HIST 398
SYLLABUS
WEEKLY DISCUSSION MATERIALS
Week 12
SIEGE ENGINES, WAR SUPPLIES, AND STRATEGIES
Tuesday:
Videos:
NOVA: Trebuchet (2006; 54.01 min.):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVO8VznqMeQ (see 13:50-17:30; 22:52-23:36; 25:18-29:55; 32:45-33:05; 34:25-37:50; 39:43-; 43:00-44:00; 47:00-50:30)
“Outlaw King” (Edw. I’s use of “War Wolf” trebuchet at siege of Stirling, 1:50 min.):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wx8X0yDD38
Readings:
Pounds, The Medieval Castle, pp. 106-13 (“siegecraft and defense”)
Prestwich, Armies and Warfare, pp. 1-4, 11, 219-22, 231-43
Brown, Allen Brown’s English Castles, pp. 140-9
Map of England, Wales, and southern Scotland
September 21, 1301: Letter from Alexander de Bailioel [of Cavers] to King Edward [I].
He has heard from the king’s letters that Sir John de Soulys has gone towards Galloway with a great company of Scots. The writer had and still has his spies among them, and will inform the keepers of the march as soon as he hears the Scots are coming. The king has told him that if he provided spies they should remain under his control, and he will do his best for the king. The king must not take it amiss that the writer has not given him news more quickly, for he would hate to send the king anything other than certain news. As to what the king has told him concerning Sir Walter de Borudoun, who is staying at Chastel Terres [i.e., Carstairs], the writer will be ready whenever Sir Walter commands him. The writer and his fellow keepers of the march are threatened by a possible Scottish raid to destroy the writer’s lands and to seize and defend the forest, so that they have arranged to gather next Sunday [24 Sept.] at a place on the march to inspect their forces. Asks for the king’s orders, as to one who is ready to obey.
Cavers [Roxburghshire] French [SC 1/15/2]
Source: http://www.deremilitari.org/resources/sources/1299.htm [about mid-page]
Recipes for invisible ink
Latin, early 15th century, BL, Add. MS 18752, fol. 159r
(Transcription and translation by Martha Carlin; not to be quoted or used without permission)
Si vis scribere literam que non legetur nisi mediante igne. Recipe salamoniacum et misce cum aqua et scribe cum hoc super paupirum [sic] quod vis; cum autem fuerit siccatum nul appa[rebit]. Cum autem volueris legere: tene partemscriptam versus ignem et cum bene calefactum fuerit optime ap[parebit].
Est alius modus scribendi qui non legetur nisi mediante aqua. Recipe coperose virid’ et [tere?] in pulverem et dictum pulverem misce cum aqua et tunc scribe cum ista aqua et cum siccatum [fuerit?] nul apparebit. Cum autem legere volueris: Recipe poma de gall’ et tere ea in pulverem [cum?] aqua et tunc cum ista aqua unge partem scriptam parum et statim apparebit.
[Translation]
If you wish to write a letter that cannot be read except by the use of fire. Take sal ammoniac [i.e., ammonium chloride] and mix it with water and write with this upon paper what you wish; when it has dried, nothing will appear. When you wish to read it, hold the written part towards the fire and when it is well-heated it will be fully legible.
This is another manner of writing that cannot be read except by the use of fire. Take copperas [i.e., ferrous sulphate] and grind it to powder, and mix the said powder with water, and then write with that water, and when it has dried, nothing will appear. When you wish to read it, take an oak apple gall and grind it to powder [with] water, and then with this water wet the written part a little bit, and it [i.e., the writing] will immediately appear.
Instructions for how to read a sealed letter without being detected
Latin, mid 14th century, BL, Egerton MS 2852, fols. 65v-66r
(Transcription and translation by Martha Carlin; not to be quoted or used without permission)
[f. 65v] Cum fuerit literra [sic] sigillata quam volueris legere, scinde primo ligamenta et legas ad placitum et scribe aliam similem. tunc pone litteram in syc2. bdilft2. [?] per unam noctem et leviter potes abstrahere sigillum quamcumque sit tenue a pergameno habet [sic] alium sigillum pones super litteram quam scripsi [sic] cum albumine ovi id est [f. 66r] madefaciendo sigillum cum dicto albumine et ponendo tunc super litteram et cum siccatum fuerit ia [?] fortiter adherebit littere secunde sid [?] et pe [?] et sic posses legere litteram absque percepcione nisi esset propter diversitatem scripture que cautela posset multis frequenter prodesse et c’ c’.
