Sir John Smythe on Arming Doublets

[Sean M]

Sir John Smythe had a lot of strong opinions, and published some of them (probably enough to end his military career for good). Pages 183-185 of his Instructions contain a description of the kind of doublet which he thought was best to wear under armour and why. Among other things, it contains details about what kind of fustian he thought was appropriate for soldiers "according to the use of all antiquity."

To begin with souldiors doublets, I would that their doublets should bee made of Fustian according to the vse of all antiquitie, or of cha∣moise skinnes, aswel in respect of lasting, as that a man may arme better vppon any of both those thinges, then vppon Canuas, or any thinge that is more smooth, and lesse woollie.

Then concerning the form and fashion of their doub∣lets, I would that they should be of a conuenient heigth in the Collers, aswell to defend their necks from cold in win∣ter, as from heate in Summer. Then I woulde that they should be narrow in the shoulders, & so smal in the sleeues, and with so little bumbast, that the vambrases of armed men might easilie close togither; and that archers vsing no vambrases but certen stripes of serecloth or maile within their sleeues to defend the cut of a sworde, might through the smalnesse of their sleeues easilie draw and shoot, with∣out the string hitting vpon any part of the sleeue, but onelie vpon their bracers.

Then I would that their doublets should be made ea∣sie and wide vpon the stomacks and breastes, that the soul∣diors being not pent by the straightnesse of their doublets vpon their breastes, might the easlier fetch their breath ei∣ther in fighting, or in any hastie march: and therewithall, that their doublets be cutte flat vpon the bellie, and wasted of like length to the Cuirasses of their armors, to the intent that armed mens armors might sit the more iust and flat to their bodies: But because the collars of armors doo beare the chiefe waight of all the rest of the armour, I would wish that the souldiors armed men horsmen, or footmen, should either haue vnder Collars of Fustian conuenientlie bom∣basted to defende the heueth and poise of their armours from the paining, or hurting of their shoulders and necks; or else that their doublets should be verie well bombasted in all that part vnder their Collars both before and behind according to the depth of the same, which will bee a great ease to all armed men horsmen or footmen, for their often and long continuing armed.

Also I would that no armed men should weare any cut doublets, as well in respect that the wearing of armour doth quicklie fret them out, and also by reason that the corners and edges of the lammes and iointes of the armours doo take such holde vppon such cuttes, as they doo hinder the quicke and sudden arming of men; as also that they are of more impediment to harquebuziers, mosquetiers, and ar∣chers, for diuers respects to all skilfull soldiors wel knowne, then doublets vncut are.

Then I would wishe that there should bee regard had to their hosen, that they might bee easie for them to march and fight in; which the new fashi∣on straight hosen are not: and therefore I would that they should rather weare Greygescoes too vnder the knee, that shoulde bee large, wide, and easie, lined with a Cotton li∣ning without any bombast; and next to the thigh with a strong Canuas lining or false sloppe, wherevnto the nether stockinges should be set and sowed, and gartered vnder the knee, then either these new fashioned little round hose, or newe fashion'd bombasted Greygescoes that are very straight to the thighs and vpper parts; which in summer be∣sides the vneasinesse of them, doo with so much bombast keep armed men exceeding hot, whereas the other beeing large and wide as aforesaid, something after the fashion that the Spanish souldiors doo vse, are a great deale more easie, and chieflie for all sorts of footmen.

Glossary
Canvas < Latin canabis "hemp": Not all canvas is made from hemp fibres, any more than all bed linens contain linen, but in context this seems to be a tightly woven, smooth fabric, probably of linen or hemp.
Serecloth: Possibly cerecloth "a kind of fabric coated with wax"?
Fustian < Italian fustagno "a generic term for all cloths containing cotton": Fustians in 16th century England were often brushed and sheared to give them a fuzzy "nap" like some woolens, and often had a linen warp and a cotton weft.
Bombast < Latin bombacium "cotton": Unspun cotton stuffing
Cotton: Dansknecht thinks this is a woolen cloth despite the name and suggests that people interested in 16th century English textiles check out Stuart Peachey's books by Historical Management Associates Ltd./Stuart Press

; I don't know enough about Elizabethan textile terminology to have an opinion.

