cavalier's sword found at egginton. 79 



is complete. Rupert's Cavaliers found that in actual battle 

 the sword hand was too cramped within the hilt of this type; 

 hence arose a custom of filing off the upper portion of the 

 outer wrist guard, to give more play to the hand. The custom 

 seems to have been peculiar to this country, and many, if 

 not most of the weapons which bore the brunt of the war 

 are found to have been so treated. Another example of this 

 class, said to have been formerly preserved at Bramhall Hall, 

 but now in Mr. Andrew's possession, may be mentioned for 

 the purpose of comparison. It is of similar character and 

 workmanship, the blade bearing the same inscription with the 

 " wolf-mark," and the hilt being of the same character, except 

 that it is more boat-shaped and the medallions are decorated 

 with elaborated subjects, viz. (i.) equestrian figure of King 

 Charles riding over the body of the Dragon (the Parliament) ; 

 (ii.) the King, as St. George, slaying the Dragon; (3) portrait 

 of the King; (iv.) portrait of Archbishop Laud; (5) portrait 

 of the owner ( ? ) ; (vi.) small portrait of the King on the wrist 

 guard. The first medallion is strongly characteristic of the 

 well-known equestrian figure in Van Dyck's painting. This 

 sword also is essentially English, and the upper part of the 

 outer wrist guard has been carefully filed off, above the small 

 medallion (No. vi.) in its centre. On the other hand, Lord 

 Lindsey's sword, which was never used after Edgehill, the first 

 battle of the war, is like that of our illustration, perfect in this 

 respect. Was it after Marston Moor, in July, 1644, that this 

 custom originated? 



It used to be thought that these swords must be subsequent 

 to the death of Charles I., because of their name " mortuary," 

 but this was not so, for the fashion of chiselling medallion 

 portraits of Kings and Queens upon arms was not confined 

 to England, but general upon the continent. The heads of 

 Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain often so appeared on Spanish 

 arms and armour of the sixteenth century. Portraits of Philip 

 of Spain and Mary of England are upon a gorget which is 

 said to have belonged to an officer of the Armada, and swords 



