CHAPTER VII.

AMONG ARMS AND ARMOUR.

THE arms of our prehistoric forefathers-the implements of stone and of bronze-have been spoken of in their respective chapters, and therefore it would simply be useless repetition to again name them. The Roman invasion and occupation of our island, and the long and close connection which existed between our countrymen and the Romans consequent upon that occupation, led, naturally, to the adoption of the armour and warlike appliances of the Imperial city. Tacitus tells us that after the administration of Julius Agricola, who was appointed to the command of Britain, A.D. 78, "the sons of the British chieftains began to affect our dress," and therefore we may easily and reasonably surmise that they also-as, indeed, there is abundant reason for supposing to be the case-copied and wore the same kinds of defensive covering, and used the same kinds of weapons. Remains of armour of the Romano-British period are occasionally met

with in England. The sword and the dagger, etc., have already been spoken of; in addition to these was the shield with, sometimes, its elegant boss; and the spear or lance head.

The armour of the Anglo-Saxons, like their arms, partook of the Frankish character. Remains of this period are few and far between. Helmets, or head

coverings, in a fragmentary state, have on some few occasions been found. The most remarkable was found at Benty Grange, in Derbyshire, in 1848, along with many personal ornaments and other objects. The frame of this helmet "consists of a series of iron bands, radiating from the crown of

the head, and riveted to a circle of the same metal which encompassed the brow. From the impression on the metal it is evident that the outside was

covered with plates of horn disposed diagonally so as to produce a herring-bone pattern; the ends of the plates were secured beneath with strips of horn corresponding with the iron framework, and attached to it by ornamental rivets of silver at intervals of about an inch and a half; on the bottom

Fig. 186.

of the front rib, which projects so as to form a nasal, is a small silver cross, slightly ornamented round the edges by a beaded moulding; and on the crown of the helmet is an elliptical bronze plate supporting the figure of an animal carved in iron, with bronze eyes, now much corroded, but perfectly distinct as the representation of a hog." Many fragments, more or less ornamented with silver, which have been riveted to some part of the helmet, and some iron buckles were also found, as well as other objects, including a mass of iron chainwork, consisting of "a large number of links of two kinds, attached to each other by small rings, half an inch in diameter; one kind is flat and lozenge-shaped, about an inch and a half long; the others are all of one kind, but of different lengths, varying from four to ten inches. They are simply lengths of square rod iron with perforated ends, through which pass the rings con

necting them with the diamond-shaped links; they all show the impression of cloth over a considerable part of the surface, and it is, therefore, no improbable conjecture that they would originally constitute a kind of quilted cuirass, by being sewn up within, or upon, a doublet of strong cloth." Worsaae, in his "Antiquities of Denmark," says, "The helmets of the ancient Scandinavians, which were furnished with crests, usually in the form of animals, were probably in most cases only the skins of the heads of animals, drawn over a framework of wood or leather, as the coat of mail was usually of strong quilted linen, or thick woven cloth." To this the translator adds: "The animal generally represented was the boar; and it is to this custom that reference is made in Beowulf, where the poet speaks of the boar of gold, the boar hard as iron."

Allusions to the custom of wearing the figure of a boar—not in honour of the animal, but of Freya, to whom it was sacred- are also to be found in the Edda and in the Sagas; while Tacitus distinctly refers to the same usage and its religious intention, as propitiating the protection of their goddess in battle. The following extracts from Beowulf will serve as an illustration, not only of the helmet, but of the chainwork :

"eofer-líc sciónon

ofer-hleor beran; ge-hroden golde fah and fyr-heard, ferh-wearde heold.

They seemed a boar's form
to bear over their cheeks;
twisted with gold,

variegated and hardened in the fire,
this kept the guard of life:

I. 604.

It will be noticed in these extracts that "mail coat," or "mail shirt," is twice mentioned, as well as the "helmet lofty in war." Thus the passages in a remarkable degree illustrate the Benty Grange discovery, which embraced a coat of mail along with the helmet and other objects.

Remains of other helmets, one, for instance, at Barlaston, and others at Newhaven and Leckhampton, have also been discovered. Buckles, such as probably fastened the belt or girdle to which the knife or sword was suspended, and others which have doubtless belonged to some portions of the