[John H]

Hypothetical situation: You are scheduled to travel back into time (mid to late 15th century) and may end up at some point in combat. What would you want to take with you?

Here are the restrictions: Nothing obviously modern (firearms, etc.), however, you can take the best modern reproduction arms and armor you can get your hands on--and here is good part--you can have things modified by modern technology, as long as it is not immediatly obvious to the casual observer. So, special metal alloys, methods of construction, etc.

What would you kit look like and would it simply be the best available reproductions, or does modern technology have some key advantages over historical items? And if you had access to the very best actual historical antiques, would you opt to take them instead?

[Bryce Felperin]

First of all what is the reason for going back in time to that period? Tourism? Adventure? Scientific study? The equipment I take would be deteremined by the reason I'm there.

Next you say we're going into combat? Why? Most of the battles fought there or sieges were pretty dangerous with lots of indiscriminate threats. If in battle I'd want be a on a horse so I could get away if my side was routed! If in a siege I'd want to be the town's biggest baker so I can clean up selling bread during the siege. ;-) Otherwise I'd prefer not to be ANYWHERE near a town or city under siege lest I catch all the diseases they had during sieges back then.

That all being said I'd choose to be dressed as a monk with a good solid walking staff. That way I can move around freely, not get into any problems with bandits or soldiers in the period (no loot on me to get) and be well respected by the commoners and nobles alike. Also without money or trade goods in the time period I could be assured of free handouts and food from others to support me. If I mock a vow of silence I can also get by much better because I will gurantee you that I won't speak the local dialects or languages worth a damn without previous training.

I might have a simple and cheap belt knife for utility use, but that and the walking staff (which would be balanced well as a quarterstaff) would be all the weapons I'd need. If you go in with weapons and armor you'd need to explain yourself and what you are doing there. You'd need to speak the language well to be understood and have a good story to explain yourself and what you're doing there.

Also if you're armed, and not part of a foraging group or army, they you'd be automatically suspect by just about everyone and you will need your weapons to fight! ;-)

In summary, I'd be a devout, silent and uninteresting travelling monk who keeps to himself but takes charity as it is offered. That way no one will want to kill me, rob me or molest me in my travels.

[Vincent Le Chevalier]

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Ryan A. C.]

The little things that could get you killed. Reading that I immediately thought of Chaucer and the enjoyment I get from trying to stumble through Middle English. There are a lot of words that obviously mean something, or they wouldn’t have been written down, but their meaning is completely lost. Then there are a few phrases that seem at first familiar to me, that when I really look at the words, appear to mean something else entirely.

So...If I were scheduled to be sent back to the big fifteenth, I would want a linguist that could communicate, preferable fluent; in the archaic form of the language I speak. Does such a person exist? I don’t have a clue. This is, of course, assuming I get to at least be sent back to a country where I may understand some of what is being said. I get that right?

Okay, let’s say I now have my translator guy/gal, and I can talk with the dead locals walking around busy with their lives. I want to be dressed the part. I wouldn’t wear obvious armour, possibly a maille vest under my doublet, as I don’t want to draw attention to myself. I’m sure I’ll do that anyway by gawking at everything and every person I see. (My linguist can tell everyone I’m simple provided they are better composed than I.)

So I will have my shirt, braies, hose, doublet (appropriate collar, neckline and overall cut), gown to go on top of that, a hat, turnshoes, belt, kidney pouch, a utility knife or ballocks dagger (of a non-threatening size), then some sort of rucksack made of linen for food, utensils, flint and steel, etc. I guess I need a canteen too. …and my linguist, of course.

You mentioned no firearms. I will take that to mean anything period is okay. I would prefer to take a small-bore hand gonne, as the stick like configuration would be easier to hide than a crossbow. I wouldn’t even try to carry around a bow. I could keep a few balls and some slowmatch in my kidney pouch or somewhere else on my person. I would much rather kill someone mad at me a good distance away from any sort of nasty thing they may be wielding. I’d like to think I’m a decent scrapper, but I’d rather not.

Europe in the middle ages is generally considered to be a deal less civil than it is now, but who ever said the everyday man is some deranged lunatic out for blood? I don’t think I should go "armed for battle" when a good part of medieval life was planting, harvesting, trading, and managing estates. If everyone wanted to kill everyone else all the time. We wouldn't have the EU today.

