and back-plates were worn without any textile covering. Roundles, or in their stead palettes somewhat resembling small shields, have been added in front to the upper part of the breast-plate, for the protection of the shoulder-joints; and the elbow-joints were generally guarded with plates that resemble expanded fans. The basinet, though still pointed at its apex, was more globular than at earlier periods; and it was connected with a gorget of plate. The helm was retained as before. Below the waist, and there connected with the bottom of the breast-plate, the body was protected by a series of narrow overlapping plates, attached to a lining of leather or pourpoint, and denominated taces. The fingers of the gauntlets were commonly made to represent the human hand, by having the finger-nails engraved upon them. The swordbelt was narrow, and worn diagonally over the taces; in some few instances, however, the hip-belt appears worn over the taces; and occasionally the two belts are both represented as worn together. The sword preserves its general character without much modification; but the cross-guard is usually quite straight and plain, and of considerable length; and the pommel has the general contour of a pear. The misericorde is worn on the right side. Examples: The sculptured effigies of Michael de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, 1415, at Wingfield, in Suffolk; and of Sir Edmund de Thorpe, 1418 (he wears his plate armour over a mail hauberk), at Ashwell-Thorpe, in Norfolk. Brasses to Sir Ivo Fitz-Waryn, 1414 (with hip-belt), at Wantage, in Berkshire; to Sir John Peryent, 1415 (with hip-belt), at Dig well, in Hertfordshire; to Sir Thomas Swynborne, 1412 (with diagonal belt), at Little Horkesley, in Essex; to Sir Symon de Felbrigge, K.G., 1413 (he has the royal banner of Richard II.), at Felbrigg, in Norfolk; to Sir John Lysle, about 1420, at Thruxton, in Hampshire; to Thomas, Lord Camoys, K.G., 1424, at Trotton, in Sussex; and to Sir Thomas Brounflet, 1430, at Wymington, in Bedfordshire (all engraved in "Brasses," or Brasses and Slabs "). 66 The two effigies of Sir R. and Sir T. Swynborne, father and son, admirably drawn and engraved in their brass at Little Horkesley, and in perfect preservation, as they lie side by side beneath their elaborately splendid canopies, exemplify, in significant contrast, the distinct styles of the camail and the pure plate periods of armour. 2. SECOND PERIOD, TO ABOUT 1450.-Again, as at the commencement of the 14th century, the system of adding secondary defences, or reinforcing, appears in active operation. The taces were frequently escalloped; small plates of various forms, named tuilles, were suspended by straps from the lowermost tace, one or two on each side to cover and protect the thigh in addition to the cuissarts of plate; the sollerets became of extravagant length; shell-like plates were added to the gauntlets, to cover the backs of the hands; additional plates of various forms and sizes were fixed at the elbows and shoulders upon the ordinary armour, and a remarkable diversity is seen to have existed between the corresponding reinforces or additional defences of the right and left sides of the same figure; the right arm being so accoutred as to be as well as possible adapted for offensive action, while the left was carefully protected by the elaborate defensive armour. The plates that were fixed to the elbow-pieces were entitled gardes-de-bras; those that were placed in front of the shoulders were placates; but when the shoulders were covered by the reinforce-plates, they were distinguished as pauldrons. The sword and its belt continued without much change, the guard of the weapon now generally bending downwards at its extremities, and the pommel as commonly was globular but pointed above. The helm, somewhat modified in form, was still worn with its splendid heraldic accessories. Over the armour, a new variety of short (sometimes very short) surcoat, styled a tabard, was worn; it had short sleeves, and (with the exception of one or two very early examples) the arms of the wearer were emblazoned as well on each sleeve as on the body of the garment. The example, Fig. 42, is from the brass to William Fynderne, A.D. 1444, at Childrey, in Berkshire. Examples: Brasses (all engraved in my volumes) to John Leventhorpe, Esquire, 1433, at Saw bridgeworth, Herts; to Roger Elmebrigge, Esquire, 1435, at Bedington, in Surrey; to Sir Richard Dyxton, 1438, at Cirencester; to John Daundelyon, Esquire, 1445, at Margate; to a De Cuttes, about the same date, at Arkesden, Herts; to Walter Green, 1450, at Hayes, Middlesex; to John Gaynesford, 1450, at Crowhurst, in Surrey; also, with an early tabard, to John Wantele, 1424, at Amberley, in Sussex. Fig. 42.