The cuirass is composed of overlapping plates placed horizontally. This species of defence was called the lorica, from being originally made of leather which was modelled, while wet, to the muscles of the human body, and was imitated in the bronze cuirass in late Roman times. The four upper plates which formed the gorget are missing. They were joined to one on which is engraved and gilded the collar of the Golden Fleece. Beneath it hangs the Fleece itself, supported by two nymphs, and beginning the exquisite series of groups which run down the central band. The remaining bands are equally well conceived and executed. The cuisses are similarly composed of plates set horizontally and decorated vertically. About half-way down the thigh the lower edge of the plate is decorated, so that at this point the upper plates could be disconnected from the lower, and used as simple tassets. The genouillères are decorated with masks and satyrs. The arm-guards are similar to the rest of the suit. The coudes are admirably embossed and gilded, the design showing a woman wearing the Collar of the Golden Fleece and an Imperial tiara; on each side of her are warriors armed in classic style; the Imperial Eagle is shown on the inside of the piece, and a mask at the elbow. Note the laminated gorget (A239 bis, plate 47B), beautifully decorated in the same way as the rest of the armour, and suitable for wearing over a coat of mail or leather doublet.
The shield A241 (plate 146), belonging to this harness, has a peculiar interest as commemorating the rivalry that existed between the great German and Italian armourers of the sixteenth century. It is in one piece, blackened and richly decorated, embossed and inlaid with gold. From the boss spread radiations enclosed by a laurel wreath, and outside this by a narrow band with the following inscription in German: DESIDERIO COLMAN CAYS MAY HARNASCHMACHER AVSGEMACHT IN AVGVSTA DEN 15 APRILIS IM 1552 JAR (Desiderius Colman, Armourer of His Cæsarean Majesty, finished this on April 15th, 1552). At equal distances round the shield are disposed circular medallions encircled by wreaths of laurel and myrtle, and designed with the following subjects: Strength in a triumphal car drawn by men, Victory in another car drawn by lions, Minerva drawn by horses, and Peace borne on the shoulders of Kings. Between the medallions are seen other Kings enthroned and surrounded by other figures, masks, cartouches, and foliations in great profusion. In the rim between two laurel wreaths, hunting scenes and bull-fights are depicted. In one group Colman has symbolised his supposed triumph over his Milanese competitor by a bull overthrowing a man whose shield bears the word “Negrol.” As a matter of fact the shield is a far less creditable performance than the rest of the armour, nor does the best of Colman’s work deserve to be preferred to the Medusa shield executed by Negroli. In justice to the German it should be added, however, that the shield shows every sign of having been left unfinished. The war-saddle (A242, plate 47B) is the finer work. The subject of the design of the centre-band is Venus riding the waves in a shell drawn by dolphins, and attended by cupids. The sword G47 (see infra) also belonged to this harness.
The armour of Philip II., called the Burgundy-Cross-Armour, was made in 1551 by Sigmund Wolf. The order exists authorising the payment to the armourer on account of the Prince of “two hundred gold escudos in token and part payment of some gilded armour” made for him.
The suit is very richly decorated with bands of the natural colour of the steel on which are etched alternately the Cross of Burgundy or of St. Andrew, and the emblems of the Golden Fleece—all gilded. On the breastplate of the first figure (A263, plate 50) is engraved the image of the Madonna. The cuisses are high and laminated as in former examples. The horse’s bard is very handsome, and seems to be a reproduction in metal of the richly-embroidered caparison usually worn by the Imperial chargers.
The suit A243-262 was made for Philip by Wolf, of Landshut, somewhere about 1554, the date being fixed by the chanfron of the horse being charged with the arms of England, which Philip could only have assumed on his marriage with Mary Tudor. The panoply includes a greater number of pieces for tilting than any other owned by this Prince, and demonstrates his partiality for manly exercises. The decoration consists of wide vertical bands on a ground of burnished steel, gilded and etched with black waves or undulations, and bordered on either side by narrow bands exhibiting a similar design. The armour appears to have comprised about eighty-five pieces, of which seventy-four are in the Madrid collection.
The first figure (A243, plate 48) is conspicuous by the enormous reinforcing piece, or overguard, on the left elbow, and for the symmetry and elegance of the leg-armour.
The gay barding for the horse does not belong to the armour: it comes from the armour of Prince Charles, son of Philip II.: in his inventories all the pieces are enumerated, although the general lines and character of the ornamentation agree with the bards of the Emperor’s time. It was made in Nuremberg by the German armourer, Conrad Lochner the younger, whose mark, together with that of the city, is stamped on the breastpiece and crupper. It includes saddle; reinguard; croupière; fléchière; poitrel, with large linch-pins; collar; mainfaire, and chanfron, the latter with two large twisted ram’s horns, and above the hind part of the head the shield with the Royal arms. All these pieces are decorated with graceful bands etched with alternating imbrications of iron and gold, which border and cross them in various directions. In the spaces where the steel preserves its natural colour, there are a large number of volutes and palms in relief. The bridle is late sixteenth century, of long strips well filed, like the perforated copas, which are decorated with gold.
The third figure (A245, plate 49) shows various reinforcing pieces for the tilt, to be worn on the preceding suit, A244, with the exception of the helm and tassets—“the total weight being thirty-nine kilogrammes, which could only be supported during the short time occupied by three or four courses and in breaking as many lances.”
The various pieces are adjusted and shaped with marvellous precision. The helm is a triumph of the armourer’s craft, with an occularium four millimetres wide, ventail on the right hand side, and strong beavor coming well down on to the left shoulder, where is screwed a manteau d’armes or target, with raised trellis-work and floral devices etched on the panels. The tassets are of unequal length. The leg-armour again illustrates Wolf’s skill and eye for symmetry. The fifth figure (A247) has preserved the colours of the decorative bands very well.
The same scheme of decoration is exhibited by the armour (A274-A276) made in 1558 for the unfortunate Prince Charles, son of Philip II. It was made for him by Sigmund Wolf when the Prince was thirteen or fourteen years of age. The difference in size between the right and left pauldrons goes to prove that the Prince was slightly deformed, as has, indeed, been often asserted. The first figure (A274, plate 52) has a morion with high comb, visor, and beavor secured by a hook on the left and a button on the right side. The tassets are continued to the knee after the lobster-tail style then becoming fashionable.