Under law in the 14c all able-bodied men were required to practise archery at least once a week, and also on Sundays and holidays; to use a *longbow required both strength and long practice. Bow staves had to be imported by merchants: four staves for every ton of goods imported, 10 for butts of Malmsey. However, although large numbers of bowmen were on foot, there were also many mounted archers, which gave them considerable flexibility, allowing quick movements on the battlefield. The use of mounted archers emerged in the 1330s, allowing them to fight on foot or horseback, as needed. The foot archer was worth 2d or 3d a day; during the *Hundred Years' War, fighting on horseback, an archer was worth 6d a day. The Latin form was Arcarius. [< Lat. arcus = bow] -
Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases. Christopher Coredon with Ann Williams.