The Timber Hitch or Boyer's Knot.

Ok Folks here is a diagram of the timber hitch, also known as the boyer's knot.

In many cases flemish braid strings were braided with a loop at only one end, meaning that the top had a loop braided into the string and the other end was left loose. This loose end was to be tied onto the lower limb nock and left there permanently.

The knot most probably used was the boyer's knot. I am sure that other knots were used as well but I do not have the time or resources to track down evidence of them all.

It is simple to tie and as I discovered, simple to goof up if you don't pay attention. My first time trying this knot, the knot slipped and I was hot stripped by a waxed string coming up from below. It hurts, so don't make the same mistake I did.

Ok the basic knot is a loop, right? well the mistake lies in winding the tail around the wrong side of the loop. One way you are creating a loop knot that will hold under tension without slipping, the other way you are creating a slip knot that will slide under tension and eventually come loose (and probably under tension too).