[26] “In this relation,” Mr. Walker observes, “the Doctor not only evinces his credulity, but displays his ignorance of archery; for the ingenious and learned Mr. Barrington, than whom no man can be better informed on the subject, thinks that eleven score and seven yards is the utmost extent that an arrow can be shot from a long bow” (Archæologia, vol. viii.) According to tradition, he adds, Little John shot an arrow from the Old-bridge, Dublin, to the present site of St. Michael’s church, a distance not exceeding, he believes, that mentioned by Mr. Barrington (Historical Essay on the Dress of the Ancient and Modern Irish, p. 129). What Mr. Barrington “thinks” may be true enough, perhaps, of the Toxophilite Society and other modern archers; but people should not talk of Robin Hood who never shot in his bow. The above ingenious writer’s censure of Dr. Hanmer’s credulity and ignorance, seems to be misapplied, since he cannot be supposed to believe what he holds not for truth, and actually leaves among the lyes of the land. See also the old song, printed in the Appendix, No. 3. Drayton, who wrote before archery had fallen into complete disuse, says— “At marks full forty score they us’d to prick and rove.” That Mr. Barrington, indeed, was very ill informed on the subject is evident from a most scarce book in the editor’s possession, intitled “Aime for the archers of St. George’s fields, containing the names of all the marks in the same fields, with their true distances according to the dimensuration of the line. Formerly gathered by Richard Hannis, and now corrected by Thomas Bick and others. London, Printed by N. Howell for Robert Minehard and Benjamin Brownsmith, and are to be sold at the sign of the man in the moon in Blackman street, 1664,” 16mo, where the distance from _Alpha_ to _Bick’s memorial_ is 18 score 16 yards; and 11 score 7 yards (though there are inferior numbers, the lowest being 9, 12) appears to be a very moderate shot indeed. Two of these marks are _Robin Hood_ and _Little John_. See also Shakespeare’s _Second Part of K. Henry IV._, act iii. scene 2, where it is said that _Old Double_ “would have clapp’d i’ the clout at _twelve score_; and carry’d you a forehand shaft a _fourteen_ and _fourteen and a half_;” and the notes upon the passage in Steevens’s edition, 1793. It is probable, after all, that the word _forty_ in Drayton is an error, of the transcriber or pressman, for _fourteen_. Whatever Robin Hood’s father might do, there can be no question that the author of the old ballad in which he is mentioned (part ii. song 1) has “shot in a lusty strong bow” when he speaks of “Two north-country miles and an inch at a shot.” [27] Warner’s Albion’s England, 1602, p. 132. It is part of the hermit’s speech to the Earl of Lancaster.