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 CHAPTER XXXI

In considering the various forms of close helmet that in diminishing favour were worn throughout the XVIth century, we have to remember that, like the other helmets of this era to which we shall allude, they were evolved from earlier forms of the various classes of head-piece. In our notice of the salade and armet, as in that of the tournament helm, we considerably overstepped the limit of the XVth century, to which period—generally speaking—we assigned those head-pieces, and in each case traced its progress well into the XVIth century. For a better understanding of how all these types combined to form the ordinary close helmet of the second quarter of the XVIth century, we must refer our readers to our previous chapters. When we were describing the complete suits of the XVIth century we endeavoured to class them in progressive order according to their styles:—first, the plain Maximilian, then the Maximilian with the channelled surface, and then the grotesque Maximilian. Next we were concerned with the style which we classed as landsknecht. We then came to the mid-XVIth century Italian forms which we have named Milanese, and finally we dealt with that mixture of styles which the second half of the XVIth century introduced. The author admits that he has perhaps made a new departure in classification, but his experience has led him to think that the history of armour is best dealt with in this manner rather than by classing it according to the countries of its manufacture. We shall deal therefore with close helmets on similar lines, not necessarily dividing them into separate groups under national headings, as can be done in the case of the more distinctively pageant armour of this century. At the same time we desire to explain to our readers that, as close helmets nearly always formed part of a complete apparel, we are giving only a few illustrations: since most types of these helmets may be seen represented in the illustrations of the full harnesses of the different periods.

We shall commence our description of close helmets of the Maximilian