Part 41 (1/2)
570 shows another German example of this type, being taken from the _Eneit_ of Heinrich von Veldeke, a MS. now in the Royal Library in Berlin, belonging to the end of the twelfth century. The crest depicted in this case, a red lion, must be one of the earliest instances of a crest. These {307} are the helmets which we find on early seals and effigies, as will be seen from Figs. 571-574.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 571.--Helmet of Hamelin, Earl of Surrey and Warenne (d.
1202). (From MS. Cott., Julius, C. vii.)]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 572.--From the seal of Richard de Clare, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford (d. 1262).]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 573.--From the seal of John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey (d. 1305).]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 574.--From the seal (1315) of John de Bretagne, Earl of Richmond.]
The cylindrical or ”pot-shaped” helmet of the Plantagenets, however, disappears in the latter part of the thirteenth century, when we first find mention of the ”bascinet” (from Old French for a basin), Figs. 575-579.
This was at first merely a hemispherical steel cap, put over the coif of mail to protect the top of the head, when the knight wished to be relieved from the weight of his large helm (which he then slung at his back or carried on his saddlebow), but still did not consider the mail coif sufficient protection. It soon became pointed at the top, and gradually lower at the back, though not so much as to protect the neck. In the fourteenth century the mail, instead of being carried over the top of the head, was hung to the bottom rim of the helmet, and {308} spread out over the shoulders, overlapping the cuira.s.s. This was called the ”camail,” or ”curtain of mail.” It is shown in Figs. 576 and 577 fastened to the bascinet by a lace or thong pa.s.sing through staples.
The large helm, which throughout the fourteenth century was still worn over the bascinet, did not fit down closely to the cuira.s.s (though it may have been fastened to it with a leather strap), its bottom curve not being sufficiently arched for that purpose; nor did it wholly rest on the shoulders, but was probably wadded inside so as to fit closely to the bascinet.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 575.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 576.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 577.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 578.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 579.]
It is doubtful if any actual helm previous to the fourteenth century exists, and there are very few of that period remaining. In that of the Black Prince at Canterbury (Fig. 271) the lower, or cylindrical, portion is composed of a front and back piece, riveted together at the sides, and this was most likely the usual form of construction; but in the helm of Sir Richard Pembridge (Figs. 580 and 581) the three pieces (cylinder, conical piece, and top piece) of which it is formed are fixed with nails, and are so welded together that no trace of a join is visible. The edges of the metal, turned outwards round the ocularium, are very thick, and the bottom edge is rolled inwards over a thick wire, so as not to cut the surcoat.
There are many twin holes in the helmet for the aiglets, by which the crest and lambrequin were attached, and in front, near the bottom, are two + shaped holes for the T bolt, which was fixed by a chain to the cuira.s.s.
The helm of Sir Richard Hawberk (Figs. 582 and 583), who died in 1417, is made of five pieces, and is very thick and heavy. It is much more like the later form adapted for jousting, and was probably only for use in the tilt-yard; but, although more firmly fixed to the cuira.s.s than the earlier helm, it did not fit closely down to it, as all later helms did.
Singularly few examples of the pot-helmet actually exist. The ”Linz”
example (Figs. 584 and 585), which is now in the {309} Francisco-Carolinum Museum at Linz, was dredged out of the Traun, and is unfortunately very much corroded by rust. The fastening-place for the crest, however, is well preserved. The example belongs to the first half of the fourteenth century.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 580.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 581.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 582.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 583.]
The so-called ”Pranker-Helm” (Fig. 586), from the chapter of Seckau, now in the collection of armour in the Historical Court Museum at Vienna, and belonging to the middle of the fourteenth century, could only have been used for tournaments. It is made of four strong hammered sheets of iron 1-2 millimetres thick, with other strengthening plates laid on. The helmet by itself weighs 5 kilogrammes 357 grammes. {310}
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGS. 584 and 585.--The ”Linz” Pot-Helmet.]
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 587.]
The custom of wearing the large helm over the bascinet being clumsy and troublesome, many kinds of visor were invented, so as to dispense with the large helm, except for jousting, two of which are represented in Figs. 575 and 579. In the first a plate shaped somewhat to the nose was attached to the part of the camail which covered the mouth. This plate, and the mail mouth-guard, when not in use, hung downwards towards the breast; but when in use it was drawn up and attached to a staple or locket on the front of the bascinet. This fas.h.i.+on, however, does not appear to have been adopted in England, but was peculiar to Germany, Austria, &c. None of these contrivances seem to have been very satisfactory, but towards the end of the fourteenth century the large and salient beaked visor was invented (Fig. 587). It was fixed to hinges at the sides of the bascinet with pins, and was removable at will. A high collar of steel was next added as a subst.i.tute for the camail. This form of helmet remained in use during the first half of the fifteenth century, and the large helm, which was only used for jousting, took a different form, or rather several different forms, which may be divided into three kinds. In this connection it should be remembered that the heavy jousting helmet to which the crest had relation was probably never used in actual warfare. The first was called a bascinet, and was used for combats on foot. It had an almost spherical crown-piece, and came right down to the cuira.s.s, to which it was firmly fixed, and was, like all large helms of the fifteenth century, large enough for the wearer to move his head about freely inside. The helm of Sir Giles Capel (Fig. 588) is a good specimen of this cla.s.s; it has a visor of great thickness, in which are a great number of holes, thus enabling the wearer to see in every direction. The ”barbute,” or ovoid bascinet, with a chin-piece riveted to it, was somewhat like this helm, and is often seen on the bra.s.ses of {311} 1430-1450; the chin-piece retaining the name of ”barbute,” after the bascinet had gone out of fas.h.i.+on.