Ancient Armour and Weapons in Europe: From the Iron Period of the Northern Nations to the End of the Thirteenth CenturyHewitt, John
History
Ancient Armour and Weapons in Europe: From the Iron Period of the Northern Nations to the End of the Thirteenth Century
Hewitt, John
Armor; Weapons
in times past, used barded Horses, for feare of our Arrowes. Nowe,
since Archerie is not so much reckoned of, and Bardes are but a weak
defence against Shotte, Lanciers, leaving their bardes, are armed
much like to the Albanian Stradiots."
The pourpointed housing is named in the ordinance of Philip IV. quoted
above, and it may probably be implied in most cases where we read of a
"cheval couvert." Rigord, under 1214, (battle of Bovines,) describes
the approach of the Imperialists on their barded horses: "Dixit quod
viderat equos militum coopertos, ... quod erat evidentissimum pugnæ
signum." In a roll of expenses, of 1294, given by Du Cange[403], "Pour
les gages de Monsieur Bertran Massole, retenu aux gages accoustumez
pour lui et deux Ecuyers," we read: "Et estoit luy et autre à chevaux
couverts, et un autre sans cheval couvert:" and again: "Pour onze
Ecuyers à chevaux couverts, à chacun vii. sols vi. deniers par jour, et
pour deux qui n'ont point chevaux couverts, chacun v. sols."
In England, the armed horse came into use between the years 1285 and
1298; for, while the Statute of Winchester in 1285 makes no mention
of any defence for the steed, the Statute of 27 Edw. I. in every case
requires such an armament:--
"Le Rey ad ordene qe sire Thomas de Furnivall voit en les contees
de Notingham et de Derb', de eslire, trier, ordener et asseer gentz
d'armes en meismes les contez, aussi bien a chival come a pie, de
toutz ceus qui sont de age d'entre vint anns e seissaunte: ensi
qe chescun qe eyt XXX. liverees de terre, seit mis a un _chival
covert_: e de seissaunte liverees, a deux _chivaux covertz_: e se
vers mount de chescune XXX. liveree de terre, a un _chival covert_.
E s'il eit plus avant qe XXX. liveree de terre e ne mie seisaunte,
qe en ceo qe il avera entre les XXX. livereez, seit joint e mis a
un autre qe serra de meisme la condicion.
"E de ceus qui averont meins de trente liveree de terre en aval
jusqes a seisaunte soudes, e de ceus qe out seisaunte soudees, e de
seisaunte soudees en amount, soient enjoingnz e mis as autres qe
serront de meisme l'estat, de si qe il seient a XXX. liverees, e
adunkes soient assis a un _chival covert_: ensi qe chescune trente
liveree de terre, aussi de greindres come de meindres, face un
_chival covert_.
"E face le dit sire Thomas mettre en roulle les nouns de touz ceaus
qi serront assis as chivaux covertz, e le noumbre des chivaux par
eus severeaument de chescun wapentakel, e aussi les nouns de gent a
pe par eus.
"E ausitost come il avera ce fet, distinctement e apertement de ce
certifie le Rey.
"Don' a Noef Chastel sur Tyne, le xxv. jour de Novembre[404]."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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