Within the last
few years the floor below has been used for the later arms, but the
lighting of the rooms and their shape, with various other causes,
prevent any strictly chronological arrangements of the collection,
many objects of which also belong to long periods of time.
The arms and armour are now placed on the two upper floors of the White
Tower, the earlier weapons and all the armour, being on the top floor,
while the later weapons and the Indian arms and armour, with various
personal relics, are placed on what is the third stage or second floor.
To this the visitor ascends by a circular staircase in the south front
of the Tower. At the foot observe a brass plate recording the finding in
1674 of the supposed remains of the "Princes in the Tower," Edward V and
his brother Richard Duke of York. The visitor then enters the Chapel of
St. John, and on leaving passes into the smaller of the two rooms on
this floor.
At the end of the room is a Persian horse armour of brass scales
connected by chain mail. Near this is the quilted armour of the Burmese
General Maha Bundoola, killed in 1824. At the other end of the room is a
large bell from Burmah, presented by the late General Sir William Gomme,
G.C.B., and near it are two figures with Japanese armour, one of them
presented to Charles II when prince by the Mogul. It is interesting as
being one of the earliest examples of Eastern armour which has an
authentic record of its presence in this country, and it also exhibits
the persistence in early forms so common in the East.
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