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(i) The Abbeville ordinance: 31 July 1471

The Abbeville ordinance dealt with the organis-ation of the 1,250 lances that were recruited. Around the first half of the 15th century the word ‘lance’ came to designate not an individual by his weapon, but a group of combatants varying in number from four to nine, headcd by a man-at-arms. Although most military historians claim that the lance was purely an administrative entity, there seems to be evidence that it could well have served as a tactical unit.

In the Abbeville ordinance each lance was to consist of: one man-at-arms, with a mounted page and a swordsman (coustillier); three archers, mounted; and one crossbowman, one handgunner, and one pikeman, on foot. This gives a total for 1,250 lances of 10,000 combatants in all (pages did not fight), divided into 12 companies. It will be noted that the distinction between chemlier bamerels\bachelierslecuyers has been dropped: the army is becoming a professional one, no longer

being based on social status, and all men-at-arms are paid the same. The cąuipment of certain members of the lance is prescribed:    the

man-at-arms must have a fuli armour, three horses (two being ridden by the page and swordsman), a war saddle and chamfrain, and must have blue and white plumes on his sallet and chamfrain. He was also issucd with, a vermilion velvet St. Andrew’s croSs Jor his armour, but we are not told how it was to be fixed.

The three mounted archers must each equip themselves with 30 arrows, a bow, a two-handed sword and a dagger. The swordsman must have a spear, a sword and a dagger, and both he and the archers were issued with a blue and white jacket bearing a red St. Andrew’s cross.

As stątcd, the army was organised into 12 companies of 100 lances * each: a company of ordinance was commanded by a conducteur¹ and the

'From the Italian condottiere, which shows how much Charles was influcnccd by the Italians: the usual Frcnch term was capilaine.

(Left) Duke Philip the Bold commissioned a retable, of which this figurę of St. George forms part, from Jacques de Baerze, a Flemish wood carver from Ghent active around the end of the 14th century. St George’s visored bascinet, by far the most common helmct throughout Europę from c.1380, has a mail aventail which is attached to his jupon or pourpoint—coat armour—by ‘points’. This shape of sword pommel was in common use from c.1350 until the first ąuarter of the t5th century; but the lance-rest protruding through a cut-out in the pourpoint is a very rare feature as early as this. (Above) The pourpoint of Charles de Blois, Duke of Brittany, killed at the battle of Auray in 1364. If the buttons were fastened the ‘wasp waist’ seen in the St. George carving would become apparent. (Musee des Bcaux-Arts de Dijon; Musee Historique des Tissus, Lyon)