Costume -- Great Britain -- History; Great Britain -- History; Great Britain -- History -- Pictorial works
Hamilton, when fleeing before his enemies, was pursued closely
into a wood, accompanied only by a faithful retainer. He
bribed two woodcutters, who were sawing the trunk of an oak
tree, to let him and his servant take their places. Soon after
the fugitives had commenced sawing, their pursuers came up
and questioned them (thinking them to be woodcutters) as to
the whereabouts of the men they were pursuing. The servant,
frightened, began to falter, but Hambledon sternly bade him go
on with his sawing and cut “through.” After reaching a place
of safety, Sir Gilbert de Hambledon adopted the above crest
and motto, and they have continued in the family to this day.
(Fig. 28): “Shield for Peace” of the Black Prince, described
heraldically as “sable, three ostrich feathers, two and one,
the quill of each passing through a scroll argent.” The Black
Prince was, according to Mr. Fox-Davies, probably so called
on account of black being his livery colour, and that his own
retainers and followers wore the livery of black. (Fig. 29):
Badge of Richard II.--a white hart. (Fig. 30): Upper part of a
heraldic achievement. Over the shield is placed an esquire’s
helmet surmounted by a crest upon a torse or wreath, with a
lambrequin or mantling between the wreath and the helmet.
The _torse_, representing two twisted silken scarves, was
worn to hide the junction of the crest with the helmet. It
must consist of six links alternatively of metal and colour
(the livery colours of the arms). The mantling was a “little
mantle” depending from the crown of the helmet and hanging
over the back of the neck as a protection against heat. In
the course of a fight it would become rent and slashed. Hence
it has become the custom to make it very ragged as a sign of
honour. (Fig. 31): Crest of William Earl of Salisbury, c.
1344, from his seal.]
THE TUDOR NAVY.
Henry VII. founded the first English permanent dockyard at Portsmouth,
and built in 1495 the first dry dock in England. During his reign 85
vessels at least were added to the Navy, some being purchased, some
taken as prizes, and others (about 46) built.
The first great ship in mediæval times was the _Great Harry_, built by
Henry VII. in 1488, and costing £14,000; but up to this time vessels
had no portholes from which the guns could be fired.
This was the invention of a ship-builder of Brest, named Descharges,
in 1500, and by its adoption, guns could be fired from the lower
decks. The early portholes, however, were so small that the guns could
consequently only be worked in one direction. This did not matter very
much, as it was usual, on account of the difficulties of loading, only
to fire the guns once or twice, and then to run alongside the enemy and
board him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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