in armata manu

A 14th Century charters specifies that one of the signatories signed it
"in armata manu". Several early scholars who noted it had no idea what
that phrase implied. Does anyone here know?

alden...

Not entirely sure:

See Edward Gibbons, Decline and Fall..., Vol. 6 Chapter LXI, Part 2

Footnote uses phrase

"[Footnote 46: Matthew Paris relates the two visits of Baldwin II. to
the English court, p. 396, 637; his return to Greece armat=E2 man=FB, p.
407 his letters of his nomen formidabile, &c., p. 481, (a passage which
has escaped Ducange;) his expulsion, p. 850.]"

Since Baldwin returned with a crusader army, I would guess

arm stem =3D armor
manu =3D hand

perhaps with a band of armed men?

I am not a Latin Scholar.

Will check some more

Doug Smith