Roger Ascham Toxophilus 1545

17

\\yfdom of the kinges Maieflie and his counfel prouydes
to be had, are not ordeyned to take away fhotyng : but
yat both, not compared togither, whether fhuld be
better then the other, but fo ioyned togither that the
one fhoulde be alwayes an ayde and helpe for the other,
myght fo flrengthen the Realme on all fydes, that no
kynde of enemy in any kynde of weapon, myght paffe
and go beyonde vs.

For this purpofe I, partelye prouoked by the counfell
of fome gentlemen, partly moued by the loue whiche
I haue alwayes borne towarde fhotyng, haue wrytten
this lytle treatife, wherein if I haue not fatiffyed any
man, I truft he wyll the rather be content with my
doyng, bycaufe I am (I fuppofe) the firfle, whiche hath
fayde any thynge in this matter (and fewe begynnynges
be perfect, fayth wyfe men) And alfo bycaufe yf I
haue fayed a miffe, I am content that any man amende
it, or yf I haue fayd to lytle, any man that wyl to adde
what hym pleafeth to it.

My minde is, in profitynge and pleafynge euery man,
to hurte or difpleafe no man, intendyng none other
purpofe, but that youthe myght be flyrred to labour,
honeft paftyme, and vertue, and as much as laye in me,
plucked from ydlenes, vnthriftie games, and vice:
whyche thing I haue laboured onlye in this booke,
fhewynge howe fit fhootyng is for all kyndes of men,
howe honeft a paflyme for the mynde, howe holfome
an exercife for the bodye, not vile for great men to vfe,
not cofllye for poore men to fufleyne, not lurking in
holes and corners for ill men at theyr pleafure, to mifvfe
it, but abiding in the open fight and face of the worlde,
for good men if it fault by theyr wifdome to correct it.

And here I woulde defire all gentlemen and yomen,
to vfe this paftime in fuche a mean, that the outragious-
nes of great gamyng, fhuld not hurte the honeflie of
fhotyng, which of his owne nature is alwayes ioyned with
honeftie: yet for mennes faultes oftentymes blamed
vvnworthely, as all good thynges haue ben, and euer-
more fhall be.