Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 2).djvu/292

 *hander), and yet longer than a short sword." Of almost the same family and use are the Spadona, Espadon, and Montante.

Found in the Thames in the Zion reach. Collection: Mr. Henry G. Keasby

Throughout the XVth century there is found in use at the same time, though it must be said not in such common use, the true single-handed sword. In gripping the weapon the first finger was generally placed over the quillon, thus securing the hilt more firmly in the hand. Such a grip likewise assisted to direct the edge of the sword in delivering a cut. Even in the XIVth century the practice of such a hand-grip can be noted in the picture of the "Coronation of the Virgin," by Andrea di Cione, called Orcagna, now in the National Gallery, a picture probably painted about the middle of the XIVth century as the altar-piece for S. Pietro Maggiore, Florence. In this picture St. Paul is represented as holding his sword with his forefinger over the quillon; while the same hand-grip is seen in a fresco at the Campo Santo at Pisa, painted between 1380 and 1390, which represents scenes from the life of St. Ephesus; again the same grip is to be noted in the great naval battle-piece by Luca Spinelli, which is shown in the Palazzo Pubblico at Bologna, and belongs to the same epoch. In the picture by Paolo de Dono, known as Uccello, in the National Gallery, which was probably painted about 1446, the knight who is delivering a cut at his adversary