Royal Society. 275 
plates of iron, each a third, of an inch broadj the two outer- 
niofl on one thicker plate, an inch broad ^ in the little 
intervals, between thefc circular plates, are plainly dilcovercd 
certain crofs Laminae^ that pafs on the back of the other, 
from the JJmho to the exterior circle j and thefe iron plates are 
alfo about the third part of an inch at the broader end towards 
the circumference, but gradually contracted into a narrower 
breadth, that they may be brought into the compafs of the 
Umbo at the centre^ the inner coat, next to thole iron plates, 
is made of very thick, hard, ftrong leather, which cu.s bright, 
fomewhat like parchment; upon this is a fecond covjr of the 
fame, and on the outlide of this are plaited the iron pins, 
that run thro' the brafs ftuds; for the abovementioned brais 
fluds are cafh purely for ornament upon the heads of the fald 
iron pms, the lixth part of an inch long, that none of the iron 
appears. The next cover to the plaiting of the faid nails 
( which pafs thro' the circular and crofs iron plates, and both 
the leather covers) is a pure linen cloth, but difcoloured, tho' 
perhaps not with age only, but four wine and fair, or fome 
other liquid wherein it feems to have been fteeped. And 
laftly, upon the faid linen is the outmoft cover, which is of 
fofter leather: All which coats, that compofe the fhield, are 
bound together by two circular plates of iron, a thin and 
narrow one towards the centre and a thicker and larger one, 
an inch broad at the circumference, which is curioufly nailed 
with two rows of very fmall tackets, above 400 in number^ 
the vacant holes, whence fbms of the nails are dropped out, 
are little bigger than to admit the point of a pair of iraall com- 
paffes5 both which rims do likewile faften the handle (the 
only part of wood ) which has alfo fix other iron plates, about 
three or four inches long to fecure it. 
Mr. 7horesLy procured another fhield, which differed from 
this not fo much in f^ze (tho' it was completely a foot larger 
in the circumference J as in the form : For, whereas, this 
already defcribed is almoft flat, except the fwellmg Umbo, this 
is ablolutely concave, and from the ikirts of the protuberant 
bofs in the middle, it rifes gradually to the circumference, 
which is nigh three inches perpendicular froni the centre. 
This has 14 rows of the like brafs lluds, but the circular plates 
of iron they arc fixed in, do not lie upon other crofs plates, 
as the former doth, but each from the centre upon the outer 
edge of the other, which occaiions its rifing in that concave 
manner. 
M m 2 That 
