The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Espauliere \Es`pau`liere"\, n. [OF. & F. ['e]pauli[`e]re. See
   Espalier.]
   A defense for the shoulder, composed of flexible overlapping
   plates of metal, used in the 15th century; -- the origin of
   the modern epaulette. --Fairholt.
   [1913 Webster]