"Le chaple commence aus espees, Dont là a de maintes manieres. Sus hyaumes e sus cervelieres Prennent plommees à descendre, E hachetes, pour tout porfendre."
And when, in the same year 1264, the Earl of Leicester assembled his army on Barham Downs, in addition to the ordinary military levy, every township was required to send eight, six, or four footmen well armed with spears, bows and arrows, swords, cross-bows, and hatchets. (New Rymer, 444.)
From the collection of thirteenth-century Proverbs, which has already supplied us with several curious particulars of this early time, we learn that the "Haches de Dannemark" held the first place among the axes of the period: but whether this distinction is accorded for the form or the manufacture of the weapon, is not clear. Matthew Paris speaks of it under 1256: "Cum jaculis----Danisque securibus et gesis[371]----hostiliter insequuntur."
The "Danish Axe" is mentioned in several military tenures of this century; but a more remote antiquity is usually assigned to the origin of the grant itself. The weapon (more or less original) was always exhibited with great pride in the family mansion. Dugdale tells us that Plumpton in Warwickshire "was possest in _Henry_ 3. time by one _Walter de Plompton_, who held these lands by a certain weapon called a _Danish Axe_: which, being the very Charter whereby the said land was given unto one of his Ancestors, hung up for a long time in the Hall of the capitall messuage belonging thereto, in testimony of the said tenure; untill that the said House was seized upon by Sir _John Bracebrigge_, Knight, Lord of KINGSBURIE in _Edward_ 3. time, and pulled to the ground: After which it remained a great while in the Hall of the mansion belonging to _William de Plompton_, in HARDRESHULL (about two miles distant), being commonly reputed and called _the Charter of_ PLOMTON[372]."
And in the 12th Edw. I.: "Robertus Hurding tenet unam acram terrae et unum furnum in villa Castri de Lanceveton (Launceston, co. Cornwall) nomine serjantiae essendi in Castro de Lanceveton cum uno Capello ferreo et una Hachet Denesh per XL. dies tempore guerrae ad custum suum proprium, et post XL. dies, si Dominus Castri velit ipsum tenere in eodem Castro, erit ad custus ipsius domini[373]."