'His scheld was asur fin,
Thre bores heddes ther-inne.'
And see the editor's note, at p. 201.
2061. 'A carbuncle (Fr. _escarboucle_) was a common [armorial] bearing. See
Guillim's Heraldry, p. 109.'--Tyrwhitt.
2062. Sir Thopas is made to swear by ale and bread, in ridiculous imitation
of the vows made by the swan, the heron, the pheasant, or the peacock, on
solemn occasions.
2065. _Iambeux_, armour worn in front of the shins, above the mail-armour
that covered the legs; see Fairholt. He tells us that, in Roach Smith's
Catalogue of London Antiquities, p. 132, is figured a pair of cuirbouilly
jambeux, which are fastened by thongs. Spenser borrows the word, but spells
it _giambeux_, F. Q. ii. 6. 29.
_quirboilly_, i. e. _cuir bouilli_, leather soaked in hot water to soften
it that it might take any required shape, after which it was dried and
became exceedingly stiff and hard. In Matthew Paris (anno 1243) it is [197]
said of the Tartars--'De _coriis bullitis_ sibi arma leuia quidem, sed
tamen impenetrabilia coaptarunt.' In Marco Polo, ed. Yule, ii. 49, it is
said of the men of Carajan, that they wear armour of boiled leather (French
text, _armes cuiracés de cuir bouilli_). Froissart (v. iv. cap. 19) says
the Saracens covered their targes with '_cuir bouilli_ de Cappadoce, ou nul
fer ne peut prendre n'attacher, si le cuir n'est trop échaufé.' When Bruce
reviewed his troops on the morning of the battle of Bannockburn, he wore,
according to Barbour, 'ane hat of _qwyrbolle_' on his 'basnet,' and 'ane
hye croune' above that. Some remarks on _cuir bouilli_ will be found in
Cutts, Scenes and Characters of the Middle Ages, p. 344.
2068. _rewel-boon_, probably whale-ivory, or ivory made of whales' teeth.
In the Turnament of Tottenham, as printed in Percy's reliques, we read that
Tyb had 'a garland on her hed ful of _rounde_ bonys,' where another copy
has (says Halliwell, s. v. _ruel_) the reading--'fulle of _ruelle_-bones.'
Halliwell adds--'In the romaunce of Rembrun, p. 458, the coping of a wall
is mentioned as made 'of fin _ruwal_, that schon swithe brighte.' And in
MS. Camb. Univ. Lib. Ff. v. 48, fol. 119, is the passage--
'Hir sadill_e_ was of _reuylle-bone_,
Semely was þ_a_t sight to se,
Stifly sette w_i_t_h_ p_re_cious ston_e_,
Compaste about w_i_t_h_ crapote [_toad-stone_].'