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Legging, originally made like stockings until eventually joined in the middle to become trousers.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.