W. J. Loftie

“ The old chapel was burnt in 1512, and the present building erected only in time to receive the bodies of the first victims of the tyranny of Henry VIII. It was considered a Royal Chapel before 1550; the interior is not shown to the public. Here it is, in the memorable words of Stow, writing in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, that there lie before the high altar, "two dukes between two queens, to wit, the Duke of Somerset and the Duke of Northumberland, between Queen Anne and Queen Katharine, all four beheaded." ”

“ 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. The cases on either hand contain weapons, helmets, and armour from most parts of our Indian Empire, as well as weapons from Cabul, Persia, Africa, America, and the South Seas. ”

“ There are several comparatively modern entrances.
A short external stair leads to a staircase in the thickness of the wall on the south side, by which we approach the Chapel. A brass plate on the right refers to some children's bones found in the reign of Charles II. They were identified, somewhat conjecturally, with the remains of Edward V and his brother who disappeared so mysteriously at the accession of Richard III, and were removed to Westminster Abbey in 1678. Ascending the stair we come to the passage which led from the palace to
The Chapel of St. John (Pl. VIII) . ”

“ The present buildings are partly of the Norman period; but architecture of almost all the styles which have flourished in England may be found within the walls. It is well to remember that though the Tower is no longer a place of great military strength it has in time past been a fortress, a palace, and a prison, and to view it rightly we must regard it in this threefold aspect.
It was first built as a fortress, and has a central Keep, called the "White Tower." The Inner Ward is defended by a wall, flanked by thirteen towers, the entrance to it being on the south side under the Bloody Tower. ”

“ Another or the same entrance led from an upper storey of the palace. The interior is of the plainest and sternest character. Every consideration is postponed to that of obtaining the greatest strength and security. The outer walls vary in thickness from 15 feet in the lower to 11 in the upper storey. The whole building is crossed by one wall, which rises from base to summit and divides it into a large western and a smaller eastern portion. The eastern part is further subdivided by a wall which cuts off St. John's Chapel, its crypt, and its subcrypt, each roof of which is massively vaulted. ”

“ The armour is apparently of French make, and is very interesting as being a double suit—that is, it represents the equipment of the cuirassier or cavalryman of about 1610, and then by removing the helmet and the armour for the arms and legs, and substituting the pott and the short thigh defences (in the small glass case) we have the equipment of the foot soldier as seen in the figures of pikemen on the other side of the room. The small silvered cap and breast and back in another glass case was made for Charles II when prince. ”

“ On the right of the fire-place is an elaborate piece of sculpture (Pl. XII) , which will be examined with peculiar interest as a memorial of the four brothers Dudley: Ambrose (created Earl of Warwick 1561) , Guildford (beheaded 1554) , Robert (created Earl of Leicester 1563) , and Henry (killed at the siege of St. Quintin, 1558) , carved by the eldest, John (called Earl of Warwick) , who died in 1554. ”

“ The next equestrian figure (IV) shows the fluted, or as it was called crested, armour, of about 1500. The horse armour is also fluted. On the right, in the centre of the room, are two armours which belonged to Henry VIII. Of these the first (XXVIII) is that formerly described as "rough from the hammer," though it has been milled or glazed and no hammer marks are visible. It is a complete suit for fighting on foot in the lists, and comfort and ability to move about, have been sacrificed to perfect protection. ”

“ Tradition says that Henry VI used it for his devotions when a prisoner in the Tower, and was here murdered. In the centre, in a large double case, are arranged the splendid objects which form the English Regalia. The following are the most remarkable:—
The King's Crown. It occupies the highest place in the case. It was constructed in 1838 for her late Majesty's coronation, the principal jewels being taken from older crowns and the royal collection. Among them, observe the large ruby given to the Black Prince in Spain in 1367. Henry V wore it in his helmet at Agincourt. ”

“ In the next cases are portions of armour of Henry VIII; also of a puffed and engraved suit of the same time, and of a richly worked russet and gilt suit of George Earl of Cumberland, who in Elizabeth's time fitted out at his own cost eleven expeditions against Spain. In the archway are some combined weapons having gun barrels in the staff and pole-axe heads; also the three-barrelled weapon formerly called Henry VIII's walking staff. ”

“ Those on the upper shelves are either false or imitations of real examples. In the case by the door is a helmet made for and worn by the late Emperor Napoleon III (when prince) at the Eglinton Tournament, in 1839.
On the walls are portions of horse armour, bucklers for foot soldiers, and several shields simulating the embossed ornamentation of the sixteenth century. ”

“ Round the walls of the two rooms are arranged the various staff weapons used in England and the continent. In the first enclosure on the left are cases in which are ancient bronze tools, weapons, and ornaments from various localities, stone implements and weapons, and a suit of bronze armour from Cumæ, an ancient Greek settlement near Naples. ”

“ It is the latest complete suit in the collection, and was probably never worn by him. In the centre of the room is a case containing gun locks, powder flasks, and other pieces for the furnishing of a soldier's equipment. The cannon were made for the instruction of Charles II when a prince. In the wall case observe with other objects two swine feathers, or feather staffs, having one long and two short blades which can be concealed in the shaft, also a German Calendar sword with the saints' days marked in gold, and other swords. ”

“ During Drill and training, N.C.O.'s and men receive Army rates of pay of their rank, also rations; and provided they are 19 years of age and have attended one training, or the equivalent thereof, messing allowance at 3d. ”

“ In the S.E. corner, on a platform, are several early cannon, including one, and part of another, from the wreck of the Mary Rose, sunk in action with the French off Spithead in 1545. These display the early mode of construction of such weapons, namely; bars of iron longitudinally welded together and encircled by hoops of the same metal. On the window side in the recesses are wall pieces, which belonged to the Honourable East India Company. The figure of Queen Elizabeth is supposed to represent her as on her way to St. ”

“ Here also were beheaded, among others, Dudley, the minister of Henry VII (1510) , his son the Duke of Northumberland (1553) , his grandson, Lord Guildford Dudley (1554) , Cromwell, Earl of Essex (1540) , More and Fisher (1535) , Surrey (1547) , and his son, Norfolk (1572) , Strafford (1641) , and Archbishop Laud (1645) , and the Scotch lords in 1716, 1746, and 1747, the last being Simon, Lord Lovat. ”