By: Graeylin
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This is a Scottish Border Reiver, circa 1640 or so. This fella was a minor
noble's "warden", a horseman who rode the borders of the property, tracked
down sheep thieves, and may have occassionally "rescued" a few lost cattle
that had strayed into other noble's lands as well. Sometimes the rescues
were done prematurely, and cattle were taken from neighboring lands prior to
any of their own actually wandering across...Proactive loss prevention.
He comes armed with a boar pike and standard, to show he is employed gainfully, a leather shield with embossing, and a short sword. On his head he wears a "scull", a simple steel helmet (almost identical to those worn by the French and Belgians in WW 1), covered by his cloth "bonnet", with clan pin and crest. It was very typical of these men to wear their bonnet on top, to show they were good solid Scots and show off their Clan, especially when working for another clan Chieftain or along the English Border. (anything to hack off the English, you know). He wears a linen "armor", more designed to soften blunt objects and protect from cuts and scrapes than real metal armor. This was frequently all that could be afforded to a common man, and linen horseman's breeches. |
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