>I was thinking of a part of the tapestry that showed two mounted men
>in armor, one with a mace and one with a club, who according to
>Osprey's Men-at-Arms Saxon, Viking and Norman are identified as
>William and an attendent. Looking around the internet I find a web
>site for the tapestry at
>
>http://www.hastings1066.com/baythumb.shtml
>
>The two men are in part 26. I've heard that the accuracy of the Men-
>at-arms series varies greatly depending on author, but whether or
>not it's actually William they are certainly knights and not
>peasants. On the other hand I don't see many other maces or clubs
>throughout it, except perhaps the fleeing english at the end.
Curiously the one which appears to be William is holding the crude club while the other figure carries the proper mace. To me that implies the club is in some way a symbol rather than a fighting weapon. Or it may be a baton indicating rank which doesn't appear accurately in tapestrywork. Certainly such a crude club wouldn't last long in combat with armoured fighters.
-- Donald Oddy http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/
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