bo\ves tnade of a rede, whiche was of a great flrengthe

And no maruayle though bowe and fhaftes were made

thereof, for the redes be fo great in Inde, as Herodotus

fayth, that, of euery ioynte of a rede, a man

may make a fylhers bote. Thefe bowes,

fayeth Arrianus in Alexanders lyfe,gaue fo greataftroke,

that no hartleys or buckler though it were

r n 11 ^ n ji -^ rn-\ Arrianus. 8-

neuer fo flrong, could wythiland it. The

length of fuche a bowe, was euen wyth the length of hym,

that vfed it. The Lycians vfed bowes made _ n .

f . n j • T , /-* / -fa Polym.

of a tree, called in Latyn Cornus, (as con-

cernyng the name of it in Englifh, I can foner proue
that other men call it falfe, than I can tell the rigkt
name of it my felfe) this wood is as harde as home,
and very fit for ihaftes, as fhall be toulde after.
Quid fheweth that Syringa the Nymphe,

, - ., ,J &r -TV- 1 j Metamor. i.

and one of the maydens of Diana, had a

bowe of this wood whereby the poete meaneth, that it

was verye excellent to make bowes of.

As for brafell, Elrae, Wych, and Affhe, experience
doth proue them to be but meane for bowes, and fo to
conclude Ewe of all other thynges, is that, wherof
perfite fhootyng woulde haue a bowe made.

Thys woode as it is nowe generall and common
amonges Englyfhe men, fo hath it contlnewed from
longe tyme and had in moofl price for bowes,
amonges the Romaynes, as doth apere in this halfe
verfe of Vyrgill.

Taxi torquentur in amis. Virgilius.

i.
Ewe fit for a bowe to be made on.

Nowe as i faye, a bowe of Ewe mufl be hadde for
perfecle fhootinge at the prickes \ whiche marke, by-
caufe it is certayne, and mofte certaine rules may be
gynen of it, fhall ferue for our communication, at this
time. A good bowe is knowen, much what as good
counfayle is knowen, by the ende and proofe of it,
and yet bothe a bowe and good counfell, maye be
made bothe better and worfe, by well or vll handlynge
H