Posts: 669 Location: Dinuba, CA
Thu 22 Oct, 2009 7:57 pm
Here are three theories. I'll go from what I consider most to least likely. I'm bored, so I'm going to try to put a bit of effort into this...
First, I shall provide a literal interpretation of what Gravett and Turner are trying to depict and why they are doing so. There are no recognized examples of "plate collars" existing today that date as early as this as far as I'm aware. This obviously means their opinion can be recognized only as speculation. It is just as possible that it is cuir bouilli as it is plate, if not more so, and there seem to be enough colored and decorated bits of limb armour in English effigies surviving from between 1320-1360 to support the use of leather frequently in England. The only other black portion of the effigy is behind the (presumably) brass poleyns that Sir
Hastings wears. I find it unreasonable to assume that something that would have to be as supple as to be in this location and the neck piece would be the same material (throwing color out as a possible reference), so it's unlikely that it's padded. The padding would also make 100% more sense beneath the coif where it could both protect Sir Hastings from puncture wounds due to pressure on his neck as well as protect the neckpiece beneath the mail from cuts and thrusts.
The
bascinet he wears is a rather primitive design that is seen in other features from the era such as the Romance of Alexander plates. The plate only recognizably goes down to just below the ears, so there is only mail (and possibly quilted padding) below the edge of the face to protect the neck. Sir Hastings was one of the richest knights in Medieval England and led personal attacks by large forces during the events that led up to and became the battle of
Crecy in 1346. So it's very likely that he wore some fine armour. This was an evolutionary period as well, and England was it's own rock... So we can never be entirely sure what to expect from the isles during the 14th century with things like this! That's probably the most constructive argument for it being plate... Because that's still being completely skeptical.
Second... It's some kind of funerary achievement. A token of the king, perhaps, or a relative or man of greater wealth? A black neck piece that they carved into his effigy with honor.
Thirdly... And this is the most outrageous but most fun one I could come up with. Sir Hugh Hastings died in 1347. This is after the Battle of Crecy... But the same year that the infamous bubonic plague ravaged Europe. I cannot find the origin of his death nor do I even know if it's recorded! If he was in fact taken by the plague, this could be a mark of his being taken by it. The neckpiece is extremely black in what interpretations I've seen, after all. I have not seen the real thing though. Is it still around today?
Who knows what it is, really? Speculating is great if we aren't trying to reaaaaaaally pinpoint it. The most conclusive answer I can give is "we shall never know, so it's no use trying."
-Gregory