Alfonso Duke of Ferrara had as his coat of arms a bomb-shell in flight, and Antoine de Lalaing, Count of Hooghstraeten, had a bomb-shell exploding in water. The adoption of these two devices at about the same time (1540) seems to indicate that this projectile was coming into use, that is to say, for military purposes at least.
An early reference to shell appears in Stowe’s Chronicles (1565). He mentions two foreigners, Peter Brand and Peter Van Cullen, a gunsmith, in the employ of Henry VIII (A.D. 1546), who “caused to be made certain mortar pieces being at the mouth eleven inches unto nineteen inches wide, for the use whereof to be made certain hollow shot of cast-iron, to be stuffed with firework or wild-fire, whereof the bigger sort for the same had screws of iron to receive a match to carry fire kindled, that the firework might be set on fire for to break in pieces the same hollow shot, whereof the smallest piece hitting any man would kill or spoil him.” The missile is to all intents the firework shell of the present day, except that the modern shell has a papier-maché case.
The reference to “firework” without further explanation seems to indicate that by this time the word was well established in use. Shakespeare makes three references to fireworks. In “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” Act V, Scene 1, Don Armado says: “The King would have me present the Princess with some delightful entertainment, or show, or pageant, or antic, or firework.” In “Henry VIII,” Act I, Scene 3, we read of “fights and fireworks”; and again in “King John,” Act II, Scene 1: “What cracker is this same that deafs our ears?”
However, nothing in the nature of a firework display appears to have taken place, at least in this country, before the time of Elizabeth.
The use of fire for theatrical purposes, as in Mystery Plays to represent the “gate of Hell,” has been taken by some to refer to fireworks, but this seems doubtful as flames are mentioned, and it is more probable that a torch or similar contrivance was used.
When, however, we read a description of a barge at the coronation of Anne Boleyn, in 1538, carrying a dragon “casting forth wild fire—and men casting fire,” the reference to some pyrotechnic effect, however primitive, seems fairly obvious.
The men performers may be considered as early types of the “green man” who made his appearance somewhat later. The office of this performer was to head processions carrying “fire clubs” and scattering “fireworks” (probably sparks) to clear the way.
One account of a procession to the Chester Races on St. George’s Day, 1610, commences as follows: “Two men in green ivy, set with work upon their other habit, with black hair and black beards, very ugly to behold, and garlands upon their heads, with great clubs in their hands, with fireworks to scatter abroad to maintain the way for the rest of the show.”
The fire clubs referred to are described in John Bate’s book, published in 1635; the same writer illustrates a “green man” on the title page of his work.