So I'm going as a tourist and and a non-combatant. Maybe a thief too, since you won't let me take a camera.

[Jonathan Blair]

First off, something to keep in mind is not only when, but where. Some places frowned on the peasantry or even gentry coming into town armed. Also, climate is an important factor to plan for. Some areas had less access to certain fabrics (cotton was rare in northern Europe as compared to southern Europe). Heavy research into what what is going on where and when would be vital.
So, if I were to slip back in time, I'd be heading for the late 14th or early 15th century England rather than the late 15th century. Then, I'd be looking at blending in with the locals, like many others have stated, not wearing armor or even clothes made from fabrics from our time.
Linen shirt, braies, and coif.
Wool hosen in a nice drab color like tan or brown, and a green or blue grand assiette cut doublet.
Good, plain, ankle-high turnshoes of vegetable tanned leather with wood pattens.
Belt with not much LMS and a simple pouch, both of veggie tanned.
Woolen hood with liripipe and a side-opening cloke.
Use knife and basilard.
Sword of the type XIV persuasion with no bells or whistles.
Buckler.
Yew longbow and a sheaf of arrows.
Various coinage of the realm for that particular timeframe (enough to last the time I was planning to spend there and no more).
Also, a haircut in the style of the period.

[James Barker]

Doublet of fence. There are several references from the 2nd half of the 15th century to the doublet of fence, a thick padded doublet made much like a jack but looks like a normal doublet. John Paston was attacked in court by a man wielding a knife and his doublet of fence turned the blade and saved his life.

Lots and lots of repo coins. I would buys some real arms and armor before returning

[John Cooksey]

I dunno . . . at the opposite end of the spectrum from the silent monk idea (which is a good one), one could go as an exotic. An outrageously flamboyant foreigner, from a far-off land that lots of folks have heard of, but have no idea of the actual location and customs thereof.
A travelling scholar from the court of Prester John, or the mysterious land of Hind. Very possibly, one could travel relatively safely in much of Europe as a Moor, anywhere outside of Iberia. These folk are supposed to talk and act strangely.
A couple of good, fast horses (with remounts), maybe a cringing, comical servant or three, and a big, hideously bright-colored tent would be essential.
Or maybe a travelling fireworks entertainer, from the same origins . . . .
That might be some great fun . . . . .

[Ryan A. C.]

John's idea sounds like a hell of a lot of fun!

[Bryce Felperin]

[Bryce Felperin]

[Bryce Felperin]

[Bryce Felperin]

[Shawn Henthorn]

The monk and flamboyant stranger are deffinently the best options for casual scholarly exploration. I howerver am going to presume that my mission is to experience a medieval field battle, so my thought must be to arms and armour. Now this is assuming that I have the best training and a ready made cover story before hand. My body armour would be a brigandine of the velvet outside shell but the plates will be made of Chahbum(sp?) ceramic with an inside shell of Spectra composite. the plate parts would be made out of the best light-weight alloys available today (I have no idea what these are but I am sure the slue of scientists that would be backing me up would ) For my sword I would have to go with an Albion or some such.

[Geoff Wood]

[Jonathan Blair]

[Shawn Henthorn]

Do you mean Chobham (like on tanks)?[/quote]


That is exactly what I mean...it is also used for ballistic pannels on some bullet proof vests..Thanks for the spelling, I couldn't remember.

[Bruno Giordan]

Lot of antibiotics?

Microbes of old times used to be more dangerous than weapons.



More seriously, I would be advantaged in that vowels before the great vowel shift were likely pronounced the continental way.

Plus, tons of words ending in e, a familiar sound for an italian speaker.

Couple of latinisms very often in common discourses of gentlemen, plus some bad latin talk with clergymen, i would have made a beautiful impression (well, after having derusted my latin).


I might make a big impression declamating fashionable italian poetry (mine, who cares, englishmen would not undertstand me but they would find me exotic and a la page)..


Fighting?

The hell, a titanium sword, a titanium mail shirt and armor ... a jacket padded with modern shock absorbing material ... the black knight.