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 of arrows. The engraving is of the same epoch as the blade, and has the appearance of having been copied from the silver coinage of these monarchs, a framing of small circles reproducing the dotted framing of the coins.

The same devices, arms, and badges are repeated alternately four times on either side of the blade, and in the initials between them is what appears to be an inscription in unknown characters. These signs were no doubt meant to represent Arabic characters, to which they bear a rough resemblance, doubtless with the intention of suggesting that the blade had played a part in the wars of Ferdinand and Isabella against the Moors, and that it was a blade captured from some Arab chief.

Foreign blades of the third quarter of the XVIth century with forged inscriptions like those met with in England, are not uncommon (see vol. ii, p. 293). There is a blade of exactly the same character among the swords bequeathed to the Cluny Museum by the late Monsieur E. de Beaumont, two others very similar in the Royal Armoury of Madrid, and others in public and private collections which the author visited.

Spanish, third quarter of the XVIth century Collection: H.M. the King, Windsor Castle

We will next proceed to illustrate the family of hilts of which the de Cosson sword is the immediate forerunner. In these the pommel is generally cruciform in section, and the broad knuckle-*guards are pierced in the same way; but the quality of the workmanship varies. A fine sword of this type (Fig. 1367) is to be seen in the Royal Armoury, Windsor (No. 43 in the 1904 catalogue). It was presented to King George III by Lord Fife on 17th May 1813. The hilt is characteristic of this Spanish fashion, and must date from the third