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c.f. Peasants in The Chronicle of John of Worcester, England, 1131-1141 |
c.f. A peasant threshing in Historia Anglorum by Matthew Paris |
c.f. A soldier with pitchfork in the Maciejowski Bible |
Figures such as these first start appearing in contemporary sources only in the mid-12th century, though lower-class infantry armed with everyday tools and makeshift weapons had probably appeared in most armies involving general levies since the beginning of this period. These three all come from mss. which depict peasants in military rather than agricultural situations so can be taken as accurate representations of such 'soldiers'. Figure 35 dates to the late-12th century while 36 and 37 belong to the mid-13th century. The latter both wear arming-caps, which became common headwear amongst the lower classes during the 13th century. Dress was largely of unbleached wool (a creamy colour) or linen (various shades of grey), sometimes with coloured hembands or borders. Dull colours such as green and brown also appear.
Their weapons are characteristic, the scythe, pitchfork and flail being foremost among those depicted or recorded in the sources, though stakes, picks, clubs, clod-mallets, spades and staff-weapons (for which see figure 38) also feature prominently. Some would have been armed with bows, spear or axes but they would have been in the minority. In fact in Germany Emperor Frederick I actually forbade peasants to carry spears or swords (though precious few would have possessed the latter). Troops of this kind were of very low quality and could perhaps be described as 'cavalry-fodder'.