Mediterranean release;
“We come now to consider a release which by documentary evidence has been in vogue among the northern Mediterranean nations for centuries and among the southern Mediterranean nations for tens of centuries. It is the oldest release of which we have any knowledge.
It is practiced to-day by all modern English, French, and American archers, and is the release practiced by European archers of the Middle Ages.
This release consists in drawing the string back with the tips of the first, second, and third fingers, the balls of the fingers clinging to the string, with the terminal joints of the fingers slightly flexed.
The arrow is lightly held between the first and second fingers, the thumb straight and inactive.
Since this release has been practiced by the Mediterranean nations from early historic times, it may with propriety be called the Mediterranean release. The following illustrates this form of release.
- Med Release.jpg (59.92 KiB) Viewed 4719 times
Roger Ascham, in his "Toxophilus," written in 1544, says: "A shootinge glove is chieflye for to save a man's fingers from hurtinge, that he may be able to beare the sharpe stringe to the uttermoste of his strengthe. And when a man shooteth, the might of his shoote lyeth on the foremost finger, and on the ringman; for the middle finger Which is longest, like a lubber, starteth back, and beareth no weight of the stringe in a manner at all; therefore the two fingers must have thicker leather, and that must have thickest of all whereon a man lowseth most, and for sure lowsinge the foremost finger is most apt, because it holdeth best, and for that purpose nature hath, as a man would say, yocked it with the thoumbe."
Hansard, in his "Book of Archery," states that the Flemings use the first and second fingers only, a method adopted by some English bowmen. This Fleming variety of the Mediterranean release, as we shall soon see, was probably the usual form in the Middle Ages. Among the many curious matters of interest concerning archery, which may be found in Hansard's book, is the description of a quaint black-letter volume which the author dug out in the Royal Library of Paris.
This volume was written at the close of the thirteenth or beginning of the fourteenth century. It is entitled "The Book of King Modus," and is a treatise on the use of the bow in hunting. Among other matters is a chapter of "Instructions in the Art of Archery;" and in regard to the release, it says that "you draw the arrow with three fingers, holding the nock between the forefinger and the next thereto."
Associated with this release is the necessity of placing the arrow on the left of the bow held vertically. This position is necessitated by the fact that as the string is pulled back the friction of the fingers which clutch the arrow tends to swing the arrow to the right; at the same time the friction of the fingers on the string causes the string to rotate somewhat to the right, and this tends to displace the arrow.
In a release of this nature, the arrow must be to the left of the bow vertical; and carved figures, manuscript drawings, and sculpture, in which the arrow is represented otherwise in connection with the Mediterranean release, must be incorrect.
This release is unquestionably an advance on the others thus far described, as it enables the drawing of a stiffer bow, and is exceedingly delicate and smooth at the instant of loosing the arrow.”
You can read about all the other styles of releases at the following link.
http://www.archerylibrary.com/books/mor ... tes01.html
Daryl.