei remembred. But that poynt belongeth to 
 fletchers, yet you may defyre hym to fet youre heade, 
 full on, and clofe on. Ful on is whan the wood is 
 be[n]t hard vp to the ende or floppynge of the heade, 
 clofe on, is when there is lefte wood on euerye fyde
 
 of jtyaottng. 139 
 
 the fhafte, ynoughe to fyll the head withall, or when it 
 is neyther to little nor yet to greate. If there be any 
 faulte in any of thefe poyntes, ye head whan it lyghteth 
 on any hard ftone or grounde wil be in ieoperdy. 
 eyther of breakynge, or els otherwyfe hurtynge. Stop- 
 pynge of heades eyther wyth leade, or any thynge els, 
 fhall not nede now, bycaufe euery filuer fpone, or 
 fhowldred head is flopped of it felfe. Shorte heades be 
 better than longe : For firfte the longe head is worfe 
 for the maker, to fyle ftrayght compace euery waye : 
 agayne it is worfe for the fletcher to fet ftrayght on : 
 thyrdlye it is alwayes in more ieoperdie of breakinge, 
 whan it is on. And nowe I trowe Philologe, we haue 
 done as concernyrige all Inftrumentes belongyng to 
 fhootynge, whiche euery fere archer ought, to prouyde for 
 hym felfe. And there remayneth. ii. thynges behinde, 
 whiche be generall or common to euery man the 
 Wether and the Marke, but bicaufe they be fo knit 
 wyth fhootynge ftrayght, or kepynge of a lengthe, I 
 wyll deferre them to that place, and now we will come, 
 (God wyllyng) to handle oure inftrumentes, the thing 
 that euery man defireth to do wel. 
 
 ^hf. If you can teache me fo well to handle thefe 
 inftrumentes as you haue defcribed them, I fuppofe I 
 fhalbe an archer good ynough. 
 
 2Tai. To learne any thing (as you knowe better than 
 I Philologe) and fpeciallye to do a thing with a mannes 
 handes, muft be done if a man woulde be excellent, in 
 his youthe. Yonge trees in gardens, which lacke al 
 fenfes, and beaftes without reafon, when they be yong, 
 may with handling and teaching, be brought to won- 
 derfull thynges. And this is not onely true in natural 
 thinges, but in artificiall thinges to, as the potter moft 
 connyngly doth caft his pottes whan his claye is fofte 
 and workable, and waxe taketh printe whan it is 
 warme, and leathie weke, not whan claye and waxe be 
 hard and oulde : and euen fo, euerye man in his youthe, 
 bothe with witte and body is mode apte and pliable 
 to receyue any cunnyng that fhulde be taught hym.
 
 140 Caycipbtlug. 13. 
 
 This communication of teaching youthe, maketh me 
 to remembre the right worfhipfull and my fmguler good 
 mayfler, Sir Humfrey Wingfelde, to whom nexte God, 
 I ought to refer for his manifolde benefites beftowed 
 on me, the poore talent of learnyng, whiche god hath 
 lent me : and for his fake do I owe my feruice to all 
 other of the name and noble houfe of the Wyngfeldes, 
 bothe in woonl and dede. Thys worfhypfull man hath 
 euer loued and vfed, to haue many children brought 
 vp in learnynge in his houfe amonges whome I my felfe 
 was one. For whom at terme tymes he woulde bryng 
 downe from London bothe bowe and fhaftes. And 
 when they fhuld playe he woulde go with them him 
 felfe in to the fyelde, and fe them fhoote, and he that 
 (hot fayrefl, fhulde haue the befl bowe and fhaftes, 
 and he that mot ilfauouredlye, fhulde be mocked of 
 his felowes, til he mot better. 
 
 Woulde to god all Englande had vfed or wolde vfe 
 to lay the foundacion of youth, after the example of 
 this worfhipful 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 purpofe, he that mufte come to this high 
 perfeclnes in fhootyng which we fpeake of, mufte nedes 
 begin to learne it in hys youthe, the omitting of whiche 
 thinge in Englande, both maketh fewer fhooters, and 
 alfo euery man that is a fhoter, fhote warfe than he 
 myght, if he were taught. 
 
 Pf)t. Euen as I knowe that this is true, whiche you 
 faye, euen fo Toxophile, haue you quyte difcouraged 
 me, and drawen my minde cleane from fhootynge, 
 feinge by this reafon, no man yat hath not vfed it in 
 his youthe can be excellent in it. And I fuppofe the 
 fame refon woulde difcourage many other mo, yf they 
 hearde you talke after this forte. 
 
 2Toi. This thyng Philologe, fhall difcourage no man 
 that is wyfe. For I wyll proue yat wifdome may worke 
 the fame thinge in a man, that nature doth in a chylde.
 
 srljalr at Boating. 141 
 
 A chylde by thre thinges, is brought to excellencic. 
 By Aptneffe, Defire, and Feare : Aptneffe maketh hym 
 pliable lyke waxe to be formed and fafhioned, euen as a 
 man woulde haue hym. Defyre to be as good or better, 
 than his felowes : and Feare of them whome he is 
 vnder, wyl caufe hym take great labour and payne 
 with diligent hede, in learnynge any thinge, wherof 
 procedeth at the lafte excellency and perfe&nefle. 
 
 A man maye by wifdome in learnyng any thing, 
 and fpecially to Ihoote, haue thre lyke commodities 
 alfo, wherby he maye, as it were become younge 
 agayne, and fo attayne to excellencie. For as a 
 childe is apte by naturall youth, fo a man by vfyng at 
 the firfte weake bowes, far vnderneth his ftrength, 
 fhal be as pliable and readye to be taught fayre 
 (hotyng as any chylde : and daylye vfe of the fame, 
 flial both kepe hym in fayer fhotyng, and alfo at ye 
 lad bryng hym to flronge fhootynge. 
 
 And in flede of the feruente defyre, which pro- 
 uoketh a chylde to be better than hys felowe, lette a 
 man be as muche ftirred vp with fhamefaflnes to be 
 worfe than all other. And the fame place that feare 
 hathe in a chylde, to compell him to take peyne, the 
 fame hath loue of fhotyng in a man, to caufe hym 
 forfake no labour, withoute whiche no man nor chylde 
 can be excellent. And thus whatfoeuer a chylde 
 may be taught by Aptnefle, Defire, and Feare, the 
 fame thing in fhootynge, maye a man be taughte by 
 weake bowes, Shamefaftneffe and Loue. 
 
 And hereby you may fe that that is true whiche 
 Cicero fayeth, that a man by vfe, may be broughte to 
 a newe nature. And this I dare be bould to faye, that 
 any man whiche will wifely begynne, and conflantlye 
 perfeuer in this trade of learnyng to fhote, mall attayne 
 to perfectnefle therein. 
 
 3|fJf)t. This communication Toxophile, doeth pleafe 
 me verye well, and nowe I perceyue that mode gene- 
 rally and chefly youthe muftc be taughte to fhoote, and 
 fecondarilye no man is debarred tlierfrom excepte it be
 
 i 4 2 Coyopljiluji. SB. 
 
 more thorough his owne negligence for bicaufe he wyll 
 not learne,than any difabilitie, bicaufe he can not lerne. 
 
 Therfore seyng I wyll be glad to folowe your counfell 
 in chofynge my bowe and other inftrumentes, and alfo 
 am afhamed that I can mote no better th.in I can, 
 moreouer hauynge fuche a loue toward mo.ynge by 
 your good reafons to day, that I wyll forfake no 
 labour in the exercife of the fame, I befeche you 
 imagyn that we had bothe bowe and fhaftes here, and 
 teache me howe I mould handle them, and one thynge 
 I defyre you, make me as fayre an Archer as you can. 
 . For thys I am fure in learnynge all other matters, 
 nothynge is broughte to the mood profytable vfe, which 
 is not handled after the mooft cumlye fafhion. As 
 mafters of fence haue no ftroke fit ether to hit an 
 other or elfe to defende hym felfe, whyche is not 
 ioyned wyth a wonderfull cumlineife. A Cooke can 
 not chop hys herbes neither quickelye nor hanfomlye 
 excepte he kepe fuche a mefure with hys choppynge 
 kniues as woulde delyte a manne both to fe hym and 
 heare hym. 
 
 Euerye hand craft man that workes bed for hys 
 owne profyte, workes moft femelye to other mens 
 fight. Agayne in buyldynge a houfe, in makynge a 
 fhyppe, euery parte the more hanfomely, they be 
 ioyned for profyt and lafle, the more cumlye they be 
 fafhioned to euery mans fyght and eye. Nature it 
 felfe taught men to ioyne alwayes welfauourednefie 
 with profytableneffe. As in man, that ioynt or pece 
 which is by anye chaunce depriued of hys cumly- 
 nefle the fame is alfo debarred of hys vfe and profy- 
 tableneffe. 
 
