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A11250
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A briefe treatise, to prooue the necessitie and excellence of the vse of archerie. Abstracted out of ancient and moderne writers. By R:S. Perused, and allowed by aucthoritie
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R. S., fl. 1596.
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1596
(1596)
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STC 21512; ESTC S116313
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10,821
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24
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42 It is very certain that shooting is the chief thing wherewith God suffereth the Turke to punish our sinnes withall The youth there is brought vp in Caâ—p de rebus Turc Shooting and it is well knowne to the Spaniardes the might of their shooting who in the towne called Newcastle in Illerica were all slaine by the Turkes Arrowes when the Spaniardes had no vse of their gunnes by reason of the raine And since that the Emperours Maiestie himselfe at the Citty of Argier in Affricke had his hoast sore handled with the Turkes Arrowes when his guns stood him in no seruice at all by the like accident of raine And therfore as concerning all these kingdoms Plin lib 16 Chap. 36 and common wealths I may conclude with Plinie thus If any man would remember the Ethiopians Egyptians Arabians the men of Indie of Scythia so manie people in the East of the Samaritanes and all the kingdome of the Parthians c. hee shall perceiue halfe the part of the world to liue in subiection ouercome by the might and power of Shooting Proofes from our Nation of former and moderne times THe sayd Sir Iohn Smyth knight fol. 29. 30. 31. Tilburie Campe. proouing that by the example of placing Bowes in the Armie at Tilburie An. Dom. 1588. Captains of this age in general not to be expert in that Discipline hee teacheth the order of our Auncestors therein in this sort vz. They placed theÌ„ in the face of the men at Armes of France and other Nations who were then better armed then now wee vse to bee and the effect was such that flying in the ayre as thicke as snow with a terrible noise much like a tempestious wind they did leaue no disarmed place of horse or man vnstricken and vnwounded as may well appeare by the battell of Cressey that king Edward the thirde and his sonne Prince Edw. won against Philip of France where the French were six to one wel armed where were slain xi Princes a thousand and two hundred knightes and thirty thousand Souldiours The woonderfull effectes and terrour of the shotte of Arrowes was that day such as neither men at armes nor other Horsmen of diuers Nations were able to enter and breake the Archers being without pikes stakes bankes and trenches to guard them but in the plaine Fieldes The Archers with their Vollees of Arrowes did break the ranks both of Horsemen and footmen wounding and killing both horse and man the French kings horse being slain vnder him and himselfe in perill The like or greater ouerthrow was acted by the same Prince against Iohn king of France in the battell of Poicters with six thousand Archers and two thousand armed men against 60000. French The same Prince fought the like battell in Spain ouerthrew a hundred thousand men in one battel by the wonderful effect of Archers So was the battell of Herringes fought there in Henrie the sixt his time and won by Archery In the same kings time as the French Chronicles do report the L. of Belay accoÌ„panied with two hundred French Lances going to Mans met with an English Captain called Berrie and with him 80. Archers by whom the Lances were ouerthrowne and diuers taken prisoners The like encounter happened about that time between Guyan de Coing a French Captaine with 120. Lances and Sir William Olde with twentye Archers with like successe But for that it may be obiected That it may bee graunted that Archery was a preualent weapon in auncient times before the Musquet and Calliuer came to the perfection of their vse It is not amisse to produce later instances of these our ages Seruices of great effect done by Archerie of our Nation in these our times NOtable seruice was done in the time of king Henrie the 8. of famous memorie vpon a conuoy between Guiens and Teroun by Archers In the time of king Edward the sixt 1548. Ket with his Norfolke Rebels by one conflict and a foughten field beeing men vnarmed did great exploits against the Duke of Northumberland by Archers So that the Duke lost his good opinion of Harquebuzies and would euer after say publikely the Bow to be the noblest weapon of the world This Sir Iohn Smyth setteth down from the certaine reporte of the late Earle of Warwicke who was there present In the same kinges time the Westerne Rebels The right honorable the Lord of Huâ—ldon L Chamber laine that now is an eie-witnes droue the Spanish and Italian Harquebuzies from all their strengths with vollees of Arrowes which sir Iohn Smyth also hath hard the L. Chamberlaine that now is very notably report who was there an eie witnes Captaine Spinola an Italian a verie braue Souldiour and wounded with Arrowes in these seruices gaue singular commendation of the Archerie of England The Battell of Floddon hill where Iames king Scottes was slain is very famous where the Archers of Cheshire and Lancashire got immortal name and praise for euer The feare onely of English Archers hath done stranger things then is read of els where and that not long sithence betwixt Eske and Leuen at Sandie Sikes did appear where the whole nobility of Scotland for feare of the Archers of England were drowned and