This poem appears in The Avncient Order, Societie, and Vnitie Laudable, of Prince Arthure, and his Knightly Armory of the Round Table. With a Threefold Assertion frendly in fauour and furtherance of English Archery at this day, translated and editted by R. R., 1583. A Praise of the Bovve and Commendation of this Booke, written … Continue reading Thomas Churchyard- A Praise of the Bovve, 1583
Month: July 2015
John Bingham- The Tactiks of Aelian, 1616
P24-27 http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A05855.0001.001 Archers haue alwayes beene of speciall esteeme for the field, and preferred before the other kindes of light-armed. Many nations haue beene commended for theire skill in shooting. Emongest the Graecians the Cretans were (of ancient time) sole archers, as Pausanias witnesseth. Yet was not theire service aequall with the service of the … Continue reading John Bingham- The Tactiks of Aelian, 1616
William Somner- The antiquities of Canterbury, 1640
Somner chose to include the segment from John Bingham's book Aelian Tactiks where he discusses archery. The segment from John Bingham will get its own separate post. Somner's comments are interesting in themselves. P267 Here, as from a fit occasion, let us observe by the way the alteration of the times in point of martiall … Continue reading William Somner- The antiquities of Canterbury, 1640
Barnabe Rich- A right exelent and pleasaunt dialogue, 1574
I was surprised to find that this one was published in 1574. The arguments are extremely similar to those of Roger Williams, whose Discourses were not published until 1590. The argument takes place in the form of a dialogue between Mercury and an English soldier. Since speaker tags have been forgotten in some places I've … Continue reading Barnabe Rich- A right exelent and pleasaunt dialogue, 1574
Martino Martini – Bellum Tartaricum, 1654
Unlike Polofox, who I posted earlier, the Italian missionary Martino Martini, the author of this history of the Manchu conquest, had actually been to China. He has little to say on the types of arms used, only this: Pages 16-18 But the City [Leaotung] was defended by exceeding many men, who generally were all armed … Continue reading Martino Martini – Bellum Tartaricum, 1654
Juan de Palafox y Mendoza – The History of the Conquest of China by the Tartars
Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, Bishop of Puebla in Mexico, was privy to reports of the Manchu conquest of Ming China via the Phillipines. Though he had never been to China himself, Palafox used those reports to write a detailed history of the conquest. Throughout, the Manchu are referred to as Tartars. Pages 521-522 The … Continue reading Juan de Palafox y Mendoza – The History of the Conquest of China by the Tartars
Robert Barret – The Theorike and Practike of Moderne VVarres, 1598
Barret is another military writer critical of "inueterate conceirers of bowes and blacke billes". Barret asserts the superiority of the firearm over the bow, the corselet over the jack, and the pike over the bill (halberd). I have skipped over the sections dealing with the bill and jack. Pages 2-3 Gent. You haue touched many … Continue reading Robert Barret – The Theorike and Practike of Moderne VVarres, 1598
Raimond Fourquevaux – Instructions for the Warres
The translator of this discourse, Paule Ive, attributes the original French work to William de Bellay. Everyone else seems to attribute it to Raimond Fourquevaux. According to Wikipedia the original was published 1548. This translation dates 1589. Page 25-26 The Harquebusse hath bin inuented within these fewe yeares, and is verie good, so that it … Continue reading Raimond Fourquevaux – Instructions for the Warres
William Garrard – The Arte of VVarre
The Arte of VVarre, by William Garrad, d. 1587, published posthumously 1591. Page 2-3: He which seekes to attaine and attribute to himselfe the honourable name of a Souldier, must first employ his time in practice of those armes wherewith he means to serue, and so apply his time, that when any enterprise shall call … Continue reading William Garrard – The Arte of VVarre
The Commentaries of Messire Blaize de Montluc, Mareschal of France
Blaize de Montluc, 1500?-1577, a French soldier serving 50 or 60 years. He gives some accounts of battles which will embarrass English archers, and lend more credence to Humfrey Barwick and Roger William's opinions that the longbow was by that time obsolete. This battle takes place just a few days after the sinking of the … Continue reading The Commentaries of Messire Blaize de Montluc, Mareschal of France
Bow Vs. Musket 