44 ttrrj:0|i!)ttu$, 8.

graunt you your mynde: But as for fhooting, lurely I
fuppofe that you can not perfwade me, by no meanes,
that a man can be earn eft in it, and earnefl at his
booke to: but rather I thynke that a man with a bowe
on his backe, and maftes vnder hys girdell, is more fit
to wayte vpon Robin Hoode, than vpon Apollo or the
Mufes.

SToi, Ouer erneft fhooting furely I will not ouer
erneftlye defende, for I euer thought mooting fhoulde
be a wayter vpon lerning not a maftres 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. AEest "

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 Ihoote togither in ye mount Pernafus; and at
lail 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 mooting 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, honeft ihoting maye well
ynough be companion with honeft ftudie.

;l|Jfjt. Well Toxophile, if you haue no ftronger
defence of fhotinge then Poetes, I feare yf your com-