the Manche, which is given in armes hy many, being indeede nothing else but a sleive, is fashioned much like to that sleive. And that Knights in auncient times [o 1] used to weare their mistresses or loves sleive, wpon their armes, as appeareth by that which is written of Sir Launcelot, that he wore the sleive of the faire Maide of Asteloth, in a tourney, whereat Queene Gueneuer was much displeased.
Eudox. Your conceipt is good, and well fitting for things so far growne from certainty of knowlege and learning, onely upon likelyhoods and conjectures. But have you any customes remaining from the Gaules or Brittaines?
Iren. I have observed a few of either; and who will better search into them, may finde more. And first the profession of their Bardes was (as Caesar writeth) usuall amongst the Gaules, and the same was also common amongst the Brittans, and is not yet altogether left off with the Welsh which are their posterity. For all the fashions of the Gaules and Brittaines, as he testifieth, were much like. The long darts came also from the Gaules, as you may read in the same Caesar, and in Io. Boemus. Likewise the said Io. Boemus writeth, that the Gaules used swords a handfull broad, and so doe the Irish now. Also they used long wicker shields in battaile
- ↑ used to weare their mistresses or loves sleive, upon their armes,] See the note on this custom in Colin Clouts come home atrain. Todd.
