This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1858 Excerpt: ...from being too much heated by the sun's rays in a hot climate. His legs are clad in the chausses, and the spur, a simple spike, is attached by a single strap of leather, and a buckle. Beneath the coat of mail, we see, over the chausses, the chausson, or breeches, an article of the knight's dress which is less ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1858 Excerpt: ...from being too much heated by the sun's rays in a hot climate. His legs are clad in the chausses, and the spur, a simple spike, is attached by a single strap of leather, and a buckle. Beneath the coat of mail, we see, over the chausses, the chausson, or breeches, an article of the knight's dress which is less frequently represented in the old pictures. Even the aillet on the knight's shoulder has here the form of a cross. The helmet, which appears to be held by his armour-bearer, is also of that flat-topped cylindrical form which came into fashion in the reign of Richard I. The ventail, or aventaille, a moveable grating which protected the face in the hour of combat, is here represented as closed. At the period to which this figure belongs, the ventail was fixed by a hinge on one side and a pin on the other, and opened exactly in the same manner as a wicket; and as the hinge was moveable, it might be taken off at pleasure. The shield of the knight is not given in the picture, but on this and the preceding page we give two shields from other sources. The first shield is taken from a MS. of the twelfth century, in the Royal Library at Paris; and is of that narrow kite-like form which prevailed from the time of the Norman conquest till at least the reign of Henry II. of England. The form of the shield then underwent a gradual change very similar to that experienced by the gothic window at a later period; the bow became wider and wider, and the arch flatter, until at last it took the form which is still given to it in coats of arms. The shield at the bottom of the present page is copied from a sculpture on the portal of the cathedral of Notre Dame at Chartres, executed in the twelfth century, and is much broader in shape, than the example given above. The ...
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