Category: Living History

Thibault – Introduction

I have in recent weeks began re-reading Academie de l’Espee by Gerard Thibault d’Anvers, for a variety of reasons. Sadly my virtually non-existent French means I am reading the 2005 translation by John Michael Greer. To my surprise and delight, re-reading after having left it alone for several years I find it opening up for me, and it makes much more sense than it did the first few times.

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The Perfect Shoe

I’ve been thinking about shoes lately, specifically shoes for HEMA. Now, for any chance of deciphering this rambling rant, the reader needs the context. When I was young and more foolish than I am now, I buggered up my right knee. This was not a world changing, oh my god there is blood everywhere kind of injury, it was just the sort of strain that causes you to limp for a month and curse stairs. Except I’ve been limping and cursing ever since. Stairs make it hurt. Sitting at a desk for hours makes it hurt. Standing makes it hurt. Running makes it hurt. Fencing makes it hurt. Most of the time it’s a dull annoying ache, like that work colleague who just won’t shut up, but after exercise it tends to become genuinely sore, and occasionally feels like evil dwarves are hammering 4″ roofing nails into the joint to make it stronger.

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Up and down

Well I wore the new Sallet and boots today, both of which are great. We’ve been doing a light weight relaxed thing at Raglan Castle, including fighting in the hall. What’s not so good is that the scabbard I need to replace is now broken, meaning I can’t wear a sword easily tomorrow. Also the hose I want to replace are starting to pop seams.

Shoes Sorted Out

Thanks to Peter from Plantagenet Shoes, I now have a lovely pair of his 15th C buckled knee boots. While his waiting list for new orders is quite long, by a stroke of fortune he had a pair already made, and has had my feet in his records (as it were) from when he made me some 16th C shoes a few years ago. They arrived yesterday, fit brilliantly, and are the normal exacting and high quality he has a reputation for. I confidently expect to still be wearing them 10 years from now.

Project Progress

I was out of communications range over the weekend, but made some notes. While I could not communicate with anyone, I was able to re-read the costuming guide more deeply, and have a think.

4 May 2014 13:53

Quite frustrated at not being able to get any reliable connection – or power – at the moment, as I’m at Hastings for the Jack In The Green. Phone coverage is negligible, and nobody here does wifi.

I’ve gotten as far as putting up the initial posting on The Masthead listing what I need to get, and begun building a page for the main site which echoes the static state of affairs.

Current thinking is:

  • the boots I can get from Plantagenet will sort me out for shoes
  • I’m fine for harness and jack, and the petticote is good.
  • braies and shirt I’m fine, but an extra shirt would be good
  • good hose, doublet and jacket are needed.
    • if i can get the wool (linen I have sources for) then the pattern for the jacket could be built up pretty quickly from the pattern for my petticote
    • the sleeveless jacket appears to be exactly the same as the other jacket, but without sleeves, so if making one may as well make two.
    • both fastened down the front with hooks and eyes, so need to get some large ones
  • I think i can get a good hood and cloak from SPES historical, and some “tent linen” of a good weight to make a bed roll (and a couple of hide-stuff sacks, if I have time)
    • although they warn that the fringed “german” hood that SPES have is not common in Burgundy
  • the black wool hat is probably the best I have, I will need to retry it to see if it fits, otherwise possibly the black felt hat
  • a small cup in lieu of my tankard would be good, and it would be good to get a better bowl/plate. The spoons and knife are fine.
  • i need to find out whether blunted or live weapons are needed. if blunt is fine, then my arming sword is good, but the scabbard is rubbish. on the other hand the belt for the scabbard is good.
    • if a live weapon is needed, I could be out of luck unless I could lay my hands on a decent messer or dagger in a hurry.
  • If i can get the wool, the livery would be straightforward
  • given the event is in the 1470’s, which would put me as being born in the 1420’s, I can justifiably claim to be a veteran of English conflicts of the ’40s and ’50s (so what was going on then?)