Warriors For The Working Day
Military Art
By
Paul Hitchin
145 Walsall Road
Pelsall
Walsall
WS3 4BP
UK
Telephone
07967630942
English Archer and French knight – Agincourt 1415
These figures represent the opponents
who faced each other across the muddy field of Agincourt. Two very
different warriors.The archer is a well
equipped mounted archer, his status represented by his fine bascinet, jack
with riveted plates and spurred riding boots. On his jack is sewn the red
cross of Saint George together with a livery badge indicating his service
with Lord Roos. He is shooting his yew bow with a draw weight of 90 to 100
pounds and is about to release a bodkin tipped arrow. This man represents
a retained archer, a professional fighting man.
The knight shown bears the arms of Robert, Lord of Beaumesnil who fought
and died at Agincourt. A French nobleman, raised in the martial skills
from an early age and arrogantly proud of the prowess of himself and his
fellows.He is clad in a complete suit of plate
armour with a great bascinet and gorget to protect the throat. He has the
visor partially raised for better vision and ease of breathing. Despite
his fine armour he is already wounded from a bodkin headed arrow and is
reeling before the English arrow storm. The volume of arrows is not
exaggerated with 5000 archers each capable of releasing at least 12 aimed
shafts a minute. The advancing French must have faced a horrific and
constant rain of arrows as they heroically trudged across the broken
ground towards the English line.
