Page:The Bible of Amiens.djvu/97

Rh name, which are of much descriptive importance to us.

32. "The French poet in the first book of his Franciades " (says Mons. Favine; but what poet I know not, nor can enquire) " encounters " (in the sense of en-quarters, or depicts as a herald) " certain fables on the name of the French by the adoption and composure of two Gaulish words joyned together, Phere-Encos which signifieth ' Beare-Launce,' (—Shake-Lance, we might perhaps venture to translate,) a lighter weapon than the Spear beginning here to quiver in the hand of its chivalry—and Fere-encos then passing swiftly on the tongue into Francos;"—a derivation not to be adopted, but the idea of the weapon most carefully,—together with this following—that "among the arms of the ancient French, over and beside the Launce, was the Battaile-Axe, which they called Anchon, and moreover, yet to this day, in many Provinces of France, it is termed an Achon, wherewith they served themselves in warre, by throwing it a farre off at joyning with the enemy, onely to discover the man and to cleave his shield. Because this Achon was darted with such violence, as it would cleave the Shield, and compell the Maister thereof to hold down his arm, and being so discovered, as naked or unarmed; it made way for the sooner