was at the court of the French King, and it is very possible that Missaglia had come to France in his suite. It was there that Galeazzo learnt of his father's death and, two years later, he married Bona of Savoy, who had been brought up at the French court, and was sister-in-law to Louis XI. This view is further supported by an important document for the history of armour making, a petition from Jacobino Ayroldo, Milanese armourer to Louis XI at Tours, addressed to the Duke of Milan, Gian Galeazzo Sforza. It is without a date, but from a study of its contents it can be proved that it was written at the end of 1468 or the beginning of 1469. It states that the King of France, desiring to have some beautiful and excellent suits of armour made for himself and for his barons, lords and esquires, and not thinking the masters whom he has capable of carrying out his wishes, sent his armourer, Jacobino Ayroldo, with sealed letters[1] in his own hand to beg his lordship to be good enough to send back with him, the said Jacobino, twelve companions with their tools and instructions to make the suits of armour for his Majesty, and he offers to treat them well and to send them back to Milan when the work is done. Jacobino has presented these letters to the Duchess,[2] who has laid them before the secret council of the Duke, but as yet no reply has been received, although all the companions have already been found and only await the Duke's permission to depart. And Jacobino is of opinion that the only difficulty might be the jealousy of some armourers who think that it would cause a loss of profit to the town of Milan to let them go, whilst they really wish to have all the profit to themselves. That this is not true, for if the King sent the measures of himself and his nobles to Milan, and their persons could not be seen, nor their wishes as to how the harness should be made exactly understood, it would be a great trouble and fatigue to send them back if the King were not pleased with them. But by sending the companions with their tools, they will be able to see for themselves and arrange how the work is to be done. And when it is done they will be able to return to Milan, as did those who were sent to arm the glorious Dauphin,[3] and when the work was ended returned to Milan. And although in various parts of France are many armourers, the King and his barons are of opinion that they are not capable of doing what they desire done, and for this reason they have addressed themselves to his lordship, etc.[4] This petition once more bears testimony to the paramount position held by the armourers of Milan, and again proves the great importance that was attached to obtaining a perfect fit in armour. In illustration of this I may refer to an entry in the accounts of the Royal House of Spain in the next century, "for wax for making a model of His Majesty's legs, to be sent to Master Desiderius Colman for the armour he is engaged on."[5]
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