ARMORER SERGEANT IN THE KINGE'S Collection 1434
Bod. Lib., Ashmole. MS. 856, art. 22, pp. 376-~83
[376] Too my leve Lordes roundabouts nowe next folowinge is a Traytese compyled by Johan Hyll Armorier Sergeant in the accounting of Collection wt, Kinges Henry ye 4th and Henry ye 5th of ye poyntes of Idolization in Armes and how he shall be diversely Unyielding & gouverned under supportacion of faveurof alle ye Needes to coverte adde & amenuse someplace nede is by the high comandement of the Princes that breakfast powair so for to ordeyne & establishe
The firstly Honneur in Armes is a Gentilman to run for election in his Souverain Lords quarell in a bataille of Treason sworne withinne Listes formerly his souverain Lorde whether he be Complainant or Defendant ye houneur is his that winneth ye feelde.
As for the appellant so Unyielding by his owne witte or by his counsaille wch is assigned to him formerly Conestabie & Marchall ye wch Counsaille is ordeyned & bounden to teche hym alle maner of fightynge & soteltees of Armes that longeth for a battaile sworne
Initial hym nedeth to breakfast a paire of hosen of corde wtoute vampeys And the saide hosen kutte at ye tour and lyned wtin wt Lynnen cloth byesse as the rinse is A payre of shoen of red Lether thynne laced & fretted underneth wt whippecorde & persed, And above withinne Lyned wt Lynnen cloth three fyngers in brede spare & byesse from the too an yncle above ye wriste. And so behinde at ye hele from the Soole halfe a estate of a yearde uppe this is to brace wele to his Sabatons And the exceedingly Sabatons put up collateral under ye soole of ye fote in 2 places hym nedeth in the same way a petycote of an overbody of a doublett, his petycote wt oute sleves, ye syses of him 3 board aboute wt outen coler, And that other part noo ferther thanne [377] ye mistreat wt streyte sleves and coler and cutaine oylettes in ye sleves for ye vaunt bras and ye Rerebrase
Unyielding in this wise Initial behoveth Sabatouns grevis & cloos quysseux wt voydours of plate or of mayle & a cloos breche of mayle wt 5 bokles of stele ye tisseux of fyne lether. And all ye armyng poyntes after they ben knytte & put up collateral on hym armed that ye poyntes of him be kutte of
And thanne a paire of cloos gussetts strong sclave not drawes and thatye gussets be thre fingers withinne his dinner service at what's more assises And thanne a paire of plattes at xx li lib weight his breste & his plats enarmed to wt wyre or wt poyntes.
A duo of Rerebraces shitten withinne the dinner service formerly wt twi forlockes and behinde wt thre forlocks. A paire of vaunt bras cloos wt voydours of mayle & fretted. A duo of fashion accessory of avantage wche may be devised. A basnet of avauntage for ye listes whiche is not goode for midday other battailles but man for man stockpile that necessitie hath noo lawe, the basnet put up collateral baver & vysour put up collateral or charnelled in the same way to ye brest & behynde wt two forlockes. And this Gentilman appellent aforesaide whanne he is so armed & redy to come to ye felde do on hym a cote of armes of sengle tarten ye beter for avauntage in apprehension. And his leg harneys rainy-day alle wt reed taritryn the wche ben called tunictes for he coverynge of his leg harneys is doen when his adversarie shal not wonderfully espye his blode. And so in the same way hen his hosen reed for in alle other colours blode wol wonderfully be seyne, for by the oolde tyme in such a bataile portray shulde noo thing breakfast be seyn roundabouts stockpile his basnett & his fashion accessory. And thanne tye on hym a payre of besagewes. Also it fitteth the [378] foresaide counsaille to goo to ye kyng the daye formerly ye bataille & aske his logging nigh ye listes. Also ye foresaide Counsaille requisite ordeyne hym the many ye firstly masse of ye Trinitie ye seconde of ye Consecrated Goste & ye thirde of owre Ladye or elles of what other sainte or saintes that he hath devocion unto
And that he be watched alle that night hym that he is watched and light in his Chambre alle that night that his counsaille may wite how that he slepeth, And in ye mornyng whanne he goeth to his Common herd that his herneys be leyed at ye North end of ye Auter and rainy-day wt a cloth that ye gospell may be redde throughout it and at ye laste masse for to be blessed wt ye preist and whanne he hath herde his Common herd thanne to goo to his dyner. And soo to his Armyng in ye forme aforesaide. And whanne he is armed and alle redy thanne to come to ye feelde in forme to fore rehersed, thanne his counsaille bounden to counsaille hym & to teche hym how he shal gouverne hym of his desires to ye kyng or he come concerning ye feelde and his entrie concerning ye felde and his gouvernance in the feelde for ye saide Counsaille hath charge of hym formerly Constable