Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 3).djvu/135

 wooden portion of the grip. This example probably comes from Bavaria and belongs to the closing years of the XVth century; for the crocketed arches placed at given intervals, which occupy the hexagonal sides of the haft, are rendered in the late Gothic style of that country. The grip must have been of wood, fitting into the end of the haft as in the case of a spear haft. A tiny little mace in the author's collection, very simple in outline, and constructed on the same principle as the Hermitage mace furnishes our next illustration (Fig. 883).

Originally hafted with wood Late XVth century Collection: Author

Late XIVth century. Formerly in the Church of Culture-Sainte Cathérine, Paris. After Planché

As we have stated, many undoubtedly genuine examples of the mace are to be seen; these, however, tell us very little, and little has been gathered from MSS. of the use of the mace in warfare. All we can do is to surmise the nationality of extant specimens, and to date them fairly approximately to their style. We are, however, inclined to think that, deadly weapon as the mace must have been when used in actual warfare, it fulfilled, by the end of the XVth century, no more important function than that performed by the commander's bâton in the XVIIIth century, being merely part of