Roger Ascham

Roger Ascham (1515-1568) was an English scholar, humanist and great fan of archery.

He published a number of works including The Scholemaster and Toxophilus: The Schole of Shooting which is the first English work on archery. Greatly praised by Henry VIII and earned Ascham a pension from the King for the latter work. He was at one stage tutor to Edward and at another, Elizabeth.

Upon his death Queen Elizabeth is reported to have said that she would rather cast ten thousand pounds into the sea than be parted from her Ascham.

Toxophilus

As this work is the earliest available on English archery much of the information regarding longbows is drawn from this work.