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Home > Books > The Art of Archerie > Chapter XVIII
Chapter XVIII
Of the fifth posture: which is Loosing.

Loosing, is one of the nature of holding, and asks as speedy a motion; for it must be so quick and hard, that no gird may be perceived; and again, so soft and gentle, that the shaft fly not as if it were sent out of a bow case. The mean between both these (which is perfect loosing) is not so hard to be followed in shooting, as it is hard to be described in teaching: if you will shoot fair, in loosing you must take heed of hitting or touching any thing about you; which caused Leo the Emperor, to command all his archers in war, to have their heads powled, and their beards shaven, least the hair of their head should hinder the sight of the eye, or the hair of their beards stop the course of the string; a world of other precepts there be, but these I hold sufficient for fair shooting.