We frequently read of coat colours yet when people attempt to illustrate, paint or dress up as soldiers of the civil war such coat colours are commonly (perhaps even universally) appplied to the soldiers doublets. Surely this is in error, particularly as I have been informed by a learned person that issues of doublets were rare during the civil war in England. In the Journals of the House of Commons we read ;

'Resolved &c. That this House doth declare, That there intention and opinion is, that each common Soldier, that shall be pressed, shall be furnished with a Coat, Breeches, a Shirt, a Pair of Stockings and Shoes, and Snapsack, . . '
JHC. , Vol. IV P85 (March 21st 1644)

I.e. no mention of doublets. For soldiers serving in Ireland however, doublets were commonly issued as part of a suit of clothes;

'Suits of cloaths, videlicat, a cap, a Doublet, Cassock, Breeches, Two Pair of stockings, Two pair of shoes, and Two Shirts, for every Soldier, should be forthwith provided,... '
*JHL., Vol V, p347 (10 September 1642)

Surely when a coat colour is mentioned it refers to a coat such as a cassock. When one considers such a garment it is obvious that it would be more popular than a doublet, it is better suited for British weather and easier to manufacture (one size would fit most men). When contempories made their notes on campaigns they are far more likely to have seen the soldiers marching wrapped in the commonly issued 'coat' rather than exposed to the elements wearing the rarely issued doublet.

Can anyone support or refute the above? It is perhaps also wothy to note from the above two extracts that only one set of stockings were issued to soldiers in england which must surely cast some doubt on the idea commonly portrayed that soldiers wore one set of stockings 'pulled up' and another set 'rolled down'. Neither is any form of head gear mentioned being issued to any soldier serving in England.

* Journals of the House of Lords

More Queries

John Evelyn and the Fortifications of London
Coats or Doublets
Scots Coat Colours
James Montague
What's a Roseanger?

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