[Archers] Hugh Soar's CROOKED STICK

[Doug Munitz]

Just a quick thought here, but by saying "left-handed archers where  
not tolerated"  would
that be in a military firing line situation?  I am thinking what it  
would be like to be
the left handed archer in the middle of a 25 man line.  I am thinking  
it would have to
do with the way an arrow would be drawn/nocked plus the need for  
military "precision"
in movements.  I feel that people most likely DID shoot left hand.   
but probably on
an individual basis.

Sven




On Jan 8, 2012, at 11:55 AM, Kent Baldwin wrote:

> I have a copy of THE CROOKED STICK, and found it to be a good source  
> of
> information on Medieval archery as well. I don't recall reading in  
> it that
> he said that "left-handed archers were not tolerated", but if you  
> say so,
> I'm sure it's in there somewhere.  I find it interesting that he  
> would say
> this, considering the fact that there are numerous period paintings  
> showing
> archers shooting both left & right handed in battle, including a  
> couple in
> THE CROOKED STICK itself. (Check out the illustrations on Pages 73 &  
> 83.)  I
> have seen at least a half dozen other examples in several other  
> books as
> well.  While it doesn't definitively prove that the archers were  
> naturally
> left handed, it shows that some archers shot that way, which would
> contradict the logic of Soar's statements. FYI, illustrations on  
> Pages 15,
> 31 & 33 show a single archer apparently shooting left-handed, but I  
> usually
> discount ones like this, because it is possible that the original  
> artwork
> was printed backwards in the book.
>
> Being a left handed archer myself, I tend to notice these things.
>
> Tnek
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: archers-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
> [mailto:archers-bounces at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org] On Behalf Of  
> Garth Groff
> Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 9:08 AM
> To: archers at seahorse.atlantia.sca.org
> Subject: [Archers] Hugh Soar's CROOKED STICK
>
> Noble friends of the bow,
>
> Just before Christmas I stumbled on a gently used copy of Hugh Soar's
> THE CROOKED STOCK (Westholm, 2005 & 2009). This is an archery book of
> which I had never heard, though I have two other works by Soar (I  
> ought
> to have read the blurbs on their dust jackets). Anyway, I snatched  
> it up
> for just $20.
>
> This is really a great book. It is not particularly long or deep, but
> Soar explores a number of medieval archery topics that are not well
> covered in other works (including his own two books on the warbow).  
> For
> example, he devotes a few pages in one chapter on medieval children's
> archery, and shows us a youngster's finger tab (which looks  
> surprisingly
> modern). He also notes several times that left-handed archers
> ("sinistrals") were not tolerated, and if they couldn't adapt would  
> not
> be allowed in retinues. The book continues discussing the changing
> post-medieval fortunes of archery in general, and the longbow in
> particular, almost up to the present. There are many photos of  
> beautiful
> 18th and 19th century sport longbows in the author's own collection,
> usually with detailed descriptions. He also covers the brief craze for
> steel bows. Soar even shows us one longbow which belong to the fabled
> Olympic archer and soldier "Mad Jack" Churchill (he's in Wikipedia),  
> who
> potted a German soldier with a hunting arrow during the retreat to
> Dunkirk (though Soar doesn't say this is THE infamous bow). The  
> appendix
> also discusses such side issues as the history of bracers and quivers.
>
> Altogether, I think this book is a very valuable work, and fills in  
> some
> important gaps in the history of English archery. I urge you all to  
> read
> it sometime, even the modern sections. It should be easily available
> through interlibrary loan.
>
> Yours Aye,
>
>
> Lord Mungo Napier, Shire of Isenfir TA Marshal
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