only the rich who could afford to pay for and had horses to carry
armour, who wore much of what we see now. Again, armour for war was
much lighter and less complete than that used for the tilt yard, where
protection to the wearer was more considered than his ability to hurt
his opponent. The greater substance of such armour and its frequent
enrichment with engraving and gilding no doubt led to the preservation
of this class of defence. Chain mail suffered extremely by rust and
neglect, and even plate armour was subject to the same deterioration.
It is consequently not to be wondered at that little or no armour of a
date previous to the fifteenth century is to be seen in this collection.
On Henry VIII's death the first inventory of the Royal collection was
made, and this includes the armour and arms at Greenwich, and arms and
artillery at the Tower of London which, from the time of Henry VIII, was
one of the sights for foreigners of distinction. In the troubles of the
Civil War the arms were drawn out, and there is no doubt much, both of
arms and armour, was used and lost. The Protector took one suit, and it
was not till 1660 that the armour, which had meanwhile been brought to
London, was collected, and, with the weapons still in the store, were
formed into a kind of museum. It is to that period that may be traced
most of the grotesque stories associated with the collection. At various
subsequent periods additions were made to the collection, and it was
arranged in such manner as suited the knowledge of the day. Series of
figures of kings of England and famous persons were made and added to or
changed on the death of the sovereign. In later times the whole has been
arranged by Sir Samuel Meyrick. Mr. Hewitt, and Mr. Planché, and in 1859
Mr. Hewitt drew up the first catalogue of the contents.

The mounted figures from 1826 till 1883 stood in a long gallery
adjoining the south side of the Tower, but at the latter date this was
pulled down, and the figures removed to the top floor. Within the last