References
Chart showing the number of references in each month of the diary’s entries.
1660
1661
1662
1663
1664
1666
1667
1668
- Apr
Swords
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Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
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Chart showing the number of references in each month of the diary’s entries.
4 Annotations
First Reading
Clement • Link
English swords often had a domestically produced hilt attached to an imported blade. (The blades from Hounslow notwithstanding.)
Here's a descriptive link with hilt photos of pieces from the 1st half of the 17th c.
http://www.myarmoury.com/feature_…
Blades of Spanish make were often considered to be the finest. The description "Toledo steel" is thought to have some cach
Pedro. • Link
Swords. L&M Companion (p98).
(Men's Dress)
Dress swords, often with silver hilts, replaced rapiers at the Restoraton as part of the everyday outdoor wear of gentlemen. He was improperly dressed if he were without sword or cloak, and his footbot would wear a small sword as part of his livery, thus emphasising the fact that the weapon was for decoration rather than utility.
Second Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
Swords may have been "dress" garments for men, but they held considerable significance when held ceremoniously.
An example happens in 1669; not really a SPOILER so long as you don't read the rest of the post.
https://www.pepysdiary.com/diary/…
San Diego Sarah • Link
The French word “mousquetaire” originally referred to an infantryman with a musket.
Over time the word changed its meaning, it lost the connection with the weapon and referred to a much grander person. A “mousquetaire” became a gentleman in one of the two companies of the royal household cavalry in pre-revolutionary France. The companies were distinguished by the color of the horses they rode - either grey or black. They were known as Mousquetaires Aris and Mousquetaires Noirs.
Cavalry have no use for clumsy muskets, which are difficult to reload at the best of times.
The problem we have is an over-literal translation of the French which loses the context." https://www.theguardian.com/notes…