the lance. To the large iron ring fixed on the breastplate, just below the lower left edge of the helm, an object not unlike an iron door-knocker is fastened, with a nut at the end. This unscrews, in order to fasten on the wooden shield, known in Germany as the Stechtartsche. This shield is missing from the harness. A ball of leather, stuffed with tow, as can be seen in the illustration, was placed between the Stechtartsche and the breastplate, which, performing the office of a fender to a ship, deadened the shock of impact. The breastplate terminates in front in a skirt of three thin plates or taces and two leather straps; these last, judging by the position in which they are sketched in the Inventario, must have crossed below the buttocks of the rider, thus serving to secure the breastplate. Over the left hip is a single and delicately-moulded tace in two pieces, decorated at the edges with a punched design, after the Spanish fashion of the time. The arm defences are suspended, by means of leather aiglettes, from the leather jacket, which generally was of buffalo hide, worn under the mail hauberk. Each is composed of three pieces only; but they are of different shapes. The right is smooth, and has a strong rerebrace flanged curiously outwards at the top; the left, which is jointed at the shoulder, has the fan-shaped elbow cop wing, after the manner of a war harness of the time. The gauntlets and vambraces, although of the same period as the rest of the armour, do not form part of the set.
The second tilting harness in the Madrid Armoury (No. A 17), which figures with that just described in the Inventario de Carlos V, so much resembles its companion suit, that it is unnecessary to describe it. But an account of the helm, which more closely resembles those of English origin which we have described, might perhaps prove interesting. It is bulkier than that seen on the last suit; it has also no rim to rest on the shoulders of the wearer. On the dexter side of the visor is a rectangular opening closed by a door larger than those we have alluded to in other helms; this door occupies, in fact, the entire side of the helm (Fig. 475).
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Fig. 475. Helm
Spanish, early XVIth century No. 17, Royal Armoury, Madrid
Before quitting the subject of the great tilting helm of the transitional
