Armour & Weapons

CHAP. IV PLATE ARMOUR H CO that had any convenience of apparrell to arme withal.’ Edward Davies, in i6ig, mentions the fact that men armed ‘ with a heavie shirt of mail and a burganet, by that time they have marched in the heat of summer or deepe of winter ten or twelve English miles, they are apt more to rest than readie to fight As early as the year 1364 we find that at the Battle of Auray Sir Hugh Calverley ordered his men to take off their cuisses that they might move more rapidly. In the armour of the late sixteenth century one of the chief points of difference from the former fashions is to be found in the cuisses. Whereas these defences were formerly made of one, or possibly two plates, we now find them laminated from waist to knee and joined by the strap and sliding rivet arrangement which we have noted in the arm defences and tassets. The tassets are now no longer used (Fig. 36). Very soon the jambs were given up in favour of buff boots, and when once this was established the next step was the half suit which will be noticed in a succeeding chapter. O After the fourteenth century the great helm was but seldom used for war, but for jousting it was still retained, and, as this form of military sport was practised more scientifically, so the weight and shape of the helm were made to suit the necessary con- ditions. The Brocas helm (Plate V) is the finest example of English helm of this period ; it weighs 22 lb. The other known examples of home manufacture are the Westminster helm, which was discovered in the Triforium of Westminster Abbey in 1869, and weighs 17 lb. 12 oz. ; the Dawtray helm at Petworth (21 lb. 8 oz.) ; the Barendyne helm at Haseley, near Thame (13I lb.) ; the Fogge helm at Ashford, Sussex (241b.); the Wallace helm, in the collec- tion at Hertford House (17 lb.) ; and the great headpiece in the possession of Captain Lindsay of Sutton Courtenay, Abingdon, which turns the scale at 25 lb. 14 oz. It will be seen from the weight of these helms that they could only be used for the jousting course and were put off on the first opportunity. The details of their construction have been noticed in Chapter III. On referring to Plate V it will be seen that the bascinet was the FFOULKES K