Linothorax vs Quilted linen vs spolas

[John Conyard]

A defense that wouldn't stand up in court sir!

You do see scolloped upper sleeves, with a lower sleeve set in to them, normally to help mobility around the elbow. William Dobson painted a nice example whilst in Oxford in 1645/46. He was short of materials and concentrated on the upper body.

I have given a buff coat a false front to increase it's size, but that's a modern concept. It was cosmetic, not defensive. At a later date buff coats may have had a material facing applied to them to mirror the millitary coat. A good example is in the Royal Armouries. In the 17th century extra protection to the buff would be provided by stylish metalic lace, or a good old fashioned iron breast and back. In the same way the tube and yoke is integral to the aspis and the rest of the panoply.

While scrapping the bottom of the barrel of comparative later technology, perhaps I could mention the Chinese use of layered laminated paper for armour. A similar concept, but in different materials.