Dr. Pearson's Observations 
444 
SECTION II. Of the Steel Arms. 
§ 1. A Jew miscellaneous Observations. 
Of the ancient steel or iron arms and utensils in Sir Joseph 
Banks's collection, four articles only were selected for exami- 
nation. 
One of these was the Steel Sword within the copper scab- 
bard, described in Sect. I. § 1. iv. and represented by fig. 3. 
Tab. XI. 
1. A Sword, fig. 1. Tab. XV. Of a number of these weapons 
in the collection this was the smallest. The great difference in 
their size and weight, it is observed, was probably intended to 
give every man, according to his strength and mode of fight- 
ing, an opportunity of suiting himself. The figure of the blade 
is particular, and seems very well contrived. 
The hollow in the middle of each side does not extend more 
than two-thirds from the guard to the point ; and terminates 
in a ridge, which must give great support and strength to the 
cutting part. 
The pommel and guard had been tinned, and part of the 
tin coating still remains upon them. This weapon, therefore, 
affords a specimen of the mode of tinning iron practised by the 
ancients. The blade seems to have been varnished by black 
matter, which remains very brilliant and smooth. On one 
side is the inscription -j- BENVENUTUS -j-, and on the other 
-j- ME FECIT -f , perfectly legible. 
From the crosses, we may conclude that the maker was a 
Christian ; and from the name, that he was an Italian. The 
writing is in mixed characters, but it is probable that the 
artist exercised his trade of a sword cutler in the northern 
