There is in the Metropolitan Museum of New York (Fig. 1452) another such complete armament for man and horse of the Louis XIII period, and of French nationality; but it is less elegant in form, and it is undecorated save by a profusion of rivets. Indeed, it is altogether a poorer production, but interesting, however, as conveying the same general feeling. The suit for the man and the chanfron for the horse came from the collection of the artist, M. Adolph Lessels; but the bards for the horse, though very complete, have been associated with it from some other source. It has been suggested that the bards are not genuine armour of the time; but Dr. Bashford Dean is not of this opinion. It is, moreover, the bards to the horse which give character to the figure as set up. Upon the glancing knobs are recessed Maltese crosses; whilst large shell ornaments of French origin of the Louis XIII period embellish the croupière on either side. The close helmet presents a type which we have not yet described, that of a broadly fluted skull-piece, the flutes tapering towards the apex of the comb. The production of these XVIIth century fluted helmets was not confined to France, for we find them on suits of English, of German, and occasionally of Italian origin; but undoubtedly the model for this fashion was in the first instance the design of early XVIIth century French armourers.
The spirit of the Commonwealth and of Puritanism in England finally killed any attempt on the part of the armourers to produce suits that had even the faintest semblance of beauty of line, or elaboration of surface enrichment; but a proclamation of earlier time, dated February 4th, 1618,[1] which restricted the use of gold and silver to "armour and ensigns of honour," must have done much to discourage workers in rare metals. The proclamation runs: ". . . and furthermore the better to keepe the gold and silver of this kingedome not onely within the Realme from being exported, but that it may also bee continued in moneys and coyne, for the use and commerce of his Majestie and his loving subjects and not turned into any dead masse of Plate nor exhausted and consumed in vanities of Building and pompous use of Gold and Silver Foliate which have beene in the Reignes of divers kings of this Realme . . . and the better to prevent the unnecessary and excessive waste of Gold and Silver Foliate within this Realme; His Majestie doth likewise hereby prohibit and forbid That no Gold or Silver Foliate shall be from henceforth wrought, used or imployed in any Building, Seeling, Wainscot, Bedsteds, Chayres, Stooles, Coaches or any other ornaments whatsoever, Except it be Armour or Weapons or in Armes and Ensignes of Honour at Funerals."
- ↑ S.P. Dom. Jac. I, cv, February 4th, 1618, Procl. Coll. 65.
