A link to last week's story can be found HERE.

This week I have been most studious in mastering an Ancient art.

Did you realise that Henry VIII decreed that all able bodied males under 60 should learn how to use a longbow?

No? Well, I can confirm that it's true. Way back in the 1500's—and by that I mean the 1500's years and not at around three pm and afternoon tea time—England was getting into a lot of arguments with France and Spain, and generally anyone we didn't like which seemed to be most of Europe. So, given the success of our archers, it was decided that it would be a great training activity. Only the clergy and the judges were exempt from the law, and of course the womenfolk too.

Anyways, Henry passed this law, and apparently, it meant you could get out of doing your homework, and housework duties by archery practice. Sadly these days the only archery folks seem to do is using a computer to design buildings.

Still, having learnt of this much needed and little-used activity I decided to pass a decree that all those fit and able staff in the palace should partake of this practice. The only exception will be if they get a note from me or Mrs H.

Now if you are wondering what use such a skill might be these days, just think of all the stuff you could get deliver faster by an arrow, the newspaper for one, and the post for another. Not to mention all the litter one could stop from blowing around the place.

Now I can hear a lot of folk saying that this would all be too risky. Well apparently there was a historic answer to that too, and if you killed or maimed someone, you were let off so long as you were practicing your bowmanship at the time!

And here for your toxophilite-delight is this weeks selfie of me practicing. . . .