Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 3).djvu/53

 seen is in an example to be found in Ore Church near Hastings of about the year 1400. Another good illustration of such a dagger is shown on a brass of a franklin (and a priest) which is in Shottesbrooke Church, Berkshire, and may be dated about 1370 (Fig. 745).

German, about 1420. Collection: Sir H. Farnham Burke, K.C.V.O.

Of the actual weapon we are able to give a few illustrations. The first is a dagger-knife coming under the basilard category which is now in the London Museum (Fig. 746). It was found in the Thames at Westminster. This example, which is essentially a plebeian weapon, might be assigned to a date even as early as the XIIIth century; indeed, it is the lamella of the Italians. The blade is back-edged. Of the same proportions as the last dagger mentioned, though of later date and more representative in form, is the basilard in the Guildhall Museum collection (Fig. 747), which was found in Brook's Wharf, Upper Thames Street. The blade in this case is double-*edged, whilst the original grip of ivy root is in position. A finer form of the basilard dagger is one in our own possession; for if a grip were added to it, a robust and knightly weapon would be the result. It was found near Frankfort-on-Main (Fig. 748), a circumstance which recalls the fine monumental slab in the Kaiser Dom of that city showing the relief effigy of Johann von Holzhausen (Fig. 749). On this slab Holzhausen is depicted wearing, girded on his right side, a basilard-dagger with a stiff tapering blade and with a grip of considerable length which closely resembles an actual dagger which is also in our possession. This dagger, which was found in northern Germany (Fig. 750), is an interesting example, despite the fact that the wooden grip is a modern addition; for the blade is of an unusual section and a fine example of workmanship. Almost a duplicate dagger to this is to be seen in the Guildhall Museum (Fig. 751); the latter specimen was found in London. Yet another basilard of very slender proportions, also excavated in Germany, and of the early years of the XVth century, is now in the collection of Sir H. Farnham Burke (Fig. 752). Three