The taces are riveted to the tassets, which descend to the knee. There are no brassards, but short elbow gauntlets protect the hands and lower arms. The figure has jackboots, and is of early seventeenth century date. [Illustration: Fig. 27.--Plain Demi-suit, in the Author’s Collection.] [Illustration: Fig. 28.--Black and White Demi-Suit, in the Author’s Collection.] [Illustration: Fig. 29.--Late Suit at Munich, 1590–1620.] Cap-à-pie harnesses tended to become lighter as time wore on, and in the last quarter of the century the tasset and cuisse became combined in a series of light overlapping plates, directly attached to the cuirass and riveted on to the genouillières; which in their turn become attachable to the jambs by an adjustable screw. A representation is given of a late suit of armour of this description in Fig. 29, where the helmet is the collared burgonet, which is characteristic of the end of the sixteenth and early in the seventeenth century. The cuirass has three horizontal laminations over the abdomen, while the upper leg and thigh armour is the combination already referred to. The elbow gauntlets of the suit are very characteristic of the period. The harness dates from very late in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, or possibly even later. Many writers lay far too much stress on the use of firearms as the main cause of the gradual disuse of armour. Coming easy to hand, it was eagerly adopted by many writers on the subject, but like most generalisations it is misleading. That it was a potent factor in this direction is certain, but it was only one of the many causes which have been already touched upon in these pages. The general demand for cap-à-pie armour languished from the end of the sixteenth century forward, and with it vanished the taste and skill of making and decorating it; for we have very little more of the exquisite work of the “renaissance,” the vigour and force of which had spent itself. Here and there a fine suit is met with, usually made for royalty, but always lacking finish in the details; the majority are sadly inferior in material, workmanship, and decoration--indeed, the character of the work is coarse in every particular, and became more so as time moved on. The change in armour during the first half of the seventeenth century was very great. The breastplate became flat and very short, and open helms were much worn. The representation (Fig. 30) of a very early seventeenth century suit is from the armoury at Brancepeth Castle, Durham. This suit probably dates from very early in the seventeenth century. The helmet has an umbril over the eyes. Immediately under the peak is the ocularium of two very broad slits--the visor is grated. The suit is freely studded over with rather large-headed rivets, the gorget is pointed, cuirass short with lance-rest, but no garde-de-reine. To a broad rim at the bottom, tassets, consisting of nine lames, are attached by straps and buckles. The coudières are sharply pointed at