 As he that is gogle eyde and lokes a fquinte hath 
 both hys countenaunce clene marred, and hys fight 
 fore blemmyfhed, and fo in all other members lyke. 
 Moreouer what tyme of the yeare bryngeth moofte 
 profyte wyth it for mans vfe, the fame alfo couereth 
 and dekketh bothe earthe and trees wyth mood cumly- 
 nefle for mans pleafure. And that tyme whych takethe
 
 sdjcilr of Boating. 143 
 
 awaye the pleafure of the grounde, carieth wyth hym 
 alfo the profyt of the grounde, as euery man by expe- 
 rience knoweth in harde and roughe winters. Some 
 thynges there be whych haue no other ende, but onely 
 cumlynefle, as payntyng, and Daunfmg. And vertue it 
 felfe is nothynge eles but cumlynefle, as al Philo- 
 Ibphers do agree in opinion, therfore feynge that whych 
 is befl done in anye matters, is alwayes mood 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 fayde before teatche me to 
 fhoote as fayre, and welfauouredly as you can imagen. 
 
 9Toi. Trewlye Philologe as you proue verye well in 
 other matters, the bed fhootynge, is alwayes the moofl 
 cumlye fhootynge but thys you know as well as I that 
 Craflus fhewethe in Cicero that as cumlinefle is the 
 chefe poynt, and mofl to be fought for in all thynges, 
 fo cumlynefle onlye, can neuer be taught by any Arte 
 or craft. But maye be perceyued well when it is done, 
 not defcribed wel how it mould be done. 
 
 Yet neuerthelelfe to comme to it there be manye 
 vvaye whych wayes men haue affayde in other matters, 
 as yf a man would folowe in learnynge to fhoote 
 faire, the noble paynter Zeuxes in payntyng Helena, 
 whyche to make his Image bewtifull dyd chofe out. v. 
 of the fayrefl maydes in al the countrie aboute, and in 
 beholdynge them conceyued and drewe out fuche an 
 Image that it far exceded al other, bycaufe the comeli- 
 nefle of them al was broughte in to one moofl perfyte 
 comelineffe: So lykewyfe in fhotynge yf a man, woulde 
 fet before hys eyes. v. or. vi. of the fayrefl Archers that 
 euer he faw fhoote, and of one learne to flande, of a 
 nother to drawe, of an other to lowfe, and fo take of 
 euery man, what euery man coulde do befl, I dare faye 
 he fhoulde come to fuche a comlynefle as neuer man 
 came to yet. As for an example, if the moofl comely 
 poynte in fhootynge that Hewe Prophete the Kynges 
 feruaunte hath and as my frendes Thomas and Raufe 
 Cantrell doth vfe with the moofl femelye facyons that.
 
 144 C0>-DpTjau*. 38. 
 
 iii. or iiii. excellent Archers haue befide, were al ioyned 
 in one, I am fure all men woulde wonder at ye excellencie 
 of it And this is one waye to learne to moote fayre. 
 
 Phi. This is very wel truly, but I praye you teache 
 me fomewhat of fhootyng fayre youre felfe. 
 
 2E0I. I can teache you to moote fayre, euen as 
 Socrates taught a man ones to knowe God, for when 
 he axed hym what was God : naye fayeth he I can tell 
 you better what God is not, as God is not yll, God is 
 vnfpeakeable, vnfearcheable and fo forth : Euen lyke- 
 wyfe can I faye of fayre fhootyng, it hath not this dif- 
 commodite with it nor that difcommoditie, and at lafl 
 a man maye fo fhifte all the difcommodities from 
 fhootynge that there mall be left no thynge behynde 
 but fayre Ihootynge. And to do this the better you 
 muft remember howe that I toulde you when I de- 
 fcrybed generally the hole nature of fhootyng that 
 fayre fhotyng came of thefe thynges, of ftandynge, 
 nockynge, drawynge, howldynge and lowfynge, the 
 whych I wyll go ouer as fhortly as I can, defcribynge 
 the difcommodities that men commonly vfe in all 
 partes of theyr bodies, that you yf you faulte in any 
 fuch maye knowe it and fo go about to amend it. 
 Faultes in Archers do excede the number of Archers, 
 whyche come wyth vfe of fhootynge wythoute teach- 
 ynge. Vfe and cuflome feparated from knowlege 
 and learnynge, doth not onely hurt fhootynge, but the 
 mooil weyghtye thynges in the worlde befide : And 
 therfore I maruayle moche at thofe people whyche 
 be the mayneteners of vfes withoute knowlege hauynge 
 no other worde in theyr mouthe but thys vfe, vfe, cuft- 
 ome, cuflome. Suche men more wylful than wyfe, 
 befide other difcommodities, take all place and occafion 
 from al amendment. And thys I fpeake generally of 
 vfe and cuflome. 
 
 Whych thynge yf a learned man had it in hande 
 yat woulde applye it to anye one matter, he myght 
 handle it wonderfullye. But as for fhootyng, vfe is the 
 onely caufe of all fautes in it and therfore chylderne
 
 srlinlr of sfljaotiiiQ. 145 
 
 more eafly and foner maye be taught to fhote excel- 
 lentlye then men, bycaufe chylderne may be taught 
 to fhoote well at the fyrfle, men haue more payne to 
 vnlearne theyr yll vfes, than they haue laboure after- 
 warde to come to good fhootynge. 
 
 All the difcommodities whiche ill cuflome hath 
 grafted in archers, can neyther be quycklye poulled 
 out, nor yet fone reckened of me, they be fo manye. 
 
 Some Ihooteth, his head forwarde as though he 
 woulde byte the marke : an other flareth wyth hys 
 eyes, as though, they fhulde flye out : An other 
 winketh with one eye, and loketh with the other : 
 Some make a face with writhing theyr mouthe and 
 countenaunce fo, 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 fome fet fuche a compaffe, as thoughe 
 they woulde tourne about, and blyfle all the feelde : 
 Other heaue theyr hand nowe vp nowe downe, that a 
 man can not decerne wherat they wolde mote, an 
 other waggeth the vpper ende of his bow one way, 
 the neyther ende an other waye. An other wil fland 
 poyntinge his fhafte 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 fuche a wreflling with his 
 gere, as thoughe he were able to fhoote no more as 
 longe as he lyued. An other draweth foftly to ye mid- 
 des, and by and by it is gon, you can not knowe howe. 
 
 An other draweth his fhafte lowe at the breafle, 
 as thoughe he woulde fhoote 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 but- 
 tockes, as though he fhoulde fhoote at crowes. 
 
 An other fetteth forwarde hys lefte legge, and draw- 
 eth backe wyth head and fhowlders, as thoughe he 
 pouled at a rope, or els were afrayed of ye marke 
 An other draweth his fhafte well, vntyll wythin. ii. 
 
 K
 
 146 CTflvnjJljilus. JB. 
 
 fyngers of the head, and than he ftayeth a lyttle, to 
 looke at hys marke, and that done, pouleth it vp to 
 the head, and lowfeth : whych waye although fumme 
 excellent fhoters do vfe, yet furely it is a faulte, and 
 good mennes faultes are not to be folowed. 
 
 Summe men drawe to farre, furnme to fhorte, fumme 
 to flowlye, fumme to quickely, fumme holde ouer longe, 
 fumme let go ouer fone. 
 
 Summe fette theyr fhafte on the grounde, and fetch- 
 eth him vpwarde. An other poynteth vp towarde the 
 fkye, and fo bryngeth hym downewardes. 
 
 Ones I fawe a manne whyche vfed a brafar on his 
 cheke, or elles he had fcratched all the fkynne of the 
 one fyde, of his face, with his drawynge hand. 
 
 An other I fawe, whiche at euerye fhoote, after the 
 loofe, lyfted vp his ryght legge fo far, that he was euer 
 in ieoperdye of faulyng. 
 
 Summe flampe forwarde, and fumme leape back- 
 warde. All thefe faultes be eyther in the drawynge, 
 or at the loofe : with many other mo whiche you 
 may eafelye perceyue, and fo go about to auoyde them. 
 
 Nowe afterwarde whan the fhafte is gone, men haue 
 manye faultes, whyche euell Cuftome hath broughte 
 them to, and fpecially in cryinge after the fhafte, and 
 fpeakynge woordes fcarce honeft for fuche an honeft 
 paftyme. 
 
