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Ancient armour and weapons in Europe: from the iron period of the northern nations to the end of the seventeenth century: with illustrations from contemporary monuments, Volume 3 by Hewitt, John, 1807-1878
PLATE 88.

Miniature from Harl. MS., 4,374, fol. 161; a volume of the French translation of Valerius Maximus, written and illuminated about 1480. The arms of Philippe de Comines are frequently delineated in the borders, and there can be no doubt that the book belonged to this well-known chronicler. There are nine large and eighty-one small illuminations in the two volumes, very brilliant examples of the art of the period ; among them several good illustrations of knightly and military exploits. At folio 171 of the second volume (No. 4,375) is an excellent picture of a pole-axe fight in lists. The javelin-man is but rarely found in pictorial representations of this time. The one here given is by far the best ever observed by the writer. A somewhat similar example is furnished by Cotton MS., Nero, D, ix. fol. 109. The predilection of the Spaniards for the javelin has already been observed (p. 66). In a letter remissory of 1480 its Spanish home is still prominently noticed, being there named a “javeline ou genetaire, autrement appellée javeline d'Espaigne.” At the siege of Rouen by Henry V. in 1418, Monstrelet tells us, “ledit Roy avoit en sa compaignie grand quantité d'Yrlandois, dont la plus grand partie alloient de pied, un de leurs pieds chaussé et l'autre nud, sans avoir brayes, et pauvrement habillez, ayans chacun une targette et petits javelots, avec gros cousteaux d'estrange façon. Et ceux qui alloient sur chevaux, n'avoient nulles sellesp, et chevauchoient tres-habillement sur bons petits chevaux de montaigne. . . . [the said King had in his company a large number of Irish, the greater part of whom went on foot, one of their feet shod and the other naked, without having breeches, and poorly dressed, each with a target (shield) and small javelins, with large knives of a foreign kind. And those who went on horses had no saddles, and rode very well on good little mountain horses. . . .] p Compare page 58. Lesquels Yrlandois souvent couroient le pays de Normandie et faisoient maulx infiniz, ramenant a leur ost grans proyes. Et mesmement lesdits Yrlandois de pied prenoient petits enfans en bers, licts et autres bagues, a tout lesquels montoient sur vaches, portans lesdits petits enfans et bagues devant eux sur lesdictes vaches; et furent par plusieurs fois trouvez des François en tel estat.” (Chap. 196.) [Which Irish often roamed the country of Normandy and made much suffering, bringing back to their host great prey. And even the aforesaid Irish on foot took little children on cows, beds and other baggage, all of which were mounted on cows, carried in the said little children and baggage in front of them on the said cows; and were several times found by the French in such a state.] The body-armour of the figure before us presents a curious mixture of fabrics: the arm-defences appear to be of quilted work, the two skirts of brigandine and chain-mail, while the cuirass may be of iron or cuir-bouilli. The leg- armour with the articulated polaines offers nothing new to us. The bowed shield with boss is a good example of this defensive equipment, a portion of the soldier’s outfit of which the varieties in the second half of the century are almost infinite. The helmet is a plain salade, made in one piece.