This term is occasionally found in military records but is rarely explained. Readers may find Francis Markham's comments, written in the early part of the C17th, useful.

"To conclude then, for the Bastard Musquet (which differeth nothing from the full Musquet, but in the bore onely, and the charges which must be made sutable to the bore) they are of excellent use, for they carrie as farre as the full Musquet, and pearce as deepe (though their bore be lesse) and their lightnesse and nimblenesse to those which are weaker, and of much lesse abler bodies, is such an ease and comfort, that they are able both to hold out in Marches and in Service with any man how strong or potent soever.

Now for their arming, it is in all poynts like that of the full Musquet without any difference: for as their Service is alike, so alike are their Accoutrements, and what adornes the one, is as seemely for the other, so that it shall be needlesse to wade further in this Discourse, but leave the rest to the discretion of the Captaine in whose power it is to alter and dispose of his Armes according to his owne will and the rule of his Judgement."

Francis Markham recommends the use of Bastard Muskets rather than Arquebuses for weaker soldiers who are to be armed with firearms because "Harquebuses I cannot allow in this place, because they are growne out of use, and can by no means make their encounter good where the Musquet is opposed against them: for the one killing at twentie score, the other hardly at six, how is it possible hee should come to play within his distance, before all or the most part of the body be overthrowne and destroyed."

In essence, therefore, the Bastard Musket would be of the same length of barrel as a full musket but its bore would be less. The charge of gunpowder required would be in proportion to the ball it fired, and would be less than a full musket charge. This means that different bandoleers would be required, as those for a Bastard Musket would be bored to take a lighter charge, and different musket balls would be needed as those for a full musket would not fit. The soldier using a Bastard Musquet would also carry a musket-rest for conformity's sake.

Notes

Francis Markham (1565 - 1627) was a brother of the more famous writer Gervase Markham. He had served extensively in the European wars of the late Sixteenth century, as a volunteer in the Low Countries under Sir William Pelham and later under Sir Francis Vere, in Germany in the service of the Prince of Anhalt and with the Earl of Essex in France and Ireland. 'Five Decades of Epistles of War", a book divided into five sections of ten chapters each hence the title, was printed by the London printer Augustine Matthews in 1622. Francis Markham's military experience was gained while the new Dutch military theories were being developed and, despite the date of its publication, reflects more of the practice of the late Sixteenth century than the early Seventeenth.

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