⧠Reioyse Englande be gladde and merie TROTHE ouercoÌ„mmeth thyne enemyes all The Scot the Frencheman the Pope and heresie OVERCOMMED by Trothe haue had a fall Sticke to the Trothe and euermore thou shall Through Christ King Henry the Boke and the Bowe All maner of enemies quite ouerthrowe Gualterus Haddonus Cantabrigien Mittere qui celeres summa uelit arte sagittas Ars erit ex isto summa profecta libro Quicquid habent arcus rigidi neruique rotundi Sumere fi libet hoc sumere fonte licet Aschamus est author magnuÌ„ queÌ„ fecit Apollo Arte sua magnum Pallas arte sua Docta manê° dedit huÌ„c dedit huÌ„c meÌ„s doct a libelluÌ„ Quae ui det Ars Vsus uisa parata facit Optimus haec author quia tradidit optima scripta Conuenit bec uobis optima uelle sequi To the moste graciouse and our most drad Soueraigne lord Kyng Henrie the .viii. by the grace of God kyng of Englande Fraunce and Irelande Defender of the faythe and of the churche of Englande also of Irelande in earth supreme head next vnder Christ be al health victorie and felicitie WHAT tyme as moste gracious Prince your highnes this last year past tooke that your moost honorable and victorious iourney into Fraunce accompanied vvith such a porte of the Nobilitie and yeomanrie of Englande as neyther hath bene lyke knovven by experience nor yet red of in Historie accompanied also vvith the daylie prayers good hartes and vvilles of all and euery one your graces subiectes lefte behinde you here at home in Englande the same tyme I beinge at my booke in Cambrige sorie that my litle habilitie could stretche out no better to helpe forvvard so noble an enterprice yet vvith my good vvylle prayer and harte nothinge behynde hym that vvas formoste of all conceyued a vvonderful desire bi the praier vvishing talking communicatioÌ„ that vvas in euery maÌ„s mouth for your Graces moost victoriouse retourne to offer vp sumthinge at your home cumming to your Highnesse vvhich shuld both be a token of mi loue and deutie tovvard your Maiestie also a signe of my good minde and zeale tovvarde mi countrie This occasion geuen to me at that time caused me to take in hand againe this litle purpose of shoting begon of me before yet not ended thaÌ„ for other studies more mete for that trade of liuinge vvhiche God and mi frendes had set me vnto But vvhen your Graces moste ioifull happie victorie preueÌ„ted mi dailie and spedie diligencie to performe this matter I vvas compelled to vvaite an other time to prepare offer vp this litle boke vnto your Maiestie And vvhan it hath pleased youre Highenesse of your infinit goodnesse also your most honorable Counsel to knovv and pervse ouer the contentes some parte of this boke and so to alovv it that other meÌ„ might rede it throughe the furderaunce and setting forthe of the right vvorshipfull and mi Singuler good Master sir Vvilliam Pagette Knight moost vvorthie Secretarie to your highnes most open redie succoure to al poore honest learned meÌ„s sutes I moost humblie beseche your Grace to take in good vvorthe this litle treatise purposed begoÌ„ and ended of me onelie for this intent that Labour Honest pastime Vertu might recouer againe that place and right that Idlenesse Vnthriftie gamning and Vice hath put them fro And althoughe to haue vvritten this boke either in latin or Greke vvhich thing I vvold be verie glad yet to do if I might surelie knovv your Graces pleasure there in had bene more easier fit for mi trade in study yet neuerthelesse I supposinge it no point of honestie that mi commodite should stop hinder ani parte either of the pleasure or profite of manie haue vvritten this Englishe matter in the Englishe tongue for Englishe men vvhere in this I trust that your Grace if it shall please your Highnesse to rede it shal perceaue it to be a thinge Honeste for me to vvrite pleasaunt for some to rede and profitable for manie to folow conte ning a pastime honest for the minde holsome for the body fit for eueri man vile for no man vsing the day opeÌ„place for Honestie to rule it not lurking in corners for misorder to abuse it Therfore I trust it shal apere to be bothe a sure token of my zeele to set forvvarde shootinge and some signe of my minde tovvardes honestie and learninge Thus I vvil trouble your crace no longer but vvith my daylie praier I vvil beseche God to preserue your Grace in al health and felicitie to the feare and ouerthrovve of all your ennemies to the pleasure ioyfulnesse and succour of al your subiectes