Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 2).djvu/273

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Fig. 597. Shield of wood covered with painted gesso

German, late XVth century. Imperial Armoury, Vienna

Fig. 598. Shield of wood covered with painted gesso

German, late XVth century. Imperial Armoury, Vienna

represents it as if painted with the arms of France and England. The arms of Navarre embroidered inside would seem to represent those of Henry IV's queen, those, that is to say, of his second wife, Joan of Navarre, who quartered France with Navarre, and Joan was step-mother to Henry V. Though in the illustration the double rivets by which the arm loops were originally attached are rather difficult to distinguish, on actually handling the shield they are quite apparent. It is interesting to note that they are applied at a very slight obtuse angle to the top line of the shield, proving that when in use the shield was not carried in a position quite parallel with the body. The measurements of this shield are 24-1/2 inches high by 19 inches broad. When illustrated in 1796 by Gough in his "Sepulchral Monuments