sword, and on the right a dagger, the former invariably, and the latter usually, hanging quite perpendicularly. On visiting the little church of Rodney Stoke, near. Cheddar, a short time since, I noticed that the local stone mason, who was employed to restore an effigy of one of the Rodney family of somewhat later date, had substituted a second sword on the right side for the dagger which no doubt formerly existed there. The effect is peculiar. Probably when the stone has mellowed by age in the course of a few centuries, it may be instanced by our New Zealand successors as a unique example of the very early influence of Japanese art on English manners and customs; or, on the other hand, it may be pointed out to a Society of Antiquarians that "two sworded men" were not confined to that Eastern nation.

IV. Complete Plate.-About 1410-15 a further change is developed. The camail is covered by a "gorget" of jointed overlapping plates. The jupon is abandoned, and the lower part of the body armour consists of several rows of overlapping plates called "a skirt of taces." There is no doubt indeed that this form of skirt replaced the mail shirt at an earlier period, although the jupon which covered it prevents the alteration from being readily noticed. In the northern Chantry chapel at Chew Magna, which the club recently visited, is the effigy of Sir John St. Loe, about 1440, habited in a skirt of taces covered by a jupon. The taces appear clearly at the sides at the lacing of the jupon. Additional pointed plates are added on the breast, others of the same description above and below the knee, and gauntlets of plate having pointed cuffs protect the hands. During the whole of the full plate period the rest or socket for the end of the spear is often represented on monuments, screwed into the right breast. In the early part of the century the bascinet or headpiece was pointed as in the camail period; but the point became gradually less acute, and ultimately the bascinet was globular. Except in very early examples the sword belt (which is narrow) crosses the body diagonally. A dagger is usually worn on the right side affixed, not to the sword belt, but apparently to the lower plate of the skirt of taces. The date 1430 to 1450 may be named as the culminating period of armour-full plate, of fairly light, and so far as compatible with the nature of the metal and the object to which it was applied, of a graceful form. The superior workmanship and artistic qualities observable in monuments, both in stone

and brass, of this period, do not, to say the least, detract from the effect referred to.

Then, after the middle of the 15th century, there is an alteration for the worse. Piece after piece is added to the armour; those pieces become of greater weight, and are clumsy both in form and appearance. The "pauldrons" or pieces protecting the shoulders are frequently doubled, are of great thickness, and sometimes of different shapes on the right and left, the one on the left shoulder being raised on the upper edge so as to form a protection to the head and neck on that side.

The necessary consequence of the additional weight of Armour added for the protection of the upper part of the body was that an equivalent weight had to be saved elsewhere. So, before the improvement in the manufacture of torpedoes, we endeavoured to provide for additional armour on the more exposed parts of ships of war by leaving the parts below the waterline unarmoured. We find therefore, that about 1440-5 the lower plate of the skirt of taces was replaced by two short hinged plates of 4 or 5 inches width, one in front of each leg, known as "Tuilles." These gradually became longer; the skirt of taces proportionately shorter, and a skirt of mail over which the tuilles hung took little by little the place of the former plates. The pauldrons and elbow pieces continued in many cases to be of enormous weight; the latter are often shaped almost like the iron caps of the Civil War period. The armour for the feet consists of numerous overlapping plates, and later examples are rounded and of excessive breadth at the toes. After 1460 the head is more usually represented as bare-the hair up to about 1470 is cut short, appearing almost like a wig round the head-subsequently it is long and flowing. The helmet, on which the head generally rests, is globular, with a beaked visor in early, and a rounded one in later examples. Sometimes-especially in late examples, a helmet is found with longitudinal bars instead of a visor.

In the latter part of the 15th and early part of the 16th centuries a "tabard," or square coat with square sleeves emblazoned with the arms of the owner, and similar to that still worn by heralds, is often found. In the early part of the 16th century four tuilles, two in front and two on the sides, are also occasionally met with. After the first quarter of the 16th century the edge of the skirt of mail is not infrequently indented, and the armour

bordered with a studded or rivetted edge of about in. in width. A collar or curtain of mail sometimes hangs from the helmet, at other times the gorget of plate is absent, and a mail collar appears in its place.

