Cursed Muskets & Firearms Folklore: Our Halloween Special with firearms expert Jonathan Ferguson

Down, down, down in the stores of the NFC, Jonathan get's hands on with a English Civil War era matchlock musket that was made during the time of heightened witch superstition.

Do check out ‪@Novum_YT‬ and eagerly await his video which will feature Jonathan discussing a scene from Robert Egger's The VVitch.

0:00 Intro
0:12 Matchlock Musket
0:30 The VVitch (and a collaboration with Novum)
1:21 Littlecote House Collection
2:41 Alexander Popham
3:30 Matchlock System
5:50 Firearm Details
10:15 Later Era Matchlock
11:05 Jonathan Ferguson Keeper of Folklore and Witchcraft
12:30 Firearm Curses (Misfire and Malfunction)
13:58 Scottish Spells
14:30 Silver Bullets
15:50 Musket Context
16:45 Fate of Mr Popham
17:31 Outro and, wait... what... who is that?

Full Quote:
"Besides all this, whoever loads his Musket with Cartridges, is sure the Bullet will not drop out, though he takes his aim under breast high, for the paper of the Cartridge keeps it in; whereas those Soldiers which on service take their Bullets out of their Mouths, (which is the nimblest way) or out of their Pouches, which is slow, seldom put any Paper, Tow, or Grass, to ram the Bullet in; whereby if they fire above breast high, the Bullet passes over the head of the Enemy; and if they aim low, the Bullet drops out ere the Musket is fired; and 'tis to this that I attribute the little Execution I have seen Musketeers do in time of Fight, though they fired at great Battalions, and those also reasonable near."

A treatise of the art of war dedicated to the Kings Most Excellent Majesty / and written by the Right Honourable Roger, Earl of Orrery, 1677.

From all of us at the Royal Armouries - Happy Halloween 👻

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