"If thou refusest my fair proffer," said the prince,"the provost of the lists shall cut thy bow-string, break thy bow and arrows,and expel thee from the presence as a faint-hearted craven.""This is no fair chance you put on me, proud prince," said the yeoman,"to compel me to peril myself against the best arches of Leicester and Staffordshire, under the penalty of infamy if they should over-shoot me.Nevertheless, I will obey your pleasure."A target was placed at the upper end of the southern avenue which led to the lists.The contending archers took their station in turn at the bottom of the southern access;the distance between that station and the mark allowing full scope for what was called a shot at rovers.The archers, having previously determined by lot their order of precedence, were to shoot each three shafts in succession.The sports were regulated by an officer of inferior rank, termed the Provost of the Games;for the high rank of the marshals of the lists would have been held degraded had they condescended to superintend the sports of the yeomanry.
