Fig. 267.—Tabard, William Fynderne, 1444. Childrey Church, Berks.
Fig. 268.—Tabard, Sir Ralph Shelton, 1423. Great Snoring Church, Norfolk.
The sources of information for this period are considerably enlarged when compared with those preceding it, as, in addition to MSS., missals, brasses, and monumental effigies we may add paintings by the old masters, crude woodcuts following upon the introduction of printing, and, what is of still greater value, actual examples of arms and armour in our public and private museums, churches, &c. The fifteenth century probably saw a greater output of armour than any other in English history: the stirring times in France under the Duke of Bedford and other leaders at the end of the Hundred Years’ War was followed almost immediately by the thirty years of intestine strife of the Wars of the Roses. Under the stress of these conditions armour continued to improve in defensive power until, in the reign of Richard III. and the earlier part of that of Henry VII., it attained to its maximum stage of efficiency in England. In the combat during this century between the forgers of weapons of offence and the armour with which to resist them we have the greatest struggle ever witnessed in this country; so invulnerable did the plate become by completeness of covering and dexterity in tempering that all the efforts of the bowyer, fletcher, weapon-forger, and gunsmith had to be enlisted to break down the solidarity of the defence, and it was not until the succeeding century that the victory could be fairly claimed for the attacking faction. The Tabard Period witnessed every device in armour that the wit of man could evolve, and it was produced under those circumstances which would best achieve the desired result, namely the stress of urgent need. The name by which this age is known, that of the Tabard Period, has been selected by reason of the tabard being practically the only distinguishing feature which did not change, and was fairly persistent throughout. It is also used in contradistinction to the preceding Surcoatless Period. The tabard was a surcoat which was generally long in the body (to mid-thigh), and had sleeves to the elbow in the earlier portion of its existence; but in the later period the sleeves were much shortened, and the tabard at times only reached to the waist. It was split upon both sides, and the front and back portions fastened together by points, drawn closely together or left wide apart to show the armour beneath; occasionally no points whatever were used, and the front and back hung loosely from the shoulders. It served as a protection against sun and rain, and also as a means of personal adornment, being generally emblazoned upon the body and also on the sleeves with the armorial bearings of the wearer. It was of silk or other material, sometimes padded so as to hang stiffly; in most examples it depends in folds. An early brass showing this feature is that of William Fynderne, 1444, at Childrey in Berkshire ([Fig. 267]), where the armorial bearings are depicted upon the body and sleeves, both of which are long. An early tabard is that shown upon the brass of Sir Ralph Shelton, 1423, in Great Snoring Church ([Fig. 268]), which fits tightly to the figure, and the tincture of the body of the tabard has apparently been attempted by the engraver. Another early example is that of John Wantele, 1424, at Amberley Church, Sussex, where the arms are shown upon the body (which reaches almost to the knees) but not on the sleeves. Later examples are those of Sir John Say, 1473, at Broxbourne, Herts, and Piers Gerard, 1492, Winwick, Lancs. In the Roy. MS. 18, E. V., is a very spirited drawing of Julius Cæsar crossing the Rubicon, in which he is represented as wearing a tabard. A very elaborate example, c. 1500, is on the brass in Ormskirk Church, Lancashire, commemorating a former member of the Scarisbrick family ([Fig. 269]). The figure in question wears sabbatons.
Fig. 269.—Brass in the Scarisbrick Chapel of Ormskirk Church, co. Lancs., to a member of the Scarisbrick family of that name, c. 1500.
