Basic Equipment List of Requirements for the Company of Little Dunmow
The Primary Purpose of The Company of Little Dunmow is to recreate a group of infantrymen fighting under the Baron Robert Fitzwalter against King John between the years 1200 and 1216. Using the basic equipment list for freemen as outlined in the English Assize of Arms of 1181, members affiliated with the group will strive to bring The First Barons War era of the middle ages to life. Our secondary goal is to recreate life in the middle ages at any event in which our basic clothing and kit is appropriate. In order to achieve these goals, The Company of Little Dunmow will portray lower to middle status English citizens, men at arms, and knights, both at war, and at peace, as the event calls for. Families and children are part of what makes The Company. We all watch out for each other, if you are looking for a purely militaristic group we may not be the best choice.
“2. Moreover, every free layman who possesses chattels or rents to the value of 16m. shall have a shirt of maille, a helmet, a shield, and a lance; and every free layman possessing chattels or rents to the value of 10m. shall have a hauberk, an iron cap, and a lance
3. Item, all burgesses and the whole community of freemen shall have [each] a gambeson, an iron cap [hat], and a lance.”
-The English Assize of Arms of 1181
Starting points-
All members of The Company of Little Dunmow must first participate as serfs or freemen as part of the village levy before branching out into other impressions. This accomplishes two goals. First you may find an aspect of Medieval village or manorial life that speaks to you and wish to research it further for an accurate portrayal. Our Esquires, Lady’s Maids, Serjeants, and those working on clergy, Troubadour, or other specific impressions all started this way. Second, it allows us to faithfully portray small village and manor life in 1215. We would look ridiculous if we came to an event with a dozen nobles and three freemen; a reflection of the pyramidal life of Medieval society is our goal. Knighthood is earned in The Company, no one is permitted to attend as a knight unless The Company as a community feels our impression needs it and you have earned it. This reflects a knight’s role in society as much as it does the needs of The Company. Ask Sir Samuel how he became a knight in The Company sometime!
Basic Kit for new members to participate (loaner items may be available, ask!)
Braies (male impressions)
Chausse (male impressions though hose is strongly suggested for female impressions)
Ankle length drawstring turnshoes (other styles of shoe existed but these far exceed them in survivals and imagery)
Shirt or chemise
Tunic or Gown
Wimple or veil for married women
Belt
Drinking bowl, eating bowl, spoon and eating knife.
Personal appearance-
We do not expect members of the Company to have perfect 1200 haircuts, facial hair or grooming standards. That being the case, unnatural hair colors, clearly incorrect haircuts, modern tattoos, piercings, jewelry, watches, and such go against the spirit of what we do. If they cannot be covered or hidden from the public please consider finding another Medievalish group to participate with. You will be happier as will we. Also, please restrict cell phone use and do not use tobacco in camp. Absolutely no illegal drug use is permitted.
Soft Kit-
Clothing must be made from wool, linen, or hemp. Some linen-cotton blends are acceptable, solid cotton is not. Wool fabric should be at least 80% wool content for authenticity and safety. All visible seams should be hand sewn. Hidden seams may be machine sewn. Clothing should be of a style as seen in the Maciejowski Bible, and the Fecamp, Rutland or St Albans Psalters, or any other text, illustrations, or extant museum pieces from 1175-1275 AD.
Linen undergarments should be unbleached linen for poorer impressions, bleached for higher class ones. The color of outer garments should also reflect standard of living, with deeper, brighter colors more common for wealthy impressions. In John’s court scarlet cloth was the most expensive, followed by verdant, then burnet or russet. It is likely that these terms both referred to color shades as well as cloth quality. Tabby or flannel wool for poorer impressions, worsted and fulled woolens for richer ones.
Kit is included in the order in which it should be acquired. The names given are the Norman French followed by the English.
Men: Braies/Drawers- Should be white or unbleached linen. Baggy fitted in the seat and legs, and reaching to the knees, plus or minus a few inches. Braies should have a drawstring or braie girdle to tie in front also allowing the pointing of chausse or hose. They may have drawstrings at the knee as well. Girding the loins with a large rectangle of linen is also acceptable.
Men: Chausse/Hose- Should be made of wool, and cut on the bias to allow stretch. The chausses should be close fitted to the leg and may or may not have feet or stirrups. The chausses should be tied or point to an under belt worn over the braies or the braie girdle, but under the tunic, via a woven point or string, or, linen, or wool narrow woven or sewn strip of tape.
Women: Short Hose- These are constructed much the same as male hose but only reach the knee. They should be gartered with wool or linen tape, or perhaps a leather garter. They may be made on the bias or, due to the easier fit, on the grain.
