DeeKnow’s Grotto

Cock sent out one of his classic broadcast emails tonight querying the origins of various family names, we'd talked before about our own names and I had researched the Stringer name a few years back finding that its roots were in the trade of stringing bows (as in bow-and-arrow).

The email got me started on a Net search which soon turned up some modern english translations of the following text by English scholar and writer Roger Ascham (c. 1515 - December 23, 1568)

A thing though it be lytle, yet not a litle to be regarded. But here in you muste be contente to put youre trust in honest stringers. And surely stringers ought more diligently to be looked upon by the officers than ether bower or fletcher, because they may decease a simple man the more easier.

And ill firinge brekethe many a good bowe, nor no other thynge halfe so many. In warre if a firing breke the man is loste and is no man, for his weapon is gone, and althoughe he have two stringes put one at once, yet he fliall haue small leasure and lesse roume to bend his bow, therfore god send us good stringers both for war' and peace.

Here Here Roger old boy !!! ... Here Here...  :-)  I had another poke around and found the following interesting entry from a collection of writings of Ascham's where he mentions a directive of Henry VIII's that...

under penalty on default of iad? per month — all subjects under 60,  not lame, decrepid, or maimed, or havmgany other lawful Impediment,  the Clergy Judges &c excepted : to use shooting in the long bow. Parents were to provide every boy from 7 to 17 years, with a bow and two arrows . after 17, he was to find himself a bow and four arrows.  Butts were to be provided in every town, Aliens were not to shoot with the long bow without licence.

They obviously had problems with Aliens even back then huh?

9:59:11 PM