Soldier on guard shaping the match on the cock of his musket (no. 42), ca. 1600

A soldier on guard, full-length, facing right, holding a musket (a specific type of firearm) with his left hand at the fork of the fork (musket fork) on which the barrel rests (no. 42), ca. 1600. With his thumb and middle finger of his right hand he gives the burning slow match on the hammer (part of the ignition mechanism) of his musket the correct position and shape. Plate 42 in the instructions for handling the musket: Brief enseignement, sur les pourtraitz figurez, touchant le droit maniement du Mousquet. Part of the illustrations in a French edition of J. de Gheyn's Wapenhandelinghe: J. de Gheyn, Maniement d'armes, d'arquebuses, mousquetz et piques : en conformité de l'ordre de Mour le Prince Maurice, Prince d'Orange, Amsterdam 1608. Military affairs around 1600.