An image from Lancelot du Lac et la Quête du Graal, BNF Francais 343, showing the layers a man-at-arms normally wore beneath his armor: breeches, shirt and arming doublet. Note that this differs from How a man schall be armyd, which I believe is specific to a judicial duel.
Modus armandi milites ad torneamentum, a manuscript compiled around 1330 and Chaucer's Sir Tophas both describe a man-at-arms wearing a shirt as his innermost layer. Cloth worn next to the skin accumulates sweat, skin oils, dead skin cells and dirt. For a soldier on campaign, it is both pleasant and convenient to be able to simply put on a clean shirt in the morning.
However, a shirt worn beneath a tight fitting doublet can ruck up awkwardly. A man planning to fight a judicial duel won't need to wear the same doublet the next day, so having the doublet lining the innermost layer is a reasonable approach in that context.
4 comments:
Why do you believe that the shirt makes a difference between whatever kind of fighting this figure was doing and a judicial combat? Is, perhaps, a shirt for added comfort on campaign--reducing chafing in the long term?
Hugh, I've updated the post to answer your question.
Thank you, your answer is quite logical.
I just discovered your blog and had a question that I'm hoping you might be able to answer (and it's even somewhat related to this post). I've made a mail coif for costume/re-enactment purposes and I find that the coif just doesn't stay put when I bend my head down. The part of the coif from my chin down to the top of my chest just swings around wildly.
I can't imagine a medieval warrior putting up with this kind of thing but I can't figure out how to make it tighter. I've yet to get an arming cap, but would that alone be enough to keep the coif from swinging wildly?
Post a Comment