The bracer gives the least scope to my discourse, because it is an instrument of no potent validity, yet such an one as may not be omitted, therefore you shall understand, that the bracer serves for two purposes, the one to save the arm from the stripe of the string, and his doublet from wearing; and the other, that the string gliding sharply and quickly of the bracer may make the sharper shot, for if the string should light upon the bare sleeve, the strength of the shot would stop and die there; yet it is the best in my judgement, to give the bow so much bent, that the string need never come near or touch the mans arm, and so should a man need no bracer, as I know many good archers wich seldom or never use them, but it is not a rule for general imitation; because every mans apparel is not of one fashion, nor every one that fullness of judgement, that those which are continually and daily exercised in the same have.

In a bracer, a man must take heed of three things. First, that it have no nails in it, then that it have no buckles, and lastly, that the laces wherewith it is fastened be without tag or aglets; for the nails will shear the string in sunder before a man be aware, and so put his bow into hazard, and the buckles, tags or aglets, will (when a man least suspects it) raze and scratch his bow, a thing both uncomely to behold, and dangerous for the weapon.

The bracers are made for the most part of Spanish leather, the smooth side outward, and they be the best, sometimes of Spanish leather and the flesh side outward, and they are both good and tolerable, and others are made of hard, stiff but smooth bend leather, and they be the worst and most dangerous, and thus much is spoken of the bracer.