 Suche woordes be verye tokens of an ill mynde, 
 and manifefte fignes of a man that is fubiecle to in- 
 meafurable affections. Good mennes eares do abhor 
 them, and an honeft man therfore wyl auoyde them. 
 And befydes thofe whiche mufte nedes haue theyr 
 tongue thus walkynge, other men vfe other fautes as 
 fome will take theyr bowe and writhe and wrinche it, 
 to poule in his fhafte, when it flyeth wyde, as yf he 
 draue -a carte. Some wyll gyue two or. iii. ftrydes 
 forwarde, daunfing and hoppynge after his fhafte, as 
 long as it flyeth, as though he were a madman. 
 Some which feare to be to farre gone, runne backe- 
 warde as it were to, poule his fhafte backe. Another 
 runneth forwarde, whan he feareth to be fhort, heau-
 
 s'djalc af sljuatuig. 147 
 
 ynge after his armes, as though he woulde helpe his 
 fhafte to flye. An other writhes or runneth a fyde, to 
 poule in his fhafte flrayght. One lifteth vp his heele, 
 and fo holdeth his foote flill, as longe as his ftiafte 
 flyeth. An other cafteth his arme backewarde after 
 the lowfe. And an other fvvynges hys bowe aboute 
 hym, as it were a man with a flaffe to make roume in 
 a game place. And manye other faultes there be, 
 whiche nowe come not to my remembraunce. Thus 
 as you haue hearde, manye archers wyth marrynge 
 theyr face and countenaunce, wyth other partes, of 
 theyrbodye, as itweremenne that fhoulde daunce an- 
 tiques, be farre from the comelye porte in fhootynge, 
 whiche he that woulde be excellent mufte looke for. 
 
 Of thefe faultes I haue verie many my felfe, but I 
 talke not of my fhootynge, but of the generall nature 
 of fhootynge. Nowe ymagin an Archer that is cleane 
 wythout al thefe faultes and I am fure euerye man 
 would be delyted to fe hym fhoote. 
 
 And althoughe fuche a perfyte cumlynefle can not 
 be exprefled wyth any precepte of teachyng, as Cicero 
 and other learned menne do faye, yet I wyll fpeake 
 (accordyng to my lytle knowlege) that thing in it, 
 whych yf you folowe, althoughe you mall not be 
 wythout fault, yet your fault fhal neyther quickly be 
 perceued, nor yet greatly rebuked of them that flande 
 by. Standyng, nockyng, drawyng, holdyng, lowfyng, 
 done as they fhoulde be done, make fayre fhootynge. 
 
 The fyrfte poynte is when a man fhoulde fhote, to 
 take fuche footyng and flandyng as fhal be 
 
 j e r . i i Standynge. 
 
 both cumlye to the eye and profytable to 
 hys vfe, fettyng hys countenaunce and al the other partes 
 of hys bodye after fuche a behauiour and porte, that 
 bothe al hys flrengthe may be employed to hys owne 
 moofl a[d]uantage, and hys fhoot made and handled 
 to other mens pleafure and delyte. A man mufl not 
 go to haflely to it, for that is rafhnefle, nor yet make 
 to much to do about it, for yat is curiofitie, ye one 
 fote mufl not flande to far from the other, lefle he 
 floupe to muche whyche is vnfemelye, nor yet to nere
 
 . JJ. 
 
 together, lefte he flande to flreyght vp, for fo a man (hall 
 neyther vfe hys ftrengthe well, nor yet ftande (ledfafllye. 
 
 The meane betwyxt bothe mud be kept, a thing 
 more pleafaunte to behoulde when it is done, than eafie 
 to be taught howe it fhoulde be done. 
 
 To nocke well is the eafiefl poynte of all, and there 
 in is no cunninge.but onelyedylygente hede 
 
 r ,\ f, f . . il ^! i_ Nockynge. 
 
 gyuyng, to fet hys lhafte neyther to hye nor 
 
 to lowe, but euen flreyght ouertwharte hys bowe, Vn- 
 
 conflante nockynge maketh a man leefe hys lengthe. 
 
 And befydes that, yf the fhafte hande be hye and 
 the bowe hande lowe, or contrarie, bothe the bowe is 
 in ieopardye of brekynge, and the fhafte, yf it be lytle, 
 wyll ftart : yf it be great it wyll hobble. Nocke the 
 cocke fether vpward alwayes as I toulde you when I 
 defcribed the fether. And be fure alwayes yat your 
 flringe flip not out of the nocke, for then al is in 
 ieopardye of breakynge. 
 
 Drawynge well is the bed parte of 
 
 n i j r j i Drawynge. 
 
 fhootyng. Men in oulde tyme vfed other 
 maner of drawynge than we do. They vfed to drawe 
 low at the breft, to the ryght pap and no farther, and this 
 to be trew is playne in Homer, where he defcrybeth 
 Pandarus fhootynge. niad. 4. 
 
 Vp to the pap hisjlringe dyd he pul, hisjhafte to the hard heed. 
 
 The noble women of Scythia vfed the fame fafhyon 
 of fhootyng low at the breft, and bicaufe there lefte 
 pap hindred theyr fhootynge at the lowfe they cut it 
 of when they were yonge, and therfore be they called 
 in lackynge theyr pap Amazones. Nowe a dayes 
 contrarye wyfe 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 Procopius 
 the eare be better, an excellente wryter in Hist - Pers 
 Greke called Procopius doth faye hys mynde, fhewyng 
 yat the oulde fafhyon in drawing to ye pap was 
 nought of no pithe, and therfore faith Procopius : is 
 Artyllarye difprayfed in Homer whych calleth it 
 ov-icuroi'. I. Weake and able to do no good. Draw-
 
 (Tlir srlialr af footing. 149 
 
 yng to the eare he prayfeth greatly, whereby men 
 ftioote bothe (Ironger and longer : clrawynge therfore 
 to the eare is better than to drawe at the brefte. 
 And one thyng commeth into my remembraunce nowe 
 Philologe when I fpeake of drawyng, that 1 neucr 
 red of other kynde of fhootyng, than drawing wyth a 
 mans hand ether to the brefte or eare : This thyng 
 haue I fought for in Homer Herodotus and Plutarch, 
 and therfore I meruayle how crof bowes came fyrft vp, 
 of the which I am fure a man mall finde u 
 
 lytle mention made on in any good Authour. 
 Leo the Emperoure woulde haue hys fouldyers 
 drawe quycklye in warre, for that maketh a (haft flie 
 a pace. In fhootynge at the pryckes, hafty and quicke 
 drawing is neyther fure nor yet cumlye. Therfore to 
 drawe eafely and vniformely, that is for to faye not 
 waggyng your hand, now vpwarde, now downewarde, but 
 alwayes after one fafhion vntil you come to the rig or 
 fhouldring of ye head, is bed both for profit and femeli- 
 nefle, Holdynge muft not be longe, for it 
 bothe putteth a bowe in Jeopardy, and alfo 
 marreth a mans fhoote, it muft be fo lytle yat it may be 
 perceyued better in a mans mynde when it is done, than 
 ieene with a mans eyes when it is in doyng. 
 
 Lowfynge mufte be muche lyke. So 
 quycke and hard yat it be wyth oute all girdes, fo 
 fofte and gentle that the fhafte flye not as it were 
 fente out of a bow cafe. The meane betwixte bothe, 
 whyche is perfyte lowfynge is not fo hard to be 
 folowed in fhootynge as it is to be defcrybed in 
 teachyng. For cleane lowfynge you muft take hede of 
 hyttynge any thynge aboute you. And for 
 the fame purpofe Leo the Emperour would 
 haue al Archers in war to haue both theyr heades 
 pouled, and there berdes fhauen lefte the heare of theyr 
 heades (huld flop the fyght of the eye, the heere of 
 theyr berdes hinder the courfe of the ftrynge. 
 
 And thefe preceptes I am fure Philologe yf you folowe 
 in ftandyng,nockyng,drawynge,holdynge, and lowfynge, 
 lhal bryng you at the laft to excellent fayre fhootynge.
 
 150 <0y0jrf)iIuS. U. 
 
 All thefe thynges Toxophile althoughe I bothe 
 nowe perceyue them thorowlye, and alfo wyll remember 
 them dilligently : yet to morowe or fome other day when 
 you haue leafure we wyll go to the pryckes, and put them 
 by lytle and lytle in experience. For teachynge not fol- 
 owed,doeth euen as muchegood as bookesneuer looked 
 vpon. But nowe feing you haue taught me to mote fayre, 
 I praye you tel me fomwhat, how I mould fhoote nere 
 lefle that prouerbe myght be fayd iufllye of me fome- 
 tyme. He fliootes lyke a gentle man fayre and far of. 
 
 2Tai. He that can fhoote fayre, lacketh nothyng 
 but fhootyng ftreyght and kepyng of a length wherof 
 commeth hyttynge of the marke, the ende both of 
 fhootyng and alfo of thys our communication. The 
 handlyng of ye wether and the mark bicaufe they 
 belong to fhootyng ftreyghte, and kepynge of a 
 lengthe, I wyll ioyne them togyther, fhewinge what 
 thinges belonge to kepynge of a lengthe, and what to 
 fhootynge ftreyght. 
 
