MONKS GUN

[CARBABY]

Anybody have photo/s of a "MONKS GUN?" please post if available. I have copies of a line drawing and an artist rendering, but would like to see the real thing. OF the artist's rendering - I doubt whether there is a human living or dead that could hold up a cannon barrel with one hand while activating the lock mechanism with the other...thus the request of for photo of
a REAL example.

 

[Robert Egler]

Are you speaking of European (mediaeval) monks and early guns, or some other time or place?

Mediaeval illustrators didn’t tend to worry too much about correct proportion, so a lot period illustrations showing early guns have the guns way too big.

If that’s what you mean, here’s a photo of a gunner behind a shield (called a “par” something (parvase?), but it’s French and I can’t spell it without looking it up. :redface: )
[url] http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/868/5107001.JPG[/url]

I”˜ll have to look to see what references I can find to the use of firearms by monks. Except the crusading orders (Knights Templar, Knights Hospitalar, etc..) who were technically under monastic vows, monks weren’t commonly found using weapons.

Although I have seen 18th century flintlock pistols labled as "mediaeval" guns in some photo collections. :shake:

 

[CARBABY]

IF THIS WORKS. VIEW PAGE 81 TOP RIGHT CORNER.[url] http://books.google.com/books...ts=lPoW-Iy5mv&sig=pdPqrzUnxaLIocr0pGG2mC-V-tY[/url]

Looks like the hands are holding (balancing) a lot of metal out there. A little TOO top heavy.

 

[ChrisPer]

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/189929/post/226013
[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/64959/post/64959[/url]/

 

[Robert Egler]

IF THIS WORKS. VIEW PAGE 81 TOP RIGHT CORNER.[url] http://books.google.com/books...ts=lPoW-Iy5mv&sig=pdPqrzUnxaLIocr0pGG2mC-V-tY[/url]

Looks like the hands are holding (balancing) a lot of metal out there. A little TOO top heavy.

Ah! Somewhat later than the time period of my illustration. It's actually later than the period I study, that being AD 800 to 1450. I've never seen anything like that, it's very interesting. :thumbsup:

Here's a link, by the way, for anyone thinking of purchasing a mediaeval gun (gonne). Hunting with one of these would certainly be a challenge! :grin:
[url] http://www.therifleshoppe.com/hand_gonnes.htm[/url]

"Gun", "gonne", "gynne" etc, I wouldn’t get too hung up on using mediaeval spelling, the idea of standardized spelling was somewhat in the future, so you’ll often find various spellings of any given word.

And oh yeah, referring back to the name of the shield, I looked it up. The shield shown in my illustration behind which the gunner stands is called a "pavise". It was also used by archers before the use of guns.

 

[CARBABY]

Thanks for your input. Per provided link I checked out post #64997 photo. Viewing the
“MONKS GUN” there I drew the conclusion that the Artist’s drawing I was looking at probably had the artist’s interpretation possibly wrong. The photo shows a “let us Say -Belt Hook” under the weapon. I would doubt that anyone would try and hold on to the "belt hook" when firing that weapon. Thanks again, the Photo of the REAL item helped.