besague

A kind of double-bladed axe.

These were clearly different from the besague (an axe with two edges) described in the Glossaries of Meyrick and Carpentier, in v. Besogium.

A kind of martel or war-hammer, with its head(s) shaped like a pick, mattock, or beak.

Under Henry IV. appeared a large martel, or hammer, called the Besague, apparently intended more for throwing than combat. In the reign of Edward IV. are found garnished spears, having a head called a coronal, a vamplate, or ...

A plate (as of armor) that protects an otherwise-exposed area, such as the armpit (alternative form of besagew), the elbow, or the hand

The points or laces for attaching the besagues are clearly shown. In brasses the attachment is generally shown as a diamond-headed nut, but the attachment by points or laces just as the elbow caps are seen attached in various effigies ...

... to escape the inference that it was evolved solely to avoid the inevitable and unpalatable conclusion that the pouldrons on the Metropolitan armour, and incidentally either the besague or the entire Riggs shaffron, were forgeries.