 The greater! enemy of fhootyng is the wynde and 
 the wether, wherby true kepyng a lengthe is chefely 
 hindred. If this thing were not, men by w yn <k and 
 teaching might be brought to wonderful wether, 
 neare fhootynge. It is no maruayle if the litle poore 
 fhafte being fent alone, fo high in to the ayer, into a 
 great rage of wether, one wynde toffinge it that waye, an 
 other thys waye, it is no maruayle I faye, thoughe it 
 leefe the lengthe, and miffe that place, where the fhooter 
 had thought to haue founde it. Greter matters than 
 fhotynge are vnder the rule and wyll of the wether, 
 as faylynge on the fea. And lykewife as in fayling, 
 the chefe poynt of a good mailer, is to knowe the 
 tokens of chaunge of wether, the courfe of the wyndes, 
 that therby he maye the better come to the Hauen : 
 euen fo the befl propertie of a good fhooter, is to 
 knowe the nature of the wyndes, with hym and 
 agaynfle hym, that thereby he maye the nerer fhote 
 at hys marke. Wyfe mayfters whan they canne not 
 winne the befle hauen, they are gladde of the nexte : 
 Good fhooters alfo, yat can not whan they would hit
 
 Cljr scljalc at sljaattnjj. 151 
 
 the marke, wil labour to come as nigh as they can. 
 All thinges in this worlde be vnperfite and vnconflant, 
 therfore let euery man acknowlege hys owne weake- 
 nefle, in all matters great and final, weyghtye and 
 merye, and glorifie him, in whome only perfyte perfit- 
 nefle is. But nowe fir, he that wyll at all aduentures 
 vfe the feas knowinge no more what is to be done in 
 a tempefl than in a caulme, (hall foone becumme a 
 marchaunt of Eele (kinnes : fo that Ihoter whiche 
 putteth no difference, but (hooteth in all lyke, in 
 rough wether and fayre, mall alwayes put his wyn- 
 ninges in his eyes. 
 
 Lytle botes and thinne boordes, can not endure the 
 rage of a tempefl. Weake bowes, and lyght fhaftes 
 can not flande in a rough wynde. And lykewyfe as a 
 blynde man which fhoulde go to a place where he had 
 neuer ben afore, that hath but one flrayghte waye to 
 it, and of eyther fyde hooles and pyttes to faule into, 
 nowe falleth in to this hole and than into that hole, 
 and neuer commeth to his iourney ende, but wandereth 
 alwaies here and there, farther and farther of: So that 
 archer which ignorauntly fhoteth confulering neyther 
 fayer nor foule, (landynge nor nockynge, fether nor 
 head, drawynge nor lowfyng, nor yet any compace, 
 (hall alwayes (hote (horte and gone, wyde and farre of, 
 and neuer comme nere, excepte perchaunce he (lumble 
 fumtyme on the marke. For ignoraunce is nothynge 
 elles but mere blyndenefle. 
 
 A mayfler of a (hippe firft learneth to knowe the 
 cummyng of a temped, the nature of it, and howe to 
 behaue hym felfe in it, eyther with chaungynge his 
 courfe, or poullynge downe his hye toppes and brode 
 fayles, beyng glad to efchue as muche of the wether 
 as he can : Euen fo a good archer wyl fyrfl wyth 
 dilligent vfe and markynge the wether, learne to 
 knowe the nature of the wynde, and wyth wyfedome, 
 wyll meafure in hys mynde, howe muche it wyll alter 
 his (hoote, eyther in lengthe kepynge, or els in (Ireyght 
 (hotynge, and fo with chaunging his (landynge, or 
 takynge an other (hafte, the whiche he knoweth per-
 
 162 rovajjljtlua. 13. 
 
 fytiye to be fitter for his pourpole, eyther bycaufe it 
 is lower fethered, or els bycaufe it is of a better wyng, 
 wyll fo handle wyth difcretion hys fhoote, that he mall 
 feeme rather to haue the wether vnder hys rule, by 
 good hede gyuynge, than the wether to rule hys fhafte 
 by any fodayne chaungyng. 
 
 Therefore in fhootynge there is as muche difference 
 betwixt an archer that is a good wether man, and an 
 other that knoweth and marketh nothynge, as is be- 
 twixte a blynde man and he that can fe. 
 
 Thus, as concernynge the wether, a perfyte archer 
 mufle firfle learne to knowe the fure flyghte of his 
 fhaftes, that he may be boulde alwayes, to trufl 
 them, than mufte he learne by daylye experience 
 all maner of kyndes of wether, the tokens of it, 
 whan it wyl cumme, the nature of it when it is cumme, 
 the diuerfitie and alteryng of it, whan it chaungeth, 
 the decreafe and diminifhing of it, whan it ceafeth. 
 Thirdly, thefe thinges knowen, and euery fhoote dili- 
 gentlye marked, than mufl a man compare alwayes, the 
 Avether and his footyng togyther, and with difcretion 
 meafure them fo, that what fo euer the roughe wether 
 (hall take awaye from hys fhoote the fame fhall iufle 
 footynge reftore agayne to hys fhoote. 
 
 Thys thynge well knowen, and difcretelye handeled 
 in fhootynge, bryngeth more profile and commendation 
 and prayfe to an Archer, than any other thynge befydes. 
 
 He that woulde knowe perfectly the winde and 
 wether, mufte put differences betwixte tymes. For 
 diuerfitie of tyme caufeth diuerfitie of wether, as in 
 the whole yeare, Sprynge tyme, Somer, Faule of the 
 leafe, and Winter ; Lykewyfe in one day Mornynge, 
 Noonetyme, After noone, and Euentyde, bothe alter 
 the wether, and chaunge a mannes bowe wyth the 
 ftrength of man alfo. And to knowe that this is fo, 
 is ynough for a fhoter and artillerie, and not to 
 ferche the caufe, why it fhoulde be fo: whiche 
 belongeth to a learned man and Philofophie. 
 
 In confydering the tyme of the yeare, a wyfe Archer 
 wyll folowe a good Shipman. In Winter and rough
 
 ri)f srljalr of Boating. 153 
 
 wether, fmall bootes and lytle pinkes forfake the feas : 
 And at one tyme of the yeare, no Gallies come 
 abrode ; So lykewyfe weake Archers, vfyng fmall and 
 holowe fhaftes, with bowes of litle pith, mufte be con- 
 tent to gyue place for a tyme. 
 
 And this I do not faye, eyther to difcommende or 
 difcourage any weake (hooter : For lykewyfe, as there 
 is no (hippe better than Gallies be, in a fofte and a 
 caulme fea, fo no man fhooteth cumlier or nerer hys 
 marke, than fome weake archers doo, in a fayre and 
 cleare daye. 
 
 Thus euery archer mufl knowe, not onelye what 
 bowe and Ihafte is fitted for him to (hoote withall, but 
 alfo whattyme and feafon is bed for hym to fhote in. 
 And furely, in al other matters to, amonge al degrees 
 of men, there is no man which doth any thing eyther 
 more difcretely for his commendation, or yet more 
 profitable for his aduauntage, than he which wyll knowe 
 perfitly for what matter and for what tyme he is 
 mood apte and fit. Yf men woulde go aboute mat- 
 ters whych they mould do and be fit for, and not 
 fuche thynges whyche wylfullye they defyre and yet 
 be vnfit for, verely greater matters in the common 
 welthe than fhootyng fhoulde be in better cafe than 
 they be. This ignorauncie in men whyche know 
 not for what tyme, and to what thynge they be fit, 
 caufeth fome wyfhe to be riche, for whome it were 
 better a greate deale to be poore : other to be 
 medlynge in euery mans matter, for whome it were 
 more honeflie to be quiete and ftyll. Some to defire 
 to be in the Courte, whiche be borne and be fitter 
 rather for the carte. Somme to be mayfters and rule 
 other, whiche neuer yet began to rule them felfe : fome 
 alwayes to iangle and taulke, whych rather fhoulde 
 heare and kepe filence. Some to teache, which 
 rather mould learne. Some to be prefles, whiche 
 were fytter to be clerkes. And thys peruerfe Judge- 
 ment of ye worlde, when men mefure them felfe a 
 mifle, bringeth muche myforder and greate vnfemely- 
 neffe to the hole body of the common wealth, as yf
 
 . It 
 
 a manne mould were his hoofe vpon his head, or a 
 woman go wyth a fworde and a buckeler euery man 
 would take it as a greate vncumlyneffe although it be 
 but a tryfle in refpe<5le of the other. 
 
 Thys peruerfe iudgement of men hindreth no thynge 
 fo much as learnynge, bycaufe commonlye thofe whych 
 be vnfittefl for learnyng, be cheyfly fet to learnynge. 
 
