The diaries of Paul Hentzner and Joseph Platter, who visited the Tower late in the sixteenth century, contain minute accounts of the armour of Henry VIII, weapons, tapestries, bows and arrows, and a number of cannons which were mounted on the roof.
In 1606 Christian IV visited the armouries, and in the same year Frederick Gerschow, tutor to Philip Julius, Duke of Stettin-Pomerania, describes many of the chief exhibits. Amongst these were two large wooden guns which, according to tradition, were used by Henry VIII to terrify the French at the Siege of Boulogne.
These guns were burnt in the fire in 1841, and it was only recently that what seemed to be an absurd tradition has proved to be true by the discovery on an engraving of the Siege of Boulogne, from the wall painting formerly at Cowdray Castle, which shows the wooden guns mounted with two small guns fixed to the top for firing.
By the middle of the seventeenth century historical accuracy was thrown to the winds. The helmet with gilded ram's horns which was given to Henry VIII by the Emperor Maximilian was described as the headpiece of a jester. Swords were labelled as whatever the authorities dictated, and most of the weapons were attributed to the Spanish Armada.
In 1672 M. Jorevin de Rocheford visited the Tower and was shown not only the armour and sword of William the Conqueror, but also the great musket which he used at the Battle of Hastings, "of such length and thickness that a man can hardly carry it on his shoulders".
Among the armours set up in the early eighteenth century in the building now known as "C" Store were the more important suits, mounted on wooden horses carved by Grinling Gibbons and other sculptors, and known as "The Line of Kings." Each was labelled with the name of a King of England, William the Conqueror wearing a splendid tilting armour of about 1590, and George II an armour of the time of Henry VIII
At a still later date the figure of Queen Elizabeth was added, and from time to time her dress was changed. This figure was later moved to the London Museum. Merrick, who was afterwards very properly knighted for his advice and work, put an end to this historical confusion, and much of his identification has never been questioned.
Thankfully in 1895 Viscount Dillon, the most notable living authority on arms and armour, was appointed Curator and set about presenting the collections in a context of historical accuracy. In his 17 years of office he laboured unceasingly, with the result that there is not a single piece in the collection today which has not received its proper attribution.