Document: 1322 Earl of March

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Ernst
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Document: 1322 Earl of March

Post by Ernst »

Source:
https://books.google.com/books?id=f_ZTA ... le&f=false

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Mor ... l_of_March
Roger de Mortimer, 3rd Baron Mortimer, 1st Earl of March (25 April 1287 – 29 November 1330), was an English nobleman and powerful Marcher lord who gained many estates in the Welsh Marches and Ireland following his advantageous marriage to the wealthy heiress Joan de Geneville, 2nd Baroness Geneville. In November 1316, he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London in 1322 for having led the Marcher lords in a revolt against King Edward II in what became known as the Despenser War. He later escaped to France, where he was joined by Edward's queen consort Isabella, whom he took as his mistress. After he and Isabella led a successful invasion and rebellion, Edward was subsequently deposed; Mortimer allegedly arranged his murder at Berkeley Castle. For three years, Mortimer was de facto ruler of England before being himself overthrown by Edward's eldest son, Edward III. Accused of assuming royal power and other crimes, Mortimer was executed by hanging at Tyburn.

1322 Inventory of Roger de Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, at Wigmore Castle (Ordered by Edward II)

Image

Idem respondet de iij. Springaus cum apparatu
The same responds of 3 springalds with apparatus.
iij. Springaus sine apparatu
3 springalds without apparatus.
xiiij Balistis de cornu ad viz, cum tribus costis de cornu sine talar'
14 crossbows of horn to wit, with 3 ribs of horn without tiller.
vij balistis de ligno ad viz, cum c. et xxx. quarellis, quorum lxx. pennate de pennis eneis, et lx. de pennis ligneis
7 crossbows of wood to wit, with 130 quarrels, of which 70 fletched with copper vanes, and 60 with wood vanes.
iij ingeniis pro balistis tendendis
3 engines for stretching ballistas.
xviij balistis de ligno ad unum pedem, et una costa de ligno sine talar', cum clx. quarellis
18 wooden, one-foot, crossbows, and one rib of wood without tiller, with 160 quarrels.

ij. paribus de plates
2 pairs of plate
j. quirre
1 cuirass (leather body armor)
ij. paribus lameriorum
2 pair of lamers. (Possibly scale armor. See: http://myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=31386 )
iij. galee pro justis
3 helms for the joust
iij. paribus bracers
3 pair of arms (mail or plate?)
j. pari de lunett'
1 pair of 'little moons' (Roundels, likely worn at the shoulder. Richardson lists some which are painted with the old Arms of England.)
j. grate
1 grapper for the lance
iij. vaumplates
3 vamplates for the lance
iij. paribus de besescus
3 pair of besagues? (for the arm pit)
viij. scutis
8 shields ("heaters")
iiij. targetis
4 targets (round shields)
j. galea pro guerra
1 helm for war
ij. Capell’ cum visur'
2 kettle hats with visors. (Perhaps similar to those in the Holkham Bible, fo.40r? http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/Viewer.asp ... 7682_f040r )
vj. galeis pro torniamentis
6 helms for the tournament
v. capell' de ferro
5 iron kettle hats
j. capell' de nervis
1 kettle hat of sinew?
ij. paribus de gaumbers
2 pairs of leg harness (likely plate)
xij. lanceis
12 lances
vij. hastis lancearum
7 spears and lances
vj. pavilon’ et tent’
6 pavillions and tents
iij. ferris pro frenis ad torniamentum
3 irons of restraints for the tournament (weapons chains?)
ij. arcubus Saracenis, cum iij. sagittis Saracenis
2 Saracen bows, with 3 Saracen arrows.
------------
Omitted several money chests, strong boxes, etc.
------------
j. macea de ferro
1 mace of iron
j. panerio pleno de diversis instrumentis pro confeccione balistarum
1 basket full of diverse instruments for making crossbows
xiij. capitibus ferreis pro lanceis
13 iron lance heads
j. coronali pro justis
1 lance coronel for the joust
ix. capitibus magnis pro sagittis
9 big arrowheads
ij. reciis pro feris capiendis
2 nets for capturing beasts
j. sperth' de Hibernia
1 Irish Sparth Ax
iiij. compedibus cum boltis, et xj sine boltis
4 shackles with bolts, and 11 without bolts.
j. grym
1 "grim" (apparently a cage or trap)
ij. unctis ferr' pro incendio domorum
2 greased irons for burning houses
----------
EDIT: Adding Randall's additional list
ITEM ARMATURA INVENTE IN PREDICTA ABBATA -- Armutar'
Item, Arms found in the aforementioned abbey (Wigmore Abbey)
Idem respondet de viij. loricis;
He answers to 8 mail hauberks
j. corset de ferro;
1 corset of iron (likely a mail "vest" without sleeves)
j. pari de gussettis;
1 pair of gussets (mail voiders)
j. gorger' dup';
1 double gorget (also likely mail)
vij. paribus de chaucouns;
7 pair of mail chaussons
v. coifes loricarum;
5 coifs of hauberks (separate or separated mail coifs)
ij. capell' ferr' cum viser';
2 iron hats with visors (kettle hats with some face protector)
j. galea cum guichet;
1 helm with wicket (some sort of window, hatch, or opening)

