DOI Heft:
Heft 7
DOI Artikel:Clephan, Robert Coltman: The Wallace Collection of Arms and Armour, [2]
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.37714#0205
7. Heft.
Zeitschrift für historische Watfenkunde.
T 89
off; in which case both horse and rider wonld be
more apt to fall violently forward. The jousting
shields (manteaux d’armes) 011 Nos. 495 and 505
are practically identical in size and shape — they
fit round the left side of the neck, coming nearly
straight down the middle of the breastplate just
like a mantle, and curving out slightly at the
bottom. These two suits (Nos. 495 and 505) are for
Jousting at the Tilt (Das Welsches Gestech — Joute
italienne); a course of several varieties, very much
in vogue in the countries of chivalry, especially
during the sixteenth Century.
The salient feature of this form of joust is that
it was run cap-a-pied, with a tilt or barrier of
planks between the combatants, along which they
charged in opposite directions, their left sides to-
wards the tilt, until impact was effected. The
barrier, about five feet in height, besides giving
a fixed line of direction to the jousters, prevented
any collision between the horses, and did away
with the risk of the riders’ legs coming into violent
contact. The saddle had cantel and burr; and
provided a much surer seat than did the flat renn-
saddles, which were known in Germany as English
saddles. A fifteenth Century illustration of jousting
at the tilt in England occurs among the Hastings
MSS, and a reproduction of the illumination is given
in Archaeologia, Vol. LVII. One, of the reign of
King Henry VIII, 1509—1547, is figured in a
Tournament Roll preserved in the Heralds College.
The heim for the course was usually a kind
of burgonet, reinforced by the portion of the main-
guard that covered the face; but during the last
quarter of the sixteenth Century, and more especi-
ally at the Saxon Court, a salade was sometimes
reverted to; in form like the Rennhut, the helmet
associated with Scharfrennen; a course run earlier
in the Century by a hardier generation of jousters,
and, as its name implies, with sharp-pointed lances —
there was no barrier between the combatants, and
for that reason more especially, it required more
skill and adroitness than did Welsches Gestech.
The mainguards 011 Nos. 484, 495 and 505 are
strongly screwed to the upper part of the breast-
plate. This piece is a reinforcement for the face,
upper ehest, and part of the left arm, and it is
flanged over the right shoulder to defend the weak
place between the espalier and the breastplate. In
the right side of the part that covers the front
of the burgonet is a little square window or door
for enabling the wearer to converse and breathe
freely when open. A string hangs down from the
top of this piece, which when pulled sets free a
spring and disconnects it from the helmet. The
aperture or window is in size about three inches
square; and it is freely perforated so as to admit
air to the wearer when closed, which is, of course,
done when he is ready for his career. The jousting
shield is attached to the left side of the mainguard
by strong screws. A reinforcing piece is fastened
over the elbow joint — this, the real pasgarde, has a
hole in it for attachment to the left coude. Its
function is to afford additional protection to the
left arm at the elbow joint. The breastplates of
the three suits are all peasecod (Gansbauch), in the
true Elizabethan form of the doublet, converging to
a point near the bottom; and the tassets, attached
to it, are each composed of two heavy plates.
Here again the doublet of the period is reproduced
in the breastplate of steel — you have the form
exactly in the civil dress as shown in the portrait
of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, by George
Perfect Harding. No queue (Rasthaken) was present
in the armament for the course, but there is an
adjustable lance-rest (Rüsthaken) on the suits. The
cuissards are in four lames, the three upper plates
being detachable at pleasure; and in the two cases
where sabatons are present, these are forged after
the natural shape, of the foot. Usually a heavy
mainefer or bridle gauntlet is worn, but this only
appears on No. 495, but the other suits are holed
for it.
As mentioned the lance for all forms of
Welschen Gestech is tipped with a coronal; those,
therefore, Standing with Nos. 484 and 495 never
went with the suits. All three panoplies are studded
with brass-headed rivets; and all date from the last
quarter of the sixteenth Century. Illustrations of
suits Nos. 484 and 495 are given on Fig. V and VI.
Number 1003. This harness, of Augsburg
make, has been recently transferred from Gallery V
to this room, and No. 474 is now in the place it
formerly occupied. It is ornamented with a very
bold design of acanthus foliage, gilt; and as it now
Stands was used for fighting on foot. The peasecod
breastplate has a flange, similar to that observable
on the mainguards used in Welschem Gestech,
riveted along the gusseting on the right side;
while on the left side is a comprehensive pauldron.
The cuissades, of ten lames, strap on to the rim
of the breastplate; but the lower portion, with the
rest of the leg armour, is detachable from the third
plate from the top, by sliding rivets; converting
what is left into tassets; for use on horseback, when
the lower part of the thighs would be protected by
the saddle steels.
Number 383 comprises a set of tilting
pieces, which would appear from the scheme of
enrichment to have belonged to a suit in the
possession of the Duke of Northumberland, at Aln-
wick Castle, Northumberland. The enrichment
consists of banded lines of chevrons, with minute
pomegranates and scrolls, etched and gilt. The
harness is figured in Clephan’s Defensive Armour,
Fig'. 33- It was acquired in Italy, the Duke informs
me, about 1840; and has been freely and ably
restored.
