What is "pavesse"

Pavise \Pa*vise\, n. [OF. pavaix, F. pavois; cf. It. pavese, LL. pavense; perh. named from Pavia in Italy.] (Mil. Antiq.) A large shield covering the whole body, carried by a pavisor, who sometimes screened also an archer with it. [Written also pavais, pavese, and pavesse.]
--Fairholt.

n. (obsolete form of pavis English)