[Ernst]

So cotton flannel might be a reasonable modern substitute? I suppose it wouldn't be any warmer than the chamois.

[Sean M]

From what Maureen F. Mazzaoui says, it sounds like modern cotton flannels and flanelettes are similar to the napped or piled fustians of the 15th and 16th centuries (there were other kinds of fustians too, but they do not seem to have been as popular in Smythe's England). "Brushed cotton" seems to be another trade name in the US. But I have not seen a description of a surviving piece of fustian with nap.

There are whole folders full of labeled and dated swatches in Italian archives.

[Ernst]

William Hodgeson, Memoranda: intended to aid the English student in the acquirement of the niceties of French grammar, 1817
https://books.google.com/books?id=W1piA ... an&f=false

napped fustian, la futaine à grain d'orge
big napped fustian, la futaine à gros grain

https://books.google.com/books?id=Z9hMA ... an&f=false
The German descriptor from 1922 seems to be Barchent gerauhter, or "roughened" fustian.

Perhaps we can find references to barley-corn fustian, or large-grain fustian, roughened fustian or some other similar descriptor which might give us a clue if this type of fustian was also preferred before the late 16th century?

[Mac]

It's interesting that he should want the doublet's surface to have texture, rather than to be smooth. I wish he would have elaborated on why that is.

I wonder how he would feel about cotton velveteen. It's nappy, strong, and looks nice.

Mac

[Sean M]

William Hodgeson, Memoranda: intended to aid the English student in the acquirement of the niceties of French grammar, 1817
https://books.google.com/books?id=W1piA ... an&f=false

napped fustian, la futaine à grain d'orge
big napped fustian, la futaine à gros grain

https://books.google.com/books?id=Z9hMA ... an&f=false
The German descriptor from 1922 seems to be Barchent gerauhter, or "roughened" fustian.

Perhaps we can find references to barley-corn fustian, or large-grain fustian, roughened fustian or some other similar descriptor which might give us a clue if this type of fustian was also preferred before the late 16th century?

M. gives fustagno and pignolato as the broadest Italian words for “cloth containing cotton,” peloso/pilloso for “napped”, and rasi for “sheared.” It will also be hidden behind some informal expressions like "Milan fustian/barchent" which careful research could clarify (some cloth guilds left very detailed specifications for different types of cloth, and there is evidence that these were followed very closely by them and competitors who wanted to appeal to the same market). Sometimes accounts will have a line item for buying a certain kind of fustian, a line item for shearing it, and a line item for tailoring it ...

I think that Gwen of Historic Enterprises did some research on fustian when she was designing her modern arming doublet inspired by 15th century sources, and Philip A. Sykas has published an open-access version of a journal article with a later focus Fustians in Englishmen's Dress. Skyas gave me the reference which I needed to find Smythe.

M. is cited by Crowfoot et al. Textiles and Clothing 1150-1450.

[Dansknecht]

Cotton moleskin or brushed cotton is probably closer than cotton flannel. Otherwise, of the variety of fustians available...some were velvet-like, others canvas like. FWIW the cotton he's referring to is a woolen cloth.

[istout]

I thought historic fustian was a wool / linen mix material due to the non prevalence of cotton based materials as we see today? So would a linsey- woolsey material be a closer match perhaps? https://thewoolmerchantsdaughter.wordpr ... y-woolsey/

[istout]

I also interpret "cha∣moise skinnes" as chamois leather?

[Dansknecht]

Different types of fustian were coming out of different places and some of it did contain plant cotton. To my understanding, the technology or at least practice of processing plant cotton in Western Europe had not yet reached the point (by the mid-16th century) at which it could produce thread for the warp (longer, stronger direction in fabric) strong enough. That said, it could reliably serve as the weft. Three types were typical in England (fustian in general is one of the most common materials listed for doublets across written records for common people). They were, offhand, Genoa Fustian (canvas-like, usually linen-cotton), Holmes or Ulm Fustian (wool-like, soft in texture and usually wool-cotton), and Milan or Naples Fustian (dense and velvet-like, linen-cotton). Where Holmes Fustian and Linsey-Woolsey exactly each start and stop, I am not sure. I'll try and find some time to make sure I have those combinations/texture descriptions right, but beyond those just plain cotton fiber was pretty common for stuffing and padding too. At least by the very early 17th century, plant cotton domestic objects can be found in wills and inventories, and cotton (under the name calico or calicut) handkerchiefs or neckcloths are recommended for settlers in North America.

