Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 4).djvu/70

 this same border strapping. The groundwork is occupied with fine leafage. All the strapping is gilt upon a granulated ground which is filled in with a black pigment. The oblong panels of the breastplate are ornamented in the following manner. In the centre panel at the top there is a cross supported by two figures of angels; in the next panel there is a circular medallion containing a double Roman bust with the inscription running round it,, as on the other breastplate of the suit (Fig. 1119); while in the other panels throughout the suit emblematical female figures of Wisdom, Justice, Temperance, Victory, Strength, Truth, Faith, Fame, Chastity trampling upon Vice, Fame crowning Victory, and other figures are repeated many times. The decoration of this harness is, generally speaking, not in the manner usually associated with the work of this school, being more restrained and simpler in its motives, resembling rather that produced by Wolf of Landshut. The circular shield belonging to this suit (post, p. 240, Fig. 1315), which is in the Metropolitan Museum of New York, came from the collection of armour and arms of the Duc de Dino. In the 1901 catalogue of the Dino Collection published by the Baron de Cosson, it will be found described and illustrated, Plate II, No. D 4, not as belonging to the Windsor and Tower Sir John Smythe suit, but as being probably the work of Wolf of Landshut, whose manner is certainly reflected in the style of the whole suit.

In the 1611 inventory of "Greenwich, in the greene gallery" is the entry: "one armo^r compleate given by S^r John Smith to the Kinges Ma^{ty} viz backe brest Almaine Coller, Burgonett murryon sleeves of maile steele for a sadle, shaffron a guilte Targett one prē of longe cushes one prē of shorte cushes a belte of crymisin velvett one prē of guilte stirropes and twoe case of pistolles." In the 1629 inventory of "Greenewich in the greate chamber late Mr. Pickerings," appears the same entry; but there is no mention of the "belte of crymisin velvett" and only "one case of pistolles." In the 1660 inventory of the armour "In the Hall of the Leiftennt of the Tower" of London no attribution of the pieces is recorded; but there is an entry that might well refer to this same set of armour: "(23) Armour richly guilt and graven, consisting of a backe, breast, Cushes, a paire of Kneecaps, Gorgett, a pair of short Taces, one Burgonett with a Buffe, Murrion, one gauntlett and a shaffrone with a paire of guilt steeles for a sadle one." In the 1676 inventory is the same entry. In the 1683 inventory this entry disappears; but there are entries of "Rich armour and parcells of Armour," to which group it is just possible that the portions of the suit which we are endeavouring to trace may have been relegated. In the 1688 inventory