Ancient Armour and Weapons in Europe: From the Iron Period of the Northern Nations to the End of the Thirteenth CenturyHewitt, John
History
Ancient Armour and Weapons in Europe: From the Iron Period of the Northern Nations to the End of the Thirteenth Century
Hewitt, John
Armor; Weapons
Occasionally the surcoat has an ornamental edge of fringe; as in
the brasses of D'Aubernoun, 1277, and De Bures, 1302 (woodcut, No.
55, and Waller, Pt. ii.). In some cases, as in the Temple Church
figure engraved by Stothard, Pl. XV., the garment has a rigid
appearance across the shoulders, which has been taken to indicate a
strengthening of the surcoat at that part. But the same treatment is
seen in the enamelled effigy at St. Denis, of John, son of St. Louis;
where the garment forms part of a civil dress (Willemin, vol. i., Pl.
XCI., and Guilhermy's Monuments of St. Denis, p. 164). The Surcoat
sometimes hangs loose, as in our woodcut, No. 86; but usually it is
girt at the waist by a cord or strap. The cord is seen in the brasses
of Sir John D'Aubernoun and Sir Roger de Trumpington; the strap, with
its long pendent end, in the effigies at Ash Church, Norton Church,
and St. Bride's (our woodcuts, Nos. 55, 73, 59, 70 and 74). The
group from Add. MS. 17,687 furnishes some further examples (cut, No.
63). Rarely, the surcote is made with a "fente" at the throat, and
fastened with a fibula. An effigy in the Temple Church exhibits this
arrangement. (Hollis, Pt. ii.)
The Sleeved Surcoat, as we have already noticed, did not come into
use till the second half of the thirteenth century. It is frequent
in the pictures of the Painted Chamber. A good example is offered by
the effigy at Norton, Durham (our woodcut, No. 70); and very similar
are found in the statue of Lord Fitz Alan at Bedale, Yorkshire,
(engraved by Hollis, Pt. iv., and in Blore's Monuments,) and the
Temple sculpture (Stothard, Pl. XXXVIII.). The knightly figure on our
woodcut No. 56 presents a variety, in the sleeves being "slittered."
Those of the Shurland effigy (Stothard, Pl. XLI.) are divided under
the arm and fastened by ties.
[Illustration:
PLATE LXX.]
[Illustration:
PLATE LXXI.]
The HELMETS of the thirteenth century, though offering many points
of difference on comparing particular examples, may yet be readily
thrown into distinguishable classes. The first division that
Suggests itself is that of the Helm (the great, close casque of
the knight) and the Helmet, a defence, as the word indicates, of
diminished completeness. The Helm must again be divided into two
leading kinds: that in which the plates forming it are all rivetted
together, so as to make one piece; and that in which the front is
provided with a moveable ventail. The successive changes of fashion
supply a further division of the helms; giving us the flat-topped,
the round-topped, and the "sugar-loaf" form. The Helmets may be
classed as the hemispherical, the cylindrical, the conical, the
wide-rimmed (Petasus form), and the nasal. Besides which are some
varieties of peculiar construction, which may be better noticed after
the more general forms have been considered.
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