Essays - Late Tudor Era Soldiers and Sailors
A Soldier of England in the Italian War of 1542–1546

Basics of Clothing in England in the 1540s

The most basic men are depicted in a doublet and hosen without a jerkin or gown. Most men seem to wear a jerkin and those of higher rank have gowns. Here are some observations I have.

Hosen:

Hosen are a bit odd in this time period, you have men wearing what are clearly just joined hosen with a cod piece and other wear what are like a pair of shorts over hose or stockings. From Dress at the Court of King Henry VIII pgs 100-101:

The terminology used to describe hose was evolving in this period, and it does not appear to be used in a consistent manner. Dress history books often distinguish the component parts as follows: the upperstocks or breeches, the netherstocks or stockings and cod piece. References to netherstocks do appear in warrants and inventories as in the following example from the 1547 inventory: '6 pair of netherstocks for hose of yellowe Taphita with viii pair of netherstocks withowt fete of redde Bawdkin'. However, entries in the accounts and wardrobe books were often less precise. The word hosen is often used to describe the complete garment but it could also donate either the upperstocks or the netherstocks. Equally, the word stocks were often not qualified with the term "nether" or "upper", but it was used in such a way as to indicate that the writer was referring to the upper stocks - this is indicated by several factors including the amount of fabric being used (usually 1 1/24 yards), the context ("stocks for two pairs of leather hose"), the quality of the fabric being supplied, usually cloth of gold, cloth of silver, satin and velvet and that a matching doublet was also ordered.

Joined Hosen with Cod:

• Many have no slashing.
• Some are slashed and shown with other colors underneath which may indicate two layers of material or panels of colored material under the main layer of wool
• Materials: Wool with possible silk linings for slashed areas. Linen used as lining in the waist, seat, and upper leg in some cases. There is an extent pair made totally of linen.
  
  Upperstocks
  
  
• Many depictions of men in this time show men wearing what look like shorts that are slashed and puffed.
• Many pairs look to have roles on the outer material with slashing on the rolls
• They are often depicted as the same color as the doublet worn but a different color material than the netherstocks.
• It is possible that the lining on these hosen might be cut to correct size and the outer material is long to create the roles sometimes depicted like some later Elizabethan pants.
• There is an extant pair of upperstocks of German origin. They are knit gold silk with a leather lining in the seat and waist.
• Materials: Wool for likely the most common, silk satin and silk velvet for the upper class.
  
  Netherstocks
  
  
• Cut hosen made of fulled wool are among the Mary Rose finds. They are slightly taller than the knee in length.
• Knit stockings are found in this time frame and they might be warn with upper stocks.
• Materials: Wool or silk. Linen unlikely.

Doublets:

• Doublets in this time frame appear to use both the 4 panel and 3 panel body patters.
• Necks appear to either have a short standing collar or an open square neck.
• It is unclear weather these doublets would now use the banana shaped sleeve or still use a straight sleeve. Both may have been in use at this time of transition.
• Buttons and hidden hook and eyes seem to be more popular than eyelets and lacing in art work. Some later doublets have false buttons and use hook and eyes.
• Puff sleeves with slashing are depicted but less common than earlier time frames.
• Slashed bodies depicted, sometimes with another color material underneath. Some records indicate colored buckram (stiffened linen) and silk used as an inner lining material under the slashing.
• Materials: Wool for most. Silk satin and silk velvet available to the upper class. Linen lining.

Jerkins:

• Jerkins are like doublets with long peplums (skirts)
• Some jerkins are depicted with pleated skirts but in this time frame pleating seems less popular.
• Some jerkins are depicted with guarding (stripes) of another color.
• Records indicate guarding could be wool, silk satin, or silk velvet depending on rank or class.
• Some have full sleeves, some half sleeves, some no sleeves with a sleeve cap.
• Some are depicted as slashed.
• Materials: Wool most common, silk satin and silk velvet was issued to some high rank officers and Henry's men at arms.
• Materials: leather is also common on the Mary Rose, some with the grain/smooth side out other the flesh/suede side out. Many are pinked and slashed some are plain.

Conduct Coats (Livery Jacket):

• Conduct Coats are seen in a number of military depictions, they are cut like a jerkin.
• Most are depicted without pleated peplums.
• Most are depicted as sleeveless. It is possible some have full sleeves and some half sleeves.
• Most are depicted with guarding (stripes) of another color.
• Some are depicted as slashed.
• Many are depicted in Henry's red with gold or white guarding and a cross of St. George.
• Materials: Wool most common, silk satin and silk velvet was issued to some high rank officers and Henry's men at arms.
• The records for this war show that common soldiers and archers were given conduct coats in red with gold guarding, all wool.

Painting of Sailors from the time of the Mary Rose

The Embarkation at Dover. By an unknown artist, c.1545. The Royal Collection 2007, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Soldiers Pictured at the Tower of London

These images are from the manuscript Cotton Augustus III Dated around 1520. First image is a photo I took at the Tower of London the second two are from the British Library. The men with spears are officers, the handgunner may also be an officer.

 

Arms and Armor

Bucklers from the early 16th century from the Royal Armories in Leeds.

Bucklers from the early 16th century from the Museum of London

Other Resources

Books:

• Before the Mast: Life and Death Aboard the Mary Rose (Archaeology of the Mary Rose) - Full material items such as shoes, jerkins, hats, chests, and other common items the crew on board had when the ship sunk.
• Dress at the Court of King Henry VIII: The Wardrobe Book of the Wardrobe of the Robes Prepared - An amazing resource for the clothing Henry VIII and court wore through out his reign. Mostly translations of purchase orders with sections dedicated to military expenses.
• The Tudor Tailor: Reconstructing Sixteenth-Century Dress - Good patterns for early to late 16th century with some great research of fabric
• The King's Servants: Men's Dress at the Accession of Henry VIII - This will cover the early Tudor era of clothing, more at the beginning of Henry VIII's reign if you want to do the Battle of the Spurs.
• Henry VIII's Army (Men-At-Arms Series, 191) - Some okay information on general aspects of soldiers at this time. Ignore the artwork, while Angus McBride is a great artist his eye for correct historical detail was lacking.

Websites:

• The Mary Rose Museum has some artifacts on its website; some images of clothing from the museum might be helpful.