Warenne Rusty Sword

"John (the 7th Earl of Warenne) was issued with a writ of ‘Quo Warranto’ by which the King demanded to know by what warranty did the Earl hold Conisbrough and his other estates. The Earl drew his ancestor’s sword that had been used at the Battle of Hastings and replied in anger ‘Gladio riri, gladio teneo, gladio tenedo’ (I got it by the sword, I hold it by the sword, I will keep it by the sword). Three years later Earl John repeated his declaration when his right to maintain local gallows and raise taxes on bread and been were questioned. It seems that after this reply his concessions were not effected.”

David Holdsworth’s ‘Ivanhoe’s Conisbrough