to the vtter destruction of papistrie and heresie to the continuall setting forth of Goddes vvorde and his glorye Your Graces most bounden Scholer Roger Ascham ⧠TO ALL GENTLE MEN AND YOMEN OF ENGLANDE BIas the wyse man came to Cresus the ryche kyng on a tyme when he was makynge newe shyppes purposyng to haue subdued by water the out yles lying betwixt Grece and Asia minor What newes now in Grece saith the king to Bias None other newes but these sayeth Bias that the yles of Grece haue prepared a wonderful companye of horsemen to ouerrun Lydia withall There is nothyng vnder heauen sayth the kynge that I woulde so soone wisshe as that they durst be so bolde to mete vs on the lande with horse And thinke you sayeth Bias that there is anye thyng which they wolde sooner wysshe then that you shulde be so fonde to mete them on the water with shyppes And so Cresus hearyng not the true newes but perceyuyng the wise mannes mynde and counsell both gaue then ouer makyng of his shyppes and left also behynde him a wonderful example for all commune wealthes to folowe that is euermore to regarde and set most by that thing whervnto nature hath made them moost apt and vse hath made them moost fitte By this matter I meane the shotyng in the long bowe for English men which thyng with all my hert I do wysh and if I were of authoritie I wolde counsel all the gentlemen and yomen of Englande not to chaunge it with any other thyng how good soeuer it seme to be but that styll accordyng to the oulde wont of England youth shulde vse it for the moost honest pastyme in peace that men myght handle it as a mooste sure weapon in warre Other stronge weapons whiche bothe experience doth proue to be good and the wysdom of the kinges Maiestie his counsel prouydes to be had are not ordeyned to take away shotyng but that both not compared togither whether shuld be better then the other but so ioyned togither that the one shoulde be alwayes an ayde and helpe for the other myght so strengthen the Realme on all sydes that no kynde of enemy in any kynde of weapon myght passe and go beyonde vs. For this purpose I partelye prouoked by the
thinges lacke good ceasoÌ„ iustly at al tymes for any other to approue theÌ„ Princes beinge children oughte to be brought vp in shoting both bycause it is an exercise moost holsom and also a pastyme moost honest wherin labour prepareth the body to hardnesse the minde to couragiousnesse sufferyng neither the one to be marde with tendernesse nor yet the other to be hurte with ydlenesse as we reade how Sardanapalus and suche other were bycause they were not brought vp with outwarde honest payneful pastymes to be men but cockerde vp with inwarde noughtie ydle wantonnesse to be women For how fit labour is for al youth Iupiter or els Minos amonges them of Grece Ciâ— 2. â—uâ— Qu. and Lycurgus amonges the Lacedemonians do shewe by their lawes which neuer ordeyned any thing for yâ— bringyng vp of youth that was not ioyned with labour And the labour which is in shoting of al other is best both bycause it encreaseth strength and preserueth health moost beinge not vehement but moderate not ouerlaying any one part with werysomnesse but softly exercisynge euery parte with equalnesse as the armes and breastes with drawinge the other parties with going being not so paynfull for the labour as pleasaunt for the pastyme which exercise by the iudgement of the best physicions is most alowable Gal. 2. de san tuâ—â—d By shoting also is the mynde honestly exercised where a maÌ„ alwaies desireth to be best which is a worde of honestie and that by the same waye that vertue it selfe doeth couetinge to come nighest a moost perfite ende or meane standing betwixte .ii. extremes eschewinge shorte or gone or eithersyde wide Ariâ—â— .1 de morib for the which causes Aristotle him selfe sayth that shoting and vertue be very like Moreouer that shoting of all other is the moost honest pastyme and hath leest occasion to noughtinesse ioyned with it .ii. thinges very playnelye do proue which be as a man wolde saye the tutours and ouerseers to shotinge Daye light and open place where euerye man doeth come the maynteyners and kepers of shoting from all vnhonest doing If shotinge faulte at any tyme it hydes it not it lurkes not in corners and huddermother but openly accuseth bewrayeth it selfe which is the nexte waye to amendement as wyse men do saye And these thinges I suppose be signes not of noughtinesse for any man to