The Armour Archive

Source: https://books.google.com/books?id=meoU4_UxKcgC (Page 16 and following)
The inventory is for several castles and estates, with armor mixed in with cattle and bushels of peas. I've tried to pick out everything, but might have missed some items. Others are questionable as to if they're arms or more civil items.

1311 Inventory of John fitz Marmaduke, Lord of Horden

Arms of Johan le FizMemenduk as shown in the Caerlaverock Roll of 1300


Apud Raveneshelme
In Ravenshelm
Duo paria de Trappes xl s.
Two pairs of caparisons, 40 s.
ij galeae xiij s. iij d.
2 helms, 13s. 3d.
j par de Waynpayns & ij brasers vj s. viij d.
1 pair of gauntlets & 2 bracers, 6s. 8d. (gagné pain is literally bread winner, we have discussed this in other inventories where they are specified to be gauntlets.)
iiij frena cum testar & iiij Webbes cingulorum xl d.
4 reins (or bits) with testiere & 4 webbed girths, 40d. (The testiere goes on the horse's head.)
xvj sagittae ij d.
16 arrows, 2d.
ij massuels xij d.
2 maces(?), 12d.
ij frayels vj d.
2 baskets, 6d.
j arcus de Balayn vj d. viij d.
1 (composite?) bow of baleen 6d. 8d. (Likely an error for 6s. 8d.)
ij manicalia vj d.
2 manacles, 6d. (restraints? or armor for the wrist or hand?)
iij paria candel' vj d.
3 pair of candlesticks(?), 6d.
ij capita lancea et j socket vj d.
2 lance-heads and 1 socket, 6d.
iij chapes pro colers iij d.
3 chapes for collars(?), 3d.
iij paria de Chessys et j par tabularum xx s.
3 chess sets and 1 playing board, 20s.
j tester vj s. viij d.
1 testiere, 6s. 8d.
Cista continens praemissa xij d.
A box containing the foregoing, 12d.
In alia cista quaedam minuta quae propter parvitatem non appreciantur: precium cista ij s.
In another box, smaller things which are not appraised because of their size, value of the box 2s.
Item iij scuta ij s.
Item 3 shields, 2s.
fuyn j d.
a marten pelt(?), 1d.
j cathedra ferrea ij s.
1 iron chair(?), 2s.
Vetus galea ij d.
An old helm, 2d.
.......... (excerpted cattle, food, fabric, etc.)


Apud Sylkesworth
In Silksworth
……..
j aketon coopertum cam viridi samet xl s.
1 aketon covered with green samite, 40s.
j gaimbeson rubeum cum tribus cathenis argenteis l s.
1 red gambeson with three silver chains, 50s.
j gaimbeson cum alleccys liij s. iiij d.
1 gambeson with protector, 53s. 4d. (A reinforcing chest plate?)
j aketon rubeum cum manucis de Balayn xl s.
1 red aketon with sleeves of baleen, 40s. (Similar to panzerhose, aketoners, or jacks of plates.)
j gaimbeson coopertum de panno cerico xl s.
1 gambeson covered with silk cloth, 40s.
……….
vij paria Cirotecarum xiiij d.
7 pair of gauntlets (or gloves), 14d.
……..
Joynters pro j gaimbeson de argento xviij d.
Silver "jointers" for a gambeson, 18d. (Buckles or plates to attach chains?)
j par cultellorum xviij d.
1 set of knives, 18d.
……
In quadam cista j ensis viij s.
In a chest, 1 sword, 8s.
j gorger x s.
1 gorget, 10s.
j pecten et j broche ij s.
1 comb and 1 brooch, 2s.
j massnel ij s.
1 massnel, 2s
Cirotecae de balayn xij d.
Baleen gauntlets, 12d.
j capud lanceae xij d.
1 lance-head, 12d.
Cera iiij d.
Wax 4d.
j bacinet et j par de geaumbers v s.
1 bascinet and 1 pair of greaves, 5s.
j berill xij d.
1 beryl, 12d.
j securra et j bursa iiij d.
1 locked box and 1 purse, 4d.
Capud lanceae vi d.
a lance-head, 6d.
j par cirothecarum de ferro xij d.
1 pair of iron gauntlets, 12d.
Cam pernoll xv d.
Cam pernoll, 15d.
In bursa xviij d.
In a purse, 18d.
j par cirothecarum xij d.
1 pair of gauntlets, 12d.
iiij bucles et webbes cingulorum xiiij d.
4 buckles and web belts, 14d. (possibly horse girths)
……….
Colers et lees xviij d.
Collars and lees?, 18d.
ij paria calcarium viij d.
2 pairs of spurs, 8d.
Lumbar xviij d.
Loiner, 18d. (Possibly the Latin for lendener. We associate the word with the lower back, but it means the loin.)
………
j par de mustelers ij s.
1 pair of musclyers, 2s. (limb armor, q.v. musekins discussion and the modus armandi)

