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Gunpowder and Ammunition their Origin and Progress

Henry W. L. Hime

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Book Excerpt: 
. . .hich the two fires are discriminated and correctly named occurs in the metrical romance

50

“Richard Coer-de-Lion,” temp. Edward I. (1272-1307):—

“Kyng Richard, oute of hys galye, Caste wylde-fyr into the skye And fyr Gregeys into the see. ..... The see brent all off fyr Gregeys” (2627).107

Historically this passage is probably worthless; but, whether deliberately or by accident, the poet indicates the real distinction between the two fires. It was the sea-fire, the true Greek fire, which was thrown or fell into the sea; while the wild-fire, misnamed “Greek fire” by the Crusaders, was flung “into the sky” to descend on the heads of the enemy. In the preceding pages I have adopted the Crusaders’ nomenclature, because it is now too late to rectify their blunder.

During the siege of Stirling Castle, 1304, Edward I. “gave orders for the employment of Greek fir. . . Read More