disalowe it but rather verye playne tokens of honestie for euerye man to prayse it The vse of shotinge also in greate mennes chyldren shall greatlye encrease the loue aud vse of shotinge in all the residue of youth For meane mennes myndes loue to be lyke greate menne as Plato and Isocrates do saye Iso in niâ— And that euerye bodye shoulde learne to shote when they be yonge defence of the coÌ„mune wealth doth require wheÌ„ they be olde which thing can not be done mightelye when they be men excepte they learne it perfitelye when they be boyes And therfore shotinge of all pastymes is moost fitte to be vsed in childhode bycause it is an imitation of moost ernest thinges to be done in manhode Wherfore shoting is fitte for great mens children both bycause it strengthneth the body with holsome labour and pleaseth the mynde with honest pastime and also encourageth all other youth ernestlye to folowe the same And these reasons as I suppose stirred vp both great men to bring vp their chyldren in shotinge and also noble commune wealthes so straytelye to commaunde shoting Therfore seinge Princes moued by honest occasions hath in al commune wealthes vsed shotynge I suppose there is none other degree of men neither lowe nor hye learned nor leude yonge nor oulde PHIL. You shal nede wade no further in this matter Toxophile but if you can proue me that scholers and men gyuen to learning maye honestlie vse shoting I wyll soone grauÌ„t you that all other sortes of men maye not onelye lelullie but ought of dutie to vse it But I thinke you can not proue but that all these examples of shotinge brought from so longe a tyme vsed of so noble princes confirmed by so wyse mennes lawes and iudgementes are sette afore temporall men onelye to followe them whereby they may the better and stroÌ„glyer defende the commune wealth withall And nothing belongeth to scholers and learned men which haue an other parte of the commune wealth quiete and peaceable put to their cure and charge whose ende as it is diuerse froÌ„ the other so there is no one waye that leadeth to them both TOXO. I graunte Philologe that scholers and lay men haue diuerse offices and charges in the coÌ„mune wealth whiche requires diuerse briÌ„ging vp in their youth if they shal do them as they ought to do in their age Yet as temporall men of necessitie are compelled to take somewhat of learning to do their office the better withal So scholers maye the boldlyer borowe somewhat of laye mennes pastimes to maynteyne their health in studie withall And surelie of al other thinges shoting is necessary for both sortes to learne Whiche thing when it hath ben euermore vsed in Englande how moche good it hath done both oulde men and Chronicles doo tell and also our enemies can beare vs recorde For if it be true as I haue hearde saye when the kynge of Englande hath ben in Fraunce the preestes at home bicause they were archers haue ben able to ouerthrowe all Scotlande Agayne ther is an other thing which aboue all other doeth moue me not onely to loue shotinge to prayse shoting to exhorte all other to shotinge but also to vse shoting my selfe and that is our kyng his moost royall purpose and wyll whiche in all his statutes generallye doth commaunde men and with his owne mouthe moost gentlie doeth exhortemen and by his greate gyftes and rewardes greatly doth encourage men and with his moost princelie example very oft doth prouoke all other meÌ„ to the same But here you wyll come in with teÌ„poral man and scholer I tell you plainlye scholer or vnscholer yea if I were .xx. scholers I wolde thinke it were my dutie bothe with exhortinge men to shote and also with shoting my selfe to helpe to set forwarde that thing which the kinge his wisdome and his counsell so greatlye laboureth to go forwarde whiche thinge surelye they do bycause they knowe it to be in warre the defence and wal of our countrie in peace an exercise moost holsome for the body a pastime moost honest for the mynde and as I am able to proue my selfe of al other moste fit and agreable with learninge and learned men PHI. If you can proue this thing so playnly as you speake it ernestly theÌ„ wil I not only thinke as you do but become a shooter and do as you do But yet beware I saye lest you for the great loue you bear towarde shootinge blindlie iudge of shootinge For loue al other to ernest affections be not for nought paynted blinde Take hede I saye least you prefer shootinge afore other
