When the English, under Henry V invaded and took France, the French were very afraid of the famed English Longbowmen.
Today's modern composit bows used for Bear Hunting are about a 90-pound pull --- it takes 90 pounds of pressure to pull the string back. An English longbow had a 150 pound draw. When fired horizontally, an English arrow would easily go through 3-4 of the enemy before lodging in the 4th -5th one. The had incredible range as well.
Anyway, before the battle of Agincourt where Henry and his 500 soldiers faced 30,000 French -- Over 1,000 were knights -- the French considered that it would be an easy victory.
They issued a warning to the English that any English archers taken captive would have their middle (plucking finger) cut off so that that they could never fire a bow again.
The taughted the English before the battle by holding up their middle fingers and shouting "Pluck You" --- in somewhat broken English and with middle century French, it came out a little different.
FYI: It was made famous primarily because in the taverns of England, it was and still is a wonderful story. The English won that battle ...
500 English soldiers -- having marched and fought all the way across France, faced 30,000 of the enemy ---
24 English died.
10,000 Frenchmen died.
France was lost to England until Joan of Arc rallied the French against Henry V's son -- who was crowned as an infant and was only a teen ager.
So, it all goes back to the French Waving their Middle Finger and taunting "Pluck You" ... it stuck in English lore as a prime example of stupidity for the French did not expect what would happen to them on that day.
FYI: Do the math .... 500 soldiers each faced 60 in hand to hand combat --- and killed, on average -- 20 in one day.
Those were some pretty tough dudes.
Cheers to my British Freinds -- and a good natured "Pluck You" to the French.
