haustement

From Middle English haustement, perhaps from Old French ajostement.

haustement

1. (historical, obsolete) A close-fitting undergarment, over which the armor (and hose) were fastened.

   Coordinate terms: aketon, gambeson, pourpoint

   • 1824, Archaeologia, Or, Miscellaneous Tracts, Relating to Antiquity, page 497:

     The Haustement or Ajustement, […] was made to the shape and worn with the shirt […] The doublet and haustement of this period supplied the place of the wambais and hoqueton formerly worn . 2. The doublet must be streightly bounde . The first part of the dress being thus put on , it is to be closely bound round the ...

   • 1825, Thomas Dudley Fosbroke, Encyclopedia of antiquities; and elements of archaeology, classical and mediæval, page 803:

     A Pair of Plates consisted of the breast and back, each formed of three or more pieces; Gyders were straps to draw together the open parts; the Haustement, a stiff under garment to keep the body straight and erect; the Rerebrace ...

   • 1842, Samuel R. Meyrick, A Critical Inquiry Into Antient Armour, page 198:

     A maniple, i.e. many folds, a name for the haustement worn in the time of Hen. VI under the armour.

   • 2008(?), Charles John ffoulkes, The Armourer and His Craft, Cosimo, Inc. (→ISBN), page 161:

     Gusset, pieces of chain mail, tied with points to the "haustement" to cover those portions of the body not protected with plate armour; they were usually eight in number, viz. for armpits,  […]