 As yf a man no we a dayes haue two fonnes, the one 
 impotent, weke, fickly, lifpynge, fluttynge, and 
 ftamerynge, or hauynge any miffhape in hys bodye : 
 what doth the father of fuche one commonlye faye ? 
 This boye is fit for nothynge els, but to fet to 
 lernyng and make a preft of, as who would fay, yat 
 outcaftes of the worlde, hauyng neyther countenaunce 
 lounge nor wit (for of a peruerfe bodye cutnmeth com- 
 monly a peruerfe mynde) be good ynough to make 
 thofe men of, whiche mail be appoynted to preache 
 Goddes holye woorde, and minifter hys bleffed 
 facramentes, befydes other mood weyghtye matters in 
 the common welthe put ofte tymes, and worthelye to 
 learned mennes difcretion and charge : whan rather 
 fuche an offyce fo hygh in dignitie, fo godlye in ad- 
 miniftration, fhulde be committed to no man, whiche 
 fhulde not haue a countenaunce full of cumlyneffe to 
 allure good menne, a bodye full of manlye authoritie to 
 feare ill men, a witte apte for al learnynge with tongue 
 and voyce, able to perfwade all men. And although 
 fewe fuche men as thefe can be founde in a common 
 wealthe, yet furelye a godly difpofed man, will bothe 
 in his mynde thyncke fit, and with al his ftudie labour to 
 get fuch men as I fpeke of, or rather better, if better 
 can be gotten for fuche an hie adminiftration, whiche 
 is moil properlye appoynted to goddes owne matters 
 and bufineffes. 
 
 This peruerfe iugement of fathers as concernynge 
 the fitneffe and vnfitneffe of theyr chyldren caufeth the 
 common wealthe haue many vnfit minifters : And 
 feyng that minifters be, as a man woulde fay, inftru- 
 mentes wherwith the common wealthe doeth worke 
 all her matters withall, I maruayle howe it chaunceth
 
 rfdjofe of fl)00ting. 155 
 
 yat a pore fhomaker hath fo much wit, yat he will pre- 
 pare no inflrument for his fcience neither knyfe nor 
 aule, nor nothing els whiche is not very fitte for him : 
 the common wealthe can be content to take at a fonde 
 fathers hande, the rifraffe of the worlde, to make thofe 
 inflrumentes of, wherwithai (he fhoulde worke ye 
 hieft matters vnder heauen. And furely an aule of 
 lead is not fo vnprofitable in a fhomakers fhop, as 
 an vnfit minifter,made of grofle metal, is vnfemely in ye 
 common welth. Fathers in olde time among ye noble 
 Perfians might not do with theyr children as they 
 thought good, but as the iudgement of the common 
 wealth al wayes thought befl. This fault of fathers 
 bringeth many a blot with it, to the great deformitie of 
 the common wealthe : and here furely I can prayfe 
 gentlewomen which haue alwayes at hande theyr 
 glaffes, to fe if any thinge be amiffe, and fo will 
 amende it, yet the common wealth hauing ye glaffe of 
 knowlege in euery mans hand, doth fe fuch vncumlines 
 in it : and yet winketh at it This faulte and many 
 fuche lyke, myght be fone wyped awaye, yf fathers 
 woulde beflow their children on yat thing alwayes, 
 whervnto nature hath ordeined them mofte apte and 
 fit For if youth be grafted ftreyght, and not a wrye, 
 the hole common welth wil florifh therafter. Whan 
 this is done, than mufle euery man beginne to be more 
 ready to amende hym felfe, than to checke an other, 
 meafuryng their matters with that wife prouerbe of 
 Apollo, Krunve thy felfe : that is to faye, learne to 
 knowe what thou arte able, fitte, and apt vnto, and 
 folowe that 
 
 This thinge fhulde be bothe cumlie to the common 
 wealthe, and mooft profitable for euery one, as doth 
 appere very well in all wife mennes deades, and 
 fpecially to turne to our communication agayne in 
 fhootynge, where wife archers haue alwayes theyr 
 inflrumentes fit for theyr flrength, and wayte euer- 
 more fuche tyme and wether, as is mod agreable to 
 their gere. Therfore if the wether be to fore, and 
 vnfit for your fhootynge, leaue of for that daye, and
 
 156 rnyayljtlus. Jti. 
 
 wayte a better feafon. For he is a foole yat wyl not 
 go, whome neceffitie driueth. 
 
 Phi, This communication of yours pleafed me fo 
 well Toxophile, that furelye I was not haftie to calle 
 you, to defcrybe forthe the wether but with all my 
 harte woulde haue fuffered you yet to haue ftande 
 longer in this matter. For thefe thinges touched of you 
 by chaunfe, and by the waye, be farre aboue the matter 
 it felfe, by whofe occafion ye other were broughte in. 
 
 2T0I. Weyghtye matters they be in dede, and fit 
 bothe in an other place to be fpoken : and of an 
 other man than I am, to be handled. And bycaufe 
 meane men muft meddle wyth meane matters, I wyl 
 go forwarde in defcrybyng the wether, as concernynge 
 mooting: and as I toulde you before, In the hole 
 yere, Spring tyme, Somer, Fal of the leafe, and 
 Winter : and in one day, Morning, Noone tyme, 
 After noone, and Euentyde, altereth the courfe of the 
 wether, the pith of the bowe, the flrength of the man. 
 And in euery one of thefe times the wether altereth, 
 as fumtyme wyndie, fumtyme caulme, fumtyme cloudie, 
 fumtyme clere, fumtyme hote, fumtyme coulde, the 
 wynde fumtyme moiftye and thicke, fumtyme drye and 
 fmothe. A litle winde in a moyftie day, ftoppeth a 
 fhafte more than a good whifkynge wynde in a clere 
 daye. Yea, and I haue fene whan there hath bene no 
 winde at all, the ayer fo miflie and thicke, that both 
 the markes haue ben wonderfull great. And ones, 
 whan the Plage was in Cambrige, the downe winde 
 twelue fcore marke for the fpace of. iii. weekes, was. 
 xiii. fcore, and an halfe, and into the wynde, beynge 
 not very great, a great deale aboue. xiiii. fcore. 
 
 The winde is fumtyme playne vp and downe, 
 whiche is commonly mofte certayne, and requireth 
 leaft knowlege, wherin a meane fhoter with meane 
 geare, if he can fhoote home, maye make beft fhifte. 
 A fyde wynde tryeth an archer and good gere verye 
 muche. Sumtyme it bloweth a lofte, fumtyme hard 
 by the grounde : Sumtyme it bloweth by blades, and 
 fumtyme it continueth al in one : Sumtyme ful fide
 
 srliolc of sljootmg. 157 
 
 wynde, fumtyme quarter with hym and more, and lyke- 
 wyfe agaynft hym, as a man with caftynge vp lyght 
 grafle, or els if he take good hede, ftiall fenfibly learne 
 by experience. To fe the wynde, with a man his eyes, 
 it is vnpoflible, the nature of it is fo fyne, and fubtile, 
 yet this experience of the wynde had I ones my felfe, 
 and that was in the great fnowe that fell. iiii. yeares 
 agoo : I rode in the hye waye betwixt Topcliffe vpon 
 Swale, and Borowe bridge, the waye beyng fumwhat 
 trodden afore, by waye fayrynge men. The feeldes 
 on bothe fides were playne and laye almoft yearde 
 depe with fnowe, the nyght afore had ben a litle frofle, 
 fo yat the fnowe was hard and crufted aboue. That 
 morning the fun fhone bright and clere, the winde was 
 whiftelinge a lofte, and fharpe accordynge to the tyme 
 of the yeare. The fnowe in the hye waye laye lowfe 
 and troden wyth horfe feete : fo as the wynde blewe, 
 it toke the lowfe mow with it, and made it fo flide 
 vpon the fnowe in the felde whyche was harde and 
 crufted by reafon of the froft ouer nyght, that therby 
 I myght fe verye wel, the hole nature of the wynde as 
 it blewe yat daye. And I had a great delyte and 
 pleafure to marke it, whyche maketh me now far 
 better to remember it. Sometyme the wynd would 
 be not paft. ii. yeardes brode, and fo it would carie 
 the fnowe as far as I could fe. An other tyme the 
 fnow woulde blowe ouer halfe the felde at ones. 
 Sometyme the fnowe woulde tomble foftly, by and 
 by it would flye wonderfull faft And thys I per- 
 ceyued alfo that ye wind goeth by flreames and 
 not hole togither. For I mould fe one ftreame 
 wyth in a Score on me, than the fpace of. ii. fcore 
 no fnow would ftirre, but after fo muche quantitie of 
 grounde, an other ftreame of fnow at the fame very 
 tyrne mould be caryed lykewyfe, but not equally. For 
 the one would ftande flyll when the other flew a pace, 
 and fo contynewe fomtyme fwiftlyerfometime flowlyer, 
 fometime broder, fometime narrower, as far as I coulde 
 fe. Nor it flewe not ftreight, but fometyme it crooked 
 thys waye fometyme that waye, and fomtyme it ran
 
 158 
 
 round aboute in a compafe. And fomtyme the 
 fnowe wold be lyft clene from the ground vp in to the 
 ayre, and by and by it would be al clapt to the grounde 
 as though there had bene no winde at all, ftreightwa) 
 it woulde rife and flye agayne. 
 
