The two foot figures are of about the same date.
The next mounted figure (XII) is one still showing the gilt enrichment
so many of these suits for the tilt yard originally had. It was
attributed to Robert Earl of Essex, another favourite of his Queen, but
has now been identified as the armour made by Jacobe Topf, for Sir John
Smith, cousin german to Edward VI, and a great military writer of the
sixteenth century. Many other pieces of this suit are in the Royal
collection in Windsor Castle. The two foot figures came from the Great
Armoury at Malta. Beyond the passage are a mounted figure showing how
the lance was held when jousting at the tilt or barrier in the sixteenth
century and later, and inferior suits for horsemen, and some other suits
from Malta.
On leaving the large room, in the case in the archway will be seen axes,
horsemen's hammers and maces, all designed for breaking and rending
armour. Observe also various forms of the bayonet, from the early plug
bayonet to the later socketed type of that weapon.
The first case on the right contains crossbows of various types.
This weapon, at no time our national arm, was used for the defence of
fortresses, and later on for sport. The heavy kind were bent by means of
arrangements of pulleys, the windlass, or a kind of lifting jack called
the Cranequin or Cric. The lighter forms were bent by an attached lever
called the Goat's Foot.
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