j.capell' ferreum rotundum;
1 round iron hat
j. aketon cooperto de panno de taffeta taneto, cum una camisia de chartres;
1 aketon covered in tan(?) taffeta cloth, with a 'Shirt of Chartres'
v. paribus de chanfrenis pro equis ad arma, cum quinque paribus coopertoriorum de frett', cum flauncheris et piceris de corio;
5 pairs of chanfrons to arm the horses, with fives pairs of coverings of frett', with flankers and piceris of leather (fretwork - interwoven stips instead of solid fabric?)
ij. paribus de treppes;
2 pairs of trappers
xj. paribus coopertoriorum ferr' pro equis, et ij. mantell' ferr';
11 pairs of iron coverings for horses, and 2 iron mantles (mail caparisons and neck coverings)
j. pari cirothecarum de plate;
1 pair of gauntlets of plate
ij. bracers do plate;
2 plate arm harnesses
j. pari de gaumbris;
1 pair of plate leg harness (perhaps only greaves)
j. pari sotlar' [sic] de plate;
1 pair of sotlar' of plate (?)
j. colar' de ferro;
1 collar of iron (a plate bevor)
j. scuto;
1 shield ("heater" shaped)
iiij. lanceis pro guerra;
4 lances for war
iij. lanceis pro justis;
3 lances for the joust
j. pari de botes plumetez de ferro;
1 pair of boots feathered with iron
ij. gladiis cum hernesio argenteo;
2 swords with silver fittings

Et computat totum liberatum domino Regi per literam suam predictam, exceptis gorger' dupplici, ij. paribus de treppes, j. scuto, iiij. lanceis pro guerra, et iij. lanceis pro justis, que remanent in Abbatia predicta.
All of the accounted arms were delivered to the king (Edward II) except the double gorget, 2 pairs of trappers, 1 shield, and lances for war and joust which remain in the abbey.

BONA INVENTA POST iNDENTURUM FACTAM, videlicet,
vj. corde pro springall,
iij. talar' pro balistis, et j. viz

His goods had been discovered after indenture made, that is to say,
6 springald parts
3 tillers for crossbows and 1 face(?)
Last edited by Ernst on Thu Apr 28, 2016 9:50 am, edited 8 times in total.
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RandallMoffett
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Re: Document: 1322 Earl of March

Post by RandallMoffett »

I have a few more little additions from pg. 360. I am not seeing here from all the armour listed. I just took a read quickly and found

viij. loricis 8 mail shirts/hauberks

j. corset de ferro 1 corset of iron

j. pari de gussettis 1 pair of gussets

j. gorger' dup' 1 long or doubled? gorget

vij. paribus de chauncous 7 pairs of (armoured) chausses- my guess is mail or padded. I lean toward mail.

v. coifes loricarum mail coifes- still lean toward mail for armour and such meaning mail at this date.

j. capell' ferreum rotundum 1 round helmet

j. aketon' cooperto de panno de taffeta taneto, cum una camisa de chartes There is an aketon of taffeta silk (darkened or tanned? Taneto? I think there is a place Taneto in Italy as well) with a Chartes shirt.... not sure what that is.

