11-30-2012, 03:37 PM
The Ordinances of Louis XI of France (1461-1483) has another example of a standalone quilted armour. The jacks are made of 25-30 layers of cloth and an outer layer of stag's skin - probably for weatherproofing as Nikanor suggested, but the cloth provides the protection from weapons, not the leather.
"And first they must have for the said jacks, 30, or at least 25 folds of cloth and a stag's skin; those of 30, with the stag's skin, being the best cloth that has been worn and rendered flexible, is 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 armpit 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 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 of the same strength as the jack itself. Thus the jack will be secure and easy, provided that there be a doublet without sleeves or collar, of two folds of cloth, that shall be only four fingers broad on the shoulder; to which doublet shall be attached the chausses. 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."
The Ordinance of St. Maximin de Treves (Oct, 1473) shows that quilted armour intended to be worn over other armour (in this case a mail shirt or brigandine) has less layers than the above standalone quilted armour.
"... The mounted archer must possess a horse worth not less than six francs, and should wear a visorless sallet, a bevor [or possibly a mail standard], a brigandine, or a sleeveless mail shirt under a ten layer jack..."
There are also extant examples: the Charles VI jupon dates to c. 1400. It was worn over mail or a brigandine and it is 2 layers of raw cotton (cotton wool) sandwiched between 7 layers of cloth - 2 folds of linen, then cotton wool, then two folds of linen, then cotton wool, then two folds of linen and an outer layer of silk damask.
This book is worth reading if anyone is interested in how these garments were made. It would have been marvellous if someone in Aldrete's team had read something like this before wasting their time with glue.
http://www.amazon.com/Patterns-Fashion-C...532&sr=1-2
"And first they must have for the said jacks, 30, or at least 25 folds of cloth and a stag's skin; those of 30, with the stag's skin, being the best cloth that has been worn and rendered flexible, is 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 armpit 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 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 of the same strength as the jack itself. Thus the jack will be secure and easy, provided that there be a doublet without sleeves or collar, of two folds of cloth, that shall be only four fingers broad on the shoulder; to which doublet shall be attached the chausses. 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."
The Ordinance of St. Maximin de Treves (Oct, 1473) shows that quilted armour intended to be worn over other armour (in this case a mail shirt or brigandine) has less layers than the above standalone quilted armour.
"... The mounted archer must possess a horse worth not less than six francs, and should wear a visorless sallet, a bevor [or possibly a mail standard], a brigandine, or a sleeveless mail shirt under a ten layer jack..."
There are also extant examples: the Charles VI jupon dates to c. 1400. It was worn over mail or a brigandine and it is 2 layers of raw cotton (cotton wool) sandwiched between 7 layers of cloth - 2 folds of linen, then cotton wool, then two folds of linen, then cotton wool, then two folds of linen and an outer layer of silk damask.
This book is worth reading if anyone is interested in how these garments were made. It would have been marvellous if someone in Aldrete's team had read something like this before wasting their time with glue.
http://www.amazon.com/Patterns-Fashion-C...532&sr=1-2
Author: Bronze Age Military Equipment, Pen & Sword Books
