Obs. exc. Hist. Forms: 3–9 basnet, 4–9 bacinet, basenet, 9 basinet, bassinet, bascinet; also 4 basinett, 4–6 basenett(e, 5 bacenett, basnite, -nette, 4–5 basynet, bacynet, -ette, 5–7 bassenet. [a. OF. bacinet, bassiné, bassinet (= Sp. bacinete, It. bacinetto, med.L. basinetum, bacinetum), dim. of bacin BASIN: see -ET.]
A small, light, steel headpiece, in shape somewhat globular, terminating in a point raised slightly above the head, and closed in front with a ventail or visor; when used in action without the ventail, as was frequently the case in England, the great ‘helm,’ resting on the shoulders, was worn over it.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 2234. Helm and basnet … The scharpe sweord carf bothe.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 5577. Þorw helm, & coyphe, & bacynet, þe swerd goþ forþ.
1391. Test. Ebor. (1836), I. 151. Unum melius basenett cum ventayll.
c. 1440. Morte Arth., 906. A bacenett burneschte of sylver.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. lx. 81. Such a stroke … that their basenettes were clouen.
1581. T. Newton, Seneca’s Thebais, 51. On head thy Basnet tye.
1611. Gwillim, Heraldry, IV. xv. 234. Their bassenets or sculles.
1808. Scott, Marm., VI. xxi. My basnet to a prentice cap, Lord Surrey’s o’er the Till!
1843. Lytton, Last Bar., I. ix. Thou talkest of bassinets and hauberks.
1856. R. Vaughan, Mystics (1860), I. 154. Sir Rudolf’s new bascinet with the beaked ventaille.
1874. Boutell, Arms & Arm., viii. 127. The basinet was considered to be incomplete without … a mail defence for the neck and shoulders, called the camail.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist., II. xvii. 543, note. Aketons, bacinets, gauntlets.
fig. 1496. Dives & Paup. (W. de W.), VIII. viii. 332. The amyt betokeneth the basynet of helthe, that is hope of the lyfe that is to come.
See also BASSINET, BASSINATE.
