Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 2).djvu/325

 Four shields surround the upper parts of the grip, which contain the following inscription in rather illegible characters:

"In the name of God, power belongs to Him; there is no other divinity but He; happiness proceeds from God alone."

In the lower part, in similar shields, is inscribed:

"Miracles belong to God, for certainly the ignorant do not know God at first, for it is their habit to err."

On the pommel is the following inscription:

"Say He alone is God, Eternal God, who was neither created nor was engendered."

Under the pommel, on green enamel, appear the following:

"The only God, Eternal, not "

On the other side:

"Was neither created, nor engendered, and has no equal."

On a band which appears under the grip, in enamel, is the following:

"God is clement and merciful" on one side, and, on the other side: "God is gifted with the best memory."

The learned archaeologist and orientalist, Don Pascual de Gayángos, is of opinion that this sword was worn hanging round the neck between the shoulder blades. To the leather girdle, which is still in existence, was probably attached a small bag, tahali.

Spanish, early XVth century

Collection: Mr. Felix Joubert

For the admirable description of the hilt of this superb sword, together with the translation of the inscriptions, the present writer is indebted to Señor Juan F. Riaño's work, "The Industrial Arts in Spain," published for the Committee of Council on Education.

The next most important of this Hispano-Moorish group of swords is that now exhibited in the Bibliothèque Nationale of Paris, to which institution it was presented in 1862 by the Duc de Luynes (Fig. 662). The Duc de Luynes purchased it from a shoemaker in Granada. It bears the motto of