he expert use of it, he chants
forth his _Mournful Elegy_, The _Bow of _Jonathan_ returned not empty,
from the Blood of the slain_, &c. Nay further so useful (no doubt) he
thought the Knowledge of the Bow was, and of so necessary a Consequence
for a Defensive as well as Offensive Armes, that it is observable he
issued out a particular Edict or Proclamation, commanding the _general
Learning its use throughout_ Judah. And the Use of it continued and
still does in the East, as the only Weapon they are skilled in.

Dr. _Heylin_ in his Cosmographical Description of the World, tells us,
That the _Czeremissi_, a People living in great Forrests, without
Houses, feeding on Honey & the Flesh of Wild Beasts & Clothed with their
Skins, under the Empire of the _Czar_ of _Russia_, are such excellent
Archers, and so light of Foot, that they carry their Bows continually in
their hands, and practise their Children so timely in it, that (after
such an age) till they can hit a _White_ that is set before them, they
give them nothing to eat.

Further; it is recorded of the _Parthians_ (and indeed all the
_Persians_ too) that their greatest Fame consisted in their skilful
handling their _Bows_ and _Arrows_, & were deservedly reckon'd the best
Archers in the World, having the Art of _Shooting backwards_, and making
their _Retreat_ and _Flight_ more pernicious and terrible, than their
_Charge_ and _Onset_. So that when _Marcus Crassus_ in his expedition
against them, was told by an _Astrologer_, that having found an ill
Aspect in _Scorpio_, he presaged his Enterprize would prove
unsuccesseful, _Tush Man_ (quoth he) _I fear not Scorpio, but
Sagittarius_.

And to descend to our own Countrymen the English, the frequent Victories
they obtained over the _French_ formerly, rendred them as famous and
able Bow-men (next the _Parthians_) as were in the World.

But since the Ingenious _Franciscan_ Fryer (_Bertholdus Swart_) appeared
in _Germany_, his _Sulphureous_ Brain has quite (or almost) _blown_ up
the Reputation of the Bow, and all other Ancient Devices and Engines of
War, by his _Accidental Invention_ of that Fatal Instrument the _Gun_,
which he first communicated to the _Venetians_, _Anno 1330_. Who gave by
these (then so called) _Bombards_, a notable discomfiture to the
_Genoys_; and was next made use of by the Inhabitants of the _Baltick
Sea_; And at the Siege of _Callice_ _Anno 1347._ used by the _English_;
who taught it the _Mounsieur Fre