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borne before him as an ensign of bis civic dignity bad once be¬ 
longed to a dean of Windsor, wbo was bis collateral ancestor. Tbe 
Sigismnnd sword is a two-band one, tbe blade is double-edged, 
tbe bilt bas a plain cross-guard, and a pear shaped pommel; tbe 
grip is wrapped witb silver wire. Tbe scabbard is covered witb 
ruby coloured velvet and decorated witb ornaments of silver, or 
some other metal, gilt, representing dragons or scorpions. In 
1478, preparatory to a visit ]3aid to the city by King Edward tbe 
Fourth, tbe Corporation bad the velvet covering of the scabbard 
renewed, and tbe metal ornaments regilt. Tbe blade now bears 
an inscription which was engraved upon it in tbe year 1586, 
during tbe mayoralty of Henry May, when tbe sword was newly 
decorated, preparatory to the reception of tbe Earl of Huntingdon, 
Lord President, in bis official character of Lord-Lieutenant of tbe 
city and county. Tbe inscription in Eoman capitals is tbe same on 
both sides. It runs thus:— 
Sigismundi imperat. dat. M. 0. Eb. 1439. 
Ornat. Hem?i. May Maior. 1586. 
A shield of tbe royal arms, England and France quarterly, sim- 
mounts tbe inscription on one side, and a shield of tbe armorial 
bearings of tbe city on tbe other. 
Sir Martin Bowes’s Sword. 
Tbe State Sword, which Mr. Drake pronounces to be ‘‘ the most 
beautiful,” was a memorial of tbe donor’s love for bis native city. 
We have its history in tbe inscription engraved upon tbe blade :— 
‘‘Syr Martyn Bowes Knight borne within this citie of Yorke and 
Maior of tbe citie of London 1545, for a remembrance gave tbys 
sword to tbe Maior and Communaltie of this said honorable citie.” 
Sir Martin Bowes sprang from a family of eminent York merchants 
wbo bad resided for several generations in tbe parish of St. 
Cutbbert,—very probably in tbe picturesque timber-house witb its 
two gables that now stands much defaced and altered opposite to 
St. Anthony’s Hall on Peasbolme Green. Wilbam Bowes, wbo 
was Sheriff in 1402, and Lord Mayor in 1417, and again in 1428, 
represented tbe city in foim of tbe parliaments held in tbe reigns of 
IHng Henry V. and bis successor. He built a mansion for bis own 
residence on Peasebolme, in tbe parish of St. Cutbbert, upon the 
site of a bouse which bad previously belonged to Sb John Langton, 
Knight. He died in tbe year 1439, and was succeeded by bis 
eldest son, a second Wilbam Bowes, to whom be devised by bis 
