Under Charles VII. of France (A.D. 1422 to 1461), the half cuirass became the complete cuirass, which enclosed the whole body from the throat downwards. This important piece of armour, however, was not like the modern cuirass, simply a sleeveless tunic, or vest of plate; nor did it resemble its own predecessor, the demi-cuirass, in being formed of two pieces for breast and back; but the cuirass of this period was considerably sloped away, on each side, at the shoulders; and there was fixed, to meet the slopes, a system of articulated plates, curved in half-circles, and projecting considerably, after the manner of a thick and large epaulette; this part of the cuirass was called the epaulière.

Now that we have before us plate-armour in its most perfect development, as it appears in Fig. 29, we may enumerate the several pieces of which the suit is composed :

1. The cuirass, covering the whole figure, breast and back. 2. The epaulières, guards for the shoulders.

3. The brassarts, or arm-guards.

4. The coudières, elbow-guards, and coverings for the inside of the elbow-joints.

5. The avant-bras, guards for the lower arms.

6. The faudes, or taces, with the tuilles, which have just

been described.

7. The haubergeon, or defence for the body worn under the cuirass.

8. The cuissarts, thigh-pieces.

9. The genouillières, knee-guards.

10. The grevières, leg-pieces.

II. The sollerets, or soulières (with the spurs), laminated coverings for the feet; and

12. The gauntlets, pieces of armour that have not yet been described, and which in the time of Charles VII. were recent inventions (in France); they were composed of pieces of iron sewn on gloves of strong leather, for the protection of

the hands and wrists. The only protection (in France) to the hands, in earlier times, was the leather glove."

No mention is made by M. Lacombe of the additional plates that, towards the close of the 15th century (at any rate in England), were screwed upon the cuirass, and that were added, after the shield had generally been laid aside, to the primary defences of the left arm. Nor are the belts noticed; nor do the heraldic accessories of the noble and knightly panoply, in themselves, at the era under consideration, matters of no slight importance, appear to have attracted M. Lacombe's attention. In like manner, the horse-furniture of the period has been passed over without any description or remark. (See Chapter XI.)

The celebrated warriors of France, who flourished in the 15th century, continues M. Lacombe, are universally well known. To awaken the remembrance of a thousand acts of bravery, intermingled also, unhappily, with as many of violence and rapacity, it is enough to mention the names of La Hire, Xaintrailles, D'Alençon, and Richmond; but, for the honour of the period, never let it be forgotten that the armed image of Joan of Arc (A.D. 1431) shines pure and radiant, high above them all.

armour.

In order to complete the recapitulation of the innovations in arms and armour that were effected in the 15th century, the head-piece and the sword must be added to the bodyThe head and the neck, as has been shown, were covered and guarded by the basinet and camail—the latter pendant from the former. About the middle of the century, the basinet gave place to the armet, or helmet, a head-piece consisting of a globular iron cap, which spreads out with a large hollowed projection over the back of the neck, and in front has a piece formed like part of a bowl, so cover the mouth and chin. This piece, called the bavière (beavor, or mentonière), is pierced with holes for respiration.

as to

In order to fill in and to defend the space left open before the face of the knight, between the front rim of the helm itself and the upper part of the bavière, a movable plate, pierced with narrow openings for sight, was added; this is the visière, or visor. Finally, at the bottom of the helm, and below the bavière, instead of the mail camail, the gorgerin, or gorget, completes this head-piece. It is formed of a series of circular pieces of plate, jointed and carefully connected together to cover the throat, and (after the manner of an iron cravat) to connect the helm with the body-armour.70

In the case of the sword, the changes which it underwent during this century produced a weapon that, instead of being long and narrow, was somewhat shorter, broader at the head of the blade, and gradually tapering towards the point-a weapon, in fact, that in many respects closely resembles the sword that was in general use in the 12th century.