[Illustration]
Previous to introducing the communication of a much respected
correspondent, who has well described, by drawing and observation, a
Royal Archer of Scotland, we shall offer a few general remarks on the
subject of the above engraving, which relates to an amusement which we
are happy to find is patronized in many counties in England by
respectable classes of society at this day. No instrument of warfare is
more ancient than that of the bow and arrow, and the skill of the
English bowmen is celebrated. It seems, that in ancient times the
English had the advantage over enemies chiefly by their archers and
light-armed troops.
The _archers_ were armed with a long-bow, a sheaf of arrows, a sword,
and a small shield.
The _cross-bowmen_, as their name implies, were armed with the
cross-bow, and arrows called _quarrels_.
Even after the invention of guns, the English archers are spoken of as
excelling those of all other nations; and an ancient writer affirms that
an English arrow, with a little wax upon its point, would pass through
any ordinary corselet or cuirass. It is uncertain how far the archers
with the long-bow could send an arrow; but the cross-bowmen could shoot
their quarrels to the distance of forty rods, or the eighth part of a
mile. For a more general and extended notice of the history of archery,
however, we refer our readers to a recent volume,[2] and here we have
the correspondence alluded to a few lines above.
[2] MIRROR, Vol. viii., p. 324.