 And that whych was the mooft meruayle of al, at 
 one tyme. ii. driftes of fnowe flevve, the one out of the 
 Weft into ye Eaft, the other out of the North in to ye 
 Eaft : And I faw. ii. vvindes by reafon of ye fnow the 
 one croffe ouer the other, as it had bene two hye 
 wayes. And agayne I fhoulde here the wynd blow in 
 the ayre, when nothing was ftirred at the ground. 
 And when all was ftill where I rode, not verye far from 
 me the fnow mould be lifted wonderfully. This expe- 
 rience made me more meruaile at ye nature of the 
 vvynde, than it made me conning in ye knowlege of 
 ye wynd : but yet therby I learned perfidy that it is 
 no meruayle at al thoughe men in a wynde leafe theyr 
 length in mooting, feying fo many wayes the wynde is 
 fo variable in blowynge. 
 
 But feynge that a Mayfter of a fliyp, be" he neuer fo 
 cunnynge, by the vncertayntye of the wynde, leefeth 
 many tymes both lyfe and goodes, furelye it is no 
 wonder, though a ryght good Archer, by the felf fame 
 wynde fo variable in hys owne nature, fo vnfenfyble to 
 oure'nature, leefe manye a fhoote and game. 
 
 The more vncertaine and difceyuable the wynd is, 
 the more hede muft a wyfe Archer gyue to know the 
 gyles of it. 
 
 He yat doth miftrufl is feldome begiled. For 
 although therby he mall not attayne to that which 
 is beft, yet by thefe meanes he mail at leafte auoyde 
 yat whyche is worfl. Befyde al thefe kindes of windes 
 you muft take hede yf you fe anye cloude apere and 
 gather by lytle and litle agaynft you, or els yf a fhowre 
 of raine be lyke to come vpon you : for than both the 
 dryuing of the wether and the thyckynge of the ayre 
 increafeth the marke, when after ye fhowre al thynges 
 are contrary clere and caulme, and the marke for the 
 moft parte new to begyn agayne. You muft take
 
 srljolr of s'ljdotuirj. 159 
 
 hede alfo yf euer you fhote where one of the markes 
 or both ftondes a lytle fhort of a hye wall, for there 
 you may be eaflye begyled. Yf you take grafle and 
 cafte it vp to fe howe the wynde flandes, manye tymes 
 you fhal fuppofe to fhoote downe the wynde, when you 
 mote cleane agaynft the wynde. And a good reafon 
 why. For the wynd whych commeth in dede againft 
 you, redoundeth bake agayne at the wal, and whyrleth 
 backe to the prycke and a lytle farther and than 
 tumeth agayne, euen as a vehement water doeth 
 agaynfle a rocke or an hye braye whyche example of 
 water as it is more fenfible to a mans eyes, fo it is 
 neuer a whyt the trewer than this of the wynde. So 
 that the grafle cafle vp (hall flee that waye whyche in 
 dede is the longer marke and deceyue quycklye a 
 fhooter that is not ware of it. 
 
 This experience had I ones my felfe at Norwytch in 
 the chapel felde wythin the waulles. And thys waye 
 I vfed in fhootynge at thofe markes. 
 
 When 1 was in the myd way betwixt the markes 
 whyche was an open place, there I toke a fether or a 
 lytle lyght grafle and fo as well as I coulde, learned 
 how the wynd floode, that done I wente to the prycke 
 as fafle as I coulde, and according as I had founde ye 
 wynde when I was in the mid waye, fo I was fayne 
 than to be content to make the befl of my fhoote that 
 I coulde. Euen fuche an other experience had I in a 
 maner at Yorke, at the prickes, lying betwixte the 
 cnflell and Oufe fyde. And although you fmile 
 Philologe, to heare me tell myne owne fondenes : 
 yet feing you wil nedes haue me teach you fomwhat 
 in fhotyng, I mufl nedes fomtyme tel you of myne 
 owne experience, and the better I may do fo, by- 
 caufe Hippocrates in teachynge phyfike, Hippo. DC 
 vfeth verye muche the fame waye. Take morb - vulg - 
 heede alfo when you fhoote nere the fea cofl, 
 although you be. ii. or. iii. miles from the fea, for 
 there diligent markinge fhall efpie in the mofl 
 clere daye wonderful 1 chaunginge. The fame is to 
 be confidered lykewyfe by a riuer fide fpeciallie if
 
 i6o ravapftfug. 38. 
 
 it ebbe and flowe, where he yat taketh diligent hede 
 of ye tide and wether, fhal lightly take away al yat he 
 fhooteth for. And thus of ye nature of windes and 
 wether according to my marking you haue hearde 
 Philologe : and hereafter you fhal marke farre mo 
 your felfe, if you take hede. And the wether thus 
 marked as I tolde you afore, you mufle take hede, 
 of youre (landing, yat therby you may win as much 
 as you fhal loofe by the wether. 
 
 Pfjt. I fe well it is no maruell though a man mifle 
 many tymes in fhootyng, feing ye wether is fo vncon- 
 flant in blowing, but yet there is one thing whiche 
 many archers vfe, yat mall caufe a man haue lefTe 
 nede to marke the wether, and that is A me gyuing. 
 
 Cox. Of gyuyng Ame, I can not tel wel, what I 
 fliuld fay. For in a flraunge place it taketh away al 
 occafion of foule game, which is ye only prayfe of it, 
 yet by my Judgement, it hindreth ye knowlege of 
 fhotyng, and maketh men more negligente : ye which 
 is a difprayfe. Though Ame be giuen, yet take hede, 
 for at an other mans mote you can not wel take Ame, 
 nor at your owne neither, bycaufe the wether wil 
 alter, euen in a minute ; and at the one marke and not 
 at the other, and trouble your fhafte in the ayer, when 
 you fhal perceyue no wynde at the ground, as I my 
 felfe haue fene fhaftes tumble a lofte, in a very fayer 
 daye. There may be a fault alfo, in drawing or lowf- 
 ynge, and many thynges mo, whiche all togyther, are 
 required to kepe a iufl length. But to go forward the 
 nexte poynte after the markyng of your wether, is the 
 takyng of your flandyng. And in a fide winde you 
 mufl fland fumwhat croffe in to the wynde, for fo 
 mail you fhoote the furer. Whan you haue taken 
 good footing, than mufl you looke at your fhafte, yat 
 no earthe, nor weete be lefte vpon it, for fo mould it 
 leefe the lengthe. You mufl loke at the head alfo, 
 lefl it haue had any flrype, at the lafl fhoote. A 
 flripe vpon a flone, many tymes will bothe marre 
 the head, croke the fhafte, and hurte the fether, 
 wherof the lefl of them all, wyll caufe a man leafe
 
 srljnlr of soDOttitg. iSi 
 
 his lengthe. For fuche thinges which chaunce euery 
 flioote, many archers vfe to haue fumme place made 
 Tn theyr cote, fitte for a lytle fyle, a (lone, a Hun- 
 fyfhfkin, and a cloth to drefle the fhaft fit agayne at 
 all nedes. Thys mud a man looke to euer when 
 he taketh vp his fhaft. And the heade maye be made 
 to fmothe, which wil caufe it flye to far : when youre 
 fliafte is fit, than mud you take your bow euen in the 
 middes or elles you fhall both leafe your lengthe, and 
 put youre bowe in ieopardye of breakynge. Nock- 
 ynge iufle is next, which is muche of the fame nature. 
 Than drawe equallye, lowfe equallye, wyth houldynge 
 your hande euer of one heighte to kepe trew com- 
 pafle. To looke at your fhafte hede at the lowfe, is 
 the greatefl helpe to kepe a lengthe that can be, 
 whych thyng yet hindreth excellent fhotyng, bicaufe 
 a man can not fhote ftreight perfitlye excepte he 
 looke at his marke : yf I fhould fhoote at a line and 
 not at the marke, I woulde alwayes loke at my (haft 
 ende, but of thys thyng fome what afterwarde. Nowe 
 if you marke the wether diligentlye, kepe your (land- 
 ynge iuftely, houlde and nocke trewlye, drawe and 
 lowfe equallye, and kepe your compace certaynelye, 
 you fhall neuer miffe of your lengthe. 
 
 jjjfjf. Then there is nothyng behinde to make me 
 hit ye marke but onely (hooting ftreight. 
 
