The cuirass, decorated with gold brocade, is composed of two stout plates of steel, tin-plated to prevent oxidation, the lower defending the body to the waist, and the upper or over-breastplate only protecting the breast down to a horizontal line of gilded nails. They are fastened together by a screw in the centre of a rosette of gilded and engraved metal. The cuirass is completed by a third plate, which covers the shoulder-blades, connecting with the backplate, and protects the shoulders from the pressure of the helm. It is all lined with brocade over strong canvas, and fits close with cords and tags like a corset. “This remarkable breastplate for tilting is evidently Spanish. In addition to the Moorish character of the engraving and openwork adorning the central rosette, inside the plates is a mark which shows its Valencian origin. It is the tetragon with the Aragon bars, given as a shield of arms by James I. to the city he had conquered.” The lance-rest is of the hollow kind, peculiar to Spain and Italy. Note on the right hip the pocket, cork-lined, on which the butt-end of the lance was rested before being couched. Above the left breast is a large ring, to which, by means of a bolt, the target was fastened and held in position. The leather ball, filled with tow, hanging to this ring, was to deaden the effect of a blow on the shield. We are ignorant of the use of the four rings hanging from the central ridge of the breastplate. The tassets are of three laminæ. The left hip is protected by a strong reinforcing piece in two plates. The left arm being defended by the target has no espalier or pauldron, but only coude, vambraces, and gauntlets. The right arm, in addition to these pieces, has a sort of espalier-pauldron, called _épaule-de-mouton_, with a fluted pikeguard. The lance is of pine-wood, and has the point blunted. The next suit (A17) differs only in a few unimportant particulars from the one just described. The body-armour (C11) may have been brought to Spain by Philip. It is the work of a Milanese armourer, Bernardino Cantoni (who lived in 1492), and consists of a brigantine with tassets and sleeves, “Greek breeches” or chausses for the thigh, and brayette. These pieces are composed of scale armour, overlaid with canvas and crimson silk. The borders and joints are garnished with fine steel mail. On the rivets is stamped the Imperial eagle, which goes to prove that the armour belonged to Maximilian. No less than 3,827 pieces of plate and more than 7,000 rivets have been used to make this wonderful harness. The armourer’s mark, the heraldic devices of Austria and Burgundy, and the plates cut in the form of dolphins on the backplate, are worthy of attentive inspection (see plates 79 and 79A). Attached to the salade shown with this body-armour, are beautiful wings of steel, inlaid with gold and other decorations, which could be assumed or removed according as the helmet was required for war or tilting (plate 141).