Armour in England, from the Earliest Times to the Reign of James the FirstGardner, John Starkie
History
Armour in England, from the Earliest Times to the Reign of James the First
Gardner, John Starkie
Armor -- England
[Illustration: FIG. 33.--_Italian suit of blued and gilded steel
covered with appliqués of gold. In the Guard-chamber of Windsor
Castle._]
Several splendid and historic suits are preserved in the Guard-room at
Windsor Castle. Among these, one, the suit of Prince Henry of Wales,
son of James I. (frontispiece), bears a remarkable resemblance to the
Jacobe suits, recalling especially the design of the Cumberland suit,
Plate IV. But for the alternation of thistles among the fleurs-de-lis
and roses between the bands of gilded ornament, the body armour in
both would be nearly identical. The monogram H.P. appears on the gilt
bands of strap and arabesque work. The gilding is in fine preservation,
and except that the steel was formerly a deep blue, in the Milanese
fashion, it is still as represented in the portrait of Prince Henry
in the possession of the Marquis of Lothian. It has been attributed
to William Pickering, Master of the Armourers' Company of London in
1608-9, on the faith of some payments made to him, which Mr. St. John
Hope has noted as follows: "In March 1613, a warrant issued under
sign manual, for the payment to Sir Edward Cecil of a balance of £300
due for armour value £450 for the late Prince Henry: and in July 1614
a warrant issued to pay William Pickering, Master of the Armoury at
Greenwich, £200 balance of £340 for armour gilt and graven for the late
Prince." The helmet somewhat resembles that of the Leicester suit,
but has a singularly stiff, vertically-ridged gorget with scalloped
edge, and heavier gauntlets. The leg-defences and sollerets do not
differ appreciably from those already noticed. A number of the extra
pieces and some of the horse armour belonging to the suit are preserved
with it. If really by Pickering he was a close copyist of Jacobe. An
apparently companion suit of Prince Charles is looked on with suspicion
by Lord Dillon. Another of Prince Henry's suits, presented by the
Prince de Joinville, and now in the Tower, was originally of blued
steel richly ornamented with classical designs in gold. There are also
in the Tower a fine suit made for Charles I. when a boy, some silvered
pieces, and the richly gilt and engraved armour presented to him by the
City of London.
[Illustration: PLATE VII.--Ornament on the tapul of the breastplate
belonging to the half-suit of the Earl of Essex, (fig 35) with the
original gilding slightly restored. In the guard-chamber of Windsor
Castle.]
[Illustration: FIG. 34.--_A part of the ornament of the Italian suit
(Fig. 33), drawn real size._]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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