Here's a very interesting passage from Sir Richard Hawkins' account of his 1594 expedition. Hawkins' ship was attacked by a larger Spanish vessel, and his only hope for escape was to shoot through its mast and sails. Hawkins lists the many weapons his ship carried for this purpose: [To] shoote downe his contraries Masts or … Continue reading The naval weapons of Sir Richard Hawkins: musket arrows, slurbowes, fire arrows
Fireworks
Median Fire Arrows
From Purchas His Pilgrims, Book 4, Chapter 2, Of the Medes, we have an example of flaming arrows being used against humans, rather than as mere incendiaries to ignite buildings and ships. In this Region was made the oile Medicum, wherein their arrowes were steeped, which being shot out of a looser bow (for a … Continue reading Median Fire Arrows
Another Fire Arrow Recipe
A follow-up the earlier fire arrow post. Nathanael Nye's 1670 book "A Treatise of Artificiall Fire-Works for War and Recreation" contains another recipe. The illustration demonstrates naval use, but the description makes clear that it is also intended to be used against individuals. Get a long shaft of wood ; and joyne unto it an … Continue reading Another Fire Arrow Recipe
Bow Vs. Musket 