[11] Ashdown, "British and Foreign Arms and Armour," p. 313.
So passed away the armour which, as James I once said, was a very useful invention, for it saved not only the wearer from being killed, but it was so hampering that it prevented him from killing any one else.
Many technical terms are used in armoury which need explaining. The following are those which occur most frequently:—
Barded.—A horse fully armoured.
Bascinet.—A helmet which protected the back of the head and neck.
Brassarts.—Plate armour for the upper part of the arm, reaching from the shoulder to the elbow, sometimes in a single piece, sometimes in a series of overlapping plates.
Brigandine.—Armour worn at one time by brigands—hence the name. It consisted of a foundation of quilted leather, upon which was sewn a number of small metal plates, and thus formed a good defence for the body against the sword and the pike.
Burgonet.—A fifteenth-century helmet, usually round to fit the head, but provided with a peak to protect the eyes.
Cabasset.—Like the morion, it was a simple metal hat with a dome-shaped crown and a brim. It had no visor, gorget, neck-guard, etc.
Chain Mail.—A covering which consisted of an endless number of rings laced one into the other. Each ring had four others threaded into it. The individual rings were known as "grains d'orge."
Chamfrien.—The metal covering for a horse's face; often provided with a spike.
Chausses.—The metal leggings used in armour.
Corslet.—A suit of armour worn chiefly by pikemen. The word was used, not only to denote the body covering but the whole outfit from head to knees.
Coudière.—An elbow guard.
Crinière.—A number of plates hooked together to guard a horse's neck; it rested on the mane.
Cuirass.—Armour for the breast and back, consisting of two plates united at the sides of the body. They were originally fashioned out of leather (cuir = leather).
Espalière.—Covering for the shoulders and the upper part of the arm.
Gauntlet.—The protection used for covering the hands.
Genouillière.—Flexible knee pieces with joints reminiscent of those possessed by lobsters.
Gorget.—A protection for the throat; it also sustained the weight of the whole armour outfit.
Greeves.—Plate armour for the legs.
Haubergeon.—A coat made probably of plate or chain mail but without sleeves.
Hauberk.—This was a complete covering of mail from head to foot, consisting of a hood joined to a jacket, with sleeves, breeches, stockings, and shoes of double chain mail, to which were added gauntlets.
Heaume.—A head covering, introduced in the Chain-mail period. (See p. 75).
Hufden.—A head piece which fitted closely round the skull; it was worn by archers in Queen Elizabeth's time.
Jazeran.—A hauberk which was covered with overlapping plates.
Mentonnière.—A portion of the head piece which protected the chin and the lower part of the face.
Morion.—See Cabasset.
Ocularium.—The peep-hole of the helmet.
Palette.—A shield or covering used to protect the arm and shoulder-joint.
Pauldrons.—Pieces of armour for the shoulders; the origin of epaulettes.
Plate mail.—This consisted of a number of small lamenæ of metal, commonly iron, which were so arranged as to slightly overlap like the scales of a fish. Usually a leather foundation was provided.
Poitrinal.—The covering for a horse's hindquarters; a guard against sword slashes.
Pot.—A cabasset or morion.
Rerebrace.—A protection for the part between the elbows and shoulders.
Rondelle.—A guard for the inner side of the arm which wields the weapon.
Salade.—A light casque, sometimes provided with a visor, but without crest.
Sollerets.—Overlapping plates which formed the shoe of an armed knight. Cf. Chausses.
Tapul.—The perpendicular ridge down the middle of a breastplate.
Targe.—A shield.
Tassets.—A series of flexible plates hooked to the skirt of the cuirass, protecting the thighs.
Visor.—The movable face-guard of a helmet.
THE BARREL OF A GUN ORNAMENTED WITH A TWIN HEAD OF MINERVA.
AN OLD POWDER-FLASK.