Men and Women: Shoes- Should be leather turn shoes. The most ubiquitous shoe for 1200 in archeological finds is the ankle tall drawstring boot, made with a calf sole and goatskin upper, rand, and heel stiffener. Taller calf length versions are also commonly seen as in the Fecamp Psalter. Colors can include browns, blacks, and all of the variety of natural dyes. Ankle height shoes from bright colors, or with open work, are only appropriate for upper status impressions.
Women: Shift/Chemise- Made from linen, natural or bleached depending on status. It should reach mid-calf, and have side gores. Sleeves should fit closely at the wrist and should include gussets under the arms to help with shoulder shaping. All seems should be finished. Visible stitching by hand is strongly encouraged. Neck lines may be keyhole, boat, slit, or v shaped.
Men: Shirt/Chemise- Made from linen, natural or bleached depending on status. It should reach mid-thigh, and can have a central gore or side gores. Sleeves should fit closely at the wrist and should include gussets under the arms to help with shoulder shaping. All seems should be finished. Visible stitching by hand is strongly encouraged. Neck lines may be keyhole, boat, slit, or v shaped.
Women: Tunic/Cotte/Gown- May be wool or linen (wool strongly preferred) and should be unlined, with gores for shaping. Side gores should start at the waist or closer to the sleeves, adding more material at the waistline. The center front and back may have gores as well. The volume of the gown should reflect status. Sleeves should fit close at the wrist and may have shaped armscyes and include gussets under the arms. There are a large variety of necklines, including keyhole, boat, and various v or pointed shapes. Boat necks seem to be the most common. Woolen tunics out of flannel are strongly encouraged, color matching status.
Men: Tunic/Cotte- May be wool or linen (wool strongly preferred) should be unlined, with gores for shaping. For an old-fashioned look, side gores should start at the waist. A more fashionable look is for the side gores to start closer to the sleeves, adding more material at the waistline. The center front and back should have gores as well, and can have a slit where the front and back gores meet. Sleeves should fit close at the wrist and may have shaped armscyes and include gussets under the arms. There are a large variety of necklines, including keyhole, boat, and various v or pointed shapes. Boat necks seem to be the most common. The tunic should extend to at least just below the knees for most impressions but longer tunics for higher status impressions are recommended. Woolen tunics out of flannel are strongly encouraged, color matching status.
Women: Wimple, Veil, Fillet- Married women should wear something to cover their hair when out in public. This should be in the form of a cloth about 15” x 56+” worn wrapped around the head. Fillets can be worn with or without caps and should be used to anchor a veil. High status women may also wear a barbette around the chin. Higher status hair dressings should be made from fine bleached linen. Unmarried women or girls can wear their hair loose or controlled at the nape of the neck, the two braid looks appears to have gone well out of fashion.
Men: Hood- Should be made of wool and may be lined or unlined. Hoods with liripipes are strongly discouraged, and should have no dagging along the bottom edge. The base of the hood can extend over the shoulders, being pointed over the chest, or may fit more closely and end closer to the neckline. Having a lined hood is highly recommended.
Men and Women Belt- Should be made of leather ¾”to 1 ¼” wide and should be worn over the tunic to blouse it. The buckle should be cast brass or bronze and have a tongue. Metal strap ends are highly encouraged. The stereotypical looed end through the belt at the buckle in not seen in circa 1200 imagery. Leaving the end loose is the most commonly seen form, while tucking the end under the strap is also found. Belt length seems to follow status as well, with more highly worked forms with longer lengths common on higher status individuals. Women may also choose to wear a tablet woven belt of wool or silk.
Coif- The coif should be made of white or unbleached linen, two-piece construction, and lined or unlined. Coifs should fit fairly closely to the head and should be worn tied under the chin.
Cloak- These seem to be moving toward an upper status garment by 1200. Most imagery shows them being worn by the wealthy and being worn without hoods. They should be made of wool, and may be lined or unlined with wool, linen, or fur such as rabbit or squirrel. It should be cut in a rectangle, or semi- circular shape and pinned at the shoulder with a metal broach or pin. Square cloaks seem to be out of fashion by 1200, and fur lining should reflect status. Sheep skin rectangular cloaks would be for the poor, semicircular cloaks lined in squirrel would be reserved for the very wealthy.
Supertunics/surcottes/Guardcorps/Biauts- For work these were replacing cloaks in may cases with fine versions used for riding or as a badge of office. The Bliaut fashion comes from the middle of the 12th century and features a close-fitting chest (laced at the sides for women) gussets from the waist with a riding slit for men, and fairly wide sleeves, ending with deeply belled cuffs for upper status female versions. Surcottes made like larger tunics/cottes are visible throughout the time period and differ from the base garment by being lined. The later, fashionable surcotte often features sleeves open at the front shoulder to allow the sleeves to be worn or not, with the gores coming from close to the armscye. All versions may be lined with linen, wool, silk or fur, depending on status.
