Brass Rubbing: Sir Roger de Trumpington

From Horowitz. 2002. Certain advances in armor are seen in the brass of Sir Roger. He wears ailettes over his shoulders. These small metal shields, bearing his heraldry of trumpets, protected him from heavy blows while in battle or in a tournament. His knees are now protected by plate rather than leather, and his shield is long and concave, rounded to the body. The knight's head rests on a conical tilting helmet used in tournaments, which is secured to his waist by a thick chain. Sir Roger's feet rest on a dog, which may represent loyalty, and he is in the cross-legged position found on the earliest brasses and in three-dimensional recumbent statues. This may allude to a knight's participation in a crusade, since the Knights Templar were often represented in effigies with their legs crossed in honor of the cross. Others believe the position means the person was a benefactor of the church. However, it is hard to accept that Sir John D'Aubernoun was not likewise a benefactor to his church, and his legs are not crossed. Sir Roger, like Sir John, has his hands in a position of prayer. Sir Roger was probably a descendant of Geldemar de Trumpington, who held a county manor in 1237. (The de in a name means "of" in French, and since few people at this time had surnames, they were referred to as "of" a particular place.) During the civil war between the barons and King Henry III, Sir Roger fought on the side of the king and was present at the famous battle of Evesham (1265). In 1270, he accompanied Prince Edward, Henry III's heir, on the seventh Crusade to free the Holy Land. eight years later the prince, now King Edward I, drew up a list of 38 knights to take part in a tournament at Windsor Park; one participant was Sir Roger de Trumpington. Sir Roger thus used the tilting helmet seen on his brass---indeed, the helmet has a staple on top to hold his crest or a lady's kerchief. He is the only known Crusader to be represented in a brass in England. This knight died in 1289. His brass appears to be unfinished, as the shield has signs that the artisan was just beginning to cut away the field (excess brass) around the family arms in order to add enamel. One suggestion is that the brass actually represents Sir Roger's son, Giles, or his grandson, Roger II. This latter argument is based largely on the "five points" added to the ailettes resting on the shoulders, which would signify the arms of Roger II. However, this could also mean the grandson was buried with his grandfather, if he did not appropriate the brass outright. The style of the effigy is surely consistent with the elder Roger's dress of the time.

Horowitz, Mark R. The Monumental Brasses of England: The Horrowitz Collection. Morton Grove, IL: Portcullis Productions, 1980 (1979). p. 7-8. Horowitz, Mark R. The Monumental Brasses of England. The Horowitz Collection. New Edition, 2002. p.16-17.