I am not sure that I am right, and as my opinon has changed more than once since the start I will clarify. I believe that both these quotes from the same book refer to the same garment:
"The common folk among the Wild Scots go out to battle with the whole body clad in a linen garment sewed together in patchwork, well daubed with wax or with pitch, and with an over-coat of deerskin"
"Those among them that are of more civility have no other shirts than what are made from deers' hides, and the plaids of their wild men are not otherwise"
The first quote has already appeared in this thread in another form, an it was taken to mean gambeson covered in leather:
Neal Matheson wrote: |
John Major's description of wild scots, published 1521
From the middle of the thigh to the foot they have no covering for the leg, clothing themselves with a mantle instead of an upper garment and a shirt dyed with safforn. ... In time of war they cover their whole body with a shirt of mail of iron rings, and fight in that. The common people of the Highland (lit. 'wild') Scots rush into battle having their body clothed with a linen garment manifoldly sewed and painted or daubed with pitch, with a covering of deerskin." in latin A medio crure ad pedem caligas non habent, chlamyde pro veste superiore et camisia croco tincta. amiciuntur. ... Tempore belli loricam ex loris ferreis per totum corpus induunt et in illa pugnant. In panno lineo multipliciter intersuto et coerato aut picato cum cervinæ pellis coopertura vulgus sylvestrium Scotorum corpus tectum habens in prælium prosilit. |
I think the most likely explanation, is as you suggested, that John Major is describing contemporary highland military equipment. and that Majors is having King Edward say that the Scots are poorly armoured. I am sorry, if I have gone too far off topic. And if I have missed something or made a mistake please point it out.
regards,
Ryan