Antiquaries in the Age of Romanticism: 1789-1851 - Queen Mary ...

grant in Sir John Cotton’s library; and to two in the chamber of the Duchy of Lancaster’ which
show different styles of helmet. 75 Having taken such trouble to establish the correctness of his
source, however, Planché duly discards both forms of headgear in favour of a crown and ‘coif de
mailles’ as this is ‘equally correct, and far better adapted for representation on the stage’,
presumably because it made the actor’s face more visible. 76
On Shakespeare’s own mistakes, which caused Douce such pain and irritation, Planché is
pragmatic. He dresses Arthur as a child because it makes sense of the action even though, by this
date, the historic Arthur was a young man, who had been ‘knighted, married and commanded an
army’. 77 By the same token he snaps up tempting irrelevances such as the costume shown in
Stothard’s drawing of an enamel depicting Geoffrey Plantagenet, who has no part in King John.
Nevertheless Planché ‘could not resist introducing this splendid and most picturesque costume’
and he allots it to Chatillon, as ‘an ambassador was the very person to display it with
propriety’. 78 On the anachronistic presence of Leopold, Duke of Austria in the drama, Planché is
content merely to remark that such errors ‘are sufficiently notorious’. 79 The play, for Planché,
was the thing. But like Douce he also saw Shakespeare as a source and a framework for his
research. He published costume designs for several more of the history plays, not all of which
seem to have been produced, and planned to complete an entire history of costume based on
literary sources filling in:
The gaps which Shakespeare’s plays may leave in particular ages, with illustrations of the best dramatic productions,
ancient or modern, embracing those periods, and thereby to form a complete chain of authorities, for the civil and
military costume of every nation, at every period…from the earliest ages, down to the present century, an attempt to
which he has been invited and encouraged by one of the first antiquarians in this kingdom, whose advice and
assistance he is proud to acknowledge. 80
It was no doubt Douce who was encouraging him to fulfil a project that was implicit in his own
Illustrations.
75
Planché, Costume of Shakespeare’s historical tragedy King John, p. 14.
76
Planché, Costume of Shakespeare’s historical tragedy King John, p. 14
77
Planché, Costume of Shakespeare’s historical tragedy King John, p. 30.
78
Planché, Costume of Shakespeare’s historical tragedy King John, p. 32.
79
Planché, Costume of Shakespeare’s historical tragedy King John, p. 35.
80
Planché, Costume of Shakespeare’s historical tragedy King John, p. 4.
248