Armour in England, from the Earliest Times to the Reign of James the FirstGardner, John Starkie
History
Armour in England, from the Earliest Times to the Reign of James the First
Gardner, John Starkie
Armor -- England
Another suit at Windsor of extraordinary magnificence is that
represented in Fig. 32. It is, unfortunately, not well set up, and
differs considerably in construction from those hitherto noticed, and
is of later date than the Jacobe suits. The tassets are replaced by
laminar cuissarts extending to the knee, below which the suit is not
continued. The ornament is banded vertically, like that of the suits
previously figured, but is of a richer character. Its details and
colouring are reproduced on a larger scale in the helmet, Plate VI.,
which is combed, fluted, and of singularly graceful outline, with all
its fastenings, plume-holders, and the stiffly-ribbed gorget in most
perfect condition. The whole appears to be a specimen of rare French
armour, but nothing is known of its history. Even more sumptuous,
if possible, is the Italian suit, Fig. 33, which also exhibits some
peculiar characters, such as the single plates in place of the tassets
and the construction of the arm-defences and gauntlets. The setting
up in this suit is also unfortunately defective. The extraordinary
richness of the damascening and appliqué work is reproduced in
Fig. 34, in which a portion is sketched real size. Nearly all the
escutcheon-like appliqués have been picked off at some period, either
for mischief or for the gold. The original owner of this suit is also
unknown, but it may, with the one last described, have possibly been
a present to Prince Henry, whose passion for military exercises and
display is matter of history. The last of our illustrations (Fig. 35)
taken from suits in the Windsor Guard-chamber is a demi-suit of the
Earl of Essex, and is a war suit, something like a pikeman's, except
that the closed helmet was not worn by dismounted men. This is combed,
and introduces a shade or peak over the sight. It has no visor, but a
bavier in two pieces protects the face. It should perhaps be described
as a burgonet with gorget and movable mentonières. Probably only a
part of the suit is present, that for use on foot, and the helmet may
belong to the missing equipment for a rider, or if worn on foot it
would have been as an open burgonet. The Jacobe Album introduces us to
the burgonet and cabasset, a lighter morion, and shows that these were
used when fighting on foot by even the greatest captains. This suit is
also decorated in bands, a fashion almost universal during the reign
of Elizabeth. The breastplate is the peascod with tapul form, and the
cuissarts "à écrivisse" form the only protection for the legs. The
ornament is more finely and delicately chased than that of any suit yet
noticed. The design on the bands is an interlacing and knotted strap,
filled with arabesqued foliage enclosing medallions with emblematic
figures and flowers encircled by mottoes, as Futura præteritis, on a
ground etched down, but with foliage and bright points like grains of
seed, left on it. A part of this ornament is drawn full size in Plate
VII.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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