BURGONET.
This is a helmet of the sixteenth century of Burgundian origin, as its name implies, with a hollow rim at the bottom, which fitted over the projecting edge of the gorget. It was made in close imitation of the head, and in either three or four parts. This helmet was designed to meet a defect in the armet, for there was a weak place, where the casque came in contact with the body armour. This arrangement permitted the head to move freely to the right or left without leaving the neck unguarded. There is a handsome specimen of the first half of the sixteenth century at the Rotunda, Woolwich, weighing nearly eight pounds, with a fluted crown-piece, and round the neck a wreath of roses is engraved. There are holes in the crown for the wreath and mantling. There are some important beaked varieties at Dresden and Berlin. The more modern burgonet has neck-guard and oreillettes or ear-flaps of steel. An illustration of an early burgonet is given in [Fig. 13].