d'Artillerie, K 69 (Fig. 924) that might be of the Jedburgh axe type. Meyrick regards the Jedburgh axe as a weapon similar to the axe carried to-day by the farriers of the Household Cavalry.
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Fig. 925. Halberd of the voulge type
Commonly known as the "Sempach" halberd Early years of the XVth century Collection: M. Charles Boissonnas, Geneva
Under the heading of the "halberd" very many varieties of hafted weapons must, as we have said, be included, all showing the vagaries of fashion that either modified or exaggerated the form of the primitive type, a weapon consisting of a cutting axe-like blade on one side, a beak on the other, and a spike affixed to the head. As in the case of all hafted arms, the heads of which show signs of gradual evolution, we are a little uncertain from what original form the halberd sprung; but by going to the derivation of the word itself we can see what class of arm it must have been at the outset. Sir Samuel Meyrick suggested that the name "halberd" was derived from the Teutonic Alle Bard (cleave all); while M. Demmin put forward another theory, a derivation from the German Halb-Barthe (half battle-axe), or Alte Barthe (old battle-axe). We ourselves, however, must agree with Planché, who in his erudite "Cyclopaedia of Costume" says that he fails to find any authority for translating bard as "cleave"; we are inclined, indeed, to derive the word from the mid-High German Halmbarde (halm, handle or haft, and barde, an axe). But whatever derivation be accepted, all suggest that the halberd was originally a hacking weapon. Though one notes the popularity of the halberd in Northern Europe in fairly early times, and the responsibility of the Northerners for its introduction into Germany and Switzerland, one cannot claim for it any great antiquity. The early existing forms of halberd are those known as the Sempach types from their being employed in the battle of Sempach in 1393. Halberds of this type have a somewhat more complete form of head than the voulge, the haft not passing through two detached sockets at one side, but continuing into the head of the weapon, which is hollowed to receive it; as in the case of an example we represent (Fig. 925), a voulge halberd which came from the Castle
