The story is total balls, sadly, but it's still amusing :-)

For a bit of historical context - nobility captured in battle (basically anyone in a suit of armour and on a horse) would have been kept for ransom and looked after very well (no removal of fingers!) and anyone else would have been slaughtered on sight. The archers would all have been yeomanry and in the latter category (no removal of fingers, or at least not then sent back without them...)