[Translation]
When there is a sealed letter that you would like to read, first cut the bindings and read at will, and write another similar letter. Then put the letter [i.e., the original letter] in strong cider [? in syc2. bdilft2.] for one night, and you can gently remove the seal from the parchment when it is soft. Put the other seal on the letter that you have written, with egg white, that is, by wetting the seal with the said egg white and then putting it on the letter, and when it has dried it will adhere strongly to the second letter . . . [sid et pe], and thus you can read the letter without being discovered except by a difference in the handwriting, which care can often prevent [?prodesse], etcetera.
Two recipes for how to prevent dogs from barking at one
English (northern dialect), late 14th century, BL, Royal MS. 17 A. VIII, fol. 64r-v
(Transcription and translation by Martha Carlin; not to be quoted or used without permission)
[f. 64r] To do that na hund berk on the. Wwen [sic] a byche es on saute tak and sla hir and late tew hir schine and mak the a gerdel thar of and qwen thow has the gerdell on the thow may ga sekerly a mang hundes ne will [f. 64v] thai nother berk on the ne bite the. Another. Tak verveyne. and bynd it under thi mike ta of thi ryght fute and ne sall na hund do the noght bot gode.
[Translation]
To prevent a hound from barking at thee. When a bitch is in heat, take and slay her and have her skin tawed [?late tew hir schine] and make thee a girdle [i.e, a belt] thereof. And when thou hast the girdle on thee, thou may go safely among hounds, and they will neither bark nor bite thee. Another. Take verbena and bind it under thy big toe [?mike ta] of thy right foot, and no hound shall do thee anything but good.
Thursday:
Readings:
Pounds, pp. 122-5 (“garrison and supplies”)
Prestwich, pp. 185-193, 198-200, 206-218, 245-54
Order by Edward II to provision Portchester Castle with weapons,
18 August 1326:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/medieval-castles/medieval-castles-source-4/
Identify and discuss in relation to medieval warfare:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Castle_medieval_siege.gif
https://www.flickr.com/photos/britishlibrary/12458891273
Siege of Bedford Castle and execution of its garrison (1224)
Hedingham Castle, Essex (c. 1140):
keep; close-up of walls
great hall; unlighted view
gallery passage
circular stairway
Dirleton Castle, East Lothian (Scotland):
Exterior (13th cent.); another view
Moat, bridge, and batter of external walls
Reconstruction of medieval appearance of Dirleton Castle
Plan
Draw well (water was drawn from ground floor and also floor above)
Ramparts, with dome of 13th-century Hall ; slide for rolling stones from ramparts
Spiral staircase
Arrow slit (interior)
From the following photos, identify some defensive features and some non-defensive or purely decorative features:
Rochester Castle, Kent (c. 1140):
keep
keep with round (SE) tower, rebuilt after siege of 1215
Launceston Castle, Cornwall:
aerial photo (town and castle)
view of castle from the town
view from shell-keep
Restormel Castle, Cornwall:
aerial photo (with nearby town of Lostwithiel and River Fowey)
aerial photo (castle, with late 13 C. stone keep)
keep interior
reconstruction of great hall
Trematon Castle, Cornwall:
aerial photo
Eaton Bray (Bedfordshire): site of castle (only moat remains, at left)
Acton Burnell (Shropshire): exterior and interior
Stokesay (Shropshire): exterior; interior of hall ; 18th-cent. engraving showing wet moat; plan
Aydon Castle (Northumberland): aerial view
From the following photos, identify some of the features used by David Macaulay in creating his fictional castle at Aberwyvern:
Beaumaris: plan; aerial view; photos
Conwy (or Conway): plan; aerial photo, with town; model of the castle and its walled town; photos
Caernarfon (or Carnarvon): plan; aerial view; photos; banding on walls
Harlech: plan; aerial view; gatehouse approach; gatehouse; photos
