hilt quotes

  And there he bounde the gyrdyll aboute the hyltis, and threw theswerde as farre intothewatirashemyght. And there cam an arme and an honde above the watir, and toke hit and cleyght hit, and shoke hit thryse and braundysshed, and than vanysshed with the swerde into the watir.

- SirThomas   d.1471 Malory
c.1470  Morte d'Arthur, bk.21, ch.5.