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Fig. 629. Sword (Bastard type)

First half of XVth century

No. 42, Wallace Collection

the collection of Mr. W. H. Redfern there is a remarkably fine bastard sword of English origin, found in the bed of the river Cam, an example we should date within the first quarter of the XVth century (Fig. 636). The pommel is noteworthy for the decoration of ingenious faceting which does not in the least affect the simplicity of its outline. The quillons are of rectangular section and incline downwards at their ends. The tang of the blade is of considerable width and of great strength. It is deeply impressed with a bladesmith's mark; while the blade, which is 34-inches long, and is in perfect condition, even to its cutting edge, is inlaid with the mark of a sword in gold. To the collector the weapon has peculiar charm of colour, now possessing a black bronze-like patina, doubtless from its long immersion in the peat soil of the river Cam. There is in the Tower of London an early XVth century bastard sword (Fig. 631) that was found in the river Thames. It belongs to the same family of sword as the last described; but though graceful from the possession of long, straight, rectangular sectioned quillons and a faceted pear-shaped pommel, it is altogether a poorer make of weapon. A sword, remarkable both by reason of its graceful lines and of its splendid balance, is to be seen in Mr. Godfrey Williams' Collection at St. Donat's Castle, Wales. In the sale of the Bernal Collection in 1855 it figured as Lot 2305 in the catalogue and fetched six guineas. It then passed into the Londesborough Collection, at the sale of which, in 1888, it appeared as Lot 39 and was disposed of for £141 15s. At both sales an English origin was ascribed to this sword, an ascription no doubt due to the Tudor rose-like ornament that is etched some little distance up the blade. That its workmanship is, however, Italian there is little room for doubt; the quillons, straight and widening to rounded ends, are characteristically Italian, as also is its kite-*shaped pommel. The theory of its Italian provenance is further strengthened by the etching of trophies and scroll-work, once gilt in the manner of northern Italy, that appears on the upper part of the blade. The presence of the rose-*like ornament on the blade has no particular significance, as this was a