THE GREAT HELM.
The real great crested helm, so often seen pillowing the head in effigies, dates from the last quarter of the thirteenth century, but it was rarely used except in tournaments after the fourteenth. This helm has been described in a previous section. It was replaced for fighting purposes by the visored bassinet, the movable aventail being added about the reign of Edward II. There is a perfect specimen of this helm at Berlin; it was found near Bubad, in Pomerania. An illustration has been given in [Fig. 2].
The great jousting helm of the fifteenth century was made wide, very strong, heavy, large, somewhat flat at the crown, and often in the lighter tilting helm had an aperture on the side for speaking. It was crested, and rested on the shoulders, being attached to the body armour by screws front and rear, and was so large that the head of the wearer did not touch it in any part; a cap was worn over the head. The attachment to the cuirass was a new departure. The top is flatter, and the ocularium, which is wider than in the older forms, can only be used for sighting by lowering the head. The plates meet sharply in front, producing a ridge, the higher end forming a beak-like projection. It fell a good deal into disuse during the reign of Henry VIII. There are two very fine tilting helms in the Rotunda collection, Woolwich, one of which was formerly in the triforium of Westminster Abbey, and weighs 18 lb.; the other, which was acquired from the “Brocas” collection, weighs 23 lb. A north-country example of the German “Stechhelm” ([Fig. 12]) is in the collection of W. D. Cruddas, Esq., M.P., of Haughton Castle, Northumberland. The kolbenturnier helm is a variety specially used for that course; the whole front is composed of transverse bars. These helms were firmly screwed on to the breastplate and therefore immovable, as may be seen on the tilting suit ([Fig. 6]).
Fig. 12.—Tilting Helm at Haughton Castle, Northumberland.