Postby Trent Sharp » Sun May 02, 2004 6:05 pm
Here, is a passage from The Archer's Guide by an Old Toxophilite. It gives an example of an ambush with longbows, which it gives a few others, and was an aspect not reached in the article (as good as it was.) In the poem of Chaucer it tells us of the Archers use of sword and buckler, Which is interesting for us practicing Swordsmanship as well.
It appears, also, that in this reign, (anno 1377,) the French landed at the Isle of Wight, and having taken and destroyed the town of "Franche-Ville," directed their march for Carisbrooke castle. The English, alarmed at the invasion, took the measures necessary for their defence, and arranged their forces, which consisted principally of archers, in the best order. The archers were placed in ambush, and one division of the French army having fallen into the snare that was laid for them, became a prey to the deadly effect of their shafts, and being hemmed is a narrow road, are reported to have been all killed or wounded in the encounter. The other division of the French forces had commenced an attack upon Carisbrooke Castle, but the archers having advanced to its relief, soon cleared the island of its intruders.
In the poems of Chaucer, also, we have the following curious account of an archer of that day:
"And he was clade in cote and hode of grene;
A sheaf of peacocke arrowes bright and keen,
Under his belt he bare full thriftily:
Well coude he dresse his takel yewmanly:
His arowes drouped not with fethers lowe,
And in his hande he bare a mighty bowe;
A not hed hadde he; with a browne visage
Of woodcraft coude he well all the usage.
Upon his arms he had a gaie bracer,
And by his side a sword and a bokeler;
And on the other side he had a gaie daggere,
Harneised wel, and sharp as point of spere;
A cristofre on his breast of silver shelle,
A horn he bare, the baudrek was of grene."
"Cattle die kinsmen die all men are mortal."
