36 ROGER ASCHAM
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t be a good bowe. For a good bow twise paide for is betterthan an ill bowe once broken. Thus a shooter muste begyn not at the makynge of hysbowe lyke a bower, but at the byinge of hys bow lyke anArchere. And when his bow is bought and brought home,afore he truste muche upon it, let hym trye and trym it afterthys sorte. Take your bow in to the feeld, shote in hjrm, sinke hymwyth deade heavye shaf tes, looke where he commethe moost,provyde for that place betymes, leste it pinche and so f reate ;when you have thus shot in him, and perceyved good shoot-ynge woode in hym, you must have hym agayne to a goodcunnynge, and trustie woorkeman, whyche shall cut hymshorter, and pike hym and dresse h)rm fytter, make h)rmcomme rounde compace every where, and whippyng at theendes, but with discretion, lest he whyp in sunder or elsf reete, soner than he is ware of, he must also lay hym streght,if he be caste or otherwise nede require, and if he be flattemade, gather hym rounde, and so shall he bothe shoote thefaster, for farre shootynge, and also the surer for nerepryckjmge. Phi. What yf I come into a shoppe, and spye oute a bow,which shal both than please me very wel whan I by him,and be also very fit and meete for me whan I shoote inhym : so that he be both weake ynoughe for easye shoot-ynge, and also quycke and spedye jmoughe for farre cast-ynge, than I woulde thynke I shall nede no more businessewyth him, but be contente wyth hjrm, and use hym wellynoughe, and so by that meanes, avoyde bothe greate trou-ble, and also some cost whiche you cunnynge archers veryoften put your selves unto, beyngeverye Englyshe men,never ceasynge piddelynge about your bowe and shafteswhan they be well, but eyther with shortyng and pikyngeyour bowes, or els with newe f etheryng, peecj'nge and head-inge your shaftes, can never have done untyll they be starkenought. Tox. Wel Phtlologe, surelye if I have any judgement at allin shootyng, it is no very great good token in a bowe, where-of nothyng whan it is newe and f resshe, nede be cutte away,even as Cicero sayeth of a yonge mannes wit and style,
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