Of shooting.
Thephysicians seeme to commend shooting for the vse of health sufficiently, in that they makeApolloandÆsculapiusthe presidentes and protectors ofArcherie, which both be the greatest gods, and chiefest patrones of ther owne profession. And that it is a thing to be beloued, and liked, what argument is there that can be alleadged of comparable force to that ofCupidehimselfe, which in the matter of loue, doth bend with his bow, and enamour with his arrow? But in sadnes to say enough of this exercise in few wordes, which no wordes can praise enough for the commodities which it bringeth to the health of the body: as it hath bene vsed by diuers nations, in diuerse sortes, both on horsebacke and on foote, both for peace and warre, for healthfull exercise and pleasant pastime: so none either now doth vse it, or heretofore hath vsed it, more to health, and bettering of the body then our owne countrimen do. As if it were a thing somewhat naturall toIlandes, bycause they ofCreteandCyprusin olde stories, they of theIndianIlandes in new stories are noted also for neareShooting, strongDarting, and streightSlinging, whereof theBalear Ilandesseeme to take their name. Nay by all auncient monumentesShootingshould seeme to be both the eldest, and the vsuallest defence in fighting a farre of, which though it haue now, and tofore, haue hadgreat place in the fielde for warfare: yet hath it a great deale better place in our fields for wellfare: and therefore the more, because it consisteth both of the best exercises, and the best effectes of the best exercises. For he that shooteth in the free and open fields may chuse, whether betweene his markes he will runne or walke, daunce or leape, hallow or sing or do somewhat els, which belongeth to the other, either vehement or gentle exercises. And whereashuntingon foote is so much praised, what mouing of the body hath the footehunterin hilles and dales, which the rouingArcherhath not in varietie of growndes? Is his naturall heate more stirred then theArchersis? Is his appetite better then theArchersis though the prouerbe helpe the hungriehunter? Nay in both these theArcherhath the vantage. For both his howers be much better to eate, and all his mouing is more at his choice: because thehuntermust follow his game of necessitie, theArcherneede not but at his owne leasure. For his pastime will tarystil, till he come to it, the hunters game is glad to get from him. In fine what good is there in any particular exercise, either to helpe natural heat, or to cleare the body, or to prouoke appetite, or to fine the senses, or to strengthen the sinewes, or to better all partes, which is not altogither in this one exercise? Onely regard to vse it in a meane doth warrant thearcherfrom daunger to himselfe: and an eye to looke about, doth defende the passager from perill by him. I could here speake much, if it were not to much, to say euen so much in such a thing, being so faire a pastime, so pleasant to al people, so profitable to most, so familiar to our country, so euery where in eye, so knowne a defence, such a meane to offende, as there is no man but knoweth it to be a preseruatiue to health, and therefore well to be numbred among the trayning exercises. And chiefly as it is vsed in this Iland, wherein the rouing must nedes be the best and most healthful, both for varieties of motion in diuersities of soile, and by vsing allarchery, in exercising one kinde. For in rouing, you may vse either the butte, or the pricke by the way for your marke, as your pleasure shalbe. This exercise do I like best generally of any rownde stirring without the dores, vpon the causes before alleadged, which if I did not, that worthy man our late and learned countrieman maisterAskamwould be halfe angrie with me, though he were of a milde disposition, who both for trayning theArcherto his bow, and the scholler to his booke, hath shewed him selfe a cunningArcher, and a skilfull maister.
In the middest of so many earnest matters, I may be allowed to entermingle one, which hath a relice of mirth, for in praysing ofArcherie, as a principall exercise, to the preseruing of health, how can I but prayse them, who professe it throughly, and maintaine it nobly, the friendly and franke fellowship of princeArthursknightes in and about the citie ofLondon, which of late yeares haue so reuiued the exercise, so countenaunced the artificers, so enflamed emulation, as in themselues for friendly meting, in workemen for good gayning, in companies for earnest comparing, it is almost growne to an orderly discipline, to cherishe louing society, to enrich labouring pouertie, to maintaine honest actiuity, which their so encouraging the vnder trauellours, and so encreasing the healthfull traine, if I had sacred to silence, would not my good friend in the citie maisterHewgh Offly, and the same my noble fellow in that order SyrLauncelot, at our next meeting, haue giuen me a sowre nodde, being the chiefe furtherer of the fact, which I commend, and the famosest knight, of the fellowship, which I am of? Nay would not euen princeArthurhimselfe maisterThomas Smith, and the whole table, of those wel known knights, and most actiueArchershaue layd in their chaleng against their fellow knight, if speaking of their pastime, I should haue spared their names? whereunto I am easily led, bycause the exercise deseruing such praise, they that loue so praiseworthie a thing neither can of them selues, neither ought at my hand to be hudled vp in silence.