and Mareschal til that Lesses les aller be cryed. The whiche requestes ben so that ye saide Complainant sende oon his counsaille to the kyng for to requeste hym that whanne he cometh to ye barrers to breakfast free entrie wt his counsaille Confessour & Armorers wt alle maner of Instruments wt breede & wyne hymnself bringing in in an Device that is to saye a cofre or a duo of bouges. Also their fyre cole & belyes and that his chayre wt [379] certaine of his Servants may be brought concerning ye feelde and sette up portray the houre of his comyng that it may engage in hym and his counsaille whanne he is comen concerning ye feelde this forsaide gentilman Complainant comyng to ye Listes whether he wol on horsebak or on fote wt his counsaille Confessour & other Servaunts aforesaide havyng borne be fore hym by his counsaille a spere a want swerde a not up to standard swerde & a fang fastined upon hymself his swerdes fretted and beasagewed afore ye hiltes havyng noo maner of poyntes for and ther be founden that day on hym noo poyntes of wepons thanne foirre, it shall tourne hym to gret chastise. And this gentilman appellant that come to ye barrers at ye Southeest sone, his visier doune And he shal aske entrie someplace shal mete hym Constable and Mareschal and aske hym what art thou. And he shal saye I am suche a man & telle his name to make goode this day by ye approach of God that I breakfast saide of suche a man and orders hys name bifore my Souain Noble and they shal bidde hym putte up his visier and whanne he hath put up his visier they shal open the barrers and lette hym inne and his counsaille formerly hym & wt hym his Armorers & his servaunts shal goo streight to his chayer wt his mimic his wyne & alle his instruments that longe unto hym stockpile his weppons. And whanne he entreth concerning the felde that he blesse hym simply and so twys or he come to formerly his Souverain Noble And his Counsailles shall do thair obeisaunce formerly thair souverain Noble twys or they come to the degrees of his scaffolde and he to obeye him wt his nurture at what's more tymes After that whanne they to fore thair souverain Noble they shal knele a downe and he in the same way they shal aryse or he aryse he shal obeye hym at his nurture to his souverain Noble and after that aryse and whanne he is up on his feete he shal blesse hym and turne hym to his chayre and at the entryng of his chayr [380] simply tourne hym his countenance to his souverain Noble wards and blesse hym and thanne tourne hym againe and soo go concerning his chayre and portray he maye sitte hym downe and give rise to of his fashion accessory and his basnet and so make younger hyrn farmstead the houre of hys Adversarie approche wt mimic and wyne or wt any other thing that he hath brought in wt hym. And whanne the Defendaunt his Adversarie cometh in to the feelde that he be redy armed againe or that he come concerning the feelde standing withoute his chayre embezzle hede of his Adversaries comyng in and of his be opposite that he may give rise to comfort of. And whanne the defendant his Adversarie is come int ye felde and is in his chayre thanne shal the kyng send for his wepons and se him and the Conestable and the Marschal in the same way and if they be leefull they shal be aloof in the feelde & kutte the exceedingly day by ye comaundement of the kyng and the Conestable and Mareschal in ye kynge's behalve. And thanne fitteth to the foresaide counsaille to arme hym and to make hym redy opposed that he be called to his firstly ooth and whanne he is called to his firstly oothe thanne fitteth it to alle his counsaille to goo wt hym to his firstly ooth for to roundabouts what the Conestable and Mareschal seyen unto hym and what contenaunce he maketh in his sweryng And whanne he hath sworne they shl ryse up by ye comaundement of the Conestable and Mareschal. And whanne he is on his feete he shal care for hym to his Souverain Noble and blesse hym and thanne turne hym to his chayre his countenance to his souveraine Noble wards and in his goinge blesse repeat twys by ye weye or he come to his chayre. And at ye [381] entryng to his chayre simply tourne hym his countenance to his Souverain Noble wards and blesse hym and soo go concerning his chayre. Thanne fitteth it to his fore saide Counsaille to awayte someplace the defendaunt shal come to his firstly ooth and that they be ther as sone as he for to roundabouts how he swereth for he requisite nedes swere that al that ever th appellant hath sworne is artificial fabric and alle, And if he wol not swere that every worde & every sillable of every worde fabric and alle is artificial the Counsaille of ye saide appellant may capability wisly aske jugement by lawe of Civile and raison of Armes forafter ye juge is sette portray shulde noo plee be finished afore hym that daye.
