Wednesday 8 January 2020

Jeanne d’Arc la pucelle (Pt2)

You live and learn and when you do, you can, hopefully,  alter mistakes or small Errors.
She was the Standard bearer so her holding a Sword, while ok, still means the previous Version of the bodette isn´t as correct as she could be.


What did her banner look like?
Extract from her Trial of Condemnation, Fourth public examination, Febuary 27, 1431, at Rouen;

Question. When you were at Orleons, you had an "ensign" (Normally translated into English as Standard) What Colour was it?

Answer. I had a Standard whose field was sown with lilies. There was a figure of Christ Holding the world and on each side of him was an Angel. it was made of a White fabric called "boucassin*".
Written above, Jhesus Maria, as it seems to me, and it was fringed in silk.

*As a direct Translation ; A Course Cotton or linen Cloth stiffened with glue. Fine for bookbinding but not for a battle Standard.
In the medieval period it was called "Bokeram", "Bougran" and Boucassin"  and was used for flags, Banners,  pennons, clothing and bedding and   would just have been a fine Cotton Cloth and not stiffened.

Here´s a really good (unfortunately not updated) blog on the subject
"A Commonplace Book".