following upon the gift of a sword by him; the second, a charter granted by Henry VIII in 1546 empowering the mayor of Carmarthen to appoint a sword-bearer to carry a sword before him; the third, a charter of Elizabeth dated 1573, allowing a like privilege to the mayor of Thetford.
During the XVIIth century the mayors of eight more towns received the sword-bearer privilege, viz.: Canterbury (1608), Worcester (1622), Kendal (1635-6), Carlisle (1637), Shrewsbury (1638), Wigan (1662), Yarmouth (1684), and Liverpool (1695).
Salisbury's mayor was granted a sword by Oliver Cromwell in 1656; while about the same period Appleby, Hertford, and Lichfield were each given a sword by a non-official person.
The actual number of swords of state now existing in England and Wales amounts to forty-six, omitting the two swords in the Isle of Man. These swords are distributed amongst thirty-one cities and towns. London and Bristol share with each other the unique distinction of possessing four swords, Lincoln can boast of three; while York, Kingston-on-Hull, Newcastle, Exeter, Hereford, Gloucester, and Worcester each have two. The other towns have to be content with possessing but one apiece.
Inasmuch as swords of state are for ceremony and not for use, they partake more of the nature of property swords than of real weapons. Their hilts are elaborately wrought with silver and are gilt; their scabbards are covered with velvet and adorned with chapes and lockets, which are mostly silver-gilt.
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Fig. 692. "Mourning" sword of the city of Bristol
Probably dating from 1373
(The quillons have been at some time put on upside down)
To this custom of the corporation sword being a mere pageant sword, there are, however, notable exceptions. Bristol and Lincoln, for instance, possess superb examples of actual XIVth century weapons; and one of the swords at York is also