And a few more bits of armour including several bits of horse armour.

Some seem similar to ones listed above but I need to figure out where our two accounts meet before putting more up.

RPM
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Re: Document: 1322 Earl of March

Post by Gustovic »

RandallMoffett wrote:
j. aketon' cooperto de panno de taffeta taneto, cum una camisa de chartes There is an aketon of taffeta silk (darkened or tanned? Taneto? I think there is a place Taneto in Italy as well) with a Chartes shirt.... not sure what that is.
Perhaps a jazerant?
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Re: Document: 1322 Earl of March

Post by RandallMoffett »

I do know. Basically taffeta comes up in a few sources as tied to Byzantine silk. I imagine the shirt of an undershirt in the style of whatever they were wearing or making in Chartes France.

It is interesting. Seems likely for personal use as it is singular and made of nice, nice material.

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Re: Document: 1322 Earl of March

Post by Ernst »

Will McLean has a nice piece on the shirts of Chartre. :cry:
http://willscommonplacebook.blogspot.co ... rtres.html
There was a relic in Chartres Cathedral, supposed to have been a chemise worn by the Virgin Mary. By the 13th century, "it was the custom for people to hold pieces of cloth against the relic and have shifts made to measure from the material." The replica garment was expected to develop holiness by contagion. This was recorded in the Cantigas de Santa Maria and other collections of accounts of Marian miracles, which tell of a knight of Aquitaine wearing such a shirt into combat, and being miraculously preserved from harm.
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Re: Document: 1322 Earl of March

Post by Ernst »

https://books.google.com/books?id=BrVDA ... to&f=false
p.732
El fornimento de damasco taneto [tané] et berretino per il lecto da campo dal signor pesi cinque.
p.737
Un par di sproni dorati forniti de veluto taneto.
A pair of gold spurs furnished with 'taneto' velvet.

I suspect it's merely "tan".
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Re: Document: 1322 Earl of March

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Some terms of rare occurrence will be noticed among the armour and arms. With the pairs of plates, namely the breast and back plates, arc enumerated a cuirie, the leathern prototype of the cuirass, and two pairs lameriorum, probably a kind of body-armour. Renouard, in the Lexique Roman, gives "Lamiera, lamiere, sorte d'armure en lames de metal," citing a passage in the Life of S. Honorat, where it is mentioned with the gamboison. The term, and also probably the peculiar kind of armour which it designated, are Italian. See the quotations cited in the Vocab. della Crusca, where Lamiera is explained to be "Usbergo di lama di ferro." Ducange also cites certain statutes regarding dues on importation of "lameriarum et pectoralium." We have not hitherto found mention of a pair de lunett', nor of pairs de besescus, unless the latter may be identical with the pieces of armour, apparently part of the helmet, which occur in the Life of Richard Beauchamp by John Rous, who relates that the Earl tilting with Sir Hugh Lawney, "Smote up his visar thries and brake his besagues and other harneys."3
At the Abbey had been also deposited a quantity of valuable armour, probably part of the provision for the Lord of Wigmore's own person; also a large collection of valuable furniture, hangings, garments, linen, and precious objects of personal use, belonging, as it was said, to the wife of Roger Mortimer. Those who take an interest in military costume will notice some items of rare occurrence, the helm with a guichet, or wicket-like aperture on one side, which might be opened to give the wearer fresh air; the "Camisia de Chartres," possibly a shirt of mail made at Chartres, and of which we have not found mention in any other document, with the exception of the chemise de Chartres, among the armour in which two knights engaged in a judicial combat in Britanny were to be equipped.7 The horse-armour of leather, doubtless cuirbouilli, flaunchers and picers, or defences for the flanks and chest, deserve notice. Leathern armour was probably in frequent use for such purposes; thus in the will of the Earl Warren, 1347, we find a bequest to Robert de Holand, of "les quissers ove le picer de quir qui sount pour mon destrcr ; "s and the Chronicle of Louis XI. appended to De Comines' Memoirs mentions a valuable horse, "tout barde de cuyr boully," slain by a shot from a culverine in the attack of Paris by the Burgundians in 1465.* A singular item here occurs in the pair " de botes plumetez de ferro." I can only offer the supposition that they may have been covered with iron scales overlapping like feathers, and have been in some degree analogous in their construction to the defences " depampilon," which, as observed in a former volume of this Journal, bore resemblance possibly to the bearing in heraldry termed by the French papelonni.1
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Re: Document: 1322 Earl of March

