Roundhead (weapon)

A roundhead was a type of mace used during the English Civil War. It is described as having a head about 9 inches (23 cm), a staff 2 yards (1.8 m) long inserted into the head, twelve iron spikes round about, with another spike in the end.^[1]^[2] In 1643 an article in Mercurius Civicus claimed the weapon was called a roundhead by the Cavaliers because they were to be used to beat the Roundheads into subjection.^[3]

References and notes

^ Chisholm 1911, p. 772.
^ Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition, Roundhead †2. Weapon cites John Angier Lancashire's Valley of Achor is England's doore of hope (1643), for this description: "A new-invented mischievous Instrument... An head about a quarter of a yard long, a staffe of two yards long put into their head, twelve iron pikes round about, and one in the end to stop with; This fierce Weapon they called, A Round-head.
^ Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition, Roundhead †2. citing Mercurius Civicus No. 11. 84

Attribution:

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Roundhead". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 23 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 772.

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[FOOTNOTEChisholm1911772-1] Chisholm 1911, p. 772.

[2] Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition, Roundhead †2. Weapon cites John Angier Lancashire's Valley of Achor is England's doore of hope (1643), for this description: "A new-invented mischievous Instrument... An head about a quarter of a yard long, a staffe of two yards long put into their head, twelve iron pikes round about, and one in the end to stop with; This fierce Weapon they called, A Round-head.

[3] Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd Edition, Roundhead †2. citing Mercurius Civicus No. 11. 84

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