Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 3).djvu/167



Early XVIth century Tower of London

Italian, middle of the XVIth century Tower of London

collection a weapon containing a mace, a four-barrelled pistol, and a holy water sprinkler all combined in one—called by Skelton a demi holy water sprinkler. Other combination weapons, such, for instance, as what is now known as the "secret ranseur" or "swyn feather," made their appearance towards the end of the XVth century. It seems difficult, indeed, in view of the fact that so many of these particular weapons are extant, to imagine that they were only made to satisfy an individual whim. Meyrick speaks of