Equipment
All Harringtons’ should aim to bring the following personal equipment to an event
FOR THE LIVING HISTORY ENCAMPMENT (LHE)
- Trencher/Bowl, Knife, spoon, Cup. Pricker optional.
- Stool / Chair / Box to sit upon.
- Pavaise
- Defensive stake.
The Companye uses the following equipment guidance:
CLOTHING
MEN
- Boots
- hose (preferably joined),
- Shirt
- Braies
- Doublet
- Livery Coat or Jacket
- Belt
- Hat
- Pouch/Bag
- Water container
WOMEN
- Shoes
- Shift
- Kirtle
- Gown or Cloak (Optional). Note hood should be separate to the cloak.
- Pouch/Bag
- Water container
In terms of the colours available, please stick to natural dyes. The following image shows what is possible using natural dyes (courtesy of Susan Sümer)
See also the excellent guide to colours written by Gwen of Historic Enterprises.
A non exhaustive list of suppliers can be found here, traders can also be found at the historic markets throughout the year.
ARMOUR & ARMAMENTS
Each Harrington should determine which role within the Lance they are aiming to portray and work towards the equipment listed. The ordannaces from Burgundy are repeated below. The Burgundian term is referenced in italics following a roughly equivalent English term. Also note that although the Burgundian ordannces refer to Cavalry, the English much preferred to fight on foot at this period, so you don’t have to bring a horse along to an event (unless you want to!)
Knight (Chef d’chambre)
Full harness, war horse with chanfrain and war saddle. Lance or polaxe if fighting on foot, bastard sword, mace or war hammer, dagger.
Shoes, hoes, shirt, doublet, belt, hat and jacket. These should all be of best quality materials
Heavy Cavalry (Hommes d’armes)
The hommes d’armes were heavy cavalry. In Burgundy they were primarily still deployed on horse, but the English preferred the tactic of fighting dismounted.
Full harness, war horse with chanfrain and war saddle. Lance or polaxe if fighting on foot, bastard sword, mace or war hammer, dagger.
Shoes, hoes, shirt, doublet, belt, hat and jacket. These should all be of better quality materials than the basic clothes
Squire (Valet)
The main function of the valet was to support the hommes d’armes and coustiliers, not all valets seem to have had armour.
Sallet, bevor or maille standard, brigandine and maille shirt or back and breast and plate arm harness, gauntlets, leg harness
Light lance or guisarme (bill) if fighting on foot, bastard sword, dagger. Shoes, hoes, shirt, doublet, belt, hat and jacket. These should all be of better quality materials than the basic
Heavy Infantry (Coustilier)
Deployed as light cavalry, although they were sometimes used to increase the ranks of the hommes d’armes, or as heavy infantry assigned to defend the archers.
Sallet, bevor or maille standard, brigandine and maille shirt or cuirass, plate arm harness, gauntlets, plate leg harness.
Light lance or guisarme (bill or glaive) if fighting on foot, bastard sword, dagger.
Archers
Sallet (with or without visor), maille standard, brigandine, padded jack (mounted archers should also have; thigh boots, horse and saddle).
Bow and quiver, lead hammer, bastard sword, dagger
Arbalest (Crossbowmen)
Sallet, bevor or maille standard, brigandine over padded jack, leg harness.
Crossbow and quiver, bastard sword, dagger.
Handgunners
Sallet and bevor, breast plate over sleeved maille shirt.
Handgun, falchion, buckler, dagger
Billman (Pikemen)
Sallet, breast plate over padded jack. Spear, arming sword, buckler, dagger
General Note:
Our medieval ancestors were less fussy about categorisation than their Victorian descendents. A lot of out terminology for types of armour comes from the latter. Therefore when it references ‘sallet’ above, it can be better thought of as ‘helmet’.
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