The Armour Archive

Jehan de Pelham

I pray you succeed mightily and inspire others by your success to emulate it.

Jehan, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

I really do love horses, and I am quite comfortable around them. I just have too much on my plate to have the kind of two to three hour a day (and more!) relationship with a horse that I feel would be necessary for me to feel right about it. Plus, my wife is not a horse person and soldiers get deplo...

Jehan de Pelham

Unless something extraordinary happens, I, John, will not be owning any horses. Now, if I develop a relationship and can be involved with some horse people who have an extra animal, great, but I've said before and again that this hamstringing of my portrayal is just my cross to bear. I know that it'...

Jehan de Pelham

How do you isolate the head to the haft? Is it sturdy or fragile?

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

I absolutely HAVE thought about a one-bird mew. A Cooper's Hawk, probably, or whatever is most transportable and permissible in all states, because I'll be moving about some six more times in my career. Haven't linked up with anyone into falconry yet. I have the time for a bird, and it would be an e...

Jehan de Pelham

Chef's got my meaning exactly right. And of course he's right about the terms esquire and captain. I was thinking 25-50 Pounds income a year makes for an esquire, more or less, while 50 Pounds or more was a knight's fee--that's an overly simplistic definition based solely on one criteria, and there ...

Jehan de Pelham

I haven't added anything recently. The things that I am working on right now are finger gauntlets (NEED to send deposit, sorry John I am being crushed from three sides), and greaves+cuisses (castings with Historic Enterprises, delivery sometime in September?). These are BIG items, so I'm in a period...

Jehan de Pelham

I am pretty dang busy these days, but ordinarily I would be hip deep in here, discussing whys and wheretofores. I think I can sum up my comments as follows: 1. Focus is key. I chose a portrayal which was set in an era I like, and for which there is sufficient research to support a medium-high fideli...

Jehan de Pelham

Squire of Sir Basil, how do you find the reading?

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

This would be great!

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

Winterfell, yes, some wierd stuff, like matched 4' danish axes, or matched single maces and buckler, or matched poll axe--things that you don't see every day.

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

I'm trying to get the 14th century to catch hold in the US. : ) To me, the 15th century is a very dreary time, but of course when someone spends any amount of time in research they discover that both eras were dreadful, and require turning quite the blind eye. Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

Agreed. All of the crap has to be out of the way. Also, the ladies of the combatants must be afforded a special place to watch the deeds of arms from, preferably all together, but as they wish.

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

Alexander the Great began with an army of good ol' boys and ended with an army of champions who followed him to the edge of the world they know. In the record of his deeds, you will discover that he pitted his men against a foe who he knew he could beat, and the men believed that they were responsib...

Jehan de Pelham

Agreed. Plus, the mail. Few care to carry it. I appreciated seeing one such kit at Crown Tournament. It has always struck me as odd that the default protection in the Rules of the List is the armor least worn. From everything I have read, the 13th century was a chivalric paradise. I am curious to kn...

Jehan de Pelham

Your Excellency it was an honor to meet you.

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

My lord Sir Vitus, no I do not have a laptop. The Hampton Inn I stayed at had a business center with a computer. ------------------------- To my lord Sir Vitus von Atzinger, Knight of the Midrealm does Jehan de Pelham, his squire, send greetings and prayers for good time of day and the good manageme...

Jehan de Pelham

I think that I am not stretching things to say that everyone had a great time. A very good day of contending, and discussing things relevant to deeds of arms. Thanks to everyone in Roaring Wastes, and from other places, for making a man at arms from South Oaken welcome. The weather was perfect for d...

Jehan de Pelham

The reading will nourish your ability to act as a man at arms should, and you're welcome--no skin off my teeth to forward a slightly edited and typeset version of a free online text, glad to help. I do not know what era you are portraying--which is it? Froissart is most applicable to mid to late 14t...

Jehan de Pelham

Athestan, yes! The hurrying and rushing slays it! Be at your leisure good men at arms, and be not in haste to have it done with! Too oft have I looked upon people hurrying and scurrying and thought "Please take your time!" Also, I do not think anyone has done the idea that I posted above. I think if...

Jehan de Pelham

Read both of the new books today. Very easy reading, and very encouraging. God keep you my lord Vitus, knight of the Midrealm and vassal of the Dragon Throne.

Jehan de Pelham, your squire

Jehan de Pelham

Welded haubergeon...must have...no! must retain marriage... mail...

Gah!

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

Murdock: What Richard and Josh said...I'm sick to death of _HUGE_ shields ... including mine

Indeed! Now, the question that needs asking is: Is a 19" x 30" heater huge, or merely just larger than normal for the 14th century?

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

Anger is a mood, and moods, as we know, are for cattle and for loveplay. : )

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

Cailean, you and I have almost the same harness.

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

17 lb helm? Bwah! God keep you man, and keep your neck also! People who pad their helms too lightly are mad. People who insist on striking in such a manner as to require 12 Guage helms are costly to do deeds of arms with. I did notice my first dent on my Anshelm bascinet two weeks ago, a nice temple...

Jehan de Pelham

It's easy to see. All one has to do is look at the calibre and sheer numbers of loiterers who hang about his tent at Estrella. : )

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

How by the fang of Gustav did they manage without securing the klappvisor down? Mine flops open if I look even a little down.

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

I personally found no advice helpful, because I had a devil of a time visualizing it. I just had to DO it, and then all was revealed.

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

Steve, I hesitate to say this, but your aventail attachments seem awkward...what do you think?

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

Your excellency, I THINK you need to make triangles of mail which attach to your leather or the verveilles along a tall straight edge. Do not curve the mail of the aventail up the verveille line--only suffering and folly lies down this path. Keep your mail orientation up and down. What I did was thi...

Jehan de Pelham

Books are very worthy. I have in the past and will in the future pay great sums for books.

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

I will always give worship to excellence of execution, and assume good will of all involved.

Jehan de Pelham, squire of Sir Vitus

Jehan de Pelham

I am enjoying greteswerd these days. It is a very strenuous way of hazarding one's body which spares the man at arms very little. I should say that matched poll axes would be similarly pleasant, and I am told and have seen that six-foot spears make for a very excellent contest. To contend in the anc...

Jehan de Pelham

Well, yet more information--my orginal understanding was correct then.

Jehan, squire of Sir Vitus

Midrealm Crown Tournament