Nice sticks, far to nice to shoot !

"I should note here, that the bows brought up on Henry VIII's flag ship, the Mary Rose, varied in weight from around 85 pounds, up to about 180 pounds. These weights were arrived at from carefully drying out many of the bows, then knocking, stringing and weighing them. Also, comparisons were made to today's bows, of the same stature and sizing. Of course many of the originals broke in this endeavour, however this range of draw weights was ascertained, regardless."

Really, I read that some where before & thought not, would they really take priceless artifacts & do that to them, I mean potentially breaking them ?

"I have read- couldn't say just where, now, that by the time a lad reached puberty - maybe 15 then? That he was expected to pull an 80 pound bow.
Henry VIII was much involved in archery and other sports, as was Elizabeth his daughter. Henry was so enamoured with archery as a weapon of war, he outlawed some the popular games of the period, one of which was 'Bandy Cock' and some others of equally odd names,, decreeing that any leisure time be spent at the (archery) butt's in practice. Also- there were range limitations, or rather than no one (other than women) shall shoot at a mark closer than 100yards."

Wow 100yards, 65yd is good for me, I saw a documentary on the bodies being identified by a CSI type team & they could tell the Archers from the rest of the crew from the shoulder wear & damage from a very early age !