Chapter XIX: Appendix: G

PETITION OF THE ARMOURERS OF LONDON TO QUEEN ELIZABETH

July 13th, 1590 (Lansdowne MS. 63, 5)

To the Right Honourable the Lords & others of the Queens Most
honourable Privie Counseil.

In most humble wise shew & beseche your honours your poor suppliants the Armourers of London that whereas we having been at great charges these six or seven years as well in making & providing tools & instruments as in entertaining and keeping of foreign men from beyond the seas to learn & practice the making of armour of all sorts which by the goodness of God we have obtained in such sort that at this time we make not onlie great quantitie But also have farre better armors than that wch cometh from beyond the Seas as is sufficiently proved, and fearing that for lack of sale and utterance of the same we shall not be able to keep & maintain the number of our apprentices & servants which are vy well practised in making of all sorts of armors. Our humble suite therfore to yr honors is that it shall please you to be a means to Her Mtie that we may be appointed to bring into her Mties Store at reasonable prices monthly or quarterly the Armor that we shall make till Her Mties Store shall be furnished with all sorts of Armor in such numbers as Her Mtie shall think good & appoint. And we and our posterity shall not only pry for your Honors but also being strengthened by your Honors we do not doubt to serve this land of Englishe Armor in future years as well as it is of Englishe Calyvers and muskets wch within this thirtie years or thereabouts was servd altogether with Outlandish peces with no money in respect of those wch are now made in this land, And we are the more bould, to make this our sute to your Honors because it is not a particular Comoditie to us but a benefit to the whole land as may be proved by these reasons viz:

1. Armour made in this land being not good, the makers may be punished by the laws provided for the same.

2. It is a means to set a great number of Her Majesty’s subjects on work in this land, which now setteth a great number of foreigners on work in other lands.

3. It will furnish the land with skillfull men to make and fit armour to men’s bodies in far better order than it hath been heretofore.

4. We shall be provided within this land of good armour, what restrayntments or quarrels so ever be in other lands, whereas hertofore we have been beholding to other countries for very bad armour.

5. We shall be free from all those dangers that may ensue by the number of bad and insufficient armour which are brought into this land by unskilfull men that know not what they buy and sell it again to them that know not where to have better for their money although they know it to be very bad.

Her Majesties armories at this parte are very weakly furnished and that wch remaynes is neither good in substance nor yet in fashion. So as if it might stande in wth yor. LL. good liking it is very needfull the same should be supplied wth better choise.

The armor that is here made is accompted far better than that wch cometh from beyond the Seas and would well servi for he Mties store So as it might be delivered in good tyme wch the Armorers will undertake to prove but the armor wch they make is wholly blacke, so that unless they will undertake to serve white wth al it will not be so serviceable. The proportion that shall be delivered I refer to yor ll. consideracion theire offer is to deliver to the number of eight thousand wth in fyve yeres and so after a further proporcion it so shall seem good to yor LL. Theire severll prices are hereunder written wch is as lowe as can bring it unto.

Launce armor compleat iii li vi s. viii d.
Corslets compleate xxx s.
Curate of proofe wth poldrons xl s.
Ordinary curate wth poldrons xxvi s. viii d.
Target of proofe xxx s.
Murrions iii s. iiii d.
Burgonetts iiii s.

Endorsed the humble petition of the Armorers of London.

It is signed by RICHARD HARFORD.
JOHN SEWELL.
RICHARD WOODE RW.
WM. PICKERING. 13 July 1590.
Lee to inform.