Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 1).djvu/296



Twice represented, in the first instance kneeling to King Henry V. Cotton MSS., Brit. Museum

The Warwick Pageant, drawn about 1485

assuming in cut the looseness of the early XIVth century cyclas. This last form of the long cyclas was discarded towards the first quarter of the XVth century, and the knight of about 1430 is seen fighting with his armour completely exposed, though in some instances he retains a flowing lambrequin sleeve or some other sartorial adornment of little importance. About the third quarter of the XVth century and onwards to its close, contemporary illustrations show another form of outer garment worn over the splendidly complete armour of the time. Both in style and form, it resembles the tabard worn to-day by the officers of the Heralds' College, though it appears to have fitted somewhat more closely to the body. No more admirable illustration of its use can be seen, especially in England, than in the drawings that appear in the famous Cotton MSS. (The Warwick Pageant). We shall have future occasions to refer to this document; but we will tell the reader that though the episodes portray the important events in the life of Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, who was born in 1381 and died in 1439, the manuscript, with its illustrations, was not executed, as is manifest from many evidences, until about 1485 or 1490. To which period accordingly