To the student of armour and arms, this period is of exceptional interest by reason of the unwonted facility with which it may be studied, inasmuch as there is hardly a cathedral, or church of any importance in the kingdom, which does not possess, in some manner, details of military equipment relating to it. Brasses and monumental effigies simply abound, stained glass is by no means uncommon, while carvings in wood and stone exhibit details which are at times of great importance. The wealth of technical matter thus preserved enables the student to reconstruct the period with a fidelity which is wanting in those earlier. It must not be supposed that the great and salient features of the style were at once adopted; there was a transition period of nearly twenty years, during which the old defences were in part retained, and only discarded by degrees. Before pointing out these exceptions, however, it may be as well to take the several features of the equipment in order, as has been done in preceding styles. [Illustration: FIG. 205.--Sir Robert Swynborne, 1391. Little Horkesley Church, Essex.] _The Jupon._--The jupon was a sleeveless outer garment reaching from the neck to midway between the hips and the knees. It was tight-fitting, as may readily be gleaned by inspection of brasses and effigies, and no folds or creases can be observed in it. In construction it consisted of several thicknesses of material sewn through, thus becoming almost homogeneous, and upon this firm sub-structure a layer of silk, velvet, or other rich material was firmly fastened down, and bore in the great majority of cases the armorial insignia of the wearer. There are exceptional cases in which the jupon was stuffed and quilted. The arm-holes became decorated in the later years of this style, but owing to the covering camail we have no knowledge of any decorations upon the neck. The skirt was finished with an enriched border of either escallops, or acanthus leaves, or dags--dagging being a mode of ornamenting the hems of civilian garments prevailing in the reigns of Edward III., Richard II., and the fourth and fifth Henrys; it consisted in cutting out borders of sleeves, skirts, &c., into open work of various devices. This rich and splendid covering to the real body defences was always laced up at the sides, occasionally only on one side, under the left arm. [Illustration: FIG. 206.--Bascinet. St. Peter’s Church, St. Albans.] [Illustration: FIG. 207.--Bascinet. St. Peter’s Church, St. Albans.] [Illustration: FIG. 208.--Snout-faced bascinet.] [Illustration: FIG. 209.--Bascinet. (Tower of London.)]