Portable fire-arms were introduced into Spain towards the middle of the 15th century. Count Clonard, in treating this subject in the "Memorias de la Academia de la Historia," ix. p. 214, says:--"Alfonso de Palencia tells us the _espingarda_, or large hand musket (see woodcut), and _arbatana_ culverin, were used in the insurrection at Toledo in July, 1467. He assures us they had been very recently invented and named. They had been mentioned as early as 1449. In the siege of Toledo, Don Alvaro de Luna could not be kept back from the dangerous position in which he had placed himself, notwithstanding the shower of stones, rockets, arrows, and shots of _espingardas_ which were thrown into the town." [Illustration: SPANISH MUSKETS.] At the same time as these portable fire-arms were used in Spain, the ancient _ballestas_, crossbows, so generally used in the Middle Ages, were very popular. Several artists became very famous in their manufacture. Alonso Martinez de Espinar enters into many details of this implement in his rare volume on the "Arte de Ballesteria y Monteria," Madrid, 1644, 4to, from which I copy the following passage, p. 11:--"The crossbow is more secure and less dangerous than the arquebuse; for it has never been known that a man's life has been lost by breaking the string or cord, two things which are dangerous, but not to a considerable extent. The crossbow has many advantages over the arquebuse: it kills, but does not frighten game; this cannot be done with the arquebuse, for the sound it makes alarms and frightens the game, and is heard everywhere. Once set, its shot is secure; which is not the case with the arquebuse, which often misses fire. "This weapon has been used in Spain from very early times, and has been made by the best masters; the most famous among them were-- Azcoitia el Viejo. Pedro de la Fuente. Christoval de Azcoitia. Juan Hernandez. Juan Perez de Villadiego. Juan Azcoitia. Vzedo. Hortega. "The only famous maker of crossbows of the present time is Juan de Lastra."