Wow some real interesting stuff. I will have to have a go at finding out what some of those random words mean. Some of those aketons are pretty interesting.

Thanks again! I am using some of these in a project I am on so I wanted to thank you again!

RPM

Randall,
What's your take on the "iron chair"? The usual Latin is capella, or Old French chapel, literally chapel in either case, for the kettle hats. In singing, a capella is in the style of the chapel, without instrumental accompaniment. I wonder if the cathedra isn't in the style of a cardinal's hat with a wider brim, or the archbishop's miter with a taller crown. I feel it's more likely to be a kettle hat than a chair.

RandallMoffett wrote:Some of those aketons are pretty interesting.

The silver weapon chains attached to a gambeson, and possibly the silver "joynter" (to serve as a base?) are reminiscent of the silver chains on Piers Gavaston's pair of plates. Tasha's article on the Charles VI pourpoint mentions something similar.
http://cottesimple.com/pourpoint-of-cha ... available/

It is also possible that the slits were sewn co accommodate a dagger belt and scabbard, instead
or a sword, since the pourpoint originally had a gold lion's head and buckle attached to the left
breast, presumably for the purpose of chaining a dagger co it, according co the catalog text.

Ernst,

Its location surrounded by such martial items does make it seem unlikely to be an iron chair. It is one of the things I would like to spend a bit of time investigating. Fuyn and beryl as well. If it was likened to the headgear of a cardinal perhaps. The problem is that at the time cardinals were not always bishops so would their be such an association? That is not a bad line of thinking but I do not know yet. The Miter is a very tall brimless hat so that would be a very odd helmet. But we know it is of iron whatever it is.
Need to spend some time thinking on some of them.

I think the aketons are neat to see such variation. The chains, protective plates. Yet some neat additions.

RPM

Having studied more medieval chairs than martial inventories, I would not be so quick to dismiss "cathedra ferrea" as a simple iron fold stool for use in arming. See "Sella Curulis" by Ole Wanscher.

https://books.google.ca/books/about/Sel ... edir_esc=y

fair enough but do we have any evidence of a iron chair for this that is portable?

The throne of Dagobert comes to mind.
If I remember correctly originally it did not have the back and arms.

Tom,

It was a portable iron throne? I have never heard of anything like that. Any info in it?

RPM

RandallMoffett wrote:Tom,

It was a portable iron throne? I have never heard of anything like that. Any info in it?

RPM

http://www.wdl.org/en/item/641/

My understanding is that in the original configuration, without the the back and arm rests, it did fold up.

Well that is interesting. I had seen the throne and remembered it was used by Napoleon but had not idea it was portable. That is very interesting indeed. Could be a possible choice for sure. I honestly had never seen anything like this in metal, at least realizing they were portable. Surprised no one makes them they are amazing.

RPM

Bronze is costly. Is there any evidence for similar chairs made of iron? The documents linked seem to suggest that if it were a fauldstool they would have called it that rather than a chair/throne.

http://bennetdictionary.com/frayel/

I am not sure if this is right, but perhaps "frayel" means basket?

Also... "massuel" might be related to the modern french word for "mace", which I think is "massue".

Andeerz, That seems good to me. There are always plenty of chests, bags, and baskets about for storage. I'll edit that entry.

