H

e shall have no shirt upon him except for a doublet of fustian lined with satin, 

cut full of holes. The doublet must be strongly built; the points must be set at 
the break in the arm in the front and back. To lace the gussets of mail must be 
sewn onto the doublet also at the break in the arm and at the underarm.  

T

he arming points must be made of fine twine like that with which men make 

strings for crossbows. These points must have tips for lacing. And they must be 
waxed with leather-workers's [cood?], such that they will neither stretch nor 
break. And he should wear a pair of hose made of worsted cloth. Around the 
knees should be wrapped ' bulwarks' of thin blankets to reduce the chafing by 
the leg harness. He should wear a pair of thick shoes, provided with points 
sewn on the heel and in the middle of the sole to a space of three fingers.

  

To Arm a Man 

 

F

irst you must set the sabatons and tie them to the shoe with small points that 

will not break. And then the greaves and cuisses over the breeches of mail. 
Then place the taces upon his hips. And then the breast and backplates, the 

vambraces and rerebraces {the arm defenses}. And then the gauntlets. Hang the 
dagger on his right side, his short sword upon his left side in a round ring that it 
may be lightly drawn. And then put his cote upon his back. The bascinet 
follows, laced to the cuirass in front and back that it sits just so. And then his 
long sword in his hand, a small pennant bearing the figure of Saint George or 
Our Lady in his left hand. Now he is ready to take to the field.

  

What an Appellant shall bring to the field 

A 

tent must be put in the field  

Also a chair 
Also a basin 
Also five loaves of bread 
Also a gallon of wine 
Also a "messe" of meat or fish 
Also a board and a pair of trestles to sit his meat and drink on 
Also a broad cloth 
Also a knife to cut the meat 
Also a cup to drink from 
Also a glass with drink made 
Also a dozen tresses of arming points 
Also a hammer and pincers and a bichorn 
Also a dozen arming nails (rivets) 
Also a spear, long sword, short sword and dagger 
Also a kerchief to [hele] the visor of his bascinet 
Also a pennant to bear in his hand during his avowing

 

 
 

How a man schall be armyd at his ese when he schal 

fighte on foote 

Hastings MS. [f.122b]  

Middle English Version  

 

H

e schal have noo schirte up on him but a dowbelet of ffustean lynyd with 

satene cutte full of hoolis. The dowblet muste be strongeli boude there the 
poyntis muste be sette aboute the greet of the arme. And the b ste before and 
beyhnde and the gussetis of mayle muste be sowid un to the dowbelet in the 
bought of the arme. And undir the arme the armynge poyntis muste be made of 

fyne twyne suche as men make stryngis for crossbowes and they muste be 
trussid small and poyntid as poyntis. Also they muste be wexid with 
cordeweneris coode. And than they woll neythirrecche nor breke. Also a payre 
hosyn of stamyn sengill and a peyre of shorte bulwerkis of thynne blanket to 
put aboute his kneys for chawfygeof his ligherness. Also a payre of shone of 
thikke cordwene and they muste be frette with smal whipcorde thre knottis up 
on a corde and thre coordis muste be faste sowid un to the hele of the shoo and 
fyne cordis in the mydill of the soole of the same shoo and that there be 
between the frettis of the heele and the frettis of the myddill of the shoo the 
space of thre fyngris.

  

To arme a man 

f

firste ye muste sette on Sabatones and tye hem up on the shoo with smale 

poyntis that wol breke. And then griffus and then quisses and the breche of 
mayle. And the tonletis. And the brest. And the vambras. And then glovys. And 
then hange his daggere upon his right side. And then his shorte swerde upon the 
lyfte side in a rounde rynge all nakid and pylle it oute lightli. And then putte his 
cote upon hos bak. And then his bascincet pynid up on two greet staplis before 
the breste with a dowbill behynde up on the bak for the make the bascinet sitte 
juste. And then his long swerde in his hande. And then his pensill in his hande 
peyntid of seynt George or oure lady to blesse him with as he gooth towarde 
the felde and in the felde.

  

The day that the Pelaunt and defaundaunt shal fighte 

what they shal have with hem in the felde 

A 

tente muste be pight in the felde 

Also a cheyre 
Also a basyn 
Also vj loves of breed 
Also ij galones of wyne 
Also a messe of mete flesshe or fisshe 
Also a borde and a peyre of trestelis to sette his mete and drynke 
on 
Also a borde clothe 
Also a knyf for to cutte his mete 
Also a cuppe to drynke of 
Also a glas with a drynke made 
Also a dosen tresses of armynge poyntis 

Also an hamyr and pynsones and a bicorne 
Also a smale nayles a dosen 
Also a spere a longe swerde shorte swerde and dagger 
Also a kerchif to hele the viser of his bascinet 
Also a pensell to bere in his hande of his avowyre