The Exercise of Arms

11. How he shall place the Harquebus against his chest, prepare to fire, lower his head, raise his right elbow, and hold his body upright and steady; and in order not to place the Harquebus against the shoulder, but rather against the chest, he shall position his body accordingly, while holding his left leg (which must be bent) forward and keeping the right leg firm and behind, in order to control the Harquebus, aim it, and fire more securely.

12. Having fired, he shall take the Harquebus properly away from his cheek and hold the barrel high, so that if the Harquebus had misfired, he does not harm his companions.

13. He shall remove the match A slow-burning cord used to ignite the gunpowder. from the serpentine original: "serpentin"; the S-shaped metal piece that holds the lit match and brings it down into the priming pan. with care, for fear of extinguishing it, doing so with the same fingers he used to put it there, without pulling it.

14. How he shall return the match between the fingers from which (to prepare himself) he had taken it, always holding the barrel high.

15. How he shall blow into the pan original: "bacinet"; the small metal tray that holds the priming powder., while it is still open and after having fired, so that if (by chance) any spark remains, the priming powder original: "puluerin" does not ignite and cause him harm; meanwhile, he prepares the priming powder to save time.

16. How he shall place the prime original: "amource" into the pan with the priming flask, and not from his main equipment or charges The individual pre-measured powder containers hanging from a bandolier., so as not to lose time through the clumsiness of the said charges or otherwise, holding the barrel high for the reasons mentioned before.

17. How he shall close the pan with his front finger, as this figure demonstrates.

18. Then he shall shake off the powder, if by chance any remained on the pan cover, so that while adjusting the match, the Harquebus does not discharge unexpectedly.

19. And despite having shaken off the powder, he shall blow on it again for greater safety.

20. Wishing to reload anew, he shall turn the Harquebus with his left hand, and to do this with proper form, he shall guide it with the right hand toward the left side.

21. How he shall let the Harquebus slide down along the left side, and with the right hand, seize the equipment original: "furniment" or the charge from the bandolier A shoulder belt with loops for holding ammunition tubes..

22. How he shall open the charge of his equipment; and if he wears a bandolier, he shall conduct himself as is shown for the Musketeers Musketeers used larger firearms but followed similar reloading principles..

23. How he shall put the charge of powder from his equipment into the Harquebus, holding it off the ground, if he has the strength to do so.

24. How he shall draw his ramrod original: "baguette" with his hand turned inward, and shall hold the Harquebus off the ground, as this portrait demonstrates.

25. How, wishing to take the ramrod short, having turned it, he shall push it against his body and suddenly slide his hand toward the bottom end to put it more securely into the Harquebus. And in the event that he wishes to fire a bullet, he shall suddenly take the bullet—with the hand that holds his ramrod thus shortened—out of his mouth Soldiers often kept lead bullets in their mouths for quick access during battle. or from the place where he keeps them, and shall drop it into the Harquebus.

26. Then he shall pack the powder and bullet with the ramrod, always holding the Harquebus high off the ground, as is seen by this figure.

27. How he shall withdraw the ramrod with his hand turned inward, holding the Harquebus off the ground.

28. And to take the ramrod short again, he shall push it against his body as was said before.

29. How, having taken the ramrod by the very end, he shall return it suddenly and with skill to its place in the stock original: "l’affut"; here referring to the channel or pipe under the barrel that holds the ramrod..

30. How, wishing to again grasp the Harquebus with the right hand, he shall first bring it forward, as is seen by this figure.

31. How he shall hold the Harquebus in the right hand toward the bottom, or the heavy part of the stock original: "gros verrin", and always with the barrel high, being ready to put it back on his shoulder.

32. How he shall put the Harquebus back onto his shoulder with a single hand, being ready with the other hand to hold it well.