The boke named the Gouernour, deuysed by syr Thomas Elyot knight

That shotinge in a longe bowe is principal of all other exercises. Cap. xxvii.

TUlli saith in his first boke of Officis, We be not to that intente broughte vp by nature, that we shulde seme to be made to playe and dysport, but rather to grauitie and studyes of more estymation. Wherfore it is writen of Alexander, empe∣roure of Rome for his grauitie called Se∣uerus, that in his chyldehode, and before he was taughte the letters of greeke or la∣tine, he neuer exercysed any other playe or game, but onely one, wherin was a sy∣mylitude

of Iustice: and therfore it was called in latine Ad Iudices, whiche is in en∣glyshe to the iuges. But the fourme ther∣of is not expressed by the saide auctour, nor none other that I haue yet red. Wherfore I wyll repaire againe to the residue of ho∣nest exercise.

¶ And for as moche as Galene in his se∣conde booke of the preseruation of helthe, declareth to be in them these qualities or dyuersyties, that is to saye, that somme be done with extendynge of myghte, and as it were vyolentely, and that is called valy∣aunte exercyse: Some with swyfte or ha∣sty motion, other with strengthe and cele∣rytie, and that maye be called vehemente: The partycular kyndes of euery of them, he describeth, whiche were to longe here to be rehersed

¶ But in as moche as he also saythe, that he that is of good astate in his body, ought to know the power and effect of euery ex∣ercyse: but he nedethe not to practise any other, but that whiche is moderate and meane betwene euery extremytie: I wyll now brefely declare, in what exercise nowe in custume amonge vs, maye be most found of that medyocritie, and maye be augmen∣ted or mynysshed, at the pleasure of hym that doth exercyse, without therby appay∣payrynge

any parte of dilectation or com∣moditie therof procedynge.

¶ And in mine oppinion none may be com∣pared with shootynge in the longe bowe, and that for sondrye vtylytyes that come therof, wherin it incomparably excelletly all other exercyse. For in drawynge of a bowe, easy and congruent to his strength, he that shooteth, doth moderately exercise his armes, and the other parte of his bo∣dy: and if his bowe be bygger, he muste adde to more strengthe, wherin is no lesse valiaunt exercise than in any other, wherof Galene writeth.

¶ In shootynge at buttes, or brode arowe markes, is a mediocritie of exercyse of the lower partes of the bodye and legges, by goinge a lyttel dystaunce a mesurable pase. At rouers or pryckes, it is at his pleasure that shoteth, howe faste or softly he lysteth to go: and yet is the prayse of the shooter, neyther more ne lesse, for as farre or nyghe the marke is his arowe, whanne he goeth softly, as whan he renneth.

¶ Tenyse, selledome vsed, and for a lyttell space, is a good exercise for yong men, but it is more violent than shotynge, by reason that two men do play. Wherfore neyther of them is at his owne libertie to measure the exercyse. For if the one stryke the balle

harde, the other that intendeth to receyue hym, is than constrayned to vse semblable vyolence, if he wyll retourne the bal from whens it came to hym. If it trille faste on the grounde, and he intendeth to stoppe, or if it rebounde a greatte dystaunce from hym, and he wolde eftesones returne it, he can not than kepe any measure in swyftnes of mocion.

¶ Some men wolde say, that in mediocri∣tie, whiche I haue soo moche praysed in shootynge, why shuld not bouling, claishe, pynnes, and koytynge, be as moche com∣mended? Ueryly as for two the laste, be to be vtterly abiected of all noble men, in lyke wyse foote balle, wherin is nothynge but beastely fury, and extreme violence, wher∣of procedeth hurte, and consequently ran∣cour and malice do remayn with them that be wounded. Wherfore it is to be put in per petuall sylence.

¶ In claysse is employed to littel strength, in boulynge often tymes to moche, wherby the sinewes be to moche strayned, and the veynes to moche chafed: wherof often ty∣mes is sene to ensue ache, or the decreas of strength or agilitie in the armes, where, in shoting, if the shoter vse the strength of his bowe within his owne tiller, he shall neuer be therwith grieued or made more feble.

¶ Also in shotyng is a double vtilitie, wher in it excellethe all other exercyses and ga∣mes incomparably. The one is that it is, and alway hath ben, the most excellent ar∣tillery for warres, wherby this realme of Englande hath ben nat only best defended from outwarde hostilitie, but also in other regions a fewe englyshe archers haue ben sene to preuayle agaynste people innume∣rable. Also wonne inpreignable cities and stronge holdes, and kept them in the mid∣des of the strength of their enemies. This is the feate, wherby englyshe men haue bē most dradde and had in estimation with out warde princis, as well ennemyes as alies. And the commoditie therof hath bene ap∣proued as far as Hierusalem, as it shall ap∣pere in the lyues of Rycharde the fyrst, & Edwarde the fyrste, kynges of Englande, who made seueral iourneis to recouer that holy citie of Hierusalem into the possession of christen men, and achieued them hono∣rably, the rather by the power of this feate of shootynge.

¶ The premisses cōsidered, O what cause of reproche shall the decay of archers be to vs nowe lyuyng? Ye what irrecuperable damage either to vs or them, in whose time nede of semblable defence shall happen? whyche decaye, though we alredy {per}ceiue,

feare, and lament, & for the restoryng ther∣of cesse not to make ordynaunces, good la∣wes and statutes: yet who effectually put∣teth his hande to contynuall execution of the same lawes and prouysyons? or behol∣dynge them dayly broken, wynketh nat at the offendours? But I shall hereof more speake in an nother place, and retourne nowe to the seconde vtilitie, founde in sho∣tynge in the longe bowe, whiche is kylling ofdere, wyld foule, and other game, wher∣in is bothe profyte and pleasure aboue any other artyllery.

¶ And verily I suppose, that before cros∣bowes and handgunnes were brought into this realme, by the sleight of our enemies, to thentent to distroy the noble defence of archery, contynuall vse of shotynge in the longe bowe made the feate so perfect and exacte amonge englishe men, that they thā as surely and soone kylled such game, whi∣che they lysted to haue, as they nowe can do with the crossebowe or gunne. But this suffyseth, for the declaration of shootyng, wherby it is sufficientely proued, that it in∣comparably excellethe all other exercyse, pastyme, or solace.

¶ And hereat I conclude to write of exer¦cyse, whiche apperteyneth as wel to prin∣cis and noble men, as to all other by theyr

example: whiche determyne to passe forth their lyues in vertue & honestie: And here∣after, with the assistence of god, vnto whō I render this myne account, for the talent that I haue of hym receyued, I purpose to wryte of the principal, and (as I mought say) the partycular studye and affayres of hym, that by the prouydence of God, is called to the mooste diffycult cure of a pu∣blyke weale.

Notes

• Exercise for preser∣uynge of helthe.
• The com∣mendation of shoting in a longe bowe.
• Tenyse.
• Decaye of Archers.