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Ernst wrote:Will McLean has a nice piece on the shirts of Chartre. :cry:
http://willscommonplacebook.blogspot.co ... rtres.html
There was a relic in Chartres Cathedral, supposed to have been a chemise worn by the Virgin Mary. By the 13th century, "it was the custom for people to hold pieces of cloth against the relic and have shifts made to measure from the material." The replica garment was expected to develop holiness by contagion. This was recorded in the Cantigas de Santa Maria and other collections of accounts of Marian miracles, which tell of a knight of Aquitaine wearing such a shirt into combat, and being miraculously preserved from harm.
The Tournament in England, 1100-1400, Juliet R. V. Barker, Boydell Press, 1986.
This, combined with the evidence of Guillaume de Tudele that Chartres was renowned as a centre for producing helms and gambesons, suggests that the camisia de Chartres was also a quilted fabric defence for the body.
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Re: Document: 1322 Earl of March

Post by Ernst »

A miniature of Roger de Mortimer (Perhaps his son, the 2nd Earl of March 1328-1360?) in the Liber de nobilitatibus, sapiencijs et prudencijs regum, Oxford, Christ Church Ms. 92, fo.1v, 1327, London.
http://viewer.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/christc ... _92&page=9

The scale chausses are of interest, appearing on other contemporary figures as well.
Christ Church MS 92 fo001v.jpg
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Re: Document: 1322 Earl of March

Post by RandallMoffett »

I made and am finishing a scale aventail. The thing is interesting. Most in art seem to be side by side and I started that way but found that it provides great flex but also easier to expose gaps. If you layer them up and down and side to side it becomes much harder but heavier. They look great and seem to be working just as well as the riveted mail pisan I am working on as well. It found that using 1mm-1.2mm scales seems to have comparable weight to 6mm rings, perhaps a bit lighter.

I'd love to make some scale chausses but that would be a project and a half.

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Re: Document: 1322 Earl of March

Post by Ernst »

I finally edited Randall's findings into the list, as well as some additional items found after the inquiry. These are the ones worldantiques noted as being in the Abbey.

Perhaps these are the scale boots? Although the items in the inventory were taken by Edward II in 1322, they may have been recovered by Mortimer, or replacements made by the time of the 1327 miniature. A Latin-OF mixed descriptor?
j. pari de botes plumetez de ferro;
1 pair of botes feathered(?) with iron
boot (n.1)
footwear, early 14c., from Old French bote "boot" (12c.), with corresponding words in Provençal and Spanish, of unknown origin, perhaps from a Germanic source. Originally for riding boots only.
Scale boots.jpg
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Re: Document: 1322 Earl of March

Post by RandallMoffett »

That is an interesting idea. One of the Pairs of Plates listed on the Black Princes register inventory from the 1350s is feathered as well.
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