Historty of Britian ECW sword pics -- myArmoury.com

William Goodwin

I've been reading this book "The History of Britian Vol.II - The Wars of the British 1603-1776, Simon Schama, for a while now and just finally got around to scanning some of the swords pictured there in.

The first being Oliver Cromwell's ceremonial sword, which he was buried with and secondly a attempt at blowing up a pic of Sir Edmund Verneys sword. This looks to be a double ringed hilt of sort, kinda hard to tell from the painting/pic. Any guess's?

Bill

Gordon Frye · Posted: Mon 14 Feb, 2005 7:22 pm Post subject:

Bill, cool stuff. I hadn't realized that they kept the sword that good old Oliver was buried with when they scattered him to the winds, but I guess it makes sense that the Royalists did. Might as well hang on to it for next go-round!

Sir Edward Varney, as I recall (and note from details in the picture you posted) was wearing a Three-Quarter suit of armour (since he has a close-helmet there on the table next to him, LOL!). Thus my guess, along with what I can see from the painting, would be that the sword in question is indeed a ring-hilted sword (or "Sword-Rapier", or "Cavalry Rapier" or whatever definition is popular this year) without a knuckle-bow.

It seems as though that style was fairly popular until pretty late in the game among fully armoured cavalrymen, since they were still wearing steel gauntlets, although they were certainly fingered by this age. It would make getting the sword into action a whole lot quicker than if you had to get your gauntleted hand inside a knucklebow. At least this is my take on the matter. Some seemed to prefer the knucklebow, some preferred the sword without one, so I suppose it came down to personal taste when you really consider the matter.

Anyway, my two pence worth on the issue!

Cheers!

Gordon

Thomas McDonald · myArmoury Alumni

Bill

There's a good aticle in the Twelfth Park Lane Arms Fair, entitled: Some Swords Associated with Oliver Cromwell, by Claude Blair , which I'm sure would be of interest to you ! ( I'll try & get it scanned and get it to you !)

Mac

William Goodwin · Posted: Tue 15 Feb, 2005 9:11 am Post subject:

Very cool Mac, thanks a heep!

Bill