The glossary is meant as a growing resource for students, re-enactors, and anyone interested in knighthood, chivalry, or the medieval tournament. The current page is but a brief listing of what we would like to have on the page; if you would be interested in helping with a given area, such as in heraldry, transcribing tournament accounts, translations, or research, drop the author an email at brion@chronique.com. Additionally, we would like to expand many of the definitions here; if you want to try one or more of them send your submissions to the email address above--we can use the help!
Lames: The term commonly applied to the plates added between major components to facilitate articulation. During the 14th century, this was generally accomplished with a maximum of three plates in the arm (two is better), and three in the leg. The vast majority of 14th century articulated harnesses use only two plates, and the author's handling of two examples indicates that most harnesses probably did not allow for a full range of motion. In all probability, the motions allowed were what was required for the prevailing combat forms of the day, and the styles were in turn probably influenced by the armour technology available. Most lames were formed from very thin iron plate, generally 18 or 20 or even 22 gage steel. SCA lames are formed from 18 or 16 or even 14 gage steel, depending on the style of the armourer and the location to be defended. In my experience, hammer-hardening lames helps to reduce the stress on the plate and gives it a resistance to tearing that helps a piece to endure. Additionally, most lames on the arms and the legs are rarely flat, as they are usually made in the SCA, but are rather slightly dished or flared. See also Articulation, Arm Harness, and Leg Harness for more details.
Lance (weapon used in the joust): The long shaft of ash tipped with a sharp iron or steel tip, varying in length from 9 to 14 feet in length. A vamplate was developed near the end of the 15th century to protect the hand and arm, and lance rests were built into breastplates from the late 14th century onwards to help steady the lance as the horse galloped towards the target.
Latten: Brass, Bronze or a mixture of the two. Generally a copper base metal with elements of tin or zinc plus other trace elements. During the 14th century latten might well have been used for select armour bits, such as knuckle gatlings, couters, poleyns, and for trim on armour during the latter part of the century. This trim might be further enhanced by engraving (especially Latin phrases from the bible or local mottoes) or by punchwork designed to emulate rivet heads.
Leather, as a material during the 14th century: Before 1350, leather was a common material used to augment mail defenses. The vambraces, cuisses, and greaves were reinforced with leather that might have been something like modern sole leather, sometimes boiled or painted with beeswax (cuirboille) or sometimes simply shaped, and finished with something like lacquer. The chief piece of evidence are the funerary brasses of knights from the period, but these brasses do not help us to determine whether the defenses were gamboised (quilted), leather, or something else.
Legs, defense of: (See Leg Harness)
Leg Harness: Referring to all of the armour pieces defending the knight's leg, including the cuisse (thigh), poleyn (knee), lames (connecting plates), and greave or shynbald. During the 14th century the transition was made from the mail defenses called chausses to the fully articulated leg harness, although the development was not even from place to place. By 1400 the fully leg harness had developed in the form that would survive until the 16th century.
Longbow: The weapon of the archer, used for launching arrows, developed in Europe. Compare it with the shorter composite bow of the Saracen, which had a shorter draw but was easier to use from horseback. Longbows were the preferred weapon of the English after the middle 14th century, Edward III recognizing the power of massed artillery (archers) used in combination with dismounted cavalry and infantry. The longbow, with a draw from 30 - 36", could launch an arrow more than 300 yards, deadly against opponents not defended by plate armour.