344- THE WILL OF HUMPHREY DE BOHUN,

bably a coronal formed of metal by impression, or what is technically called repousse, and this entry affords an in- teresting illnstration of the pecnliar fashion which is exhi- bited by the effigy of John of Eltham, who died 1334^ His basinet is curiously ornamented with a foliated coronal, and pendant lappets around the head. It appears moreover from this inventory, that the basinet was occasionally covered with leather, and these circumstances may serve to explain the term hoursoii, or housou^, a portion of the equipment of the headpiece, the precise nature of which has not hitherto been ascertained. Syr Gawayn is described as having worn "a lyzth vrysoun oner the auentayle" of his headpiece, formed of a broad silken band, embroidered and set with gems*. In the detailed account of the judicial conflict between the Sire de Beaumanoir and Pierre Tournemine, in the year 1385, the leathern and other coverings of the basinet are minutely described", and they appear to be represented on several monumental effigies of the fourteenth century in England, such as that of Sir John Laverick, at Ash, in Kent. The haubergeon called Bolioun was possibly of Bolognese manu- facture^, and the SAvord of Sarracenic work might have been of Moorish fabrication. The description of a sword, as being of the arms of Bohun, probably implied that an escutcheon of arms was affixed to the pomel, a fashion of which sepulchral effigies afford numerous examples. The sword of state for- merly preserved at Chester, and now in the British Museum, is curiously decorated with armorial bearings on the pomeL Amongst the minor objects of personal use, which appear to have belonged to Margaret de Bohun, here enumerated, the "poume de aumbre," or scent ball, in the composition of which ambregris probably formed a principal ingredient, may deserve notice. I am not aware that any other evidence of its use at so early a time has been noticed. We here learn also that a nutmeg was occasionally used for the like purpose ; it was set in silver, decorated with stones and pearls, and was "■ See Stothard's representation of this " Doni Morice, Hist, de Bret. Preuves ii. beautiful effigy, whicli is in Westminster 498. Abbey. " Milan was particularly celebrated for s Probably the diniiiuitive of hoiissc, a the manufacture of armour, but the work cover or case ; for instance, the cover of a produced in otlier Italian states was highly chair. esteemed. In the inventory of Louis X. t See Sir Frederick Madden's note on of France (A. D. 1316) occur " Uu haubert this curious passage. Gawayn, lin. (iO;), et haubergeon de Lombardic." p. 21: