A graphical sketch of the soldier accompanies these remarks (as in the facsimile annexed), which appears almost a caricature, but it must have been seriously approved as a good illustration, by our author, the “Souldier of Berwick-upon-Tweed.”
Mr. Hewett gives the following table in his “Ancient Armour and Weapons,” page 715.
| Length of Barrel. | Number of Bullets to the pound. | Nature of lock. | |
| Musquet.. | 4 ft. | 10 | Match |
| Harquebus . | 2½ ft. | 17 | Wheel |
| Carbine .. | 2½ ft. | 24 | Flint |
62.
A way for a Harquebuss, a Crock, or Ship-musquet, six upon a Carriage, shooting with such expedition, as[1] without danger one may charge, level, and discharge[2] them sixty times in a minute of an hour, two or three together.
Footnotes
[1]as that.
[2]level and discharge—omitted.
[A way for a Harquebus, a Crock.] Arquebuse, corrupted to Harquebus—a firearm requiring a forked rest placed in the ground, on which to steady the heavy barrel, which carried a ball of 2 ounces, or for fortresses 3½ ounces.
Arquebuse à croc—a small piece of ordnance placed on a stock or club, fired by a match. We find among the records of the State Paper Office the following notice in the Calendars, viz.:—John the Almain[L] writes to Walsyngham, recommending one of his countrymen, who had invented an harquebuse “that shall containe ten balls or pellets of lead, all the which shall goe off, one after another, having once given fire, so that with one harquebuse one may kill ten theeves or other enemies without recharging.”—Cal. State Papers, Dom. Series, 1547–1580. Edited by R. Lemon, F.S.A., 8vo. 1856, p. 696. No. 45.