( ?94 ) 
too light for the lafV. I Qiould rather take them to hare 
been the Heads of Spears^ or Walk^wg-jiaves of the civi- 
lized Britaitjs ^ and tho’ of a fomewhat different Form 
from thofe defer! bed by Speed (Eijl, of Great Brit. cap. 6.^ 
in their Portraitures, taken I prefume from ancient Manu- 
feripts, yet by the Loop in the fide we may better con- 
ceive how thofe ornamental Labels were faftened, than 
by the Pictures there exemplified. 
That Swords or Daggers were ufed of the fame Me- 
tal in old time, as well in Ireland as Great Britain, 
(o^ which there are feveral deferibed in the laft Edi- 
*tion of the Britannia) I conje^fure from fome that 
were found there of late Years, one of which was 
brought me by a Friend from thence : It proves of 
a middle fize, viz. eighteen Inches long in the Blade ; 
whereas of thofe found in Wales, fome were but 
Twelve, others Twenty four. The Hilt or Handle 
probably was of Wood, ("as is that of an old Sword 
that I have now by me, which is five Foot and 
a half long) for that it is wholly confumed: They 
have been faftened together by four larger or two 
lefs Nails, as appears by the Holes in the Brafs 
which are yet entire. And now that I am upon this 
fubjedf, I have an ancient Spur, that is no lefs than 
fix Inches and an half long, from the Heel to the 
middle of the Rowel 5 but this, which is gilded, 
and of nicer Workmanlhip, I fuppofe to be of a much 
later date. 
1 am. See: 
Ralph Thoresby. 
