23 



as there is not a specimen exhibited either at the 

 Tower or British Museum. In the Treatise on 

 Ancient Armour, written by the late Francis Grose, 

 Esq. F. A. S. a description is given of this identical 



Suit of Mail, in vol. 2, page 9, plate 21 This 



figure is mounted on a fine Horse, which is likewise 

 covered by a suit of Ancient Armour, composed of 

 several thousand plates of steel and brass, firndy 

 united hy riveted iron rings, of the same construction 

 as the Hauberk, along with which it is supposed to 

 have been worn. This kind of horse armour is be- 

 lieved not to have been common, even at the time 

 when it was in use, as not a single specimen except 

 the present has reached us, nor has a correct repre- 

 sentation of it been published. On this account it 

 must be highly interesting to those w^ho are fond of 

 examining such relics of antiquity. 



The Figure on the left hand is dressed in a 

 complete suit of Pikeinan's Armour, worn by the 

 arquebusiers and musketeers^ at the first introduction 

 of fire-arms. It is in fine preservation, and be- 

 longed to an officer who probably used it at the 

 memorable siege of Latham House, as it was preserved 

 at Cross Hall, in that neighbourhood, a considerable 

 number of years. It was presented to the Museum 

 by Col. Stanley, M. P. the present proprietor of 

 Cross Hall. 



On the right hand is the Figure of a Knight, in 

 a suit of bright Steel Armour, of the time of Queen 

 Elizabeth : this is called Plate Armour, and is of 

 more modern date than the mail, as it came into ge- 

 neral use about the middle of the fourteenth century. 

 At its first introduction it was made of prodigious 

 strength and thickness, and was fitted to every part 

 of the body so close, that it was impossible to pierce 

 it with a lance. 



