CHAPTER XXXV
THE SWORD AND RAPIER OF THE XVIth CENTURY
Much as the author would have liked to have treated the subject
as a whole, he is again compelled to deal separately with one of
its branches, this time with the rapid evolution of the rapier or
town sword. Up to this period the mailed gauntlet and the
thoroughly protective body armour formed so effective an additional
line of defence behind the parries and guards of the sword that any
elaboration of the hand-guard attached to the hilt which might have restricted
the free use of the weapon was probably very little studied. But when, in the
second quarter of the XVIth century, it was recognized that freedom of action
in a fight was a greater asset than the wearing of heavy and cumbersome
armour as a set-off against the improvement in firearms, it became absolutely
necessary to strengthen the first line of defence against the thrusting and
cutting weapon. That this point was quickly and thoroughly appreciated is
evident from the rapid improvement that was made in the science of swordsmanship
and in the defensive qualities of the sword hilt. Instead of dealing
immediately with the sword and rapier of the XVIth century we will go
back a few years, picking up the thread of our story where we left it, and
mention once more the hilt of that particular formation which, constructed
with pommel, straight quillons, large pas-d'âne and ring-guard, marks the
transition of the sword with simple quillons to the fully developed rapier
form. The Musée d'Artillerie of Paris shows us two admirable weapons of
this class, J 70 and 71, one a little more advanced in form than the other
(Figs. 1325 and 1326). Both hilts appear to be of North Italian or possibly
Spanish origin; but the method of their decoration—an Oriental arabesque
design executed in gold and silver azzimina—has led to the belief, a belief
strengthened by the appearance of Arabic characters on the knuckle-guard
of one of them, that though the actual foundation of these hilts is of European
workmanship, their decoration was entrusted to a craftsman from the East.
