II Certain Delusions of the North Brito7is 3 2 1 



delivered for money unto the Spaniards the town of 

 Deventer and the sconce of Zutphen, in the Low 

 Countries, in i 587. 



The man armed with broadsword and target had 

 small chance of his life against these long thrusting 

 rapiers, and gradually even honest men were com- 

 pelled to adopt them for their own safety, but reluc- 

 tantly, as worthy Sam Rowlands says in 1604: — 



' Of sword and dagger I have little skill ; 

 Rapier I never wore, and never will.' 



And it were curious to mark how Sir John FalstafiTs 

 armament changes as he declines in grace ; he being 

 at first in some decency of repute and company, with 

 his two or three followers and his sword and target ; 

 later on, deboshed and debased in the knavish com- 

 pany of nymmers ^ and filchers, with his rapier and 

 dagger ; and, last of all, with but himself and skirted 

 page, who beareth his thrusting rapier. ' God's rest 

 to thee, good Sir John ! Thou wert a good man ill 

 guided, as many of us be ! and thou hast caused 

 more happiness than scaith, which is more than most 

 men can say ! ' ^ 



So, the honest broadsword being driven out of the 

 southern parts of Britain, it had to go somewhere, 

 and it went to the North, with a deal of old iron, 

 followed closely, however, by the rapier ; for, in 1 6 1 1, 

 Craig tells us, speaking of his countrymen : — 



^ Is ' nymm ' a name derived from the German neh^nen, to take or 

 convey ? — Ed. 



2 Mr. Calvert believes Falstaff to have been a coward, which is 

 utter nonsense. 



