A soldier is also shown wearing the high
bascinet so characteristic of the knight of the early Camail Period;
it had doubtless formed part of some loot, and the wearer added to
the defence a large bavière which also partially served the function
of a breastplate, while a tippet of banded mail covers the shoulders
(Fig. 257). Some of the foot soldiers carried a small circular shield
or buckler about 9 inches to 12 inches in diameter and furnished with
a boss in the centre; the left hand would be able to grasp both it
and the pike as well.
[Illustration: FIG. 257.--Soldier with plate gorget, _temp._ Richard
II. (Roy. MS. 20, C. VII.)]
[Illustration: FIG. 258.--Spearman, _c._ 1400. (Roy. MS. 20, C. VII.)]
Towards the end of the reign of Richard II. the fashion of wearing a
houppelande over the armour came in vogue both for knights and common
soldiery, thus preventing the armour from being seen, except the lower
parts of the legs (see Fig. 258). With this incongruous habit appeared
also the snout-faced or pig-faced visor of alarming proportions,
serving as a visor, gorget, and pectoral combined. The annexed cut is
taken from a group of combatants in Roy MS. 20, C. VII., who are all
defended in the same ungainly manner. With the advent of the reign of
King Henry IV. this visor became of less size and different shape,
while reinforcements to the bascinet were added to compensate. In
Fig. 259, from Roy. MS. 15, D. III., a soldier is shown with bascinet
and neck-guard affixed; to protect the throat an extra plate is used
swinging upon pivots on either side of the helmet--a crude bavière.
Another foot soldier is shown with a similar defence (Fig. 260), but
his bascinet is globular at the top and furnished with a projecting
neck-guard, in which we cannot fail to see the salade in its early
stage. We may refer this to the reign of Henry V., as well as that
shown in Fig. 259. Another bascinet of the same period is given in Fig.
262, where the small holes for fixing the lining are shown, and also
those round the lower edge and opening for the face, for the camail.
This bascinet still further suggests the salade, as does also the one
in the British Museum (Fig. 263).
[Illustration: FIG. 259. (Roy. MS. 15, D. III.)]
[Illustration: FIG. 260. (Roy. MS. 15, D. III.)]
[Illustration: FIG. 261.--Soldier, Richard II., gorget over camail.
(Roy. MS. 20, C. VII.)]
[Illustration: FIG. 262.--Bascinet, _temp._ Henry V.]
[Illustration: FIG. 263.--Bascinet from Brit. Mus.]
[Illustration: FIG. 264.--Quivers and scimitar. (Roy. MS. 14, E. IV.)]
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