Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 4).djvu/52

 The armour of the Duke of Norfolk (1536-72). The two pieces of a steel bard forming the sides of the crupper (Class VI, No. 85), preserved in the Tower of London, perhaps belong to this suit. They are of the period of Henry VIII. The drawing of the suit in the Jacobe MS. is numbered "12," and has a slashed decoration.

The armour of William Somerset, Earl of Worcester, K.G. (1526-89). In the Tower of London is part of the suit (Class II, No. 83); there were formerly at Windsor Castle some other portions of the same harness which, by command of H.M. the King, were sent to the Tower in 1914 (Class II, No. 83). The suit in the Tower (Fig. 1107), which follows closely the drawing No. 13 in the Jacobe MS. (Fig. 1112), consists of the following pieces: a burgonet with falling buffe, the whole 10 lb. 6 oz., a breastplate of 20 lb., a backplate of 20-1/4 lb., pauldrons of 14 lb. (the left still having its upright neck-guard), complete arm-defences of 11 lb. 12 oz.; gauntlets, large tassets detachable in the middle, complete leg armour, and plate toe-caps. These toe-caps have a square termination without any swell at the sides, as is the case in some suits. There is in the Tower an additional close helmet (also Class II, No. 83), a pin at the back of which passes through a hole in the gorget fixing it rigidly. This prevents any rotatory movement of the head-piece which would otherwise be possible by reason of the roped construction of its base. It weighs 14 lb. (Fig. 1108). The Tower also possesses the chanfron of the horse armour belonging to the suit, and it is shown in Fig. 1107.

The armour formerly at Windsor Castle belonging to this suit (Fig. 1109) consists of another breast- and backplate, gorget, tace, long tassets, and the open burgonet helmet with hinged cheek-pieces and protective buffe, armed with two falling plates. These particular pieces are interesting from a constructional point of view. The breastplate is slightly peascod in form. The gussets, which are separate and attached by sliding rivets, fail, however, to continue to the upper corners of the breastplate, and stop abruptly within 1-1/2 in. of the upper edge to allow space for the fastening of the steel-hinged strap that connects the back- to the breastplate. A similar hinged strap is attached beneath the arm gussets. In the centre of the shoulder-strap can be seen a small cylindrical projection, with a spring catch in the centre. This was for the attachment of the pauldron; it passed through a hole in the topmost plate, and was by this means kept in position. Projecting staples are also seen on either side of the breastplate; these were for the attachment of the