The leather is very likely oil tanned skin, possibly sheep.

[istout]

That's very interesting information thanks for sharing that! I will have to dig a bit deeper as I am interested in the topic of period materials and textiles. With regards to cotton I had always thought that due to the inadequacies of cotton production that cotton was always very expensive in comparison to other materials thus wool and linen were the go-to materials of the day. In 18th century Europe and North America that certainly seems to be the case as yes cotton and other materials were available and do exist but the cultural norm seems to lean heavily on linen and wools for everyday garments. With regards to the leather I have also seen deer and goat skins used in abundance in European clothing especially by leather breeches makers.

[Sean M]

I also interpret "cha∣moise skinnes" as chamois leather?

I think that the vertical bar | marks words which are split across a line break in the original, so “cha|moise” is chamois (whose Latin name just means "mountain goat").

Different types of fustian were coming out of different places and some of it did contain plant cotton. To my understanding, the technology or at least practice of processing plant cotton in Western Europe had not yet reached the point (by the mid-16th century) at which it could produce thread for the warp (longer, stronger direction in fabric) strong enough. That said, it could reliably serve as the weft. Three types were typical in England (fustian in general is one of the most common materials listed for doublets across written records for common people). They were, offhand, Genoa Fustian (canvas-like, usually linen-cotton), Holmes or Ulm Fustian (wool-like, soft in texture and usually wool-cotton), and Milan or Naples Fustian (dense and velvet-like, linen-cotton). Where Holmes Fustian and Linsey-Woolsey exactly each start and stop, I am not sure. I'll try and find some time to make sure I have those combinations/texture descriptions right, but beyond those just plain cotton fiber was pretty common for stuffing and padding too. At least by the very early 17th century, plant cotton domestic objects can be found in wills and inventories, and cotton (under the name calico or calicut) handkerchiefs or neckcloths are recommended for settlers in North America.

The leather is very likely oil tanned skin, possibly sheep.

M. says that the Italian guilds made pure cotton cloths very early, whereas the cheap foreign competitors restricted themselves to cloths with a hemp or linen warp and a cotton weft. Because Anglophone medievalists often focus on England and its neighbours and ignore other parts of Catholic Europe, this is not as widely known as it could be.

[Sean M]

That's very interesting information thanks for sharing that! I will have to dig a bit deeper as I am interested in the topic of period materials and textiles. With regards to cotton I had always thought that due to the inadequacies of cotton production that cotton was always very expensive in comparison to other materials thus wool and linen were the go-to materials of the day. In 18th century Europe and North America that certainly seems to be the case as yes cotton and other materials were available and do exist but the cultural norm seems to lean heavily on linen and wools for everyday garments. With regards to the leather I have also seen deer and goat skins used in abundance in European clothing especially by leather breeches makers.

M. thinks that the market for fustian was as a cheap, light, colourful cloth which did not last as long as the best linens and woolens, but was cheaper and took dye better than pure linen. The South German towns got into the market by specializing in a smaller range of cheaper cloths than the Italians, by not trying to make 100% cotton cloth, and by farming more work out into the countryside where wages were lower. There are very detailed records of how much fustian was legally imported into England because it was taxed and regulated.

It seems that people writing in English sometimes "brush over" late medieval fustians because the sources are mostly in German and Italian.

[Sean M]

Cotton moleskin or brushed cotton is probably closer than cotton flannel. Otherwise, of the variety of fustians available...some were velvet-like, others canvas like. FWIW the cotton he's referring to is a woolen cloth.

One thing which strikes me is that Sir John takes it for granted that a soldier's fustian doublet is “woolie” (he uses this as a premise to argue for the debatable point that fustian is better than canvas). It is very possible that the readers of our earlier sources were expected to know what kind of fustian was appropriate for making arming garments, in the same way that we all know what kind of cotton is appropriate for making blue jeans. So I think its worthwhile trying to reconstruct that implicit knowledge.

