Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 2).djvu/191



English, early XVIth century. Collection: Lord de Lisle and Dudley, Penshurst Place, Kent

(a) Showing the visor raised. As now shown the mesail is wrongly riveted below the plate that reinforces the skull-piece

(b) The same head-piece, the mesail closed, and the funeral crest in position

Nevill hard by. Mr. Cripps-Day can claim the honour of having re-discovered this helm, and the reader is referred to his note upon this piece in his book on "The Tournament" (page 105). The helm is very difficult to date accurately; it is, however, distinctly English, and might be of any period between 1480 and 1530. The skull-piece is beautifully modelled, and though there is a separate plate welded on at its base, the whole of its great visor, in which is the slit for the ocularium, is in one piece, and was originally detachable on the hinge and pin principle. On the dexter side is a large rectangular opening with a heavy tongue flange, such as can be noted on the Gostwick and other English helms. Now attached to it is a carved wooden crest of the Nevill family, which is of later date. A somewhat similar head-piece is in the possession of Lord de Lisle and Dudley at Penshurst Place, Kent, called the helm of Sir Harry Sydney. Here it will be seen