Making a leather covered quilted linen cuirass

[Dan Howard]

But the earliest unambiguous examples of quilted, fabric armor that come to mind are the cotton shirts the Spaniards adopted from the Aztecs.

Quilted linen armor has been worn in Europe centuries earlier than this, both as standalone armour and as an additional layer over mail. The former is very thick - there are douments stating that they could consist of up to thirty layers of linen with an additional layer of leather over the top. Do a Google for "padded jack".

Here is one example from the Ordinances of Louis XI (1461-1483):

"And first they must have for the said jacks, thirty, or at least twenty-five, folds of cloth, and a stag’s skin; those of thirty, with the stag’s skin being the best cloth that has been worn and rendered flexible, is the best for this purpose, and these jacks should be made in four quarters. The sleeves should be as strong as the body, with the exception of the leather, and the arm-hole of the sleeve must be large, which arm-hole should be placed near the collar not on the bone of the shoulder, that it may be broad under the arm-pit and full under the arm sufficiently ample and large on the sides below. The collar should be like the rest of the jack, but not be too high behind, to allow room for the sallet. This jack should be laced in front, and under the opening must be a hanging piece (porte piece) of the same strength as the jack itself. Thus the jack will be secure and easy, provided there be a pourpoint without sleeves or collar of two folds of cloth, that shall be only four fingers broad on the shoulder; to which pourpoint shall be attached the hose. Thus shall the wearer float, as it were, within his jack, and be at his ease; for never have been seen half-a-dozen men killed by stabs or arrow wounds in such jacks, particularly if they be troops accustomed to fighting."