Roger Ascham Toxophilus 1545

89

tion wlthall, but neuertheleffe you {hall perceaue ii
you wyl, that vfe of prickyng, and defyre of nere
fhootynge at home, are the onelye caufes of fLronge
fhootyng in warre, and why? for you fe, that the
ftrongefl men, do not drawe alwayes the flrongeft
fhoote, whiche thyng prouethe that drawinge ftronge,
liethe not fo muche in the flrength of man, as in the
vfe of fhotyng, And experience teacheth the fame in
other thynges, for you lhal fe a weake fmithe, whiche
wyl wyth a lipe and turnyng of his arme, take vp a
barre of yron, yat another man thrife as ftronge, can
not flirre. And a flronge man not vfed to fhote, hath
his armes brefte and moulders, and other partes where-
with he ihuld drawe flronglye, one hindering and flop-
pmge an other, euen as a dofen fLronge horfes not
vfed to the carte, lettes and troubles one another.
And fo the more flronge man not vfed to mote, ihootes
moofl vnhanfumlye, but yet if a ftrong man with vfe
of fhooting coulde applye all the partes of hys bodye
togyther to theyr moofl flrengthe, than mould he both
drawe flronger than other, and alfo fhoote better than
other. But no we a flronge man not vfed to fhoote, at
a girde, can heue vp and plucke in funder many a
good bowe, as wild horfes at a brunte doth race and
pluck in peces many a flronge carte. And thus
flronge men, without vfe, can do nothynge in fhoting
to any purpofe, neither in warre nor peace, but if they
happen to fhoote, yet they haue done within a fhoote
or two when a weake man that is vfed to fhoote, lhal
ferue for all tymes and purpofes, and fhall fhoote. x.
fhaftes, agaynft the others, hii. and drawe them vp to
the poynte, euerye tyme, and fhoote them to the mooile
aduauntage, drawyng and withdrawing his fhafte when
he lift, markynge at one man, yet let driuyng at an
other man : whyche thynges in a fet battayle, although
a man, fhal not alwayes vfe, yet in bickerynges, and at
ouerthwarte meatinges, when fewe archers be togyther,
they do moofle good of all.

Agayne he that is not vfed to fhoote? fhall euermore