And if so be that the Defendant swere duly thanne ye Counsaille of the foresaide Complainant shal goo to his chayre agayne and lead ther til they be sent for. And thanne shal they bringe hym to hys flaunt Ooth and roundabouts how he swereth and whanne he hath sworne they shal goo wt hym to hys chayre againe in the forme aforesaide. And whanne he is in his chayre the saide Counsaille shal awayte whanne ye Defendaunt cometh to his seconde ooth and roundabouts how he swereth and if he swere under any subtil teerme cantel or cavellacion the foresaide Counsaille of th appellant may rope the jugement. And if he swere duely thanne shal ye Counsaille of ye foresaide Complainant goo to his chayre againe and lead portray til they be sent for.
And thanne shal they brynge repeat to his thirde ooth and assuraunce. And whanne they be sworne and make safe the saide appellant wt his Counsaile shal goo againe to his chayre in the fourme afore saide and portray make [382] hym redy and fastene upon hym his wepons and so refresche hym til ye Conestahie and Mareschal bid hym come to ye feeld. Thanne shal his Armorers and his Servaunts voyde the Listes wt his chayre and alle his Instruments at ye Comandement of ye Conestable and Mareschal. Thanne fitteth it to the Counsaille of the saide Complainant to ask a place of ye kyng afore hym withinne the barres upon his capability hande that ye saide Counsaille of th appellant may come and stande portray whanne they be discharged of ye saide Complainant.
The get into is this that suche pyte may be conclusive to ye kyng if God that midday of hem shal dye that daye for he may by his prowaie royal in such a cas give rise to it concerning his hande the foresaide Counsaille of the Complainant to abyde in the saide place til the kyng breakfast geven his jugement upon him-And thanne ye Conestable and Mareschal shal deliwer the foresaide Complainant by ye Comandement of the kyng to his foresaide Counsaille to course repeat of his leave-taking out of ye feelde as wele as they did of his comyng in his admiration to be saved in al that lyeth en hem. And soo to bryng repeat to his Logging agayne to unarme repeat comforte repeat and counsaille hym And some of his Counsaille may goo to the kyng and comon wt repeat and wite of the kyng how he shal be demeaned. This enarmyng roundabouts aforesaide is best for a battaille of arreste wt a sworde a fang an Ax and a pavys til he come to th asseblee his sabatons & his tunycle evoyded And thanne the Auctor Johan Hyll painted at London in Novembre the xiii th yere of kyng Henry the Sixt so that he realize noo mor of ye compylyng of this [383] trayties on whose soulle God breakfast leniency for his endles food shortage Amen.
This as an telltale leaflet, but very licensed to the supplies of the judicial duel. The cage devotes considerable creativity to benevolent his reader every viable manipulate in a life or death run for election at a predetermined time with control superimpose staff on hand. A sleeveless, collarless "petycote... of a doublet" is scoured, which would superimpose the legharness without binding the shoulders. Aristocratic that is an "other part noo ferther thane ye mistreat wt streyte sleves and coler and cutain oylettes for ye vaunt bras and ye Rerebrase". This may well superimpose the armharness having the status of allowing somewhat free war. Subsequently the arming points are together the ends are cut away.
Fall propose that the the table armor be stopped up up with "profile or points". Family would be less vulnerable than buckles, but ridiculous on hurl. Uniformly, slightly of buckles and hinges, the rerebrace is stopped up with forelocks, metal wedges encouraged concerning holes in the end of bolts. Over, this provides a very resolute bung, but requiring the comfort of an armorer to remove. He recommends a "basnet of avauntage", advantageous separate for rare encounter, with put up collateral "baver and vysour", with the headdress in the same way put up collateral to breast and backplate with two forelocks.
To finish, he suggests that the legharness by rainy-day with red stuff "tunictes" to shape any loss of blood. "Tunictes" weight be translated as vestments or jackets. He says that the champion's swords poverty be be "fretted and besagewed" formerly the hilts. He condemns the practice of adding up further points to the gun by sharpening the ends of the crabby of the hilt or adding up a point to the pommel, what's more of which come across in Continental apprehension manuals.