Edward II's Possessions, 1326
Following the post on Edward II's treasure of 1312, here's one on the possessions he took to Wales with him in 1326.
In autumn that year, Edward fled to South Wales after Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer's invasion forces landed in Suffolk. He and Hugh Despenser spent some time at Despenser's castle of Caerphilly - see this article for more information. After they left (and were captured) the castle held out under siege until March 1327, when the garrison finally surrendered on being promised pardons.
An inventory was made of Edward II and Hugh Despenser's possessions found within the castle, which is printed in full (translated into English) in William Rees's Caerphilly Castle and its Place in the Annals of Glamorgan. Here are some of the many thousands of things listed:
- 26 barrels, each containing £500, and another barrel containing £1000, which was Despenser's
- a counterpane of red sendal, lined with green sendal (a fine silk) for Edward's bed
- a coverlet lined with minver (expensive fur)
- a canopy and curtains of red sendal, for the bed
- 4 cushions of purple velvet and 4 of red samite (another kind of silk, heavier than sendal)
- 2 caps of white beaver, 1 lined with black velvet and powdered with gold trefoils, the other lined with green velvet
- a black cap lined with red velvet, powdered with butterflies and "diverse beasts" in white pearls
- Edward's red retiring-robe, decorated with threads of saffron, and bears (cuuuuute!)
- a silver-gilt goblet, enamelled, engraved with baboons
- the 4 gospels, painted (?), for use in Edward's chamber
- 3 pairs of Gascon spurs, gilt, with silk cords
- an ornamented chain for greyhounds
- a sword garnished with silver-gilt, with the arms of Castile, and a girdle and scabbard with the same pattern
- a fine sword with a girdle and scabbard of gold, embroidered with silver eaglets
- 7 sacks for clothes, of which 4 were worn and 2 of those 4 had no straps
- 2 rolls and 9 ells of worsted, in green, red and saffron
- 18 towels, of which 12 were very worn
- vast amounts of food, including: 64 new carcases of oxen and 14 old carcases, 14 score carcases of mutton, 20 new and 52 old hams, 1956 stockfish (they counted every one!), 71 and a half quarters of new beans and 41 quarters of old beans, 4 score and 11 salted ox-hides, 3 tuns of vinegar and 3 of honey
- 6 tuns of red wine and 1 of white, of which 10 inches were lacking, and 1 tun of raspay, of which 7 inches were lacking (wine from Raspay, not far from Alicante, on the south-eastern coast of Spain).
- a silver boat, with 4 silver wheels and 2 dragons' heads, at each end
- 44 silver goblets, 272 silver dishes and 279 silver saucers marked with a leopard
- 1 chest of hide (leather) for 2 urinals
- Many thousands of items of military clothing and equipment, including: 40 aketons, 1 of which was of green camaca covered with red kid; 35 hauberks; 1 pair of 'frettes' with 50 pewter eyelets; 2 pieces of white stag's hide for 1 sword girdle; 1130 bolts with hedgehog quills; 1 pair of large gauntlets of doeskin, lined with coney; and about 5 zillion other things that mean absolutely nothing to me. (Gisarmes? Ventails? Gasingales? Jazerants? Pisans? Bidowes? '4 sutturres, twisted, of red silk' and '9 Gascon sutturres'?)
Again, it's great that this detailed inventory has survived to give us an insight into fourteenth-century possessions! (Even though I'm admittedly clueless about lots of it.)
Posted by Alianore 24 July, 2008 at 2:48 PM
********
Edit (added by Lady D Monday, 28 July 2008)
A few definitions of some of the items listed above:
Aketon - no, not a Japanese martial art. This was a padded and quilted garment which was often the only armour possessed by foot soldiers. Knights also wore aketons under their armour, although in this case it was often sleeve-less. Also known as: acton; auqueton; gambeson; hacketon; haqueton; wambais; wambesium or wams.
Frettes - can't find a direct translation, but if it comes from the Anglo-Norman verb fretter (to fasten)then it possibly means some kind of fastening. On the other hand, a fret could also be a criss-cross ornamentation. In context of Alianore's post, where a pair of these are described as having 50 pewter eyelets I would hazard a guess towards something, maybe ornamental (or protective) that could be laced up in a criss-cross fashion.
Gisarme - a weapon carried by foot soldiers consisting of a blade on the end of a long staff.
Hauberk - long coat of mail worn over a gambeson. It was split up the middle front and back to make it easier to ride a horse. The sleeves could either be long, sometimes with a mail 'mitt' or else short.
Jazerant - a coat of linen upon which were attached small plates of metal - to be used as a form of body armour.
Pisan - probably the same as 'pizaine' or 'puzane' - a type of gorget or breastplate which could either be of steel or a jazerant. Common in 13th and 14th century warfare
Sutturre - again, difficult to come up with anything directly from this word. I do think, though, that it comes from the Latin to stitch or to bind. In the context of Alianore's post "4 sutturres, twisted, of red silk", I can only guess that these were some sort of special thread - maybe used as arming points to fasten plate armour to garments?
Ventail - the lower, moveable front of a helmet or else a mail coif that hung off the bottom of the helmet and protected the throat and neck.
Gasingale and Bidowes - I have absolutely no idea what these could be! I have searched everywhere and there is nothing even remotely close. Maybe someone out there will know?