 Qtoi. No trewlye. And fyrfte I wyll tell you what 
 fhyftes Archers haue founde to fhoote ftreyght, than 
 what is the bed waye to fhoote ftreyght. As the 
 wether belongeth fpecially to kepe a lengthe (yet 
 a fide winde belongeth alfo to fhote ftreight) euen 
 fo the nature of the pricke is to (hote ftreight. The 
 lengthe or (hortnefle of the marke is alwayes vnder 
 the rule of the wether, yet fumwhat there is in ye 
 marke, worthye to be marked of an Archer. Yf the 
 prickes (land of a ftreyght plane ground they be ye 
 bed to (hote at. Yf ye marke (land on a hyl fyde or 
 ye ground be vnequal with pittes and turninge wayes 
 betwyxte the markes, a mans eye mail thynke that 
 L
 
 1 62 ST0v0pT)tIu. 33. 
 
 to be flreight whyche is croked : The experience of 
 this thing is fene in payntynge, the caufe of it is 
 knowen by learnynge. 
 
 And it is ynoughe for an archer to marke it and 
 take hede of it. The cheife caufe why men can not 
 fhoote flreight, is bicaufe they loke at theyr (haft : and 
 this fault commeth bycaufe a man is not taught to 
 (hote when he is yong. Yf he learne to fhoote by him- 
 felfe he is afrayde to pull the fhafte throughe the 
 bowe, and therfore looketh alwayes at hys fhafte : yll 
 vfe confirmeth thys faulte as it doth many mo. 
 
 And men continewe the longer in thys faulte bycaufe 
 it is fo good to kepe a lengthe wyth al, and yet to fhote 
 flreight, they haue inuented fome waies, to efpie a tree 
 or a hill beyonde the marke, or elles to haue fumme 
 notable thing betwixt ye markes : and ones I fawe a 
 good archer whiche did cafle of his gere, and layd his 
 quiuer with it, euen in the midway betwixt ye prickes. 
 Summe thought he dyd fo, for fauegarde of his gere : 
 I fuppofe he did it, to fhoote flreyght withall. Other 
 men vfe to efpie fumme marke almoofl 'a bow wide 
 of ye prick e, and than go about to kepe him felfe on 
 yat hande that the prycke is on, which thing howe 
 much good it doth, a man wil not beleue, that doth 
 not proue it. Other and thofe very good archers 
 in drawyng. loke at the marke vntill they come almoft 
 to ye head, than they looke at theyr fhafte, but at ye 
 very lowfe, with a feconde fight they fynde theyr marke 
 agayne. This way and al other afore of me reherfed 
 are but fhiftes and not to be folowed in fhotyng 
 flreyght. For hauyng a mans eye alwaye on his marke, 
 is the only waye to fhote flreght, yea and I fuppofe fo 
 redye and eafy a way yf it be learned in youth and 
 confirmed with vfe, yat a man fhall neuer miffe therin. 
 Men doubt yet in loking at ye mark what way is 
 befl whether betwixt the bowe and the flringe, aboue 
 or beneth hys hand, and many wayes moo : yet it 
 maketh no great matter which way a man looke 
 at his marke yf it be ioyned with comly fhotynge. 
 The diuerfitie of mens flandyng and drawing caufeth
 
 (TI)f srljolr at sijaatmg. 163 
 
 diuerfe men [to] loke at theyr marke diuerfe waves : yet 
 they al lede a mans hand to fhoote (freight yf nothyng 
 els ftoppe. So that cumlynefle is the only iudge of bed 
 lokyng at the marke. Some men wonder why in calling 
 a mans eye at ye marke, the hand mould go flreyght. 
 Surely ye he confydered the nature of a mans eye, he 
 wolde not wonder at it : For this I am certayne of, 
 that no feruaunt to hys mayfter, no chylde to hys 
 father is fo obedient, as euerye ioynte and pece of the 
 body is to do what foeuer the eye biddes. The eye is 
 the guide, the ruler and the fuccourer of al the other 
 partes. The hande, the foote and other members 
 dare do nothynge without the eye, as doth appere on 
 the night and darke corners. The eye is the very 
 tonge whenvith wyt and reafon doth fpeke to euery 
 parte of the body, and the wyt doth not fo fone fignifye 
 a thynge by the eye, as euery parte is redye to folow, 
 or rather preuent the byddyng of the eye. Thys is 
 playne in many thinges, but mod euident in fence and 
 feyghtynge, as I haue heard men faye. There euery 
 parte flandynge in feare to haue a blowe, runnes to the 
 eye for helpe, as yonge chyldren do to ye mother : the 
 foote, the hand, and al wayteth vpon the eye. Yf the 
 eye byd ye hand either beare of, or fmite, or the foote 
 ether go forward, or backeward, it doth fo : And that 
 whyche is mooft wonder of all the one man lookynge 
 ftedfaflly at the other mans eye and not at his hand, 
 wyl, euen as it were, rede in his eye where he 
 purpofeth to fmyte nexte, for the eye is nothyng els 
 but a certayne wyndowe for wit to mote oute hir 
 head at. 
 
 Thys wonderfull worke of god in makynge all the 
 members fo obedient to the eye, is a pleafaunte thynge 
 to remember and loke vpon : therfore an Archer maye 
 be fure in learnyng to looke at hys marke when he is 
 yong, alwayes to fhoote ftreyghte. The thynges that 
 hynder a man whyche looketh at hys marke, to mote 
 flreyght, be thefe : A fyde wynde, a bowe either to 
 flronge, or els to weake, an ill arme, whan the fether 
 runneth on the bowe to much, a byg brefled fhafte, for
 
 164 CTo)rnpl)ilu<j. 23. 
 
 hym that fhoteth vnder hande, bycaufe it wyll hobble : 
 a little brefled fhafte for hym yat fhoteth aboue ye 
 hande, bicaufe it wyl flarte : a payre of windynge 
 prickes, and many other thinges mo, which you fhal 
 inarke your felfe, and as ye knowe them, fo learne to 
 amend them. If a man woulde leaue to looke at his 
 fhafte, and learne to loke at his marke, he maye vfe 
 this waye, whiche a good (hooter tolde me ones that 
 he did. Let him take his bowe on the nyght, and 
 fhoote at. ii. lightes, and there he mail be compelled to 
 looke alwayes at his marke, and neuer at his fhafte : This 
 thing ones or twyfe vfed wyl caufe hym forfake lokynge 
 at hys fhafte. Yet let hym take hede of fettynge his 
 fhafte in the bowe. 
 
 Thus Philologe to fhoote flreyght is the leafle 
 mayfterie of all, yf a manne order hym felfe there- 
 after, in hys youthe. And as for keypynge a lengthe, 
 I am fure the rules whiche I gaue you, will neuer 
 difceyue you, fo that there fhal lacke nothynge, 
 eyther of hittinge the marke alwayes, or elles verye 
 nere fhotynge,excepte the faulte be onely in youre owne 
 felfe, whiche maye come. ii. wayes, eyther in hauing a 
 faynt harte or courage, or elles in fufferynge your felfe 
 ouer muche to be led with affeclion : yf a mans 
 mynde fayle hym, the bodye whiche is ruled by the 
 mynde, can neuer do his duetie, yf lacke of courage 
 were not, men myght do mo maftries than they do, as 
 doeth appere in leapynge and vaultinge. 
 
 All affedions and fpecially anger, hurteth bothe 
 mynde and bodye. The mynde is blynde therby : and 
 yf the mynde be blynde, it can not rule the bodye aright. 
 The body both blood and bone, as they fay, is brought 
 out of his ryght courfe by anger : Wherby a man lacketh 
 his right ftrengthe. and therfore can not fhoote wel. 
 Yf thefe thynges be auoyded (wherof I wyll fpeake 
 no more, both bycaufe they belong not properly to 
 ihoting, and alfo you can teache me better, in them, 
 than I you) and al the preceptes which I haue gyuen 
 you, dilligently marked, no doubt ye fhal fhoote as 
 well as euer man dyd yet, by the grace of God.
 
 srljalr of si) ao ting. 165 
 
 Thys communication handled by me Philologe, as I 
 knowe wel not perfytly, yet as I fuppofe truelye you 
 mufl take in good worthe, wherin if diuers thinges do 
 not all togyther pleafe you, thanke youre felfe, whiche 
 woulde haue me rather faulte in mere follye, to take 
 that thynge in hande whyche I was not able for to 
 perfourme, than by any honefle fhamefaflnes withfay 
 your requefl and minde, which I knowe well I haue 
 not fatiffied. But yet I wyl thinke this labour of 
 mine the better beflowed, if tomorow or fome other 
 daye when you haue leyfour, you wyl fpende as much 
 tyme with me here in this fame place, in entreatinge 
 the queflion De origine animce. and the ioynyng of it 
 with the bodye, that I maye knowe howe far Plato, 
 Ariflotle, and the Stoicians haue waded in it. 
 
 pht. How you haue handeled this matter Toxophile 
 I may not well tel you my felfe nowe, but for your 
 gentlenefle and good wyll towarde learnyng and 
 fhotyng, I wyll be content to fhewe you any pleafure 
 whenfoeuer you wyll : and nowe the funne is doune 
 therfore if it pleafe you, we wil go home and drynke 
 in my chambre, and there I wyll tell you playnelye 
 what I thinke of this communication and allo, what 
 daye we will appoynt at your requefl for the other 
 matter, to mete here agayne. 
 
