Page:A record of European armour and arms through seven centuries (Volume 5).djvu/119

 *mina damascening of characteristic French origin. On one face, upon a field of semé-de-lis, is the crowned shield of France and Navarre, surrounded by the collars of St. Michael and St. Esprit. Continuing up the blade the decoration changes to what we may term Henri II arabesques. On the reverse face of the blade a less interesting design of scrollwork is utilized as enrichment. On close inspection it will be found that the blade has been adapted to its present hilt.

The hilt is probably of Viennese fashion and workmanship, about 1630. Collection: Mr. S. J. Whawell

By tradition said to have belonged to Louis XIV when Dauphin, about 1649-50. J 382, Musée d'Artillerie, Paris

Not unlike in general shape to this sword hilt is a group of hilts occasionally met with, which, though we are at a loss to know on what authority, are said to have been made and worn in Vienna almost throughout the first half of the XVIIth century; in the author's opinion they belong to this epoch, dating perhaps from 1600 to 1630, but in their decoration they show