Introduction. The third period inclosed the body from head to loot in plate of steel, and the chain-mail only makes its appearance at the or armpit joints of the armour, either as gussets, or worn under-neath, as a haubergeon, or lighter shirt of mail^a. The camail, or gorget of mail, so called from its being attached by a lace to the basinet, or cap, was, on account of the pliability which it afforded to the motion of the neck, at first retained, but was ultimately displaced by a gorget of plate. To the breastplate the protuberant form of a pigeon's breast was given, particularly well calculated to glance off the thrust of a spear, and to prevent the body from being injured by blows causing deep indentations in the armour. The term hauberk seems to have been used either for the corselet, or body-armour of mail or of plate. Chaucer thus describes the armour of a knight, in his 'Rhime of Sir Thopas':

'He did on next his white lere

Of cloth of lake full line and clere,

A breche, and eke a sherte.

And next his sherte an hakaton,

And ovir that an hagergeon

For percing of his herte;

And over that a fine hauberke

Was all ywrought of Jewis werke;

Full strong it was of plate.

And ovir that his cote-armure.

As white as is the lilly-floure.

In which he would debate.

His shelde was all of gold so redde

And thereon was a boris hedde;

A carboncle beside.

* * * * * *

His jambeux were of cure buly^b;

His swordis shethe of ivory;

His helm of laton bright;

His sadell was of ruell bone^c;

His bridle as the sunne yshone.

Or as the moone ylight;

His spere was of the hne cypres.

That bodeth warre, and nothing pece.

The hedde full sharpe igrounde^d."

Note a. In Dr. Mcyrick's line collection of ancient arms and armour, we see a figure wearing the habergeon of mail over the hauberk of plate. This does not appear to accord with the arrangement of the harness on Chaucer's night; but both modes were no doubt adopted, according to the pleasure of the wearer.

Note b. Cuir bouilli was extensively used in armour. The corselet, or body-armour, superadded to the hauberk, was at first composed of it, and in the term cuirass we have etymological record that it was so employed; and plastron implies a defence of leather, sitting as close to the breast as a plaister. The figure of John of Eltham may be considered to afford a good example of plate and leather-armour intermixed. Du Cange, in his Notes on Joinville, cites a very curious inventory of the armour necessary for a knight, which will be found to corroborate the above remarks: "Premierement, un harnois de jambes covert de cuir comme a esguillettes, ou long de la garnbe jusques au genouïl, et deux attaches large pour son barrueir (breeches), et souleres values (qu. velours?) attaches au gruës (greaves).

"Item. Cuisses et poullains (knee-plates) de cuir, armoiez de Varennes, des armes au chevalier.

"Item, un chausse de mailles par-dessus le harnois de jambes, attachée au braier, comme dit est par-dessus les cuisses (this was, perhaps, the gipon, jupon, or little petticoat of mail), et uns esperons dorez qui sont attachez a une cordelette autour de la jambe, afin que la molette (rowel) ne tourne dessous le pied.

"Item, pans et manchez, qui sont attachez a la cuirie (cuirass, leather corselet) a tous ses esgrappes sur les espaules, et un seursliere (sous cervelliere or camail) sur le pis (breast) avant.

"Item, bracheres a tout le harnois (qu. bracers or straps for the whole harness?) et le han escucon de la banniere sur le col (shield of his banner or arms slung from the neck), couvert de cuir, avec les tonnerres pour les attacher au braier a la cuirie, et sur le bacinet une coiffe de mailles, et un bel orfroy par devant le front qui veut (qu. a circlet ornamented in front with goldsmiths' work; see effigy of William de Valence).

"Item, bracellets attachez aux espaules de la cuirie (qu. brassarts, arm-plates, fastened to the cuirass at the shoulders?)

"Item, un gaigne pain pour mettre es mains du chevalier (a sword for the knight's hand, here called by a nickname in general use, a 'bread-earner').

"Item, un heaume et le tymbre (crest), tel comme ll voudra.

"Item, deux chains a attachier a la poitrine de la cuirie, une pour Tepee, Tautrepour le baston, en deux vigeres, pour le heaume attacher. (Two chains; one to fasten the sword to the breast of the cuirass, another having some contrivance of a stick to attach the helmet in the same way.)

Note c. Ruell-bone; bone or stained with divers colours.

Note d. The following passage of Froissart will afford an idea of the power of a sharp-ground lance: "Among the Cambresians was a young squire from Gascony, called William Marchant, who came to the held of battle mounted on a good steed, his shield hanging to his neck, his lance in its rest, completely armed, and spurring on to the combat. When Sir Giles Manny saw him approach, he spurred on to meet him most vigorously, and they met, lance in hand, without fear of each other. Sir Giles had his shield pierced through, as well as all the armour near his heart, and the iron passed quite through his body."—Johnes's Translation, 8vo, vol. 1. p. 169.