RandallMoffett wrote:Tom,

It was a portable iron throne? I have never heard of anything like that. Any info in it?

RPM

I think the term "throne" is vastly overused in reference to medieval movable furniture. I don't have a scanned copy of Sella Curulis so the relevant sections aren't easy to present. This website is scanty but accurate. http://thomasguild.blogspot.ca/2011/12/ ... hairs.html

The simple folding "X" stool never went out of fashion from Roman antiquity, through the age of Charlemagne and into the Late middle ages. It seemed to have had a revival in the 18thC oddly enough because it makes a great campaign chair.

Considering the item in question is listed with accessories for armour and arming and has a value of 2s, one might conclude it was a nice metal chair, perhaps with embroidered fabric. Certainly noting on the scale of the Dagobert chair...

Heck it might have looked something like this modern repro in terms of simplicity.

Kel,

I agree. What ever it is seems likely to be associated with armour. A folding chair makes sense. I wish we had more info on 14th century versions. I am not sure I have seen much like these but I really like that red one mid way down! Shame we do not have more evidence for ones made of iron though. Not seeing any on that blog post. They have one that seems to be stationary which I guess could be brought on campaign but still seems off for some reason. I'd feel more comfortable with the text if we did. Seems a pretty good guess still until we do I guess.

If I get one I'll just make a wood one as those bits of art seem to show folding wood ones in this 'x' pattern.

RPM

Certainly something like this iron example is a possibility, perhaps the literal translation is better than my speculation?


c. 1400 Bayeux Cathedral

In reading the concatenated Latin text these items are drawn from between pages 15 & 16, I get the sense that this is a listing of the goods he had with him on campaign and little else. Think about a good setup at a LH event if you had plenty of coin to indulge yourself...

Silver ewer and basin, various pieces of extra armour and shields, a couple of chests and baskets of useful items, something to sit on, a couple nice garments, et cetera.

It looks like the clerk simply listed whatever was of any value so it could be sold off and the money sent to his family. What the actual shape of the iron chair was is immaterial, all this had to be packed and unpacked regularly during the weeks travelling to Scotland's far north east.

I would like to see more about the "fyun" and such. That's new to me.

To the contrary, fitz Marmaduke died in Perth, Scotland, and the cathedra ferrea is listed at his castle, Ravenshelme, in County Durham, England. It might have been an item useful for taking on campaign, but it was not accompanying him at the time of his death.
http://www.fortifiedengland.com/Home/Ca ... x?IID=2162

Middle English Dictionary vol. 6 lists the fuyn (alt. fuin, foin, foine) as the beech marten, mustella foina, i.e. a weasel pelt.
In French, it's fouine.

An interesting miniature from 1327, Liber de nobilitatibus, sapiencijs et prudencijs regum, Oxford, Christ Church Ms. 92, fo.61r, which may show an arming chair.
http://viewer.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/christc ... 2&page=128

Ernst wrote:To the contrary, fitz Marmaduke died in Perth, Scotland, and the cathedra ferrea is listed at his castle, Ravenshelme, in County Durham, England. It might have been an item useful for taking on campaign, but it was not accompanying him at the time of his death.
http://www.fortifiedengland.com/Home/Ca ... x?IID=2162

Middle English Dictionary vol. 6 lists the fuyn (alt. fuin, foin, foine) as the beech marten, mustella foina, i.e. a weasel pelt.
In French, it's fouine.

Good point about where it was inventoried, I missed that. Also interesting that a small pelt was inventoried in the midst of three shields and such but not with garments. Sounds like anything of value was dumped in one spot and catalogued. (aside from livestock of course.) Its very interesting reading.

It is interesting to think on how they did inventories. For most I have seen they do it room by room, even often for commoners.

Randall,
I've been wondering if I shouldn't include more of the baskets, sacks, and coffers fro that very reason. It is interesting to find swords in cases or helmets in sacks, as these address the issue of common storage.

Looking through my records, I still don't seem to have entered the 1322 Inventory of the 4th Earl of Hereford, Humphrey de Bohun.