quarter of the XVIth century. The blade now in the hilt is dated 1634. The mounting is of brightened steel; the pommel, which is flat and of inverted shield-shaped form, is pierced with various ornaments; the quillons, which are broad and flat, are also pierced at the ends; there is a single bar-guard covering the knuckles, and a bar projecting at right angles from the base of the left pas-d'âne; all are decorated with piercing to match the pommel. The grip, made of wood and covered with embossed silver, has been added more recently. The blade has a deep ricasso and a single groove, stamped with a name now illegible, and etched with the following Latin inscriptions:—
QVIT QVIR AGAS PRVDENTER AGAS. It should read: QVID QVID AGAS PRVDENTER AGAS. Translated: "Whatever thou doest, do with foresight."
VNFORTVS ARMATVS DEFENDIT TRINIVM SVVM. Translated: "A man strongly armed keepeth his palace" (St. Luke, xi, 21). It is impossible to reconstruct the correct text, as UNFORTUS is no Latin word. No doubt it ought to read:—FORTIS ARMATVS.
ET SVRXE DOMINE A ADATIVVAME IN TENEB ANIM MEA. It should read: ET SVRREXIT DOMINVS ET ADJVVAVIT IN TENEBRIS ANIMAM MEAM. Translated: "And the Lord arose and helped my soul in the darkness."
ESTI MVLVS AVTEN MORTIS PECATVM EST VIRTVS VERO PECATI LEX. It ought to read: STIMVLVS AVTEM MORTIS PECCATVM EST: VIRTUS VERO PECCATI LEX. Translated: "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law" (1 Corinthians, xv, 56).
ANO D. E. CEIZENTO TREINTA QVATRO. (i.e., 1634.)
OPVS LAVDATARTIFICEM. It ought to read: OPVS LAVDAT ARTIFICEM. Translated: "The work praises the artist."
IN TE DOMINE ESPERABIT NONCONFVDAR IN ETERNVM IN JVSTICIA TUA LIBERA ME. It ought to read: IN TE DOMINE SPERAVI NON CONFVNDAR IN ETERNVM: IN JVSTITIA TVA LIBERA ME. Translated: "I have hoped in Thee, O Lord. Let me not be eternally confounded: in Thy justice make me free" (Psalm xxxi, 1).
To this sword a scabbard, that appears to be of Scottish origin, was fitted early in the XVIIIth century, at which time some four inches must have been cut from the original length of the blade, no doubt to make it conform to the length of the basket-hilted swords worn with the Scottish Highland costume.
We can mention other swords of Spanish origin which have hilts similar to this. Such are to be found in the Royal Armoury of Madrid (Fig. 1368),
