“Your point is well taken – I think I was wondering what happened (as it must have done) when you lost your bracer on campaign. But thanks anyway!” To answer that I would suggest that no archer would shoot a war bow without some protection and would improvise a bracer from scrap leather or even padding and canvas. Normally an archer on war service would wear his bracer all the time. In my re-enactment role I often wear a hardened leather bracer on both arms as they double as a armmbrace for sword 7 bucker fighting. Oh: if you should ever want to do 1066 & the Norman Conquest, I produce a CD-ROM of papers and primary sources on the subject. I would be happy to send you a copy gratis as a thank-you for the pleasure I have had in reading your books.
Geoff Boxell