The petardier of the fifteenth century, who hurled small bombs, or
else pots filled with Greek fire, into the ranks of the enemy, was
also clothed in plate, sometimes from head to heel. He was considered
of great importance, and consequently rendered as impervious as
possible to the weapons with which he might be assailed. The thrower
of the fire-pot represented in Fig. 337 (from Roy. MS. 18, E. V.) is
protected thus, even to roundels covering the goussets, unless these
are mammelières, which are of very frequent appearance. Opposing him
is a foot soldier wielding a bastard sword and protecting himself with
a small buckler; he wears a visored salade with camail and a gorget,
a close-fitting brigandine over a hauberk of mail, and his arms are
protected by plate. As is the case in the majority of representations
of soldiers of this period, the legs are entirely undefended. From the
same MS., which dates from 1473, we reproduce an interesting figure
(No. 338) of a hand-gun man discharging one of the crude pieces of that
period, whose picturesque appearance it would be difficult to excel.
The salade is especially enriched with an enlargement of the customary
roundels, while two demi-placcates reinforce his breastplate, which is
probably of leather. Only genouillières appear upon his legs, a system
of defence which was much in vogue at that time. A hand-gun man of 1470
is depicted in Fig. 339. Among the mercenaries introduced into England
during the Wars of the Roses were “Burgundenses” or Burgundian hand-gun
men. Warwick had a body of these at the second battle of St. Albans in
1461, and in Fig. 340 we have in all probability a representation of
their accoutrement. Upon the body the defences are a padded jacque,
similar in nature of material to the gambeson, combined with chain mail
and pourpointerie. The visor upon the salade is apparently fixed, while
the legs are encased in mail chausses covered with demi-cuissarts and
jambarts. The cannonier of the period was usually without any defensive
equipment whatever. A small illustration is appended from the Sloane
MS. No. 2433 of the fifteenth century, from which it will be perceived
that he is dressed in ordinary civilian garments (Fig. 341). It was
probably deemed unnecessary to clothe him in armour by reason of the
distance which separated him from the contest.
[Illustration: FIG. 339.-Hand-gun man, 1470.]
[Illustration: FIG. 340.--Hand-gun man, _c._ 1470.]
Javelin men are represented in many MSS. of this period, but invariably
in those of a foreign origin. The soldier delineated in Fig. 342 is
taken from Harl. MS. 4374, and is remarkable for the cap-à-pie defences
he wears. The size and shape of the shield is also worthy of notice.
[Illustration: FIG. 341.--Cannonier, fifteenth century. (Sloane MS.
2433.)]
[Illustration: FIG. 342.--Javelin man, 1480. (Harl. MS. 4374.)]
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