[Archers] Hugh Soar's CROOKED STICK

[barysears]

My mother used to be left-handed but the nuns took care of that.  I can 
easily imagine a similar situation in medieval times.

barre

On 1/8/2012 1:05 PM, Doug Munitz wrote:
> 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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