109 



Double-handed Sword preserved, at Wedderlie House. 



Ax old rusty double-handed sword, 

 much wasted, is kept at Wedderlie 

 House. It was found under two 

 feet of moss, several years ago, see p. 

 70 of the present vol. There was a 

 kind of sheath upon it, apparently 

 of wood, hut it crumbled away when 

 exposed to the air. The handle was 

 covered with wood. The length of 

 the handle is 1 ft. 8 in.; and of the 

 blade, which is deficient in the apical 

 portion, 3 ft. 10 in.: the entire 

 length of what remains is 5 ft. G in.: 

 it has no other history. Two-handed 

 swords were am ong the weapons pro- 

 duced at weaponshaws in the reign 

 of James T . , 1 5 4 . By Acts of Pa r- 

 liament the " Wapynschawinges " 

 were ordained to be twice in the 

 year, but thrice in the first year, 

 owing to their having been so long 

 out of use. As regards the "manero 

 of harness, wapnis, and armoure," 

 it is appointed "that all utheris of 

 our souirane lordis lieges, gentill 

 menne unlandit and yemenne ha if 

 Jakkis of plait, halkrekis, splintis, 

 sellats or stole bonet with pysane or 

 gorgett, and every man with swerd. 

 And that na manner of wapnis bo 

 admittit in wapinshawingis hot 

 speris, pikis stark and lang of 6 

 ollis of length, leight axis, halbortis, 

 handbowis and arrowis, corsbowis. 

 culveringis, tiva handit sivordis, and 

 every man to be anarmit as said is 

 under the pane of 5 lib. to be tane 

 of every landit man, 50s. of every 

 gentill man, and 20s. of every ye- 

 man als oft as thai be fundin faltous 

 in the premisses." (Act. Pari. Scot, 

 ii., pp. 362-3.) 



A sketch by Mrs Muirhead, of the 

 corroded weapon, has been drawn in 

 pen and ink by Mr J. T. Dixon, and 

 the engraving from it contributed 

 by the Per. J. H.Edgar. J. If. 



