Quote:
Originally Posted by The Colonel
"German cities also had their own official, full-time crossbow-maker whose job was to produce a certain number of weapons each year. Conditions of employment varied, but the Hanseatic city of Hamburg can be taken as an example. There, from the start of the 14th century, the city’s own balistarius, balistifex, or armborstmakere had to produce four weapons a year, being paid extra for any additional bows he could make."
Osprey MAA494 (as above)
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From that, I suspect the four crossbows cover his license. With that, he is entitled to the basic privileges of being an officially recognized balistarius (prestige? favored position in contract bidding? some level of monopoly?)