 Deo gratias. 
 
 LONDONI. j 
 
 In oedibus Edouardi Whytchurck. 
 
 Cum priuilegio ad impri- 
 mendum folum.
 
 1 65 NOTES. 
 
 I. TOXOPUILUS, THE FOUNDATION OF AsCHAM's AFTER- 
 FORTUNES. In a humorous letter to Queen Elizabeth, on 10. 
 Oct. 1567. (87') ' Afcham divides his idea of her into two ; and 
 afking her in one perfonality as his friend, to intercede with her 
 other perfonality, as queen, to relieve him from his difficulties, 
 recounts to her the hifiory of his penfion. 
 
 " I wrote once a little book of (hooting ; King HENRY, her 
 moft noble father, did fo well like and allow it, as he gave me a 
 living for it; when he loft his life I loft my living; but noble 
 King EDWARD again did firft revive it by his goodnefs, then did 
 increafe it by his liberality ; thirdly, did confirm it by his authority 
 under the great feal of England, which patent all this time 
 was both a great pleafure and profit to me, faving that one un- 
 pleafant word in that patent, called "during pleafure," turned 
 me after to great difpleafure ; for when King EDWARD went, 
 his pleafure went with him, and my whole living went away with 
 them both. But behold God's goodnefs towards me, and his provi- 
 dence over me, in Queen MARY, her highnefs' fifter's time, when 
 I had loft all, and neither looked nor hoped for any thing again, 
 all my friends being under foot, without any labour, without 
 my knowledge I was fuddenly fent for to come to the council. 
 I came with all will, and departed with much comfort, for there 
 I was fworn fecretary for the Latin tongue, becaufe fome of 
 them knew that King EDWARD had given me that office when 
 I was abfent in Germany, by good Mr Secretary's- procurement, 
 and becaufe fome did think I was fitter to do that office than 
 thofe were that did exercife it. When I faw other fo willing to 
 do for me, I was the bolder fomewhat to fpeak for myfelf. I 
 saw WINCHESTER did like well the manner of my writing; I 
 faw alfo that he only was Dominus regit me that time. I told 
 him that my patent and living for my Book of Shooting was 
 loft. Well, faid he, caufe it to be written again, and I will do 
 what I can I did fo, and here I will open to your majefty a 
 pretty fubtlety in doing happily a good turn to myfelf, whereat 
 perchance your majefty will fmile ; for furely I have laughed at 
 it twenty times myfelf, and that with good caufe, for I have 
 lived fomewhat the better for it ever fince. I caufed the fame 
 form of the patent to be written out, but I willed a vacant place 
 to be left for the fum. I brought it fo written to the bifhop : 
 he afkcd me why the old fum was not put in. Sir, quoth I, 
 the fault is in the writer, who hath done very ill befide, to leave 
 the vacant place fo great, for the old word ten will not half fill 
 the room, and therefore furely, except it pleafe your lordfhip to 
 help to put in twenty pounds, that would both fill up the vacant 
 place well now and alfo fill my purfe the better hereafter, truly 
 I fhall be put to new charges in caufing the patent to be new 
 written again The bifliop fell in a laughter, and forthwith went 
 to Queen MARY and told what I had faid, who, without any
 
 NOTES. 167 
 
 irore fpeaking, before I had done her any fervice, of her own 
 bountifull goodnefs made my patent twenty pounds by year 
 during my life, for her and her fucceflbrs." 
 
 That this account is but partially correct, and that he was 
 making a telling ftory to amufe the Queen, appears from his 
 letter to Gardiner, at the time of the renewal of his penfion. 
 
 (170.) To BISHOP GARDINER. [About April 1554.] 
 
 In writing out my patent I have left a vacant place for your 
 vvifdom to value the fum ; wherein I truft to find further favour ; 
 for I have both good caufe to afk it, and better hope to obtain 
 it, partly in confideration of my unrewarded pains and undis- 
 charged cofts, in teaching King EDWARD'S perfon, partly for 
 my three years' fervice in the Emperor's court, but chiefly of nil 
 when King HENRY first gave it me at Greenwich, your lordfhip 
 in the gallery there afking me what the king had given me, and 
 knowing the truth, your lordfhip faid it was too little, and mod 
 gently offered me to fpeak to the king for me. But then I moft 
 happily defired your lordfhip to referve that goodnefs to another 
 time, which time God hath granted even to thefe days, when 
 your lordfhip may now perform by favour as much as then you 
 wifhed by good will, being as eafy to obtain the one as to afk 
 the other. And I befeech your lordfhip fee what good is offered 
 me in writing the patent : the fpace which is left by chance doth 
 feem to crave by good luck fome words of length, as viginti or 
 triginta, yea, with the help of a little dafh quadraginta would 
 ferve beft of all. But fure as for decent it is fomewhat with the 
 fhorteft : nevertheless I for my part fhall be no less contented 
 with the one than glad with the other, and for either of both 
 more than bound to your lordfhip. And thus God profper your 
 lordfhip. Your lordfhip's moft bounden to ferve you. 
 
 R. ASKAM. 
 
 To the Rt Reverend Father in God, 
 My Lord Bifhop of Winchefter his Grace, thefe. 
 
 2. The Byzantine Emperor LEO vi [b 865 afcended the 
 throne I. Mar. 886 d 911], furnamedin flattery the Philofi'pher, 
 is reputed to have written, befides other works, one entitled 
 T<J' iv jroAJjioif raKTiKuv ovvToftof tra(n'il OTIC, (A fummary 
 expofition of the art of war). Sir John Cheke's tranflation into 
 Latin, of this book, in 1543 or 1544, was publifhed at Bafle in 
 1554, under the title of Leonis Imperatoris. De bellico apparalv 
 Liber, e graco in latinitm comterfus, IOAN CHECO Cantrabrigenji 
 Interp. 
 
 3. The Dutchman PETER NANNING, latinized NANNIUS, 
 fb 1500 d 21 July 1557] was Profeffor of Latin, in college of 
 ' the three languages ' in the Univerfity of Louvain. He wrote a 
 fhort tract of 34 pp, De milite peregrino : in wliich, in a dialogue
 
 i68 NOTES. 
 
 between Olympivts and Xenophon, he clifcuffes Archery-t'-Guns. 
 This tract is attached to another entitled Oratio de obldione 
 Louanienfe Both were publifhed at Louvain in September 1543. 
 
 4. The Frenchman JOHN RAVISIUS TEXTOR [b about 1480 
 d 3 Dec: 1524] : became Rector of the Univerfity of Paris. 
 His Offidna was firft publifhed in 1522. The paflage that pro- 
 voked Afcham's ire is, Crinitus ait Scotos (qui vicini funt Bri- 
 tannis] in dirigendis fagittis acres effe et egregios. Fol 158. Ed. 
 
 1532. 
 
 5. The Florentine PETER RICCIO or latinized CRINITUS 
 [b 1465 d about 1504.], an Italian biographer and poet. In 
 December, 1504 was publifhed his Commentarii de Honejla Dis- 
 ciplina. 
 
 6. The French Chronicler, ROBERT GAGU IN [b about 1425 
 d 22. July. 1502.] General of the Order of the Trinitarians, 
 and reputed the beft narrator of his age. The firft edition of his 
 Compendium fuper Francomni %eftis was publifhed in Paris, in 
 
 1495- 
 
 7. The Scot IOHN MAJOR, latinized IOANNES MAJOR, D.D. 
 [b 1478 d 1540] was for many years Profeffor of Theology and 
 one of the Doclors of the Sorbonne, at Paris. He publifhed his 
 Iliftoria Maioris Britannia, tarn An^lite quant Scotia, per 
 Joannem Maiorem, nomine qnidem Scotiim, profejjione autem 
 Tlieologiini, eveterum monmnentis concinnata. 410 Paris. 1521. 
 " This hiftory is divided into fix books wherein he gives a furo- 
 mary account of the affairs of Scotland from Fergus I. till the 
 marriage of King James III., in the year 1469, with which he 
 concludes his work." Mackenzie. Writers of the Scottijli 
 Nation, ii. 315. 
 
 8. HECTOR BOETHIUS, or BOECE, or BOEIS [b about 1470 
 d about 1550] a native of Dundee, became Principal of King's 
 College, Aberdeen, wrote Scotonun hijlorice a prima gentis 
 origine. 6<r. in 17 books, firft publifhed in Paris in 1526, and 
 subsequently enlarged in later editions. 
 
 9. Sir Thomas Elyot [d 1546.] The work referred to by 
 Afcham, does not appear ever to have been publifhed. - 

 
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