In the earlier periods of history, the breastplate, or cuirass, seems to have consisted of metal, or some other resisting substance, suspended over the breast. We 'read of gold and silver breastplates, and those of steel. Though originally consisting only of one piece, it af terwards was made of jointed parts, united together, and gradually extending into larger dimensions. The invention of the breastplate has been ascribed to the Egyptians, who, according to Herodotus, wore one made of folds of linen, plaited in such a manner as to resist the point of an enemy's weapon. It is supposed to have been adopted by the Jews from them ; and a breastplate of the same kind is said by Plutarch to have been taken in war and used by Alexander the Great. The Greek and Roman breastplates were of metal, sometimes finely wrought.
The helmet, which is the third essential part of ar mour, appears to have occupied more care and atten tion, and is seen in greater diversity than any of the rest. The period of its invention is unknown, nor can we ascertain what degree of civilization will lead peo ple to shelter the head by an invulnerable guard ; but it is no part of the defensive armour known among the most barbarous nations. Some of the South Sca isl anders have a kind of helmet made of feathers ; and the inhabitants of De Lagoa Bay, on the coast of Africa, have a cylindrical helmet made of rushes, with a flat top and two eyeholes, and an aperture for air to the mouth. The use of the helmet unquestionably ascends to very high antiquity, and was most likely coeval with those offensive weapons fabricated of metal, if not ear lier. Helmets have been exhibited, supposed to belong to the Grecians above 2000 years ago, which are ex tremely different from those we-are accustomed to see. They are framed of metal, and entirely open before, ex cepting a projecting piece of metal from the front to shelter the nose. Strutt, an eminent antiquarian, advances several arguments tending to prove that this was not the only kind of brazen helmet known to the. Greeks, and that the face was sometimes screened by a kind of metal grating, or net-work. Leather helmets were also used ; of this substance was that of Ulysses, and the helmet of Diomede was made of a bull's hide. Those of the Romans were better fitted to the shape of the head, but also open before, made of unwrought leather, or of metal, with an elevated ridge of iron, to oppose greater strength in resisting a blow. The most
ancient European nations after the Romans, had helmets consisting of iron net, or chain work, with fiat iron plates on the crown. They were open before, and extended. partly over the shoulders and down the neck and back. At periods still later, helmets were hats or caps of iron, both applying flat to the head, and rising in a spherical or conical shape above it, and all open towards the face. These were long retained in war ; but the helmet was at length devised of a more ingenious and complicated structure, nicely adapted to the shape of the head, with slits, holes, or gratings for the eyes, and altogether of one close and compact piece of tempered iron. In front, were two moveable parts, to be raised or depressed at pleasure, the one called the vizor to look through, and the other the bever, which could open to admit food to the wearer. The rank of the individual was denoted by the various shape and substance of the vizor, and it has thence been adopted into armorial bearings. Thus the vizor with perpendicular, horizontal, or grated bars in front, indicated a king or nobleman ; the simple elevation of the vizor, a knight ; and the close helmet, an esquire. The helmet was from ancient times surmounted by a crest, and kings sometimes wore a crown above the hel met to distinguish them in battle. Thus, at the battle of Bannockburn in 1314, Barbour, an author who merits implicit credit, narrates, that the Scottish king wore a high crown above his he1?net, in token of his dignity. Edward the Third wore a chaplet of pearls out his helmet at the battle of Crcssy ; and Henry the Fourth is said to have had at the battle of Agincourt, a coronet encircled with pearls and precious stones of inestimable value. Helmets were named the chapelle de fer, which, in opposition to some antiquarians under standing it in general a covering for the head, we in terpret literally an iron hat ; the burgonet, which partly preserved the shape of the human head and features ; the bacinet, a light flattish helmet, commonly without a vizor ; the salet, or sallade, one similar, which was used both with a vizor and wanting it ; the skull, a head-piece simply resembling a bowl, or bason ; the htfften, a light head-piece used by archers ; the castle, or casqzte ; the morion, peculiar to infantry, which resembled a hat, and was wore by musketeers, after the invention of fire-arms; and the pot, an iron hat with broad brims.