ALAUNT
Large, short-coated hunting dog of the mastiff type, used for bringing down large game.
AVENTAIL
Neck guard on a helmet, usually made from MAILLE.
BABERY
Term for any ape, but applied to the carvings on the eaves of churches – which were wonderful confections of people, beasts and mythology – apes featured prominently, frequently wearing the garb of bishops and priests as a sly joke by masons.
BACHLE
Untidy, shabby or clumsy. Can be used to describe bad workmanship, a slouching walk, or simply to insult someone as useless and more. Still in use, though more usually spelled bauchle.
BARBETTE
Women’s clothing – a cloth chin strap to hide the neck and chin, to which was attached a variety of headgear, most commonly the little round hat known then as a turret and nowadays as a pillbox. Compulsory for married women in public and still seen on nuns today.
BASCINET
Open-faced steel helm, sometimes covering down to the ears. The medieval knight or man-at-arms usually wore, in order from inside out – a padded arming cap, a COIF of MAILLE, a bascinet and, finally, the full-faced metal helmet, or HEAUME.
BATTUE
A hunt organized as if it was a mêlée at a TOURNEY, usually involving indiscriminate slaughter of beasts driven into an ambush.
BLACK-AFFRONTED
Ashamed. A Scots term still in use today and probably derived from the act of covering your heraldic shield (affronty is a heraldic term) in order not to be recognized. Scots knights did this as they fled from Methven, in order not to be subsequently accused of being supporters of Bruce.
BLIAUT
An overtunic worn by noble women and men from the 11th to the 13th century, notable for the excessively long drape of sleeve from the elbow in women, from mid forearm on the male version.
BRAIES
Linen, knee-length drawers, as worn by every male in the Middle Ages. Women had no true undergarments, though ‘small clothes’ were sometimes worn by gentlewomen.
CAMILIS
The usually white, flowing overtunic worn by some knights. Despite military sense dictating the use of tight-fitting clothing in close-combat, the urge for display frequently led to extravagant and impractical garments and headgear.
CATERAN
Originally a term to denote any fighting man from the Highlands, it became synonymous with any marauders or cattle thieves. See also KERN.
CHARE
A narrow, twisting medieval alleyway. See also VENNEL.
CHAUSSE
Legging, originally made like stockings until eventually joined in the middle to become trousers. MAILLE chausse were ring-metal leggings including the foot and with a leather sole.
CHIEL
Scottish term for a man. See also QUINE.
CHIRMYNG
Charming – most commonly used (as here) as the collective noun for finches or goldfinches.
CHITTERING
Scots for chattering.
CLOOTS
Scots word for clothing and still used today for any old rags. The term ‘auld cloots and gruel’ used in the story means ‘of no account’ or ‘everyday’.
COIF
Any hood which covered the head and shoulders. Usually refers to one made of ring-metal and worn like a modern balaclava.
COMMUNITY OF THE REALM
Medieval Scotland being enlightened – this referred to the rule of law by all the Kingdom, not just the King. However, it
was
the Middle Ages, so the Community referred to was one either with land and title, or rich merchant burghers from the towns. The commonality – peasants – of the realm still had no say.
COTE/SURCOTE
Old English and French for men’s and women’s outergarment. The male cote was a tunic varying in length half-way between waist and knee, sometimes slit for riding if the wearer was noble and almost always ‘deviced’ (ie bearing the wearer’s heraldry) if you’re someone of account. The TABARD was a sleeveless version. King John Balliol, whose ceremonial tabard was ritually stripped of the heraldic device, became known as ‘Toom Tabard’ (Empty Cote) forever after.
COWPED
Scots word for tumbled.
COZEN
To trick or deceive.
CROCKARD
The stability of Edward I’s coinage had the unfortunate side-effect of allowing merchants to take the silver penny abroad as currency. This enabled unscrupulous Low Country lords to mint a debased version, which became known as a crockard. See also POLLARD.
CROTEY
The dung of hare or coney (rabbit). See FIANTS.
DESTRIER
Not a breed, but a type of horse – the warhorse of the Middle Ages was powerful, trained and cosseted to the point where it was to be used, at which point, depending on the importance of the affray, it was considered expendable. Destrier is from the Vulgar Latin
dextarius,
meaning right-handed, either from the horse’s gait, or that it was mounted from the right side. Not as large, or heavy-footed as usually portrayed they were about the size of a good riding horse of today, though more muscled in the rear. They were all stallions and each one, in 1297, cost as much as seven ordinary riding horses.
DRIECH
Scots term to describe a dull, grey day where it never actually rains but you still get wet from an unseen drizzle.
EECHIE-OCHIE
Neither one thing nor another.
FASH
To worry. The phrase never fash means don’t worry.
FIANTS
The dung of the fox, wolf, boar or badger.
FOOTERING
Fumbling.
GAMBESON
Knee-length tunic, sewn with quilted flutes stuffed with wool if you could afford it or straw if you could not. Designed to be worn over or under MAILLE to negate blunt trauma but frequently worn as the sole armour protection of the less well-off. A lighter version, brought back from the Crusades, was known as an aketon, from the Arabic
al qutn,
or cotton, with which it was stuffed
.
GARDECORPS
A cape-like overtunic with a slit under the armpit so that you could wear it sleeveless, its shapelessness appealed to those of a larger size. As if to compensate, many such garments were given BLIAUT style sleeves, sometimes with long tippets, or dagged hems, while the collar and cuffs were trimmed with expensive fur.
GARRON
Small, hardy Highland pony used widely by the HOBILARS of both sides, though more favoured by Scottish foot. It enabled them to move fast, raid like cavalry and yet dismount to fight on foot if faced by the knight on his heavy horse – and no archers to hand.