Accessories-
Period correct accessories will really help to round out our impressions of medieval life displays, as well as make our lives comfortable. As with anything else, we should strive to ensure that the accessories we choose are made from correct materials, and in a correct and documentable style. While these items can be essential, it is also important to note that it can be easy to go overboard when it comes to accessorizing. We would like to maintain a campaigner level of historical accuracy for the camps that The Company of Little Dunmow sets up, and therefore, we should bring only items that we could realistically have carried or packed, and not have too many items. While we may need to cook, for example, a tripod made of wooden sticks would be more appropriate than an iron one.
Required: Each member of the Company should possess one small bowl for drinking, one large bowl for eating, one spoon of bone, brass, pewter or silver (status) and one eating knife. The bowls and spoon, if bone, should be marked so as to be identified. These can be added to by chalices, plates, and other eating-ware appropriate to status. Eating knives should be whittle tanged. Roach belly blades seem to have been the most common and handles of wood, bone, or horn were common.
Accessories that are useful include:
Tent
Wool Blanket(s)
Mattress Bag to Fill with Straw
Flint and Steel
Comb
Tweezers and Ear Scoop Kit
Small Cloth or Leather Pouch/Purse
Baskets
Cooking Pots of Clay, Sheet Brass or Copper
Wooden or Clay Bowls
Wooden, Clay, or Metal Drinking Vessels
Wooden Spoons
Utility/Eating Knife
Lucetts
Drop Spindles
Sewing Kit
Any Tools Required of a Medieval Profession that You May Wish to Demonstrate
Amour and Arms-
Please consult with the Company before purchasing arms and armour. There is a lot of badly made items out there and we can help steer you toward better purchases. When it comes to martial equipment, if the price seems too good to be true it probably is!
As with the clothing, the arms and armour should be a style as seen in the Maciejowski Bible, or the Rutland or St Albans Psalter or other period texts, illustrations or museum examples, and made from steel or iron.
Helmet- Should be a round topped nasal helm, Phrygian cap style nasal helm, skullcap, or kettle helm. Conical “Norman” helmets reluctantly accepted. May be either a kettle helmet, or a conical helmet with or without a nasal piece. The helmet should have a leather chinstrap. A padded textile or leather internal suspension is highly recommended. A padded arming camp should be worn underneath. Knightly impressions should start with a round top nasal before seeking a correctly made, appropriately styled faceplate or closed helm.
Gambeson- May be made from linen, or hemp canvas. Must be a pull over type, with vertical quilted rows only. May be long or short sleeved. May or may not have an attached or separate quilted collar. No sleeveless gambesons unless worn over a sleeved gambeson as described. Body should have some shaping both from cut and from padding and quilting.
Spear- The spear head may be a long, medium, or short type with a socket, made of iron or steel, and without lugs. Both diamond and triangular shaped are commonly seen. The spear shaft should be 7 ½’-10’ long with 8’ being preferred for on foot.
Maille- All maille should be of a riveted type, and either round or flat links. The maille hauberk should extend to the knees and be split to the waist in the front and back. It may be long sleeved, with close fitting sleeves or short sleeved. If long sleeved it may or may not have attached mittens. The coif may or may not be attached as well. If the coif is a separate piece, it should not have dagged edges. Maille chausses should only be worn for a knightly impression. Maille should be worn over a gambeson. Do not buy maille without consulting with members of the Company.
Swords- Should have an Oakeshott X, XI, or XII or variant type blade. The pommel should be Brazil nut, cat’s eye, Tri-corn, or round shaped. The belt and scabbard should be an appropriate type to the time period, with the belt being attached to the scabbard. The sword belt may buckle or tie. Falchions of an appropriate type may also be used, as well as the Maciejowskie Bible type falchions and choppers.
Daggers- These seem to be an upper class armor piercing weapon ratheer than something more ubiquitous. They may have blades with diamond cross shapes, and may or may not have fullers. Pommels should be similar shapes as described for the swords.
Bows and Arrows- Bows should be of the English Longbow type, made of wood with a D or galleon cross shape. They may or may not have horn or antler nocks. Bows should not have a shelf or arrow cut out, but arrows should be shot off the hand. Arrows should have wooden shafts, self nocks, and three long goose fletchings, tied on. The arrowheads should be of a type common to the era. Modern field points are acceptable for shooting demonstrations, but not for public display of arrows. Canvas or leather bags are permitted to store the arrows in. No modern back or hip quivers. A horn or leather armguard may be worn to protect the arm. No full forearm covering leather vambraces may be worn. Leather tabs or period correct archery gloves may be used to protect the shooting fingers.
All Other Weapons- Such as maces, clubs, flails, quarter staffs, etc. are permitted as long as they can be documented to the period.