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belt of costly goldsmith's work and manifold variety of decorations 

 to carry the sword and misericorde, or short pointed dagger. The 

 head is sho wn well protected by a high and pointed helmet to which 

 is attached a tippet of mail which covers the neck and shoulders. 

 This style of armour is not shown on any effigy in Wimborne, but 

 has been mentioned in order to make clear the changes and to bring 

 us on to our next example, some 80 years later, when the warrior 

 was literally " cased from head to foot in panoply of steel " and the 

 workmanship of the armour carried to such perfection that according 

 to an eminent historian "the art of defence had outstripped that of 

 destruction." 



The magnificent Somerset monument cannot fail to attract 

 the most casual visitor to the minster. It stands on the 

 south side of the choir under the arch of much earlier date which 

 divides that part of the church from a side aisle. It consists of a 

 table tomb of Sussex marble on which repose the alabaster effigies 

 of John Beaufort, died 1444, and his wife, Margaret. He was the 

 second son of the second Earl of Somerset and great grandson of 

 John of Gaunt, and held the honoured title of Duke of Somerset. 

 He fought often in France, holding the chief command there, and 

 for a quarter of a century was in constant attendance on Henry V 

 at Court. As the style of the chief portions of the armour cannot 

 be readily seen by the visitor it will be well to describe them as 

 seen on another effigy of the same period. 



By this time c. 1440 the methods of warfare were completely 

 altered and the same remarks apply to the contests in the lists at the 

 tournaments, the weapons being changed as well. A knight fought 

 singly against another of equal prowess and tried to thrust his 

 opponent from his horse by charging with a long heavy lance tipped 

 with steel ; or they both drew up around them their followers of 

 bowmen who first shot off their deadly arrows to bring down the 

 enemy's horses, for the knights to charge in loose order of battle on 

 the disorganized ranks and so cut them to pieces with their immense 

 two-edged swords, or beat out their brains with heavy battle-axes. 

 This kind of fighting meant terrific blows to be given or received, 

 and to be prepared for such, the armour had to be strengthened in 

 all parts to the utmost skill of the makers. For such a fight the 

 figure is covered completely with plate armour of a heavy description 

 such as would ward off most of the blows from sword or axe or 

 guide away from vital parts the thrusts of the great lance. The 

 body and shoulders are covered with specially heavy plates,' so 

 fastened together that they moved over each other as the body was 

 bent in action, and as the warrior could not carry more than a 

 reasonable weight of armour, the parts below were somewhat lighter 

 in their make, although so arranged as to form an effective protection. 

 Below the breastplate is a series of steel bands to cover the lower 

 part of the body in front and behind with two small shaped guards 

 strapped on the lowest band to strengthen the defence of the thighs 

 against sword cuts or blows in a downward direction. The legs, 

 knees and feet are also locked in steel. At the same time we must 



