2055. _plate._ Probably the hauberk had a breastplate on the front of it. But on the subject of armour, I must refer the reader to Godwin's English Archaeologist's Handbook, pp. 252-268; Planché's History of British Costume, and Sir S. R. Meyrick's Observations on Body-armour, in the Archaeologia, vol. xix. pp. 120-145. 2056. The _cote-armour_ was not for defence, but a mere surcoat on which the knight's armorial bearings were usually depicted, in order to identify him in the combat or 'debate.' Hence the modern _coat-of-arms_. 2059. _reed_, red. In the Romances, _gold_ is always called _red_, and silver _white_. Hence it was not unusual to liken gold to blood, and this explains why Shakespeare speaks of armour being _gilt_ with blood (King John, ii. 1. 316), and makes Lady Macbeth talk of _gilding_ the groom's faces with blood (Macbeth, ii. 2. 56). See also Coriol. v. 1. 63, 64; and the expression 'blood bitokeneth gold'; Cant. Tales, D. 581. 2060. Cf. Libeaus Desconus, ed. Kaluza, 1657-8:-- 'His scheld was asur fin, Thre bores heddes ther-inne.' And see the editor's note, at p. 201. 2061. 'A carbuncle (Fr. _escarboucle_) was a common [armorial] bearing. See Guillim's Heraldry, p. 109.'--Tyrwhitt. 2062. Sir Thopas is made to swear by ale and bread, in ridiculous imitation of the vows made by the swan, the heron, the pheasant, or the peacock, on solemn occasions. 2065. _Iambeux_, armour worn in front of the shins, above the mail-armour that covered the legs; see Fairholt. He tells us that, in Roach Smith's Catalogue of London Antiquities, p. 132, is figured a pair of cuirbouilly jambeux, which are fastened by thongs. Spenser borrows the word, but spells it _giambeux_, F. Q. ii. 6. 29. _quirboilly_, i. e. _cuir bouilli_, leather soaked in hot water to soften it that it might take any required shape, after which it was dried and became exceedingly stiff and hard. In Matthew Paris (anno 1243) it is [197] said of the Tartars--'De _coriis bullitis_ sibi arma leuia quidem, sed tamen impenetrabilia coaptarunt.' In Marco Polo, ed. Yule, ii. 49, it is said of the men of Carajan, that they wear armour of boiled leather (French text, _armes cuiracés de cuir bouilli_). Froissart (v. iv. cap. 19) says the Saracens covered their targes with '_cuir bouilli_ de Cappadoce, ou nul fer ne peut prendre n'attacher, si le cuir n'est trop échaufé.' When Bruce reviewed his troops on the morning of the battle of Bannockburn, he wore, according to Barbour, 'ane hat of _qwyrbolle_' on his 'basnet,' and 'ane hye croune' above that. Some remarks on _cuir bouilli_ will be found in Cutts, Scenes and Characters of the Middle Ages, p. 344.