Of shooting.

The physicians seeme to commend shooting for the vse of health sufficiently, in that they make Apollo and Æsculapius the presidentes and protectors of Archerie, which both be the greatest gods, and chiefest patrones of ther owne profession. And that it is a thing to be beloued, and liked, what argument is there that can be alleadged of comparable force to that of Cupide himselfe, which in the matter of loue, doth bend with his bow, and enamour with his arrow? But in sadnes to say enough of this exercise in few wordes, which no wordes can praise enough for the commodities which it bringeth to the health of the body: as it hath bene vsed by diuers nations, in diuerse sortes, both on horsebacke and on foote, both for peace and warre, for healthfull exercise and pleasant pastime: so none either now doth vse it, or heretofore hath vsed it, more to health, and bettering of the body then our owne countrimen do. As if it were a thing somewhat naturall to Ilandes, bycause they of Crete and Cyprus in olde stories, they of the Indian Ilandes in new stories are noted also for neare Shooting, strong Darting, and streight Slinging, whereof the Balear Ilandes seeme to take their name. Nay by all auncient monumentes Shooting should seeme to be both the eldest, and the vsuallest defence in fighting a farre of, which though it haue now, and tofore, haue had great place in the fielde for warfare: yet hath it a great deale better place in our fields for wellfare: and therefore the more, because it consisteth both of the best exercises, and the best effectes of the best exercises. For he that shooteth in the free and open fields may chuse, whether betweene his markes he will runne or walke, daunce or leape, hallow or sing or do somewhat els, which belongeth to the other, either vehement or gentle exercises. And whereas hunting on foote is so much praised, what mouing of the body hath the foote hunter in hilles and dales, which the rouing Archer hath not in varietie of growndes? Is his naturall heate more stirred then the Archers is? Is his appetite better then the Archers is though the prouerbe helpe the hungrie hunter? Nay in both these the Archer hath the vantage. For both his howers be much better to eate, and all his mouing is more at his choice: because the hunter must follow his game of necessitie, the Archer neede not but at his owne leasure. For his pastime will tarystil, till he come to it, the hunters game is glad to get from him. In fine what good is there in any particular exercise, either to helpe natural heat, or to cleare the body, or to prouoke appetite, or to fine the senses, or to strengthen the sinewes, or to better all partes, which is not altogither in this one exercise? Onely regard to vse it in a meane doth warrant the archer from daunger to himselfe: and an eye to looke about, doth defende the passager from perill by him. I could here speake much, if it were not to much, to say euen so much in such a thing, being so faire a pastime, so pleasant to al people, so profitable to most, so familiar to our country, so euery where in eye, so knowne a defence, such a meane to offende, as there is no man but knoweth it to be a preseruatiue to health, and therefore well to be numbred among the trayning exercises. And chiefly as it is vsed in this Iland, wherein the rouing must nedes be the best and most healthful, both for varieties of motion in diuersities of soile, and by vsing all archery, in exercising one kinde. For in rouing, you may vse either the butte, or the pricke by the way for your marke, as your pleasure shalbe. This exercise do I like best generally of any rownde stirring without the dores, vpon the causes before alleadged, which if I did not, that worthy man our late and learned countrieman maister Askam would be halfe angrie with me, though he were of a milde disposition, who both for trayning the Archer to his bow, and the scholler to his booke, hath shewed him selfe a cunning Archer, and a skilfull maister.

In the middest of so many earnest matters, I may be allowed to entermingle one, which hath a relice of mirth, for in praysing of Archerie, as a principall exercise, to the preseruing of health, how can I but prayse them, who professe it throughly, and maintaine it nobly, the friendly and franke fellowship of prince Arthurs knightes in and about the citie of London, which of late yeares haue so reuiued the exercise, so countenaunced the artificers, so enflamed emulation, as in themselues for friendly meting, in workemen for good gayning, in companies for earnest comparing, it is almost growne to an orderly discipline, to cherishe louing society, to enrich labouring pouertie, to maintaine honest actiuity, which their so encouraging the vnder trauellours, and so encreasing the healthfull traine, if I had sacred to silence, would not my good friend in the citie maister Hewgh Offly, and the same my noble fellow in that order Syr Launcelot, at our next meeting, haue giuen me a sowre nodde, being the chiefe furtherer of the fact, which I commend, and the famosest knight, of the fellowship, which I am of? Nay would not euen prince Arthur himselfe maister Thomas Smith, and the whole table, of those wel known knights, and most actiue Archers haue layd in their chaleng against their fellow knight, if speaking of their pastime, I should haue spared their names? whereunto I am easily led, bycause the exercise deseruing such praise, they that loue so praiseworthie a thing neither can of them selues, neither ought at my hand to be hudled vp in silence.