Survival Arts

Toxophilus or the Schole or Partitions of Shooting, by Roger Ascham

I'd mentioned earlier that I'd seen "Conquest: Bow & Arrow" on the History Channel last night, but didn't mention that Peter Woodward had cited a work I've not yet read, "Toxophilus or the Schole or Partitions of Shooting", published original in 1545 by Roger Ascham, which Woodward described as the first European book on the practice of archery.

There are some interesting excerpts from Ascham's book quoted in the web-based survey of the art "Construction of the Medieval Arrow", e.g.:

The deep and long nock is good in war, for sure keeping in the string. It must be narrow enough to hold the string, not grip it too much, strong enough for the sudden blow of the string not to break the shaft, and smooth enough for it not to cut the string.

and:

In Crete and Italy they used to have their shafts of reed... But, because such shafts be neither easy for Englishmen to get, and, if they were gotten, scarce profitable for them to use, I will let them pass, and speak of shafts which Englishmen, at this day, most commonly approve and allow. . {which} may be of such diverse woods as: Brazil, Service-tree, Turkey wood, Alder, Fustic, Blackthorn, Sugar-chest, Beech, Hardbeam, Elder, Birch, Asp, Ash, Sallow, or Oak.

I've not yet acquired a copy for myself - anyone have one I can buy, or, better, have one to donate for review here? - but will eventually lay my hands on one.

Interestingly, Webster's dictionary of 1913 has "Ascham" listed as a noun.

Posted by Russell Whitaker at December 30, 2002 06:05 PM | TrackBack