Soldier on guard pressing his match onto the cock of his musket (no. 40), ca. 1600

A soldier on guard, full-length, facing right, holding a arquebus (a specific type of firearm) in his left hand (no. 40), ca. 1600. With his right hand he presses a burning match onto the cock (part of the ignition mechanism) of his arquebus. This is the same position as the one shown on the seventh print of the series. Plate 40 in the instructions for handling the arquebus: Corte onderwysinghe op de figuerliicke afbeeldinghe, belanghende t'rechte ghebruyck des Roers. Part of the illustrations in: J. de Gheyn, Wapenhandelinghe van Roers Musquetten ende spiessen, 's-Gravenhage, 1607. Military affairs around 1600.