Norfolk Collection at Arundel, while on the continent many are to be found. The lower part of the blade of the weapon we illustrate is formed to the outline of a double-headed eagle, upon which is a flaming sun chiselled with a cross in low relief in the centre. The whole design is surmounted by a crown, and the head ends in a flamboyant tapering blade. The details of the decoration, especially the plumage of the eagle, are boldly chased and partly gilt. The haft socket is octagonal (Fig. 1412). The Musée d'Artillerie (K 497) supplies us with a different type of partisan head (Fig. 1413), a head richly etched and at one time gilt with the arms of the Elector of Bavaria and with the date 1677. On the reverse side of the blade is the date 1741, subsequently added. In the Wallace Collection (No. 487) we must draw attention to a very beautifully designed partisan head (Fig. 1414) used by the personal guard of Louis XIV, and carried out from the design of Jean Le Paultre. The blade is of the usual partisan type; but it is finely pierced and chiselled with a centre column, at the base of which stands the figure of Hercules with the lion's skin and club. Below the pedestal are two seated figures of captives; at the top of the column is the fleur-de-lis, and suspended in the centre is a circular medallion containing the laureated head of Apollo, encircled with the motto adopted by the King in 1666:—NEC PLURIBUS IMPAR. The medallion is supported on either side by flying cupids with trumpets. The whole of the groundwork is decorated with designs of trophies of arms and laurel branches. Many of the flat surfaces are plated with gold. The haft socket is faceted and has a circular hole, in which formerly was the lug or short bar common to partisans of this type.
We have described late types of partisans because they demonstrate clearly the continued use of a XVth century form of weapon late in the XVIIth century; they were carried by the guard of great princes, but there are many richly decorated partisans of late XVIth and of early XVIIth century date, possessing great artistic merit, which were individual weapons. We will now consider and illustrate a few of the highly enriched weapons of this class that are to be seen in various collections. Many are veritable works of art of their particular periods. From their sumptuousness and from the labour bestowed upon them they must have been the personal ceremonial weapons of individuals of rank. Quite a splendid partisan was formerly in the Spitzer Collection (Fig. 1415). To the author it appears to be of German workmanship; but the design of its enrichment is inspired by the art of the late Italian Renaissance. The blade presents no variation from the usual form; it terminates rather abruptly and appears to have lost
