Roger Ascham Toxophilus 1545

88

of England flew kyng latnie with many a noble Scot
euen brant agenft Flodon hil, in which battel ye floute
archers of Chelhire and Lanchafihire for one day be-
flowed to ye death for their prince and country fake,
hath gotten immoitall name and prayfe for euer.

The feare onely of Englyfh Archers hathe done
more wonderfull thinges than euer I redde in anye
hiflorye greke or latin, and moofl wonderfull of all now
of late befide Carlile betwixt Efke and Leuen at Sandy
fikes, where the hoole nobilite of Scotlande for fere of
the Archers of Englonde (next the ftroke of God) as
both Englyfh men and Scotyfhe men that were prefent
hath toulde me were drowened and taken prifoners.

Nor that noble acte alfo, whyche althoughe it be
almoft loft by tyme, commeth not behynd in worthi-
neffe, whiche my fynguler good frende and Matter Sir
William Walgraue and Sir George Somerfet dyd with
with a few Archers to ye number as it is fayd of. xvi.
at the Turne pike befyde Hammes where they turned
with fo fewe Archers, fo many Frenchemen to flight,
and turned fo many oute of theyr lackes, whych turne
turned all fraunce to mame and reproche and thofe. ii.
noble knightes to perpetuall prayfe and fame.

And thus you fe Philologe, in al countries Afla,
Aphrike and Europe, in Inde, Aethiop, Aegypt and
lurie, Parthia, Perfia, Greece, and Italic, Schythia,
Turky, and Englande, from the begyrminge of the
world euen to thys daye, that Ihotynge hath had the
cheife flroke in warre.

:J$J}i, Thefe examples furelye apte for the IT

prayfe of Ihotynge, nor feyned by poetes,
but proued by trewe hiflories, diilinct by tyme and
order, hath delyted me excedyng muche, but yet me
thynke that all thys prayfe belongeth to ftronge fhoot-
ynge and drawynge of myghtye bowes not to prickyng
and nere fhotinge, for which caufe you and many other
bothe loue and vfe fhootyng.

&0x. Euer more Philologe you wyl haue some
ouertwhart reafon to drawe forthe more communica-