THE CALIVER. 243 



In the Lancashire Lieutenancy is preserved the price of 

 the caliver and its appendages, and the equipment of the 

 bearer, in 1574 : — "Everie caliu his peece, flaxe & touche- 

 box xiiij s ; his morion vij s viij d , sworde & dagger vij s , his 

 hose viij s , his showes ij s , his shirtt iiij s , his dublett iiij s , his 

 coate xij s iiij d , money in his purse xxyj 8 viij d ." 



For some unexplained reason, the price of a caliver, 

 which, with flask and touch-box, was charged only 14^. in 

 1574, in 1576 cost 24s-. : — 



" Itfri a calliu . . . . xxiiij 8 ." 



In 1581, we find the charges for "A Shoot: — Caliu, 

 flaxe, tuche box & scorier xvj ; " and in a " Schedule of 

 such rates of money as armor may be provided for at the 

 Cyttie of Chester, for such souldiors as shall repaire 

 thither out of the county of Lancaster," the caliver fur- 

 nished with flask, and touch-box, laces and moulds, 

 xiij s vj d .* 



In 1620, a caliver, with bandoleers,t is valued at 14^. 

 lod.\ According to a passage in Brantome,§ it would 

 appear that the Spaniards originated this improvement in 

 fire-arms, " la facon et l'usage des belles harquebuzes de 

 calibre ; " and that it was introduced by Phillippe Strozzi 

 into the French infantry, under Charles IX., but it was 



» Peck's " Desid. Cur." 



t Bandoleers consisted of a belt of leather worn over the left shoulder, on which 

 were suspended little metal, wooden, leather, or horn cylinders, each containing 

 one charge. Examples are preserved in the Tower of London. 



J Harl. MSS., No. 5,109. 



§ Brantdme, " CEuvres," torn. vii. pp. 425-429- 