GLAUR
Scots word for sticky mud.
GRALLOCH
The contents of a stag’s stomach which has been ‘unmade’ after a kill. The gralloch, in medieval times, went to the hounds as a reward.
GUDDLE
Scots term which, as a verb, means to grope blindly. As a noun it means mix-up or confusion.
HAAR
One of the many Scots words for rain – this refers to a wet mist.
HEAUME
Another name for the large medieval helmet. More properly, it was given to the later TOURNEY helmet, which reached and was supported on the shoulders.
HERSCHIP
From hardship, a Scots term for vicious raids designed to lay waste and plunder a region to the detriment of the enemy.
HOBILAR
English word for light cavalry, recruited to counter the Scots raiders and so called because they were mounted on large ponies called hobyn. This gives us the modern child’s toy, the hobby horse, as well as the generic name for horses everywhere – Dobbin.
HOOR
Scots pronunciation of whore.
HUMFY-BACKIT
Scots term for hunchback.
JACK
Origin of our word jacket, this was a variation on the aketon or gambeson and usually involved the addition of small metal plates sewn to the outside. Also known as
jazerant
.
JACOB’S PILLOW
The Stone of Scone was popularly believed in Scotland to be the same one consecrated to God by Jacob in the Book of Genesis, following a vision while he slept.
JALOUSE
The original Scots meaning was surmise. Some time in the 19th century, the English adopted it but, mysteriously, used it as jealous. It is used here in its original sense.
JEDDART STAFF
More properly known by this name in the 16th and 17th century Border country (the Jeddart refers to Jedburgh), the weapon was essentially the same – a reinforced spear which also incorporated a thin cutting blade on one side and a hook on the other.
JUPON
A short, closely-tailored arming cote worn over MAILLE in action, to display your heraldry.
JURROCKS
Lowlife servant.
JUSTICIAR
An official appointed by the monarch, from the time of William Rufus, son of William the Conqueror, to ease the burden on overworked SHERIFFS.
KERN
Irish/Scots soldiery. Later, it came to refer to the Gallowglass warriors of Ireland.
KINE
Scots word for cattle.
KIST OF WHISTLES
Scots term for a covered, boiling cauldron or kettle, kist being any kind of container, from clothes chest to tomb.
LATCHBOW
Originally, a light crossbow with a simple latch release, it came to be a common term for all crossbows and arbalests.
LAW OF DEUTERONOMY
Specifically Deuteronomy 20, which states:
And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword: But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.
Used by medieval Christian commanders to justify the sack and slaughter of any city which did not yield before a siege ram or ladder touched the walls.
LIMMER
A low, base fellow – also a prostitute.
MAILLE
The correct spelling of mail, which is also incorrectly referred to as chainmail and should be properly termed ring maille. The linked metal-ringed tunic worn by warriors since the early Roman period. By the 13th/14th century, these had evolved – for those who could afford it – into complete suits, with sleeves, mittens and integral coif, or hood.
MAK’ SICCAR
Make certain. A famous phrase uttered by Bruce’s loyal follower Sir Roger Kirkpatrick of Closeburn shortly before he returned to Greyfriars Church to ensure the death of Bruce’s rival, the Red Comyn. It became the motto of the Kirkpatrick family, under the crest of a bloody hand holding a dagger.
MESNIE
Can refer, loosely, to a medieval household, but more usually to the trusted group of knights who accompanied their lord to war and TOURNEY.
MILLINAR
Any knight or SERJEANT appointed to command a band on foot.
MOUDIEWART
Literally, a mole, but frequently used as an insult.
NEB
Scots word for nose.
NOTARY
Nowadays it is a person with legal training licensed by the state to perform certain legal acts, particularly witnessing signatures on legal documents. In the Middle Ages it was a man who could read, write, take notes and acted as clerk to a JUSTICIAR.
ORB
Scots word for young bird. See also SPEUGH.
OS
From the Latin, a mouth or opening – usually applied to the female parts, whether human or animal. In some cases, the os of hind was considered a delicacy.
PACHYDERM
Medieval classification usually applied to elephants, but which also included pigs and wild boar.
PAPINGO
The popinjay or parrot – any brightly coloured bird, or person who resembles one in dress or manner. Can also refer to an archery competition, where such a live bird was placed on a pole and used as a target. It still pertains to the present – there is an annual Papingo Shoot at Kilwinning Abbey – but the papingo target is no longer a bird, live or otherwise.
PAYNIM
Medieval term for heathen, particularly Muslims.
PLENARY INDULGENCE
The remittance of sins, granted by the Catholic church after confession and absolution. However, these could also be sold as a sort of cheque drawn on the Treasure House of Merit, an abuse which was widespread in the Middle Ages.
PLOOTERING
Scots word meaning to walk carelessly, with the added connotation of splashing, as through puddles or into marsh or mud.
POLLARD
A fake silver penny of Edward I’s reign, so called either because of the miscast head (poll) of the monarch or because it had been clipped (pollarded) of some of its metal, making it smaller.
POW
Scots word which can either refer to the head (as in ‘curly pow’) or an expanse of water meadow cut up with small pools.
POWRIE
Scots Fairies which, as you might expect, are not ethereally-pretty winged creatures. They are short and wiry, with ragged pointed teeth and sharp claws like steel. They wear a red bonnet on their heads and are generally bearded with wrinkled aged faces. They kill by rolling boulders or tearing at people with their sharp claws. They then proceed to drink the blood of their victims and dip their hats in it, giving rise to their other name of Red Caps. In particular they haunt castles with a reputation for evil events in the past. Also known as Dunters.