150 



A HISTORY OF CAVALRY. 



[period II, 



top ; a skull cap only was worn under it to protect the 

 head from its weiglit.^ It was added to by plates of 

 metal for the protection of the neck, and a visor or cover- 

 ing for the face was adopted, which varied in shape and 

 arrangement almost indefinitely. Sometimes bars were 

 placed across perpendicularly, sometimes crosswise at 

 right angles, and sometimes perforated plates, covered the 

 face with small openings to see and breathe through. 

 Crests of various devices surmounted the helmet. 



The squires, foot-soldiers, and mercenaries wore the 

 bascinet, a lighter kind of head covering, which had pro- 

 jections in front and rear, and sometimes ear-pieces 

 covered with metal scales and clasped beneath the chin. 

 The knights often wore these light head-pieces when they 

 did not expect an immediate attack, yet did not desire to 

 be entirely defenceless in case of a sudden emergency.'' 

 .. As to body armour the knights were most heavily 

 armed, more so, probably, than the cataphracti of the 

 ancients. In the early times of chivalry, the defence for 

 the body consisted of chain and scale armour ; the 

 hauberk of wrought-iron rings, set on a garment of leather, 

 and worn over a buff, or leathern, or quilted under 

 garment, being the principal protection. These ringed 

 coats were of four sorts — some being made of flat rings, 

 sewed on side by side, some of oval rings overlapping 

 each other, some of lozenge-shaped pieces of metal, and 

 some of scales.' In addition to these varieties was the 

 coat of real chain mail. 



The hauberks, or coats of mail, reached to the hips in 

 the tenth century, and in the next were lengthened till 

 they reached the knees. William the Conqueror's Norman 

 knights, in the invasion of England, were so armed, and 

 are so represented in the Bayeux tapestry. In the first 

 crusade the knights are supposed to have been armed in 

 this way. In the twelfth century the rings were inter- 

 laced, and the mail was often strengthened by having 

 them double. The coats of mail were very pliable, and 

 were worn loosely over the body. The same material 

 was used for covering the feet and legs.* 



Lbwy, 81. 2 bid. 82. 3 Demmin, 41. * Lowy, 85, 86. 



