Spanish Arms and Armour: Being a Historical and Descriptive Account of the Royal Armoury of MadridCalvert, Albert Frederick
History
Spanish Arms and Armour: Being a Historical and Descriptive Account of the Royal Armoury of Madrid
Calvert, Albert Frederick
Arms and armor -- Spain; Real Armería de Madrid
“Such was the nature of the high-bred dextrarius that, when two knights
had dismounted, and were continuing the fight on foot, their horses,
left to themselves, instantly commenced a conflict of their own of the
most gallant and desperate character.” Bucephalus and Pegasus were
inferior steeds in comparison.
NOTE
The representation of armour on tombs and sepulchral effigies was
subject, during the Middle Ages, to regulations, which throw light on
the rank and the circumstances of the death of the deceased. In
Carderera’s _Iconografia_ we find the following ordinances ascribed to
the Emperor Charles V. They are probably merely a recapitulation of
enactments which had been in force several centuries:--
“If any person during his life shall have accomplished any notable feat
of arms, or gained honour in the lists, he shall be shown armed _de
pied-en-cap_, helmet on his head, visor raised, and hands joined. His
sword shall be at his side, and his spurs on. These shall be of gold if
he shall have been an armed knight; otherwise he shall have none.
“If he shall have gained no honours in the lists, he shall have the
visor lowered, and his helmet shall be placed beside him.
“If he shall not have distinguished himself in the tourney, but shall
have died on the field of battle, contributing to the victory, he shall
be represented armed _de pied-en-cap_, visor lowered, naked sword in his
hand, the point upwards, and his shield in his left hand. If he shall
have been of the vanquished, he shall be represented armed _de
pied-en-cap_, his sword in its sheath, visor raised, his hands joined,
and his spurs put on. If he shall have been made prisoner and died on
the field or in captivity, he shall be represented as in the preceding
article, but without spurs and with empty scabbard.
“All these personages may be represented in their surcoats, if they
shall have taken part in a pitched battle, at which the Prince in whose
pay they shall have been, shall have been present; otherwise, they shall
not be thus represented, unless they be of the rank of King, Prince,
Duke, Marquis, Count, or Baron.
“No man, howsoever noble, shall be represented in his surcoat unless he
be the Lord and Proprietor of the Church or Chapel, or the successor (?
descendant) of the Lord and Proprietor.
“If any person shall have followed the wars as a man-at-arms, he may be
represented armed, but without surcoat and helmet.
“No one shall be represented with a fringe to his surcoat, unless he be
of the rank of Baron.”
It should be said in conclusion, that these rules were not always
strictly observed, and cannot be relied upon in the absence of
corroborative testimony from other sources.
II
THE FOURTEENTH AND FIFTEENTH CENTURIES
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