Fig. 421.—Manifere, left-hand tilting gauntlet, c. 1560. (Wallace Collection.)
Arising out of the three chief courses were various subsidiary ones, the Free Course being probably the chief. It was the Italian Course used without the central barrier, and therein resembling the Stechen. A cap-à-pie suit in the Wallace Collection dating from about 1580 resembles that for the Italian Course, but has an addition to the manteau d’armes protecting the left side of the breastplate and the top of the left espalier, a small extra plate to fasten on this and the left-hand part of the breastplate, together with a reinforcing plate to fix to the right espalier. This course dates from the second half of the sixteenth century. The Foot Tournament was fought with lance and sword, and no leg armour was used—striking below the belt being forbidden. There was also a Club Tournament, in which a short wooden mace, the baston, was used by the combatants, and this caused a peculiar type of helmet to be evolved termed the “grid-iron,” which is shown in [Fig. 422], dating from the fifteenth century. A later variety ([Fig. 423]) is furnished with a latticed visor.
Fig. 422.—“Gridiron” helmet, 15th century.
Fig. 423.—Helmet, with latticed visor, end of 15th century.
In connection with tournaments generally, the saddles preserved in many museums are of interest, the one dating from 1470, in the Tower of London, being exceptionally so from its enormous dimensions, inasmuch as when seated in it nearly the whole body of the tilter was protected.