There have to be account books out there with sections like: "for making 12 doublets for armed pikes: 24 ells Holmes fustian, 24 ells canvas, 12 pounds of bombast, 18 dozen wooden buttons, 6 lots of silk for buttonholes."

FWIW the cotton he's referring to is a woolen cloth.

Great! Could you give us your source?

Thursfield Med. Tail. Assist. recommends “moleskin ... or strong flannelette sheeting” as modern substitutes for the fustian used in 15th century England, but she does not say why she thinks so. Oldland “London Fullers and Shearmen” p. 188 thinks that some of the most expensive piled fustians from Italy were similar to modern cotton velvet, but does not clarify either.

[Sean M]

It's interesting that he should want the doublet's surface to have texture, rather than to be smooth. I wish he would have elaborated on why that is.

I wonder how he would feel about cotton velveteen. It's nappy, strong, and looks nice.

Mac

Yes, especially since he is worried about equipment getting caught on slashed doublets or sleeves cut full. Modern wearers seem satisfied with arming garments covered in smooth linen or cotton, and Smythe seems to think that some of his readers prefer smooth canvas under armour.

But I think that most of us have experienced the frustration of trying to put things which we learned through experience and a thousand little observations, or had smacked into us as apprentices, into words.

[Sean M]

Where Holmes Fustian and Linsey-Woolsey exactly each start and stop, I am not sure.

According to M. page 84, one Italian term for cloth with a woolen weft and linen warp was santellaro basso. In Verona, Padua, Venice, and (after 1231) Bologna it was made with 1320 warp threads, 17 pounds of wool in the weft, woven 51 braccie long, cut in half to be 24 braccie long in the piece, napped on one side. Cotton cloths with a similar number of warp threads were 3/4 braccia or about 50 cm wide.

Another term is mezzelane "half-wool." If a mixed cloth contained cotton, one set of guilds could make it; if it did not, another set could make it. These documents on textile production would be an excellent topic for someone who needs to write an honours thesis (or dissertation!) at a university or Arts and Sciences project in the SCA.

[Sean M]

Because I am not an expert on 16th century textile terminology, I have added Dansknecht's interpretation of "cotton (cloth)" to the original post. I would still appreciate a source if anyone can suggest one!

[Dansknecht]

There's some great information in Stuart Peachey's books and pamphlets on wool cloth at the period.

http://www.stuart-hmaltd.com/new_clothe ... 8_1660.php

[Sean M]

Thanks! I think that the historical clothing people, and the modern-Elizabethan people, have some knowledge which has not spread across to armourers and people working on earlier centuries. But its a complicated area, and sources are the best way to sort out what has solid backing and what is a plausible guess.

[Sean M]

The Bonis accounts from Montalban in Languedoc contain an item from September 1345: five ells of white plush fustian (fustani blanc pelut), four and a half ells of linen, an ounce and a half of white thread, an ounce of green thread and half a pound of cotton wadding (cotomapus) to make a jupon. Three ells and a palm was a more common length of fustian for a jupon, so this may have been different (narrower and ...) than the Flemish fustian which was used to cover most jupons in the accounts.

While it is not an arming doublet, it shows that fustian with pile was sometimes used for quilted garments.

[Sean M]

Thomas of Lancaster, the Duke of Clarence, purchased three yards of white fustian to make an "armyng doublet" for his own use sometime between 1418 and 1421 (C.M. Woolgar, Household Accounts from Medieval England, page 634). Unfortunately there are no more details.

After my white linen doublet is done, I will make one in plush fustian/cotton velveteen.

[Sean Powell]

It's amazing that we know so much about the buying habits of wealthy nobility that we can get length, color and material of fabric on specific dates for specific projects when their account books must have included hundreds of transactions yearly and yet my wife can't tell me clearly what the electronically recorded CC charge is for at JoAnnes fabric. Curtains? Craft supplies? Picture frames? Garb? A little of everything? Nope! Just a black hole of money.

I have nothing constructive to add, just a little amazed and a little frustrated by life.

Sean