-TABARD OF The typical example of the period is the truly noble bronze effigy of Richard Beauchamp, K.G., Earl of Warwick, in the Beauchamp Chapel, at Warwick. The earl died in 1439, and the effigy, finely engraved by Stothard, was executed about 1454. The head, resting on the crested helm, is bare; the breast-plate is reinforced, as well as the shoulder-guards; the pauldrons have low upright neck defences, or passe-gardes; the coudières are large, and of the same form and size on both arms; there are five taces, showing a skirt of mail beneath them; and, besides two large tuilles, there are two smaller ones or tuillettes. For some notices of the archers of England, with a representation of a small group of them in action under the standard of Earl Richard de Beauchamp, see Note 64. 3. THIRD PERIOD, TO ABOUT 1500.-Throughout this second half of the 15th century, various new and supplementary pieces of armour were introduced, designed to reinforce the body armour, the head-piece, and the defences of the limbs; and, at the same time, the primary pieces underwent various modifications, all of them tending towards increasing extravagances of form, dimensions, and adornment. At this period a lance-rest was fixed to the upper part of the breastplate on the right side. Examples: The sculptured effigies of John, Earl of Shrewsbury, 1453, at Whitchurch, in Shropshire; of Robert, Lord Hungerford, 1455, in Salisbury Cathedral; and of Sir John Crosby, 1475, in the church of St. Helen, in the City of London. Brasses (with tabards, all engraved by Waller) to Sir John de Say, 1473, at Broxbourne, Herts; to John Feld, Esquire, 1477, at Standon, also in Herts; and to Piers Gerard, Esquire, 1492, at Winwick, in Lancashire. Also brasses (without tabards) to Henry Parice, Esquire, 1465, at Hildersham, Cambridgeshire; to Sir William Vernon, 1467, at Tong, Salop; to Henry Bourchier, K.G., Earl of Essex, 1483, at Little Easton, in Essex (all engraved by Waller); to Richard Quatremayns, Esquire, and his son, about 1475, at Thame, in Oxfordshire; to Sir Anthony Grey, 1480, in St. Alban's Abbey Church (engraved in "Brasses," and "Brasses and Slabs"); to Sir Thomas de Shernbourne, 1459, at Shernborne, and to Sir Henry Grey, 1492, at Ketteringham, both in Norfolk (and both engraved by Cotman); also, to Sir Thomas Peyton, 1484, at Islesham, in Cambridgeshire. 4. FOURTH PERIOD, TO ABOUT 1525.-At the commencement of the 16th century, the pointed sollerets were succeeded by broad sabbatons, cut off square or rounded at the toes. Skirts of mail at this time again came into use. The armour generally became more massive, and the fashion began to prevail for adorning it with elaborate enrichments. Plumes of flowing feathers were attached to helms. Examples: Effigy of Sir Giles Daubeney, K.G., 1507, in Westminster Abbey. Brasses to Sir Humphrey Stanley, 1505, in Westminster Abbey ("Brasses and Slabs"); to William, Viscount Beaumont, 1507, at Wivenhoe, in Essex (Waller); and to Sir Roger L'Estrange, 1506, at Hunstanton, Norfolk (Cotman). CLOSE OF THE 16TH 5. FIFTH PERIOD, TILL THE CENTURY.-Throughout this period, the armour of princes, nobles, and men of wealth, continually increased in splendour of decoration, while at the same time as true armour its character continued to degenerate. The fashion which assimilated the armour to the general form and adornment of the costume of the time obtained favour (see Note 72), and fluted, laminated, and puffed suits were made, and were elaborately enriched with various surface ornamentation. Very large pauldrons were worn; and laminated skirts of small overlapping steel plates, called lamboys, took the places of both the taces and the tuilles of somewhat earlier times. To the thoughtful observer it will be evident that the successive changes which at this period took place in armour, tended towards that gradual disuse of all armour which its insufficiency as a guard against fire-arms was very decidedly bringing on. Fig. 43.-VISORED HEAD-PIECE, about 1580: TOWER ARMOURY Examples: The figures in armour represented in the Tournament Roll of Henry VIII., preserved in the Heralds' College; the suit of armour of Henry VIII., in the Tower |