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

1. Chisholm 1911, Roundhead.
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

Attribution

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