Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 3).djvu/142



By Vittore Carpaccio. Showing the heavy pole-hammer and the ''hâche d'armes'' carried by the soldiers and knights Accademia, Venice

Hastings MS.

Richard Beauchamp fighting Sir Pandolph Malatête, or Malét, at Verona before Sir Galaot of Mantua; and here, according to the custom of the time, the artist commits the anachronism of representing armour worn at Verona in 1408 in the contemporary fashion of that worn at the period when the drawing was executed (Fig. 895). The combatants, equipped in complete armour, are armed with pole weapons very much more akin to the pole-hammer than to the axe as described in the manuscript: "then go to gedres with axes after with armyng swerdes, and last with sharpe daggers." This particular fight, however, was not carried further than the axe stage; for "if the lorde Galaot hadde nat the sonner cried peas! Sir Pandolf sore wounded on the lifte shuldre, hadd been utterly slayne on the felde." In the drawing Sir Pandolph is shown receiving this wound. It will be noticed that the pole arms used have the protecting rondel. This defence to the hand does not, however, appear universal. In a woodcut, No. 18