Longbow/Crossbow
Bows were important in the Renaissance time. They were used in hunting, warfare, and in tournaments. A longbow could be anywhere from 4ft to 6ft in length and very hard to draw, but they were very accurate and had a far range of shooting. They could fell the largest animal in the area, including humans. Although crossbows were not as accurate and as powerful as the longbow, it only took a week to be trained with a crossbow, while it took years to become an expert longbow man. Bows are still around today and are still important to many people.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longbow
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossbow
http://www.historicalweapons.com/otherweapons.html