It seems tolerably clear that the 500 men there described as smoke gunners, were armed with portable firearms, and probably carried lighted matches; and, although the numbers do not tally, we cannot well doubt that they were the same men already mentioned as armed with “hange-guns,” or “hande-gonnes.” 1471.—On the night before the battle of Barnet, between the forces of Edward IV. and the Earl of Warwick, “and shotte gunnes al night one at the other.”—1 Lel. _Coll._ fo. 504. “And eche of them loosede gonnes at othere alle the nyght.”—_MS. Chronicle_, by Warkworth, p. 16, _printed for the Camden Society_. Besides which, we also learn from Holinshed, that the Lancastrians, during the night before the battle, continually discharged their cannons at the camp of Edward IV.; and Holinshed adds:— “The King would not suffer anie of his gunnes in all that night to be shot off, least thereby they might have gessed the ground, and so levelled their artillerie to his annoyance.”—Holinshed’s _Chronicles_, vol. i. fo. 684. Same year.—A small cannon-ball, weighing a pound and a half, was dug up near the obelisk erected upon Gladmore Heath, where the battle of Barnet was fought.—Hutton’s _Bosworth Field_, Introduction, p. xxxv. 1471.—In the march of Queen Margaret and her army from Gloucester towards Tewkesbury, “the Lord Beaucampe toke from her rereward, more ordinance then she might have wel spared, which did to her no smal prejudice.”—Hall’s _Chronicles_, fo. 31. Same year.—At the battle of Tewkesbury the Yorkists were well furnished “with great artillerie,” and the Lancastrians defended themselves “with shot of arrowes and great artillerie, although they had not the like plentie of guns as the King had.”—1 _Holinshed_, fo. 687. 1471, May 14th.—Thomas Neville, called the Bastard of Falconbridge, and the common people, and undisciplined forces under him, being denied a passage through the city of London, “sette upon diverse parties therof, as Bysshoppes Gate, Algate, London Brydge, and a long the waters syde, and shot gonnes and arowes, and fyred the gates with cruell malyce, as Bysshoppes Gate and Algate, and fought,” &c.—Fabyan’s _Chron._, fo. 223. 1471.—Another old writer (Leland) states, that “they shot his ordinaunce at the cyte and brent aboute London Bridge and at Aldgate.”—1 Lel. _Coll._ fo. 506. Another account states that he “loosede his gonnes into the citee.”—_MS. Chronicle_, by Warkworth, p. 19, _printed for the Camden Society_.