About 1570 the mail skirt disappears. The enormous stuffed trunk hose or breeches then worn rendered a modification of the armour necessary, and the "tuilles" develope into "taslets" of jointed plates covering the front of the thighs. At first the shape of the taslets was generally square with a narrow straight border, but before the end of the century the ends became oval and the edges are invected. The pauldrons or shoulder-pieces are very large and consist, like the taslets, of numerous overlapping plates with invected edges and curved to fit the shoulder and upper part of the breast; while the lower edge of the breastplate assumes a more pointed form. The modern guard to the sword first appears about 1600.

After 1630 armour below the knee is seldom seen, being replaced by large high boots. The taslets become longer, ending in a curved piece covering the knee. The plates of which both taslets and pauldrons are composed become smaller and more

numerous.

The next change involves the almost entire disappearance of armour. The taslets and pauldrons are gone-a "buff coat" of thick leather under breast and back plates (similar to those still worn, for parade purposes only, by our Life and Horse Guards and the French Cuirassiers) and the helmet of ridged form with a brim somewhat like that of a modern hat, well known from engravings of the time of the Covenanters, alone remain. Then these disappear; and the last vestige of mediæval armour, the gorget, in the form of small narrow plates of metal in front of the neck, still worn by French commissioned officers, is to be seen on the Brass of George Hodges c. 1630 at Wedmore. He wears large bucket boots with rowelled spurs attached by large leathers, laced breeches, buff coat fastened down the front with laces tied in bows, the sleeves being apparently attached to the coat in the same manner; the gorget referred to; laced collar and cuffs turned back over the coat and a sash round the waist tied on the left side. A diagonal belt supports a long straight sword with hilt of modern form. The hair is long and curling, and he wears a pointed beard and moustache. In the

right hand is a spear or javelin about 5ft. long with tasselled head.

We have thus traced so far as we can within the space permitted, the rise, progress, and decay of Mediæval Armour. Those who wore it, and who often in their time did good service to this the realm of England, are long since gone from amongst us.

"The Knights are dust,

Their good swords rust,

Their souls are with the Saints we trust,"

We now

but who dares to say that the age of Chivalry is past. put the armour on our ships and on our fortresses; but our men, whether of knightly degree or of more lowly birth, fight the battles of their common country on one common ground of duty and of danger. But the hearts of our soldiers beat as true behind the red coat as ever they did behind the Damascened breastplate, and tales of even truer chivalry could be told-aye and will be told-of Rorke's Drift, of Afghanistan and of Egypt, than of Cressy and Poictiers, of Evesham or of Agincourt. And we of this generation who have Chard, Beresford, Roberts, still happily preserved to us; and the heroes Eyre, Earle, and Stewart fallen on the field, we cannot say of glory, but of duty; and last, the glorious name of Gordon-a name of which Englishmen will be proud until England and time shall be no more-need not go back to the Middle Ages for incentives to valour; and something better than valour. "A gentle Knight and true;" the highest praise of our forefathers-may it not truly be said of all these?

Ancient Bristol Documents.

No. I.

BY LIEUT.-COL. JAMES R. BRAMBLE, TREASURER.

(Read November 12th, 1884.)

BRISTOL LOCAL ACT OF PARLIAMENT PASSED DURING THE PROTECTORATE FOR LEVYING RATES FOR MAINTENANCE OF MINISTERS AND GRANTING ST. EWEN'S CHURCH FOR A PUBLIC LIBRARY.

NOTES.

[THE Act of Parliament of which a copy is here given contains information which, while it is valuable to the student of Bristol history, is not without a more extended interest.

The provision for levying a rate of 1s. 6d. in the pound on "the rent or true yearly values of all houses," &c., and of 5s. "for every one hundred pound stock employed in trade" for "the more frequent preaching of the gospel and better maintainance of the ministers," affords a striking evidence of the difference in the views of the Nonconformists of that and the present date as to the duties of the State with respect to religion. But in the time of the Commonwealth the form of religion accepted by the State was not that of the Church of England.

It appears by the memoranda at the end that this Act was passed at the request of the Corporation for the purpose of remedying defects in a former Act which had proved unworkable, and from some of the enactments it would seem that difficulties had arisen, or were apprehended, in getting parties to accept the duties which were sought to be imposed upon them; and for this reason not only the members of the Corporation generally, but also their officials were authorised to act in case of need, and the quorum was reduced from nine to seven.