Spanish cup-hilts and bilbos for naval use?

[M ELEY]

If you ever make it this way, Cap'n Jim, I'll have the grog waiting-
Have you ever been to Historic Beauford,NC? This has a documented property that actually belonged to William Teach and it's still standing. The NC Maritime Museum is there, as is an ancient cemetery where the privateer Otway Banks of War of 1812 fame is buried. Went there this summer and had a blast!

You bring up an excellent point concerning the contingent of soldiers on board. I was thinking of the later British navy with their marines, but of coarse this practice existed much earlier with the great galleons. It stands to reason that foot soldiers on these ships could certainly been armed with bilbos, as well as hangers. That being said ( ), I won't let it go that some cup-hilted rapiers might have made it to sea, just as many other types of swords did per preference. I guess I'm thinking about the private merchant class ships and colonial Spanish ships as well, where the rules were not so tight.