Fig. 223.—Gauntlet, late fourteenth century. (Wallace Collection.)
Plate Defences.—One of the features of this period was the enclosure of the limbs in plate defences which conformed generally to the natural curves, and present a striking contrast to the distortions which appeared during the greater part of the fifteenth century. Upon the shoulders laminated epaulières occur, the upper plates of which are habitually hidden by the camail and jupon, but were probably affixed to or depended from the gorget of plate before mentioned. Brassarts of plate enclosed the upper arms, while coudières of a close-fitting pattern protected the bend of the arm. There was no distinct fashion during this period for the outer projecting plate of the coudière; at first a roundel appeared as in the case of Sir John de Argentine ([Fig. 218]), and Sir John de Paletoot ([Fig. 224]), but the general form was that exhibited in the brasses of Sir John Wingfield ([Fig. 219]) and Sir George Felbrigge ([Fig. 220]). Cylindrical vambraces of one plate guarded the forearms to the wrist, where they were covered partly by the cuffs of the gauntlets. The latter during this period attained to a higher degree of perfection than had previously been the case, and great attention was paid to detail and careful fitting. The fingers and thumbs were distinct and articulated; a plate covered the back of the hand and another was formed into a cuff. The introduction of gadlings, or spikes of steel upon the knuckles and joints, occurred at this time, not solely for ornament but for actual weapons of offence when other means had failed. In a trial by combat fought before Edward III., one of the combatants gained the advantage by striking the gadlings of his gauntlet into the face of his adversary. At times they are shown of great size, projecting a considerable distance from the knuckles. Towards the close of the fourteenth century the terminal parts of the finger-guards are shown with imitation finger-nails, and many of the gauntlets seen upon the effigies are richly decorated. A most interesting specimen, unique in England and of great rarity, is [Fig. 223], in the Wallace Collection, dating from the latter half of the fourteenth century and of French make. The plates for the fingers are missing; the covering for the back of the hand and the cuff is formed of one piece, with the exception of a small plate, which, however, is not movable. The decorations are bands of latten. The gauntlets of the Black Prince hanging over the tomb in Canterbury Cathedral are often referred to; they are of the same period as those in the Wallace Collection, but made of latten, gilded, and cannot vie with them in workmanship. The gadlings are well seen upon the various brasses of this period, those of Sir George Felbrigge being perhaps one of the most prominent ([Fig. 220]).
Fig. 223A.—Brass in St. Michael’s Church, St. Albans.
Fig. 224.—Sir John de Paletoot, 1361. Watton Church, Herts.
The mail defences for the lower limbs have the same characteristic of following the outline closely, and of being what may be termed skin-tight. The thighs were enclosed in cuissarts of steel, back and front plates hinging upon the outside of the legs and buckled between the thighs, thus differing from the Splinted Armour Period, when front plates only were invariably used. The knees were guarded by genouillières of plate, which at first were of simple construction, and consisted of a single plate (vide Sir John de Argentine, [Fig. 218]), but eventually these were reinforced by lames of steel above and below. Steel grevières protected the shins and calves, and a small plate depending from the genouillière, or from one of its lower reinforcements, gave an additional protection to the front plate. The sollerets were invariably of plate jointed, like the epaulières, after the manner of a lobster’s tail; they were long and pointed, and gave rise to the fashion which prevailed until sabbatons were introduced, of pointing the toe downwards through the stirrup when riding. At the back of the knee-joints, and also at the joints of the shoulders, elbows, and ankles, small pieces of mail were introduced called goussets or gussets, being fixed generally upon the garment worn underneath the plate, but at times to the inside parts of the plate itself. They served as reinforcements to the hauberk.