ns, too, were appointed to take charge of the boys, for
the purpose of conducting their education, and also to manage their
estates until they should become of age.

There have been a great many disputes in respect to Richard's
appearance and character at this time. For a long period after his
death, people generally believed that he was, from his very childhood,
an ugly little monster, that nobody could look upon without fear; and,
in fact, he was very repulsive in his personal appearance when he grew
up, but at this time of his life the historians and biographers who
saw and knew him say that he was quite a pretty boy, though puny and
weak. His face was handsome enough, though his form was frail, and not
perfectly symmetrical. Those who had charge of him tried to strengthen
his constitution by training him to the martial exercises and usages
which were practiced in those days, and especially by accustoming him
to wear the ponderous armor which was then in use.

This armor was made of iron or steel. It consisted of a great number
of separate pieces, which, when they were all put on, incased almost
the whole body, so as to defend it against blows coming from any
quarter. First, there was the helmet, or cap of steel, with large oval
pieces coming down to protect the ears. Next came the _gorget_, as it
was called, which was a sort of collar to cover the neck. Then there
were elbow pieces to guard the elbows, and shoulder-plates for the
shoulders, and a breast-plate or buckler for the front, and greaves
for the legs and thighs. These things were necessary in those days, or
at least they were advantageous, for they afforded pretty effectual
protection against all the ordinary weapons which were then in use.
But they made the warriors themselves so heavy and unwieldy as very
greatly to interfere with the freedom of their movements when engaged
in battle. There was, indeed, a certain advantage in this weight, as
it made the shock with which the knight on horseback encountered his
enemy in the charge so much the more heavy and overpowering; but if he
were by any accident to lose his seat and fall to the ground, he was
generally so encumbered by his armor that he could only partially
raise himself therefrom. He was thus compelled to lie almost helpless
until his enemy came to kill him, or his squire or some other friend
came to help him up.[E]

[Footnote E: See engraving on page 148.]

Of course, to be able to manage one's