Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 3).djvu/198

 As we have spoken of the war saddle, a subject which we have barely mentioned until we reached the period with which we are now dealing, we will take the opportunity of describing the saddle reputed to have belonged to Henry V, which hangs over the King's tomb in his Chantry Chapel in the Abbey Church of Westminster. It is perhaps the only existing saddle of war pattern of the first quarter of the XVth century of which the present writer has a record; though there is a saddle of early date in the Royal Armoury of Madrid, not unlike it in construction, which figures in the old catalogues as that of James, first King of Aragon, called the Conqueror, 1213-76! We are able to give an admirable illustration of the Henry V saddle, owing to the courtesy of Dean Robinson, who allowed it to be removed from the beam on which it rests to be photographed for this work (Fig. 963, a, b, c). Making no great show as an accoutrement, being indeed but a shadow of its former self, this saddle is in the present writer's opinion by far the most interesting of the three achievements hanging over the tomb of the monarch. Of the type of the helm a few are extant, and the shield has one or two solitary companions; but of such saddles of the first quarter of the XVth century there now exists, we believe, but this. It was used in the funeral procession of King Henry V. The illustrations of it which we give are so clear that they will render a better account of it, as it now appears, than could be furnished by any mere verbal description. It is most interesting to note the extraordinary likeness which it bears in construction to the method employed even to-day in making the most improved type of cavalry saddle. It will be seen that the two simple boards that rest upon the back of the horse leave a rather large free passage between them above the horse's back. These boards are connected together by the high burr plate in the front of the saddle and by the cantle-plate at the back, the ends of the latter extending inward so as to give support to the rider. The cantle and burr are connected with one another by the simple padded seat, raised fully five inches from the actual back of the horse, and so allowing ample space for the padded numnah. A feature of the saddle is that above the two hide strap ends to which the double girths were attached, much in the manner of a modern Mexican saddle, is hinged a large rectangular iron buckle, nicely faceted on its outer side, through which must have passed the stirrup leather. Upon the foundation boards of the saddle in front are fastened on either side two strong iron staples with pierced heads, and below them a heavy ring. At the cantle end of the saddle is one similar staple. The staples in front must have been for the attachment of the