Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 5).djvu/56

 blue-black, and this, although a restoration carried out in 1902, represents the suit as it must have been when in its original condition. It was in the early part of the XIXth century that some foolish person had the surface brilliantly burnished, together with those of the other suits in the castle.

In construction this complete little harness has many points of interest, the foremost being that both the breast- and backplate come high up the neck, thus rendering a gorget unnecessary. This form, however, forced the wearer to keep his head rigidly fixed and immovable when the helmet was in position; the lower edge of the helmet finishes in a hollow roping that fits the top edge of the breastplate. The helmet is furthermore attached by a staple and screw-nut to the backplate. Such a corslet can only have been used in the tilt-yard. The arms are full, with pauldrons, rere- and vambraces, elbow-cops, and laminated plates protecting the bend of the arm. Upon the left elbow-cop there is a strong screw with a fastening nut, by which the reinforcing elbow-plate could be attached. On the right-hand side of the breastplate are staples for the attachment of the lance-rest; while in the centre is a large staple and pin that secure in position the grandguard. The tassets, now attached to the breastplate by a single staple and screw, are full and ample, after the manner of those seen on pikemen's suits, and like those interchangeable plates on the Tower suit (Fig. 1442); although they belong to this harness, they are not the actual ones that would be worn with this particular tilting breastplate, the tassets being for special wear on foot. The breastplate is attached beneath the arms to the backplate by gilt steel straps and double hooks. The leg-pieces are full, with long cuisses, knee-cops, jambs, and round-toed sollerets which have spurs with seven pointed rowels riveted to them. The helmet is of the usual close type, with visor and mezeil, the latter pierced with longitudinal breathing holes, and having on its right side a screw and nut for the attachment of an extra reinforcing plate, though the visor has already reinforcing plates permanently riveted to it. The skull-piece, as is often the case with the XVIIth century type of close helmet, is made in two halves, joined down the top of the comb, which in this instance is high and flat, and finishes in a roping. As the suit is now set up upon a horse, the present tassets, which are essentially out of keeping, appear incongruous; but the chanfron and crinet to the horse (Fig. 1447, No. 32), the grandguard (ibid., No. 33), the reinforcing elbow-piece (ibid., No. 34), and the vamplate for the lance (ibid., No. 35) are all extant. The suit, which lacks its gauntlets, was shown as a mounted one in the