Искусства и ремесла Средневековья

Other Metals

131

terest, entitled, " Но,У а l\1an shall Ье Armed at his ease ,vhen he shall Fight on Foot." It ceгtainly was а good deal of а cont1·act to render а knight comfortaЫe in spite of tl1e fact that he could see ог breathe only imperfectly, апd ,vas weighted down Ьу iron at every point. This complete covering with шetal aclded much to the actнal noise of battle. Froissart allнdes to tl1e fact that iп the battle of Rosebeqнe, in 1382, the haш­ meriпg on tl1e helmets made з, noise which ,vas eqпal to tЬat of all the armoure1·s of Paris and Brнssels ,vorking together. And yet the strength needed to sport sucl1 accoнtreшents seems to have been sнpplied. Leon Albcrti of Florence, ,vЬen clad in а fнll suit of a1·mour, coulcl spring with ease нроn а galloping horse, and it is related that Aldobrandini, even ,vitl1 his 1·ight arm clisaЬled, coнld cleave st1·aigЬt through Ыs opponent's l1elmet and head, dowп to the collar Ьове, witl1 а single stгoke! One of the richest suits of armour in the world is to Ье seen at ,vindsor; it is of Italian ,vorkmaпship, апd is made of steel, Ьlued and gilded, with ,voпderfully minнte decorations of damascene and applique work. This most ornate агшонr was made cblefly for show, and not for the field: for knigl1ts to appear in their official capacity, and for joнsting at tournaments, whicl1 ,vere practically social events. In the days of Нешу VIII. а chronicler tells of а jouster who "tourneyed in harneyse all of gilt from the l1ead piece to the sabat­ tons." Many had " tassels of fine gold " on their suits.