There is a doubt as to the actual date of this manuscript. In the edition from which the above translation is taken it is described as of Icelandic origin about the year 1150, but it may be possibly as late as the beginning of the thirteenth century. The details of the dress worn under the armour may be compared on the one hand with the leggings shown on the Bayeux tapestry and on the other hand with those mentioned in the Hastings MS. of the fifteenth century (_Archæologia_, LVII), which gives the details of undergarments worn by the armed man at this date (page 107). The horse-armour is the “couverture” or trapper so frequently mentioned in inventories, which was often decorated with fine embroidery. Even altar-hangings were used for this purpose, as was the case in the sack of Rome in 1527. Padded horse-armour was used in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries for tournaments, minute regulations for which are found in the _Traité d’un Tournoi_ by King René of Anjou, which will be referred to farther on in this chapter. [Illustration: FRONT. BACK. FIG. 41. Padded Horse-armour for the Tourney (from King René’s _Traité d’un Tournoi_).] 1286. _Comptus Ballivorum Franciæ._[102] Expense pro cendatis, bourra ad gambesones, tapetis. This item is evidently for stuffing gambesons with cendal[103] and tow. Cendal is somewhat of a mystery as to its exact nature. Like all fabrics of past ages, we can but guess at its nature. It has been discussed under its name in Gay’s _Glossaire Archæologic._ 1296. _Ordonnances des Métiers de Paris_, p. 371. Que nus (armuriers) ne puisse fère cote ne gamboison de tèle dont l’envers et l’endroit ne soit de tèle noeve, et dedenz de coton et de plois de toiles, et einsi que est qu’il soient dedenz d’escroes. It. Si l’en fait cote ne gamboison dont l’endroit soit de cendal et l’envers soit de tèle, si veulent il que ele soit noeve et se il i a ploit dedenz de tèle ne de cendal, que le plus cort ploit soit de demie aune et de demi quartier de lonc au meins devant, et autant derrières, et les autres plois lons ensuians. Et si il i a borre de soie qui le lit de la bourre soit de demi aune et demy quaritier au meins devant et autant derrières et se il i a coton, que le coton vienge tout contreval jusques au piez. The first of these regulations concerns the materials used, and is very similar to that of the Armourers’ Company of London made in 1322, which is given in full in Appendix A. So much of the work of the padding and lining was hidden from sight that these regulations were most necessary to prevent the use of old rags and bad materials. The second entry seems to refer to the manner in which canvas and cendal were to be used and in what proportions. It should be noticed that at this period the surcoat, in England at any rate, was being gradually shortened. The regulation above quoted, however, suggests in the last sentence that in France it was still worn long.