There are about fifty rapiers in this room
Zeitschrift für historische Watfenkunde.
T 89
off; in which case both horse and rider wonld be
more apt to fall violently forward. The jousting
shields (manteaux d’armes) 011 Nos. 495 and 505
are practically identical in size and shape — they
fit round the left side of the neck, coming nearly
straight down the middle of the breastplate just
like a mantle, and curving out slightly at the
bottom. These two suits (Nos. 495 and 505) are for
Jousting at the Tilt (Das Welsches Gestech — Joute
italienne); a course of several varieties, very much
in vogue in the countries of chivalry, especially
during the sixteenth Century.
The salient feature of this form of joust is that
it was run cap-a-pied, with a tilt or barrier of
planks between the combatants, along which they
charged in opposite directions, their left sides to-
wards the tilt, until impact was effected. The
barrier, about five feet in height, besides giving
a fixed line of direction to the jousters, prevented
any collision between the horses, and did away
with the risk of the riders’ legs coming into violent
contact. The saddle had cantel and burr; and
provided a much surer seat than did the flat renn-
saddles, which were known in Germany as English
saddles. A fifteenth Century illustration of jousting
at the tilt in England occurs among the Hastings
MSS, and a reproduction of the illumination is given
in Archaeologia, Vol. LVII. One, of the reign of
King Henry VIII, 1509—1547, is figured in a
Tournament Roll preserved in the Heralds College.
The heim for the course was usually a kind
of burgonet, reinforced by the portion of the main-
guard that covered the face; but during the last
quarter of the sixteenth Century, and more especi-
ally at the Saxon Court, a salade was sometimes
reverted to; in form like the Rennhut, the helmet
associated with Scharfrennen; a course run earlier
in the Century by a hardier generation of jousters,
and, as its name implies, with sharp-pointed lances —
there was no barrier between the combatants, and
for that reason more especially, it required more
skill and adroitness than did Welsches Gestech.
The mainguards 011 Nos. 484, 495 and 505 are
strongly screwed to the upper part of the breast-
plate. This piece is a reinforcement for the face,
upper ehest, and part of the left arm, and it is
flanged over the right shoulder to defend the weak
place between the espalier and the breastplate. In
the right side of the part that covers the front
of the burgonet is a little square window or door
for enabling the wearer to converse and breathe
freely when open. A string hangs down from the
top of this piece, which when pulled sets free a
spring and disconnects it from the helmet. The
aperture or window is in size about three inches
square; and it is freely perforated so as to admit
air to the wearer when closed, which is, of course,
done when he is ready for his career. The jousting
shield is attached to the left side of the mainguard
by strong screws. A reinforcing piece is fastened
over the elbow joint — this, the real pasgarde, has a
hole in it for attachment to the left coude. Its
function is to afford additional protection to the
left arm at the elbow joint. The breastplates of
the three suits are all peasecod (Gansbauch), in the
true Elizabethan form of the doublet, converging to
a point near the bottom; and the tassets, attached
to it, are each composed of two heavy plates.
Here again the doublet of the period is reproduced
in the breastplate of steel — you have the form
exactly in the civil dress as shown in the portrait
of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, by George
Perfect Harding. No queue (Rasthaken) was present
in the armament for the course, but there is an
adjustable lance-rest (Rüsthaken) on the suits. The
cuissards are in four lames, the three upper plates
being detachable at pleasure; and in the two cases
where sabatons are present, these are forged after
the natural shape, of the foot. Usually a heavy
mainefer or bridle gauntlet is worn, but this only
appears on No. 495, but the other suits are holed
for it.
As mentioned the lance for all forms of
Welschen Gestech is tipped with a coronal; those,
therefore, Standing with Nos. 484 and 495 never
went with the suits. All three panoplies are studded
with brass-headed rivets; and all date from the last
quarter of the sixteenth Century. Illustrations of
suits Nos. 484 and 495 are given on Fig. V and VI.
Number 1003. This harness, of Augsburg
make, has been recently transferred from Gallery V
to this room, and No. 474 is now in the place it
formerly occupied. It is ornamented with a very
bold design of acanthus foliage, gilt; and as it now
Stands was used for fighting on foot. The peasecod
breastplate has a flange, similar to that observable
on the mainguards used in Welschem Gestech,
riveted along the gusseting on the right side;
while on the left side is a comprehensive pauldron.
The cuissades, of ten lames, strap on to the rim
of the breastplate; but the lower portion, with the
rest of the leg armour, is detachable from the third
plate from the top, by sliding rivets; converting
what is left into tassets; for use on horseback, when
the lower part of the thighs would be protected by
the saddle steels.
Number 383 comprises a set of tilting
pieces, which would appear from the scheme of
enrichment to have belonged to a suit in the
possession of the Duke of Northumberland, at Aln-
wick Castle, Northumberland. The enrichment
consists of banded lines of chevrons, with minute
pomegranates and scrolls, etched and gilt. The
harness is figured in Clephan’s Defensive Armour,
Fig'. 33- It was acquired in Italy, the Duke informs
me, about 1840; and has been freely and ably
restored.
There are about fifty rapiers in this room