~Shield fire-arms.~ ~Breech-loaders.~ Soon after the invention of fire-arms, the boss, or spike, issuing from the centre of the targets or shields, was superseded by one or more short barrels, fired by a matchlock, and having an aperture covered with a grating above, for the purpose of taking aim. These barrels were loaded at the breech, the charge being put into an iron tube, or short barrel, which was pushed in at the end, and retained there by shutting down a lid or spring. ~Cross-bow and pistol united.~ There were cross-bows, which combined a pistol and cross-bow, the wheel-lock being placed about the centre of the handle on one side, whilst on the other was the string of the bow, and the windlass for drawing it up. ~Pike and pistol.~ Pistols were frequently introduced into the butt-end of pikes, and also, in the reign of Edward VI., in the handle of the battle-axe, the spiked club, the martlet, and other weapons, even the dagger. ~Carabines with joint.~ ~Heel plate to draw out.~ In the time of Charles I. there were esclopette carbines, made with the butt to double back on a hinge, in order to get them into a holster; and a little later the butt was lengthened by drawing out the steel cap which formed its cover, now called heel plate. ~Revolvers in Charles I.~ ~Double-barrelled pistols.~ In the reign of Charles I. there were also revolvers, with eight chambers to hold the charges; and in the time of Cromwell and Charles II. we find self-loading and self-priming guns. Pistols were made both double-barrelled and revolving. ~Arrows fired out of muskets, 1591.~ In Sir Richard Hawkins’ account of his voyage in the South Sea, 1591, mention is made of his shooting arrows from muskets with great success at shipping: “for the upper works of their ships being musket proof, they passed through both sides with facilitie, and wrought extraordinary disasters, which caused admiration to see themselves wounded with small shot when they thought themselves secure.” These wooden arrows were called sprites or sprightes. Lord Verulam says, “it is certain that we had in use at one time for sea fight short arrows which they call sprights, without any other head save wood sharpened, which were discharged out of muskets, and would pierce through the sides of ships, when a bullet would not pierce.” ~Sprites required wads.~