tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745817778350624453.post2471024346088694303..comments2024-03-28T17:58:25.581+13:00Comments on The Flaxen Saxon Chronicles: Broken ArrowFlaxen Saxonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03431645401478120921noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745817778350624453.post-13235000181967767082019-05-21T13:26:16.901+12:002019-05-21T13:26:16.901+12:00Stirring stuff, Ted. Shakespeare's poetry is n...Stirring stuff, Ted. Shakespeare's poetry is nearly as good as mine.Flaxen Saxonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03431645401478120921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745817778350624453.post-2090185637591878882019-05-21T11:00:23.226+12:002019-05-21T11:00:23.226+12:00It really makes me wonder how our forebears, with ...It really makes me wonder how our forebears, with no technology, produced these bows in sufficient quantities, culminating in that wonderful October day in 1415 when our stout-hearted yeomen once again put those uppity frogs back in their place.<br /><br />Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;<br />Or close the wall up with our English dead.<br />In peace there's nothing so becomes a man<br />As modest stillness and humility:<br />But when the blast of war blows in our ears,<br />Then imitate the action of the tiger;<br />Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,<br />Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;<br />Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;<br />Let pry through the portage of the head<br />Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it<br />As fearfully as doth a galled rock<br />O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,<br />Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.<br />Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,<br />Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit<br />To his full height. On, on, you noblest English.<br />Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!<br />Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,<br />Have in these parts from morn till even fought<br />And sheathed their swords for lack of argument:<br />Dishonour not your mothers; now attest<br />That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.<br />Be copy now to men of grosser blood,<br />And teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman,<br />Whose limbs were made in England, show us here<br />The mettle of your pasture; let us swear<br />That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;<br />For there is none of you so mean and base,<br />That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.<br />I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,<br />Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:<br />Follow your spirit, and upon this charge<br />Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'Ted Treenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03392121240286596231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745817778350624453.post-21994027807611683092019-05-18T21:30:37.450+12:002019-05-18T21:30:37.450+12:00Yea Mr Doonhamer, bow making is harder than you fi...Yea Mr Doonhamer, bow making is harder than you first think. After all, a simple bow is basically a stick. But then you have to pick the right tree species and the grain has to be straight (good luck with that). And then there is the drying process. I make simple longbows but that doesn't mean they are simple to make. To be honest, the skill resides in the tillering process. This involves taking wood off both limbs in order that they bend in harmonious accord. Therein lies the skill. And this is a skill attained after much practise. I confess, I'm still a novice in this regard. Flaxen Saxonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03431645401478120921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745817778350624453.post-58903196689217693742019-05-18T18:08:21.863+12:002019-05-18T18:08:21.863+12:00After reading this I went web-searching on bow mak...After reading this I went web-searching on bow making. I found some really interesting sites.<br />But what they told me was that it is not simple or easy. So good luck with your bowyering. It will be good to follow your progress. Thanks.Doonhamernoreply@blogger.com