Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 2).djvu/166

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edge to allow a freer use of the lance. The arm guards consist of the plates protecting the fore-arm (rerebraces) and the elbow guards (coudes), each of five plates. On the left arm the gauntlet is of the pouldermitton type. The bend of the arm is protected by an extra piece, finely fluted, which is attached to the vambrace by three screws. This plate is stamped at the border with the guild mark of the City of Augsburg. The extra piece on the right arm differs somewhat in shape from that on the left; but it is also stamped with the guild mark of the City of Augsburg. Attached to the flaxen braids already mentioned is the wooden shoulder shield (Stechtartsche). It is of oak, shaped somewhat to the form of a steel grandguard, and is covered with leather, parchment, and gesso, tooled and painted with a coat of arms. Its dimensions are 14 inches wide by 1-1/4 inches deep.

Judging from the general fashion of this tilting harness, we may date it as coming within the last quarter of the XVth century. As we see it to-day it has been subjected to certain small restorations.

Having examined the Wallace tilting helm and suit in detail, we will content ourselves with mentioning where the three other fine German helms and four German tilting suits illustrated may be seen; though we may add that all have been chosen for their representative character. The first helm (Fig. 462) is in the National Germanic Museum of Nuremberg, the second (Fig. 463) in the Musée d'Artillerie of Paris, and the third (Fig. 464) in the collection of Prince Ernest of Windisch-Graetz. This last splendid helm, though undoubtedly German, bears as armourer's mark the letters R. N., which is curiously Italian in character. Of the tilting sets, that made for the Emperor Maximilian I, which is in the Imperial Armoury, Vienna, is the finest (Fig. 465). The second (Fig. 466) is in the National Germanic Museum of Nuremberg. The third and fourth (Figs. 467 and 468), both splendid German harnesses, are in the Musée d'Artillerie of Paris. If space permitted, the national armouries of Dresden, and of Munich, and of the Porte de Hal in Brussels, would afford us additional illustrations of similar German tournament helms and harnesses. It must, however, be borne in mind that though so full a list of the great German helms can be made out, to say nothing of their complementary accoutrement, such harnesses are, as a matter of fact, of the greatest rarity. Proof of this may be found in the fact that within the last thirty years only two such equipments have found their way into the market, and even those two cannot be regarded as homogeneous. In other words, they were composite, made up of various pieces from different suits, although harmonizing admirably as