a bow, which fhal both than pleafe me very wel whan
I by him, and be alfo very fit and meete for me whan
I Ihoote in hym: fo that he be both weake ynoughe
for eafye fhootynge, and alfo quycke and fpedye
ynoughe for farre caftynge, than I woulde thynke I
mail nede no more bufmerTe wyth him, but be con-
tente wyth hym, and vfe hym well ynoughe, and fo by
that meanes, auoyde bothe greate trouble, and alfo
fome coft whiche you cunnynge archers very often
put your felues vnto, beynge verye Englyfhe men, neuer
ceafynge piddelynge about your bowe and maftes
whan they be well, but eyther with fhortyng and pik-
ynge your bowes, or els with newe fetheryng, peeo
ynge and headinge your maftes, can neuer haue done
vntyll they be ilarke nought.

&0x. Wel Philologe, furelye if I haue any iudge-
ment at all in fhootyng, it is no very great good token in
a bowe, whereof nothyng whan it is newe and freffhe,
nede be cutte away, euen as Cicero fayeth of a yonge
mannes wit and ftyle, which you knowe better than
I. For euerye newe thynge mufLe alwayes haue more
than it neadeth, or elles it wyll not waxe better and
better, but euer decaye, and be worfe and worfe.
Newe ale if it runne not ouer the barrell whan it is
newe tunned, wil fone leafe his pith, and his head
afore he be longe drawen on.

And lyke wyfe as that colte whyche at the fyrfte
takynge vp, nedeth lytle breakyng and handlyng, but
is fitte and gentle ynoughe for the faddle, feeldome
or neuer proueth well, euen fo that bowe whyche
at the fyrfte byinge, wythout any more proofe and trim-
mynge, is fit and eafie to fhoote in, Ihall neyther be
profitable to laile longe nor yet pleafaunt to fhoote
well. And therfore as. a younge horfe full of corage,
wyth handlynge and breakmge, is brought vnto a fure
pace and goynge, fo fhall a newe bowe freffhe and
quicke of cafle, by finkyng and cuttyng, be brought to
a fledfaft ihootyng. And an eafie and gentle bow
whan it is newe, is not muche vnlyke a fofte fpiriter]