Fig. 351.—Breastplate. (Tower of London.)
The Pauldrons.—These became much modified from the huge examples characteristic of the latter part of the Tabard Period, losing their angular appearance and becoming more rounded and at the same time mobile. This was effected by making the whole pauldron of lames of steel, generally overlapping upwards; the upper lame was as a rule moulded into a strong pike-guard, sometimes upon the left shoulder only, but generally upon both. The lames were carried well round to the back and front over the goussets, and were attached to the back- and breast-plates. If the right gousset is exposed a roundel is generally affixed to the pauldron. That the plate pauldrons of an earlier date were not, however, entirely superseded is shown by the monumental brass of W. Bardwell, 1508, in West Herling Church, Norfolk, where a massive pauldron furnished with two pike-guards is shown upon the left shoulder, and a dissimilar one of still larger proportions, and provided with one guard, upon the other ([Fig. 349]).
PLATE XXIII*
Flemish Armour, 1624
A. F. Calvert
The Brassarts, Vambraces, Coudières, and Gauntlets all partake more or less of the laminated character, but the coudières are remarkably small when compared with those of the later Tabard Period, and furnished with large expanding guards for the inside bend of the arm.
The Cuissarts, Genouillières, and Grevières are of plate, with rounded caps for the genouillières and a few lames for reinforcements.