laboure watche and huÌ„gre they layed downe their bowes and toke speres in their handes and so ranne vpon them but the Romaynes perceyuinge them without their bowes rose vp manfully and slewe them euery mother son saue a fewe that saued them selues with runnyng awaye And herein our archers of Englande far passe the Parthians which for suche a purpose wheÌ„ they shall come to hande strokes hath euer redy eyther at his backe hangyng or els in his next felowes hande a leadeÌ„ maule or suche lyke weapon to beate dâ—wne his enemyes withall PHI. Well Toxophiâ—â— â—â—inge that those examples whiche I had thought to haue ben cleane agaynst shoting you haue thus turned to the hygh prayse of shotinge and all this prayse that you haue now sayd on it is rather come in by me thaÌ„ sought for of you let me heare I praye you nowe those examples whiche you haue marked of shotyng your selfe whereby you are and thinke to persuade other yâ— shoting is so good in warre TOX. ExaÌ„ples surely I haue marked very many froÌ„ the begynning of tyme had in memorie of wrytyng throughout all coÌ„mune wealthes Empires of the worlde wherof the mooste parte I wyll passe ouer lest I shoulde be tediouse yet some I wyll touche bycause they be notable both for me to tell and you to heare And bycause the storye of the Iewes is for the tyme moost auncient for the truthe mooste credible it shal be moost fitte to begynne with them And although I knowe that God is the onely gyuer of victorie and not the weapons for all strength and victorie sayth Iudas Machabeus coÌ„meth from heauen Maâ—h 1. 3. Yet surely strong weapons be the instrumentes wherwith god doth ouercome yâ— parte which he wil haue ouerthrowen For God is well pleased wyth wyse and wittie feates of warre As in metinge of enemies for truse takyng to haue priuilye in a bushment harnest men layd for feare of treason as Iudas Machabeus dyd wyth Nicanor Demetrius capitayne Maâ—h 2. 14. And to haue engines of warre to beat downe cities with all and to haue scoutwatche amoÌ„ges our enemyes to knowe their counsayles as the noble captaine Ionathas brother to Iudas Machabeus did in the countrie of Amathie against the mighty hoste of Demetrius Maâ—h 1. 12. And besyde al this god is pleased to haue goodly tombes for them which do noble feates in warre and to haue their ymages made and also their cote Armours to be set aboue theyr tombes to their perpetual laude and memorie Maâ—h 1. 13. as the valiaunt capitayne Symon dyd cause to be made for his brethren Iudas Machabeus and Ionathas wheÌ„ they were slayne of the GeÌ„tiles And thus of what authoritie feates of warre and strong weapons be shortly and playnelye we maye learne But amonges the Iewes as I began to tell I am sure there was nothing so occupyed or dydde so moche good as bowes dyd â–ª insomoche that when the Iewes had any great vpperhande ouer the Gentiles the fyrste thinge alwayes that the captayne dyd was to exhort the people to gyue all the thankes to God for the victorye not to theyr bowes wherwith they had slayne their enemyes as it is playne that the noble Iosue Iosuâ— 13 â–ª dyd after so many kynges thrust downe by hym God when he promyseth helpe to the Iewes he vseth no kynde of speakyng so moche as this that he wyll bende his bowe Deutâ—râ— 3â— and die his shaftes in the Gentiles blood whereby it is manifest that eyther God wyll make the Iewes shoote stronge shotes to ouerthrowe their enemies or at leeste that shotinge is a woÌ„derful mightie thing in warre whervnto yâ— hygh power of God is lykened Psal. 7.63 75. Dauid in the Psalmes calleth bowes the vessels of death a bytter thinge in an other place a myghty power and other wayes mo which I wyll let passe bycause euerye man readeth them daylye But yet one place of scripture I must nedes remembre which is more notable for yâ— prayse of shoting then any yâ— euer I red in any other storie and that is when Saul was slayne of yâ— Philistians being mightie bowmen Reguâ— 1. 31. and Ionathas his sonne with him that was so good a shoter as yâ— scripture sayth that he neuer shot shafte in vayne and yâ— the kyngdome after Saules deathe came vnto Dauid the first statute Regum 2. 