1491: James IV of Scotland ordered that a wappenschaw take place four times a year, the first to be on midsummer. A wappenschaw is an inspection of men able to fight in a certain area, to show that they were properly armed. There were specific requirements for men of different stations:
āthat each gentleman who has Ā£10 worth of land or more is adequately furnished and armed with a basinet,Ā sallet,Ā metal hat, gorgetĀ or pisane,Ā whole leg harness, sword, spear and dagger; and gentlemen who have a small amount of land or [are] unlanded shall be armed as far as possible according to the view and discretion of the sheriffs... and honest yeomen with sufficient power who choose to be men of arms shall be sufficiently furnished according to the discretion of the said sheriffs or commissioners; and all other yeomen of the realm between sixteen and sixty [years of age] shall have sufficient bows and sheaves, sword, buckler, knife, spear or good axe instead of the bow...ā
Men who were not properly equipped were fined, with the amount of money increasing for each wappenschaw theyĀ āfailedā.
James IV clearly wanted his people to be ready for fighting. Why play games when you should be learning archery?
āAnd further, that football, golf or other similar unprofitable sports are not to be played anywhere in the realm, but for the common good and defence of the realm the practice of shooting bows and archery butts are therefore ordained in each parish, under the pain of 40s to be raised by the aforesaid sheriff and bailies from each parish each year where it is found that archery butts or shooting practice is not done as is said.ā
