us and them touching archery, stood in such
tearms as gave England great advantage: for I
have not heard of any bow-men at all amongst
them; whereas our Nation hath heretofore ex∣celled
all other, as well in number of bow-men,
as in excellent good shooting, and hath made
so good proof thereof against the French, as it
needeth not any long dispute.
Concerning Archery I finde these things
considerable.
First, that every man be so fitted with bow
and arrowes, as he may be apt for strong and
quick shooting: wherein I cannot so much
commend these livery bowes, being for the most
part heavy slugs, and of greater weight then
strength, and of more shew then service.
Secondly, that in a day of service the bow-men
endeavour so to deliver their quivers, that
the whole band or sleeve of shot may let go all
at one instant of time: for so the shower of arrows
will be more fierce and terrible, and more avail∣able
against an enemy.
Thirdly, the fittest form of imbattelling for
bow-men; which must not at any hand be
deep in slank, for so such as are in the hindmost
ranks, will either shoot short or to no purpose.
And therefore the fittest form of imbattelling for
Archery, hath ever been accounted a long-sided
square, resembling a hearse, broad in front, and
narrow in flank.
Fourthly, their defance in a day of battell;
which must either be a covert woody place,
where the horse of the enemy cannot come at
them, or a trench cast before them, or the place
must be fortified with galthrops and stakes, such
as were devised by Henry the fifth at Agin∣court
field, or some other means to avoid the
cavalry.
The last thing is the effects which the bow∣men
worke: which are two; first the galling of
the enemy, and secondly disorder. Touching the
galling of the enemie, there cannot be a better
description then that which Plutarch maketh of
the overthrow of the Romans by the Parthian
arrowes. The Roman souldiers hands (saith he)
were nailed to their targets, and their feet to the
ground, or otherwise were sore wounded in their
bodies, and died of a cruell lingring death, cry∣ing
out for anguish and pain they felt, and turn∣ing
& tormenting themselves upon the ground,
they brake the arrowes sticking in them. Again,
striving by force to pluck out the barbed heads,
that had pierced farre into their bodies through
their veins and sinews, they opened the wounds
wider, and so cast themselves away.
The disorder or routing of an enemy which
is caused by the bow-men, cometh from the
fearfull spectacle of a drift of arrowes: for a
shower of arrowes well delivered and well se∣conded,
for a while is so terrible to the eye, and
so dreadfull in the success, that it is almost un∣possible
to keep the enemy from routing.
The two great victories which our Nation
had in France at Cressie and Agincourt, next
to the valour of the English, are attributed to our
archery: and the effect of our archery at those
times, was first disorder, and consequently
slaughter. In the battell of Cressie the King of
Bohemia fighting for the French, caused his
horsemen to tie the bridles of their horses toge∣ther
in rank, that they might keep order, not∣withstanding
the galling which he feared from
our English archery: but it fell out as ill as if he
had tied their heads and their tails together in
file; for the drift of arrowes fell so terribly a∣mongst
them, that they ran together on heaps
with such confusion, as made the slaughter
great, and their particular destinies most mise∣rably
fortuned. At Agincourt the number of
prisoners which every souldier had, was admira∣ble
to speak of; for some report that many of our
English had ten prisoners apiece: which hapned
chiefly from the disorder which fell amongst the
French, and that disorder came by our archery.
And doubtless if ever we should have occasion
to go against an enemy that so aboundeth in
horse as the French do, there could be no better
means against such horse then our English bow-men.
I know it hath been said, that now the
times are altered, and the harquebuse and musket
are so generally received, and of such reputation
in the course of our modern wars, that in com∣parison
of them bow-men are not worth the
naming. Wherein I will not go about to ex∣tenuate
the use of either of these weapons, as
knowing them to be both very serviceable upon
fit and convenient occasions, nor take upon me
to determine which of them is most effectuall in a
day of service; but onely deliver my conceit
touching their effects, and leave it to the consi∣deration
of wise and discreet Commanders.
And first touching shot. A wing of muske∣tiers
is available against an enemy, onely in such
bullets as do hit; for such as do not hit, pass
away insensibly without any further fear, and
the crack is but as the lose of the bow. Of such
bullets as do hit, the greatest part do not strike
to death, but are oftentimes carried untill the
skirmish be ended before the party do feel him∣self
hurt: so that an enemy receiveth no further
hurt by a charge of shot, then happeneth to such
particular men as shall chance to be slain out∣right
or sore hurt. But a sleeve of Archers is
available against an enemy, as well in such
arrowes as do not hit, as in such as do hit: for
whereas the cloud of arrowes is subject to our
sight, and every arrow is both suspected and
able to bring death sitting on the head, an enemy
is as much troubled at such arrows as come fair
upon him and do not hit, as at those that do hit;
for no man is willing to expose his flesh to an
open and eminent danger, when it lieth in his