formerly in Paris, where in a beautiful half suit can be seen all the characteristics of the Milanese fluted armour of the finest order, as opposed to that of German make. It is probable that this armour is the work of a Missaglia or Negroli; for a suit of armour of very similar workmanship and engraving, No. G 8 in the Musée d'Artillerie bears the Missaglia mark on several of its plates. From the early part of the XIXth century until 1868 the Riggs suit was in the collection of Ambrogio Uboldo, Nobile di Villareggio, at Milan; but there is good reason for believing that originally it was made for Charles de Bourbon, Constable of France and victor at Marignano. In the Imperial Armoury at Vienna are shown a helmet and shield identical in every respect in design and decoration with this half suit, and which have every appearance of having belonged to it. They are those which since 1570, the time at which the Archduke Ferdinand of Tyrol formed the Ambras Collection, have been attributed to the Constable de Bourbon. The breastplate of the Riggs suit was taken to Vienna to be compared with them. Charles de Bourbon was named Governor of the Duchy of Milan after the victory of Marignano in 1515, and spent much of his time there. It is therefore quite possible that, when Ferdinand was collecting armour and arms worn by distinguished princes and captains of every court in Europe, he obtained the helmet and shield from Milan, and that the suit was thus left without a helmet, a circumstance which would otherwise appear strange in the case of so remarkable a harness. As seen to-day it is really only part of a suit of armour, consisting of the gorget, the globose breastplate with its taces, the backplate with its garde-de-rein, and the two arms complete from the shoulder to wrist. These pieces are examples of the finest work of the Milanese armourers of the first years of the XVIth century, the design and decoration being remarkable for richness and purity of taste. The surface consists in portions entirely covered with etching and gilding, the remainder being fluted with alternate bands of bright steel and bands etched and fully gilt, separated by ridges in low relief. On the upper part of the breast is a broad gilt band, on which are figured in the Lombard style of the XVth century the Virgin and Child, with an architectural background, and on either side St. Paul and St. George, each in glory. Below, in two lines, is the following inscription in large capital letters: CRISTVS RES [sic] VENIT IN PACE ET DEVS HOMO FACTVS ES[T]. The backplate has IESVS AVTEM TRANSIENS PER MEDIVM ILLORVM IBAT., with a large triangular space below, covered with etching and gilding, and flutings on either side of it. On the front of the gorget, on a similar