1. lawe thateuer Dauid made after he was king was this that al yâ— children of Israel shulde learne to shote according to a lawe made many a daye before yâ— tyme for the setting out of shoting as it is written sayeth Scripture in libro lustorum whiche booke we haue not nowe And thus we se plainelye what greate vse of shoting and what prouision euen from the begynnynge of the worlde for shotyng was amonge the Iewes The Ethiopians which inhabite the furthest part South in the worlde were wonderfull bowmen insomoche that when Cambyses king of Persie being in Egipt 〈…〉 sent certayne ambassadours into Ethiope to the kynge there with many great gyftes the king of Ethiop perceyuinge them to be espyes toke them vp sharpely and blamed Cambyses greatly for such vniust enterprises but after that he had princely entertayned them he sent for a bowe and bente it and drewe it and then vnbent it agayne and sayde vnto the ambassadours you shall coÌ„mende me to Cambyses and gyue him this bowe fro me and byd him when any Persian can shote in this bowe let him set vpon the Ethiopians In the meane whyle let hym gyue thankes vnto God whiche doth not put in the EthiopiaÌ„s mynde to coÌ„quere any other mans lande This bowe when it came amonge the Persians neuer one man in suche an infinite host as Herodotus doth saye could styrre the stryng saue onely Smerdis the brother of Cambyses whiche styrred it two fingers and no further for the which act Cambyses had suche enuy at him that he afterward slewe him as doth appeare in the storye Sesostris the moost mightie king that euer was in Egipt ouercame a great parte of the worlde and that by archers he subdued the Arabians the Iues the Assyrians he weÌ„t farther into Scythia then any man els he ouercame Thracia euen to the borders of Germanie And in token how he ouercame al men he set vp in many places great ymages to his owne lykenesse hauynge in the one hande a bowe in the other a sharpe heeded shafte that men myght knowe 〈…〉 what weapon his hooste vsed in conqueryng so manye people Cyrus counted as a god amonges the Gentyles for his noblenesse and felicitie in warre Herod 〈…〉 yet at the last when he set vpon the Massageâ—anes which people neuer went without their bowe nor their quiuer nether in warre nor peace he and all his were slayne and that by shotyng as appeareth in the storye Polycrates the prince of Samos a very litle yle was lorde ouer all the Greke sees and withstode the power
Englande be verye excellent shoters and the best bowmen in warre This sentence whether Crinitus wrote it more leudly of ignoraunce or Textor confirmeth it more piuyshlye of enuye may be called in question and doubte but this surelye do I knowe very well that Textor hath both red in Gaguâ—us the Frenche hystorie and also hath hearde his father or graundfather taulke except perchauÌ„ce he was borne and bred in a Cloyster after that sort of the shotynge of Englisshe men that Textor neded not to haue gone so piuishlye beyonde Englande for shoting but myght very soone eueÌ„ in the first towne of kent haue founde suche plentie of shotinge as is not in al the realme of Scotland agayne The Scottes surely be good men of warre in theyr owne feate as can be but as for shotinge they neyther can vse it for any profyte nor yet wil chaleÌ„ge it for any prayse although master Textor of his geÌ„tlenesse wold gyue it them Textor neaded not to haue fylled vppe his booke with suche lyes if he hadde read the storye of Scotlande 〈…〉 Mâ— â— whiche Ioannes Maior doeth wryte wherein he myghte haue learned that when Iames Stewart fyrst kyng of that name at the ParliameÌ„t holden at Saynt Iohnnes towne or Perthie commaunded vnder payne of a great forfyte that euerye Scotte shoulde learne to shote yet neyther the loue of theyr couÌ„trie the feare of their enemies the auoydyng of punishment nor the receyuinge of anye profyte that myght come by it coulde make them to be good Archers whiche be vnapte and vnfytte thervnto by Gods prouidence and nature Therfore the Scottes them selues proue Textor a lyer bothe with authoritie and also daily experience and by a certayne Prouerbe that they haue amonges them in theyr coÌ„munication wherby they gyue the whole prayse of shotynge honestlye to Englysihe men saying thus that euery Englysihe Archer beareth vnder his gyrdle .xxiiii. Scottes But to lette Textor and the Scottes go yet one thynge woulde I wysshe for the Scottes and that is this that seinge one God one faythe one compasse of the see one lande and countrie one tungue in speakynge one maner and trade in lyuynge lyke courage and stomake in war lyke quicknesse of witte to learning hath made Englande and Scotlande bothe one they wolde suffre them no longer to be two but cleane gyueouer the Pope which