taken Prisoners There is an olde prouerbe in Scotland that euery English Archer beareth vnder his girdle twenty foure Scottes And if it bee true as it is sayd when the king of England hath been in France the Priestes at home because they were Archers haue been able to ouerthrow all Scotland Bishop Latimer in his sixt Sermon made before Bishop Latimer his commendation of Archerie king Edward the sixt desired the Lordes as they loued the honour and glory of God and as they intended to remooue his indignation to prouide for the practise of Shooting which hee called the gift of god wherby we excelled all other Nations and an Instrument wherby he hath giuen vnto vs many victories The foresaide Lord Warwicke did also reporte that when he was Lieutenant generall at Newhauen hee did send to the Admirall of France then fauored by her Maiesty six hundred harquebuziers who thankfully receiuing them yet said hee had rather haue had two hundred Archers And that he would with them performe greater seruice This message was brought from the Admiral by Sir Francis Sommerset Sir Richard Throgmorton and Sir William Pellam knightes Woonderful seruice was sithence done by foure score of our Archers against Dutch French Harhusiers in France to the great admiration of the Reingraue whereupon hee did protest and acknowledge the Long-bowes of England to bee the best weapons for the field that were vsed by any nation of Christendome And said that the Queene of England had great cause so to esteem of them Reported by the said Earle of Warwicke Sir Iames Croft declared many notable seruices hee had seene done by Archers in England Fraunce Scotland and Ireland About Bartholmew tyde last 1595. there came out of Scotland one Iames Forgeson Bowyer to the king of Scots who credibly reported that about two Scots become Archers yeares past certaine rebelles did rise there against the king who sent against them fiue hundred horsemen well appointed They meeting three hundred of the Rebels Bowmen encountred each with other where the Bowe-men slue two hundred and foure score of their horses and killed wounded and sore Scots make prouision of Archerie hurt most part of the kinges men Whereupon the said Forgeson was sent hether from the king with Commission to buy vp ten thousande Bowes and Bowstaues But because he could not speed heer he went ouer into the East countries for them This report wil bee prooued by credible persons of the cittie of London It may therefore bee well concluded with Sir Iohn Smyth That all conquering Nations haue made chiefe choise of the Bowes as of the most excellent kind of weapon for victories and conquests And yet as he sayth it is euident by al histories and all such as haue trauelled many partes of Europe Asia and Affricke that English Bowes Arrowes doe exceede and excell all others vsed by all forein Nations not only in substance and strength but also in length and bignesse Neither is it vnknowne that the French Captaines and Gentlemen of this age attribute all the former victories of the English against themselues and their Auncestors more to the effect of Archers then to any extraordinary valiancie of our nation It therfore were great pittie or rather impiety to suffer this noble ancient weapon being so mightie a strength and honor to al nations that haue and doe vse the same and especially to our English people aboue all others for the reasons and examples aboue rehearsed to goe to decay amongst vs while there is godly lawes prouided for the same and while it may be vsed of any person and the same person fully prouided of Bowe and arrowes for exercise according to the prescription of the lawe on that behalfe vnder twentie pence The practise wherof besides his own excellence wil greatly diminish the noysome and pestilent custom of vnlawfull games now crept in vse in the roome therof being far more chargeable then Archery is But there is great hope that this honorable weapon now by vse of vnlawful games greatly decayed will resume to it selfe within this realme his ancient strength and vertue and that in short time the people of a naturall inclination being giuen thereunto seeing it hath pleased her royal Maiesty vnder her Highnesse hand to haue giuen out warrant vnto the right Honorable Sir Iohn Puckering knight Lord keeper of the great Seale of England to grant out Commissions vnder the same Seale to put in execution one laudable Statute made in the time of her right Princely Father for exercise of Archery and debarring of vnlawful games And seeing that the Lordes of her Highnesse priuy Counsell haue also by their Letters directted to his Lordsh commended the same as an Act fit to bee performed for the honor and strength of the Realme FINIS
our Nation that the kings and Princes of this Realm haue bin excellent Archers And this age can witnesse with what loue and affection the right noble kings of famous memorie king Henrie the eight and Edward the sixt did vse and exercise the same in their owne persons By Shooting is the minde honorably exercised where a man alwaies desireth to bee best which is a word of honor and that by the same way that vertue it self doth coueting to come nighest a most perfect end or meane standing between two extreams eschuing short or gone or on eyther side wide For which causes Aristotle himselfe saith that Shooting and Vertue be very like And that of all other it is Aristotle de Morib the most honest pastime and least occasion to naughtinesse two things doe very plainly prooue vz Day-light and Open place If Shooting fault at any time it hides not it selfe but openly accuseth and bewraieth it selfe which is the next way to amendement as wise men doe say THE SECOND PART