the Romans, brother of Henry III. This statement would point to its being a weapon of the thirteenth century, which it undoubtedly is. The tenure is given in the inquest of Sir John Conyers in 1396. The Baron de Cosson mentions two examples somewhat similar, one in the Musée de Cluny, Paris; the other in the Brera at Milan. He compares the Conyers falchion with one given on the drawing from the Painted Chamber, Westminster, attributed by Mr. John Hewitt to the second half of the thirteenth century. The forms are certainly almost identical. The Conyers weapon has a nearly round pommel, with the quillons slightly curved towards the point at the extremities. The Paris falchion has a very large circular pommel, with the quillons on a sharp curve in the same direction. The guard of the Milan specimen is straight and the pommel a large oval, with small square side projections. The blades of all three falchions are similar in form, the Milan example being the largest. Drawings of the three falchions may be seen in the _Proceedings_ (vol. v., p. 42) of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-on-Tyne. _The True Tragedy of Richard of Yorke_ (1595) says: “With purple fawchon painted to the hilts.” Another local tenure sword, mentioned in Blount’s _Antient Tenures_, is that under which the Umfravilles held their lordship of Redesdale in Northumberland. An instance of the application of the “tenure” principle in a humbler form and modern date, occurs in an agreement with the sword-smiths of Shotley Bridge, County of Durham, concerning rent for houses occupied by them. The rent is supplemented by an annual sword of their own make. The sabre, which is a near relative of the scimitar, is of two kinds, both straight and curved; the latter form was in vogue as early as the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, and of course later. An interesting example of the curved form, which is attributed to Charlemagne (771–814), is preserved in the Treasury at Vienna. The form betrays its direct Eastern origin, and the tradition is too vague to base any inferences on it. The sword is about thirty inches long, by over three-quarters of an inch broad, and would appear to date about the fourteenth century. The sword of the fourteenth century continues cruciform, with the quillons either straight or curving towards the blade. The shape of the pommel varies greatly, being trefoiled, conical, circular, etc., and sometimes it is also charged with a cross. It was not uncommon for a ring to be fixed to the pommel for attachment to a chain connecting it with a mamillière. Examples of this kind may be seen on an effigy in the church at Ebersberg, temp. 1371; another at Borfe, in the Tyrol; and one is given by Hewitt in his _Ancient Armour_, vol. ii., Plate XV. The sword is fastened at the left side by a broad straight belt, called a “bawdric.”