As we have already seen, the Body-armours which may most safely be assigned to early Norman times are chain-mail, quilted-work, jazerant, scale, and a small proportion of plate used as an additional protection to the breast: the materials, iron, leather, and horn, with wool, tow, or cotton for quilting pourpointed defences. The ordinary series of body-garments worn by the knight are the Tunic, the Gambeson and the Hauberk. The Surcoat, though found in some rare instances at the close of the twelfth century, does not become a characteristic part of the knightly equipment till the thirteenth century.
The Tunic appearing from beneath the hauberk may be seen in the seals of Alexander I. of Scotland, and of Richard I. of England, (cuts 1 and 27,) and in the accompanying group from Harleian Roll, Y. 6, the "Life of Saint Guthlac," a work of the close of the twelfth century. Compare also woodcuts 34, 35, and 40. We have already had written notice of this garment in the "blautann panzara" of the _Speculum Regale_. Wace gives it also to Bishop Odo, for the field of Hastings:--
"Un haubergeon aveit vestu De sor une chemise-blanche."
The Gambeson (or Wambasium[195],) was a quilted garment, used either alone, or with other armour. This defence is as early as the Ancient Egyptians, and figured examples of it may be seen in Sir Gardner Wilkinson's work, Plate III., and cut 46, (ed. 1837). From a curious passage of the _Chronicon Colmariense_ we learn that it was stuffed with wool, tow, or old rags:--"_Armati_ reputabantur qui galeas ferreas in capitibus habebant, et qui _wambasia_, id est, tunicam spissam ex lino et stuppa, vel veteribus pannis consutam, et desuper _camisiam ferream_, id est vestem ex circulis ferreis contextam." An ancient authority quoted by Adelung has also: "vestimenti genus, quod de coactili ad mensuram et tutelam pectoris humani conficitur, de mollibus lanis," &c.
As the sole armour of the soldier, the gambeson is mentioned both by Wace and Guillaume le Breton. The former tells us, in his description of the troops of Duke William preparing for the fight:--
"Plusors orent vestu gambais."--_Rom. de Rou_, l. 12811.
"Pectora tot coriis, tot gambesonibus armant." --_Philipp._, lib. ii.