NOt only kinges and Emperors haue beene brought vp in shooting but also the best common Wealths that euer were haue made goodly actes laws for it as the Persians who vnder Cyrus conquered very many nations had a law that their children should learne three thinges only from fiue yeares old to twenty To ride a horse wel to shoot wel to speak trueth alwaies and neuer lie The Romans as Leo the Emperour in his booke of the sleightes of warre telleth had a law that euery man shuld vse Shooting in time of peace while he were fourty yeeres olde And that euerie house should haue a Bowe and fourty Shaftes ready for all needes The omitting of which Law saith Leo among the youth hath beene the only occasion why the Romaines lost a great deale of their Empire The firste Statute and Lawe that euer Dauid made after he was King was this that all the children of Israell shoulde learne to shoote according to a Law made many a day before that time for the setting out of Shooting as it is written saith Scripture in libro Iustorum which booke we haue not now Reg 2 1 extant Plato wold haue common Masters and stipends De Leg 7 for to teach youth to shoot And for the same purpose he would haue broad fields neere euery Citie made common for men to vse shooting in Leo the Emperour in his sixt booke Let all the youth of Rome bee compelled to vse shooting either more or lesse And alwayes to beare their bow and their quyuer about them vntill they be fourty years old For since Shooting was neglected and decayed among the Romanes many a Battell and fielde hath been lost Againe in the xi Book and 50. Chap. Let your Souldiers haue their weapons wel appointed and trimmed but aboue all other thinges regarde most shooting And therfore let men when ther is no war vse Shooting at home For the leauing off onely of Shooting hath brought ruine decay to the whole Ruin decaie to the whole Empire by leauing off of Shooting Empire of Rome After wardes hee commandeth againe his Captaines by these wordes Arme your hoast as I haue appointed you but especially with Bowe and Arrows plenty For shooting is a thing of much might power in warre and chiefly against the Saracens Turks which people haue all their hope of victorie in their Bowe and Shafts Besides all this in another place hee writeth thus to his Captaine Artillerie is easie to bee prepared and in time of great neede a thing most profitable Therefore wee straightly commaund you to make Proclamation to all men vnder our dominions either in warre or peace to all Citties Burroughes and Townes and finallye to all manner of men that euery seuerall pearson haue bowe and shaftes of his owne And euery house besides this to haue a standing bearing Bow and fourty shafts for all needes And that they exercise themselues in holtes hilles and dales playnes and woods for all maner of chaunces in warre And yet Shooting although they sett neuer so much by it was neuer so good then as it is now in England which thing to be true is verie proâ—â—table in that Leo doth say That he would haue his Souldiers take off their Arrowe-heads and one shoot at another for their exercise Which play if the English Archers vsed I thinke they would find small sport and lesse pleasure in it But the exercise therof otherwise bringeth a notable aduantage to them that doe practise the same For experience doth teach vs that the strongest men doe not alwayes make the strongest shoote which thing prooueth that draweing strong lyeth not so much in the strength of man as in the vse of Shooting To conclude this second part if a man shuld peruse all pastimes and exercises profitable to be set by of euery man woorthy to be rebuked of no man fit for all ages persons and places and a medicine to purge the whole land of all pestilent gaming onelie Shooting shall appeare wherein all these commodities shal be found being strengthened by putting in execution such laudable actes statutes as haue bin on that behalfe made and prouided by the Parliaments of this Realme THE THIRD PART EVripides euery of whose verses Tullie thinketh to be an Aucthoritie doth say That of all weapons the best is where with least danger of our selfe we may hurt our enemie most And that is as may bee supposed Artillerie which now adayes is taken for two thinges Gunnes and Bowes Peter Nannius a learned man of Louain in a Dialogue sheweth exceeding commodities of both And some discommodities of Gunnes as infinit cost and charge cumbersom cariage if they be great the vncertain leuelling the peril of them that stand by c. Besides al this contrary wind and weather which hindereth them not a little and sometime maketh theÌ„ vnprofitable yet of shooting he cannot reherse one discommoditie But because some sort of men at Armes would bring our Magistrates and the better sorte of our people and nation to mislike this ancient weapon as vnprofitable for the wars of our dayes wold attribute alexcellence to the Musquet and Caliuer See Sir Iohn Smyth Knight in his booke treating of Archery from fol. 20 to fol. 28. wher you may find he vtterly consuteth them proouing three especiall poyntes against them vz. 1 Archers to be most ready in the field 2 Archers to faile least in shooting 3 And that they doe anney the Enemies most be they horsemen or footmen And then after many vnreplyable reasons offereth that hee will neuer refuse with 8000. good Archers to aduenture his life against 20000. of the best shot in Christendom Where fol. 23. 27. 28. he prooueth long Bowes to be most excellent for battailes and great encounters both against horsemen and footmen for that it is a ready weapon both in faire and foule weather which shot is not that the arrowes in flying both in their desceÌ„t