English longbowman – a soldier of fortune

Meet a cool medieval fellow – an Englishman, an archer, and a longbowman. Actually, a serious one – he is a veteran of Battle of Flodden. 

Remember the Battle of Flodden? You surely do! September 9, 1513. Troops of England and Scotland killing each other during Italian Wars. English army wins mostly thanks to longbowmen. Yep, same ones as our fellow. To be honest – this battle was the last one in British history where longbow was a principal weapon. That’s why it was so cool and significant.

English longbowmen’s glory rises from Battle of Sluys in 1340 and shines bright at Saint Crispin's Day, 1415, near Azincourt. 

Longbowmen were famous for their archery skill level developed by regular trainings and skill-sets passed down through generations. 

Numerous laws obligated archery practice on Sundays in dear old England. Besides, Henry VIII just liked longbows:

• 1511 – every man up to 60 had and used longbows. 
• 1513 – they truly showed that practice matters. 
• 1520 – King Henry VIII personally demonstrated his archery skills to King Francis I. 
• 1537 – Henry VIII formed a Guild and Fraternity of Saint George "for the better defence of the realm by the maintenance of the Science & Feate of Shooting". Interestingly, they weren't judged for murder if they killed anyone whilst practising with warning cry "Faste". Cry is still used nowadays, but law is not, note that.

Sadly, by the middle of the XVIth century, longbows weren't as deadly and longbowmen – as popular as before. But in the first third of the century, they were as cool as possible.

Our fellow wears simple clothes, already “not fashionable” at the beginning of the XVIth century. But why must this bother him at all, since in his homeland – Surrey County – everyone walks like that? 

This set includes:

• dandy leather jack 
• a cabasset on his head, it very well sits on archer’s head and protects shoulders from cavalrymen's blows from above  
• plate shoulders are the most expensive part of armor. He got them as a trophy from a fallen knight.  And since Europe didn’t know about quivers until 1513, he wears arrows behind his belt.

Altogether, it makes a pleasant and interesting image of a XVIth century soldier of fortune, surely will have success at any medieval-styled event: SCA, HEMA, Reenactment, Larp, Stage performances, Medieval festivals.

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