Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 2).djvu/82

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  • piece, which is pointed at the top after the manner of the English made

armets illustrated on pages 93-4 (Figs. 445 and 446), extends to a tail-piece of some length, and might date within the third quarter of the XVth century. The workmanship is sound, but not fine—portions of a visor and a mesail and a chin-piece of the period of Elizabeth have been added to it. The next salade that seems to be of English make is in East Shefford Church, Lambourne, Berks. The skull-piece of this example (Fig. 392), to which was added a mesail for funerary purposes in the XVIth century, is not pointed, and is possibly of about 1480, and therefore of somewhat later date than the Harefield example. The third salade (Fig. 393), which might also be of English make, though it is very Italian in form, is to be seen in Hexham Abbey; in the guide books it is described as having been worn by Sir John Fenwick, who was killed at Marston Moor in 1644. Since, however, the salade dates from the fourth quarter of the XVth century, the story is most improbable, but it is possible that it is a relic of the battle of Hexham, fought in 1464.

Fig. 391. Salade

The skull-piece probably English, about 1460-70. Harefield Church, Middlesex

Richness of adornment of arms and of armour seems always to reach its culminating points in the ornature of the helmet and the sword hilt. We mentioned a record of the richness of the decoration of the bascinet helmet (vol. i, pages 230-2). The evidence of contemporary annals furnish proof of