Perceiving at this
moment that they were pursued by only one man and a couple of servants,
they turned upon him and cut him down with their swords. I remember when
a child, sitting on his grave, where the grass long grew rank and green,
distinguishing it from the rest of the field. A female of the family then
residing at Saint Clement's Wells used to tell me the tragedy, of which
she had been an eye-witness, and showed me in evidence one of the silver
clasps of the unfortunate gentleman's waistcoat.
NOTE 35
The name of Andrea de Ferrara is inscribed on all the Scottish
broadswords which are accounted of peculiar excellence. Who this artist
was, what were his fortunes, and when he flourished, have hitherto defied
the research of antiquaries; only it is in general believed that Andrea
de Ferrara was a Spanish or Italian artificer, brought over by James IV
or V to instruct the Scots in the manufacture of sword blades. Most
barbarous nations excel in the fabrication of arms; and the Scots had
attained great proficiency in forging swords so early as the field of
Pinkie; at which period the historian Patten describes them as 'all
notably broad and thin, universally made to slice, and of such exceeding
good temper that, as I never saw any so good, so I think it hard to
devise better.
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