Page "English longbow" Paragraph 37

Although longbows were much faster and more accurate than the black powder weapons which replaced them, longbowmen always took a long time to train because of the years of practice necessary before a war longbow could be used effectively ( examples of longbows from the Mary Rose typically had draws greater than ).

In an era in which warfare was usually seasonal, and non-noble soldiers spent part of the year working at farms, the year-round training required for the effective use of the longbow was a challenge.

A standing army was an expensive proposition to a medieval ruler.

Mainland European armies seldom trained a significant longbow corps.

Due to their specialized training, English longbowmen were sought as mercenaries in other European countries, most notably in the Italian city-states and in Spain.