"Irish Piper & Warrior in the Códice De Trajes, 1547" Topic

Irish Piper & Warrior in the Códice De Trajes, 1547. A German manuscript held in Spain.
The arm harness worn on the left arm reminds me of that worn in Irish warriors, 'DRAVN AFTER THE QVICKE' and carried in Irish as they stand accoutred being at the service of the late King Henry, by Lucas d'Heere

MIRROR SITES
Irish Piper & Warrior in the Códice De Trajes, 1547
Irish warriors, 'DRAVN AFTER THE QVICKE'
Irish as they stand accoutred being at the service of the late King Henry, by Lucas d'Heere

Druzhina
Illustrations of Irish Costume & Soldiers

Yes its telling us something about a military fashion I think. Does the arm harness substitute for a shield I wonder?

There's the strapped spear too.

The strap on the javelin is not wound round it for spin, perhaps it is to be used like a woomera?

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Was it not Ian Heath who thought the spear never fully left the hand? Thrown and recovered with a flick of the strap.

An interesting idea but I think the opportunities to get away with that would be limited.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

I'm reading Beath Aoda Ruaid Ui Dhomhnaill (The Life of Red Hugh O'Donnell) by Lugaidh Ui Clerigh its a pretty much contemporary Irish account of the Nine Years War published in Irish and English by the Irish Texts Society.

Anyhow I've come across a reference to the strapped spear in use. I'll put the whole quote up here later but the sense I'm getting so far is that the jury is still out on how exactly it was used.

Here is the quote

"He put his finger in the string and drew the javelin boldly and the shot of the dart struck Captain Martin with such force that it passed through the border of the foreign armour at the hollow of the armpit and it pierced his heart"

This incident takes place with Captain Martin leading a troop of horse in pursuit of the Irish who are also mounted and seeking to lure Martin's men into an ambush. Felim Riach Mac Devitt is on a slow horse and Martin catches up with him so Mac Devitt kills him as described.

Clearly the action takes place at close quarters as Mac Devitt, who has ruined the ambush, explains to O'Donnell that he had no option but to kill for fear of Martin killing him. As Martin is pierced through the armpit he had presumably raised his arm to strike.

The string or strap obviously plays a role in the use of the weapon. The question is how?

Is it a translation (which could be a problem)? Putting his finger in the string implies a loop of string, to hold on to.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

The translation should be sound given the outfit. I think the string in question is exactly what we see on the spear above. However I think I'll get the dictionaries out and see what I can do.

The chap illustrated above has put his thumb 'in the string'and I can imagine how Mac Devitt put 'his finger in the string'.

If as you suggested above its a Woomera effect that is being sort I guess that would do it. Also the use of the phrase 'the shot of the dart' implies use of a ranged weapon. Although I remain unsure at how close this range might have been.

Elsewhere a source laments the Palesmen abandoning the bow and taking up "the casting of darts despite not having the skill of it". Clearly there is a technique here I wonder if any reinactors have tried this out.