Produced by Douglas L. Alley, III, Chris Curnow and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
[Illustration: GREAT SEALS OF KING RICHARD THE FIRST.]
IRON PERIOD OF THE NORTHERN NATIONS TO THE END OF THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY:
ILLUSTRATIONS FROM COTEMPORARY MONUMENTS.
MEMBER OF THE ARCHÆOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF GREAT BRITAIN.
OXFORD AND LONDON: JOHN HENRY AND JAMES PARKER. MDCCCLV.
PRINTED BY MESSRS. PARKER, CORN-MARKET, OXFORD.
1. (_Frontispiece._) Great Seals of King Richard Cœur-de-Lion. The first of these (with the rounded helmet) has been drawn from impressions appended to Harleian Charters, 43, C. 27; 43, C. 29; and 43, C. 30; and Carlton Ride Seals, i. 19. In this, as in other cases, more seals have been examined, but it seems unnecessary to supply references to any but the best examples. The king wears the hauberk of chain-mail with continuous coif, over a tunic of unusual length. The chausses are also of chain-mail, and there is an appearance of a chausson at the knee, but the prominence of the seal at this part has caused so much obliteration, that the existence of this garment may be doubted. The helmet is rounded at the top, and appears to be strengthened by bands passing round the brow and over the crown. The shield is bowed, and the portion in sight ensigned with a Lion: it is armed with a spike in front, and suspended over the shoulders by the usual _guige_. Other points of this figure will be noticed at a later page.
Second Great Seal of Richard I. Drawn from impressions in the British Museum: Harl. Charter, 43, C. 31, and Select Seals, XVI. 1; and Carlton Ride Seals, H. 17. The armour, though differently expressed from that of the first seal, is probably intended to represent the same fabric; namely, interlinked chain-mail. The tunic is still of a length which seems curiously ill-adapted to the adroit movements of a nimble warrior. The shield of the monarch is one of the most striking monuments of the Herald's art: the vague ornament of Richard's earlier shield has given place to the Three Lions Passant Gardant so familiar to us all in the royal arms of the present day. The king wears the plain goad spur, and is armed with the great double-edged sword, characteristic of the period. The helmet is described at page 141. The saddle is an excellent example of the War-saddle of this date.