> 115

Wherwyth euere honefl handye craftes man Ihuld
meafure, as it were wyth a rule, his worke withal. He
that is a iourney man, and rydeth vpon an other
mannes horfe, yf he ryde an honefl pace, no manne
wyll dyfalowe hym : But yf he make Pofte hafte, bothe
he that oweth the horfe, and he peradtienture alfo that
afterwarde fhal bye the horfe, may chaunce to curfe hym.

Suche haflineffe I am afrayde, maye alfo be found
amonges fome of them, whych through out ye Realme
in diuerfe places worke ye kinges Artillane for war,
thinkynge yf they get a bowe or a fheafe of arrowes to
fome famlon, they be good ynough for bearynge gere.
And thus that weapon whiche is the chiefe defence of
the Realme, verye ofte doth lytle feruyce to hym that
fhoulde vfe it, bycaufe it is fo negligentlye wrought of
him that Ihuld make it, when trewlye I fuppofe that
nether ye bowe can be to good and chefe woode, nor
yet to well feafoned or truly made, wyth hetynges and
tillerynges, nether that ihafte to good wood or to
thorowely wrought, with the beft pinion fedders that
can be gotten, wherwith a man fhal ferue his prince,
defende his countrie, and faue hym felfe frome his
enemye. And I truft no man wyll be angrye wyth
me for fpekynge thus, but thofe which finde them felfe
touched therin: which ought rather to be angiye wyth
them felfe for doynge fo, than to be mifcontent wyth
me for faynge fo. And in no cafe they ought to be
difpleafed wyth me, feinge this is fpoken alfo after that
forte, not for the notynge of anye perfon feuerallye,
but for the amendynge of euerye one generallye. But
turne we agayne to knowe a good fhootynge bowe for
cure purpofe.

Euerye bowe is made eyther of a boughe, of a plante
or of the boole of the tree. The boughe commonlye
is verye knotty, and full of pinnes, weak, of fmall pithe,
and fone wyll folowe the ftringe, and feldome werith to
any fayre coloure, yet for chyldren and yonge beginners
it maye ferue well ynoughe. The plante proueth many
tunes wel, yf it be of a good and clene groweth, and for