Gauntlets or armoured gloves (with separate fingers) were introduced about this time.
The surcoat was worn shorter and with less fulness about the body.
_2nd Period_: c. 1325 A.D.--c. 1335 A.D. The surcoat was superseded by a garment called a _cyclas_, which was slit open and laced up at the sides, and was much shorter in front than behind. (See Fig. 1, Pl. 36.) It thus shows the escalloped and fringed border of a padded garment or _gambeson_ worn between the cyclas and the mail hauberk, while below the mail was worn another padded garment--the _haketon_.
The whole must have formed a very cumbersome combination. The plates on the arms were enlarged so as to form cylinders, encasing the limbs, opening with a hinge at one side and fastening with buckle and strap or rivets at the other side. Those covering the fore-arm were worn under the sleeve of the hauberk, which was often cut off below the elbow.
Plates were still worn on the knees, legs, and feet.
The _Basinet_, a comparatively light and close-fitting helmet, was worn without a mail coif beneath it; but to protect the neck a kind of tippet of mail called the _camail_ was fastened by laces to the basinet, and hung down over the breast, back, and shoulders. The basinet was open at the face or had a movable face-piece (_visor_ or _ventaille_). In battle it was worn with the face-piece, but for the tournament the visor was removed and the heaume or great helmet, with its crest and mantling, placed over it.
The shield was small and of the "heater" shape, and "pryck" spurs gave place to spurs with rowels.
_3rd Period_: c. 1335 A.D.--c. 1360 A.D. Splinted armour, _i.e._, armour consisting of small overlapping plates (like the shell of a lobster), was introduced, and a garment called the _pourpoint_ (like a haketon, but made of finer material, faced with silk or ornamented with needlework) was worn over the hauberk.
The surcoat was again worn, shortened to the knee and shaped to fit the body closely above the waist. The armorial bearings of the wearer were embroidered in silks upon it.
It must be remembered that there was no uniform--in the modern sense--for knights and men-at-arms, but each dressed as he liked; and there was consequently a great variety of arms and armour in a single troop.