seketh none other thinge as many a noble and wyse Scottish man doth knowe but to fede vp dissention parties betwixt them vs procuryng that thynge to be two which God nature and reason wold haue one Howe profytable suche an attonement were for Scotlande Iohn 〈…〉 both IohaÌ„nes Maior and Ector Boetius which wrote the Scottes Chronicles do tell also all the gentlemen of Scotlande with the poore coÌ„munaltie do wel knowe So that there is nothing that stoppeth this matter saue onelye a fewe freers and suche lyke whiche with the dregges of our Englysh Papi strie lurkyng now amonges them study nothing els but to brewe battell and stryfe betwixte both the people Wherby onely they hope to maynetayne theyr Papisticall kyngdome to the destrution of the noble blood of Scotlande that then they maye with authoritie do that whiche neither noble man nor poore man in Scotlande yet doeth knowe And as for Scottishe men and Englishe men be not enemyes by nature but by custome not by our good wyll but by theyr owne follye whiche shoulde take more honour in being coupled Englande then we shulde take profite in being ioyned to Scotlande Wales being headye and rebelling many yeares agaynst vs laye wylde vntylled vnhabited without lawe iustice ciuilitie and ordre and then was amoÌ„ges them more stealing thaÌ„ true dealing more suretie for them that studyed to be noughte then quyetnesse for them that laboured to be good when nowe thanked be God and noble Englande there is no countrie better inhabited more ciuile more diligent in honest craftes to get bothe true and plentifull lyuynge withall And this felicitie my mynde gyueth me within these few dayes shal chauÌ„ce also to Scotlande by the godly wysedome of oure mooste noble Prince kynge Henrye the .viii. by whome God hath wrought more wonderfull thynges then euer by any prince before as banishing the byshop of Rome and herisie bringyng to light god his worde and veritie establishing suche iustice and equitie through euery parte of this his realme as neuer was sene afore To suche a Prince of suche a wysdome God hath reserued this mooste noble attonement wherby neither we shal be any more troubled nor the Sâ—ottes with their best countries any more destroyed nor yâ— see whiche God ordeyneth profytable for both shall from eyther be any more stopped to the great quietnesse wealth felicitie of all the people dwellynge in this I le to the high renoume prayse of our moost noble kyng to the feare of all maner of nacions that owe ill wyll to either countrie to the hygh pleasure of God which as he is one and hateth al diuision so is he best of all pleased to se thinges which be wyde and amysse brought to peace and attonement But Textor I beshrowe him hath almooste broughte vs from our coÌ„municatioÌ„ of shoting Now sir by my iudgement the Artillarie of Englande farre excedeth all other realmes but yet one thing I doubt longe haue surely in that point doubted wheÌ„ or by whom shotyng was first brought in to Englande for the same purpose as I was ones in companye wyth syr Thomas Eliot knight which surelie for his lerning in all kynde of knowlege bringeth much worshyp to all the nobilite of Englande I was so bould to aske hym yf he at any tyme had marked any thing as coÌ„cernynge the bryngynge in of shootynge in to Englande he aunswered me gentlye agayne that he had a worcke in hand which he nameth De rebus memora bilibus Anglie which I trust we shal se in print shortlye and for the accomplyshmente of that boke he had read perused ouer many olde monumeÌ„tes of Englande and in sekyng for that purpose he marked this of shootynge in an excedyng olde cronicle the which had no name that what tyme as the Saxons came first into this realme in kyng Uortigers dayes wheÌ„ they had bene here a whyle and at last began to faull out with the Brittons they troubled and subdewed the Brittons wyth nothynge so much as with theyr bowe and shaftes whiche wepon beynge straunge not sene here before was wonderfull terrible vnto them and this beginninge I can thynke verie well to be true But nowas concerning many exaÌ„ples for the prayse of English archers in warre surely I wil not belong in a matter yâ— no maÌ„ doubteth in those few yâ— I wil name shal either be proued by yâ— histories of our enemies or els done by men that now liue Kynge Edward the thirde at the battel of Cressie ageinst Philip yâ— FreÌ„che king as â—aguinus the freÌ„ch Historiographer plainlye doeth tell slewe that