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 Scotland, two leading influences were at work. The highlanders
adhered to their old habits and their old arms with a pertinacity
which has not been extinguished even in our own day. The round shield
ornamented with knot-work subsisted to the field of Culloden, and
the dagger with its hilt of the same pattern, is still in vogue. But
in the south of Scotland the fashions of France and of England had
made great inroads; especially advanced by the crowds of discontented
nobles of Saxon and of Norman blood, who sought in the court of the
Scottish king solace for their misfortunes, or revenge for their
wrongs. Thus in the seal of Alexander I. (1107-1124,) we find that
monarch wearing the hauberk with tunic and the nasal helmet, and
armed with lance and kite-shield, exactly as seen in the monuments
of his more southern cotemporaries. This equipment, however, was
only found among the leaders of their hosts, and even they did not
always think fit to adopt the new fashion. Thus, at the battle of
the Standard, in 1138, the Earl of Strathearne exclaims:--"I wear no
armour, yet they who do will not advance beyond me this day."
[Illustration: FROM THE GREAT SEAL OF ALEXANDER I., KING OF SCOTLAND.
No. 27.]
This Battle of the Standard, so called from the _Carrocium_, or
Car-standard, which was brought into the field by the English,
affords us a good insight into the warfare of the Scots of this
day. Let us remember, however, that it is an English chronicler who
records the fight. Roger of Hoveden tells us that the bishop[172] who
accompanied the English army, addressing the troops previous to the
engagement, said of the Scots: "They know not how to arm themselves
for battle; whereas you, during the time of peace, prepare yourselves
for war, in order that in battle you may not experience the doubtful
contingencies of warfare.... But now, the enemy _advancing in
disorder_, warns me to close my address, and rushing on _with a
straggling front_, gives me great reason for gladness." At the end of
his speech, "all the troops of the English answered, 'Amen, Amen.'"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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