Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 4).djvu/289



Italian or Spanish, first quarter of the XVIth century J 71, Musée d'Artillerie, Paris

Italian or Spanish, first half of the XVIth century J 70, Musée d'Artillerie, Paris

The fact, however, of their being enriched in the true arabesque manner is no proof of this; for that fine series of swords and daggers, the product of late XVth century Venice, shows all these Eastern characteristics, doubtless owing to that port's constant intercourse with the Orient. The formation of these hilts is common to those of nearly all civilized Europe early in the XVIth century, and is not characteristic of that of any particular Latin country. The fence associated with these particular swords consisted to a great extent in untutored cuts and guards and in such play as might be prompted by natural cunning. This continued until the first quarter of the XVIth century, when the hilt of the sword was comparatively simple; but as the second quarter of the century progressed the natural fighting soon gave way to the scientific sword-play shown by the fencer in the champ clos or, as it was termed, the steccata, "which is the place of combat," with the