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Post by Daniel Silk on Dec 6, 2010 13:50:56 GMT
"Somerset Record Society" Vol 20 archive.org By order of the 26th March, 1569, the sheriff was to examine, search, and try the various questions here before noticed as to men and armour "so that all and every, being viewed, arrayed, and prepared, may be ready always to serve"; and he was to make a return byu the 1st July 1569, of the names of all the horsemen, footmen, archers and arquebusiers in his county...... Somerset. The Certifficate of the musters taken by Hugh Paulet, Maruice Barkeley, Raffe Hopton, knightes, and John Horner, Esquier, of all the able men as well horsmen as fote men withe theire armour and weapons as also of the parkes for the bread of mares and horses within the saide county of Somerset, by vertue of the Quenes Maiesties commission unto them and others directed in the eleventh yere of the Raigne of oure Soveraigne Lady Elizabeth, by the grace of God of Englande France and Irelande Quene Deffendoure of the faythe, etc.
[Ablemen were sorted by Pikemen, Archers, Billmen, Gunners]
Hundred of Brewton [Bruton] Tithing of Brewton Ablemen. Richd. Selke ... billman.
Hundred of Kaynesham. [Keynsham] Tithing of Publowe. [Publow] Ablemen. Jno. Sylke ... billman.
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Post by Daniel Silk on Dec 6, 2010 20:47:29 GMT
What's a Billman? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_(weapon)Bill (weapon) Derived originally from the agricultural billhook, the bill consisted of a hooked chopping blade with several pointed projections mounted on a staff. The end of the cutting blade curves forward to form a hook, which is the bill's distinguishing characteristic. In addition, the blade almost universally had one pronounced spike straight off the top like a spear head, and also a hook or spike mounted on the 'reverse' side of the blade. There were many types of bill. English bills tended to be relatively short, with broad chopping heads, while Italian bills (ronche) often had very long thrusting points. The English distinguished between several varieties of bill, including the black, brown, and forest bills, but the differences between them are currently not fully understood.
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