The Defensive Armour and the Weapons and Engines of War of Mediæval Times, and of the "Renaissance."Clephan, R. Coltman (Robert Coltman)
History
The Defensive Armour and the Weapons and Engines of War of Mediæval Times, and of the "Renaissance."
Clephan, R. Coltman (Robert Coltman)
Armor; Weapons
Mamillières were circular plates over the paps, with rings affixed.
Chains passed through the rings, one being usually attached to the
sword and scabbard. These pieces were introduced in the reign of Edward
I., and prevailed during the fourteenth century, more especially in
the first half. Instances are comparatively rare. There is a beautiful
example on an effigy of Otto von Piengenau (1371) in the church at
Ebersberg. The chains are attached over the right breast, one fastened
to the sword and the other to the dagger. Another on the tomb of Alb.
v. Hohenlohe, died 1318. An instance of a mamillière over the left
pap, with a thin chain attached to the helmet, occurs on an effigy of
Berengar v. Berlichingen, 1377. On an effigy of Conrad von Seinsheim
(1369), on his tomb at Schweinfurt, chains connect dagger, sword,
and helm. The wood carving in Bamberg Cathedral (1370) affords two
remarkable cases, where they directly appear on the almost heart-shaped
“plastron-de-fer.”[8] An English example may be seen on the figure of
a knight in St. Peter’s Church, Sandwich. This interesting effigy is
also remarkable for skirts of scale-work. The scales are ridged, and
are probably of iron. They form the skirt of a garment which is worn
between the hauberk of chain-mail and the surcoat. The effigy would
appear to date from very early in the fourteenth century. Scale-work
frequently occurs on monuments of this century, seldom covering
the whole body, but more generally defending the hands and feet.
Mamillières are present on an effigy in Tewkesbury Abbey Church, the
date of which is doubtless about the middle of the century. A beautiful
instance may be seen on an effigy at Alvechurch, Worcestershire (1346),
showing clearly the one chain connected with the scabbard and another
with the hilt. There is a brass in Minster Church, Isle of Sheppey,
which represents an armed figure with only one “mamillière”; it is on
the left pap, with the chain going up over the left shoulder--early
fourteenth century. The derivation of the word is interesting, being
from _mamilla_, the breast. Its origin was a leather band worn by the
Roman ladies to support the breasts.
In effigies the knight’s head is usually pillowed on a helm, while a
dog or lion crouches at his feet; this latter feature is supposed to be
emblematic of fidelity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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