_ringed_ consisted of flat rings of steel, placed contiguous to
each other, on quilted linen. The _rustred_ was nothing more than
one row of flat rings, about double the size of those before used, laid
half over the other, so that two in the upper partially covered one
below. _Mascled_; the hauberk composed of several folds of linen,
covered with diamond-shaped pieces of steel touching each other, and
perforated: so called from their resemblance to the _meshes_ of a
net. _Scaled_; formed of small pieces of steel like the scales of
fish, partially overlaying each other. This species was used only during
the reigns of Henry II and Richard I. The _tegulated_ consisted of
little square plates, partly covering one another, like tiles.

_Single Mail_ was composed of rings set edgeways on quilted linen.
It came into use about the close of John's reign, and continued to be
partially worn till that of Edward I. At the commencement of Henry
III.'s reign, it covered not only the head, but hands, legs, and feet.
It was very heavy, and likewise the rings were liable to be cut off by
the blow of a sword; which latter circumstance, perhaps, introduced the
contrivance of _banded_ armour, which was composed of parallelogramic
pieces of metal, sown on linen, so placed as to fold perpendicularly
over each other, like palings, and kept in their places by bandy or
hoops of leather.

We now come to the _Double-chain Mail_, consisting of interlaced
rings, which made its first appearance in the triumphant reign of Edward
I. It is said to be of Asiatic invention, and was composed of four rings
within a fifth, each of which was rivetted. _Single-chain mail_ was
worn by the Crusaders, in Henry III's time; and when the number of rings
was doubled, it became _double-chain mail_. Its great advantages
were compactness and pliability. Horses were now clothed in mail.