CHAPTER 26.

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.