Peregrine Bertie, Lord Willoughby d'Eresby
Portrait (copy of a late 16th century original): Dates from 18th century | Object number: I.67
Helmet: Dates from about 1590 | English, Greenwich | Object number: IV.577
This portrait shows Peregrine Bertie reclining, wearing a black doublet and hose and parts of a Greenwich armour. His armour is blued and highly decorated with gilded panels. The breast and back-plates hang from a tree in the background. Other pieces of his armour lie nearby.
The helmet is shown in the portrait of Lord Willoughby d’Eresby. The painting shows how splendid it would have looked when it was new. Sadly, it has lost its face defence (visor), most of the gilded decoration has gone and the blueing has oxidized to brown.
Did you know?
- The inscriptions on the portrait are very interesting. Below the bird ‘Amare de las dolces’ means ‘Love of the sweets of life’. ‘Contra audento’ which means ‘Equal in toughness’ is near his armour which is hanging on a tree.
- The Latin motto ‘Ubique peregrinus hic domi’ (Here I am at home, everywhere a pilgrim) above the ruined castle might mean that his home is wherever he might be at the time. It is also a pun on his name. Also within this painting is Peregrine’s coat of arms – a ‘shattered castle triple towered’ and three silver battering rams.
Elizabethan armours
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