British and Foreign Arms & Armour

by Charles Henry Ashdown

A suit of armour in the Tower of London deserves special mention by reason of its being the oldest cap-à-pie suit of plate in the collection. It is shown in [Fig. 315], and probably dates from the middle of the fifteenth century, having practically no decorations of any importance. It is furnished with a visorless salade having a long tailpiece, and a gorget with a roped border which is probably of a later date. The epaulières consist of five laminated plates; the coudières are small, while demi-brassarts and complete vambraces cover the upper and lower arms respectively. The gauntlets are of overlapping plates with large cuffs. The breastplate has two demi-placcates reinforcing it, and the backplate is of three pieces. The taces are three in number, to which tuilles of one plate are affixed. Demi-cuissarts, plain small genouillières with fan-shaped guards, and grevières of complete plate (probably recent) protect the lower limbs. There are no sollerets. The figure is equipped with a pole-axe of an original pattern, the shaft being partially sheathed in iron. Another suit, No. 26, probably dates from the last years of the fifteenth century, as it is furnished with a chain-mail skirt. The breastplate has a demi-placcate strengthening it; the gauntlets are very elaborate with fine gadlyngs and cuffs (probably the cuffs only are original); the cuissarts have four lames upon the upper parts, while the sollerets are of beautiful construction but recent workmanship. The backplate is of two plates, and a garde-de-rein is affixed below. The suit has been much restored.

PLATE XXII*

Half-suit, Pamplona Armour, Philip III.

A. F. Calvert

The finest example of complete war harness for man and horse to be seen in London, and probably in England, of the very early period of 1460 is that which occupies such a prominent position in the Wallace Collection ([Fig. 316]). It was formerly in the famous collection of the Count de Nieuwerkerke, who purchased it from M. E. Juste, of Paris, for £1200, but probably if it came under the hammer now it would bring in four to six times that sum. As one might expect, it has had to be made up in a few parts to its present complete condition, but nothing whatever has been done to the armour for the lower limbs, which is original and well preserved. This is the more to be wondered at inasmuch as those are the parts more liable to suffer injury and need replacement than any others. The salade is of fine form and furnished with a visor, the occularium being formed between the upper part of the visor and the lower edge of the crown-piece. The mentonnière is attached by a screw to the breastplate, and is in two parts, the upper one falling if required, similar to the buffe of a later period, while a demi-placcate is affixed by an almayne rivet to reinforce the breastplate. The backplate is in five plates, all riveted in such a manner as to afford the maximum of movement for the back. A garde-de-rein of four plates is affixed below. The left coudière is of a graceful form and large proportions; the right differs in pattern, and has a garde-de-bras riveted to the vambrace protecting the inner bend of the arm. The cuissarts, composed of a number of plates, are of a most ingenious design, whereby tuilles are rendered superfluous. But perhaps the chief point of interest is centred in the sollerets, which have extreme lengths of pointed toe-caps; to these are attached the spurs, the necks of which are ten inches in length. At a period when it was necessary to cut the straps of sollerets when fighting on foot, and so remove the projecting point as to enable the knight to walk, it is curious to find in this suit that no provision is made for such a contingency, and that the long, pointed toe is riveted on. The genouillières are of latten, and below them deep pointed plates extend, to which are affixed the grevières, which fasten by spring catches on the inside. The whole of the armour is of a most graceful form, and the eye, accustomed to mediæval representations of contemporary equipment, dwells with delight upon this beautiful example of art from the Middle Ages. The use of latten as a means of adornment for the edges of various plates gives a rich contrast to the dull grey of the steel. Another fine suit of cap-à-pie armour dating from the fifteenth century, in the Wallace Collection, is No. 46, which may be of German origin, and dates from about 1490. The head is protected by an armet of very fine proportions, opening down the centre of the chin-piece, and having a bavière and visor in a single plate. The breastplate is very globose, and is an example of the mediæval fashion of engraving mottoes, texts, invocations to the saints, &c., upon armour, as it bears a prominent inscription. It is furnished with sabbatons, and partakes in many characteristics of the nature of armour of the succeeding century.

Fig. 316.—Equestrian figure. (Wallace Collection.)