[Matchlock]

Originally Posted by Cavalco

Thank you so much for your work. I'm just an amateur, but I'm really interested in the subject. I appreciate it sincerely. I'll read it carefully

Regards, Carlos Valenzuela

Sure. A lock, not a key The spanish word "llave" is both lock and key.


Hola! Carlos,

It is my turn to say thank you for studying my writings; that's why I take all that toil ...

I was aware of the fact that llave meant both; Fernando, the other forum Spaniard interested in early firearms, once told me so.


Thanks for the clarification

Wadding for the load It is always used?

It usually was; the reason being that the balls used with 'military' muzzle loading guns actually were of smaller caliber than the barrel bore. It quickened the loading procedure but if the gun was held, or aimed!, muzzle down, the ball would simply roll out.
It is the author's thesis that by ca. the 1540's, paper cartridges came in use.
Now the arquebusier, especially on horseback, would put the cartridge between his front teeth, ripp off the the ball, pour the gun powder in the barrel, "spit" the ball down the bore, crumble the paper and stuff it into the muzzle, to prevent the ball from falling out. Then he would simply ram the whole load home with the ramrod, prime the pan and was ready to fire.

I have been looking for more information about the parade entry in bologna. Several relationships about the same. I have found it interesting to note one:

Della venuta e dimora in Bologna del sommo pontefice Clemente VII. per la coronazione de Carlo V. imperatore celebrata l'anno MDXXX. Cronaca con note documenti ed incisioni (1842) f.31/p.75
https://archive.org/details/dellavenutaedimo00gior

finalmente una compagnia di moschettieri a cavallo intorno a quaranta carri di polvere, palle, e diverse munizioni; da ultimo tre vessilliferi, ed un drappello di moschettieri a piedi, che chiudevano questo trionfale corteggio

[English google translation]
finally a company of musketeers [on horse] riding around forty wagons of powder, balls, and other munitions; least three standard-bearers, and a squad of musketeers on foot, which closed this triumphal procession

I always thought there had not been musketeers walk to the 1560s

Oh yes, they usually had to. They were the infantry, after all, the foot soldiers.
It is only in those stupid Dumas movies about The Three Musketeers that you see them without a musket but always on horseback, or riding a coach instead ...

Greetings, Carlos

Kindest regards to Spain from Bavaria,
and best,
Michael