Roger Ascham Toxophilus 1545

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corne, as for example, yf a man fhoulde go to the
myll or market with corne, and happen to fpyl fomem
the waye, yet it wolde take roote and gro\ve, bycaufe
ye foyle is fo good : fo England may be thought very
frutefull and apt to brynge oute Ihooters, where
children euen from the cradell, loue it: and yong
men without any teachyng fo diligcntlye vfe it.
Agayne, lykewyfe as a good grounde, well tylled, and
well hufbanded, bringeth out great plentie of byg
eared come, and good to the faule : fo if the youthe
of Englande being apte of it felfe to mote, were taught
and learned how to mote, the Archers of England
ihuld not be only a great deale ranker, and mo then
they be: but alfo a good deale bygger and flronger
Archers then they be. This commoditie Ihoulde
folowe alfo yf the youth of Englande were taught to
mote, that euen as plowing of a good grounde for
wheate, doth not onely make it mete for the feede,
but alfo riueth and plucketh vp by the rootes, all
thirties, brambles and weedes, whiche growe of theyr
owne accorde, to the deftrudtion of bothe corne and
grounde: Euen fo fhulde the teaching of youth to
mote, not only make them fhote well, but alfo
plucke awaye by the rootes all other defyre to
noughtye paftymes, as difynge, cardyng, and booul-
ing, which without any teaching are vfed euery
where, to the great harme of all youth of this realme.
And lykewife as burnyng of thiftles and diligent
weding them oute of the corne, doth not halfe
fo moche ryd them, as when ye ground is falloed and
tilled for good grayne, as I haue hearde many a good
hufbandman fay: euen fo, neither hote punimment,
nor yet diligent fearching oute of fuche vnthriftineffe
by the officers, fhal fo throwly wede thefe vngracious
games out of-the realme, as occupying and bringyng
vp youth in ihotynge, and other honeft paflyme.
Thirdly, as a grounde which is apt for corne and alfo
wel tilled for corne: yet if a man let it lye flil and do
not occupye it. iii. or. iiii. yeare: but then wyll fow it,